PMF Biblical Seminary

School for Church Planters – Foundations for Christian Leadership (FCL) Course
Series of Messages in the Book of Revelation

ELEVENTH MESSAGE:
Heaven Rejoices for the Destruction of the Great City and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb

A. The Destruction of the “Great City” (18:1-25, 19:1-5)

1. Spiritual Nature: The “Great City of Babylon” has become the home of demons and haunt for
every evil spirit, and also for every unclean and detestable bird (18:2). All nations and kings f
the earth committed adulteries with her (18:3). She has become wealthy with excessive
luxuries (18:3). Her sins have piled up to heaven (18:5). She has become boastful and
confident (18:7).
2. Response of God’s People: “God’s People” must come out of her in order not to share with
her sins and receive any of her plagues (18:4).
3. Nature of Destruction: The “Great City of Babylon” will burned (18:9) and her doom will be
swift in only one hour (18:10, 17, 19). The kings of the earth will mourn and weep for her
(18:9), as well as the merchants of the earth (18:11-15) and the seamen (18:17-19).
4. Response of Heaven:
a. Heaven will rejoice for the Fall of Babylon for two things:
1) God has judged her for being a murderous city: “In her was found the blood of the
prophets and of the saints and of all who have been killed on the earth” (18:20, 24, NIV),
especially avenging the blood of His people (19:2).
2) God has judged her for being an adulterous city: “He has condemned the great
prostitute who has corrupted the earth by her adulteries” (19:2, NIV).
b. All the residents of heaven are called to rejoice over the Fall of Babylon:
1) The saints, apostles and prophets (18:20)
2) The great multitude in heaven (19:1)
3) The 24 Elders and the 4 Living Creatures (19:4)
4) A voice from God’s throne (19:6)
c. Nature of God’s Judgment. The Fall of Babylon, as a judgment of God, compels us to
praise God. How do we appreciate God’s act of judgment?
1) God’s judgment is God’s act of avenging His people. “Rejoice over her, thou heaven,
and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her” (18:20).
2) God’s judgment shows God’s greatness. “Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and
power, unto the Lord our God” (19:1).
3) God’s judgment shows that God is “true and righteous”. “For true and righteous are his
judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her
fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand” (19:2).
4) God’s judgment is a permanent act of God. “Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever
and ever” (19:3). “Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small
and great” (19:5).
5) God’s judgment shows that God is all-powerful. “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth” (19:6).

B. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb (19:6-21)

1. The Nature of the Event. The marriage supper of the Lamb is an event where everyone is
called to “be glad and to rejoice” (19:7). John was so thankful to the angel that he fell at his
feet to worship him. The angel commanded John to worship God only (19:10).
2. The Wife. Her Characteristics:
a. She made herself ready (19:7)
 b. She is “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the riteousness of the
saints” (19:8
c. Those who will participate or called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb are “blessed”
(19:9). The wife Heaven will rejoice for the Wedding of the Lamb with His Bride clothed in
fine linen, clean and white (vs. 6-10)
3. The Lamb.
a. His Physical Appearance: The Lamb came from heaven riding in a white horse (19:11);
eyes as a flame of fire; on His head many crowns (19:12); clothed with a vesture dipped in
blood (19:13); on His mouth goes a sharp sword to smite the nations (19:15)
b. His Name: “Faithful and True” (19:11); on His head a name is written that no man knew but
Himself (19:12); He is also called the “Word of God” (19:13); on His vesture and thigh is
written “King of kings and Lord of lords (19:16)
c. His Work: The Lamb came judging and make war in righteousness (19:11). He smite the
nations and rule them with a rod of iron, treading them with the fierceness and wrath of
Almighty God (19:15)
d. His Entourage: The armies of heaven follow Him clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
 4. The Visitors and their Food. The visitors for the marriage supper are the fowls that fly in the
midst of heaven (19:17). The food are the flesh of the kings, captains, mighty men, horses,
riders of horses, and of all men – both free and bond, both small and great (19:18). All the
fowls of the air were filled with their flesh (19:21).
5. The Time of the Marriage. The time of the marriage supper of the Lamb would be
immediately after victory against the beast, the kings of the earth and their armies (19:19-20).
The Lamb used the sword that goes out from His mouth to overcome the beast (19:21). That
time would coincide with the 2nd Coming of Christ after defeating His enemies. The best and
the false prophet were cast or thrown alive into the lake of fire or hell (19:20).

NOTE 9: I think that it is fair to locate the time of this battle as simultaneous, if not the same as
that of the battle mentioned in the 6th Trumpet and the 6th bowl.
1. The 6th Trumpet is presented in Revelation 9:13-19 as God’s direct judgment on humanity.
Four demonic angels bound in Euphrates River are released with 200 million troops tasked
to slay 1/3 of humanity by fire, smoke and sulphur that came out of their mouths. The troops’
breastplates are fiery red, blue and yellow. The horses’ heads are like lions. The rest of the
people not killed by these troops did not repent of their sins. The 200 million troops might be
demons but could also be human beings energized by evil spirits. Before the killing of 1/3 of
mankind’s population, the 5th trumpet shows that there were 5 months of intense pain
experienced by unbelievers through the spirits that came out of the abyss (Rev. 9:1-11).
2. The 6th bowl presented in Revelation 16:12-16 is the Battle of Armageddon. With 1/3 of
world population killed, three demonic angels that looked like frogs came out of the mouth of
the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. These demons worked miracles and go forth
unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world to convince them to do battle against the
Lamb. Evidently the battle of Armageddon is participated by human kings and armies
convinced by demons.
3. We can only guess how this last battle against the Lamb would actually happen. First, it may
be like Prophet Elijah’s confrontation against the priests of Baal at Mount Carmel. Second, it
may be like Pharaoh’s armies threatening the people of Israel before the crossing of the Red
Sea. Third, it may be like Herod and Jewish priests searching and arresting Christian
believers. Fourth, it may be like Sennacherib’s forces threatening Hezekiah and the whole
nation of Israel. The exact and specific nature of this battle may be very hard to describe.

Conclusion: The 2nd coming is a day of rejoicing. First, it is God’s judgment of those who oppose
God and kill His people. Second, after this judgment, the marriage between God’s people and the
Lamb will occur.