Revelation 19-20

What I Noticed Today (Revelation 19-20)

Revelation 19

In verses 1-5, heaven celebrates the fall of Babylon the Great:

• After this (after the fall of Babylon the Great), I (John) heard a large multitude in heaven, saying…
• Verses 1b-4 are known as the Hallelujah Chorus. It is a song of praise to God for His righteous judgment over Babylon the Great.

• The 24 elders and the four living creatures joined in the worship and praise to God.
• A voice from heaven exhorted all those who belong to God and fear Him, small and great, to praise God.

In verses 6-10, the marriage of the Lamb is announced:

• Then I (John) heard something like a multitude, like the cascade of waters, like the rumbling of thunder, offer praise to God for the reign of the Lord has begun.
• Rejoice and give Him glory for the marriage of the Lamb has come.
• His wife [the church] has prepared herself. She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure.

• Then the angel commanded John to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.”
• I (John) fell at his feet to worship, but the angel commanded me not to, saying he was a fellow slave with you who have the testimony of Jesus.
• Worship God because the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Revelation 19:11-20:15

The balance of Revelation 19 describes Jesus’ second coming, and Revelation 20 describes His millennial reign.

In verses 11-21, John describes the rider on the white horse who defeats the beast and his armies:

• Heaven opened, and there was a white horse with a rider [Christ] whose name was “Faithful and True.”
• He judges and makes war in righteousness.
• His eyes were like a fiery flame, and He had many crowns on His head.
• He had a name written that only He knew.
• His robe was stained with blood, and His name is the Word of God.
• The armies of heaven followed Him on white horses wearing white linen.
• A sharp sword came from His mouth so that He might strike the nations.
• He will shepherd them with an iron scepter.
• He will trample the winepress of God’s fierce anger.
• He has a name written on His robe and His thigh, “King of King, and Lord of Lords.”
• An angel standing on the sun cried out to the birds telling them to gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, commanders, mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of everyone both free and slave, small and great.
• The beast and his armies gathered together to wage war against the rider and His armies.
• But the beast was taken prisoner along with the false prophet who had performed signs in his presence.
• He deceived those who took the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.
• The beast and the prophet were thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

• The rest were killed [by Christ] with the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse. And the birds ate their fill.

Revelation 20

Revelation 20 describes the Millennial reign of Christ. There are three interpretations of Revelation 20, which influence how one interprets the rest of prophetic scripture:

• This view suggests the millennial reign of the Gospel, leading up to the return of Christ.
• This view denies any literal Millennial reign of Christ on earth. The millennial reign of Christ only exists in the hearts of believers.
• This view supports a literal reign of Christ on earth for 1,000 years following His second coming.
• Those who support the postmillennial or amillennial view, interpret Revelation 20 figuratively.

In verses 1-3, John describes Satan being bound:

• I (John) saw an angel coming from heaven with a key to the abyss and a large chain in his hand.
• He seized the dragon, the serpent, who is the Devil and Satan.
• He bound Satan for 1,000 years and threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it so that he could not deceive nations for 1,000 years.
• After that, he must be released for a short time.

In verses 4-6, John describes the martyred saints being resurrected and rewarded:

• Then I (John) saw thrones and people seated on them with authority to judge. I also saw those martyred for their testimony for Jesus and because of God’s Word, who had not worshiped the beast and had not accepted the mark of the beast on their foreheads or hands.
• They came to life and reigned with Messiah for 1,000 years.

• The rest of the dead did not come back to life until after the 1,000 years.

• This is the first resurrection.
• Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection.
• The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and Messiah and will reign with Him for 1,000 years.

In verses 7-10, John describes the rebellion of Satan being crushed:

• After the 1,000 years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison and will deceive the nations of the earth (called Gog and Magog, see Ezekiel 38) to gather them for battle.
• Their number is like the sand of the sea.
• They came up over the surface of the earth and surrounded the saints, the beloved city [Jerusalem, see Isaiah 2:1-5].

• Then fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
• The Devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are.
• They will be tormented there forever.

In verses 11-15, John describes the resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment of the wicked dead:

• Then I (John) saw a great white throne and One seated on it.
• The earth and heaven fled from His presence

• I also saw all the dead, great and small, standing before the throne.
• Books of works were opened along with the book of life.
• The dead were judged according to what was written of their works.
• Then the sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and all were judged by their works.
• Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
• This is the second death.
• Anyone not written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.

Tomorrow: Revelation 21-22