19:11-21 Christ Defeats and Destroys the Beast, the False Prophet, and Their Gathered Armies. The climactic battle for which the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet gathered the earth’s kings (16:13-16) is introduced with a description of the Christ the victor (19:11-16), then with a grim “dinner invitation” forecasting the battle’s outcome (vv. 17-18). Finally the conflict occurs (vv. 19-21).
19:11 The rider of the white horse is already victorious, and white is the color of victory... The rider’s titles, Faithful and True, identify him as Jesus, the faithful and true witness (1:5; 3:14).
19:12-16 The horse’s rider (v. 11) is the Son of Man, with eyes…like a flame of fire and a sharp sword, whom John saw on the Lord’s Day... His many diadems (crowns signifying royalty) show his supremacy as King of kings and Lord of lords. Although he is named the Word of God as the greatest revelation of the Father (John 1:1, 14; Heb. 1:1-2), he also has a name written that no one knows but himself, since the infinite being of the Son of God can never be fully known…Divine mystery veils part of the nature of the Son in whom God speaks most fully (Luke 10:22).
19:14 The fine linen, white and pure, identifies the armies of heaven as the Bride of the Lamb (v. 8; 6:11; 7:14). They ride white horses, sharing his victory (see note on 2:17; also 12:11; 15:2).
19:15 Jesus is the Messiah who will rule the nations with a rod of iron (see note on 12:5; Ps. 2:9), judging justly and striking down the wicked. As the divine Warrior who treads the winepress of God’s wrath, his robe is dipped in his foes’ blood (Isa. 63:1-6).
19:17-18 The angel’s invitation to birds, to pick corpses clean at the great supper of God, reflects OT covenant curse (Deut. 28:26) and echoes God’s prophetic word against Gog and Magog, who oppressed his people (Ezek. 39:17-20; see Rev. 20:8). The beast’s army, to be consumed as carrion, includes not only kings (16:14) and warriors, but also all who serve the beast, both free and slave, both small and great (13:16).
Taken from the ESV Study Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2008 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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