Questions/Comments
Verse 19:3 – Forever and ever
This phrase speaks to the eternality of the judgments against sin.
Verse 19:4 – Twenty-four elders and four living creatures
We were first introduced to these figures in Revelation 4, and they are featured numerous times throughout.
Verse 19:6 – Vast multitude
Something like a voice of a vast multitude (also in verse 1). This could potentially be one figure or a small number of figures but with a resounding voice.
Verse 19:12 – Name that no one knows
One theory is that Jesus is so great and wonderful that even in heaven, we won’t know everything about His majesty and glory.
Verse 19:13 – Word of God
John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.”
John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
1 John 1:1 “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.”
Verse 19:14 – White linen
Revelation 3:4-5 “But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy. “In the same way, the one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels.”
Revelation 3:18 “I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see.”
Revelation 4:4 “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white clothes, with golden crowns on their heads.”
Revelation 6:11 “So they were each given a white robe, and they were told to rest a little while longer until the number would be completed of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters, who were going to be killed just as they had been.”
Revelation 7:9 “After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands.”
These are surely people and perhaps Christian martyrs.
Verse 19:15 – Winepress of God
Revelation 14:17-20 “Then another angel who also had a sharp sickle came out of the temple in heaven. Yet another angel, who had authority over fire, came from the altar, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vineyard of the earth, because its grapes have ripened.” So the angel swung his sickle at the earth and gathered the grapes from the vineyard of the earth, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. Then the press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press up to the horses’ bridles for about 180 miles.”
Verse 19:19-21 – Taken prisoner
Notice that the beast and false prophet were taken prisoner while the others were killed.
Verse 20:1 – An angel
This angel is likely significant, though we do not have its name.
Verse 20:3 – Seal
The seal will ensure that the abyss is not opened any sooner than God’s appointed time.
Verse 20:4 – Thrones
Who do you think are on the thrones? It is possible that it’s the 24 elders, though we don’t know for sure.
There could be more than 24 thrones or fewer.
Verse 20:4 – They came to life
Some think that those who came to life may have been the martyrs only and that other Christians would come to life at the second resurrection.
If Christians came to life at the second resurrection, they would go before the Great White Throne Judgment.
In verse 6, it says “the second death has no power over them,” which leads me to believe verse 4 refers to all Christians.
Verse 20:4 – 1,000 Years
Views of the Millennium.
The first major view is called Amillennialism.
The Amillennial view is the simplest to understand. Amillennialism views the thousand-year reign of Christ as the church age, which is now.
The second major view is called Postmillennialism.
As the name suggests, this view holds that Jesus will return after His millennial reign on the earth; His return is postmillennium.
The third major view is called Premillennialism.
Again, as the name suggests, the premillennialism view holds that Christ will return to the earth before His millennial reign.
Verse 20:8 – Gog and Magog
Gog and Magog are referred to in Ezekiel 38-39.
Gog was a ruler, and Magog was a people.
At the rebellion of Satan, we see a ruler (Satan) and a people (those deceived) rise up against the beloved city.
Verse 20:11 – No place was found
Some think that the white throne judgment will take place in an outer space of sorts (away from heaven and earth).
What it might mean, rather, is that there was no place that heaven and earth could hide from the throne.
Verse 20:11 – One seated on it
The one seated on the throne is likely Jesus.
John 5:22 “The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son . . . ”
Acts 17:31 “ . . . because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
Verse 20:12 – The books
Notice that there is not only the book of life; there are multiple books used for judgment.
Questions/Comments
