In chapters 17 and 18 we have seen the demise of Babylon the Great, which has been identified for us in Revelation 17:18 as “the great city that has an empire over the kings of the earth.” Now many consider these next chapters the most difficult of Revelation. I do not believe this to be the case. Once we have determined who Babylon the Great, the beast, and the dragon represent accurately, then chapters 19-20 fit together nicely. But if we have misinterpreted one of the symbols, then the difficulties arise. One reason for the many difficulties is that John now begins to see the things that will take place after the destruction of Babylon the Great and the beast.

Hallelujah For The Judgments Have Come (19:1-5)

Great praise is given to the Lord because His judgments are true and righteous against the great harlot. Who have we seen to be the great harlot? In our study of Revelation 17 we saw that the great harlot was a city that had great power over the peoples, languages, and nations (17:15). We see that the great harlot causes the kings of the earth to commit sexual immorality (17:2). Further, we saw this city had great wealth over the whole earth (18:11-20). Finally, the city is the great city that has an empire over the kings of the earth (17:18). This great harlot is none other than the city of Rome in the first century. No other first century city fits the descriptions given. Judgment has come upon this city in chapters 15-18, and now that judgment is complete, there is great rejoicing. The blood of the saints has been avenged by the Lord. In verse 3 we again read that the smoke of the city ascends forever and ever, picturing the city’s complete destruction and inability to rise again to power (18:21). We also see in verse 4 that worship before God is taking place again. Remember back in Revelation 15:8 that no one could enter the sanctuary until the judgments were complete. We now see the city’s judgment completed (16:17) and the worship before the throne continues.

Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)

There is more rejoicing because the marriage of the Lamb has come and a bride has been prepared (vs. 7). The bride is arrayed in fine linen, bright and pure (vs. 8), representing the righteous acts of the saints (vs. 9). We are reading about the marriage feast of the Lamb and his bride, the church. Verse 9 tells us that the bride is the saints for “blessed are those invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb.” This is not the first time that the marriage feast of the Lamb to his bride is pictured. Jesus himself spoke of the marriage feast in the gospels. In three parables, Jesus refers to a marriage feast or wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1-14; Matthew 25:1-13; Luke 14:15-24). After reading about the great destruction of chapters 15-18, we now read about the victory of those who had been invited to the marriage feast. Those Christians who had remained with the Lord during the persecutions and tribulations that Rome had brought are now seen partaking in the marriage feast. All who overcome tribulations through obedience to the Lamb are part of the wedding banquet and married to the Lamb.

The Bridegroom-Jesus Christ (19:11-16)

Now we are given more images concerning the bridegroom. This images have been applied to Jesus earlier in the book of Revelation:

Faithful and True (19:11; 3:14)
Eyes a fiery flame (19:12; 1:14; 2:18)
From mouth, a sharp sword (19:15; 1:16)
Rule with a rod of iron (19:15; 12:5; Psalm 2:9)
King of kings, Lord of lords (19:16; 17:14)

There is no doubt that we are seeing Jesus Christ. He is wearing white which shows his purity and holiness. Verse 13 says that his robe has been dipped in blood. Why is it dipped in blood? At the end of this chapter we will see the blood is from the enemies Jesus has conquered.

Isaiah 63:1-6 also uses this imagery. “Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.â€? Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come. I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm worked salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.â€?

In Isaiah’s prophecy we see the Lord’s garments are red because he has trampled his enemies in judgment. This is what we are reading in Revelation 19 as well. Revelation 19:15, “he will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of the God the Almighty.” So we have seen the marriage of the saints of God to Jesus Christ and destruction of the enemies of Christ. Romans 7:4 says, “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another–to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.”

Defeat of the Beasts (19:17-21)

Now we see the importance of the message about to be proclaimed for the angel is standing on the sun. The message spoke is one of a graphic nature. The great supper is called so that the flesh of God’s enemies can be eaten. While this picture seems unusual, it has been seen before in the Old Testament.

Ezekiel 39:17-20, “And as for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Speak to every sort of bird and to every beast of the field: “Assemble yourselves and come; gather together from all sides to My sacrificial meal which I am sacrificing for you, a great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood. You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams and lambs, of goats and bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan. You shall eat fat till you are full, and drink blood till you are drunk, at My sacrificial meal which I am sacrificing for you. You shall be filled at My table with horses and riders, with mighty men and with all the men of war,” says the Lord GOD.”

This will not literally occur. We must remember that we are reading symbols in this book (Revelation 1:1). This is symbolic of the great judgment that we are about to read about at the end of this chapter. Now we see the beast, the kings of the earth, and its armies gathered to make war. This seems to make reference back to the scene at Armageddon where the kings of the earth were gathering to prepare for war (Revelation 16:13-16). But before war can be waged, the beast and the false prophet are taken prisoner and thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone. There is no war between God and Satan still to take place on the earth, as many teach. God wipes out the enemies decisively before there is a battle. These are the two beasts that we read about in Revelation 13, the beast of the earth and the beast of the sea. These beasts are now destroyed.

Who were these? When we go back to Revelation 13 we remember that the first beast was the Roman Empire and the second beast, which is the false prophet, was the subordinate authorities that enforced the pagan worship and emperor worship (see notes on Revelation 13). Thus, all that consisted of the Roman empire, its political power, its military reach through the world, and its religious power are seen as being destroyed. No longer does the Roman Empire exist and neither does it have political, military, or religious power whatsoever. This imagery fits Daniel’s prophecy in Daniel 7:11, “I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.” Thus, the prophecy of Daniel has now been completely fulfilled in the book of Revelation.