The Final Insurrection -Revelation 20:7-10

Have you ever come across an intimidating passage of Scripture that you have, for whatever reason, decided to figure out/study some other day. I’m talking about those passages about which even your mentors and teachers are a bit befuddled and lacking in cogent explanations. There is one such passage in the Book of Revelation that fits this criteria for me and today is the day where, as a responsible expositor of the text, I am finally forced to deal with it. There is no more putting this one off as our study leads us to examine Revelation 20:7-10 and the four components of what might be called the final insurrection against God and his people. In this text, God permits Satan to leave his holding cell in the abyss so that he can once more wreak havoc on a world that, for a thousand years, has enjoyed the reign of Christ and his church without this little devil. Why would God allow this? What lessons can we possibly learn from something that, on the surface, appears unexplainable? Today we are going to explore the answers to these questions and come to learn what all of this has to say about the desperate human condition and the only hope there is to fix it.

1. The Timing of the Insurrection-20:7-“…When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison,…”

So far two efforts have been given to finally and completely eradicate evil from the face of the earth as the end times heads to the final state: 1) The battle of Revelation 19:11-21 that successfully removed the Antichrist and false prophet from the face of the earth and 2) The expulsion of Satan at the beginning of the millennial period. Revelation 20:7-10 is phase three of this process in which a final eschatological war ensues, forever relegating Satan to the lake of fire. After what is described in this passage takes place, evil will be removed for all eternity, preparing the way for the new heavens and the new earth that is described in Revelation 21:1-22:5.

It is important to remember from the outset of this passage that there is a modified dualism (good vs. evil theme) at work here—the same that has been in play for the majority of this apocalyptic work. The forces of good and evil are not opposite but equal. The battle that is mentioned here is, like conflict describe earlier in Revelation 19:11-21, a “nonevent” (Osborne, Revelation, 710). In it, God is supremely victorious over an infinitely inferior foe. This is indicated in verse 7 when it says, “When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison” (20:7). The passive voice here indicates that Satan did not escape his temporary holding cell in the demonic jailhouse that is the abyss (see 20:1-3). He was released by a higher authority—i.e. granted temporary parole. Nothing, not even this final insurrection is beyond the scope of God’s sovereignty. Once the thousand years is complete—that is the millennial reign of Christ on the earth—Satan will be temporarily loosed upon the earth.

2. The Nature of the Insurrection-20:8

The two-fold purpose of this release is given in verse 8—“and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog” (20:8a). First, he will be released to “deceive the nations” (def. “to cause someone to hold a wrong view and thus be mistaken”). The “nations” include those who have been repopulating the planet and living under Christ’s reign. These are those masses that will be managed in part by the glorified people of God. In other words, believers today and those who have passed away before us are not a part of the “nations” described here. Instead, these nations include the children of the survivors of the tribulation who have been living their lives during this thousand-year period without Satan’s presence on the earth.

When Satan is released, the text infers that it doesn’t take long for the nations, in spite of their experience under the millennial reign of Christ, to immediately flock after the devil. This peculiar episode indicates several important things for today’s reader. “Neither the designs of Satan nor the waywardness of the human heart will be altered by the mere passing of time” (Mounce, The Book of Revelation, 371). 1000 years in a holding cell doesn’t reform Satan out of his ancient habits of deception and destruction. Neither does 1000 years of the existential reign of Christ cure the natural human condition of sin. You have heard it said “time heals all wounds.” However, this text teaches otherwise.

This global deception is compared to what was witnessed in Ezekiel 38-39 in an episode involving an ancient power—"Gog and Magog” (20:8a). In this historical conflict, Gog (the king of the northern lands) and Magog (meaning the land of Gog) come to wage war against the people of God. Interestingly, the story that unfolds in Ezekiel runs parallel to the events of Revelation 19-20. In Ezekiel 36 the nation is resurrected and reconstituted (see the “valley of dry bones” passage). This foreshadows to Revelation 20:4-6’s description of the resurrection of the redeemed who go on to rule alongside Christ during the millennial kingdom. In Ezekiel 38, a coalition of nations comes to destroy God’s people. This is similar to what we read here in Revelation 20:1-9a. However, the enemies of God are said to be destroyed in Ezekiel 39 and then the victorious people of God are then permitted to enjoy the eschatological temple in Ezekiel 40-48. This mirrors Revelation 20:9b-14 and 21:1-22:5 respectively. In other words, John frames this end-times episode by means of a familiar story that most of his audience would have remembered. He describes the victory God achieves here in Revelation  by means of another victory He was awarded earlier in Ezekiel 38-39. In many respects, the conflict of Ezekiel 38-39 projects what will one day be fulfilled here in Revelation 20 (See Osborne’s discussion in Revelation, 711-712).

The second reason for Satan’s release involves war. In fact, the aim of his deception of the nations is to “gather them for the war.” (20:8b). Satan’s appetite for war is insatiable. He will stop at nothing to ruin what God has created and what God has willed. From Lucifer’s short-lived tenure in the heavenlies as an especially powerful archangel, to the insidious deception in the garden, to the misinformed building project at Babel, to the conspiracy to kill Christ in the first century, to the skirmishes he has lodged throughout church history, to the programmatic persecution during the tribulation, to the war in heaven against Michael in Revelation 12, to the battle of Armageddon in Revelation 19, Satan’s proclivity toward insurrection is bordering on clinical. He certainly has proven to live up to his title “the adversary” and this he will continue to do here at this final insurrection.  

The size of the armies Satan will quickly amass is incalculable for John—“the number of them is like the sand of the seashore” (20:8c). By the end of Satan’s quick program of deception, you will have, generally speaking, two kinds of people on the earth—the glorified and redeemed people of God who sympathize with the reign of Christ and rule the world with him and those who buy into the lie of this newly-arrived rebel and take up arms against the very King who has perfectly ruled the earth for a thousand years.

3. The Highlights of the Insurrection-20:9

The insurrection itself is depicted by means of two highlights. First, Satan and his massive army of deceived soldiers from the nations of the earth “came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city” (20:9a). In keeping with ancient military strategy, the satanic forces surround/”lay siege” to the saints who are in Jerusalem/”beloved city.” As the city of Jerusalem is too small to house all of the redeemed, this spectacle most likely paints the battle in symbolic language in an effort to reveal that the people of God will be surrounded by those who have allied themselves with the Devil.

This battle formation is very common throughout history. As a proud son of Texas, one of the most vivid examples of this strategy for me is the battle of the Alamo. Santa Anna’s Mexican army surrounded the small mission-turned-garrison where the even smaller Texan militia had boarded themselves up. The Mexican army’s goal was to wait for the tiny unit inside the domain of its dominating perimeter to run out of rations and supplies only to finally overwhelm them in a swift battle. At least in this example, Santa Anna’s army was successful. However, the same will not be true in the final insurrection described in Revelation 20.  

Before the battle horn can even be blown the text reveals the next highlight of the scene: “and fire came down from heaven and devoured them” (20:9c). As Satan ascends from the abyss to wage war with Christ’s kingdom, he is met with a descending and consuming fire. The verb means to consume/destroy completely (Louw & Nida) and is reminiscent of another battle found in 2 Kings 1. There, a wicked king summons Elijah to come down to him and this is what transpires:

2 Kings 1:9-11-“Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, ‘O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’ Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, ‘If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.’ Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.”

It is also similar to the consuming fire in another earlier conflict in which the prophets of Baal are humiliated when they cannot call down fire to consume the altar. After God answers Elijah’s prayer by sending down fire, the pagan prophets are seized and slain (see 1 Kings 18).

To be sure, God has made a habit out of sending fire to judge and destroy his enemies. Even in the Old Testament parallel events of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38:22 and 39:6 fire is sent down upon the enemy forces. Earlier in Revelation, the two witnesses of God breath fire and devour their enemies (see Rev. 11:5). This brand of judgment is in keeping with God’s holy character. Just listen to how Hebrews 12:25-29 describes God’s judgment.

Hebrews 12:25-29-“See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.”

This text, taken alongside Revelation 20, reveals that there will ultimately be two kinds of people: those who show gratitude for the kingdom that God sets up in the end and those who will wage war against it. The latter will be devoured by God’s holy wrath, described as a consuming fire.

4. The Results of the Insurrection-20:10

The results of this final insurrection are presented next “and the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also” (20:10a). Though God granted parole to the Devil from the jail that the he occupied for 1000 years (see 20:1-6), here he sends Satan to a maximum security prison called the “lake of fire” that he will never leave. There he will join the beast and the false prophet who are already there and together these three—the unholy trinity—“will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (20:10b).  

This descriptive phrase is a combination of other phrases used to illustrate the eternal judgment of the wicked elsewhere (see Rev. 14:10-11). The verb (which means to punish by physical torture (Louw & Nida)) and the pairing of “day and night” with “forever and ever” demonstrate the grave reality that is the fate of the devil and his minions.

So What?

In reflecting on the events and outcomes mentioned in this passage, one commentator writes, “The picture here is too detailed to mean anything other than eternal punishment. One of the themes of the book is the depths of human depravity. Sin is eternal, so its consequences are also eternal. After a thousand years of experiencing Christ, the unbelieving nations throw themselves after Satan the first chance they get. The message is that in a billion years, a trillion years, they would do the same!...” (Osborne, Revelation, 716).” This goes a long way to explain why in the world God would permit Satan to instigate this final battle. While saints today need not fear being deceived by Satan in this final insurrection as, following the first resurrection, they will be gloried (rendered perfect), there will be many on the earth during this millennial kingdom who are not yet glorified (the descendants of the survivors of the tribulation). The final insurrection reveals that nothing save from repentance and faith in the completed work of Christ can save these from their sin and their habit of following after Satan the first chance they get—not even the physical and visible reign of Christ on the earth. If we can learn anything from this passage it is this: the solution to mankind’s problem of sin is not some external motivating factor (the law in the Old Testament or the existential rule of Christ in the millennial kingdom), but an inner and transforming miracle of regeneration. The only thing that can save a wretch like you and me is the amazing grace of God applied to sinners who turn from their sin and place their faith in who Jesus is (God made flesh) and what he has done (came to the earth, died in our place, and was raised back to life). This has always been the case and always will be.  

The Coming Kingdom of God-Revelation 20:1-6

Historically, kings and kingdoms have been a mainstay in the consciousness of the world population. Though some rulers and regimes proved inspired and inspiring (Israel under David, King Arthur and Camelot) others were disappointing and tyrannical (Ahab and King George at the time of our nation’s founding). Though world kingdoms differ in size and scale, style and sovereignty, they share something in common: they are imperfect and led by imperfect people. This is not so with what replaces the evil regime of the Antichrist following the tribulation. In Revelation 20:1-6 we read a lengthy description of an often-debated period of history—the millennial kingdom. While the minutia of this coming empire might prove complex, what it will reveal about God is simple and profound. Today we are going to examine TWO ELEMENTS of the millennial kingdom as described in Revelation 20:1-6 and learn what this coming age says about our great and awesome God.

1. The Preparation of the Millennial Kingdom-20:1-3

As the theme of victory persists in what follows the epic battle described in 19:11-21, there is one more character that needs expelling from the face of the earth—Satan. Having already removed the Antichrist and the false prophet (see Rev. 19:11-21), there is a special Satan-removal service that is called upon to eradicate this wicked pestilence and the infestation of evil that he brings. This special Satan-removal service is introduced as follows—“then I saw an angel coming down from heaven holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand” (20:1). Though many have speculated on the identity of this angel, the best view understand him to be a special heavenly intermediary commissioned for this particular task (Thomas, Revelation 8-22, 406). This helps promote the theme of the inferiority of evil. Satan’s expulsion from the face of the earth is a task that God delegates to a heavenly servant. This demonstrates, once again, that Satan and his evil is small potatoes compared to God and his good. Just as Michael, the archangel, had expelled Satan from the divine realm in Revelation 12:7ff, here, another angel brings Satan even lower.

This angel comes prepared with a key to what is referred to as “the abyss” and a chain to tether the devil to his temporary cell. Interestingly, this is the fourth passage involving “keys” in the book. You have “keys of Death and Hades” in 1:18, the “key of David” in 3:7, and the “key to the shaft of the abyss” in 9:1. This lattermost key and the abyss that it lock/unlocks is what is in view here in 20:1. The abyss mentioned here was also introduced in 11:7 and 17:8.

Revelation 11:7, 17:8-“When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them… The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction.”

The abyss is comparable to a “prison house of demonic spirits” (Osborne, Revelation, 699) as it is out of the abyss that the Antichrist emerges and the place where Satan is confined here. This location is different that the lake of fire that is described in 19:20 and 20:10. The lake of fire is more severe and is a permanent place of punishment while the abyss is a temporary holding cell. The abyss might be compared to a jail and the lake of fire a maximum-security prison full of those serving a life sentence without the opportunity for parole.

This angel/warden of the abyss is said to have “laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan” (20:2a). Though the verb simply refers to holding onto some object, in this context it carries the added connotation of arresting and placing into custody. The arrestee’s description (wrap sheet) is extensive—“dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil, and Satan” (20:2a). There is something important to learn from each of these titles/labels/aliases for this fallen angel. First, “dragon” is the term most used of this figure in Revelation (12:3, 4, 7, 13, 16, 17; 13:2, 4, 11; 16:13) and highlights his most recent infractions against God and his people during the tribulation—i.e. calling forth the beast of the sea (Antichrist) and the beast from the land (false prophet), and leading the unholy trinity in its insurrection against the redeemed (see Rev. 12:13ff). “Serpent of old” references a very early crime in Genesis 3—the crime of deceiving Adam and Eve into disobeying God, thereby introducing sin and death into the earth. Therefore, in both the beginning as a serpent and at the end as a dragon, this criminal is guilty of introducing chaos and death. “Devil” (diabolaV) means “slanderer”/speaker of lies (see Jn. 8:44) and “Satan” identifies him as the adversary who stands for nothing and will stop at nothing to oppose God’s program and will.

Therefore, upon Satan’s arrest we might hear something like the following: “Lucifer, you are being placed under arrest for conspiracy to kill God’s people with an evil world empire (“dragon”), for accessory to deception in the case of Adam and Eve (“serpent of old”), for multiple counts of slander and character assassination (“devil”/”slanderer”), and for inciting violence and disturbing the peace (“Satan”/”adversary”).  

After this arrest the text reads that this arresting angelic officer “bound him for a thousand years; and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him” (20:2b-3a). Notice to what lengths the text goes to accentuate the degree to which Satan has been “put away.” First he is said to “be bound” (tethered to something—no doubt with the chain that the angel was carrying earlier). Then he is thrown into a different domain (“the abyss”)—again, a demonic jailhouse separated from the earth. The opening to this abyss is then shut and then sealed (no doubt with the key that the angel was said to possess in verse 1). These actions are further emphasized by the emergence of the aorist tense (contrasting the participles used earlier in the chapter), illustrating the definitive and completed actions taking place.

The purpose for this arrest and imprisonment is presented in the remainder of verse 3—“so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed” (20:3b). In other words, following the tribulation period, there will be a time in which Satan will have no sway on the world’s stage. There will be no demonic and/or Satanic influence during this period that the Bible refers to as “a thousand years.”

However, though Satan is removed from the scene and placed in custody, the text predicts that one day he will be let out temporarily—“after these things he must be released for a short time” (20:3c). At this point, he will lead one final insurrection against God and the people living on the earth. This is described in greater detail in verses 7ff and will be discussed in the exegesis of those verses later.

That said, what we do know for now is this: Satan will be expelled from the earth for a long period of time following the tribulation. His arrest and imprisonment will come by means of a capable angel who will apprehend the devil and lock him away along with his influence for a thousand years. This is thousand year period is what many call “the millennial kingdom.”

2. The Parameters of the Millennial Kingdom-20:4-6

During this millennial kingdom there will be thrones—“then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them” (20:4a). While there are many views as to what these thrones and their occupants represent, the view that John promotes in Revelation is best—that these thrones are tribunal offices occupied by the faithful ones who will share Christ’s future reign.

Revelation 2:26-28-“He who overcomes, and he who keeps my deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations,…”

Revelation 3:21-“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne,…”

Revelation 5:10-“”You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Such a view also has precedent in 1 Cor. 6:2--“Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world?...” (see also Matt. 19:28).

That the saints are the ones seated on these thrones ruling in this age is consistent with what has just transpired in the context. “It is an unvarying principle that those who win a war become the ones who assume the rulership over the conquered entity” (Thomas, Revelation 8-22, 414). Therefore, these occupants of the thrones are most likely the saints who rode behind Christ in victory during the second coming.

In addition to the victorious saints now seated on thrones ruling alongside Christ are “the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God” (20:4b). Though the world under the control of the beast and the dragon sought to silence the people of God through spiritual genocide, here the persecuted and martyred are shown alive and well during this millennial kingdom. This, in many ways, fulfills the promise given to the persecuted church at Smyrna—“…be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (2:10b).

A third group witnessed are “those who had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand” (20:4c). These are those who refused allegiance to the beast and were willing to give their lives to remain faithful to the one true God and his Christ.

These who paid the ultimate price “came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years,…” (20:4c). In other words, those killed for Christ during the tribulation (i.e. tribulation martyrs) join the ranks of the church who followed Jesus on horseback from heaven during the final battle and both groups (the church and tribulation saints who died for their faith) reign alongside Christ during this millennial kingdom.

But this begs another question: Who exactly will we, the church and the martyrs of the tribulation, be ruling with Christ? The answer is those who survived the tribulation in Christ. The faithful who miraculously escape death during the tribulation will immediately be ushered into Christ’s kingdom on the earth and be allowed to live, marry, and have children who have children who have children on the earth. These will live under the existential rule of Christ and his fellow governors with no satanic influence on the earth for a thousand years. These millennial kingdom citizens will not yet be glorified (as we will be following our resurrection).

Both the church that returns to the earth with Christ and those followers of Christ who were killed during the tribulation are glorified here at the beginning of this thousand year period—i.e. their bodies are rejoined to their souls. It is at this moment that they become like Christ was following his resurrection—a glorified body.

1 John 3:2-“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”

The text goes on to explain that “the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed” (20:5). Who are the rest of the dead? Well if the God’s people already in heaven have been identified and the saints who gave their lives during the tribulation have already been counted, “the rest of the dead” refers to any and all who have died in history without a relationship with Christ. In other words, there are going to be two resurrection events: 1)The resurrection of the saved at the beginning of the millennium that will result in glorified bodies for those who rule alongside Christ the King. (this is what verse 5 calls “the first resurrection”) and 2) the resurrection of the lost at the end of the millennial kingdom.  

“Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years,…” (20:6). This is the 5^th beatitude of the book. In it the text celebrates those who are resurrected in the first round of resurrections because these will never die again. Instead, their glorified bodies will remain through the millennial period and on into the final state described in chapters 21-22. The encouragement given to Smyrna earlier in Revelation foreshadows this.

Revelation 2:11-“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.”

Those who are not pat of the first resurrection—(those who die without a relationship with Jesus)—are raised after the millennial kingdom only to then experience a second death that will leave them totally separated from God forever.

Though there are multiple views on the millennial kingdom and whether or not it corresponds to a literal thousand-year period, it is interesting to note the repetition of “thousand years” in this passage. The phrase occurs six times in the first seven verses of chapter 20, perhaps indicating that this is a duration of time that needs to be understood more literally than figuratively. But why this period anyway? Why not just move from the tribulation to the eternal state/heaven? Why do we need chapter 20 to begin with? The answer involves the Jews. God will make good on his promises to Abraham for land, blessing, and descendants that bless the world here in this millennial kingdom (see Gen. 12:1-3; 15:18-21). Jesus will serve as the geopolitical ruler/Messiah over a world kingdom, the likes of which was promised to David and was expected by many Jews to take place during Jesus’ first coming (2 Sam. 7:11-16). This is an important period of time complete with fulfilled promises to God’s people given all the way back in the Old Testament. In fact, something of the purpose of this epoch is hinted at in Luke 22:30 when Jesus promises the disciples (those who would establish the church)—“that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging [i.e. ruling—judging in the book of judges sense of the word] the twelve tribes of Israel.”

So What?

Beyond the theological debates and complicated details often associated with this passage, there are several important attributes of God that this text celebrates that ought to inspire the redeemed and challenge the lost today. First, God is shown to be fare greater than Satan and his wickedness. For the redeemed this means victory, for the lost this spells defeat. What have the faithful to fear in Satan? Ultimately he is an easily captured criminal who will be forcibly removed from the earth to make way for the perfect King! What have the lost to fear in Christ? Judgment and expulsion from his glorious presence forever. Second, God is shown to be faithful to his promises made to his people—promises made to both his Old Testament (Abraham and David) and New Testament people (disciples, and others like the church in Smyrna). For the redeemed, this means we can always count on God to keep his word to us. For the lost this means there is no future worth looking forward to. “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years,…”.

The Climax of History-Revelation 19:11-21

Typically once a couple is married they take time off for a honeymoon and, for a brief season, they are able to enjoy their new lives together uninhibited by the regular cares of the world. In the case of the bride and groom in the Book of Revelation, one small task stands in the way of so smooth a progression—defeating the fallen world and all its wickedness. Thankfully, what might appear to be a tall order for any one of us is no problem at all for Christ. As we turn to Revelation 19:11-21, immediately after the wedding feast, we are whisked away to the battlefield. I use the term battlefield loosely for the conflict that is about to commence in this text is hardly a fair fight at all. In fact, the spectacle lacks the sort of tension one might expect to find in a gripping war epic. Let’s not put it off any further and dig right in to see three scenes that successfully portray the Second Coming of Christ and his victory over the world as we know it in Revelation 19:11-21.

a. SCENE #1: Jesus rides on Horseback from Heaven-19:11-16

Once the marriage feast the verses 7-10 is complete, it is time for the groom (Christ) and his bride (the Church) to make their way to their new lives together. In this particular case, this means returning to the earth. However, on the earth is a very bleak reality. By this late point in the tribulation, the Antichrist/beast (see Rev. 13:1ff) has consolidated all power under his evil rule (see Rev. 17:8-13) and together with the kings of the earth is persecuting any and all who defy him by refusing to worship his image (see Rev. 18:24). The false prophet (see Rev. 13:11ff) is cheering him on and the dragon (see Rev. 12:3ff) is empowering him every step of the way (see also Rev. 16:13-16). Doesn’t sound like the kind of place to enjoy much of a honeymoon for this couple! However, this is no problem for Christ, and as this passage reveals, victory over these characters will come swiftly.

This passage is introduced with “after these things” (Μετὰ ταῦτα) and breaks up the rising action culminating in the climax and the falling action that leads to the resolution and conclusion of the entire book. What follows Revelation 19:11-21 will include the bliss and long-awaited peace that many in the believing community are anticipating now and will on day experience. However, this peace must be brought about by means of a final and ultimate victory. This victory is introduced with “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on is called Faithful and True,…”(19:11a). It is here where the divide between the spiritual and physical realm is forsaken and Christ breaks through in a most climactic and cosmic way.

Equal to this dramatic entrance is his other-worldly description. The opening line of the passage portrays Christ as seated “on a white horse” (suggesting purity), and calls Him “Faithful and True.” In the first coming, Jesus’ ministry culminated in the Passion which was set in motion after he entered Jerusalem on a young donkey—a beast of burden (humble and submissive). Here, in the description of His Second Coming, Jesus’ conclusive ministry is predicted to culminate in a procession in which Jesus is seated on a pure white war horse (brilliant, victorious, and regal). Other horses were used in the Book of Revelation to describe coming plagues (white, red, black, pale green); however, this horse is superior because of its rider—“Faithful and True.” This is none other than Jesus Christ who returns to bring about a new reality upon the earth.  

“Faithful and True” riding on this white war horse is next said to, “in righteousness,…judge and wage war,…” (19:11b). Though in today’s world wars are fought for a whole host of unjust and immoral reasons, there is coming a war, perhaps the shortest war of all, in which one will fight against legions and in the struggle judge the wicked and battle against the corrupt. It will be a war that will, once and for all, end all wars. This is the war Jesus will fight and win and this statement is as faithful and true as the name He is given in this context!

“Faithful and true” is described next with the following, “His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself,…” (19:12). Equipped with the piercing perception afforded Him by his omniscience (the flaming eyes) and marked with the emblems of absolute authority and power (the many diadems), Jesus is no longer shown to be an ordinary man from Nazareth in Galilee, but an all-knowing warrior King.

As the description continues, we are introduced to a mysterious name that is not revealed along with the following added detail: “He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood and His name is called the Word of God” (19:13). The graphic details of Jesus’ “robe dipped in blood” indicates that Christ is not above getting His hands dirty in bringing about the final victory envisioned in this passage (v. 13). While in his first coming, Christ’s own blood was spilled, in his Second Coming, it will be the enemy’s blood that is spilled, thereby staining Jesus’ heavenly robe. Though in Jesus’ first coming the “angry fury of God” was directed toward him on the cross, in the Second Coming this same wrath will be directed against an unbelieving world that has not accepted the cross.  

This blood-stained warrior on the horse is called in verse 13 “the Word of God.” Sound familiar? It should, for in John 1, the same author of this vision described Jesus thusly, “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. . .and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-3, 14). In John, the Word of God is said to have spoken the world into existence and proved the character of God through His presence. Here, the “Word of God” is the commander of armies, bringing about total victory so that a new world may exist. This particular name of Jesus brings continuity to His office as creator, redeemer, and vindicator. He is present at the beginning, middle, and end of history and plays the most crucial role in it all. Jesus is the Word which spoke the heavens into existence, redeemed the world after it fell, and the same Word that will usher in a new world to replace the present one as predicted here in this little preview.

Jesus was, is, and will be not just any Word, but the Word “of God.” The phrase, “of God” is especially loaded with theological importance as its grammatical function does not describe what kind of word Jesus is, but renames Jesus altogether. Properly translated, this phrase reads, “His name is called the Word who is God.” That is a powerful Word!

As such, Jesus leads the armies of heaven which are described as “clothed in fine linen, white and clean,…following Him on white horses,…”(19:14). Though this description of the heavenly ranks tells us something of the holiness and purity of the forces represented, what is perhaps most significant about this description is what is not present. This heavenly army, unlike any well-prepared legion, has no swords or spears. This could only mean that this army, though present, takes no part in the coming action of military/spiritual victory. “They are noncombatant supporters of the Messiah as He wages the war single-handedly” (Thomas, Revelation 8-22, 387).

An answer to the question “where will we be when this all occurs?” is found here. In the preview of this battle in 17:14, the Lamb was accompanied by his faithful followers. Also, the uniform of these riders behind Christ is the same apparel worn by the saints at the marriage supper of the Lamb in 19:8. The army, is the bride of Christ—the people of God (Wilson, ZIBBC, 356). Where will we be when all of this transpires? We will be following our Savior on horseback among these ranks in victory. As we have followed him in this life and in the next, so too will we follow him here at the climax of the eschaton in his Second Coming. “…Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ,…” (2 Cor. 2:14).

The victory that Jesus will receive is described in three ways. First, the text reads, “from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations” (19:15a). The same Word of God that spoke the heavens and earth into existence will bring an end to this world of corruption and pave the way for a new world in its place. This, he will do by striking down the nations that are bent against them with a word.

This single passage celebrates so much about Christ. Just Jesus was the agent of the creation (see John 1:1-3) so too will he be the agent of the recreation in the end. Just as the Word of God was stained with blood in His first coming to bring salvation on the cross, so too will His robe be stained with blood when He brings about total victory in the end. Just as Jesus provided righteousness to the lost who could do nothing for themselves, so too will He usher in heaven for the righteous who will do nothing to earn it and are yet present to receive it. The same Savior who saved believers totally in the past and sustains believers in the present, will ultimately usher believers into glory. In all, Christ satisfies the ongoing theme of the God’s agent that has existed from the beginning.

The second way Jesus’ victory is described is “and He will rule them with a rod of iron” (19:15b). This image builds off Psalm 2:9 in which an iron scepter is conceived as a shepherd’s club that kills the enemies of the sheep. In this context, the “shepherding” does not pertain to the care of the sheep so much as the destruction of predatory foes (Antichrist, kings of the earth, etc.) (Osborne, Revelation, 685).

The third description of his victory is found in the last part of verse 15 which reads “and He treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty” (19:15c). Why settle for two ways of highlighting the victory (by sword and iron scepter) when you can throw a third one in there! This last image of the wine press of the fierce wrath of God combines 14:19-20 and 16:19 where the nations are thrown into the great wine press of God and where God gave Babylon the Great the cup filed with wine of his furious wrath (Osborne, Revelation, 686). In Isa. 63 God trod the winepress so that blood stained his garments (62:2-3). In this image and in Revelation, the shedding of blood will serve as just payment for the world’s program of murdering the saints.

The two names already given of Christ in this passage (“Faithful and True” in verse 11 and “Word of God” in verse 13) are joined by a the third name in verse 16, “and on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘King of Kings, and Lord of Lords’.” This title’s unique placement on the part of the robe covering Jesus’ thigh, given that Jesus sits atop his horse, makes it noticeable to all who see him. The importance of this title is further reiterated by its placement at the very end of this section and accentuates his total sovereign rule over all the earth.

b. SCENE #2: An Angel Invites the Birds to Feed upon the Vanquished-19:17-18

The demonstrative victory of Christ spells total defeat for those who would come against him and before the defeat of Jesus’ enemies is even described, a morbid image foreshadows just how awful the loss will be for the wicked. “…Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, ‘Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great,…” (Rev. 19:17-18).

Just as the false trinity gathered her forces for this battle in 16:14, 16, so too does this angel call forth the birds who will clean up what is left behind following the inevitable slaughter. In fact, there is a grim juxtaposition drawn here between the glorious wedding feast of verses 7-10 and the birds that will feast upon the bodies of the wicked here in verse 18 (see also Ezekiel 29:17-20).

c. SCENE #3: The Beast and his Forces Lose an Important Battle-19:19-21

What is foreshadowed by the calling of the birds comes to fruition in verses 19-21. In these final three verses of chapter 19, two different phases of the loss are recorded. The first phase involves the assembling of the armies—“And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army,…” (19:19). This is a reiteration of what was prophesied in 16:14. The Antichrist and his horde will join ranks against Christ and the church who follows behind.

However, the battle is not long at all, for, as soon as they assemble, the text reveals “And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone…” (19:20). This is phase two of Jesus’ victory and the world’s defeat. To call this a battle is a bit euphemistic as it is not a fair fight at all. Christ speaks with the sword of his mouth and instantly arrests all wicked leaders—beast and false prophet—and throws them into the lake of fire. This demonstrates, once again, that the forces of evil in the world are no match for the goodness of God. God is infinitely better at goodness than the world is at being wicked.

Not only were the beast and the false prophet destroyed, so too were the others—"and the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh,…” (19:21). So total is the victory over the fallen world that the text reveals that to the degree the enemies of God were killed, the birds feeding are their flesh were filled. YIKES!

So What?

Here in lies the climax of the book of Revelation and, in many ways, the climax of history. This is what the whole book as been pointing to—the total victory of Christ over the fallen world. Everything that precedes these verses has been anticipating this so-called battle and everything that follows is, in many respects, a result of the victory Christ achieves here.

For us to rejoice upon reading this victory and in order to be counted among the ranks that will be following the Lord Jesus on horseback when this all comes to pass, we must have embraced another victory that Jesus achieved—the victory over sin and death. When Jesus first came to the earth as a baby in Bethlehem, he came to die and be brought back to life so that we might be freed from sin and have the hope of glory with him in heaven. When Jesus will return to the earth as a warrior king, he will bring death and judgment to the wicked world. In order to be ready for the second coming and the climax of history, one must embrace who Jesus proved himself to be in his first coming—Lord and Savior of the world. Is he your Lord and savior today? I pray that if you have not yet embraced the Word of the Lord, you will do so before that same Word of the Lord brings judgment upon the deserving world.

The Wedding of the Ages- Revelation 19:7-10

The wedding industry is a powerful thing. With reality shows devoted to picking the perfect dress to the huge money spent on venues, photographers, catering, music, and decorations, these ceremonies and receptions, with all their pomp and circumstance, still hold a special place in our culture. Having recently attended my sister’s wedding I can personally vouch for how mush interest there is in who is in the wedding party, what the ceremony will include, what song the couple will use for their first dance, and so much more. However, as beautiful as my sister’s wedding was and as wonderful as my sister and mom proved as wedding planners, there is at least one better. Believe it or not, in the pages of Revelation—filled with plagues, doom, cosmic conflict, and beasts—there is a wedding celebration. At this most wondrous occasion, recorded for us in Revelation 19:7-10, the reader witnesses the end of one era and the dawning of a new. Therefore, let’s take a close look at three pronouncements made in this passage (as we crash this eschatological wedding) and celebrate along with the guests the culmination of Christ’s redemptive work for his bride.

a. Pronouncement #1: Announcement of the Marriage-19:7-8

With the celebratory tone already set by the four-fold hallelujah chorus of verses 1-6, Revelation 19 immediately ushers the reader to a much-anticipated occasion—the marriage supper of the Lamb. Continuing the exuberant theme of joy, the reader is encouraged to “rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him” (19:7a). This kind of call is often used “to urge someone to unite with the speaker in a course of action upon which he has already decided” (Chamberlain, Exegetical Grammar, 83). Here, the speaker is calling John and his audience to join in the excitement of heaven upon the culmination of the marriage of Christ and his bride, the church. In other words we are to join the party that is already in process.

The much-anticipated celebration is identified in the second part of verse 7 when the speaker says, “for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready,…” (19:7b). In order to fully appreciate what this wedding celebration means, one must be aware of ancient Jewish wedding traditions that, no doubt, run parallel to this passage.

In the ancient Jewish world, weddings were a big deal (believe it or not, an even bigger deal than many make them out to be today). Celebrations could last days and, more importantly, these celebrations took place at the culmination of a long process. Stage 1: The betrothal and the payment of the dowry. In this stage the groom approaches the father of the bride and agrees on a dowry for the bride and signs a contract to that end. Once an agreement is made, the couple is engaged and, “as good as married” in every legal sense. In fact, many engaged couples referred to themselves as “husbands” and “wives” and, believe it or not, it required a formal divorce to break up such an engagement. One example of this phase of the marriage process is beautifully illustrated in the life of Mary and Joseph prior to the birth of Jesus. Joseph had already agreed to and paid a dowry for Mary and they were formally engaged. This is why upon hearing of the baby he wonders if he should not divorce her quietly. Stage 2: The preparation for the celebration. Following the engagement, the groom would make his house ready to accept his bride into their new home. Most engagements lasted (at most) a year and during this time gifts were exchanged between the two families. Stage 3: The snatching of the bride. Once preparations for the groom’s home and marriage celebration were nearing completion, the bride would make herself ready, dressing in all kinds of finery, to be picked up by the groom on the way to his home for the marriage celebration. Though brides and their wedding parties would know about when this would take place, they didn’t know for sure exactly when the snatching the bride would happen. Most of the time at night, the groom would call out to his bride, with much noise, fanfare, and romance, and proceed to carry her to his home. There is an interesting parallel parable that describes this phase of the marriage in detail.

Matthew 25:1-12-“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. ⁵ Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. ⁶ But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. ¹¹ Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ ¹² But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

Stage 4: The Marriage celebration. Once she was picked up, the bride, her wedding party, and invited guests would gather at the home of the groom. Here, bride and groom would enter the huppah, recite a blessing over the wine (a symbol of joy), and finalize their vows. Now finally, the couple would consummate their marriage and then enter the reception party where they would celebrate along with friends and family, sometimes for days. At this point the couple would be fully married and allowed to live their new lives together.

Interestingly, each of these major stages of ancient Jewish weddings are represented in the redemption saga between Christ and his bride, the church. After all, the church is described as the bride of Christ multiple times in the New Testament.

Ephesians 5:25-27-“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her,…”

2 Corinthians 11:2-“For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.”

John 3:29-“The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete."

The church’s relationship with Jesus can be traced using the same stages already described of an ancient Jewish Wedding.  In stage 1, Christ paid the highest price for his bride on the cross and reached an agreement with God on behalf of the church. In this, Jesus showed his willingness to give all to be with his desired bride (how romantic). At the moment of payment, sealed with the resurrection, those who are in Christ by repentance and faith are engaged—“as good as married”—with an engagement that cannot be broken off no matter how long it may take for the groom to make final preparations during stage 2. At some point in the future, and quite unexpectantly, Jesus, the groom, will call for his bride, the church, and snatch her away to heaven to be with him in stage 3. This is why the Bible constantly encourages readiness, watchfulness, and sober-mindedness (Matt. 24:4; Lk. 12:40; Mk. 13:33-37). Luke 12:35-38 says “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.” Here, in Revelation 19, we read about stage 4, the bride and groom have finally made it to his house, have made their final vows, and enter the reception hall after their long betrothal and engagement.

In this passage, the Godhead is cast as a divine wedding planner who set up His son, Christ, with his bride, the Church, made the arrangements of the wedding, and picked the date. However, his provision doesn’t stop there.

God even makes provision by purchasing the wedding gown for the bride, “It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints,…” (19:8). The passive voice here prohibits the reader from believing the bride (church) in and of herself has had any kind of active and/or compelling role in bringing about her readiness for marriage. This readiness has been granted her by God—righteous garments. In other words, this bride’s wedding dress was gifted to her as she was woefully incapable of affording it or earning it in any way. This is a real Cinderella story here!

That the bride’s appropriate dress is identified as the righteous acts of the saints is established earlier in the Bible.

Isaiah 61:10-“I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

Job 40:10-“Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity, And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.”

2 Corinthians 5:4-“For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.”

Galatians 3:27-“For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

Ephesians 6:14-“Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS”

Here, righteous acts, acts that believers are not capable of performing apart from a relationship with Christ, are described as wedding garments that identify them as the bride of Jesus before a jealous world.

b. Pronouncement #2: Blessing for the Invited Guests-19:9

After announcing the marriage celebration, the speaker breaks out into one of seven beatitudes/blessings (see 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 20:6; 22:7, 14) found in the Book of Revelation—“Then he said to me, ‘Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb’” (19:9a). In this beatitude God’s role as wedding planner extends beyond arranging the marriage, picking the date, and purchasing the dress to include sending out invitations for others to join the celebration. While in 19:7 believers are symbolized as the bride who has been clothed in righteousness in preparation for the marriage ceremony, here, believers are introduced as invited guests to the wedding celebration. Thus, according to Revelation, saints are both the bride and the invited guests. This kind of mixing of metaphors was common in the ancient world to add “richness to the imagery” (Osborne, Revelation, 675). Just as the church is often described in the New Testament as the bride of Christ, so too is there biblical precedent for understanding believers as invited guests.

Matthew 22:1-14-“¹ Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, ²’The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. ⁴ Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ ⁵ But they paid no attention and went off--one to his field, another to his business. ⁶ The rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷ The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. ⁸ Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹ Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.¹¹ But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹² ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. ¹³ Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ¹⁴ ‘For many are invited, but few are chosen.’”

In Revelation 19:9, the ones who have heard the invitation of God to this most wondrous occasion and have responded positively (RSVPing via faith and repentance) are those who are called “blessed” for they are allowed to celebrate the wedding feast of victory in heaven.

After voicing this blessing over those who have responded positively to God’s invitation to the wedding for the ages the speaker exclaims, “These are true words of God’…” (19:9b).

c. Pronouncement #3: Correction for John-19:10

In view of such splendor and in reaction to these pronouncements, images, and symbols, John says “then I fell at his feet to worship him” (19:10a). It is obvious here that John interpreted the speaker and his message to mean that he (the pronouncer) was divine. However, the speaker reveals that this is a mistake.

“But he said to me, ‘Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God” (19:10b). The speaker’s correction reveals several things: 1) this angel is not divine and/or equal to God. 2) the only proper destination for our reverent awe and praise is God himself. 3) human beings like John and angels share solidarity (“they are brothers and sisters”) in that they have faithfully testified about Christ.

Curiously, the speakers continues with “for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy” (19:10c). This is similar to what was stated in Revelation 1:9-“I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” If these two passages are taken together, they might suggest that “the testimony that Jesus is speaking (in certain spots, especially chapters 2-3) is the same message that the Holy Spirit is speaking through the rest of the prophecy in Revelation” (Wilson, ZIBBC, 335). Quite simply, the whole book is inspired either by Jesus or by the Spirit but, ultimately, all by God.

So What?

What a beautiful scene—a much-anticipated wedding ceremony between the Bridegroom (Christ) and his bride (the church). This marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. One might also remember that it was at a wedding that Jesus performed his first recorded miracle, instigating, in some ways, his earthly ministry. There, the miracle hinted at the end of one age (the old covenant) and the beginning of a new one (the new covenant). Here again, at a wedding, Jesus turns the page and says that one age is done (the church age and tribulation) and a new one is on its way (the millennial Kingdom of God). In the face of so glorious a spectacle what are we to do? What are we to take away? For those in Christ, this ought to inspire perseverance. The same Christ who saved you (purchased the rights to marry you and entered into a covenantal bond because of his death and resurrection) will one day seal the deal and introduce you to a new and better life. Paul puts it this way “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). What an encouragement it is to remember when we find ourselves impatient and tired of waiting that Christ has not forgotten us. In fact, to the contrary, he is getting things ready for us. Does he not say in John 14 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself that where I am you have be also…”? Make yourself ready and do not be dismayed!

However, for those without a relationship with Christ today, consider for what you have settled. Revelation only mentions two potential relationships in connection with the two kinds of people in this world (the people of God and the people of the world). Either you are a part of the bride of Christ (married to the perfect husband), or a suitor of the great harlot (deceptive, unfaithful, dangerous, and ultimately unsatisfying). The latter might offer cheap thrills for a season, but in the end, as we’ve read in Revelation 17-18, she and all who lie with her, will be destroyed. Also consider what James says in James 4:4-“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy.”

The good news is that the invitation to the wedding we read about here in Revelation 19 extends to everyone. Isn’t it about time to RSVP for this celebration by forsaking the mistress of this world and embracing what Jesus has done on your behalf?