People in Heaven Praise God

19 After ·this vision and announcement [^Lthese things] I heard ·what sounded like a great many people [^Lthe loud voice/sound of a great crowd] in heaven saying:

³ Again they said:

⁴ Then the twenty-four elders [4:4] and the four living creatures ·bowed [fell] down and worshiped God, who sits on the throne. They said:

⁵ Then a voice came from the throne, saying:

⁶ Then I heard ·what sounded like a great many people [^Lthe voice/sound of a great crowd], like the noise of ·flooding water [many waters], and like the noise of loud thunder. The people were saying:

(The fine linen ·means [is; stands for] the ·good things done by God’s holy people [^Lrighteousness/righteous deeds of the saints/holy ones].)

⁹ And the angel said to me, “Write this: ·Blessed [Happy] are those who have been invited to the wedding ·meal [supper; banquet] of the Lamb!” And the angel said [^Lto me], “These are the true words of God.”

¹⁰ Then I ·bowed down [fell] at the angel’s feet to worship him, but he said to me, “·Do not worship me [Don’t do that!; ^LSee, not]! I am a ·servant like you [fellow servant with you] and your brothers and sisters who have the ·message [witness; testimony] of Jesus. Worship God, because the ·message [witness; testimony] ·about [or from] Jesus ·is the spirit that gives all prophecy [or is the essence of true prophecy; or is Spirit-inspired prophecy; ^Lis the spirit/Spirit of prophecy].”

The Rider on the White Horse

¹¹ Then I saw heaven opened, and there before me was a white horse. The rider [^CJesus] on the horse is called Faithful and True, and ·he is right when [with justice/righteousness] he judges and makes war [Ps. 96:13; 98:9]. ¹² His eyes are like ·burning [blazing; flames of] fire [Dan. 10:6], and on his head are many ·crowns [diadems; royal crowns; ^Ccontrast 12:3; 13:1]. He has a name written on him, which no one but himself knows. ¹³ He is dressed in a ·robe [garment] dipped in blood [^Cindicating judgment; Is. 63:1–3], and his name is the Word of God [John 1:1]. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and ·clean [pure], were following him on white horses. ¹⁵ Out of the rider’s mouth comes a sharp sword [1:16] that he will use to ·defeat [strike down] the nations [Is. 11:4], and he will ·rule [or shepherd] them with a ·rod [staff; scepter] of iron [Ps. 2:9]. He will ·crush out [tread; stomp] the wine in the winepress of the ·terrible anger [furious wrath] of God the ·Almighty [All-powerful; 19:13; Is. 63:1–6]. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his upper leg was written this name: king of kings and lord of lords [17:14; Deut. 10:17; Dan. 2:47].

¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he called with a loud voice to all the birds flying in ·the sky [^Lmid-heaven]: “Come and gather together for the great ·feast [supper; banquet] of God ¹⁸ so that you can eat the ·bodies [flesh] of kings, ·generals [captains; officers], mighty people, horses and their riders, and the bodies of all people—free, slave, small, and great [13:16; Ezek. 39:17–20].”

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth. Their armies were gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse [^CJesus] and his army. ²⁰ But the beast was captured and with him the false prophet who ·did the miracles [performed signs] ·for the beast [on his behalf; in his presence]. The false prophet had used these ·miracles [signs] to ·trick [deceive; lead astray] those who had the ·mark [brand; stamp] of the beast and worshiped his ·idol [image]. ·The false prophet and the beast [^LThe two] were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. ²¹ And ·their armies [^Lthe rest] were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds ·ate the bodies until they were full [^Lwere gorged/filled up with their flesh].