I RSVP’d to the Wedding Invitation – Revelation 19

Revelation 19:1-5: “After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, ‘Alleluia! Salvation and glory, honor, and power belong to the Lord our God! 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.’ Again they said, ‘Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!’ And the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, ‘Amen! Alleluia!’ Then a voice came from the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!’”

As in 2 Kings 9:7, when the Lord slew Jezebel for shedding the blood of His prophets and His servants, so the Lord destroys the great harlot Babylon for shedding the blood of His servants.

In Psalm 79:10, Asaph wrote, “Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’ Let there be known among the nations in our sight the avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed.”

Crime syndicates love it when governing authorities do their bidding, but God’s people are most happy when God has His servants running a nation’s government according to His Word.

After Babylon is destroyed, the first word out of the great multitude in heaven is “Alleluia!” “Alleluia” is transliterated from the Hebrew phrase: “Praise the Lord!” The word “praise” appears 259 times in the Bible. The call to “praise the Lord” is a significant theme in the Bible.

The great multitude in heaven praises the Lord with a loud voice for avenging the blood of His servants on Babylon. Babylon was Satan’s kingdom. Satan wanted people to denounce Christ, but God’s servants honored Him. In Revelation 19, Babylon is silenced and God is praised.

Now, that the harlot is gone, it is time for the marriage of the Lamb and His bride to begin.

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 phrase, “The Lord reigns” is often repeated in the Psalms. For example, in Psalm 93:1, we read, “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty...” In Psalm 97:1, it is written, “The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice, let the multitude of isles be glad!” Psalm 99:1 says, “The Lord reigns. Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim. Let the earth be moved!”

Zechariah 14:9, foretells of a day when the “Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be—‘The Lord is one,’ and His Name one.” In that day, the Lord will bring the governing entities of the people into line with His Word, and they will serve Him.

Revelation 19:7-9: “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.’ 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. 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.’”

The words of Revelation 19:7-9 reflect the words of Isaiah 61:10, wherein it is written, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God, for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

In the Bible, the union of God with people is compared to a marriage. Isaiah and Jeremiah used marriage language to describe God’s relationship with His people. For example in Isaiah 54:5, it is written, “Your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is His Name.” In Jeremiah 3:14, the Lord said to Israel, “I am married to you.” Jesus used marriage feast imagery in Matthew 22:1-14 and Matthew 25:1-13 to describe God the Father’s plan to marry people to His Son. In Ephesians 5:31–32, Paul described the relationship between Christ and the Church as a marriage. In 2 Corinthians 11:2, Paul told believers in Christ that they are betrothed to Christ.

Those in heaven celebrate the removal of the distance between God and His people. Marriage is a code word for a love relationship that is to be happy forevermore. The bride symbolizes people who love God and are loved by Him.

Clean and bright garments are given to saints. The garments symbolize their righteous acts. The most righteous act is to believe in and abide in Christ. In 1 Corinthians 1:30, Paul wrote, “Christ Jesus became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”

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.’”

John was so caught up in the wonder of the moment that he fell down before the angel to worship him, but the angel forbid him to do so. In Acts 10:25-26, Peter had a man fall down at his feet to worship him. Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up. I myself am also a man.”

No one should worship an angel or pray to one. No one should pray to a saint or to the Virgin Mary. In 1 Timothy 2:5, the Bible says, “There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” In John 16:23, Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My Name He will give you.”

In Deuteronomy 5:7-9, the Lord says, “‘You shall have no other gods before Me... You shall not bow down to them nor serve them...” Thus, the angel told John not to bow and worship him.

The angel tells us that the Spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. In other words, the entire Bible points people to Jesus Christ. He is the way back to God. In Acts 10:43, Peter testified for Jesus, saying, “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His Name whosoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins.”

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.”

In Revelation 19:11, John writes that he saw heaven opened. In Ezekiel 1:1, Ezekiel saw heaven opened and visions of God. In Acts 10:11, Peter saw heaven opened and a vision from God. When God opened heaven for them, it was to reveal to them visions of things to come.

John sees Jesus Christ seated 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.”

Jesus is called Faithful and True. These names are applied to Jesus in Revelation 1:5, 3:7, 14. Unlike politicians who make promises to get elected and then don’t keep them, Jesus is faithful and true to His promises.

Jesus makes war to bring about righteousness for those who have looked to Him for help.

Revelation 19:12: “His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many diadems.”

The flaming eyes of Jesus symbolize the intention of His gaze. He is coming to judge the world’s sin. He wears many diadems on His head. A diadem is a victor’s head ornament like a half circle of crafted leaves. He wears many diadems because He has won many victories.

Revelation 19:12-16: “...He had a Name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His Name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a Name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.”

There is one name written on Jesus that only He knows. He is also called the Word of God. He has another name on His thigh and on His robe that reads, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

The robe of Jesus is dipped in blood. This scene draws from the prophecy in Isaiah 63:2-3, where God is pictured as returning from a battle with blood stained garments due to trampling down His enemies. The Lord crushes them like a vineyard worker crushes grapes in a winepress.

Before His crucifixion, Roman soldiers put a scarlet robe on Jesus, a crown of thorns on His head and a reed in His hand for a scepter. They mocked Him. When Jesus returns the second time, the blood of those who rejected and laughed at Him will make His robe red.

The armies of heaven follow Jesus on white horses. Jesus doesn’t need an army to defeat Satan’s followers but He welcomes those who are dressed in clean white linen to join Him.

Those in the Lord’s army wear fine white linen. Their garments are white because they cleansed them in the blood of the Lamb. In Isaiah 1:18, The Lord says, “Come now, and let us reason together... though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” The Lord’s army consists of those He resurrected from the dead. They follow Christ their resurrected leader.

The Word of God proceeds from the mouth of Jesus like a sword. It slays Satan’s forces. The declaration, “He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron” connects Jesus to being the Son referred to in Psalm 2:7-9. His wrath extracts blood from his enemies as a winepress extracts juice from grapes.

The second return of Christ fulfills God’s promise in Psalm 96:13, “For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.”

In Isaiah 11:4, it is written of the Lord, “With righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.”

In 2 Thessalonians 2:8, Paul wrote that Jesus will consume the lawless one with the breath of His mouth and destroy him with the brightness of His coming.

Revelation 19:17-18: “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, ‘Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.’”

In Revelation 19:17, the Lord calls the birds to gather for the supper of the great God. What’s on the menu? It is not people eating birds. It is birds eating people. The cleanup crew is assembled before the battle begins. In Luke 17:37, when the disciples asked Jesus where His second coming would take place, He answered them saying, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.” Those who are dead in their sins will die terrible deaths.

Revelation 19:19-21, “And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.”

The devil gathers a massive army against God’s people in Jerusalem. The Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary says this is the battle of Armageddon. The Lord slew the army of the beast with the sword of His mouth. Birds cleaned up the battlefield.

In Ezekiel 39:17-19, God calls for every sort of bird and beast to consume the corpses of Gog who litter the ground on the battlefield of Armageddon.

Those who followed the beast exchanged the throne of God’s grace for His great white throne of judgment. In Proverbs 28:5, it is written, “Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.”

The beast [the antichrist] and his false prophet are thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. This is what God said He would do in Revelation 14:10, and He kept His Word.

In Genesis 19:24, “The Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire.” In Psalm 11:6, King David prophesied, saying, “Upon the wicked He shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.” In Ezekiel 38:22, the Lord told Ezekiel, “I will rain upon him [Gog], and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.” In Revelation 21:8, God says that the fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters, “and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone...”

Who was on the invitation list to the Lamb’s marriage feast? The whole world! According to John 3:16, “God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only Son for us, that WHOSOEVER would believe IN HIM, would not perish but have everlasting life.” All our invited! Will all come?

In Luke 14:16-20, Jesus spoke of a great banquet. Many guests were invited, but many made excuses for why they could not come. How many are excusing themselves from God today?

The wedding banquet of the Lamb and His bride will be grander than all previous banquets! The Lord wants you there! Have you responded to His invitation?

How do you RSVP to the Lord’s wedding invitation? You RSVP by verbally confessing your need for the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from your sins. You believe and confess that Jesus Christ died and resurrected for you, and that He ascended to heaven and is coming back for you. You RSVP to the Lord’s wedding invitation by being baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You RSVP to His invitation by abiding in Christ via prayer, Bible reading, and service.