Grace Institute: General Epistles & Revelation: Revelation: Chapters 19-22

Revelation Survey of the New Testament: General Epistles & Revelation Winter 2007

The Revelation of Jesus Christ (19:1-22:5)

Chapter 19 is the climax of the book of Revelation. All that has happened up to this point is in anticipation of the event in this chapter. Heaven rejoices in anticipation of this chapter in chapters 11 and chapters 15. The very preface of the book in chapter 1 anticipates this moment. More than that, this chapter is not just the climax of the book of Revelation, but the climax of the entirety of the bible. It is the moment, Paul says, for which all creation has been eagerly longing (Romans 8:19).

This chapter is the fullness of the revelation of Jesus Christ. Jesus is finally shown to be who he is: the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

The Second Coming of Christ (19:1-21)

The Call to Praise (19:1-6)

The revelation of Jesus begins with a loud song of praise in heaven. The song is sung by a loud voice of the multitudes, and sounds like roaring waters and thunder peals. The song contains four proclamations of “hallelujah!” While Revelation was written in Greek, this word is a transliteration of the Hebrew phrase meaning, “Praise Yahweh!” This is the only time this word is used in the entire New Testament It is not praise itself, but a call for all of heaven and earth to praise God, for Jesus is about to be revealed.

• Hallelujah, for He has judged the great harlot and avenged the blood of his servants (19:1-2)
• Hallelujah, for her (Babylon) smoke rises up forever (19:3)
• The elders and living creatures respond, “Amen, Hallelujah, give Him praise!” (19:4-5).
• Hallelujah, for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns (19:6)

The Marriage Feast (19:7-10)

The multitudes continue its rejoicing, for now the marriage feast of the Lamb has come. The bride has made herself ready. She is clothed in her righteous acts and the invitations have gone out, and marriage feast is about to begin.

In the first century, marriage was a longer process [1]. Marriages were almost always arranged by the families. After negotiating the dowry, the couple entered eh betrothal period. This lasted for about 12 months, during which time the groom would go and prepare the home in which they would live while the bride's family prepared for the wedding festivities.

The wedding itself began with the bride dressing up in fine clothes and jewels. Then the groom would begin the wedding procession. He set out with his friends from the home he has set up to the home of the bride's parents. A procession then sets out as the groom leads his bride back to the home he has established. The whole company sings and dances as the newly wed couple return to their new home.

Once in the house, the bride and groom entered under a canopy, where they would preside over the wedding feast. This feast included much eating and drinking, and may last for up to seven days. Finally, the bride and groom would consummate the wedding.

At the first advent, Jesus came to arrange the marriage with his bride, the church. The church had no dowry to pay, so Jesus paid it with his blood on the cross. He then ascended to heaven, for:

If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also (John 14:3).

The trials and sufferings has purified and prepared the bride, the church. She is now adorned in fine clothing. Jesus is now ready to return to take his bride and lead the processional back to the home he has prepared and where the wedding feast has been prepared.

The Advent of the Christ (19:11-16)

With the stage set, the curtain now opens, and we see the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Here He is in His full glory and in His greatness:

• He sits on a white horse, the sign of a conqueror (19:11). Contrast this with the white horse the false Christ rode in chapter 6.
• He is called faithful and true (19:11).
• He judged and wages war in righteousness (19:11).
• His eyes are flames of fire (19:12).
• His head has many diadems (19:12).
• He has a name written on Him which no one knows (19:12)
• He is clothed in a blood drenched robe (19:13). This blood could either be his blood, shed on the cross, or more likely, the blood of his enemies.
• He is called the Word of God (19:13)
• He leads the armies of heaven (19:14). But this army is clothed in linen. What kind of an army wears linen? This army will not have to fight, for Jesus will carry the battle himself.
• He has a sword which comes from his mouth, from which he will strike down the nations and rule with an iron rod (19:15). The sword from His mouth may suggest that the only weapon He must use are his words. As The Word of God , just as He was able to create the world with just his word, so Jesus can destroy and defeat the nations with a single word. His name is embroidered on the robe and is tattooed on his thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (19:16).

There are three names mentioned in this revelation. The first is a name written on Him which no one knows (19:12). The second name is the Word of God (19:13). The third name is King of kings and Lord of lords (19:16).

The Final Battle (19:17-21)

Now an angel proclaims to all the birds that there will be a second feast. This is not the marriage feast of the lamb, but a feast for all the vultures, for the carnage at the end of this battle will be great.

The beast and all the kings of the earth gather ad are ready to make war against the returning Christ. However, the battle is over before it begins. The beast and the false prophet are seized and thrown alive into the lake of fire. The rest of the armies are killed and left for the vultures.

While the revelation of Jesus is the climax, the great battle against the beast and armies of the world are rather anti-climatic. There is no great struggle, no great heroic efforts by the armies of God to defeat the swarming armies of the beast. The battle is over before it really even gets started. The King of kings and Lord of lords arrives on the scene, the sword comes from his mouth and all the power and might of the earth are defeated by the Word of God.

The Millennium (20:1-15)

With the armies of the earth defeated, this ushers in a period of time known as the millennium, named for the one-thousand years mentioned in verses 20:3-4.

Thousand Years of Satan's Captivity (20:1-3)

The Millennium begins with Satan being seized and being imprisoned in the abyss so that the nations might not be deceived during this period. However, at the end of this time, he must be released for a short time.

The First and Second Resurrections (20:4-10)

During this millennial period, the martyrs and those who did not worship the beast will be raised from the dead and will reign with Christ over the earth. This is the first resurrection (20:4). The rest of the dead will not come back to life until after the millennium is completed. Those in the first resurrection will have reign as priests of God. Those who are not will be also be raised from the dead in what is called, not the second resurrection, but the second death.

The Viewpoints of the Millennium

Download a handout showing various Millenial viewpoints

Amillennialism

Amillennialists do not believe in a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ with Israel. Because Israel rejected Christ, the church has replaced Israel and is now inheriting the promises of Israel. Therefore, the millennium is being fulfilled symbolically by Christ's reign over the church in this present age. The Tribulation is viewed either as the struggles of the Church throughout history or is seen being fulfilled in the destruction of the temple in AD 70 (see the preterist view).

This is the predominant viewpoint in Christianity. It was first articulated by Augustine, and remains the viewpoint of Roman Catholics and the reformed church.

Most scriptures do not show any interval between the coming of the Christ and the judgment, as is necessary in a literal interpretation of the Millennium. Furthermore, the book of Revelation uses many numeric symbols, and the number 1,000 may mean merely “a really long time.”

Postmillennialism

Postmillennialism believes that the Church will bring about the millennium prior to the return of Christ. As the Church works to accomplish its mission to bring the world to Christ and thereby brings about social justice and peace, the Church will create the millennial reign of Christ, after which Christ will return. The Tribulation is seen to have already been fulfilled either in the destruction of the temple (preterism) or in the struggles of the church throughout history.

This was a popular viewpoint in the early 20 th century as the Church was refocused on missionary work and social action, and technology was making impact on eliminating disease. This viewpoint all but died out with two world wars and a great depression.

The scripture does indicate that the kingdom of God will continue to grow and eventually transform the entire world (Matthew 13:31-33), and that the Church will continue to be built and not be overcome by Satan (Matthew 16:18). However, this viewpoint was more developed out of an optimistic view of history and the missionary zeal found early in the last century.

Premillennialism

Premillennialist believe that the millennium is the literal reign of Christ with Israel over all the earth. This is a time of great peace and prosperity for the entire earth, but in particular in Israel. This is distinct from the New Heaven and New Earth (chapters 21-22), as both believers and unbelievers will live in this new era. The Church will have already been resurrected and will reign with Christ at this time.

This was the viewpoint of the early church. Today it is held by dispensationalists, Baptists, and most evangelicals. This viewpoint is the plainest interpretation of Revelation 20 and matches with much of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the future of the nation of Israel.

Viewpoints of the Rapture

According to Revelation 20, it appears that those raised in the first resurrection are merely those who lived (or died) in the great tribulation. What about those who died previous to that? Paul addresses this in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, where it is revealed that the dead in Christ will rise first and then those who are alive will be caught up (“rapture”) and meet the Lord in the air. Revelation's silence on this event has resulted in a theological debate as to when this event takes place.

Pre-tribulation

Pre-tribulationalists believe that prior to the coming Great Tribulation, Christ will have a secret coming, where He gathers His Church and takes them to heaven, leaving only unbelievers to go through the tribulation. This removal of the Church signifies the return to the time of Israel as God's primary focus. Many will be saved during the tribulation, including all of Israel. At the end of the tribulation, Christ returns with His church, raises those who died in Christ during the Tribulation and those who survived the Tribulation will enter the time of the Millennium in non-glorified bodies.

The pre-tribulational viewpoint, then, sees three resurrections: 1) the saints raised at the rapture, 2) the saints who died in the tribulation raised at the second coming, and 3) unbelievers raised at the end of the millennium.

There are several scriptures that indicate that believers will not experience the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 2:10, Revelation 3:10), which is taken to mean the Tribulation. In addition, after Revelation 3, the Church is not mentioned in the book of Revelation. Finally, the millennium is populated by people who do not have glorified bodies (and actually die! See Isaiah 65:20-22). If the rapture takes place at the end of the tribulation and all those who are saved receive glorified bodies, who then populates the earth during the millennium?

Mid-Tribulation

This viewpoint is very similar to pre-tribulation viewpoint, except that the rapture is seen to take place 3 ½ years into the Tribulation rather than at the outset. There is a lot of emphasis on the second half of the Tribulation (Daniel 9:27), and there seems to be some significant events take place at the midpoint.

Post-Tribulation

Post Tribulationalists believe that the rapture and the return of Christ are the same thing. There is no overt indication in scripture of a secret return of Christ. One would have to have a preconceived theological system to read-in a pre-tribulational rapture into 1 Thessalonians. This viewpoint has been the longstanding viewpoint of the church, and pre-tribulationalism has only developed since the rise of dispensationalism in the late 19 th century.

The passages referring to the church of God not facing the wrath of God can just as easily be interpreted to mean the final judgment, or that God will provide divine protection for the church in the midst of the tribulation. Furthermore, Jesus, in Matthew 24 seems to indicate that believers will go through the tribulation.

Finally, in ancient times, when a victorious general returned from winning a great battle, the people of the city would go out from the city and meet the conqueror outside the gates of the city and join him in his triumphal procession as he entered into the city. The events of 1 Thessalonians 4, where the saints are “caught up” and meet the Lord the air, could be a reference to this joining of those saints remaining alive on the earth at the end of the tribulation who go out and join the army of Christ has he returns to earth victorious and ready to set up his throne.

The Great White Throne (20:11-15)

Regardless of the timing, all Christians agree that Jesus will return and He will judge “the quick and the dead.” This is the Great White Throne of judgment on which Christ sits and which no one can escape (20:11). All the dead will rise (20:13) and stand before the throne and they will be judged according to their deeds (20:12). Those whose names are not found in the book of life are thrown into the lake of fire (20:15). Then death and Hades itself is also thrown into the lake of fire (20:14).

Those who were raised in the first resurrection, however, do not face the Great White Throne. Their names are in the book of life, and they are ruling and judging with Christ! For these, the second death has no power (20:6)

The New Heaven and Earth (21:1-22:5)

New Heaven and Earth Created (21:1-8)

John then is shown a new heaven and a new earth. The old heaven and earth have passed away. The New Jerusalem comes down from heaven and is placed on the new earth. Now, God will dwell with man on the new earth, and there will be no tears, no death and no sadness. All things will be made new.

With this, Jesus proclaims “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega.” No one will thirst again, for Jesus will provide the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will dwell in the New Jerusalem, and He will be our God, and we His sons and daughters.

The New Jerusalem Described (21:9-22:5)

New Jerusalem is Physical, Not Symbolic

The New Earth and the New Jerusalem are physical places. When Jesus returns, we inherit a new physical body which is like the body of Jesus after the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15). We will live with this new perfected body in a physical city on a new physical earth. Many see the description of the New Jerusalem as merely symbolic, with the city descending from heaven as a bride meaning that the city is a symbol of the church. Note how the city is built on the foundation of the apostles. However, the detailed description and the exact measurement of the city suggest that, the city has space and dimension. Those physical attributes certainly have symbolic value, but that does not mean this description does not describe an actual physical place to be created in the future.

The Physical Attributes

The physical attributes of the New Jerusalem are described in detail in the rest of chapter 21 and the first part of chapter 22.

• It contains the glory of God, looking like jasper (21:11). God's glory is described as looking like jasper also in chapter 4.
• The city has 12 gates, three on each side of the city. The gates represent the 12 tribes of Israel. The gates are guarded by 12 angels (21:12-13).
• The city is built on 12 foundations, which represent the 12 apostles (21:14).
• The city is a square, with each wall 12,000 stadia (approximately 1500 miles) in length and in height (21:15). That would make each gate be 1,000 stadia (125 miles) apart from each other.
• The city walls are only 144 (12x12) cubits (216 feet) high (21:16). Note in verse 15, the city itself is a cube, and is 1500 miles high. But the walls of the city are only 216 feet tall.
• The walls are built of jasper and the city of pure, clear gold (21:18).
• The foundations are made of numerous varieties of gemstones (21:19-20).
• The gates are made out of giant pearls. Twelve pearls for twelve gats (21:21).
• The streets are paved with pure, transparent gold (21:21).
• A river filled with the water of life will flow from God's throne down the street (22:1-2).
• Alongside the banks of the river will grow is the tree of life, which grows a different fruit each month of the year (22:2). The fruit will heal the nations.

A Restoration of Creation

The new heaven and earth are a restoration of what God intended in the creation of this earth. God does not change his program when humanity falls. Instead he just finds another path to accomplish the same agenda. Namely, God desires to have the image of God dwell with Him on the earth. The new heaven and earth is therefore a restoration of the state that God originally desired in the garden.

(Acts 3:21 NASB) ...heaven must receive (Christ) until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.

(Romans 8:19-21 NASB) For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God…. the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

The new heaven and earth therefore is a physical place where we will dwell with physical (albeit glorified) bodies forever. Like Adam and Eve, believers will have the responsibility to exercise dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:28-29). Believers will have responsibility to administer the reign of God on the earth (Matthew 25:14-22, 1 Corinthians 6:3). We will grow and learn and live much as we do now.

God will always have something more to teach man, and man will always have something more to learn from God. (Irenaeus, AD 130-202) [2]

The Dwelling Place of God

Most important, however, is that God will dwell in the city. Because God dwells in the city, there are things which are not needed. First, there is no need for a temple, for God and the Lamb are the temple (21:22). Second, there is no need for a sun or moon, for God's glory is bright enough to light the whole city (21:23, 22:5a). Furthermore, the entire earth and all the nations will walk in the light of God (21:24, 26). Therefore, there will be no night and the gates of the city will never close (21:25), because there is no evil to keep out (21:27).

As a result, there will no longer be any curse (22:3), and the bond-servants of God will serve him day and night, reigning with him forever and ever (22:5b)

Ending Remarks (22:6-21)

The book concludes with affirmations of the veracity of this book. This has been a fantastical vision, with amazing things described. But now John, the angel, and Jesus himself will affirm that what we've just read and studied are true. John himself reminds the reader that he actually saw and heard the events in the book (22:8). Furthermore the angel who has been John's guide throughout the book reminds John to share the book and not seal it up, for “the time is near” (22:10).

If we ignore the book, add to the book, or devalue or subtract from the book, we will be cursed (22:18-19). But if we heed to the book and live accordingly we will be blessed (22:7). To heed the book is to recognize the imminent return of Jesus and prepare ourselves, like a bride preparing for a wedding washes and puts on her finest clothes (22:14). Preparation is not difficult. It does not require that we earn our salvation. All we must do is “come” and drink the water of life that is without cost (22:17).

Then Jesus himself attests to the validity of the book. Indeed the time is near. He is coming quickly (22:7). He is coming and will reward and judge everyone (22:12). Jesus confirms that he has sent his angel to testify of the book's truth (22:16) and to again warn us to take heed, for “Yes, I am coming quickly” (22:20).

John then ends with a commentary in which all the saints and indeed all creation share:

Amen, Come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20b)

Footnotes

1. Ralph Gower. The Essential Bible Manners and Customs. (Chicago: Moody Press, 2000), 52-56.
2. The Theology Notebook – Ecclesiology and Eschatology . (Dallas TX: Biblical Studies Press, 2005, accessed May 24, 2006; available from http://www.bible.org; Internet), 146.

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