REVELATION CHAPTER 19
Note that John hears rather than sees much of this chapter. (Vs.1, 5, 6, 9)
Vs. 1 - The “these things” reference is the Fall of Babylon described in Ch. 18. The people in heaven are likely the ten thousand times ten thousand mentioned in 5:1. “Alleluia” is the GK form of the Hebrew Hallelujah which means “Praise Jehovah”. Salvation comes from the Gk. Soteria and could also be translated, victory.
Vs. 2 - The judgment referred to here was announced in 17:1 and detailed in chapters 6, 9, 11 and 16 and is well described in 1 Nephi 22:13-16. The JST changes servants to “saints”.
Vs. 3 - The smoke rising up is cross referenced to the “smoke” in Gen. 19:28, which refers to the smoke rising up after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Also the destruction of Idumea (the world D&C 1:36) of Isaiah 34:9-10.
Vs. 4 - The 24 elders are the same ones as we met in 4:4. They are leaders of the 7 churches of John’s time who he sees in heaven. The 4 beasts were introduced in 4:6. They are “zoon”, actual beasts that exist in heaven. Joseph suggested that they lived on another planet than ours. (See Parry, p. 61) Amen; Alleluia means verily praise Jehovah.
Vs. 5 - Servants is changed to Saints in the JST.
Vs. 7 - Emphasize what a bride does to make herself ready. She wants to be beautiful for her groom. We make ourselves ready with all that we do in our lives. The Church is the bride and it is trying to be ready. All that the Church does is to prepare for the coming of the Groom. Repentance and the Atonement are the key words in our personal preparation
Vs. 8 - “Each of us is invited to the marriage feast, but we must come dressed appropriately. Let us picture a wardrobe somewhere in the heavens, with our name upon its door. Inside hangs a single article of clothing. It is that we will put on when we present ourselves at the entrance to the supper. Each day we live, we are weaving the threads of that apparel. If our lives have been filled with service, dignity, righteousness, obedience, consecration, sacrifice, humility, and charity, when we open the door a resplendent garment will await us. We will recognize the stitching; the cut of the cloth, and its adornment, for it will reflect all the patterns of our lives. In joy we will put it on and enter the feast. But if our existence has been controlled by selfishness, dishonesty, indulgence, anger, pettiness, pride, materialism, and hypocrisy, then the open door of the wardrobe will reveal the poorly stitched, scantily endowed attire that bespeaks our lives. In such vestments we will not feel comfortable in the presence of those who employed themselves in learning to be more skilled seamstresses. (Wilcox p. 270)
Vs. 9 - Here the emphasis shifts from the righteous collectively represented by the bride to our individual worthiness as guests. Read JSMatthew 24:44-55 and D&C 101 32-34 for two contrasting reactions to the coming of the Lord.
Vs. 10 - See D&C 130:5, (Hence when messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred, friends, and fellow-beings and fellow-servants. The ancient prophets who died were those who came to visit their fellow creatures upon the earth....In like manner our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh, GD p. 435-36;
Alma 17:2-3 teaches us how to get that spirit of prophecy. Wilford Woodruff taught, “It is the privilege of every man and woman in this Kingdom to enjoy the spirit of prophecy, which is the Spirit of God,” Elder Delbert L. Stapley stated that “the Holy Ghost is the spirit of prophecy.” Another way to put it is that those who live righteously have claim to the Holy Spirit of God, which gives them, as one of its gifts, the spirit of prophecy. (Parry, p. 256)
Vs. 11 - White horse is a symbol of victory. Look for something else to worry about. You don't have to worry about the righteousness of the judgment. There has been a war going on since the war in heaven. Jesus fights fair!
Vs. 12 - Many crowns - See 11:15! "As with all glorified beings, our Lord has a new name in celestial exaltation, a name known to and comprehended by those only who know God in the sense that they have become as he is and have eternal life. See Rev. 2:17. Thus Christ's 'new name' shall be written upon all those who are joint-heirs with him (Rev. 3:12), and shall signify that they have become even as he is and he is even as the father. (3 Nephi 28:10) DNTC 3:567.
Vs. 13 - The blood on Christ's clothing symbolizes at least 3 thing; the blood Christ shed in performing the Atonement, the blood, or sins, of the wicked that he took upon himself and the blood of the unrepentant wicked he has slain in his wrath. (Parry, p. 260)
Vs. 14 - "One of the Lord's titles is Lord of Hosts, the word hosts is used to translate the Hebrew tsebaah, which generally means armies. Christ is the Lord of the armies of heaven. (Parry p. 260) The linen of the priesthood, the clothing worn by the bride.
Vs. 15 - JST is a great help. A great example of the 2 edged sword concept. Christ's suffering for our sins was, treading the winepress. This verse and 14:19 remind us that the wicked will tread the winepress for their own sins.
Vs. 16 - Who are the kings and the Lords over whom He will reign?
Vs. 17 - In the sun is a position of splendor. The slain people at the 2nd coming of the Lord will be many that the fowls of the air will be invited to come and feast on the corpses. This is called "the supper of the great God." (Parry p. 262) Ezekiel 39:17-22 and D&C 29:18-21.
Vs. 18 -If you were in the habit of being favored and protected because of your position as you fought against the Lamb, your get out of jail free card just expired.
Vs. 19 - The ch. 13 beast. This war started in the pre-earth life and has included battles of Jesus vs. Satan ever since. Most of the battles have been battles of words and ideas with actual wars being another part.
Vs. 20 - The image of the beast- In the days of John, great celebrations were held on the local level in honor of Caesar as part of the Imperial Cult. Images of Caesar would be worshipped in an obligatory fashion. What are some of the ways today that people worship the "image of the beast?" We live in a day when we don't have to be present to see images of the beast and his products.
"A man is his own tormentor and his own condemner. Hence the saying, they shall go into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. The torment of disappointment in the mind of man is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the torment of man. (Joseph Smith HC 6:314) See Parry p. 265
Vs. 21- "the only weapon the prophets need to defeat the enemy hosts and to establish peace upon the earth is the proclamation of the gospel." (Draper p. 213) Alma 31:5
