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Rev. Ronald C. Purkey, an ordained
Baptist minister, claims no
originality for this Bible study outline.
However,
every Bible study posted on this website has been taught by Rev. Purkey.
To see more Bible study outlines go
to “The Archives Page”: More Bible Study Outlines.
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(The King And His Kingdom)
November 21, 2021`
SCRIPTURE: Revelation
19:1-16
INTRODUCTION: The following verses present the climax of God’s
wrath as Jesus Christ comes to destroy the armies of the nations of the world.
A. A Great
Heavenly Multitude Proclaims Four “Hallelujah Choruses” Here In Anticipation Of
Christ’s Return To Earth {Revelation 19:1, 3, 4, and 6). This was the first appearance of the word
"Hallelujah" in the book of Revelation. But even more remarkably,
this is the first appearance of the word "Hallelujah" in the whole
New Testament! The word “hallelujah” (in the Greek “alleluia”) means “Praise
Jehovah” and is a familiar Old Testament word. Why does heaven rejoice?
B. “How Will It
All End?” Has Been Mankind’s Major Question For Centuries. Historians have studied the past, hoping to find a
clue to understanding the future. Philosophers have tried to penetrate the
meaning of things, but they have yet to find the key. No wonder perplexed
people have turned in desperation to astrology and spiritism!
INSIGHT: The prophetic Word of God shines like a “light …
in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19), and on that we can depend. Here in Revelation
19, John has recorded key events that will take place before God “wraps up”
human history and ushers in His new heavens and earth.
I. HEAVEN WILL REJOICE. (Revelation 19:1-10)
INSIGHT: When Babylon fell on the earth, the command was
given in heaven, “Rejoice over her!” (Rev. 18:20) and what we read in this
section is heaven’s response to that command. The word alleluia is the Greek
form of the Hebrew word hallelujah, which means “praise the Lord.” This is
heaven’s “Hallelujah Chorus” and it will be sung for good reasons.
A. God Has
Judged His Enemies. (Revelation 19:1-4)
“And after these
things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia;
Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the
Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the
great harlot, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath
avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia
And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the
four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen;
Alleluia.” (Revelation 19:1-4)
Since the “great
harlot” of Revelation 17 was destroyed by “the beast” and his fellow rulers
(Rev. 17:16) in the middle of the Tribulation, the “great harlot” referred to
here must be Babylon the Great. Comparing Revelation 17:2 with 18:3 and 9, the
connection is obvious. Both the apostate religious system and the satanic
economic-political system led the world astray and polluted mankind. Both were
guilty of persecuting God’s people and martyring many of them.
The song
emphasizes God’s attributes, which is the proper way to honor Him. We do not
rejoice at the sinfulness of Babylon, or even the greatness of Babylon’s fall.
We rejoice that God is “true and righteous” (Rev. 15:3; 16:7; 17:6) and that He
is glorified by His holy judgments. As we discover in Revelation 8:1-6, God’s
throne and altar are related to His judgments. Revelation 19:3 should be
compared with Revelation 14:10-11, and Revelation 19:4 with Revelation 5:6-10.
B. God Is
Reigning. (Revelation 19:5-6)
“And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye
his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude,
and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings,
saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (Revelation
19:5-6)
The literal
translation is, “The Lord God omnipotent has begun to reign.” This does not
suggest that heaven’s throne has been empty or inactive, because that is not
the case. The Book of Revelation is the “book of the throne,” and the
omnipotent God has indeed been accomplishing His purposes on earth. This burst
of praise is an echo of Psalm 97:1 -- “The Lord reigneth;
let the earth rejoice!”
God has been
reigning on the throne of heaven, but He is now about to conquer the thrones of
earth as well as the kingdom of Satan and “the beast.” In His sovereignty, He
has permitted evil men and evil angels to do their worst; but now the time has
come for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Domitian was
emperor of Rome when John was on Patmos, and one of his assumed titles was
“Lord and God.” How significant it must have been, then, to John’s readers that
he used the word alleluia four times in the first six verses of this chapter --
truly, only Jehovah is worthy of worship and praise.
C. The Bride Is
Ready (Revelation 19:7-10)
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and
his wife hath made herself ready. 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. 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. 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.” (Revelation
19:7-10)
1. The Bride, Of Course, Is The Church (2 Cor. 11:2;
Eph. 5:22-33)
Jesus Christ,
the Lamb, is the Bridegroom (John 3:29). At a wedding, it is customary to focus
attention on the bride; but in this case, it is the Bridegroom who receives the
honor! “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him.”
2. “What Did The Bride Wear?” Is The Usual Question
Asked After A Wedding.
The Lamb’s bride
is dressed “in the righteous acts of the saints” (literal translation). When
the bride arrived in heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ, she was not at all
beautiful (in fact, she was covered with spots, wrinkles, and blemishes
according to Paul in Eph. 5:27); but now she is radiant in her glory. She has
“made herself ready” for the public ceremony.
INSIGHT: Dr. Lehman
Strauss wrote: “Has it ever occurred to you...that at the marriage of the Bride
to the Lamb, each of us will be wearing the wedding garment of our own making?”
What a solemn thought!
3. Jewish Weddings In That Day Were Quite Unlike
Weddings In The Western World.
First, there was
an engagement, usually made by the parents when the prospective bride and groom
were quite young. This engagement was binding and could be broken only by a
form of divorce. Any unfaithfulness during the engagement was considered
adultery.
When the public
ceremony was to be enacted, the groom would go to the bride’s house and claim
her for himself. He would take her to his home for the wedding supper, and all
the guests would join the happy couple. This feast could last as long as a
week.
4. Today, The Church Is “Engaged” To Jesus Christ;
And We Love Him Even Though We Have Not Seen Him (1 Peter 1:8).
One day, He will
return and take His bride to heaven (John 14:1-6; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). At the
Judgment Seat of Christ, her works will be judged and all her spots and
blemishes removed. This being completed, the church will be ready to return to
earth with her Bridegroom at the close of the Tribulation to reign with Him in
glory (see Luke 13:29; Matt. 8:11). Some students of the Bible believe that the
entire Kingdom Age will be the “marriage supper.”
5. Revelation 19:9 Contains The Fourth Of The Seven
“Beatitudes” Found In the Book of Revelation (see Revelation 1:3).
“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.” (Revelation 1:9)
Certainly the
bride is not invited to her own wedding! This invitation goes out to the
guests, believers from the Old Testament era and the Tribulation. During the
eternal state, no distinctions will be made among the people of God; but in the
Kingdom Age, differences will still exist as the church reigns with Christ and
as Israel enjoys the promised messianic blessings.
6. John Was So Overwhelmed By All Of This That He
Fell Down To Worship The Angel Who Was Guiding Him (Rev. 19:10), An Act That He
Later Repeats (Rev. 22:8-9)!
Of course,
worshiping angels is wrong (Col. 2:18) and John knew this. We must take into
account the tremendous emotional content of John’s experience. Like John
himself, this angel was only a servant of God (Heb. 1:14); and we do not
worship servants (see Acts 10:25-26).
II. JESUS CHRIST WILL RETURN. (Revelation 19:11-16)
“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. 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. And he was clothed with a
vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies
which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean. 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. And he hath on his vesture and on his
thigh a name written, KING Of Kings, And LORD Of Lords.” (Revelation 19:11-16)
A. John
Described The Conqueror (Revelation 19:11-16) And Then His Conquests
(Revelation 19:17-20:3).
The rider on the
white horse (Rev. 6:2) is the false Christ, but this Rider is the true Christ.
He is not coming in the air to take His people home (1 Thess. 4:13-18), but to
the earth with His people, to conquer His enemies and establish His kingdom.
Notice the
emphasis on Jesus’ names (Rev. 19:11-13, 16). He is “Faithful and True” (see
Rev. 3:14), in contrast to “the beast” who was unfaithful (he broke the
covenant with Israel) and false (he ruled by means of deception and idolatry).
Suffering saints need to be reminded that God is faithful and will not desert
them, because His promises are true.
INSIGHT: Perhaps the “secret name” (see Rev. 19:12) is the
same as the “new name” (Rev. 3:12). Not knowing what this name is, we cannot
comment on it; but it is exciting to know that, even in heaven, we shall learn
new things about our Lord Jesus!
B. “The Word Of
God” Is One Of The Familiar Names Of Our Lord In Scripture (John 1:1-14).
Just as we
reveal our minds and hearts to others by our words, so the Father reveals
Himself to us through His Son, the incarnate Word (Rev. 14:7-11). A word is
made up of letters, and Jesus Christ is “Alpha and Omega” (Rev. 21:6; 22:13).
He is the “divine alphabet” of God’s revelation to us.
The Word of God
is “living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12); what’s more, it fulfills His purposes on
earth (Rev. 17:17; notice also Rev. 6:11; 10:7; 15:1). Jehovah Himself says, “I
am watching to see that My Word is fulfilled” (Jer. 1:12). Just as the Word was
the Father’s Agent in Creation (John 1:1-3), so the Word is His Agent for
judgment and consummation.
C. Christ’s Most
Important Name Is “King Of kings, And Lord Of lords” (Revelation 19:16).
This is His
victorious name (Rev. 17:14), and it brings to mind references such as Daniel
2:47 and Deuteronomy 10:17. Paul used this same title for our Lord Jesus Christ
in 1 Timothy 6:15. The title speaks of Christ’s sovereignty, for all kings and
lords must submit to Him. No matter who was on the throne of the Roman Empire,
Jesus Christ was his King and Lord!
D. The Greatness
Of Christ Is Seen Not Only In His Names, But Also In John’s Description Of The
Conquering King (Revelation 19:12-16).
1. The Eyes “As A Flame Of Fire” Symbolize His
Searching Judgment That Sees All (Rev. 1:14).
The many crowns
(diadems) indicate His magnificent rule and sovereignty. The vesture dipped in
blood speaks of judgment and probably relates to Isaiah 63:1-6 and Revelation
14:20, the conquest of His enemies. It is not our Lord’s blood that marks His
vesture, but that of His foes.
2. The Sharp Sword Is A Symbol Of God’s Word (Rev.
19:21; See Also Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; Rev. 1:16).
This is in
keeping with the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ will consume the enemy “with
the spirit of His mouth” (2 Thess. 2:8; Isaiah 11:4). We have met with the “rod
of iron” before (Rev. 2:27; 12:5), a symbol of Christ’s justice as He rules
over the earth. The image of the winepress must be associated with the judgment
at Armageddon (Rev. 14:14-20; see also Isa. 63:1-6).
3. Jesus Is Not Alone In His Conquest, For The
Armies Of Heaven Ride With Him.
Who are they?
Certainly the angels are a part of this army (Matt. 25:31; 2 Thess. 1:7); but
so are the saints (1 Thess. 3:13; 2 Thess. 1:10). Jude describes the same scene
(Jude 14-15). The word saints means “holy ones” and could refer to believers or
angels.
It will be
unnecessary for the army to fight, for Christ Himself will defeat the enemy
through great victories.
EYES ONLY FOR HER
By David C. Egner
I was privileged to officiate at
Steve's marriage to Karen. God had brought this couple together, and it was
obvious that they were deeply in love.
When the wedding day finally
arrived, all preparations had been made. The bridesmaids' dresses were ready,
the flowers were in place, the rehearsal was complete. As the ceremony began,
Steve and I walked in first. We stood at the front as the bridesmaids came down
the aisle and took their places. The flower girls came next, dropping petals as
they walked. They were cute as could be, and all eyes were on them -- all
except Steve's. Then I heard him sigh. Karen had stepped into his vision. He
hadn't been concerned about the bridesmaids, or even the flower girls. He was
watching for his bride. He had eyes only for her.
The church is Jesus Christ's
fiancée -- His betrothed. He loves her with a sacrificial, unending love. He
died to redeem her. And the day is nearing when Christ will return to take His
bride unto Himself. The joyous marriage supper of the Lamb will follow
(Revelation 19:7-9).
As part of the church, we are the
bride of Christ. He loves us. He has eyes only for us. DO YOU HAVE EYES ONLY
FOR HIM?
– By David C. Egner,
Our Daily Bread,
CONCLUSION: After the marriage of the Lamb in heaven, the next
great event is the return of Christ to the earth. The King is coming!
·
But
Jesus Christ will not come until after the church has been raptured and after
the earth has undergone the Great Tribulation.
·
Now
when Jesus comes to the earth, His bride will be with Him, and their marriage
supper will be here upon the earth.
·
What
a glorious day is ahead of us! If we could only get our eyes off the muck and
mire of this earth and onto that which is eternal!
QUESTION: Are you ready for the return of Christ in the
Rapture (the catching away of the Church)? The Rapture will start the
fulfillment of this prophecy in Revelation chapter 19.
THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: “God loves
every one of us as if there were but one of us to love.” (Augustine)
REFERENCES: References used in these Bible studies are the Moody Bible Commentary, J. Vernon McGee’s Thru the Bible Commentary: (www.ttb.org), the Scofield Study Bible, the Believer’s Bible Commentary, Dr. Charles
J. Woodbridge Bible Outlines, Dr. Lee Roberson’s Sermons, Dr. Charles Stanley: (http://www.intouch.org/), Don Robinson’s Bible Outlines, Women’s Study Bible, The Bible Reader’s
Companion Ed. 3, The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version, Dr. Tony Evans (https://tonyevans.org/), KJV Bible Commentary, Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines of the New
Testament ed. 4, Dr. David Jeremiah: (http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/), Dr. Cliff Robinson’s Bible Outlines, Dr. Robert Jeffress’ Pathway to
Victory (https://ptv.org/), Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines of the Old Testament, Dr. Alan Carr’s The Sermon Notebook (www.sermonnotebook.org), With the Word Bible Commentary, Wiersbe’s “Be” Series: Old & New
Testaments, Radio Bible Class Ministries (http://rbc.org/), selected illustrations and other references.
REV. RONALD PURKEY’S OFFICE
E-mail: Ronald Purkey
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