Revelation 19

The Judgements of God

Lorraine Day, M.D.

 

Concordant Literal Bible Translation

1 After these things I hear as it were the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power is our God,

2 For true and just is His judging, for He judges the great prostitute (Babylon) who corrupts the earth with her prostitution, and avenges the blood of His slaves at her hand.”

Those in the One World Religion who persecuted and martyred the saints of God must reap what they have sown.

3 And a second time have they declared, “Hallelujah!” And her (Babylon’s) smoke is ascending for the eons of the eons.

The “smoke of her torment” signifies her reaping what she has sown and her purification by spiritual fire.  This will take place for the “eons of the eons” - the last two eons. (See “Does ‘Forever’ Really Mean Forever” at www.goodnewsaboutgod.com for a discussion of the “Eons.”)

4 And the twenty-four elders and the four animals fall and worship God, Who is sitting on the throne, saying, “Amen Hallelujah!”

5 And a voice came out from the throne, saying “Praise our God, all His slaves, and those who are fearing Him, the small and the great.”

Many theologians believe that the twenty-four elders are human beings who were resurrected at the time of Christ and went to heaven with him.

The four beasts, or living creatures, are spoken of in Revelation 4:6,7;

“And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four animals (beasts - living creatures) full of eyes in front and behind.

“And the first creature was like a lion (representing wild animals), and the second beast like a calf (representing domesticated animals), and the third beast had a face as a man (representing humanity), and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle (representing the birds of the air).”

These four “living creatures” represents ALL of creation, except for the fish.  More specifically, it represents ALL of creation that was destroyed by the flood (with the exception of those who were in the ark).  The fish were not destroyed in the flood.

6 And I hear as it were the voice of a vast throng, and as it were the sound of many waters, and as it were the sound of strong thunders, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns! 

7 We may be rejoicing and exulting and will be giving glory to Him, for the wedding of the Lamb is come, and Its bride (those who are righteous) makes herself ready.” 

8 And to her it was granted that she may be clothed in clean, resplendent cambric (linen - representing the righteousness of God’s people), for the cambric (linen) is the just awards of the saints.

9 And he is saying to me, “Write: Blessed are those invited to the wedding dinner of the Lamb.’” And he is saying to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

10 And I fell in front of his feet to worship him.  And he is saying to me, “See! No! A fellow slave of yours am I, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus.  Worship God! for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

In Revelation 1:9, John tells us why he has been exiled to the lonely, remote Isle of Patmos:

“I, John, your brother and joint participant in the affliction and kingdom and endurance in Jesus Christ, came be in the island called Patmos, because of the Word of God (John’s belief in the prophecies Old Testament pointing forward to Christ’s first coming) and because of the testimony of Jesus Christ” (John’s belief in the life of Jesus - or what eventually became known as the Gospels).

John tells us that the testimony of Jesus (the testimony that Jesus gave by how He lived His life) IS “the spirit of prophecy.”  And John tells us he was exiled to Patmos because of this “testimony of Jesus” which IS the “Spirit of prophecy.”

It is clear that the ONLY thing that can be designated as the “Spirit of Prophecy” is the Life of Jesus when He was on earth!

11 And I perceived heaven open and lo! A white horse, and He Who is sitting on it is called “Faithful and True” (obviously, this represents Christ) and in righteousness is He judging and battling. 

12 Now His eyes are a flame of fire (He will purify ALL mankind with spiritual fire - His fiery law (Deuteronomy 33:2) and on His head are many diadems (He is the king of ALL creation in the universe), having names (names which describe Christ’s character) written of which no one except Himself is aware,

13 And He is clothed in a cloak dipped in blood (representing His crucifixion), and His name is called “The Word of God.”  (Jesus is described as the “Word” in John 1:1-3, 14).

14 And the armies in heaven, dressed in cambric (linen), white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

15 And out of His mouth a sharp blade (truth) is issuing, that with it He should be smiting (purifying) the nations (unbelievers).  And He will be shepherding them with an iron club.  (purification is very demanding - but God does it all by controlling our circumstances and bringing us through trials and temptations)

16 And He is treading the wine trough of the fury of the indignation of God (God’s wrath is demonstrated by His giving us up to our own desires - letting us have our own way), the Almighty.  And on His cloak and on His thigh He has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.”

17 And I perceived another messenger, standing in the sun.  And he cries with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which are flying in mid-heaven, “Hither!  Be gathered for the great dinner of God,

18 That you may be eating the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of the strong, and the flesh of horses and of those sitting on them, and the flesh of ALL freemen as well as slaves, and of small and of great.”

The scavengers of the air (“birds) are called on to “eat the flesh” of ALL who still have “flesh.”  The act of circumcision represented the “cutting off of the flesh”, meaning overcoming the “flesh” and becoming spiritual - becoming a new creature in Christ - being “born again”!

 This passage tells us that the “birds” are called on by God to “eat the flesh” of ALL the wicked which represents the eventual purification of ALL sinners!

19 And I perceived the wild beast (First beast of Revelation 13 - The New World Order political power - Jewish Zionism “fronted” by the United Nations) and the kings of the earth (the Ten Kings of the Ten Kingdoms of the New World Order that receive their power from the “Beast” - Jewish Zionism), and their armies, gathered to do battle with Him Who is sitting on the horse and with His army.  (This clearly is the Battle of Armageddon - a Spiritual battle between Satan and his followers and Christ and His followers). 

20 And the wild beast is arrested, and with it the false prophet (the One World Religion - World-wide apostate Christianity) who does the Signs (miracles) in its (the wild beast’s) presence (meaning that Apostate, World-wide Christianity is doing the bidding of the Wild Beast - Jewish Zionism) by which he deceives those getting the emblem (mark = character) of the wild beast, and those worshiping its image (those who develop a character - or image - of the wild beast - which is Jewish Zionism – meaning those who join with the Jewish Zionists and Christian Zionists).

Living, the two were cast into the lake of fire burning with sulphur

Brimstone – the Greek word theion, means divine.  “Fire and Brimstone” means divine fire – God’s divine fire that purifies us from sin.

They were cast into the divine fire of God for purification of their sin.  This is clearly NOT a literal fire as we can see from Revelation 20:14 where it says

“And death and hell (literally - the “unseen”) were cast into the lake of fire.” 

It is IMPOSSIBLE to cast “death and hell (the unseen)” into a LITERAL lake of fire!

21 And the rest were killed (the old man of sin was destroyed) with the blade (Truth) which is coming out of the mouth of Him Who is sitting on the horse.  And all the birds are satisfied with (by eating) their flesh.

The “flesh” of ALL the wicked was devoured by their reaping what they have sown and by learning the truth of Jesus Christ!  After they are purified, God says He will become “ALL in ALL.”  (1 Corinthians 15:28)