[§316] Rev 19:14: Heavenly Armies [Bride] Come with Christ

This podcast explains the symbolism and imagery used by John to describe the second appearance of Jesus Christ during his Second Coming in Revelation 19:14-16, when Christ will step foot on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. These verses say: “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” The multiple armies in these verses are different classes of exaltation-worthy people including (1) translated people from the Old Testament who were resurrected with Christ at his resurrection, (2) deceased saints from the Old Testament who were resurrected with Christ, (3) deceased saints from every age who will be resurrected when the morning of the first resurrection resumes at the Second Coming, (4) mortal saints living at the time of the Second Coming who will be translated, transfigured, or quickened and taken up to heaven to stand in the flesh with Christ on heavenly Mount Zion (Rev 14:1), and (5) the translated Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. These “armies” are all on white horses to evidence their exaltation-worthy status, just as Christ is on his white horse in an exalted state. The sword in the mouth of Jesus Christ symbolizes the power of his word, which is the word of God. The sword is probably double-edged to indicate the dual aspect of his Second Coming victory over wicked people living on earth as Physical Armageddon comes to an end, as well as his victory over spirit sons of perdition who will be conquered as Spiritual Armageddon comes to an end. Christ alone will destroy wicked people living on the earth, which will cause his vesture to become symbolically bloodstained. The white clothing of the armies is not bloodstained because they do not participate in the physical slaughter of telestial-worthy people. Christ alone treads the winepress to crush wicked people like grapes. The name-title of King of kings and Lord of lords describes the absolute sovereignty of Christ over all kingdoms both political and ecclesiastical. The name is written on both his bloodstained vesture and his thigh making it symbolically conspicuous and connected with his power to destroy all evil.