Revelation 19:14

And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

·         There is little doubt that angels will also accompany Jesus and His people, but the main idea is that the Son of God leads the people of God from heaven against earth  (DG)

·         There is no mention of any kind of armor or weapon for any soldier in the great army that follows Jesus. The only armor or weapon they have is the only one they need: clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  (DG)

Revelation 19:13

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

·         Isa 63:2 is alluded to here, and in Rev 19:15 , end. There the blood is not His own, but that of His foes. So here the blood on His "vesture," reminding us of His own blood shed for even the ungodly who trample on it, is a premonition of the shedding of their blood in righteous retribution. He sheds the blood, not of the godly, as the harlot and beast did, but of the blood-stained ungodly, including them both  (JFB)

·         The Word of God--who made the world, is He also who under the same character and attributes shall make it anew. His title, Son of God, is applicable in a lower sense, also to His people; but "the Word of God" indicates His incommunicable Godhead, joined to His manhood, which He shall then manifest in glory. (JFB)

Revelation 19:12

His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns.  He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.

·         He has a large and extensive dominion, many crowns.  (MH)

·         The last time this earth saw Jesus He wore a crown of thorns, but not in Revelation 19. Now, He wears many crowns. The ancient Greek word used for crowns here is the diadema, the crown of royalty and authority, not the stephanos, the crown of achievement. (DG)

Revelation 19:11

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.  And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

·         When Jesus comes, He comes on a white horse. In Biblical times, especially among Israel, most soldiers were foot soldiers. To have a horse in battle was a significant advantage. A horse spoke of honor, of power, and of speed; the color of this horse speaks of victory.   (DG)

·         Faithful and True: This glorious title shows Jesus is the keeper of promises, including His promises of judgment.   (DG)

·         He is righteous in all His proceedings (MH)

Revelation 19:10

And I fell at his feet to worship him.  But he said to me, “See that you do not do that!  I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus.  Worship God!  For the Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

·         There are important differences between humans and angels, but both are servants of the same Lord.  (DG)

·         The true spirit of prophecy always shows itself in bearing witness to Jesus. “Any teaching of prophecy that takes our minds and hearts away from Him is not being properly communicated.” (Hocking)

Revelation 19:9

Then he said to me, “Write:  ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’”  And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

·         One reason this great multitude is so filled with praise is because the time has come for the Lamb of God to be joined unto His people, in a union so close it can only be compared to the marriage of a man and a woman.  (DG)

·         On that day, everyone will see the church for what she really is: the precious bride of Jesus. “The Bride of Christ is a sort of Cinderella now, sitting among the ashes. She is like her Lord, ‘despised and rejected of men’; the watchmen smite her, and take away her veil from her; for they know her not, even as they knew not her Lord. But when he shall appear, then shall she appear also, and in his glorious manifestation she also shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of the Father.” (Spurgeon)

Revelation 19:8

And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

·         A description of the bride, how she appeared; not in the gay and gaudy dress of the mother of harlots, but in fine linen, clean and white, which is the righteousness of saints; in the robes of Christ’s righteousness.  (MH)

·         These her nuptial ornaments she did not purchase by any price of her own, but received them as the grant of her blessed Lord (MH)

Revelation 19:7

“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

·         The marriage of the Lamb, who is the Messiah, is a picture used frequently throughout the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, Israel is presented as God’s wife, who is often unfaithful (Hosea 2:19-20; Isaiah 54:5; Ezekiel 16). In the New Testament, the church is presented as the fiancé of Jesus, waiting for this day of marriage (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25-32).   (DG)

·         “In Biblical times a marriage involved two major events, the betrothal and the wedding. These were normally separated by a period of time during which the two individuals were considered husband and wife and as such were under the obligations of faithfulness. The wedding began with a procession to the bride’s house, which was followed by a return to the house of the groom for the marriage feast. By analogy, the church, espoused to Christ by faith, now awaits the parousia when the heavenly groom will come for his bride and return to heaven for the marriage feast which lasts throughout eternity.” (Mounce)

Revelation 19:6

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia!  For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!

·         The height of praise on earth is only a dim shadow of what these verses describe. (DG)

·         At this point, Revelation approaches the consummation of God’s plan for all history, so we also come to a summit of praise. (DG)

Revelation 19:5

Then a voice came from the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”

·         This voice from the throne of God might be Jesus, but more likely it is the voice of one of the angels that serve at the throne of God. (DG)

·         The great manifestation of God's power in destroying Babylon calls forth a great voice of praise in heaven.  (JFB)

Revelation 19:4

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”

·         Alleluia is Hebrew for “Praise the Lord,” saying it in the imperative sense. It is an encouragement and an exhortation to Praise the Lord! (DG)

·         The blessed harmony between the angels and the saints in this triumphant song (MH)

Revelation 19:3

Again they said, “Alleluia!  Her smoke rises up forever and ever!”

·         When the angels and saints cried Alleluia, her fire burned more fiercely (MH)

·         Praising God for what we have is praying in the most effectual manner for what is yet further to be done for us; the praises of the saints blow up the fire of God’s wrath against the common enemy (MH)

Revelation 19:2

“For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot, who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.”

·         They praise Him for the truth of His word, and the righteousness of His providential conduct, especially in this great event – the ruin of Babylon (MH)

·         This section is really the climax of Revelation 18. In Revelation 18, Babylon’s friends mourned her fall; but here, God’s people celebrate it. (DG)

Revelation 19:1

After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia!  Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!

·         Their prayers are now turned into praises, their hosannas end in halleluiahs.  (MH)

·         Alleluia . . . Alleluia . . . Alleluia: This wonderful word, borrowed from Hebrew, occurs four times in Revelation 19, but nowhere else in the New Testament. It belongs here - because God’s people rejoice without restraint at His victory over Babylon.  (DG)

Revelation 18:24

“And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”

·         The extent of this charge is an indication that this great city is symbolic of the world system at large. There is no one literal city that is responsible for all who were slain on the earth.  (DG)

·         God takes the persecution of His people as a personal offense. Those who attack His people really attack Him.  (DG)

Revelation 18:23

“The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore.  For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.

·         Sorcery is the ancient Greek word pharmakia, which means, “to prepare drugs.” The lure of commercial Babylon is like a drug addiction, fed by deceptive advertising. (DG)

·         The Babylonian system (since time began) had caused millions to offend the Lord and miss their opportunity for Heaven!  (JB)

Revelation 18:22

“The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore.  No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore.

·         In graphic and poetic language, John describes how the industry and commerce of Babylon come to an end. (DG)

·         Pipers--flute players. "Musicians," painters and sculptors, have desecrated their art to lend fascination to the sensuous worship of corrupt Christendom.  (JFB)

Revelation 18:21

Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.

·         Reminds us of what Jesus said in Matthew 18:6: But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. This applies to Babylon in Revelation 18, because she led others into sin. It is a terrible thing to sin unto yourself; it is even more terrible to lead others into sin.  (DG)

·         Will this fall hurt us? We will only be hurt to the extent that we invest ourselves in the mentality of commercial Babylon’s materialism and worldliness. (DG)

Revelation 18:20

“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”

·         Should God’s people rejoice when judgment comes? Yes, but we don’t rejoice in the destruction in judgment. Rather, we rejoice in the righteous resolution God’s judgment brings.  (DG)

·         The joy and triumph there was both in heaven and earth at the irrecoverable fall of Babylon (MH)

Revelation 18:19

“They threw dust on their heads and cried, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth!  For in one hour she is made desolate.’

·         They made a grievous outcry (MH)

·         Those who have most indulged themselves in pride and pleasure are the least able to bear calamities.  (MH)

Revelation 18:17-18

“For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’  Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance and cried out when they say the smoke of her burning, saying, “What is like this great city?’

·         Even Babylon’s friends will stand at a distance from her fall. (MH)

·         Though they had been partakers with her in her sinful pleasures and profits, they were not willing to bear a share in her plagues.  (MH)

Revelation 18:15-16

“The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!

·         So great is the heat and smoke of her burning that these kings must stand at a distance.   (DG)

·         “With a touch of grim humour he paints them as standing at a safe distance from the conflagration, and contenting themselves with idle lamentations.” (Swete)

Revelation 18:14

“The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all.

·         “The combined picture is one of complete abandonment to the wealth of this world and complete disregard of the God who gave it.” (Walvoord)

·         Ultimately, hell will be a place of unfulfilled desire. (DG)

Revelation 18:11-13

“And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore; merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men.

·         Those who have most indulged themselves in pride and pleasure are the least able to bear calamities. (MH)

·         The cause of their mourning:  not their sin, but their punishment – the wealth and merchandise of this city which was suddenly lost (MH)

Revelation 18:9-10

“The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city!  For in one hour your judgment has come.’

·         The mourners:  those who had been bewitched by her fornication, and those who had been gainers by her wealth and trade – the kings and the merchants of the earth.  (MH)

·         Even Babylon’s friends will stand at a distance from her fall.  Though they had been partakers with her in her sinful pleasures and profits, they were not willing to bear a share in her plagues.  (MH)

Revelation 18:8

“Therefore her plagues will come in one day – death and mourning and famine.  And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

·         The destruction of commercial Babylon will come suddenly, and with completeness (utterly burned with fire). (DG)

·         When destruction comes on a people suddenly, the surprise is a great aggravation of their misery (MH)

Revelation 18:7

“In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, “I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’

·         The ancient Greek word for render (apodidomi) means literally “to pay a debt” or “to give back that which is due.” God will give to commercial Babylon exactly what she deserves. (DG)

·         This passage presents a three-fold sin. First, self-indulgence (lived luxuriously). Second, pride (glorified herself . . . sits as a queen). Third, avoidance of suffering (am no widow, and will not see sorrow). All these things are characteristic of worldliness and materialism.   (DG)

Revelation 18:6

“Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.

·         Though private revenge is forbidden, yet God will have His people act under Him, when called to it, in pulling down His and their implacable enemies (MH)

·         The ancient Greek word for render (apodidomi) means literally “to pay a debt” or “to give back that which is due.” God will give to commercial Babylon exactly what she deserves. (DG)

Revelation 18:5

“For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.

·         She had not only forsaken the true God herself, an set up idols, but had drawn all sorts of men into the spiritual adultery, and by her wealth and luxury had retained them in her interest (MH)

·         The sins of commercial Babylon have piled up like a tower - the tower of Babel. (DG)

Revelation 18:4

And I heard another voice form heaven saying, “Come out of her, My people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

·         All that expect mercy God should not only come out of her, but be assisting in her destruction (MH)

·         God may have people even in Babylon (MH)

Revelation 18:3

For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”

·         Babylon’s sin is not only idolatry (referred to with the term fornication), but also pride, greed and selfishly held and wealth.  (DG)

·         Translate, "wanton luxury." The reference is not to earthly merchandise, but to spiritual wares, indulgences, idolatries, superstitions, worldly compromises, wherewith the harlot, that is, the apostate Church, has made merchandise of men. (JFB)