Revelation 19:11-21

The Vision of the Triumphant Christ. This paragraph really forms an introduction to the closing section of the book, where at last, after many pauses and delays, we reach the real dé nouement. The last act of the drama falls into five scenes, of which this is the first. In this scene Christ is portrayed as a warrior riding on a white horse to the final conflict with Anti-christ.

Revelation 19:11. a white horse: the same imagery is used in Revelation 6:2, but the white horse there does not represent Christ but the spirit of militarism. Faithful and True: cf. Revelation 1:5, Revelation 3:7; Revelation 3:14

Revelation 19:12. flame of fire: cf. Revelation 1:14. name which no man knoweth: cf. Revelation 2:17, Revelation 3:12. This phrase seems to imply that the names usually bestowed upon Christ do not exhaust the significance of His person. Only the Son of God can understand the mystery of His own Being (Swete); cf. Matthew 11:27, no one knoweth the Son, save the Father.

Revelation 19:13. sprinkled with blood: The readings vary. Probably RV is right, but dipped in blood (AV) has very strong MSS support. The Word of God: this phrase is probably used here with the same meaning as in the Prologue to the Fourth Gospel. The Word or Logos is employed in a technical sense (John 1:1 *).

Revelation 19:15. sharp sword: cf. Revelation 1:16. rod of iron: cf. Revelation 2:27, Revelation 12:5. winepress: cf. Revelation 14:19.

Revelation 19:16. garment. thigh: these phrases do not refer to two different inscriptions, but mean on the cloak and on that most exposed part of it which covers the thigh (Swete). King of Kings: the same title is bestowed on the Lamb in Revelation 17:14.

Revelation 19:17. Cf. Ezekiel 39:17, where the birds of prey are summoned to feast on the bodies of the slain.

Revelation 19:19. I saw the beast: the last reference to the beast (the Roman power personified in Nero) was in Revelation 17:16 ff., where he was forming a confederation of ten kings for the destruction of Babylon.

Revelation 19:20. the false prophet: cf. Revelation 16:13. In Revelation 13:11 f. he is described as the beast that cometh from the land. the signs: a reference to the miracles wrought by the false prophet (Revelation 13:13) the mark of the beast: Revelation 13:16 *. the lake of fire: this phrase occurs in Revelation 20:10; Revelation 20:14 f., Revelation 21:8. The expression is parallel to the Gehenna of fire of the Gospels (Matthew 5:22; Mark 9:43). Though burning by fire is the usual doom for the wicked (cf. Daniel 7:11; Matthew 13:42), the phrase lake of fire is peculiar to Revelation.