And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
14. the armies which were in heaven ] According to ordinary O. T. usage (e.g. 1Ki 22:19) this would mean the holy Angels exclusively, or at least primarily. But some think that the glorified Saints are at least included: it seems in harmony with the ideas of this Book to represent them, not indeed as executing Christ’s vengeance (which the angels do, Rev 14:19; St Mat 13:39-42), but as spectators of His triumph, which is all that these armies seem to be.
fine linen, white and clean ] The dress of Angels in St Mat 28:3 and parallels, Act 1:10; but of Saints in this Book, Rev 3:4, Rev 7:9, and probably Rev 4:4: compare the almost exactly similar words of Rev 19:8. Here this costume contrasts with the blood-dyed one of their Leader. The probable meaning is, that they have no need to take part in the work of slaughter, see Rev 19:21. We cannot argue that Martyrs who shed their own blood for their Lord are not included, nor yet that these are not of those for whom His Blood was shed; for Rev 7:14 shews that that Blood does not leave a stain.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the armies which were in heaven followed him – The heavenly hosts; particularly, it would seem, the redeemed, as there would be some incongruity in representing the angels as riding in this manner. Doubtless the original of this picture is Isa 63:3; I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with me. These hosts of the redeemed on white horses accompany him to be witnesses of his victory, and to participate in the joy of the triumph, not to engage in the work of blood.
Upon white horses – Emblems of triumph or victory. See the notes on Rev 6:2.
Clothed in fine linen, white and clean – The usual raiment of those who are in heaven, as everywhere represented in this book. See Rev 3:4-5; Rev 4:4; Rev 7:9, Rev 7:13; Rev 15:6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. The armies which were in heaven] Angels and saints over whom Jesus Christ is Captain,
Clothed in fine linen] All holy, pure, and righteous.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And the armies which were in heaven followed him; the glorious angels, 2Th 1:7, and ten thousands of his saints, Jud 1:14, who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.
Upon white horses; to prophesy success and victory.
Clothed in fine linen, white and clean; to denote their glory, purity, and holiness.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. the armies . . . inheavenCompare “the horse bridles,” Re14:20. The glorified saints whom God “will bring with”Christ at His advent; compare Re17:14, “they that are with Him, called, chosen, faithful”;as also “His mighty angels.”
white and cleanGreek,“pure.” A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and CYPRIANomit “and,” which ORIGENand ANDREAS retain, asEnglish Version.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the armies which were in heaven,…. Not the angels, though they are God’s host, and are the armies of the heavens; they are in heaven, and dwell there, and follow Christ, attend upon him, and minister to him, and have been sometimes represented by horses and horsemen, 2Ki 2:11 and they are pure and holy creatures, and will come with Christ to judgment: but this vision refers not to the day of judgment; and besides, the saints are meant, as appears by their habit, for the fine linen, white and clean, is the righteousness of the saints, Re 19:8 and the righteousness of angels and saints is not the same. Moreover, these are the same company described in Re 17:14. The saints are in a state of warfare, have many enemies to fight with, sin, Satan, and the world; they are enlisted as volunteers under Christ, the Captain of salvation; they are provided with the whole armour of God, and are very numerous, and always more than conquerors through Christ: these are described by the place where they were, “in heaven”; not being glorified saints in heaven; with these indeed Christ will come to judgment, even with all his saints with him; but members of the church militant, said to be in heaven, because that is often called the kingdom of heaven; and because their names are written in heaven, and they are of heavenly extract; they are born from above, and are partakers of the heavenly calling; they belong to heaven, they are citizens of it, and are pressing on to it. And these
followed him; Christ, their Leader and Commander in the exercise of grace, and in the discharge of duty; having gone on in his ways through a train of sufferings, and cleaved unto him, and now attend him; not to assist in fighting, but to add to the glorious and triumphant appearance of their General; and therefore are said to be
upon white horses; they had served Christ in his Gospel, which some of them had preached, and all professed, and had maintained the purity of it in doctrine and practice, and now triumphed in Christ, and along with him, riding upon horses of the same colour with his, as being his princes and nobles, and whom he had made kings as well as priests; the former may be signified by their horses; see Jud 5:10 and the latter by their following habit,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean; not the horses, but the armies on them; which designs not their inward purity, which was very glorious; nor their outward conversation garments, washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb; but the robe of Christ’s righteousness, which is pure and spotless: these have no armour on, for they are not to strike a blow, only their General, who has the bloody garment on, is to tread the winepress, and destroy antichrist with the breath of his mouth, or with his sword proceeding out of it, as follows.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The armies which are in heaven ( ). See 12:7 for Michael and angels warring with the dragon, and also Mt 26:53 for the angels at Christ’s call, not to say Heb 1:6; Heb 1:14; Matt 13:41; Rev 5:11.
Followed (). Imperfect active and singular (, neuter plural) of , graphic picture of the celestial Warrior with his angelic hosts “upon white horses” (‘ ) like the Leader and, like him “clothed in fine linen white and pure” ( ) like the Leader again (19:8). Note here as in Rev 1:13; Rev 15:6.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Followed [] . Note the imperfect tense denoting progression, and thus describing the advancing movement of the host.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And the armies which were in heaven,” (kai ta strateumata ta en to ourans) “And the armies which existed (were in battle array) in heaven; much as Elijah sawhorses and chariots of fire at Dothan; 2Ki 2:11; 2Ki 6:17; Psa 58:10-11; Col 3:4; Jud 1:14-15.
2) “Followed him upon white horses,” (ekolouthei auto eph’ hippos leukois) “Followed him (as he led the array) upon white horses; The donkey-days and donkey-nature of stubbornness, balking, and half-hearted service will one day be ended for all men. Because of redemption and the Redeemed, all shall join him on white horses of triumph at that hour, 1Jn 3:2; Mat 25:31; Zec 4:4-5.
3) “Clothed in fine linen, white and clean,” (endedumenoi bussinon leukon katharon) “The armies were dressed (uniformed) in fine linen that was both clean and white; The fine linen, clean and white signifies the righteousness of the Bride who had “made herself ready,” and other redeemed, cleansed and redeemed by faith in his blood, Rom 3:24-25; Rev 5:9-10. Let it be noted that only Christ on the Lead -Great white Horse has a sword – the days of fighting of the redeemed end in death, when the arena of earth’s battles are past; So the armies that follow him have swords and war instruments no more, Isa 2:1-5; 1Co 6:2-3.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(14) And the armies . . .The words which were should be omitted. The armies in heaven followed Him. Some would limit these to angels. The apparel which they wearthe fine linen (byssus) which is the righteousness of saints (see Rev. 19:8)is conclusive against this limited view. The saints who have fought the good fight here, and who loved not their lives unto the death, will share the triumph of their king. (Comp. also Rev. 17:14.) The horses upon which they are seated are white. The raiment they wear is white, pure. (Comp. Rev. 19:8, and Rev. 3:4; Rev. 7:14.) The hue of triumph is here, but it is the triumph of righteousness. (Comp. also Eze. 38:4.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And the armies which are in Heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure.’
In the Old Testament one of the names of God was ‘the Lord of Hosts’. Here we may well therefore see His ‘hosts’. Angels are regularly seen as clad in white and He Himself told us that He would come with the angels when He comes to judge (Mat 16:27; Mat 25:31). This could therefore be intended simply to refer to Christ coming with His angels, an event He regularly described (Mat 16:27; Mat 25:31; Mar 8:38; Luk 9:26; compare Mat 13:41; Mat 13:49; Mat 24:31; see also Rev 12:7).
In Rev 19:8 we have a similar description, that of His church the Bride, ‘dressed in fine linen, bright and pure’. But there the clothing is not white for the bride is dressed in her finery, and white for a bride was a later innovation. On the other hand she would, of course, appear before God dressed in white (Rev 7:14). And certainly in 1Th 4:14 there is the suggestion that God will bring His resurrected people ‘with Him’, and that He will meet those who are ‘raptured’ in the air. Thus it may well be that we are to see in His following both angels and redeemed men.
But what is being stressed is the total purity of these followers, whether men or angels. There is no suggestion of their being armed. They come as spectators and to carry out various functions in the mopping up after the defeat. They will not be required to fight. For all their posturing the enemy are a defeated foe.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
(14) And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (15) 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. (16) And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Having looked at Christ, in those most glorious and soul-comforting views in which John beheld him, he now saw the armies which followed him ; and they were also seen on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. I venture to take for granted, that by the armies which were in heaven, is meant the Church, the Lord’s redeemed ones. Their apparel seems to decide this. Not the angels of light. For though elect angels, and preserved by Christ in their holiness; yet, as Christ is here peculiarly seen, from his vesture dipped in blood, as a Redeemer; it should seem, that his followers were the redeemed. Moreover, they are called armies; more, I should conceive, on account of their militant state, than in this place, of their number. For though the word armies implies many, and the Lord’s hosts are a great multitude, which no man can number; Rev 7:9 , yet here the Lord himself is, seen, as on his horse of battle, in righteousness, judging and making war; and consequently, those that follow him, of his armies, are in the field of action.
There is somewhat truly interesting and beautiful, in this description of the Church, in her militant state. They are, as their Lord is, beheld on white horses, to intimate their purity and holiness in Christ. They are going after him, and with him, to battle; but not to an uncertain warfare, for He is crowned with the many crowns of victory, and they are clothed in white robes, to intimate, that they have already washed them white, in the blood of the Lamb. Moreover, they are going after Christ, not before Christ. This scripture saith, they followed him. So that everything is in beautiful correspondence to the leading truths of our most holy faith. All is of Him, and through Him, and by Him. And if we love Him, it is because he hath first loved us.
But though we may, as we are called upon so to do, behold those armies in heaven following Christ, and for a moment glance them as they pass; yet, the one only object to dwell upon in this lovely view, is Jesus himself! And the further description given of Him in this scripture, must of necessity hide every other object from anything more than the mere momentary attention. Reader! do observe how blessedly John speaks of him, when he saith: 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. It is a grand feature of character in the Lord Jesus, that while coming forth for the salvation of his chosen, he cometh forth also, for the destruction of his, and their enemies. He saith himself, by the spirit of prophecy, ages before his coming, while in the prospect of it; the day of vengeance is in my heart; and the year of my redeemed is come, Isa 63:4 ; Hab 3:13 . And it should be particularly remembered, in this scripture we are now upon, that it is for the destruction of the Anti-Christian powers, the East, and West heresies, as well as the whole works of Satan, and his kingdom, the Lord Jesus is here beheld, as coming forth clothed in armor. The terms used, of a rod of iron, and the smiting them with the sword of his mouth, are well known in scripture, Psa 2:9 and see Joh 18:6 with the note in the Commentary.
The treading the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God, hath a double aspect; as it concerns the Lord’s redeemed ones, and as it concerns the unregenerate. Christ, as his people’s Surety, hath trodden the wine-press alone; and of the people there was none with him, Isa 63:3 . And who shall describe the weight, and pressure, on the Redeemer’s soul, when he made himself an offering for sin, when he bore their sins, and carried their sorrows? But the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God hath respect also to the unregenerate; concerning whom the Lord Jesus saith: For I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments; and I will stain all my raiment, Isa 63:3 . No doubt, the day, the awful day of our God, when he comes to take vengeance on his enemies, will be so awfully marked. Those Antichristian powers, both of the East, and West, the devil, and his whole host, yea, all the unregenerate, in every nation and clime, will be trodden by CHRTST, in the wine-press of God’s vengeance; and when fully ripened in their iniquity, like the vintage of the vineyard, the Lord will tread them in his anger, and trample them in his fury, stain all his raiment, and bring down their strength to the earth.
One sweet view more. Jesus hath another name on his vesture, and on his thigh, which all his redeemed cannot but delight to read, and know him by; namely, KING of kings, and Lord of lords. Yes! Reader! the Lord Jesus Christ hath this glorious title in common with the Father, and the Holy Ghost; and specially and personally so, as God-Man Mediator. There can be nothing more sweet and refreshing to the Church of God, than the contemplation of this distinction of character, both as relating to the nature, and essence of the Godhead; and as relating to the personal glory, and dignity, of the God-Man Christ Jesus. I have, in many parts of this humble work, this Poor Man’s Commentary, dwelt upon both; as the several subjects leading to them, from the several parts of the holy scriptures, have presented them before us. But, as I am now drawing towards the close of the whole sacred volume, I would crave my Reader’s indulgence once more, to drop a word or two on both, the longer I live, the more I am convinced, of the present awful, Christ-despising generation. And what more trembling times are at hand, I know not; but, from the complexion of things now before us, there appears a sad, sad prospect. Before the final overthrow of those antichristian powers, which this book of God clearly predicts, and of which, this very Chapter sounds the glorious triumph; we must expect, from those scriptures, as the last struggle of the beast, and the false prophet, and the dragon, the most violent oppositions; yea, the two witnesses of our God and Savior, are to lie dead, under their violence, in the great city of the whore, which spiritually is called Sodom, and Egypt, three days and half, Rev 11:10Rev 11:10 . I hope, therefore, one short view more in relation to this glorious title of our glorious God, our Savior, both as it belongs to him, as God, in common with the Father and the Holy Ghost; and in his own personal, and Mediator-character, as God-Man, will neither be considered unnecessary, nor found unprofitable, under the Lord’s teaching.
Of the divine unity, of one God in essence, the whole scriptures are full. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord, Deu 6:4 . All, and every part of revelation, confirms the glorious truth. There is, there can be but one God. For as all the divine attributes and perfections are, in the highest possible extent, illimitable, and immense; so of necessity, the Lord God Almighty, fills all space, and is Omnipresent, and of an Eternal ubiquity. So that, the very idea, of another God, is excluded; for this immensity, and this ubiquity, would be broken in upon. A thing impossible.
The scriptures of God, which declare this first and leading truth, do no less at the same time declare, the existence of this first, great, and eternal cause, as existing in a threefold character of Persons, known and distinguished by distinct names, as revealed to the Church: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. They are called the Holy Three, which bear record in heaven; the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these Three are One. 1Jn 5:7 .
And here, before we go further, I stop the Reader humbly to propose one short and plain question. Supposing that we had never received this testimony from the scriptures; and supposing, for the first thine, that you, or I, were Made acquainted with the revelation of the Being of God; should we not expect to find, that the nature of his Being and existence, when made known, would be in a way of perfect distinction, from all his creatures? I say, should we not be inclined to think, that when any discovery was made to us, concerning the nature, and Being of God, we should expect to find him to differ wholly from our own? Here then it is. The testimony of Scripture on this grand point is, that the Lord Jehovah doth exist, in the eternity of his nature and Being, in a way totally distinct; and distinguished from, all his creatures; and that, in the nature and essence of the Godhead, there are three distinct personalities, of equal glory, power, wisdom, and existence; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Reader! what a mercy is it, to every child of God in relation to this great truth, that over and above this blessed scripture testimony, he hath a personal knowledge and apprehension of each glorious Person, in the revelations made to himself; in the Father’s love, the Son’s grace, and the Holy Ghost’s fellowship?
But, to return. The holy scriptures, which declare the unity of the divine essence, and the existence of the Three PER Son S in that Unity, have as graciously condescended, and in a variety of parts in the divine word, to call each of them by same distinction of character and title, to make known to the Church, their Oneness in Being, in honor, in dignity, worship, power, and in short, all the glorious prerogatives of God. Hence also, in all the departments of nature, providence, grace, and glory, we are taught, that each glorious Person hath taken part, and doth take part; and both in creation, redemption, sanctification, and all that concerns the Church; in the life that now is, or that which is to come; the whole Persons have come forward, and do come forward, to the Church in Christ in Him, as the only possible way, or channel of communication; to teach the Church, from whom jointly, and severally, their Mercies flow; and to whom again, in and through Christ, their endless praises are to be returned, both here and hereafter. I stay not to quote, or even in this place to refer to the numerous scriptures which are express to this purpose in proof. In numberless parts of this Work, I have already done it; and I hope, most plain and satisfactory to everyone taught of God. I am only now bringing forward, once more, the blessed subject itself, before I conclude my Poor Man’s Commentary.
Here, however, let the godly Reader pause again, find, as he reads his Bible, let him recollect, if he can, the very many sweet and gracious passages, the Word of God abounds with, in proof of the Personality of the Holy Three in One. How often do we find them conversing together? Gen 1:26 ; Isa 6:8 ; Joh 17 throughout; Isa 49 throughout; Joh 12:28 . How often speaking of their delight in each other, Pro 8:22 to the end; Mat 3:17 ; Joh 17:23-24 ; Rev 3:21 ; Joh 16:15Joh 16:15 . These are precious things; and precious scriptures in the confirmation of them! Let the godly Reader be very cheery of them.
One word more. The several titles, honors, and dignities, by which the Holy Three in One are known in scripture, in common one with the other, are all so many further confirmations, and of the most blessed nature, to this divine doctrine. How often do we meet with ascriptions of praise, to each, and to all; as to the blessed, and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords! And to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, is ascribed glory, both to the Father, Son, and Spirit, 1Ti 6:15-161Ti 6:15-16 . Compare 1Pe 5:11 with 2Pe 3:18 and Jud 1:25 . Compare Isa 6:3 with Rev 4:8 and Rev 1:4 .
And the same we find personally offered to the Person of Christ, as Mediator; not only in this text before us, but in every part of the word of God. In this very book of Revelation, to go no further, we have many instances, Rev 5:9 to the end. Rev 1:5-7 . Reader! look at both. Bless God the Spirit, for his gracious testimonies to the whole, in his word of truth; and pray for his teachings, to make the whole profitable.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Ver. 14. And the armies which were in heaven ] The heavenly minded heroes that fight his battles, are all in his livery, horsed and habited as he, in whom they are more than conquerors, because they are sure to conquer before they fight.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
were = are.
upon. As “on”, Rev 19:4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rev 19:14. , the armies) called and chosen, and faithful, ch. Rev 17:14.- ) is not a superfluous epithet,[212] for there is some linen which is even yellow.
[212] Hence its omission, though plainly approved of in Ed. Maj., is by the margin of Ed. II. banished to the less supported readings; the Vers. Germ. following this, which has mit reiner weisser Seiden.-E. B.
A Orig. 4.58e Iren. Cypr. h Vulg. support . The only good authority for the omission is Orig. 4,55b, which is contradicted by 4,58e.-E.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the armies: Rev 14:1, Rev 14:20, Rev 17:14, Psa 68:17, Psa 149:6-9, Zec 14:5, Mat 26:53, 2Th 1:7, Jud 1:14
white horses: Rev 19:11
clothed: Rev 19:8, Rev 4:4, Rev 7:9, Mat 28:3
Reciprocal: Lev 6:10 – linen garment 1Sa 14:45 – he hath 2Ki 6:17 – full of horses 2Ch 6:41 – thy priests Ezr 6:12 – destroy Psa 68:14 – When Ecc 9:8 – thy garments Son 6:4 – terrible Isa 3:23 – fine linen Jer 50:42 – shall ride Dan 12:6 – man Dan 12:10 – shall be Joe 3:11 – cause Mic 5:5 – then Hab 3:8 – ride Luk 20:43 – General Rev 3:4 – walk Rev 6:2 – a white
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 19:14. This is a symbolic picture of the war that is about to be fought against the beast that has been defying Heaven’s authority for 1260 years.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 14.
In verse fourteen the armies that followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were the overcomers of the tribulation–redeemed from the period of persecution. In verse fifteen it was declared that the Rider would smite the nations and rule them with a rod of iron. The process of this smiting was indicated in God’s commission to Jer 1:10 : “See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” In the Revelation text the phrases, smite the nations and rule them with a rod of iron, were symbolic of the impact of the gospel on the heathen world.
This inherent power and force of Christianity was prophesied in Psa 2:1-3 : “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 19:14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. These armies comprise in all probability both the angels and the saints (comp. chap. Rev 17:14). All triumph with their triumphant Head and King. But no blood is sprinkled upon their garments. So in Psa 110:3 the Psalmist does not speak of Messiahs people as fighting; they are willing in the day that He warreth (Perowne).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
White garments are for those who overcome. ( Rev 3:5 ) The martyrs underneath the altar were given white robes ( Rev 6:9-11 ) and those standing before the throne who had come out of great tribulation were wearing them. ( Rev 7:9 ; Rev 7:14 ) So, these armies could be composed of the Lord’s saints.
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
19:14 {14} And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
(14) The company or retinue of Christ, holy, innumerable, heavenly, judicial, royal and pure.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Armies mounted on horses will come with Christ.
"As the Lamb, Christ is followed by the saints (Rev 17:14); as the heavenly Warrior, he is followed by the angels." [Note: Ladd, p. 255.]
Angels will accompany Jesus Christ at His second coming (Mat 13:41; Mat 16:27; Mat 24:30-31; Mar 8:38; Luk 9:26; 2Th 1:7), but it seems unlikely that they are the persons on horses. Rather these seem to be human beings (cf. Rev 17:14; Rev 21:2-7; Zec 14:5). Their dress connects them with the Lamb’s bride (Rev 19:8).
"This heavenly army, unlike their leader, has no swords or spears. They take no part in the action. They wear no armor because, being immortal, they are immune to injury. They are noncombatant supporters of the Messiah as He wages the war single-handedly . . ." [Note: Thomas, Revelation 8-22, p. 387.]