Kalev Creative

 11/02/2025

19

A loud voice gives glory to God for true judgments, for judging the prostitute who corrupted the earth, and for avenging the blood of his servants.

These concepts – God as judge, the judgment of evil, and vengeance for destructive works – echo through the chapter.

The twenty four elders and living creatures, who we haven’t heard from in a while, participate in God’s praise, and the voice invites all “who fear Him, small and great.”

They are rejoicing because the lamb is to be married, his bride clothed in fine linen. This detail links the bride and the previous chapter’s prostitute. There merchants sold linen to the corrupt cities, and the prostitute was dressed in it along with purple and scarlet. The prostitute contrasts with, or parodies, the bride. The marriage feast similarly is parodied by the birds’ feast on the dead victims of God’s judgment at the end of this chapter.

Heaven opens and the protagonist of the book appears on a white horse with names indicating his goodness and power, capable of righteous judgment, wearing many crowns, given a secret name, with eyes of fire. Recalling Isaiah 63’s horrific judgment scene, his robe is dipped in blood.

Following him are the armies of heaven on their own white horses. We have few clues about the composition of these armies except their clothing – also fine linen, white and clean, suggesting association with the seven angels of judgment from 15:6 and the slain servants of God under the altar who receive white robes in 6:11. I’m unaware of another reference like this to the armies of heaven, so it’s difficult to know how to receive it.

Revelation has several references to one, Jesus unnamed, with a sword coming out of his mouth. Remembering this is a vision and not to be taken literally, some commentators have denied the sword represents physical violence. Yet, Genesis 1 shows us God speaking to tremendous physical effect, and the pattern of judgment as de-creation suggests it is physical de-creation that is intended. The heavenly army rides to deliver the sword to apparent human armies and spiritual powers.

The sharp sword from his mouth recalls earlier passages in Revelation and in Psalms 11, Isaiah 34, and Jeremiah 12 and 47 where God’s sword, though not associated with his mouth, delivers judgment to apparent human armies in explicit, bloody imagery.

The rod of iron appears in Psalm 2. The robe dipped in blood and the winepress in Isaiah 63.

So, once again, we have many layered imagery recalling numerous passages from the Writings and Prophets condensed into a searing passage of overwhelming judgment of the enemies of God.

On his robe and his thigh are written his name, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” He is the name above all others. No human name can compete.

An angel standing in the sun calls on birds to feast in a grim echo of the bridal feast.

The beast and the kings of the earth line up for battle. The beast and false prophet immediately fall, cast alive into the lake of fire. The apparent human armies are killed by the sword coming out of the protagonist’s mouth.

More on interpreting the destruction of God’s enemies in the next chapter.