There is a general belief that Revelation chapter 19 is the second coming when Jesus literally rides down from heaven on his white horse and destroys all of his enemies with His armies but is this what the text actually says?
There are three messages in this chapter which is for the seven churches who Revelation was actuallywritten to.
The first message in this chapter is the threefold Halleluiah victory cries over mystery Babylon (who I believe represents Jerusalem which was destroyed in 70AD) being destroyed. God had judged Babylon the great as she was destroyed by the beast (who I believe to represent Rome in the first century) for Gods purpose.
The text says that God has avenged his servants who were persecuted and killed by Babylon the great and we know that Israel was the first to persecute the church and had also persecuted and killed many prophets in the times of the Old Testament. Only Israel killed both the prophets and the saints see the verses below.
Revelation 18 the destruction of Babylon the great
Rev 18:20
20“Rejoice over her, you heavens!
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgement she imposed on you.”
Rev18:24
24In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
These verses takes us back to what Jesus said about Jerusalem in
Matthew 23:33-38
33“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38Look, your house is left to you desolate.
The second message in Revelation 19 is that the time has come for the wedding supper of the lamb and we the bride of the lamb have made our self ready. Revelation shows the ending of Gods relationship between earthly Jerusalem and the new marriage of the lamb to the new Jerusalem the church.
The last message of chapter 19 is the destruction of the beast who destroyed Babylon the great. John sees what is happening up in heaven not what happens on earth. The bible doesn't mention Jesus or His armies coming to the earth only that He is seen riding a white horse in victory up in heaven with the armies following him as He is king of kings and lord of lords.
When John saw heaven opened in chapter 21 he sees the Holy City come down out of heaven but he doesn't say that Jesus comes down out of heaven in chapter 19. There are other times in Revelation that mentions angels coming down from heaven but not in this case in chapter 19. There is no physical battle the armies of heaven or the armies on earth are not fighting there are no weapons mentioned accept the sword out of Jesus' mouth which is symbolic for His word which is all powerful and all He needs its his word that defeats all His enemies not any of our fighting.
If no one knows when Jesus is returning then how come the beast knows when to gather and fight Jesus?
Chapter 19 represents an ever ongoing event of Jesus defeating all of his enemies over all time with His word as they all rise and fall but Jesus still reigns. It states that the birds will eat the flesh of all people great and small free and slave this is not a one time event the birds eating the flesh is not literal but showing that all who oppose God will die.
The only two who are judged at this time are the beast and the false prophet who I believe to be a demon in control of Rome and its leaders during the first century and the false prophet to be a demon in control of apostate Israel in the first century. They can't be people as all people will be judged before being cast to hell on the judgement day but these two are cast into hell alive just like Satan is in the next chapter who we know that he is a demon.
The purpose of chapter 19 is the messages of the judgement of Babylon the great the wedding of the church to the lamb and of the defeat of Jesus' enemies not Jesus fighting a bloody battle on earth.
There are three messages in this chapter which is for the seven churches who Revelation was actuallywritten to.
The first message in this chapter is the threefold Halleluiah victory cries over mystery Babylon (who I believe represents Jerusalem which was destroyed in 70AD) being destroyed. God had judged Babylon the great as she was destroyed by the beast (who I believe to represent Rome in the first century) for Gods purpose.
The text says that God has avenged his servants who were persecuted and killed by Babylon the great and we know that Israel was the first to persecute the church and had also persecuted and killed many prophets in the times of the Old Testament. Only Israel killed both the prophets and the saints see the verses below.
Revelation 18 the destruction of Babylon the great
Rev 18:20
20“Rejoice over her, you heavens!
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgement she imposed on you.”
Rev18:24
24In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
These verses takes us back to what Jesus said about Jerusalem in
Matthew 23:33-38
33“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38Look, your house is left to you desolate.
The second message in Revelation 19 is that the time has come for the wedding supper of the lamb and we the bride of the lamb have made our self ready. Revelation shows the ending of Gods relationship between earthly Jerusalem and the new marriage of the lamb to the new Jerusalem the church.
The last message of chapter 19 is the destruction of the beast who destroyed Babylon the great. John sees what is happening up in heaven not what happens on earth. The bible doesn't mention Jesus or His armies coming to the earth only that He is seen riding a white horse in victory up in heaven with the armies following him as He is king of kings and lord of lords.
When John saw heaven opened in chapter 21 he sees the Holy City come down out of heaven but he doesn't say that Jesus comes down out of heaven in chapter 19. There are other times in Revelation that mentions angels coming down from heaven but not in this case in chapter 19. There is no physical battle the armies of heaven or the armies on earth are not fighting there are no weapons mentioned accept the sword out of Jesus' mouth which is symbolic for His word which is all powerful and all He needs its his word that defeats all His enemies not any of our fighting.
If no one knows when Jesus is returning then how come the beast knows when to gather and fight Jesus?
Chapter 19 represents an ever ongoing event of Jesus defeating all of his enemies over all time with His word as they all rise and fall but Jesus still reigns. It states that the birds will eat the flesh of all people great and small free and slave this is not a one time event the birds eating the flesh is not literal but showing that all who oppose God will die.
The only two who are judged at this time are the beast and the false prophet who I believe to be a demon in control of Rome and its leaders during the first century and the false prophet to be a demon in control of apostate Israel in the first century. They can't be people as all people will be judged before being cast to hell on the judgement day but these two are cast into hell alive just like Satan is in the next chapter who we know that he is a demon.
The purpose of chapter 19 is the messages of the judgement of Babylon the great the wedding of the church to the lamb and of the defeat of Jesus' enemies not Jesus fighting a bloody battle on earth.
