Revelation of John 19 · The Lantern

Rejoicing in Heaven

After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! The salvation and the glory and the power of our God!

This is the voice of the church when the separation has already occurred and when all wicked persons have gone out of her to be consumed with eternal fire.

The saints exult over the destruction of the traitorous city, and they praise God with the jubilation of praise. What does this describe other than the coming of the retribution of the evildoers and the rewarding of the good? This is that of which Daniel spoke, "Some will rise to everlasting life, and some to everlasting reproach," so that they might see [this] forever.

After this, I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying: Alleluia, etc. Now the Church says this in part; but then it will be said perfectly when the separation has been made, and when it has been more openly avenged.

For true and righteous are his judgments, because he has judged the great prostitute who was corrupting the earth with her sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his servants out of her hand.”

And a second time they have said, “Hallelujah!” And her smoke goes up to the ages of the ages.

Concerning the harlot it says, "The smoke from her goes up forever and ever." That is to say, while the church remains in her joyful praise, the smoke of the destruction of the wicked also remains. Just as the beginning of fire is in smoke, so smoke is present as long as fire remains.

The words that the "smoke from the city goes up forever and ever" show either the unforgettable nature of the punishment that has come upon the city, or that although she meted out punishments in part and to some extent, she will, nonetheless, be punished eternally in the coming age.

And her smoke rises forever and ever. He said ascends, not will ascend. Babylon always goes into perdition and is already burning in part, just as Jerusalem passes into paradise, with the Lord manifesting it in the poor man and the rich man.

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is sitting on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!”

But in Leviticus He says: "Go not ye after idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God." And in other passages: "The children of Israel are my household servants; these are they whom I led forth from the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

When [the voice] commands that this [praise] be done and then it is reported that [such praise] was given, it indicates that [God] has accepted the praise of his elect as pleasing, indeed, giving his approval to the praise that had been given and indicating that it is to be perpetual.

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God. The Church venerates God not only with the office of the lips but with the utmost sweetness of devotion.

And a voice came forth from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants and you who fear him, you small and you great!”

The Marriage of the Lamb

And I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunders, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty has reigned.

That Christ is the Bridegroom, having the Church as His bride, from which spiritual children were to be born. In Joel: "Blow with the trumpet in Sion; sanctify a fast, and call a healing; assemble the people, sanctify the Church, gather the elders, collect the little ones that suck the breast; let the Bridegroom go forth of His chamber, and the bride out of her closet." Also in…

The trumpets signify that preaching of which Isaiah spoke, saying, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet." In this preaching the dread of the divine judgment is also indicated, which I think is also suggested by the mention of the thunder.… In the many waters those peoples are symbolized who praise God by saying "Hallelujah." And so, when the church preaches…

And I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great trumpet and the voice of many waters, etc. The great voice of the singers is the great devotion of the heart; which, with the repeated multitude of praises, celebrates both the ruin of the wicked and the eternal glory of the Lord and His own.

Let us rejoice and let us exult and let us give the glory to him, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.”

And it was given to her that she may be clothed in fine linen, bright and pure — for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

And he says to me, “Write: ‘Happy are those invited to the supper of the marriage of the Lamb.’” And he says to me, “These are the true words of God.”

And he says to me, "Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb," and indeed go forth as is proper; for we know many who are called in the Gospels, but who have renounced the spiritual banquet or even, though they have gone away, are cast out as not having wedding garments, (Matt. 22:11-12) as is shortly shown.

Who are those who have been invited to the feast of the Lamb, unless those to whom it is said: "I will not drink from this fruit of the vine until I will drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father who is in heaven." And again, "Many will come from east and west and will recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." This is to drink the new cu…

These are the true words of God. That is, what I have foretold will truly happen.

And I fell before his feet to worship him, and he says to me, “See that you do not! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Yet these also have spoken beforehand of the punishments that are to light upon the profane and unbelieving, in order that none be left without a witness, or be able to say, "We have not heard, neither have we known." But do you also, if you please, give reverential attention to the prophetic Scriptures, and they will make your way plainer for escaping the eternal punishments,…

Indeed, the whole point of prophecy and of the sanctifying work of the Spirit lies in the testimony of Jesus Christ, whom the entire law and all prophecy serve [as though slaves].

See that you do not do that. I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren. He had said earlier: I am the first and the last (Rev. 1). Therefore, he shows that the angel was sent in the figure of the Lord and the Church. For at the end, he also says: I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches (Rev. 22).

The Rider on the White Horse

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and the one sitting upon it being called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

And after these things, seeing the same Lord in a second vision, he says: "For I saw in the midst of the throne, and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing as it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth." And again, he says, speaking of this very same Lamb: "And b…

After the hour of Babylon's destruction; and it is clear who Babylon is understood to be, and this is further shown to the evangelist, the fall of the Antichrist and of the arch-evil Dragon, and into what relentless punishment at the time of the end and of retribution, and the destruction of the kings who will arise against the servants of Christ at that time, and see what he s…

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, etc. The Lord, who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14), and to whom it is said through the prophet: For you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure (Isaiah 25), ascends a white horse, that is, the seat of an immaculate body, to defeat the aerial powers.

And his eyes are like a flame of fire, and upon his head many royal crowns, having a name written which no one knows except he himself,

The living Word alone understands some things because of the natural inferiority in those who came into existence after him. None of them can contemplate all the things that he grasps. And perhaps also only those who share in the Word, in contradistinction to those who do not, know what the others are missing.

Perfect knowledge of the Word of God is revealed to those who are worthy to be the body of Christ and members [of him], since the Head especially gives knowledge of himself to the body, and he knows what the church is worthy to know in him.

His eyes are like a flame of fire. Sometimes the eyes of God are called his commandments, sometimes the spirit. Your word is a lamp to my feet, O Lord (Psalm 119). And of the Spirit: I came to cast fire on the earth (Luke 12).

and having been clothed with a garment dipped in blood; and his name has been called The Word of God.

John does not see the Word of God mounted on a horse naked. He is clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood, since the Word who became flesh, and died because he became flesh, is invested with traces of that passion, since his blood also was poured forth upon the earth when the soldier pierced his side.

How is it that he who is without name and is unknown to all is here named "Word"? This is either to demonstrate his filial personhood and his impassible generation from the Father, just as our speech comes from our minds [impassibly], or his name suggests that he bears within himself the causes of all things, or that he is the interpreter of the wisdom and power of the Father.

For unless you understand the order and origin of restoration, you cannot understand Scriptures. Now, in the Apocalypse the name of the Restorer is the Word of God: "And He is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood, and His name is called the Word of God."

And the armies which were in heaven were following after him upon white horses, having clothed themselves in fine linen, white and pure.

All the hosts of heaven follow this Word of God. They follow the Word who leads them and imitate him in all things, especially in having mounted white horses like him, for all things are open to those who understand.

We interpret the armies of heaven to be the bride herself, who above was said to be prepared for the marriage of the Lamb. When it says that they were "on white horses," it is speaking either of the purity of faith, or it is alluding to the members of our bodies made new through the resurrection. [The fine linen] is the righteous works of the saints.

And the armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. That is, the Church in pure bodies imitates him, which, because of the struggle of its contest, rightly receives the name of army.

And out of his mouth goes forth a sharp sword, so that with it he may strike down the nations. And he himself will shepherd them with a rod of iron. And he himself treads the press of the wine of the rage of the wrath of God the Almighty.

And he has upon his robe and upon his thigh a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.

This is a name that the proud do not know. For by serving [Christ], the church reigns in Christ, and she is lord of lords, that is, she conquers vices and sins.

Christ is the basis and the foundation on which Paul builds as an architect. Christ is the good Shepherd "who gives his life for the sheep." Christ is the head of every dominion and power. He is himself the head of the church, wherefore it is said, "the head of man is Christ," because he is the head of the church.

And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords. This is the name that none of the proud know. But it is inscribed on the Church not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, on the tablets of the heart (2 Cor. 3). For the thigh signifies the progeny of the seed.

Defeat of the Beast and False Prophet

And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice, saying to all the birds who are flying in mid-heaven, “Come, be gathered to the great supper of God,

so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those sitting on them, and the flesh of all, both free and slaves, and small and great.”

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war with the one sitting on the horse and with his army.

The war with the Lord and the divine angels was waged by both the Devil and the Antichrist, for he calls him a false prophet of the beastly Devil, and kings who band together with them; but they were defeated sooner than speech. What do the divine Scriptures say about them? Isaiah says, "Let the impious be taken away, so that he may not see the glory of the Lord," (Isa.

It speaks of the armies allied with the devil in the plural, because of the many forms of their sin and their divisions and various opinions. [By contrast], it speaks of the angelic powers and of those persons like the angels who follow Christ in the singular as an army, because of the unity of their mind and their will which is well-pleasing to the divine Word.

And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth ... to make war, etc. He explains how that supper of God is prepared, namely by the devil attacking the Church but being defeated.

And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had done the signs before him, by which he deceived those having received the mark of the beast and those worshiping its image. The two were cast alive into the lake of fire which is burning with brimstone.

Inasmuch, then, as in this world some persons betake themselves to the light, and by faith unite themselves with God, but others shun the light, and separate themselves from God, the Word of God comes preparing a fit habitation for both.

And Daniel says, "No one will help him." When the Lord fights against him, no one is able to bring assistance to him.… [The two thrown into the fire were] the devil, the leader of every evil being, and that one who is most wicked, who is called the antichrist.

The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur, etc. This seems to indicate that the devil and the Antichrist will be punished with a greater penalty than other humans or demons, as it is much more severe to be burned alive in sulfurous flames than to be quickly killed by the blow of a sword.

And the rest were killed with the sword of the one sitting on the horse, the sword having gone out of his mouth. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Having begun once to speak about the judgment which he will give to the Devil, guarding the continuity of the discourse, he also recounts what he suffered in the incarnation of the Lord; and taking this as his theme, he speaks more at length about the Lord's presence in the flesh.

All who have believed [the beast] will be killed by the judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the breath of his mouth, and their flesh will be put out for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth.