Revelation 19:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.

NIV: The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.

NASB: And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.

CSB: The armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, wearing pure white linen.

NLT: The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses.

KJV: And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

NKJV: And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

It was customary for Roman generals to celebrate their victories by leading a procession through Rome. The procession was called a "triumph." The victorious general, riding on a white horse, led the way, and was followed by his army. The last group in the procession was the captives who were chained and dragged by the general's soldiers. This verse tells us about the moment when the Captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10) leads His armies in a victory parade—the second coming of Christ.

All of the following members of the armies of heaven wear fine linen, white and pure. As His followers, redeemed believers are clothed in the garments of salvation and wear robes of righteousness. Isaiah 61:10 declares, "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness." They bear the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Further, Christ's followers ride white horses, symbolic of the victory they share with their Lord. Romans 8:37 affirms that "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

Revelation 19:11–21 presents one of Scripture's most spectacular moments of victory: the second coming of Jesus Christ. In this event, Christ returns to earth at the close of the tribulation. At His first coming to earth, Jesus appeared as a baby and sacrificial Savior. This time, He arrives as King of kings and Lord of lords. Many prior Scriptures prophesied this epic day of victory (Matthew 25; Zechariah 14:1–4; 2 Thessalonians 2:7–12; Hebrews 9:27–28; Jude 1:14–15). Christ arrives in a blaze of glory, obliterating His enemies single-handedly, at the head of the armies of heaven. The Antichrist and False Prophet become the first two cast into the lake of fire, ushering in the beginning of Christ's millennial reign on earth.

Revelation 19 begins with a multitude in heaven singing a doxology to God. He is praised for judging religious Babylon and avenging the martyrs. They are joined by the twenty-four elders (Revelation 4). Voices cry out joyfully that the Lord reigns and the marriage supper of the Lamb is ready. Then, John sees heaven open and observes Jesus—now coming as the glorious and invincible King of kings and Lord of lords—as He descends from heaven to execute judgment. The armies of earth gather to battle the Lord. The battle concludes with the Antichrist and False Prophet being thrown into the lake of fire and the graphic slaughter of their followers.

This chapter describes the victorious second coming of Christ, His victory over the Antichrist and the False Prophet after the fall of Babylon (Revelation 17—18). Christ's first arrival on earth was to redeem (Matthew 2; Luke 2:1–21; John 1:1–14; Galatians 4:1–5). The purpose of His second coming is judgment and the establishment of His reign on earth (Psalm 2). This is separate from the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17), the event in which Jesus returns in the air to take Christians from earth to be with Him. Jesus' second coming begins the millennial kingdom, leading up to the final judgments and the appearance of the New Jerusalem.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''