Revelation 19:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

NIV: At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.'

NASB: Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he *said to me, 'Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brothers and sisters who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'

CSB: Then I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers and sisters who hold firmly to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

NLT: Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, 'No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus. '

KJV: And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

NKJV: And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

John's experience of intense heavenly praise (Revelation 19:1–5) and the glorious marriage supper of the lamb certainly made an impression. Apparently overwhelmed, he collapsed, ready to worship the angel who disclosed those things. However, the angel immediately resists this worship. He explained that he, too, was a servant of God. Like human beings, angels are created beings. Jesus, on the other hand, created all things, whether in heaven or on earth, "visible and invisible…all things were created through him and for him" (Colossians 1:16). John 1:3 says concerning Jesus, "All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made."

This incident presents some difficult questions. As a Jewish believer, John would have known only God must be the object of worship. His response here, then, raises the question of why he would respond as he did. Some speculate that John, in that moment, sincerely mistook the angel for Jesus. Or, that John was simply overwhelmed and had a lapse in judgment.

This reaction, from the angel, further demonstrates that Jesus was more than willing to claim divinity during His earthly ministry. Though this angel refuses worship, Jesus did not—He accepted it as legitimate (Matthew 14:33; 28:9; John 9:37–38; 20:28–29).

Revelation 19:6–10 introduces the marriage supper of the Lamb, occurring immediately before the commencement of Jesus' millennial reign on the earth. Jesus spoke about marriage suppers in Matthew 22:1–14 and 25:1–13. He specifically referred to feasting in the kingdom of heaven, with many from the east and the west, including Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Matthew 8:11). The announcement of the marriage supper of the Lamb precedes Jesus' return to earth to judge His enemies and to establish His kingdom (Revelation 19:11–21).

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.''