The Revelation - A Book With 7 Seals ?
/ Ewald Frank
Sprache englisch
Andere Sprachen
20. Chapter 19 - The rejoicing in heaven over the destruction of Babylon, The marriage of the Lamb
- Foreword
- Chapter 1 - Introduction, The Day of the Lord, Origin and significance of the prophetic word
- Chapter 2 - The seven messages of the resurrected Lord, First message, Keep the first love
- Chapter 3 - The fifth message, The Reformation Age, Strengthening the weak in faith
- Chapter 4 - A glimpse into heaven
- Chapter 5 - The mysterious book with the seven seals
- Chapter 6 - The opening of the seals, The unveiling of the power of the antichrist, A general view
- Chapter 7 - The sealed from the Jews
- Chapter 8 - The seventh seal, The silence in heaven, Mercy seat becomes judgement seat, Introduction to the seven trumpet judgements, The first four trumpets
- Chapter 9 - The incomparable torment, The fifth trumpet the first woe
- Chapter 10 - An intermediate vision The open book, The Lord as the Angel of the covenant
- Chapter 11 - The second intermediate vision, The measuring of the temple and the ministry of the two witnesses
- Chapter 12 - The woman clothed with the sun, Christ and His Own, Satan the red dragon and his followers
- Chapter 13 - The visions of Daniel in review of and in connection with the Revelation
- Chapter 14 - The Lamb and the sealed 144,000
- Chapter 15 - The seven bowl judgements and the multitude at the crystal sea
- Chapter 16 - The seven bowls of wrath, The final judgements of Gods indignation
- Chapter 17 - The woman riding on the beast
- Chapter 18 - The destruction of the great Babylon
- Chapter 19 - The rejoicing in heaven over the destruction of Babylon, The marriage of the Lamb
- Chapter 20 - Binding of Satan, Completion of the first resurrection by the martyrs, The Millennial Kingdom
- Chapter 21 - Announcing of the new heaven and the new earth, The glory of the New Jerusalem, The terrible fate of the lost
- Chapter 22 - The river of life and the trees of life, The paradise-like condition during the Millennial Reign
- Appendix - The 70 weeks of Daniel and the current events with Israel in the light of Bible prophecy
The first part of the 19th chapter describes the marriage of the Lamb and His Bride, but at first reference is made to the judgement by which God avenged the blood of His servants. The rejoicing of the great redeemed multitude in heaven is thus recorded: "Hallelujah! Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord, our God;
For true and righteous are his judgements; for he hath judged the great harlot, who did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
And again they said, Hallelujah! And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
And the four and twenty elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen. Hallelujah!
And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great." (19: 1-5).
These overcomers in heaven are taken out of all the sorrows on earth and placed back into the prime of their youth (Job 33: 25). There are no more sorrows, no death, no sin, no sickness, no growing old, but just the complete bliss of glory and eternal happiness. "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Cor. 2: 9).
"And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of mighty peals of thunder, saying, Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." (Rev. 19: 6-8).
During the time of tribulation on earth the Bride is at the Wedding Supper with the heavenly Bridegroom in Whose image she was transformed. These are the first-born - the Bride of the Lamb. She is totally justified, sanctified and dressed in white linen. The righteousness of God was given back to her through Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 25 we read about the coming of the Bridegroom and the wise virgins of whom is said, "… and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut." (v. 10).
In Matthew 22, the wedding feast was announced. All those who were invited at different times came up with various excuses, finally, the room was completely filled. If one brings the different Scripture passages to one common denominator, the wise virgins, the bride and the guests are always the same. Because their stay in heaven will only be during the Wedding Supper, the Redeemed are guests there and will return with the Lord thereafter to rule with Him on earth during the Millennial Reign. With these different terms, this group is shown in various connections. As virgins they are untouched, as Bride they are united with the Bridegroom, as guests the elect sit with their Lord at the great feast (Mt. 8: 11; Lk. 13: 29).
"And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not! I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (19: 9-10).
The spirit of prophecy rested upon the prophets who foretold the coming of the Redeemer. Jesus Christ is the centre point in God's plan of salvation. His testimony is seen all throughout the Holy Scripture like a red thread. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy - not the gift of prophecy. Many have spiritual gifts, but here we are dealing with the divine self-testimony of Jesus Christ as He gave it in Rev. 1: 8: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Nobody can say out of conviction that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and mean God with it, except by a personal divine experience which is revealed through the Holy Spirit. All who will be with the Lord at that time have this revelation of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, as it was unveiled to John by the Spirit.
The last battle the Lord decides Himself
In the second part of chapter 19, we find our Lord coming down after the Wedding Supper with many crowns on His head as the great Conqueror riding on a white horse. The heavenly armies follow Him to participate in the last battle at the day of God Almighty when the winepress is trodden. What is found and predicted in many passages of the Old and the New Testament will come to fulfilment. Without doubt, herein is described the last battle on this side of the Millennial Reign.
"And I saw heaven opened and, behold, a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called The Word of God.
And the armies that were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, king of kings, and Lord of lords." (19: 11-16).
At that time the love and grace of God is not spoken of. Humanity living at that time will have spurned His love and grace, and therefore provoked His wrath. "And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God,
That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and enslaved, both small and great." (vv. 17-18).
The Prophet Ezekiel had seen this last battle and the kings and armies which will participate therein, and has given a very identical description: "And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord God: Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.
Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunk, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.
Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord God." (39: 17-20).
At that time the two main personalities responsible, namely, the political head and the religious head, will be thrown alive into the lake of fire. "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." (Rev. 19: 19-20).
This last battle will have no prisoners of war and no one will escape. The whole army which comes under the direct influence of Satan from the North into the land of Israel will not survive. "And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth; and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." (v. 21).
"And I will enter into judgement against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his hordes, and upon the many peoples that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord." (Ezek. 38: 22-23).