19WELCOME
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SILENCE
Revelation 19. Part II
April 1st 2018
MEAT
Okay, on with the last chapter detailing the end of the whore, the end of Judaism, the end of that covenant Nation, all in the preparation of the marriage of the Bride of Christ to the Groom.
We ended last week with a statement from fulfilled eschatologist expert David Chilton, who said
that “the destruction of the Harlot and the marriage of the Lamb and the Bride…are correlative events,” .
Well, we made the same observation in our study of chapter 17 when we compared the language of Revelation 17:1, 3 with the language of Revelation 21:9-10.
You may not remember or you may not have been with us, so here it is:
A. Revelation 17:1: “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters.’”
A. Revelation 21:9: “Then came one of the seven angels which had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.’”
B. Revelation 17:3: “And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names.”
B. Revelation 21:10: “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.”
So this is what is meant by correlative events between the contents of the two chapters 17 and 21.
Verse 8 of chapter 19
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints
The bride is pictured clothed “with fine linen, bright and pure.”
Of course this is imagery that describes purity (as it says).
We remember in a parable that Jesus said the following relative to a wedding.
Matthew 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, (God) which made a marriage for his son, (The Lord Jesus)
3 And sent forth his servants (prophets) to call them that were bidden to the wedding (the house of Israel): and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants (Apostles, perhaps), saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: (elements we mentioned were part of the commerce of Jerusalem mentioned in Revelation 18)
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. (Fulfilled in 70 AD – this parable is not chronological but all the elements are presented in no certain order as the Jews would write)
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. (INVITE all to the wedding)
10 So those servants (the Apostles, once the Gospel was available to all Nations and peoples) went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, “Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.”
13 Then said the king to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
It seems that prior to the marriage God inspects the clothing of the Bride of Christ and those that were not clothed in fine linen, which John calls “the righteousness of the Saints” were bound hand and foot and cast into a place called outer darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I take this to mean that in the day of the Bride being saved that there were those who were saved by faith whose works were filthy still. And not possessing the righteousness of the Saints that was required of those who made up the bride, they were removed from the festivities before the meal began – to a place called outer darkness, which is a miserable place.
To me, this place is sheol or hell, the covered place, which is not the burning place of the Lake of Fire but the holding tank prior to judgement.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
The angel instructs John to write these words, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
In other words, an invitation went out to others (Gentiles as well as Jews in verses 9-10), but only those with proper wedding garments were allowed to remain (vss. 10-14; cf. Rev. 19:8). Those who lacked these garments remained in outer darkness and were not part of the BRIDE – though in my opinion they will be reconciled to God at some point by the Finished work of Christ.
Verse 10
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, “See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Here, John is tempted to bow down and worship the being giving him the message. We aren’t told what drives him to do this but we could suggest a number of reasons:
One: Perhaps the events unfolding had overwhelmed him. I mean all the Hallelujuah’s could have overwhelmed him, or perhaps he thought the being was deity due to its brightness and the sound of its voice?
All we do know is the messenger prohibits him and says,
“See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God”
Which is another way of saying clearly – I am NOT God – so don’t worship me. But right after John is given a very curious phrase from his co-servant who says:
“For . . .” (or in relation to this statement of worship God) “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
I’m going to cite some of the more popular commentaries and what they tend to think is meant by this strand of words:
ADAM CLARKE says:
As this is a reason given by the angel why he should not worship him, the meaning must be this: “I, who have received this spirit of prophecy, am not superior to you (who hast received the testimony of Christ to preach him among the Gentiles); for the commission containing such a testimony is equal to the gift of the spirit of prophecy. Or, “the spirit of prophecy is a general testimony concerning Jesus, for he is the scope and design of the whole Scripture; to him gave all the prophets witness. Take Jesus, his grace, Spirit, and religion out of the Bible, and it has neither scope, design, object, nor end.”
ALBERT BARNES SAYS:
The meaning here seems to be, that this angel, and John, and their fellow-servants, were all engaged in the same work–that of bearing their testimony to Jesus.
Thus, in this respect, they were on a level, and one of them should not worship another, but all should unite in the common worship of God. No one in this work, though an angel, could have such a pre-eminence that it would be proper to render the homage to him which was due to God alone.
There could be but one being whom it was proper to worship, and they who were engaged in simply bearing testimony to the work of the Savior should not worship one another.
In other words, the design of prophecy is to bear testimony to Jesus. The language does not mean, of course, that this is the only design of prophecy, but that this is its great and ultimate end.
The word prophecy here seems to be used in the large sense in which it is often employed in the New Testament–meaning to make known the Divine will, and the primary reference here would seem to be to the preachers and teachers of the New Testament.
The sense is, that their grand business is to bear testimony to the Savior. They are all–whether angels, apostles, or ordinary teachers–appointed for this, and therefore should regard themselves as “fellow-servants.”
The design of the angel in this seems to have been, we’re all engaged in the same work, and that no one of them should claim adoration from others.
It seems to me that what most commentators believe is being said here in relation to the conversation between these “servants” of God was this:
The first servant who is giving John the news dealt in prophesy – and perhaps came from the Age of the Old Testament and was now involved in the wrapping up of everything – like a Moses or an Elijah.
When John, an Apostle, who had a testimony of Jesus firsthand, received this messengers words, he for some reason thought it reasonable to worship the messenger (which does not mean adore but could have simply mean to prostrate oneself before Him as was the custom in that place and age).
What the messenger says is, “Don’t do this. Worship God. For the Testimony of Christ (which you possess as a servant John) is (meaning, it is the very same thing) as the Spirit of Prophecy (which was what I have contributed) – in other words, we’re all in the same boat.
What is interesting about this statement is whether it is true or not? In other words, did the
Testimony of Jesus EQUAL the Spirit of Prophecy (and then in the revers)
Does the Spirit of Prophecy EQUAL the Testimony of Jesus?
Its sort of like the messenger is telling John –
“What I did in the Old Testament in prophesying of Jesus is equal to what you did in the New in having a Testamony of Him – and vice versa.”
If this is true, then what we can say is there was not a Jew on earth who has or had any excuse for missing the identity of Jesus – the Spirit of Prophesy IS the Testimony of Jesus, for goodness sakes! So let’s see if this holds water?
Old Testament Book
Main Revelation
Key Prophecies* / Types of Jesus
Genesis
The Seed of the Woman
Messiah would be born of the seed of a woman (Gen 3:15, Luke 1:34-35)
Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob (Gen 12:3, 17:19, 28:14, Luke 3:23-34)
Messiah would be a king in the line of Judah (Gen 49:10, John 1:49)
Typified in the person of Melchizedek (Gen 14:18)
The life of Isaac – the sacrificed son (Gen 22)
The life of Joseph – the rejected brother (Gen 37)
Exodus
The Passover Lamb
Typified in the life of Moses – the deliverer
The Passover Lamb (Ex 12, John 1:29,36)
The Manna from Heaven (Ex 16, John 6)
The Rock struck at Horeb (Ex 17, 1 Cor 10:4)
The Tabernacle (Brazen Altar, Lampstand, Table of Showbread, Ark of the covenant etc) (Gen 25-30)
Leviticus
The High Priest
Typified in the sacrifices and offerings (Lev 1-7)
In the Jewish festivals (Passover, Atonement, Lev 16, 23)
In the scapegoat (Lev 16:7-9)
In the person and duties of the High Priest (Lev 16)
Numbers
The Cloud and The Fire
Messiah would be a King (Num 24:17)
Typified in the bronze serpent (Num 21:8-9)
The Water from the Rock (Num 20)
Deuteronomy
The Prophet Like Moses
Messiah will be a prophet (Deut 18:15-19, John 6:14)
Messiah would be worshipped by angels (Deut 32:43, Luke 2:13-14)
Typified in the cities of refuge (Deut 4:41)
Joshua
The Captain of Our Salvation
Typified in the person of Joshua (our leader into the promised land)
In the Promised Land
In the Commander of the Army (Josh 5:13-15)
Judges
The Judge And Lawgiver
Typified in the Judges (for He is true Judge of the living and the dead)
Ruth
The Kinsman Redeemer
Messiah would be a descendant of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:12-17)
Typified in the life of Boaz – The Kinsman Redeemer (Ruth 2:1)
1 & 2 Samuel
The Prophet of The Lord
Messiah exalted by God with power (1 Sam 2:10, Matt 28:18)
Messiah would be a descendant of David (2 Sam 7:12-16, Matt 1:1)
Messiah would be the ‘Rock’ (2 Sam 23:2-3, 1 Cor 10:4)
Typified in the life of David – The King in Exile (1 Sam 22)
The life of Jonathon – the faithful friend (1 Sam 18:1-4)
1 & 2 Kings
The Reigning King
Typified in the life of Solomon (the Millennial Reign)
In the life and miracles of the prophet Elisha (multiplying bread 2 Kings 4:42, healing leper 2 Kings 5)
1 & 2 Chronicles
The Glorious Temple
Messiah would be from the tribe of Judah (1 Chron 5:2, Luke 3:23-32)
Typified in Solomon’s temple
In the Wisdom of Solomon (2 Chron 9:22)
Ezra
The Faithful Scribe
Typified in person of Zerubbabel, the rebuilder of the temple (Ezra 4)
Nehemiah
The Rebuilder of the Walls
Typified in the person of Nehemiah, the rebuilder of the walls of salvation
Esther
Mordecai
Typified in the person of Mordecai
Job
The Dayspring From on High
Typified in the sufferings of Job and the blessings that would follow
Psalms
The Lord Who Is Our Shepherd
Messiah would be the Son of God (Ps 2:7, 12, Matt 17:5)
Messiah would be resurrected (Ps 16:8-10, Acts 13:30-37)
Messiah would be despised & crucified (Ps 22:6-8, 14, Luke 23:21-23, Matt 27:35)
Messiah would be hated without cause (Ps 69:4, Luke 23:13-22)
Messiah would be Lord, seated at the right hand of God (Ps 110:1,5, 1 Pet 3:21-22)
Messiah would be in the line of Melchizedek (Ps 110:4, Heb 6:17-20)
Messiah would be the ‘stone’ rejected by the Jews (Ps 118:22, Matt 21:42-43)
Key Messianic Psalms: Chapters 2, 8, 16, 22, 45, 69, 89, 109, 110, 118
Proverbs & Ecclesiastes
The Wisdom of God
Messiah would be from everlasting (Prov 8:22-23, John 17:5)
Messiah would be the Son of God (Prov 30:4, Matt 3:16-17)
Typified in the Wisdom of God (Prov 8:22-31)
Song of Solomon
The Lover & Bridegroom
Typified in the Bridegroom’s love for, and marriage to, the bride
Isaiah
The Suffering Servant
Messiah would be born of a virgin (Is 7:14, Luke 1:34-35)
Messiah would be Immanuel “God with us” (Is 7:14, Matt 1:21-23)
Messiah would be God and Man (Is 9:6, John 10:30)
Messiah would have the 7-fold Spirit upon Him (Is 11:1-2, Matt 3:16-17)
Messiah would heal the blind, lame, deaf (Is 35:5-6, Mark 10:51-52)
Messiah would be proceeded by a forerunner (Is 40:3, Luke 1:17)
Messiah would be a light to the gentiles (Is 42:6, John 8:12)
Messiah would be despised by the Jewish nation (Is 49:7, John 10:20, Matt 27:23)
Messiah would be whipped and beaten (Is 50:6, Matt 26:67, 27:26)
Messiah would die as a guilt offering for sin (Is 53:10, John 18:11)
Messiah would be resurrected and live forever (Is 53:10, Mark 16:16)
Jeremiah & Lamentations
The Weeping Prophet
Messiah would be God (Jer 23:6, John 13:13)
Messiah would be a righteous Branch (Jer 23:5)
Messiah would be our righteousness (Jer 23:6, 1 Cor 1:30)
Ezekiel
The Son of Man
Messiah would be a descendant of David (Ez 34:23-24, Matt 1:1)
Daniel
The Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven
Messiah would be ‘a son of man’ given an everlasting kingdom (Dan 7:13-14, Luke 1:31-34)
Messiah would come 483 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Dan 9:25, John 12:12-23)
Messiah would be killed (Dan 9:26, Matt 27:35)
Revealed as the ‘stone’ (and His kingdom) that smashes the kingdoms of the world (Dan 2:34,44)
Typified in the 4th man in the fiery furnace – one like ‘the son of gods’ (Dan 3:25)
Hosea
The Bridegroom
Typified in Hosea’s faithfulness to his adulterous wife (Hos 3)
Joel
The Baptizer With The Holy Spirit
Messiah will offer salvation to all mankind (Joel 2:32, Rom 10:12-13)
Messiah would baptize people with the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-32)
Amos
The Burden Bearer
God would darken the day at noon during Messiah’s death (Amos 8:9, Matt 27:45-46)
Obadiah
The Mighty Savior
Jonah
The Forgiving God
Typified in Jonah being 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a fish (Jon 1:17, Matt 12:40)
Micah
The Messenger With Beautiful Feet
Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2, Matt 2:1-2)
Messiah would be from everlasting (Mic 5:2, Rev:1-8)
Nahum
The Avenger of God’s Elect
Habakkuk
The Great Evangelist, Crying For Revival
Messiah would come from Teman at His return, full of glory (Hab 3:3)
Typified in the life of Habakkuk (his intercession and prayer for his people)
Zephaniah
The Restorer of the Remnant
Haggai
The Cleansing Fountain
Messiah would visit the 2nd temple (Hag 2:6-9, Luke 2:27-32)
Zechariah
The Pierced Son
Messiah would be Priest and King (Zech 6:12-13, Heb 8:1)
Messiah would be ride into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zech 9:9, Matt 21:6-9)
Messiah would be God (Zech 11:12-13, John 12:45)
Messiah would be pierced (Zech 12:10, John 19:34-37)
Malachi
The Son of Righteousness
Messiah would appear at the temple (Mal 3:1, Mark 11:15-16)
Messiah’s forerunner would come in the spirit of Elijah (Mat 4:5, Matt 3:1-2)
New Testament Book
Main Revelation
Titles / Names Revealed of Jesus
Matthew
The Messiah
The Son of David (Matt 1:1)
The King of the Jews (Matt 2:2)
The Son of God (Matt 2:15).
The Bridegroom (Matt 9:15)
Mark
The Miracle Worker
The Holy One of God (Mark 1:24)
The Servant (Mark 10:45)
The King of Israel (Mark 15:32)
Luke
The Son of Man
The Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69)
The Consolation of Israel: (Luke 2:25).
John
The Son of God
The Only Begotten Son: (John 1:14,18)
The Lamb of God (John 1:29,36)
The Bread of life (John 6:35)
The Light of the World (John 8:1)
The I AM! (John 8:58)
The Door of the Sheep: (John 10:7,9)
The Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
The Resurrection and life (John 11:25)
The Way, the Truth, the Life (John 14:6)
The True Vine (John 15:1)
Acts
The Ascended Lord
The Prince of Life (Acts 3:15)
The Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42)
The Just One (Acts 7:52).
The Hope of Israel (Acts 28:20)
Romans
The Justifier
The Rock of Offense (Romans 9:33)
The Deliverer (Romans 11:26)
The Lord of the dead and the living (Romans 14:9)
The Root of Jesse (Romans 15:12)
1 & 2 Corinthians
The Last Adam
The First-fruits (1 Corinthians 15:23)
The Last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45)
Galatians
The One Who Sets Us Free
The Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 1:3)
Ephesians
The Christ of Riches
The Head over All Things (Ephesians 1:22)
The Cornerstone: (Ephesians 2:20)
Philippians
The God Who Meets Our Every Need
The Name above all names (Philippians 2:9)
Colossians
The Fullness of The Godhead
The Image of the Invisible God (Colossians 1:15)
The Head of the body (Colossians 1:18)
The Beginning (Colossians 1:18)
The Firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18)
The Hope of Glory (Col 1:27)
1 & 2 Thessalonians
The Soon Coming King
The Lord of Peace (2 Thessalonians 3:16)
1 & 2 Timothy
The Mediator Between God And Man
The King of Ages (1 Timothy 1:17)
The Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)
Titus
The Blessed Hope
The Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13)
The Great God and Saviour (Titus 2:13)
Philemon
The Friend, Closer Than a Brother
The Lord Jesus Christ (Philemon 3)
Hebrews
The Blood That Washes Away My Sins
The Heir of All Things (Hebrews 1:2)
The Faithful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17)
The Author and Finisher of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2)
James
The Great Physician
The Lord of Glory (James 2:1)
The Judge at the door (James 5:9)
1 & 2 Peter
The Chief Shepherd
The Living Stone (1 Peter 2:4)
The Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4)
1 & 2 & 3 John
Everlasting Love
The Eternal Life (1 John 1:2)
The Righteous (1 John 2:1)
Jude
The God our Saviour
The Only Wise God our Saviour (Jude 25)
Revelation
The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!
The Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last: (Revelation 1:17, 22:13)
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5)
The Word of God (Revelation 19:13).
The King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16)
The Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)
AT this point John says (verses 11-15)
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Okay, in this section we see Christ proceeding out of an open heaven on a white horse, followed by the armies of heaven, and wielding a sharp sword in His mouth.
This is a rather beautiful description of Christ in my opinion. We recall back a number of months where we learned that
Josephus recorded that, in the spring of 66 AD, shortly before the Jewish-Roman War began, a “star resembling a sword” appeared over Jerusalem (remaining for a year) and there were also many in Judea who saw chariots and soldiers running in the clouds.
This is what he said (which we have read before):
“Thus were the miserable people persuaded by these deceivers, and such as belied God himself; while they did not attend nor give credit to the signs that were so evident, and did so plainly foretell their future desolation, but, like men infatuated, without either eyes to see or minds to consider, did not regard the denunciations that God made to them. Thus there was a star resembling a sword, which stood over the city, and a comet, that continued a whole year… Besides these, a few days after that feast, on the one and twentieth day of the month Artemisius, [Jyar,] a certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared: I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities” (Wars 6.5.3).
We also read from the 1st century Roman historian, Tacitus, who said:
“There had been seen hosts joining battle in the skies, the fiery gleam of arms,? the temple illuminated by a sudden radiance from the clouds” (Histories, Book 5).
The following is from fulfillment proponent, Sam Storm who believes that John seems to draw from the background of the Old Testament.
He writes
A sharp “sword” from his mouth is used to “smite the nations”, which he rules “with a rod of iron” (v. 15).
The OT background for this is found in Isaiah 49:2; 11:4; and Psalm 2:9.
He treads “the wine press” of God’s wrath (v. 15).
This image is drawn from Isaiah 63:2-6.
Regarding “the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure” following Christ on white horses, are they
[1] angels [2] humans?
The best argument for their being humans comes from earlier in this chapter as Revelation 19:8 speaks of a company clothed with “fine linen, bright and pure,” and there is no doubt that these are believers (i.e. humans), for they are the Bride (verse 7) emanating “righteous deeds” (verse 8).
However, there is also some basis for the possibility that this army is angelic. Storms notes, as we also did in our study of Revelation 15, the one instance where non-human entities are seen clothed in pure, white linen:
“After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests” (Rev. 15:5-6).
As these angels in Revelation 15 came bearing judgment and plagues, it’s possible that they appear again here in chapter 19, as the context is once again judgment.
That angels are in view here is further indicated by a parallel passage in Zechariah 14. There we read:
Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when He fights on a day of battle… And you shall flee to the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord My God will come, and all the holy ones with Him (Zech. 14:1-5).
Some Bible translations agree with the ESV (quoted here) in using the phrase “the holy ones” (e.g. NIV, NASB, NLT, Young’s Literal Translation), while others use “holy angels” (e.g. Contemporary English Version). The King James Version uses the phrase “all the saints,” as does the NKJV.
Interestingly, The Amplified Bible uses the phrase “saints and angels.” There are plenty of indications that Zechariah’s prophecy concerns the events of 70 AD, including the New Covenant language of Zech. 13:9, the reference to the taking of the city of Jerusalem (14:2), and the fleeing of God’s people to the mountains (14:5).
For the sake of time and space, I will mention only one more indication (though there are many) that this text is speaking of the events of 70 AD.
In Zechariah 14:7 we read: “And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.”
Josephus records a most interesting event which took place less than a year before Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD:
“On the eighth of the month Zanthicus, (before the feast of unleavened bread) at the ninth hour of the night, there shone round about the altar, and the circumjacent buildings of the temple, a light equal to the brightness of the day, which continued for the space of half an hour.”
The idea that angels are involved in the judgment of Revelation 19:14-15 is also consistent with the statement that Jesus made to His disciples in Matthew 16:27-28, where He said:
“For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
Some contend that this statement was fulfilled in Christ’s transfiguration six days later, because they find it impossible to avoid the fact that this prophecy was to find fulfillment within the lifetime of some who heard Him say these words. If this is the case, though, in what sense did Jesus “come with His angels” at that time and repay each person according to what he had done (a clear picture of judgment)? This explanation fails, because none of Jesus’ disciples died during the six days after Jesus made this statement, but some were indeed martyred before 70 AD. This text finds a clear parallel in Rev. 22:12 (“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing My recompense with Me, to repay everyone for what He has done“).
We’re going to stop here, finishing 19 next week and AND entering chapter 20 at that time.
Questions / Comments
Prayer
