073 - REVELATION 19

REVELATION 19

INTRODUCTION

 

The beginning of chapter 19 is part of the parentheses that goes from Revelation 16.17 to Revelation 19.10.

Note that, in the Revelation, many times it is said that Jesus is worthy to receive everything of us (Rev 4.9,11; 5.12,13; 7.10,12; 12.10). 

In contrast with chapter 18, in which a small group of traders and kings lament the destruction of the Great Babylon, in heaven there is great voice of a great multitude praising the Eternal by her dropping.

The order of events is:

 

·        The return of Jesus in glory (Matthew 24.29,30);

·        The exile of the beast from the abyss and the false prophet into the lake of fire and brimstone;

·        The destruction of the army of the beast from the abyss (Rev 19.11-21);

·        The trial of those who did not receive the mark of the beast (Matthew 25.31-46);

·        The millennium (Rev 20.4-6);

·        The Satanic Rebellion and its end (Rev 20.7-10);

·        The destruction of the Earth by fire (2Peter 3.10-12);

·        The fourth step of the first resurrection;

·        The second resurrection;

·        The Final Judgment (Rev 20.11-15);

 

The day of the Lord is preceded by seven signs:

 

·        The manifestation of the beast (2Thes 2.1-8);

·        The sending of Elijah (Malachi 4.5; Rev 11.3-6);

·        Cosmic disorders (Joel 2.1-12; Matthew 29.29; Acts 2.19,20; Rev 6.12-17);

·        The apathy of the oholiao (1Thes 5.1-3);

·        The apostasy of the oholiao (2Thes 2.3);

·        The rapture of the Church (1Thes 4.17);

·        The apocalyptic judgments (seven bowls and seven trumpets).

 

This chapter is divided into two parts:

 

1 - (Rev 19: 1-10) -> a parenthesis showing the joy of those who are of Christ when Babylon the Great is completely destroyed and the Church married with the Lamb;

2 - (Rev 19.11-21) -> the historic victory of Jesus about the beast rising from the abyss, the false prophet and their armies.

 

Therefore, a triple clause is given:

 

·        The judgment of the Great Babylon;

·        The marriage of the Lamb (Ps 104.7);

·        The preparation of the Bride is called with another source of joy in heaven. "his wife hath made herself ready.". But it would not do this if it had not been granted to her dress of fine linen, resplendent and pure.

 

The 4 names of Christ:

 

·        “…He sitting on him was called Faithful and True.” (Rev 19.11);

·        “…And He had a name written, one that no one knew except Himself.” (Rev 19:12);

·        “…and His name is called The Word of God.” (Rev 19:13)

·        “...And He has on His garment, and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Rev 19:16). 

 

The final blessing of the Church is found in an indissoluble union with Christ. It is a union that never distracts us from who Jesus is, of what He has done for us, as well as of the love for the people around us that we all must put into practice. The true unity in Christ is to enable us to become better individuals (and not to keep us slaves of the desires of the spouse, which ends up undermining the strength, time and resources that Jesus gave us to carry out with success His mission).

Highlights at this chapter:

 

(1)   The instrument that Jesus employs to go to war and their titles (Rev 19.11).

(2)   His appearance and His followers (Rev 19.12)

(3)   Your walk and the greatness of His supremacy (Rev 19.15).

(4)   The war that He commits and the victories that he achieves. This battle is of such importance that angel summons all to pay attention for this battle (Rev 19.17).

 

1 - The love of Husband for truth:

 

·        Mutual choice;

·        Mutual sympathy;

·        Mutual assistance.

 

The voice as that great multitude will cry out, "Alleluia", This teaches us:

 

1.     that all the multitude that is in the heavens rejoice with the end of the great Babylon and the marriage of the Lamb with the Church;

2.     that our joy must not end in ourselves;

3.     that our praise must not be directed to any creature. Rather, it must be centered in Jesus and in the excellence of everything that He is;

 

This praise of Revelation 19.1-6 has five parts, whose goal is to show what the heavenly kingdom really is:

 

·        To whom praise:

o   "And after these things I heard a great sound of a numerous crowd in Heaven, saying, Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and honor and the power to the Lord our God!" (Rev 19.1);

·        Why praise:

o   "For true and righteous are His judgments. For He has judged the great harlot who defiled the earth with her fornication, and He has avenged the blood of His servants out of her hand." (Rev 19.2);

·        The importance of stay in the minds of all the victory of Jesus over Great Babylon:

o   "And secondly they said, Hallelujah! And her smoke rose up forever and ever. And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God sitting on the throne, saying, Amen! Hallelujah!" (Rev 19.3.4);

·        The order to conserve this praise in our hearts and on the lips for all eternity (Rev 19.1.2);

o   "And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all His servants, and the ones fearing Him, the small and great." (Rev 19.5). 

·        The confirmation that Jesus only reign when the Church has in mind how the lack of purity and holiness stir His anger:

o   "And I heard as the sound of a great multitude, and as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of strong thunders, saying, Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigns!" (Rev 19.6)

 

And so significant is this praise that everything stopped in heaven to praise the Eternal by the fall of the Great Babylon. After all, who is Jesus’ must seek to know Him personally and through His deeds. This heavenly act celebrates the beginning of the definitive victory over the powers antecristãos (the defeat of the Great Babylon). 

Notice how the condition of those who are faithful to Jesus is fundamental to confirm the reign of Jesus. The first time that is mentioned the Eternal reigning is in Revelation 11.17, when the Church is raptured (when He start to act in a supernatural way). The second time is here with the destruction of the Great Babylon. This is to confirm that the reign of Christ does not depend on the immensity of the cruelty of Ha-Satan and His disciples, but the quality of the commitment on the part of the Church. Jesus and His Word only seem to have no force in this world when the Church refuses to receive within Herself Jesus and His teachings. 

In every crisis in Revelation we see a similar hymn of praise (Rev 4.8; 4.9; 7.10; 11.15; 15.3; 16.5).

One day we all will hear the four "alleluia" (Rev 19.1,3,4,6). Fifteen of the Psalms begin or end with this word. In the testament of the Favor of the Eternal this word appears only here in this chapter of Revelation (and this four times - Rev 19.1,3,4,6).

According to what it is said, the Psalms 104-109 (called "the Great Hallel" because of the frequent use of the word "Alleluia") was sung especially on the Feast of the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles.

 

·        "And after these things I heard a great sound of a numerous crowd in Heaven, saying, Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and honor and the power to the Lord our God!" (Rev 19.1).

 

And after these things -> that is to say:

 

·        After the angel had declared the fall of Babylon (Rev 18.2);

·        After the voice from heaven to call the people to exit the Great Babylon (Rev 18.4);

·        After it had been ordained to the saints to repay to the Great Babylon (Rev 18.6);

·        After the mourning of the kings, merchants, pilots and all who sail at sea (Rev 18.9-19);

·        After another voice have ordered the saints to be delighted in the fall of her (Rev 18.20);

·        After the angel have described how the fall of Babylon, as well as the extreme ruin that will come upon her and the reason for this (Rev 18.21-23).

 

After all this John hears the great rejoicing in heaven. The "big voice" which the apostle heard in heaven can be characterized by three things:

 

                1st -   It was extremely high, such as what John heard in another vision (such as the sound of many waters - Rev 1.15; 14.2) (as the voice that stimulated the seven thunders uttered their voices - Rev 10.3.4);

              2nd -   The voice was big considering the theme and the opportunity, since this is related to the great salvation on the one hand and the great destruction on the other hand;

                3rd -   The voice was great in reference to the character of the human beings who joined her, come to constitute a uniform and melodious voice, coming from everything that was around the throne.

 

This song serves to show us:

 

                1st -           How terrible is the sin of ingratitude, especially with respect to Jesus;

              2nd -           How disgusting are the secular songs and carnal joy, and how inconsistent it is everything in life of who professes Christianity.

 

On the subject of the song of the redeemed:

 

                1st -       First comes the "alleluia", which means "praise the Lord";

              2nd -       After the "alleluia", they give salvation unto the Lord our God. Salvation does not depend on the ability or "good" will of the human being, but the operation of Jesus in our innermost;

                3rd -       They give glory and honor to the Eternal. Glory is the highest degree of honor, being something suitable only to the Creator, which does not divide His glory and honor with anyone, nor with nothing (Isaiah 42.8). Only His presence in us is able to give us the true glory, that is, to confer us an identity;

                4th -       Jesus is also our true honor, i.e., who distinguishes us from others and enables us to deal with distinction who He gives us, so that everyone can give continuity to the name of Christ in their lives (see Deut 25.5.6);

                5th -       Finally, power is attributed to the Eternal. Power implies ability and strength, which means that the Eternal is perfect and full in carrying out everything. For example: pouring power in our lives, so as to enable us to overcome sin (Rom 5.17), the fear of death (Heb 2.15) and the world (1 John 5.3). 

 

The Great Babilon, through their religious leaders, was adopting these privileges for herself.

 

·        "For true and righteous are His judgments. For He has judged the great harlot who defiled the earth with her fornication, and He has avenged the blood of His servants out of her hand." (Rev 19.2).

 

The attributes of the Eternal could be observed through the way He will judge Babylon the Great (avenging His servants - Deut 32.43; Rev 18.20), namely: she was destroyed just by her lovers and with the same type of debauchery that she stimulated (Rev 17.16; 18.6; see Ezek 16; 23.22).

The judgment of the Great Babylon:

 

·        She had done other people sin.

·        She had shed the blood of saints of the Eternal.

 

See the difference: the penalties imposed by the Great Babylon will have the objective to lead their followers to obey for fear of suffering; the judgments of the Eternal, on the other hand, aim to arise the individuals, so that they abandon sin and, with it, the other will not suffer because of our sins, or because of the consequence of them.

The reason for praise is the fact that the judgments of the Eternal are true and righteous, that is, lead us to think and seek only what was done to us (no more, no less), so as to make us partakers of things that are of high (Col 3.1.2; Eph 1.3; 2Peter 1.3). 

Babylon the Great, on the other hand, was known by pursuiting false riches and on a large scale.

But why false riches? Because the "riches" of this world were created, not to give comfort, but so that we could use them so that the Eternal had all the opportunities in our lives to show who He is to the world (see Luke 16.9; Eph 3.8-10). 

But why is she called the Great Whore? 

 

·        "And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, we will eat our own bread and wear our own clothing; only let us be called by your name, to take away our shame." (Isaiah 4.1).

 

Jerusalem wants to bear the name of the Eternal, but wants the best of all nations (Rev 18.12-16). By this will take advantage of the initial support of the beast from the sea to fill herself of the wealth of all nations (hence the people of Israel feel that He is the Messiah: apparently the prophecies are being fulfilled - for example, Isaiah 60.11-16).

In other words, Jerusalem wish the name of the Eternal, but do not want to compromise with Him. She wishes to food herself of what pleases her (and not what she really needs) and dress herself with her justice.

But there is still another thing to consider:

 

·        "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." (Genesis 3.15).

 

But, if it was to exist enmity between Ha-Satan and the woman (who represents Israel), then how is it possible that she had daughters in Rev 17.5? Therefore, the concept of enmity of individuals is distorted.

Firstly, note that Jerusalem will be "a single mother", because although she’ll have sons of Ha-Satan, he is not explicitly mentioned as a father in Rev 17.5. This is the characteristic of an enmity: you can even generate children and bring riches and moments of joy, but never promotes the real satisfaction of those who entrust themselves to this type of relationship. Furthermore, never in fact unites individuals. On the contrary:  just exploring each other. After All:

 

·        "A righteous one understands the soul of his animal; but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." (Proverbs 12.10). 

·        "When you sit down to eat with a ruler, look carefully at what is before you; and put a knife to your throat, if you are a man given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceitful food. Do not labor to be rich; cease from your own understanding. Will your eyes fly on it? And it is gone! For surely it makes wings for itself; it flies into the heavens like an eagle. Do not eat the bread of him who has an evil eye, nor desire his dainty foods;  for as he thinks in his heart, so is he; Eat and drink, he says to you, but his heart is not with you. Your bit which you have eaten, you shall vomit up, and spoil your pleasant words." (Prov 23.1-8).

 

The characteristic of Israel is that his people would relate with the Eternal and Ha-Satan at the same time. Hence the enmity between the seed of the woman (Jesus and the Church) and the Ha-Satan. The seed of Ha-Satan would do everything to provide the Church what she wants, instead of giving her what she really needs.

That is to say, enmity is not to do evil, but move the individual from the true good and true unity.

Note how Jerusalem (the Great Babylon) corrupted the Earth with their political and religious alliances, taking all that are not written in the book of life to worship the Eternal in a so corrupt way.

Think: how is it possible that the Great Babylon corrupt the Earth, being that the world already lies in evil (1John 5.19)? What Babylon the Great will make, through the false prophet is to make political alliances, i.e., promote the marriage of religion (clay - Israel) with the polics (iron - Rome), so that all nations pass to consider the beast from the abyss as god and perform sacred rituals established by him. That is to say, the official religion of every nation will be Judaism, taking the beast from the abyss as their Messiah. The Mosaic laws will be the code of laws to be respected by each nation.

To be clear:

 

·        The official religion is Judaism of Jerusalem (Great Babylon);

·        The beast from the abyss will be the messiah (god) this religion;

·        The False Prophet will be the mediator between the Great Babylon and the beast from the abyss, which will bring all the nations of the world to worship the beast from the abyss following the rituals of Great Babylon;

·        The nations will have as part of the law of the Old Testament, the beast from the abyss as their god and the false prophet as maximum leader of sacred rituals. The society will be governed politically in a religious way. Hence Jerusalem be Great Babylon, because she will marry politics with religion in the whole world.

·        And the people who are not written in the book of life will be possessed by Ha-Satan, forming the satanic community of Ha-Satan.

 

So it will be during the first half of the 70th week. Then, the agreement will be broken (Dan 9.27) and the ten kings will devastate Jerusalem (Rev 17.17) in order to end all opposition. Only remain alive thoso who are in favor of the beast. After the end of the 70th week will take place the judgment of Jerusalem. All fury of her fornication, i.e., their stubbornness by total annihilation of all those who do not adopt the Jewish system of worship, will turn against her.

 

·        "And secondly they said, Hallelujah! And her smoke rose up forever and ever." (Rev 19.3).

 

The smoke of the destruction of Jerusalem will rise forever, such as the internal torment of those who transgress against the Eternal (Rev 14.10,11 - the smoke of their torment):

 

·        " And they will go out and see the dead bodies of the men who have sinned against Me; for their worm will not die, nor will their fire be put out; and they will be an object of disgust to all flesh." (Isaiah 66.24).

 

 Note how the terrible pain of those who worship the Eternal in the wrong mode is exactly the pain that it will experience those who go to the lake of fire and brimstone (Mark 9.43-48 - worm dies not nor the fire goes out).

 

·        "And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God sitting on the throne, saying, Amen! Hallelujah!" (Rev 19.4).

 

Normally the praise moves from the center to the periphery (see Rev 4.5 and 7). Here, however, after the judgment of the Great Babylon, the praise moves from the periphery to the center. Here, for example, the four and twenty elders are appointed first that the living beings.

What is the purpose of the "Amen"? The perfect acceptance of everything that the Eternal is and does, even though at the time that we are passing through the fight everything seems difficult and hard to accept (it is the praise before the victory).

And what is "alleluia"? It is the confirmation of the understanding obtained in the middle of the fight, as well as the gratitude for the benefit obtained (it is the praise after the victory).

The true worship has a beginning, middle and end:

 

·        They praise before having the fight, preparing for it;

·        They commend in the middle of the fight being grateful to Jesus for all the gift received, even when our future does not seem promising, but only a punishment for the mistakes of the past. However, the day that the Eternal did for us was the "today" (Psalms 118.24). It is His gift to us, considering our spiritual situation and everything that we can be by His grace acting in us if we do not resist the move of His Spirit. This is our "Amen".

·        They praise after the fight, not only for the blessings received, but by good use that, right now, we are able to do them. This is our "alleluia" (praise the Creator).

 

The twenty-four elders and the four beasts fell and worshipped the Eternal confirming the praise of the great voice as of a large crowd. The Eternal was seated on the throne, that is, was reigning, resting on his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Rom 12.2).

This means that the world and its vicissitudes are not moving as an adrift thing, but it is all on the direction of the Eternal to give men what they always wanted: to be free to do whatever they want without the intervention of Him. The goal is that men see what happens when the control is given to them: namely: sin abounds in the extreme. However, it is there that Jesus can manifest His grace so more intense and visible (Rom 3.25,26; 5.20). 

 

·        "And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all His servants, and the ones fearing Him, the small and great." (Rev 19.5).

 

The voice came from the throne, i.e., the place where the Eternal pronounces His judgment. A voice instructed, both servants (those who do not know what His master is doing - John 15.15) as the one who fears to Jesus, to praise the Eternal. This voice cannot be of the Eternal, because otherwise instead of crying "praise our God" it would say "Praise God." This teaches us that, at the time that the judgments of the Eternal are pour down, our role is to praise Him instead of murmuring against someone or something.

The fear of the Eternal is the sign that He is present. It isn’t the fear to the Eternal that leads us to wisdom, but it is His wisdom present in us that leads us to fear Him.

As the large and small (see Psalms 148.7-13), this has to do with the fulfillment of the commandments of the Eternal. Those who meets and teaches is great; those who violate it and teach it violated is small (Matt 5.19). However, both are encouraged to praise the Eternal (Ps 115.13; Rev 11.18). 

 

·        "He will bless those who fear Jehovah, both small and great." (Ps 115.13).

 

·        "And I heard as the sound of a great multitude, and as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of strong thunders, saying, Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigns!" (Rev 19.6).

 

The voice is similar:

 

o    The voice as the voice of many waters (in contrast with the many waters over which the Great Babylon is sitting - Rev 17.1). It also suggest great power and magnitude (as in Rev 1.15; 14.2):

o   "The floods have lifted up, O Jehovah, the floods have lifted up their voices; the floods lift up their waves." (Psalm 93.3).

o   "When He utters His voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and He causes the mists to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings with rain and brings forth the wind out of His treasures." (Jer 51.16).

o    The voice like that of a large crowd (again, as in Rev 19.1). Note that the voice is not “of” a great multitude, but “as of” a large crowd. This voice represents the most varied types of individuals that exist on the face of the earth. It has to do with the most varied types of individuals that it is possible to exist. It is possible to be assimilated by any one, provided that they accept the Lord Almighty God to reign in their life;

o    The voice of big thunder remembers the voice of the seven thunders (Rev 10.3,4), whose words were so ineffable that is not lawful for a human being mentioned them (2Cor 12.4);

 

This voice type is seen in other passages of Holy Scripture (e.g., Ezek 1.24; 43.2; Rev 12.10; 14.2). 

In Rev 11.15, after the rapture of the Church, it is declared that the kingdom came to belong to Jesus. After the fall of the Great Babylon, it is declared that the Eternal reigns. And realize the relish when those who are of the Eternal see Him reigning. The detail is that this joy is ordered (Phil 4.4; 1Thes 5.16-18):

 

·        "Let us be glad and rejoice and we will give glory to Him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself." (Rev 19.7).

 

 

·        "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me." (Rev 3.20).

 

From the verse one to six of Revelation 19 four praises are made by virtue of the fall of the Great Babylon. She is so terrible that everyone in heaven consider the fall of her greatest source of praise and relish than the wedding of the Church with the Lamb.

Only in verse 7 someone feels impelled to urge everyone to be delighted, rejoice and give glory to the Creator by the oncoming of the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of human beings detest more the evil than love the well. Although the union with Christ is something so intimate and profound (to the point of Paul consider it a mystery - Eph 5.32), greater than everything that exists in this world (the intimate relationship between husband and wife was the best that John can find in this world to give an idea of the greatness of this relationship), yet many do not give due value to this (and not to marriage):

 

o   "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church." (Eph 5.32).

 

 Union with Christ is so intimate and profound that our life comes to be hidden in Him (Psalm 91.1; Matt 10.39; 1 Corinthians 6.17), being impossible for anyone to separate us from Him (John 10.28,29). Nor with the highest technologies, whether in heaven, on earth or under the earth, someone can accomplish this separation (as it is done with the metal alloys).

This figure of speech to illustrate Christ's union with the Church is very cited, both in the Old Testament (Isaiah 54:1-8; Ezek 16:7, etc.; Hosea 2:19, etc.) as well as in the New Testament (Matt 9:15; Matt 25:1, etc.; John 3:29; Eph 5:25, etc.).

To understand this, it is good to remember that the ceremony began with a procession to the house of the bride which was followed by the return to the house of the bridegroom for the wedding party. By analogy to the Church, the bride of Christ by faith, now waiting for the day on which the heavenly Bridegroom coming for His bride and returns to heaven for the wedding feast which lasts for all eternity.

 

o   "The kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who made a marriage for his son." (Matt 22.2).

 

Even here we can see what is the real reason for rejoicing and being glad:

 

·           "He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Then my joy is fulfilled." (John 3.29).

 

Many, unfortunately, rejoice for the wrong reason:

 

·           "And when they lacked wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, They have no wine. Jesus said to her, Woman, what do I have to do with you? My hour has not yet come. His mother said to the servants, Whatever He says to you, do it." (John 2.3-5). - Note that here the joy was not listen to the voice of the bridegroom, but the wine.

 

Unlike the world that rejoices from nothing (Amos 6.13), we rejoice before the expectation of Jesus coming to rapture His church and reign.

Indeed, this was the problem with the five fool virgins: they didn't take the oil of gladness in their vessels (Matthew 25.10; Psalms 43; Heb 1.9). Their joy was not listening to the voice of the bridegroom (John 3.29), but part of the banquet, festivals, etc.

One important thing to be observed is that who married was the Lamb. 

Consider that, in the tabernacle:

 

·        "Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You shall take from the sheep or from the goats." (Exodus 12.5).

 

Therefore, the Church has to be female lamb. This means that anyone who wants to be part of the Bride of Christ must assume the same character:

 

o   Of Innocence with respect to the powers of this world (wisdom, weapons, goods, etc.);

o   Suffering and submissive to Christ in order to do the will of the Father fulfilled to redeem all of creation.

 

It is no secret that the whole lamb is a whelp of ram, being that marriage is not suitable for children. However, this confirms that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the children (Mark 10.14,15), who, like Jesus, offer their lives for love to individuals (1 Peter 2.21-24).

Here is the secret to the success of marriage: be like a lamb, that is, to give oneself in sacrifice so that the spouse can achieve the forgiveness of Jesus in favor of them and of the people around them.

Indeed, the reason for which many are not successful in walking with Christ is because they try to give their glory to Christ for the wrong reason (note that it is not to give any glory to the Eternal, but His own glory). If we do not give our glory by pleasure of seeing Him reigning and having intimacy with us, then what we are doing is trying to haggle with Christ. They seek Him as if He were a stingy god that needs to be purchased in virtue of what it has to offer.

Ultimately, the Church is finally called His wife. Until the rapture, only Israel was called wife (Isaiah 54.5,6; 62.5; Ez 16; 23; Hosea 2.19,20). However, since Israel rejected Jesus as their Redeemer, is fulfilled the prophecy of Hosea:

 

·        "And I said to her, You shall abide for me many days. You shall not be a harlot, nor be for a man. And I also will be for you. For the sons of Israel shall live many days with no king, and no ruler, and with no sacrifice, and no pillars, and no ephod, or teraphim. Afterward the sons of Israel shall return and seek Jehovah their God and David their king. And they shall fear Jehovah and His goodness in the ends of the days." (Hosea 3.3-5).

 

Israel was more than 1,800 years without a homeland and until today the Israelites don’t have any of the things described in this verse. At the moment, Israel occupies the position of divorced wife (Isaiah 50.1; Jer 3.8).

The Church, now, is the spiritual wife, which currently occupies the position of the light of the world (Matthew 5.14-16). When Jesus comes, the Church will become one in character, holiness and purity with Christ and Israel will be the wife in this world, i.e., one that has access to everything that the Eternal wants to do here.

You may think; but then it means that Jesus has two wives? No! In the Old Testament, Israel was the only wife. After Israel have been divorced, the Church was being the bride. When Jesus comes, the Church will receive the glorified body and will be like the angels that neither marry, nor are given in marriage (Matt 22.30). That is to say, this concept of marriage that we have will be meaningless. Although still being seen as a wife, spiritually speaking (in virtue of her intimacy with Jesus), who will be used by Jesus here will be Israel.

In addition, only physically speaking is that each man must have only one wife (an instrument of revelation of himself to the world). However, spiritually we can and must reveal fully to each other in Christ, as happens between couple.

 

·        "Listen, O daughter, and look; and bow down your ear; and forget your own people and your father's house." (Psalm 45.10).

 

Another point to be noted is that the bride is already bedecked. Nobody bedecked her. And how did it happen? 

 

·        "But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ; from whom the whole body, fitted together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of each part, producing the growth of the body to the edifying of itself in love." (Eph 4.15,16).

 

Note that there is no external aid (in the world). Either each one bedecks oneself. Rather, some bedecks others through Christ (2Cor 11.2; Ephesians 5.23-32).

However, when the time arrives, so that the remnant of Israel will again be a virgin, Israel will be convened to help the Bride to prepare (Psalms 45.14,15) and then they will come to meet the Bridegroom (Matthew 25.1).

 

·        "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. For the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints." (Rev 19.8).

 

Note that was given to the woman that she should be arrayed with the righteous deeds of the saints. In other words, each one is clothed with the righteousness of those who are close to them. Hence the virgins of Matthew 25 are obliged to have olive oil in barrels. After all, what good the individual be full of anointing and joy, while around them nobody is received? Our true spiritual condition is evidenced, not what we do for ourselves for, but what we do through those who are close to us (see 2Cor 10.13-16). To be more exact, the effectiveness of our ministry is seen when those who the Eternal gave us behave in accordance with the gospel in virtue of the action of His Spirit in their lives, in response to our ministry.

Perceive that the bride was not clothed with her righteousness, nor she was in search of what dress (see 1 Corinthians 6.11; Ephesians 2.8,9). Instead, she was given the proper attire. And this through faith in Christ and His Word:

 

·        "and be found in Him; not having my own righteousness, which is of the Law, but through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God by faith," (Phil 3.9).

 

All preparations had been made for the Church could be recognized as the beautiful bride of the Lamb, and not as a harlot richly decorated. We should dress, not with the fleeting joys of the world or with the sadness after the world (sadness because of the consequences of sin only), but with the sorrow according to the Creator (sorrow because of sin itself - 2Cor 7.9,10).

The main characteristic of the garment is flax. These are the places where flax is mentioned:

 

o   The priest wore the linen garments (Exodus 39.27-29), for example, when he renew the fire on the altar in the morning (Lev 6.10). Also on the Day of Atonement (Lev 16.1-34);

o   In Ezekiel (Ezek 9.2,3,11) we see a man clothed in linen with a writer's inkhorn in hand, whose mission was to mark the foreheads of who sighed and moaned by the abominations that were committed in Jerusalem, while the six men with weapons in hand exterminate the others that were not marked. Then the man clothed in linen is seen taking the fire that was between the cherubim (Rev 10.2,6,7). 

o   The curtains of the Tabernacle were of fine twined linen (Exodus 26.1).

o   The monarchs and honorable individuals also wore the fine linen;

o   When David brought to Jerusalem the ark of the covenant was using fine linen (1Chr 15.27);

o   At the dedication of Solomon's temple priests were clothed with fine linen (2 Chr 5.12);

o   Mordecai, when he was honored, was dressed in royal apparel of blue sky and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple (Esther 8.15).

 

Behold, the characteristics of the garment of the Church:

 

• Fine linen: not to come sweat (Ezek 44.18). The Church doesn’t strive to be fair, but rests and bide in Him (Psalm 37.7; Matt 11.28) by the pleasure of His company (Psalms 37.4), trusting in His salvation (Ephesians 2.8,9). That is to say, fine linen symbolizes simplicity, shows that salvation is not by physical and mental effort, but by the power of the Eternal (1Cor 2.5; 4.19,20).
• Pure: without any mixture of cloth (Deut 22.11) or color. There isn’t a blatant garment as the Great Babylon (Rev 17.4). Its beauty is Christ (Ezek 16.14), in whom there is no variation or shadow of any change (James 1.17);
• Resplendent: the garment of the Church has their own light, because she is clothed with the righteousness of Christ. It is clothed with Love in person (Rom 13.14; Col 3.13), which is light in the darkness of this world (Isaiah 5.30; 8.22; 60.1,2; Matt 4.15,16; 5.14-16; John 8.12).

 

This points to the simplicity of the ornament of the bride, that is, teaches us that the more simple worship, the better. 

Compare the Church pure and holy with the religious system is like comparing a woman happily decked with gold and jewels in search of relationships without compromise to satisfy your cravings with a pure virgin modestly ornamented and about to be conducted at a virtuoso husband to be united in bonds of love.

It is the Bridegroom who comes to the bride, and not the bride who goes in search of the Brideroom. The bride is being prepared by the Holy Spirit, led to the certain place and time when Jesus will present Himself to her. The garments of the bride show how should be our works.

We must also consider that it is the feast of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, who was slain and lived. That is, the Lamb, is not only Groom, but also the "main dish of the feast", which should be eaten by complete (Exodus 12.10; Jn 6.51-57; Matt 26.26,27; 1 Corinthians 11.24-25) and whose blood must be ingested. After all, it is by Christ (by love for Him), in Christ (living His life and Word) and for Christ (to achieve everything that He is inside of us - See Eph 4.11-14) that we ought to live here. It is in this way that we will live there.

 

·        "And he said to me, Write, Blessed are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God." (Rev 19.9).

 

Who has the privilege to be part of the Bride of the Lamb is blessed because they have in themselves the righteousness of Christ and take part in His blessings, which goes little by little, making them perfectly suited to participate of the eternal glory and happiness.

Here Jesus adds to His character of Lamb, the character of the Bridegroom.

These words are divinely inspired:

 

·        Not so severe as to be uttered by a God of love;

·        Not so terrible to be considered mere horror film;

·        Not so too good to be true;

·        Not so old to be considered antiquated, outmoded;

·        Not so complicated that cannot be understood;

·        Not so simple to come be trivialized.

 

Who are the blessed who will participate in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb?

 

·        Those who are invited;

·        Those who have faith;

·        Those who love the Bride and groom;

·        Those who have the wedding garment (Matthew 22.11,12);

·        Those who watch with the lamps lit (Luke 12.35).

 

The marriage supper of the Lamb is something extremely desired, both by Jesus and His Church. It is the consummation of all His desires, the full reward of all His labor and suffering (Isaiah 53.11). It is a time of great love and affection, a scene of abundant joy.

 

·        "And one of those who reclined with Him heard these things, and he said to Him, Blessed are those eating bread in the kingdom of God." (Lk 14.15).

 

Today our union is by faith and is subject to the storms of life and a fragile heart. Although our union with Christ is already indissoluble and eternal (not even death can separate us from Christ), after the marriage supper of the Lamb, the union will no longer be obscured by anything. 

In favor of this, the Church has been prepared internally by Christ, through His holiness and fidelity operating in her, to finally receive the fullness of His righteousness. 

This latest gift is an occasion of joy: "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said unto me, These are the true words of God." (Rev 19.9).

To be called to the true Supper is a privilege that few know how to appreciate. Many refuse the call (Matt 22.2,3) and even they feel themselves attacked by it (Matt 22.6). Others feel that simply cear to become part of the kingdom of Eternal (Lk 14.15,16).

Unfortunately until today the individuals did not understand the message. It is the invitation to each party that will make someone happy. Think: what this feast has special? Food, drink, eroticism, farra, game, malicious joke, etc.? 

No! The food is eating the flesh of the Son of Man, i.e., to make from the lives of those who have their body mistreated by love for Christ and His Word the food of our souls. What should satiate us is the company of those beloved ones, in seeking for assisting them in whatever is necessary so that each one may fulfill the mission that the Eternal gave them.

It isn't eat the supper which saves, but the share of bread, namely: receive the bread that is given to us by individuals and share the bread that Jesus placed in our lives. That is to say, we receive Christ as He is presented through the individuals who come to us and share everything that Christ is in us. It is not for us to nourish ourselves, that is, receive Christ in the way that we choose our colleagues, as well as the occasion to receive them.

Our drink must be living the life of Christ, giving the life of Christ in us for these brothers (John 4.34; 15.12,13).

This marriage supper is the same of which Jesus said that He only would participate when it was fulfilled in the kingdom of their Father (Luke 22.15,16). Hence be the wedding feast of the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. That is to say, happiness is not carnal, but the privilege to see the Eternal working His salvation in the heart of each other. Many want to take advantage of this benefit (eat the feast), feeding only of that is convenient, but they do not want to serve as food in the lives of others, nor eat what is served (see Luke 10.7). In short: they want to serve of the other in what suits them.

Comes the question: why does the angel said that these are the true words of Eternal? This means that the rest of Scripture is not? 

Not! What happens is that the true essence of Sacred Scripture is inviting us to live as Jesus lived, rid us of trying to serve ourselves. If a word does not encourage us to belong to the body of Christ and to live with Him and like Him, this word is not true.

Detail: three times is commanded John to write (Rev 1.11; 19.9; 21.5), but once it is forbidden to write (Rev 10.4).

 

·        "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, See, do not do it! I am your fellow servant, and of your brothers who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Rev 19.10).

 

Notice how difficult it is for the human being to be convinced from the truth. Although John had seen Jesus Himself (Rev 1) and have been instructed not to worship angels (but only to the Eternal - see Rev 14.14,15), even being an apostle of Jesus and have been used by the Holy Spirit supernaturally so many times, he still worshipped the angel here and later (Rev 22.8,9).

The Angel is a servant of the servants of the Most High who have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

 

·        "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. For this is the witness of God which He has testified about His Son. He who believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself. He who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he does not believe the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God has given to us everlasting life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." (1John 5.9-12). 

·        "But you shall receive power, the Holy Spirit coming upon you. And you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1.8)

 

But what is the testimony of Jesus?

The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus, i.e., empowering the individual to live Christ in the lives of others. The testimony of Jesus is the ability to prophesy, i.e., to communicate the will of the Eternal for the life of the individual in what they are living. Without the testimony of Jesus the prophecy has no sense (without what He has to do).

And why wasn't allowed to worship angels?

 

                1st -           Jesus is the Alpha and Omega (Rev 1.8,11), the blessed God forever (Romans 9.5), whose witness saves (Rev 1.9; 6.9; 11.7; 12.17; Rev 20.4).

              2nd -           The angel said that he and John were on an equal footing, since both were declaring the message of the Eternal. Both were prophets (1John 5.10-12).

                3rd -           Because only the testimony of Jesus is able to communicate the will of the Eternal to individuals (prophecy). Even though we, an angel or any other creature try to communicate something of the Creator, without the witness of Christ, everything will remain mere theoretical knowledge (John 5.34). No matter how great is the revelation of the Eternal, we should cleave to Christ only (either in terms of obedience or relationship).

 

Furthermore, to serve to someone brings terrible influences, since such individual will seek to please their Lord instead of pleasing Christ (Matt 6.24). Rather than to serve men or serve the Eternal as if He were a man, the correct is humble ourselves before the Eternal and receive their desire within us. Note that it is not a matter of serving Him, but to accept being served by Him through the individuals that He brings to us (meditate on Psalm 23.4,5).

Thinking by another angle: we need to receive eternal life within us, namely, a life that has no beginning or end, i.e., whose understanding and objective is lost of sight.

 

·        "And I saw Heaven opened. And behold, a white horse! And He sitting on him was called Faithful and True. And in righteousness He judges and makes war." (Rev 19.11).

 

The cry of Isaiah 64.1,2 is finally fulfilled here:

 

·        "Oh that You would tear the heavens and come down, that mountains would quake before You, as the brushwood fire burns, the fire causes water to boil, to make Your name known to Your foes, that the nations may tremble at Your presence!" (Isaiah 64.1,2).

 

Behold, occasions on which the heaven was opened:

 

·        When Ezekiel began his prophetic ministry (Ezek 1.1);

·        In the baptism of Jesus (Matt 3.16; Luke 3.21; Mark 1.10);

·        Jesus foretold that the heavens would be opened for Nathaniel (Jn 1.51).

 

Besides: 

 

o   In Revelation 4.1 a door is opened in heaven;

o   In Revelation 11.19 and Revelation 15.5 the shrine also opens;

o   In Revelation 10.1, Revelation 14.17 and Revelation 18.1 angels out of heaven;

o   In Revelation 19.1 sounds come out of the sky.

When the heavens opened, a white horse was seen coming toward the Earth. Jesus will come on a white horse, as well as all His army. In the times of Sacred Scripture, the majority of the soldiers is on foot. Have horse in battle was a significant advantage.

Unlike the jackass that Jesus used when He came in this world for the first time (which was a mount of peace), He now will come in a white horse heaven.

And He presents Himself as Faithful and True (Rev 3.14), the One who judges and battle with justice:

 

·        Faithful: because He cannot change (Mal 3.6; Heb 13.8 Jam 1.17), nor lie (Num 23.19; Titus 1.2), nor deny Himself (2Tim 2.13), nor repent (Num 23.19);

·        True: because He shows us what is real, namely, what we really need. In other words, He himself.

·        Judges and Battle with Justice: Jesus uses His righteousness to judge and make war. That is to say, this is His way of dealing with the errors and weaknesses of individuals and that condemns and tormenting the wicked (see Psalms 96.13; Isaiah 9.6.7; 11.1-5).

 

Jesus is the faithful and true (Rev 19.11):

 

1.     To avenge His people;

2.     In performing His will;

 

The title Faithful and True shows Jesus as the one who keeps His promises, including the judgment upon the wicked. And the past proves the righteousness of His name. Who does not feel that when He speaks the last word, there is nothing more to be said?

Compare the white horse of Antichrist with the white horse of Jesus:

 

·        "And I saw. and behold a white horse! And he sitting on it had a bow. And a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer." (Rev 6.2)

·        "And ride prosperously in Your majesty, because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and Your right hand shall teach You fearful things." (Psalm 45.4)

·        "saying to them, Go into the village across from you. And immediately you will find an ass tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, The Lord has need of them, and immediately He will send them.  All this was done so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, "Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King comes to you, meek, and sitting on an ass, even a colt the foal of an ass." (Matt 21.2-5).

 

·        "And His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head many crowns. And He had a name written, one that no one knew except Himself." (Rev 19.12).

 

It is the pure heart that makes someone strong (Prov 18.1). If our heart is not pure, our strength will be lower than that of a coward. It is worth remembering that Jesus did not leave here your character of Lamb (Rev 17.14).

The second obstacle which prevents us from achieving victory is to think that only we are interested in what is good. This makes our work seems hopeless. The detail is that the Eternal does not command you to be successful, but simply that you try. And the Scripture shows us that all the best things that have been done in the area of the soul and the spirit were made by minorities (for example, Gideon, with 300 men), when the strength was made perfect in weakness (2Cor 12.9,10). The faith of a few triumphed over the moral and spiritual apathy of the majority.

What are the attributes of this leader? The necessary attributes to qualify Him for the mission He assigned. Among the attributes we have their eyes are like a flame of fire (Rev 1.14; 2.18; Dan 10.6), impossible to be scanned by carnal mind (1Cor 2.14-16);

Consider that the seven torches are the seven spirits of the Eternal sent throughout the earth (Rev 4.5; 5.6), so this means that His eyes saw everything clearly (confirming His omniscience).

But fire is also a symbol of judgment and purification (Psalms 97:3; Isaiah 47:14; Isaiah 66:15; Amos 5:6; 1Cor 3:13; Rev 3:18), the symbol of a penetrating gaze, able to break even someone who was called "rock" (Luke 22.61,62).

As to His head, who was this head on which there were many crowns?

 

·        It is a head which was crowned with thorns (Mk 15.17);

·        It is a head that, during the days of His ministry, had no where to stand (Matt 8.20. Lk 9.58);

·        It is a head that has been the source of tears, because He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53.3);

·        It is a head that was spitted and hit by enemies (Isaiah 50.6);

·        It is a head that was wrapped with strips of linen in the tomb (Matthew 27.59; Mark 15.46; Lk 23.53; Jn 19.38-40);

·        It is a head bowed when He yielded the Spirit (Jn 19.30).

 

The crown of thorns, in particular, showed the submission of Christ to the Eternal, to the point of being made sin for love of us:

 

·        "For He has made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2Corinthians 5.21).

 

This crown manifested the love of Jesus by humanity. It also shows that Jesus' kingdom is not of this world. The excited crowd would have made Jesus King and placed earthly weapons and soldiers at their disposal. But Jesus gave up everything. When He received the crown of thorns, Jesus showed that He does not reign by force, but by influence; not by material instruments and civil power, but by spiritual weapons (love, truth, justice, etc.).

The many diadems on His head confirms that He is the King of all kings.

Between the crowns of Christ we can mention:

 

·        Crown of intellectual wisdom (Col 2.3);

·        Crown of moral perfection (1 Peter 2.21-24);

·        Crown of suffering (Isa 53.4-6; Jn 19.2);

·        Crown of supreme dignity in His character  and His immaculate meditatorial obedience;

·        Crown of victory (Rm 8.3.4; Col 2.14,15; Heb 2.14,15) - Jesus proved victorious in His life of perfection, in His death in total submission to the will of the Eternal and by His resurrection;

·        Crown of sovereignty (Matt 28.18; Rev 19.16);

·        Crown of salvation (Acts 4.12);

·        Judicial crown (John 5.22 - Jesus is the righteous Judge);

·        Crown of intercession (mediator - 1Tim 2.5);

·        Crown of defense lawyer - Psalms 91.1,2; 1 John 2.1);

·        Crown of liberation (Redeemer - Eph 2.14,15);

·        Crown of glory (the company of His elect - see  Isaiah 62.3; Phil 4.1; 1Thes 2.19);

·        Crown of truth (Jn 1.1; Rev 19.13);

·        Crown of life (food, Jn 6.51-57; 1John 5.20; Rev 1.17) - Jesus conquered death (1 Corinthians 15.54-56);

·        Crown of direction (leadership - Jn 11.25) - Jesus has overcome the world" (Jn 16.33);

·        Crown of owner of everything that exists (Psalms 24.1);

·        Crown of the Bridegroom (see Songs 3.11) - Jesus succeeded, at this time, present the Church to Himself whole glorious, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

 

Who is the leader and what is your name?" There is a name that nobody knows. It may be the Tetragrammaton, since, according to the tradition, the Israelites feared pronounce this name, making its correct pronunciation to be lost:

 

·        "And Moses said to God, Behold, when I come to the sons of Israel, and shall say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they shall say to me, What is His name? What shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM. And He said, So you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you." (Exodus 3.13,14).

 

The ignorance of the name confirms what Jesus said in Matthew 11.27:

 

·        "Truly I say to you, Among those who have been born of women there has not risen a greater one than John the Baptist. But the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he."

 

Only Jesus is able to know the Father. In this way, it only knows the Father who has the Son within themselves, i.e., that accepts His style of life. This is the secret of their redemption, and perhaps have something to do with His name secret.

Many think that many of these titles of Jesus are just different words to represent the same thing. However, each one has a peculiar character of Christ:

 

1.               He has a name that reveals His relationship with the Eternal and with men, making the connection between both: the Word of God;

2.               He has an expressive title of royal authority and supremacy over all worldly names: King of kings and Lord of lords. Every knee will bow before Him and every mouth confess that He is Lord (Romans 14.11; Phil 2.10).

3.               He has a name that shows their fight and judge: Faithful and True (Rev 19.11). Faithful, i.e., undamaged, which keeps the truth, even if this means suffering.

4.               He has a name that reveals how little we know: the name that He alone knows;

 

The Church also has a unknown name (Rev 2.17). This name will be marked on the foreheads of the 144,000 (Rev 14.1) and in the life of the winners (Rev 3.12).

 

·        "And He had been clothed in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God." (Rev 19.13).

 

Who would be able to fear a lamb? Even a little child, instead of fear, would think to caress it. The only thing that can make us fear the Creator is sin and Jesus came precisely to take away the sin of the world. Thus, with respect to the Church, Jesus is the Lamb and Groom; but with respect to the enemies, Jesus is judge and warrior stained by the blood of the enemies.

His armor is a garment sprinkled with the blood of the enemies (Isaiah 63.3):

 

·        "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with Me; for I will tread them in My anger and trample them in My fury; and their blood will be sprinkled on My garments, and I will stain all My clothing." (Isaiah 63.3).

 

The trial is discriminative: the wheat goes to the granary; the tares go to be burned.

It is as if we consider the valley of Armageddon as an immense winepress. It is a prophetic blood, an illustration of what will happen to their enemies.

To express their thoughts, the painter uses the painting; the sculptor, the statue; the musician, the music. To express the Sacred Scripture, the follower of Christ uses actions. Action is the word. Soon, everything that man does is a word, since this expresses their thought (though not always express their feeling)

The world does not cease to be an expression of the word of God (see Romans 1.20).

Nature is a word that expresses the physical attributes of the Eternal:

 

·        "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the expanse proclaims His handiwork." (Psalm 19.1);

·        "For the unseen things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being realized by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, for them to be without excuse." (Rom 1.20).

 

Another word is Christ Himself, who is the express image of who the Eternal is:

 

·        "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1.1).

 

Jesus is the Word of the Creator (as in John 1.1.14; 1John 5.7), an exact expression of Him and of His will. He is the word:

 

·        Revealing;

·        Eternal and, therefore, of absolute infallibility;

·        Of inexhaustible significance;

·        Of supreme power;

·        Universal interpretability, provided, of course, that the individual wants to know the truth.

 

Through Christ we realize that the Creator is plenteous in mercy; by nature we realized that the Creator is great in the rigor of the law. It is thus that the universe is done.  Christ is so merciful that He did not hesitate to be dead because of men to save the elect. On the other hand, He is so strict that does not hesitate to kill men, if necessary, to ensure that the elected can be saved. 

While, for the elects, Jesus presents Himself as the Lamb and with garments of the Bridegroom, those who became His enemies, He presents Himself with robes and revenge (Isaiah 59.17). Her dress was sprinkled with blood because it was He Who trampled the winepress of the wrath of the Eternal (Isa 63.1-6; Joel 3.13; Rev 19.15). That is to say, He not dismissed the wrath of the enemies against Him and against those who He had created. Instead, He allowed that each one could have the freedom to express all their wrath against each other (hence the kingdom of the Beast becomes murky - Rev 16.10), including the wrath of authorities against those who opposed them (especially the followers of the Eternal). But also He did not let any of them go unpunished.

It is difficult for someone to accept this truth. And the reason for this is simple; the notion of tenderness of the human being is often selfish: the individual does not like to see other individuals uncomfortable because this makes them uncomfortable as well.

Only when someone is able to hate the evil as Jesus hates is that such an individual will be able to love the good as Jesus loves it. And Jesus hates the bad because it wasn’t He who created it. And everything that He hasn’t created is bad for us.

 

·        "And the armies in Heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean." (Rev 19.14).

 

The attention of John is directed now to the army that will accompany Jesus, not because the army itself, but by what this represents in the life of Jesus and in His will.

The horses are an emblem of natural speed and victory. John contemplated, not only the trial and the battle, but also the way of Jesus makes these two things: "judge and make war with justice".

Your name of war is the Word of God.

As He will go to war?

 

·        He is seen on a white horse;

·        He is clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood;

·        On His head are many crowns. Probably alluding to the ancient custom of the conquerors wearing crowns of kings won.

 

As He battle?

 

1.               With the sword that goes out of His mouth;

2.               With severe and terrible trials;

3.               With the armies of heaven. 

 

Comes the question: what is the role of the armies of heaven, since Jesus defeat all of them with the sword that comes out of His mouth? The armies which were in heaven, here are the angels and the elect and faithful who died murdered by the beast in the period of Great Tribulation (Rev 17.14). They will be interested in moral campaign that Jesus will be performing. This teaches us that the servants of Jesus are always committed to follow Jesus in their battles.

This title means that they are coming to fight. However, consider what Jesus battle and judges with justice. In addition, realize that only Jesus, our General, will have the robes stained with blood. The army of Jesus had no offensive weapons, nor defensive. 

It is clear that Jesus accouters properly His army to battle, both in capacity and in character. So, there is a reason for his army to be clothed with white garment (very common in the lives of those who are in heaven - Matt 28.3; Rev 4.4; 14.20) and without any armor. The white paper is characterized as the color that perfectly reflects the light. This means that they will fight with the witness of their lives (Prov 28.4). 

 

·        "Those who forsake the law praise the wicked; but those who keep the law plead against them." (Prov 28.4).

 

The role of this army is to confirm before everyone as Jesus is mighty to save His followers in purity and holiness, and so, leave all the wicked without excuse. 

They come to show, through the garment of them, that the justice of the Eternal implies:

 

·        Relax and wait on Him (Psalm 37.7; Zec 4.6) (fine linen);

·        To reflect His glory (2Cor 3.18) (white);

·        Get pleasure only in Him (Psalm 37.4) (pure).

 

It is also likely that the angels come to hold the demons.

When we give in to the temptation to give way to anger, violence, impatience, strictly speaking what we are doing is waiving the gift of gentleness and worthy words and showing the mark of the beast in our thinking (forehead) and act (hand).

Many times, we act like animals that tear the sick or defective animal. The wolves, for example, devour the companion of them who was wounded. This is why many injured animals avoid his companions when you are injured and seek solitude where to suffer or die in peace. 

 

·        "And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, so that with it He should strike the nations. And He will shepherd them with a rod of iron. And He treads the winepress of the wine of the anger and of the wrath of Almighty God." (Rev 19.15).

 

Jesus conquers His enemies by the power of His Word. So much so that, by five times in Revelation, John emphasizes that Jesus has a sword coming out of His mouth (Rev 1.16; 2.12.16; 19.15,21). This represents the word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Eternal (Eph 6.17;  Heb 4.12; Isaiah 49.2). It is with the Spirit of His lips (Isaiah 11.4) and with this sword that He battles. It is with this stick that He governs the nations (Psalms 2.9; Rev 2.27; 12.5).

The difference between sword and iron rod is that the rod is intended to measure (Rev 11.1). Of iron because iron overwhelm and break everything (Dan 2.40; Rev 2.27). 

Jesus reigning with a rod of iron implies, not in severity, but in a firm and lasting reign, which breaks all imperfect vessel (Rev 2.27; 12.5; Psalms 2.9). It is the rod of a shepherd (Psalm 23.4).

Here we can see that Jesus begins to reign after the rapture of the Church. At the beginning He starts using the iron rod to measure the sins of Babylon (Rev 18.5,6; see Dan 5.25-28) and after of the nations so that they drink in bowls what they gave to others to drink (Hab 2.15,16). Then, with the sword that goes out of His mouth, He fight in the Battle of Armageddon and, finally, He separates the sheep from the goats.

Sin is a teacher who can only be overcome by Jesus (Gen 4.7).

The same sovereign power that Jesus showed in His personal achievements, He also shows in the progress of His cause and in the preservation of His followers, even in the midst of the biggest insults and threats.

In Rev 14.10 we have the precious picture of the wine of the wrath of God and in Rev 14.19 of the winepress was trodden under foot. Here the two are combined (Isaish 63.3,13).

 

·        "And He has on His garment, and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." (Rev 19.16).

 

If Jesus is king, then He has a kingdom; if He is Lord, soon is the owner of something (Deut 10.17; Dan 2.47; 1Tm 6.15). And the elect and faithful will overcome the beast from the abyss and his army, precisely because of this name, i.e., because everything is happening in His direction, by His authority and in His area. And when we're really in the center of the will of the Eternal, everything works in His favor (Job 42.2; Prov 16.4; Rm 8.28).

His empire is higher than the heavens and deeper than hell.

And this name is written:

 

·        In the garment, i.e., showing that the justice of the Eternal is perfect because He does not judge externally, but about something that belongs to Him..

·        In the thigh. 

 

Formerly had the custom of placing a hand under the thigh, which had as purpose so submit the individual to an oath of commitment. Such an individual, through this, warranty faithfully fulfill what they promised.

 

·        "And Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, I pray you, put your hand under my thigh. And I will make you swear by Jehovah, the God of Heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell." (Gen 24.2,3).

 

In addition, the angel of the covenant touched Jacob in the thigh and he went limp throughout the rest of his life. This served to humiliate him, inasmuch as this showed that, when God touches someone, this one becomes weak even in the stronger place in their body.

Considering all this, therefore the fact that the name is written in this place implies in security. That is, there is no doubt that it is this: The Father swore it (Ps 110.4).

Wishing or not, we will submit to the reign of the thigh (obey by humility) or to the reign of the rod of iron and blood-stained garment (obey by pressure).

 

·        "And I saw one angel standing in the sun. And he cried with a great voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, Come and gather together to the supper of the great God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders, and the flesh of strong ones, and the flesh of horses, and those sitting on them, and the flesh of all, both free and slave, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth and their armies, being gathered to make war against Him who sat on the horse, and against His army." (Rev 19.17-19).

 

The fact of the angel stand up in the sun and can be seen reveal to us that Eternal’s glory in his life is bigger than the bright of the sun and, in a way, enabled the human eye can see both.

While the woman in Revelation 12 was in the moon to show to the night (in the most level of apostasy) the love of Christ, the angel here is in the sun, that is, is sending the Eternal’s order when all truth in relation to Jesus and His word already is evince, in spite of so many people insist on not wanting to believe in this.

And it is for sake of this that the judgement is established and it is made the invite to all birds that fly amid the sky is done. It comes the question: what is the middle of the sky? It would be the postions that the occupy in the sky at noon? If this is truth, why are this birds invited to the banquet of the Eternal?

This voice isn’t to everyone to hear, especially because the birds that will be invited are flying amidst sky. Instead of this, the great voice is to emphasize the authority of this voice.

The habit of this birds of prey is described by Christ:

 

·        “For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered.” (Matthew 24.28). 

 

Others excerpts of the Holy Scripture also mention the action of the birds of pray:

 

·        “And the bodies of this people shall be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall frighten them away.” (Jr 7.33);

·        “My inheritance is like a speckled bird to Me; the birds all around are against her. Go, gather all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour.” (Jer 12.9);

·        “For before the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, then He will cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. They shall be left together to the birds of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth; and the birds shall summer on them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter on them.” (Isa 18.5,6). 

 

This passage is in (Ezek 39.17-22) and constitute a Strong contrast to the supper of the Lamb (Rev 19.7-9).

Three types of supper are described in the Holy Scripture:

 

·        The supper that Jesus established in the eve of His death;

·        The supper of the salvation, that is, the marriage supper of the Lamb (Luke 14.16-24);

·        The supper of the Eternal described here.

Who rejects the first supper, won’t be present in the second one, but unluckly will be the main meal of the third one.

How the worshippers of the beast won’t desire to receive the truth inside themselves, they will be died by the Work that they will reject. The Eternal will gather together the nations in Israel (Jer 25.29-33; Ezek 39.17-20; Joel 3.2,9-15; Zeph 3.8; Revelation 16.13-16; 17.14; Zech 14.2,3) in order to enter in judgement with all of them. And the quantity of corpses will be so great that, in order to purify immediately the land, the birds of prey will be convene to this banquet.

Perceive the contrast: while in Revelation 19.9 the elects are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, that is, they are invited to the holy supper, where the participators sacrifice themselves for love (in order to feed each other), these are sacrificied by Word that they rejected and will serve of fool to the dirty birds.

Note how the word “flesh” is repeated five times, confirming how carnal was the worshippers of the beast, as well as the retribuition that they will have in virtue of they won’t allow that the corpses of the two witnesses are buried (Rev 11.8,9).

As to the fact of all this people make fight against Jesus is a logic extension of the constat war off the man against the Creator since the fall of Adam. It is a zoom of this rebellion. It seems crazy or foolishness fight against Jesus. Nevertheless, thi comes to show that we can’t underestimate the degree of nonsense and hate against the Creator present in the human being.

A important fact to be notice here is that, although in this days the leaders don’t have the custom of go to the war, in this battle they will go there personally (so huge is the demoniac possession – Rev 16.14). And the curious is that, in the excerpt, it is mentioned “the kings of the Earth” and “of all world”, to wit, the ten kings that comprise the ten horn of the earth of Israel and the kings of the remain of the world.

And this battle was prophecied previously:

 

·        "And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples. All who lift it shall be slashed, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it." (Zechariah 12.3).

·        "And it shall be in that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem." (Zechariah 12.9).

 

·        "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, working miracles, which go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that day, the great day of God Almighty. Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is the one who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. And he gathered them into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. ," (Rev 16.13-16).

 

The destruction starts with Jesus join together all the nations:

 

·        “For I will gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem; and the city shall be taken, and the houses plundered, and the women raped. And half of the city shall go into exile, and the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city.” (Zech 14.2).

 

After they come:

 

·        “And He said, Come. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But seeing that the wind was strong, he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me!” (Matt 24.29,30).

 

The destruction is finalized in the land of Edom:

 

·        "Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this One adorned in His clothing, bending down in His great power? I who speak in righteousness, great to save. Why is Your clothing red, and Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with Me; for I will tread them in My anger and trample them in My fury; and their blood will be sprinkled on My garments, and I will stain all My clothing. For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was no one to uphold; therefore My own arm has saved for Me; and My fury upheld Me. And I will tread down the people in My anger, and make them drunk in My fury, and I will pour their juice to the earth." (Isaiah 63.1-6).

 

This battle composes the day of Eternal (Isa 2.12) and it is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel, when is menciodo the statue being wound in the feet of iron and clay (Dan 2.35).

 

·        "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet doing signs before it, (by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast), and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone." (Rev 19.20).

 

Be thrown into the lake of fire is being thrown in the wrath of the Creator.

Note that, in Rev 13, appear two beasts: the sea and the land. Now, in place of the second beast appears only the false prophet. This is because, at this moment, Babylon the Great (Jerusalem) will have been destructed, remaining only the head, namely, the false prophet.

As the trial begins first by the house of the Eternal (1 Peter 4.17), first the Church is disciplined and, obviously, the false followers of Jesus. By this Babylon the Great is punished first by Eternal by then horns. After the Church fulfilling her obedience (2Cor 10.6), then finally the worldly will be punished.

Also, note that, after prophesying the punishment of Jerusalem and Judah by Babylon, the Eternal prophesies the fall of Babylon (Jer 50 and 51). Likewise, first the Eternal shows the punishment of Jerusalem and Judah by Babylon (Hab 1.1-12), and then show the judgment on Babylon (Hab 2). Zephaniah, similarly, prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah (Zephaniah 1) then to show the punishment of various nations (Zephaniah 2).

The reason to be made an image to the beast is to show that worship was not something merely spot (as in the case of receiving the mark), but something continuous. After marked by the beast, they will dedicate to soiling and be unrighteous increasingly, while those who receive the Holy Spirit and the Word of the Eternal will be taken to be righteous and holy increasingly (Rev 22.11).

Note how the beast does not force anyone to take the mark. They are deceived by the false prophet, who leads them to believe that the mark of the beast and his image is a very convenient way to promote world peace. After all, the beast seems to solve all social problems (1Thes 5.3), while the two witnesses with their plagues seem to disrupt this peace (Rev 11.6).

On this basis, the false prophet proposes the brand and the image of the beast to approach the worshippers of the beast of what they desire that each one be. On the other hand, the mark of the beast is asked by people that, being revolted with Jesus, refuse accept that some of the followers had access to whatever the resources of the world.

Note the intimacy between the beast and the false prophet. This is always before the beast so that all may believe that it is the beast from the abyss that gives them the power to do miracles and that will be able to do this for all those who follow him.

If, on the one hand, those who had a profound intimacy with the Eternal will be taken alive to heaven (Gen 5.22-24; 2Kings 2.11), those who had a profound intimacy with Ha-Satan will be brought alive into the lake of fire and brimstone prepared to Ha-Satan and his demons (Matt 25.41).

 

·        "And the rest were slain by the sword of Him who sat on the horse, it proceeding out of His mouth. And all the birds were filled from their flesh." (Rev 19.21).

 

The remain here mentioned are those who survived to the plagues and were alive in order to give support to the beast from the abyss (this remember the remain of the offspring of the woman in Revelation 12.17). Everyone that was marked by the beast and present in the Armageddon to plan against the King of the kings and Lord of the lords (such as Jesus said the will happen – Luke 19.14,15,27).

Note the mode by which all worshippers of the beast will be dead: by alive and efficacious Word that come out of the mouth of Jesus (Hebrews 4.12). There in no thing that more disturb someone than hear the Holy Scripture being completely dirty within themselves.

It is important to be clear that what is being discussed here is not about war, but the punishment on the beast from the abyss and his army. Repair as there is no mention of war before Rev 19.19, nor after Rev 19.21. Furthermore, repair as the cry of the angel to that birds come to eat comes before the mobilization of the army of the beast from the abyss. That is to say, this battle was fought and won by Jesus two thousand years ago. As the beast from the abyss does not know this, he mobilizes his army in vain. Nothing that he planned will be executed.

In contrast to the marriage supper of the Lamb where participants are fed with the true food and drink (John 6.51-57), in the Supper described here the wicked will be for food to dirty beings.

This serves to emphasize how abominable the followers of the beast will be. Their flesh won’t be worth of receiving the right of being buried.