Revelation 19 is an unbelievable chapter in the scriptures as we look at the contrast between the first half of this chapter and the second half. It is a huge contrast. The first ten verse will be our focus first and we are looking at the redeemed in heaven. We find a great praise service going on. We see the marriage supper of the Lamb, and we see a joy on the part of the people. This is for the most part a very uplifting, encouraging, and wonderful section of the book of Revelation, especially in light of all that has gone wrong. All the tragedy, judgment, and bloodshed that we have seen so far throughout the book. When we get to the second half we come to a whole different section. It will be the return of Christ at the Battle of Armageddon. This will be a time on the earth in which the Lord comes back to earth. The first half is in heaven. The second half is on earth and it’s a time of judgment. The Lord comes back at the Second Coming in wrath and judgment, and He is dealing with those who have rebelled against Him throughout the ages and especially during the Tribulation Period. A real contrast will be seen between the two.
Let’s go back and start with Revelation 19:1 and it says, “After these things.” That particular phrase can be traced all the way back to earlier in Revelation 4:1 after the messages to the seven churches, we have this phrase, “After these things I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven.” Then for the next two chapters, there is a wonderful praise service for both the Father and the Son. What we have here is after these things, and many believe that it is referencing that this is after the church age, in Revelation 2 & 3 it was all about the church and the local seven churches of Asia that were being addressed, and then after these things in Revelation 4:1, we hear no more about the church until Revelation 19 at the Second Coming which we will look at next time.
In Revelation 19:1 when he says, “After these things,” he is really talking about after the destruction of the world system that has been led by the antichrist. In Revelation 17 we saw the destruction of the great harlot or the ecclesiastical religious system in opposition to God. In Revelation 18 we see the collapse of the economic and political system ran by the antichrist, and Revelation 19 will now be about the collapse and destruction of the military system . . .
