Chapter 19:2 clearly shews the aspect in which she is judged-the great
whore who corrupted; and God avenges the blood of His servants. This
judgment of Rome is the great joy of heaven. Hallelujah and salvation are
sung. The elders and four living creatures fall down and worship, and the
voice of the multitude proclaims the bringing in of the marriage of the
Lamb, when the false woman is set aside. Till then, though espoused, the
assembly was not thus actually united in the heavenly marriage of the Lamb.
Still there was no greater event could be than a judgment of Rome. No doubt
the beast had to be destroyed. Power, when God gave it scope, would soon do
that, But here the old corruptress and persecutor was set aside for ever.
Heaven is full of joy. There is no celebration of joy like this in the
Revelation.
The rest of the book is simple and clear enough, for the mystery of God is
closed. I do not myself attach any importance to the distinction, as a
class, of those called to partake of the joy of that day. It means, I
believe, just that, according to the parable of the marriage of the king's
son, the guests are those who have share in the marriage joy. But several
points have to be noticed: God in power has come in to set up His reign.
The true though not yet the open seat of the power of evil has been judged
and destroyed. Two characters of evil, falsehood or deceitful corruption
and violence have existed since Satan himself began his career, false in
himself, he was a murderer to others. The mystery of iniquity contained
both, though hiding the latter and using others for it. Still she was
characterised by corruption and what was false. Direct violence was in the
hands of the beast. The destruction of that would, no doubt, relieve the
earth of oppression; but for heaven and all that was heavenly minded, the
destruction of this Christ-dishonouring, soul-enslaving, and soul-debasing
corruption, was joy and gladness, and the witness that divine power had
come in. It had set aside the worst evil, the corrupting what was God's,
under pretense of being what Christ had purchased for Himself, the one
precious object of His especial love. They sing "Hallelujah ! for the Lord
God Omnipotent reigneth!"
This was to make way for the introduction of what was His own-the manifest
power of His Christ. But, before that, the assembly must have her place of
association with Him in that-must have Himself: the marriage of the Lamb is
come. Till the evil woman had been set aside, this could not be. This is
the character of heavenly joy and redemption by which we are brought into
it. Man on earth is first good, then yielding to temptation. Redemption
supposes first evil, and even slavery to it, but then deliverance from it
and our being set beyond it, God having taken to Him His power. The
assembly is presented to Christ without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
cleansed and white, suited to Christ. The apostle was disposed, in sight of
all this blessedness, to fall down and worship him who had revealed it. His
mind was thrown into devotion by these scenes. Its immediate object was the
heavenly messenger, and he turns to bow to him, but is forbidden. He was a
fellow-servant, and the same to all who had the testimony of Jesus; for the
spirit of prophecy, we are told, is the testimony of Jesus. The testimony
not to worship intermediate beings is the last warning left to a declining
assembly, as, so to speak, one of the first (in Colossians).
We now arrive at the great announcement of the coming of Christ in power.
Heaven, which had been opened on Jesus and to Stephen, now opens for Jesus
as King of kings and Lord of lords. Holy and true He had been known by
faith, and the faithful and true Witness. The last He is now; not as
witness, but in judgment, save as judgment itself is the witness of His
faithfulness and truth. The characters in which He appears are plain but
all-important. It is first in general judgment but in the form of war, not
what we may call sessional judgment, but overcoming power. Sessional
judgment is in chapter 20 from verse 4. His eyes have the piercingness of
divine judgment. He had many crowns, witness of His various and universal
dominion. But, though thus revealed as man, He had a glory none could
penetrate into; [see note #17]
of which He had the conscious power, but which was not revealed. He was the
avenger - His garment was dipped in blood. All characterised Him, we may
note here, according to that in which He is manifested by the judgment
itself It was the Revealer, the Word of God-His eternal character-what He
was before creation; now making it good in judgment.
The armies in heaven had not garments dipped in blood. They were
triumphant; they followed Him in His triumph, pure and perfect, His chosen,
called, and faithful ones. The vengeance of Idumea was not their part,
though they share His victory over the beast. The vengeance in Edom had a
more earthly character, and is connected more with Judah. The Assyrian is
there (see Ps. 83), not the beast. The beast and the false prophet are
destroyed by Him as coming from heaven. He smites the nations with the rod
of His mouth, He rules them with a rod of iron: this the saints will have
with Him. (Chap. 2:26, 27.) He treads the wine-press too.[see note #18]
This is the part that is more earthly, as Isaiah 63 shews. So He that sits
on the cloud thrusts in His sickle on the earth. It was an angel who cast
the grapes into the wine-press, and the wine-press was trodden [see note #19]
-it is not said, as by one sitting on the cloud. The character of the
judgment of the beast and the false prophet is heavenly-it is the Word of
God, the Lord from heaven; the wine-press is earthly. He is publicly,
officially, and intrinsically King of kings, and Lord of lords. The beast
and the false prophet are cast alive into the lake of fire: this was a
present final judgment-the rest were judicially slain. The final judgment
of these deceived ones is not said to take place here. Satan is not yet
cast into the lake of fire, but into the bottomless pit, where the legion
of devils besought the Lord they might not be sent. He is bound there so as
not to deceive the nations for a thousand years. There will be no seduction
by Satan during the thousand years.
