1God is praised in heaven for judging the great whore, and avenging the blood of his saints. 6The triumph because of the marriage of the Lamb. 10The angel, who shewed John these things, refuseth to be worshipped. 11The vision of the Word of God sitting upon a white horse, and followed by his armies. 17The fowls called to feast on the flesh of those that took part with the beast. 20The beast and the false prophet cast into the lake of fire and brimstone; and the rest slain.
1AND 1after these things I heard a great voice of 2much people in heaven, saying, 3Alleluia; 4Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
1 That is, after the Romish Babylon was now at last burned and destroyed by a special judgment of God, as was related in the previous chapter.
2 Namely, of those who triumph with Christ in heaven, and compassed about His throne, Rev. 7:9; as they are exhorted in Rev. 18:20, by the angel to this song of praise.
3 That is, praise God. An Hebrew phrase, which occurs in many Psalms, which has also been retained in the Greek and other churches, because it was very familiar and known, as is also the word amen, hosanna, abba, etc.
4 These attributes are not here wished unto God, since He has always possessed them, but are acknowledged and extolled in Him, because He had now actually made them manifest in the sight of everyone. See the like expression in Rev. 5:12; 7:12 and more elsewhere.
2For 5true and righteous are hisa judgments: for he hath judged 6the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged theb blood of his servants at her hand.
5 That is, are executed according to His truth and righteousness; since He had promised this before unto His people, and had threatened the same unto the enemies of His church. See Psalm 9:8.
a Rev. 15:3; 16:7.
6 See earlier in Rev. 17:1.
b Deut. 32:43; Rev. 18:20.
3And 7again they said, Alleluia.c Andd her smoke rose up 8for ever and ever.
7 Namely, to show with how much earnestness they did it.
c Praise the LORD.
d Isa. 34:10; Rev. 14:11; 18:18.
8 Gr. into eternities of eternities.
4And 9the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.e
9 Namely, those who were about the throne of God with the four beasts; whereof see further in Rev. 4:4, 6; 5:8.
e Praise the LORD.
5And a voice came 10out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all 11ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.
10 Namely, from heaven, whereof frequently is spoken before. This voice tends thereunto to exhort all the servants of God in heaven and on earth unto a new song of praise for the mercies, which God would show unto His church at the last coming of Christ to judgment, as shall appear by the explanation.
11 Namely, not only believers in heaven and on earth, but also angels who acknowledge themselves to be the fellow servants of the faithful, verse 10 and Rev. 22:9.
6And I heard as it were the voice of a 12great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia:f for the Lord God omnipotent 13reigneth.g
12 Gr. many.
f Praise the LORD.
13 That is, now comes the times that He, having subdued all His enemies under our feet and having destroyed the kingdom of the antichrist, of Satan and of the world, will reign alone, and will make it appear before all the world; 1 Cor. 15:24. For, though He always reigned as King, yet His Kingdom has been much darkened among many, by reason of the tyranny of these others, and by reason of His patience and forbearance in all these things, according to the judgment of the world.
g Rev. 11:17.
7Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: forh14the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife 15hath made herself ready.
h Mat. 22:2; Luke 14:16.
14 That is, the closer union and full glorification of the church of Christ in heaven with her bridegroom Christ are near at hand. This comparison is also continually used elsewhere. See Mark 2:19, 20; John 3:29; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:23, etc.
15 Namely, unto this closer union and full glorification, which preparation does not proceed from her natural abilities, but which was given by free grace unto her by her Bridegroom, as the next verse shows. See also Ezek. 16:3, etc.; 2 Cor. 3:5; Eph. 5:26; Philip. 1:29.
8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen 16is 17the righteousness of saints.
16 That is, signifies, as before in Rev. 1:20; 17:15, 18.
17 Or, righteousnesses, namely, not whereby we are righteous in our own selves, but whereby we are righteous before God, which is the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed unto us by faith, 2 Cor. 5:21; and is as a pure white garment, whereby our nakedness is covered before the face of God. See Rom. 13:14; 1 Cor. 1:30; Gal. 3:27 and Rev. 7:13, from where the sanctification of the Spirit has its origin, which shall also hereafter be perfected in us.
9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they 18which are called 19unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, 20Thesei are the true sayings of God.
18 Namely, with a calling according to God’s purpose; for, He has justified and glorified them, Rom. 8:30. There are otherwise some called to this marriage with an outward calling, who shall be cast out afterwards. See Mat. 22:11, etc.
19 So called, because marriages were wont to be kept by the ancient in the evening, Mat. 25:1, and that it shall here begin at the end of the world, or at the last day.
20 Namely, whereby this salvation is promised to us, which we therefore must receive with a sure faith, and of which we must expect this fulfillment in due time.
i Rev. 21:5.
10Andj I fell at his feet to worship 21him. And he said unto me, Seekthou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: 22worship God: for the testimony of Jesus 23is the spirit of prophecy.
j Rev. 22:8.
21 Namely, being moved thereunto through human frailty, as well by reason of the glory of the angel, as by reason of the glorious declaration which he made of the coming of the marriage of the Lamb, as similarly was done by Cornelius unto Peter, Acts 10:25. Though John did not take this angel to be God Himself, nevertheless, since this honor exceeded the measure and seemed to have something of God in it, the angel refused to accept it, both here and further in Rev. 22:9; as also the worship of angels is forbidden by Paul, Col. 2:18.
k Acts 10:26; 14:14; Rev. 22:9.
22 Namely, this honor of true worship belongs only to Him; Mat. 4:10.
23 That is, one and the same thing with the spirit of prophesy, and of one worthiness. Whereby he shows that they are both servants of Jesus Christ, forasmuch as he had received the spirit of prophesy to declare this unto John, Rev. 1:1, and John likewise to testify this in the name of Christ unto the church.
1124And I saw 25heaven opened, and behold 26al white horse; and he that sat upon him was called 27Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and 28make war.
24 Here begins the last part of this chapter, in which there is shown unto John in a new vision the coming of Christ, to redeem His church fully and perfectly, and to destroy utterly the antichrist with all his adherents and all other enemies of the church, as appears by the consideration of this whole account. Yet some are of the opinion that here is described another coming of Christ by His Spirit and power, which would precede His last coming, wherein the Jews would be converted, and the rest of the church here in this world, being united with the Jews, would triumph over all their enemies, and enjoy a quiet and peaceable kingdom. But this opinion cannot consist with that which is said in verse 20, that in this coming the beast and the false prophet were cast alive into the lake of fire, which shall not be done till the last coming of Christ, as the apostle also expressly testifies in 2 Thes. 2:8. And also because in this coming of Christ, whereof is spoken in this chapter, the marriage of the Lamb with His bride is said to take place, which is the union of the church of Christ at the last day with Christ her Bridegroom, Mat. 25:1, 13; whereunto may be added, that the state of the church of Christ, before His last coming, is continually described in Scripture that it shall be quite different on earth than these men perceive; as is noted in more detail in Rev. 20:1.
25 Namely, to open the way unto Christ as the supreme Judge and Ruler, to come down with all His heavenly hosts for the redemption of His church, and for the punishment of all His and her enemies. See Mat. 24:30; 25:31; 1 Thes. 4:16; 2 Thes. 1:7; Jude verse 14, etc.
26 Namely, as a sign of His glory and victory; as was shown in Rev. 6:2, but for another end. Whereof see the annotation there.
l Rev. 6:2.
27 Namely, in performing and executing His promises and threatenings.
28 Namely, not only for the protection of His people, but also for the righteous punishment of His enemies, Rom. 2:5, 6.
12His eyes were 29asm a flame of fire, and on his head were 30many crowns; and he had 31a name written, that no man 32knew, but he himself.
29 Namely, as in Rev. 1:14, whereby He views all things thoroughly, and nothing is hid from Him.
m Rev. 1:14.
30 Namely, wreathed together as a sign of His manifold dominion, even above the dragon and the beast with seven heads and ten crowned horns. For, He is King of kings, and Lord of lords; verse 16.
31 Namely, the only Son of the infinite Father, Whose nature no man fully understands but Himself, John 1:18. For, though the same is also revealed unto us, and His name is also declared in verse 13, yet no creature is able to comprehend it perfectly, because this generation is unspeakable and eternal.
32 Gr. knoweth.
13And he was clothed with a vesture 33dippedn34in blood: and his name is called 35Theo Word of God.
33 Or, dyed.
n Isa. 63:1.
34 Namely, in respect of His suffering for us, and in respect of the blood of His enemies wherewith His garment was dyed in this slaughter. See below in verse 15; Isa. 63:1, etc.
35 See hereof the annotation at John 1 on verse 1.
o John 1:1; 1 John 1:1.
14And 36the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in finep linen, 37white and clean.
36 That is, the holy angels with whose host He shall come compassed about, and the holy souls who shall descend with Him, to be again united with their bodies, and then to be also partakers of this triumph of Christ. See 2 Cor. 5:8, 9, 10.
p Mat. 28:3; Rev. 4:4; 7:9.
37 Namely, to give to understand their purity and glory, when they shall come to triumph with Christ, their Head, Whose garment alone is dipped in blood by reason of this slaughter, and Who alone is armed with a sword and an iron rod, because the honor of this victory belongs only to Him. See verse 21; Isa. 63:1, etc.
15Andq38out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite 39the nations: and he shall rule them 40withr a rod of iron: ands41he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
q verse 21; Rev. 2:16.
38 See the exposition of this sword in verse 21.
39 Or, the Gentiles. That is, all the enemies of His church that shall conspire with the antichrist against Christ and His Kingdom. See Rev. 2:26, 27, where this place of the second Psalm is also applied to the members of Christ.
40 Namely, to break them in pieces, like earthen vessels, because they suffered not themselves to be led by the staff of His Word.
r Psalm 2:9; Rev. 2:27.
s Isa. 63:3; Rev. 14:19, 20.
41 That is, He treads underfoot and crushes in pieces the enemies of God, as grapes in a winepress are easily trodden underfoot and bruised in pieces by a strong man. See Rev. 14:20; Isa. 63:3, where this similitude is also used by Christ. See also similar in Lam. 1:15.
16And he hath 42on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, 43KINGt OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
42 That is, hanging upon His garment on His thigh, that is, openly in the sight of everyone, which is most seen and is most manifest as the garment upon the thigh of men who ride on horseback.
43 This title is given by Paul to God the Father, 1 Tim. 6:15, and in Rev. 17:14 also to Christ, Who has not only received from God His Father a Name above all names, but He was also equal with God from all eternity and in the form of God. See John 10:29, 30; Philip. 2:6.
t 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14.
17And I saw an angel 44standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying 45to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Comeu and gather yourselves together unto 46the supper of the great God;
44 Namely, to be heard throughout the whole atmosphere, as heralds are wont to proclaim the charge of their captain general in high and lofty places to be able to be heard by everyone.
45 A figurative phrase taken from Jer. 12:9 and Ezek. 39:17, whereby is signified an exceeding great overthrow of God’s enemies, whose dead and slain bodies were left for a prey unto the wild fowls and savage beasts. But they shall here, after this great slaughter of God, be given up for a prey unto the devils and hell in the valley of Armageddon, Rev. 16:16, as is declared in verse 20.
u Jer. 12:9; Ezek. 39:17.
46 That is, which God in His wrath upon His enemies has prepared for you.
18That ye may eat 47the flesh of kings, and the flesh 48of 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 bond, both small and great.
47 Namely, who shall still adhere unto and defend the antichrist, and shall conspire with him against Christ, as is shown in the next verse. For, some of these kings shall also hate this whore, and strip her naked, and eat her flesh, and burn her with fire, Rev. 17:16.
48 That is, of all kinds of soldiers, out of which a great army is wont to consist.
19And 49I 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.
49 That is, the antichrist himself, who was the head of this army, and who had sent his three unclean spirits to the kings of the earth to stir up to this last war against Christ and His church; whereof see Rev. 16:13, 14.
20And the beast 50was taken, and with him 51the false prophet thatv wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had receivedw the mark of the beast, and them that worshippedx his image. These both were cast alivey into a lake of fire burning 52withz brimstone.
50 Namely, by Christ’s power, and that alive, as is expressed in the sequel.
51 Of which see Rev. 16:13. By these two are understood the ecclesiastical and secular dominion of the antichrist with all his mitered and armed subordinates, who shall in front of all others be punished by Christ with the greatest and surest punishments, whereas other earthly and worldly men, deceived by them, shall also bear their punishments, but in a lesser measure; which is fittingly expressed by these two kinds of deaths, by the lake of fire, and by the sword. See similar passage in Mat. 5:22.
v Deut. 13:1; Mat. 24:24; Rev. 13:12, 13; 16:14.
w Rev. 13:16.
x Rev. 13:15.
y Dan. 7:11; Rev. 20:10.
52 These words are added, because brimstone gives an exceeding sharp and very piercing heat; whereby the greatest torment of hell is represented.
z Rev. 14:10.
21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, 53which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
53 That is, by the sentence or judgment, which He shall pass upon them, whereof the angels shall be the executioners, Mat. 13:41, which punishment shall be also eternal, as was testified earlier in Rev. 14:9, 10, 11, and is also testified of all the cursed ones in Mat. 25:41.