Darrell, somewhere we cross communicated.
Agreed. This is why it is important to be specific as to what Scripture you refer to. You said Revelation 19, so I assumed you had the resurrection of the Tribulation Martyrs in mind.
You bring up a good point of discussion, though, because exactly what the "Marriage Supper of the Lamb is" is a point which should be threshed out.
I was using these verses (followed by a short explanation).
Rev 19: 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he *said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he *said to me, “These are true words of God.”
These verses are important, because they show the saints with Christ before the millennium starts.
I would agree, this does indicate that at this point the Bride is ready for the Marriage Supper.
But, we see the Tribulation Martyrs only...resurrected at this time. We can safely say that this is the end of the Tribulation. In view we can say is the Church, and the Tribulation Martyrs, Those are the only two groups we can identify. And only the Tribulation Martyrs are said to be resurrected.
When they are resurrected we can say that both the Church, and those resurrected at this time are glorified (and again glorification is implied, I think, for the Tribulation Martyrs.
The context is John's response to the three Hallelujah's resulting from the fall of Babylon which takes place in chapter 18.
Whereas I would narrow that down to a declaration of the Impending Marriage Supper which is followed by Saints coming from Heaven with Christ (which implies heavily that the Rapture of the Church has already taken place), which itself is followed by the destruction of those that are enemies of God (destroyed by the Word of Christ).
After that takes place, then we see the Tribulation Martyrs raised. Not much room in there to impose the Rapture of the Church.
And again, we see the question of the OP raised: if we have the Church returning with Christ (if they are the ones with Him in ch.19) and are at this time resurrected...who populates the Millennial Kingdom?
There has to be a physical Body in order to produce the offspring that rebels at the end of the Millennial Kingdom.
Starting in Rev 19: 11 is the second coming of Christ.
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Agreed.
Therefore, when that "supper of God" is finished (17 and 18) the enemy of believers is chained, then the Millennium begins.
Have to stop there for clarification of what you believe.
This...
Revelation 19:17-21
King James Version (KJV)
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
...is not the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
It is the Supper of the Great God, which can be seen in the text to have the fowls that fly in heaven called to feast on the carcasses of the destroyed unbelievers.
This same event is described in Old Testament Prophecy as well (and if you don't mind I am going to use a 5font on these):
Ezekiel 39
King James Version (KJV)
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God.
Another place we see this is sometimes confused as a Rapture passage:
Luke 17
King James Version (KJV)
24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Okay, just going to pause there and point out that in view is Christ's Return, which we see in Revelation 19 followed by the Supper of the Great God.
The point in this passage highlights judgment and death for those judged.
Now let's see how this ends:
Luke 17:34-37
King James Version (KJV)
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
It could be argued which is in view, the taken or left. But, I think it makes the most sense in light of all we have to consider to see that those taken are those that are judged and die.
Consider that it will be as it was in the day of Noah and Lot.
Who was taken, and who was left?
Now, finish that thought with the Sheep and Goat Judgment that takes place in Matthew 25: who is taken in judgment, and who is left?
Continued...
