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CHAPTER NINETEEN Rev 19:1 - 21
this chapter contains Heaven's response to the command given
in Rev. 18:20 - "Rejoice over her!"
"Alleluia" is the Greek form of the Hebrew "Hallelujah"
(HALEL - "praise" ... U - "ye" ... JAH - "the Lord")
The "Hallelujah Chorus" is sung in Heaven because:
1. GOD HAS JUDGED THE HARLOT CHURCH
- her judgment is "righteous" (deserved!) and "for ever"
- the false church will spend eternity in the lake of fire!
2. GOD IS REIGNING
- v.6 - literally "has reigned," has demonstrated his reign
- God is love, but His holiness will bring about judgment
3. THE BRIDE IS NOW READY
- "24 elders" not seen past v.4 - now known as the Bride
- the Bride is the church (2 Cor. 11:2, Eph. 5:22-23)
- Jesus Christ, the Lamb, is the Bridegroom (John 3:29)
- at this wedding, the BRIDEGROOM gets the attention!
- v.7 - "made herself ready" - judgment seat of Christ
- v.8 - "righteous acts of the saints" - our wedding dress!
- v.9 - "they" - Bride not invited to her own wedding; this must
be saints from the OT and the Tribulation
- THIS WEDDING IS FUTURE; WE ARE ENGAGED TO THE LORD
(in eastern culture, engagements made when children young;
any unfaithfulness during the engagement considered
adultery)
- the Lord had a choice between the harlot (church) and the
virgin (church); HE CHOSE A PURE BRIDE!
v.10 - John was so overwhelmed by these visions that he fell
down twice to worship the angel who delivers them (Revelation
19:10, 22:8-9)
only false angels (ie: Lucifer) will receive worship!
immediately following the MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB, we
see the BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
Christ's coming has two phases: He comes first in the air FOR
His church (1 Thess. 4:13-18) and now He comes to the earth
WITH His church (Rev. 19:14-15)
Armageddon is the last event of the Tribulation period; it occurs
when the world's nations under Antichrist make war against
Israel (Joel 3:9-17) ... and God intervenes!
notice the emphasis on Christ's names (v.11 - Faithful and True;
v. 13 - Word of God; v.16 - King of Kings and Lord of Lords; v.
12 - a secret name, for even in Heaven we will learn new things
about our Savior! - Rev. 3:12)
could Christ's "many crowns" (v. 12) be given to Him by the
church? (see Revelation 4:10)
His vesture is "dipped in blood" (v. 13) due to the fact that He
"treadeth the winepress" (v. 15) - see Isaiah 63:1-4 and
Revelation 14:20
"rod of iron" (v. 15) - looking ahead to Millennial Reign
the redeemed follow Him, but He wins the battle alone!
two suppers in one chapter: Marriage Supper of the Lamb (v. 9)
and Supper of the Great God (v. 17)
the beast and false prophet are the first to be cast into the lake
of fire (Rev. 19:20) - they are not even given the formality of
judgment; they are followed in 1000 years by the devil (Rev.
20:10) and sinners (Rev. 20:15)
CHAPTER TWENTY Rev 20:1 - 14
"bottomless pit" (v. 1) is not hell, but the abyss
mentioned in Rev. 9:1-2,11; 11:7; 17:8
Satan is not cast into hell yet - he has one more task
to perform at end of Millennium
Satan is not bound today (1 Peter 5:8)
Millennium (Latin: mille-thousand, annum-year)
Christ and the church will be reigning from the New
Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2), but the church is not
mentioned definitely in this passage
Tribulation martyrs will also rule, but on the earth (see
v. 4 & 6); these people are "priests" (offering worship),
while those in church are "kings and priests" (Rev.
1:6, 5:10)
the Millennium is not designed for the church, but for
those living on earth who are given a chance to live
under God's rule for 1000 years
Israel and saved Gentiles enjoy God's blessing
two resurrections: 1st, of the saved BEFORE
Millennium; 2nd, of the lost AFTER Millennium (some
scholars include the Rapture as the "first stage," 7
years earlier, of the first resurrection)
Satan is loosed after 1000 years and is able to gather
an army of rebels, because a perfect environment
cannot produce a perfect heart!
they war against God's people in Jerusalem at the
Battle of Gog and Magog (not the battle of Ezekiel 38-
39, for this army gathers from the four quarters of
earth, not just from the north)
the devil is now cast into the Lake of Fire, v. 10
"BOOKS" OF REVELATION 20:12 ...
1. God's Word (John 12:48)
2. Book of Works (to determine degree of
punishment in hell - Matthew 11:20-24)
3. Lamb's Book of Life (Phil. 4:3, Rev. 21:27)
the Lake of Fire is the Second Death (v. 14); two
births = one death, one birth = two deaths
FOUR DISTINCT JUDGMENTS
1. JUDGMENT OF THE CHURCH (see 2 Corinthians 5:10-11)
- occurs after Rapture, before Marriage Supper
- no one will be lost at this judgment; called "Judgment Seat of
Christ"
2. JUDGMENT OF INDIVIDUAL GENTILES (see Matthew 25:32)
- occurs after the Tribulation, before Millennium
- division between sheep and goats; righteous enter Millennial
Kingdom, not part of church!
3. JUDGMENT OF ISRAEL (see Ezekiel 20:33-38)
- occurs after the Tribulation, before Millennium
- Christ first delivers the nation at Armageddon, then He
separates the individuals; righteous enter Millennial Kingdom, not
part of church!
4. JUDGMENT OF THE WICKED (see Revelation 20:11-15)
- occurs after the Millennium
- no one will be saved at this judgment |
