191 And after these things I heard a great voice of a great multitude in the heaven, saying, 'Alleluia! the salvation, and the glory, and the honour, and the power, 'is' to the Lord our God; 2 because true and righteous 'are' His judgments, because He did judge the great whore who did corrupt the earth in her whoredom, and He did avenge the blood of His servants at her hand;' 3 and a second time they said, 'Alleluia;' and her smoke doth come up—to the ages of the ages! 4 And fall down did the elders—the twenty and four—and the four living creatures, and they did bow before God who is sitting upon the throne, saying, 'Amen, Alleluia.'
5 And a voice out of the throne did come forth, saying, 'Praise our God, all ye His servants, and those fearing Him, both the small and the great;' 6 and I heard as the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Alleluia! because reign did the Lord God—the Almighty! 7 may we rejoice and exult, and give the glory to Him, because come did the marriage of the Lamb, and his wife did make herself ready; 8 and there was given to her that she may be arrayed with fine linen, pure and shining, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.'
9 And he saith to me, 'Write: Happy 'are' they who to the supper of the marriage of the Lamb have been called;' and he saith to me, 'These 'are' the true words of God;' 10 and I fell before his feet, to bow before him, and he saith to me, 'See—not! fellow servant of thee am I, and of thy brethren, those having the testimony of Jesus; bow before God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of the prophecy.'
11 And I saw the heaven having been opened, and lo, a white horse, and he who is sitting upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness doth he judge and war, 12 and his eyes 'are' as a flame of fire, and upon his head 'are' many diadems—having a name written that no one hath known, except himself, 13 and he is arrayed with a garment covered with blood, and his name is called, The Word of God. 14 And the armies in the heaven were following him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen—white and pure;
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Revelation 19:1-14
Commentary on Revelation 19:1-10
(Read Revelation 19:1-10)
Praising God for what we have, is praying for what is yet further to be done for us. There is harmony between the angels and the saints in this triumphant song. Christ is the Bridegroom of his ransomed church. This second union will be completed in heaven; but the beginning of the glorious millennium (by which is meant a reign of Christ, or a state of happiness, for a thousand years on earth) may be considered as the celebration of his espousals on earth. Then the church of Christ, being purified from errors, divisions, and corruptions, in doctrine, discipline, worship, and practice, will be made ready to be publicly owned by him as his delight and his beloved. The church appeared; not in the gay, gaudy dress of the mother of harlots, but in fine linen, clean and white. In the robes of Christ's righteousness, imputed for justification, and imparted for sanctification. The promises of the gospel, the true sayings of God, opened, applied, and sealed by the Spirit of God, in holy ordinances, are the marriage-feast. This seems to refer to the abundant grace and consolation Christians will receive in the happy days which are to come. The apostle offered honour to the angel. The angel refused it. He directed the apostle to the true and only object of religious worship; to worship God, and him alone. This plainly condemns the practice of those who worship the elements of bread and wine, and saints, and angels; and of those who do not believe that Christ is truly and by nature God, yet pay him a sort of worship. They stand convicted of idolatry by a messenger from heaven. These are the true sayings of God; of Him who is to be worshipped, as one with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Commentary on Revelation 19:11-21
(Read Revelation 19:11-21)
Christ, the glorious Head of the church, is described as on a white horse, the emblem of justice and holiness. He has many crowns, for he is King of kings, and Lord of lords. He is arrayed in a vesture dipped in his own blood, by which he purchased his power as Mediator; and in the blood of his enemies, over whom he always prevails. His name is "The Word of God;" a name none fully knows but himself; only this we know, that this Word was God manifest in the flesh; but his perfections cannot be fully understood by any creature. Angels and saints follow, and are like Christ in their armour of purity and righteousness. The threatenings of the written word he is going to execute on his enemies. The ensigns of his authority are his name; asserting his authority and power, warning the most powerful princes to submit, or they must fall before him. The powers of earth and hell make their utmost effort. These verses declare important events, foretold by the prophets. These persons were not excused because they did what their leaders bade them. How vain will be the plea of many sinners at the great day! We followed our guides; we did as we saw others do! God has given a rule to walk by, in his word; neither the example of the most, nor of the chief, must influence us contrary thereto: if we do as the most do, we must go where the most go, even into the burning lake.