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From the Rapture to the Second Coming

Revelation 19: "The Second Coming of Jesus"

Topical Index

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The terrible judgments of the Tribulation Period will be brought to an end. All rebellion will stop. Man's efforts to bring peace on earth without God will cease, and finally, Jesus will return bringing days of blessing and bounty for all believers.

A Heavenly Roar

Revelation 19:1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

After the destruction of Babylon and the worldwide reaction that will follow, the roar of a great multitude will be heard in heaven. This multitude will most likely be the Tribulation Saints, but it may include others such as the Old Testament Saints, the Church, and the angels. Praise will be directed to God because salvation, glory, and power belong to him. Salvation speaks of his deliverance. Glory speaks of his judgment. Power refers to his ability to overcome his enemies.

Remember This…

• We Will Give Him Praise For Our/His:
• Salvation — his deliverance
• Glory — his judgment
• Power — his victory

Blood Repaid

Revelation 19:2 for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."

Those praising God in heaven will declare his truth and justice because he destroyed the one-world prostitute religious system, and avenged (Romans 12:19) the death of his people. The wicked will not get away with their sin forever. God will personally repay those who harm his people. His judgments are true and just because he gives people what they deserve.

Eternal Fire

Revelation 19:3 And again they shouted: "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."

This is the second time in this chapter that we hear a shout of "Hallelujah" in heaven. One Hallelujah is for the destruction of Babylon, the mother of prostitutes, and the other one is for the destruction of Babylon the city. However, this verse refers to more than the destruction on earth. It means they have gone to their everlasting destruction. The only smoke that will go up for ever and ever is the smoke of their eternal burning in the Lake of Fire.

What Others are Saying:

Tim LaHaye: No wonder there is rejoicing in heaven at the realization that never again will Satan's religious, commercial, or political systems be permitted to lead men astray. ^19-1

Remember This…

• The smoke of their (those who take the Mark) torment rises for ever and ever (Revelation 14:11).

Worshipping The Father

Revelation 19:4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"

The Church and the four living creatures will fall down and worship the God (Psalm 106:47, 48; Revelation 5:8, 14; 7:11; 11:16) who sits on the heavenly throne. Here again we see the elders and living creatures falling down as they did before.

What Others are Saying:

David Jeremiah with C.C. Carlson: The angels, the Old Testament Saints, the Church Saints, and the Tribulation Saints will raise their voices in a choir which will reverberate louder than thunder. I've heard great choirs before, but I'm really looking forward to being in this one. ^19-2

Remember This…

• The twenty-four elders (Revelation 4:4) represent the entire Church from Pentecost to the Rapture.
• The elders and living creatures fall down to worship God (Psalm 106:47, 48; Revelation 5:8, 14; 7:11; 11:16).

All Join In

Revelation 19:5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!"

It is impossible to say whose voice this will be because both the Father and the Son will be on the throne. The only certainty is that someone on the throne will approve of the heavenly praise and worship. They will invite everyone who serves God to praise the Lord.

What Others are Saying:

J. H. Melton: The element of praise is so often missing in the life and service of the average Christian and the average church… The world would have a different image of Christianity if there were more rejoicing and praise on the part of the people of God. ^19-3

Thunderous Acclamation

Revelation 19:6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

This will be the response to the invitation found in the last verse. All God's servants will shout praises to him because the Lord God Almighty reigns.

This brings to mind King David's plans to build the first Temple (1 Chronicles 22:14-16; 23:1-5) of God. He bought the Temple site, gathered materials, appointed 24,000 Levites to work on it, 6,000 to oversee the construction, 4,000 to guard the building while it was being built, and 4,000 to play instruments and sing praises to God. Think of it, 4,000 people to play music and praise the Lord.

What Others are Saying:

J. Vernon McGee: It takes us all the way back to that covenant which God made with David (2 Samuel 7:16) in which he promised to raise one upon David's throne who would rule the world. ^19-4
Hal Lindsey: You see, Christ purchased the title deed to the earth at the Cross, but he hasn't yet exercised his right to the rulership of this earth. He'll do that when he comes back. ^19-5

The Bride of Christ

Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

This will be a great day in heaven because it will be time for the Lamb's (Christ's) marriage to the Church, the Bride of Christ. God's servants will rejoice and give him glory in anticipation of this event.

A special union will exist between Jesus and the Church similar to the union that exists between a bridegroom and bride upon their marriage. In both instances, the two become one (Ephesians 5:22-25). Jesus is coming back (Matthew 22:1-14) to earth where he and his bride will reign together as one. Before they can reign together, though, they have to be married. The idea is that the Church will be joined together with Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:2) in a special relationship that will equip them to reign with him. He will not come back without his people, and they will not reign without him.

Key Point:

• The Church is the Bride of Christ.

Key Symbols:

• Wedding Of The Lamb
• equipping the saints to reign with him

What Others are Saying:

Ed Hindson: When the marriage of Christ and the Church is finalized, believers will be in a perfect and fixed moral state for all eternity. In the present era, the Church is engaged to Christ in a relationship that is so binding it is described as a marriage. ^19-6

Something to Ponder:

• Be Ready for the Future Events of the Church!
• We'll be taken up in the Rapture—1 Thessalonians 4:13–18.
• We'll go before the judgment seat of Christ—1 Corinthians 3:12–15; 2 Corinthians 5:10.
• We'll attend the marriage and the marriage supper—Revelation 19:7–9.
• We'll return with Christ for his Millennial reign—Revelation 20:6.

The Bridal Gown

Revelation 19:8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

Before its marriage the Church will wear fine linen which is their own righteous acts. A person's deeds will follow one to heaven where they will be worn like a gown or robe. Faith in God makes that possible (Philippians 3:9). When the marriage takes place, the Church will lay their righteousness aside. The holiness and righteousness of Jesus will be imparted to them which will form their clothing for eternity.

Key Point:

• Our deeds on earth will follow us to heaven (Revelation 14:13)

Key Symbols:

• Fine Linen
• our righteous acts on earth

Supper Time!

Revelation 19:9 Then the angel said to me, Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb! And he added, These are the true words of God.

Again John heard an angel tell him to write. This time he was told to write about the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. All those who are invited to attend this supper are blessed or happy.

Something to Ponder:

• Robert Frost said a parable is a story that means what it says, and something else besides. Some call them earthly stories with heavenly meanings. These are pretty good definitions. The English word parable comes from the Greek word parabole which means to place beside or alongside of. Thus, a parable is a story that says one thing for the purpose of teaching or illustrating something else. Jesus used them often. He took well known and easily understood truths about earthly things to help people understand difficult truths about spiritual things.
• The following two parables help us to better understand the Marriage Supper of the Lamb:
• The parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) Just as the ten virgins (people) heard that the bridegroom (Jesus) and his bride (the Church) were coming back for their wedding banquet, so too will Jesus come back to earth with his Church at the end of the Tribulation Period for the marriage supper of the Lamb. Only those who have received the Holy Spirit (those with oil) will be allowed to attend this banquet on earth.
• The parable of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1-14)This parable tells us about a king (God) who prepared a wedding banquet for his son (Jesus). He sent out invitations, but many of those invited (unbelievers) made excuses for not attending, so he invited others (the Church). One man (an unbeliever) was not wearing the right kind of wedding apparel (fine linen) so he was escorted out. The wedding apparel signifies the kind of righteousness needed to attend the banquet. God provides that apparel to all those who accept Jesus as their Savior. Those who do not have it are not prepared to spend eternity with God. This should not be taken lightly. We cannot go to heaven or attend this feast as we are right now. We must be properly dressed, or we will be cast into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12).
• Another verse that provides insight to understanding the marriage supper concerns the
  Lords Last Supper. Jesus said he will not drink the fruit of the vine (Matthew 26:29) again until he drinks it in his Fathers Kingdom. His Fathers Kingdom is his Millennial Kingdom on earth.

What Others are Saying:

J. Vernon McGee: Hear me carefully now: the marriage of the Lamb will take place in
heaven, but the marriage supper will take place upon the earth. ^19-7
Hal Lindsey: While Revelation 19:9 pronounces a blessing on the guests at this supper, it doesn't indicate the time or place of it Its my feeling that the wedding feast of the Lamb and his bride will take place on earth at the very beginning of the Millennial Kingdom of God. ^19-8

Remember This…

• I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20).

A Case of Mistaken Identity

Revelation 19:10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

After writing what the angel said, John fell at the angel's feet to worship him. That was the wrong thing to do, and the angel stopped John. He called himself a fellow servant of God and told John to, Worship God! During the Tribulation Period multitudes will worship Satan and his Antichrist because the False Prophet will demand it. However, worship of anyone or anything other than God is forbidden (Exodus 20:3).

The testimony of Jesus is an interesting idea. Among other things, Jesus predicted that he would die, be buried, be raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4), and come again (Matthew 24:27; John 14:3). His predictions are his testimony and also prophecy. Everything he predicted is prophecy. Many people do not understand this. They want to throw out or discard prophecy in the Bible not realizing they would be throwing out many things Jesus said. Those who understand this hold to the testimony of Jesus.

What Others are Saying:

Hal Lindsey: Woe to the Christian who minimizes or rejects prophecy in the light of this statement by the angel! It's the same as rejecting Christ. ^19-9

The Triumphant Return

Revelation 19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.

This verse is sometimes called the climax of the entire Bible. The Old Testament prophets (Daniel 2:34, 35, 44) prophesied this event; Jesus predicted it (Matthew 24:30); and the New Testament writers (Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 1:7) wrote about it. Everything we have studied in Revelation has been building up to this. It will be a precious sight to the saints who are still alive on earth when it happens, but a terrifying sight to the Antichrist and his followers.

Heaven will open: It opened the first time when John went up (Revelation 4:1, 2) to heaven identifying the Rapture of the Church. It will open a second time when Jesus comes back with his Church.

A rider on a white horse will appear: The first rider on a white horse (Revelation 6:2), the Antichrist, appeared at the beginning of the Tribulation Period. Now, just as in ancient times when mighty warriors and conquerors rode white horses, a second rider on a white horse will come out of heaven to fight and conquer.

The rider (Jesus) will be called Faithful and True: Faithful meaning he has done, and will do, everything God asks him to do. When Jesus walked the earth he did everything God asked of him down to the smallest detail. Now when he comes back the second time, he will again do everything God asks him to do. True meaning he does everything he says he will do. He said he will come back (Matthew 16:27), and here he fulfills that promise.

With justice he judges and makes war is a reference to the purpose of his coming. He will return as a warrior to judge the inhabitants of the earth. He will deal with their sin, settle their eternal destinies, and establish his reign. What he will do will be just and right, because the earth will have been declared ripe for judgment (Revelation 14:14-20).

Key Symbols:

• Second Rider on a White Horse
• Jesus
• Faithful and True
• with justice he judges and makes war

Greater Than Our Understanding

Revelation 19:12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.