The Time Appointed
Revelation 19:8-10, 13-16
Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.) The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
See what the church was given to wear. The text makes it clear this fine linen is the righteous acts of Christ and of the the holy people that are his. These were not the people's righteous works. Rather they are the works of another through them. This is why everyone got a wedding garment in this text. The Holy Spirit works through the people in Matthew 22:12. The collective people in this situation supersede the individuals. The order is given for them to get dressed. There is following in this leading. These people do not know where they are going nor what is coming next. The text speaks of an intimacy not yet seen. His ways are past finding out. Even the elders and all of Heaven, in the verses before, cannot fully praise him until they have seen the whole of it. Before, they praised him for who he is. Now, they praise him for what he did. They are getting dressed as the armies of Heaven and as ministers of God's justice. The armies of Heaven are seen here as ministers of justice. The ministry of judgment is an extension of the priestly ministry. When you think it does not seem fair, remember that the blessing of one became the blessing of all.
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty
His name is written on his clothes and on his thigh not so he can know who he is. Rather, we can know who he is and by whose authority he casts Beelzebub out in Matthew 12:27. This has been a question long enough. God will not share his glory with any as in Isaiah 42:8. He is labeled so you can know who he is: "King of Kings and Lord of Lords." He has a name above all others according to Philippians 2:9. God, as Isaiah 42:8 states, is not in the sharing business. So, when he came to the Jews and they said he cast out demons by the power of Satan, in Matthew 12:24, that was highly insulting and their first mistake. Their second was the wounds he received in the house of his friends according to Zechariah 13:6. So when they see the scars, even when he is labeled they still will not recognize him. 'Where did you get those,' they will ask. Imagine when the Antichrist shows up and the whole world believes the lie. You know what, Revelation 1 opens with Jesus walking among the seven churches. How can you not recognize the power, divinity, and authority of God? When he casts the beast and the false prophet out of the house you will know who he is then. A "house divided against itself" cannot stand according to Matthew 12:25. This is God's house, not unto mans. He alone reserves the divine right to judgement, to prune the house as he will. It is done so every tongue will be stopped and no one will say what are you doing in Romans 3:19. You know his purpose is to judgment. So when you see all these things spoken of, Matthew 24:15 says, your response should be to flee. You do not know what is going on. When God shows up, you get out of his way. Revelation 19:6 says, "for our Lord God Almighty reigns." Where is he in all this judgement, destruction of the world, and an imposter showing up claiming God's authority? He is on his throne where he has always been. You can take that however you want to take it; when he shows up, be sure you are out of the way.
Then the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" And he added, "These are the true words of God." 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."
Notice the unity of God. If he shows up as the Son of Man or as God the Father with the Spirit inside him, worship him. The Scripture teaches that you do not know when he will show up as in Matthew 25:13. See the parable of the sheep, the goats, and doing unto Christ as unto the least of these his brethren as in Matthew 25:31-46. Some of you have entertained angels unawares according to Hebrews 13:2. Where is he now? He is both at the right hand of God and walking among his churches. He knew them intimately throughout the centuries. He knew where they came from and where they were going. And he called them out for their stuff in a way that they would understand. Imagine you are exiled to an island by yourself having visions of the world to come; you are so alone. You have been writing down what you see and have been bearing witness to him as he told you from the beginning; then an angel shows up and says, 'oh by the way write this too because I have the Spirit of God in me and have been a laborer for Christ just like you.' After this, he shows back up again real quick in Heaven in time to release the armies who have by this time gotten dressed. They got dressed in his righteousness.
The garments were meant for the bride of Christ; how did the church get ahold of them? The blessing of the individual blesses the many. Yet the point is not on the dressing but rather on the Christ figure himself. Heaven stood open in Revelation 19:11. Why is it open? Because of the person standing in the doorway who is the doorway, the posts, and the whole house. He judges and waged war because by his own right and authority he does such things. He did not just start. He has been doing it for all eternity since the creation of the world. He alone reserved the right to prune his creation. His name is faithful and true. Faithful is he who called you who will also do it as in 1 Thessalonians 5:24. When you see him, you will know it by the Word of God. I bet John was not feeling so foolish now was he. There are many names of God describing his true nature. We cannot understand him but through his names and what he does to tell us who he is. On his head are many crowns. The kingdoms of the earth are his along with the works of the believers thrown back at his feet in Revelation 4:10. They were his works anyway because they were done in his authority and power both to and for him in his name. So, the one with the glory is Christ after all. Imagine being rewarded for something you did. Then you realize you did not do it after all, he did.
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
He has already been busy. He had not even ridden out to tread the wine press of the Lord in the earth and yet his robe is already bloodied. He alone is worthy and will not share his glory with any. His eyes are a blazing fire. I suggest next time you meet someone with blazing eyes and a two-edged sword coming out of their mouth you check them for the divinity of God. The world's sin was the worship of someone other than God. They worshipped a name other than God's. They submitted to a power other than his. Remember when God judged the king of Israel and the lying spirit volunteered to lead the king of Israel to his death in 1 Kings 22:19-23. The lying spirit went before the Spirit of God to lie to the people and the false prophets until God sat on his throne; with God's power, he that spoke found it came to pass causing even the demonic to obey him. Worship God. They rejected him so he sold them the lie that would destroy them. So we see that if the lying spirit sent by God's command was his servant, is not the antichrist also his servant? Is not Satan his servant, unwilling, nonetheless. This is done so that every mouth will be stopped in his presence according to Romans 3:19. The church will not help but stand speechless until they praise him.
There is an appointed time. The word resurrect means to change from mortality to immortality according to 1 Corinthians 15:53. This change can occur between states, locations, and positions. If I am sown in dishonor, then I am raised in honor as in 1 Corinthians 15:43. If a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; when it springs forth there will be a harvest in John 12:24. Both the timing and the harvest are God's. He will send forth the reapers into the harvest as in Matthew 9:38. The kingdom of Heaven is like the tares sown among the wheat. God said in Matthew 13:30, "let both grow together until the harvest." There is then a regrowth for the people of God. This regrowth is known as the resurrection. This life is not all there is. Luke 24:25 terms those that do not understand as fools and slow of heart to believe all the prophets have preached. It has already been done in God's kingdom while it is yet prophesied in man's. These concepts must be understood properly. Contextual analysis is done to hear all God has for you.