ACC ~ Revelation 19 v17 - 21

OVERVIEW:

The angel in mid-heaven is the church’s preaching (PRIMASIUS, CAESARIUS OF ARLES, BEDE). This preaching is without fear and is the more free the more it is oppressed (PRIMASIUS, BEDE). Those who hear the preaching of the one church and become faithful are sacrificially “eaten” and so are transformed into the body of the church (PRIMASIUS, CAESARIUS OF ARLES). The angels, too, are like birds because of their sublime and exalted natures (OECUMENIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA). The angel in mid-heaven, who may be Michael (APRINGIUS), invites all the angels to share in the joy of God’s victory over his enemies (OECUMENIUS). These angels are in “mid-heaven” for they intervene and mediate for the saints of the catholic church (APRINGIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA), and they give commands in the light of the Spirit (OECUMENIUS).

Even as delight over the death of one’s enemies may be called “food,” so also the joy of believers is a “food” (OECUMENIUS). In a similar manner, Christ said that his food was the will of the Father. Those who do the will of the Father will eat the supper of the kingdom; those who are lustful and wicked will eat the supper of torment (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). Although the devil and the antichrist will gather their armies against the Lord and his angels (OECUMENIUS) and against the saints who follow Jesus (APRINGIUS), the Lord will defeat them more quickly than it takes to speak a word (OECUMENIUS). By the unity of its mind and will the army of Christ will overcome the armies of sins and of heretical opinions, which the devil commands (ANDREW OF CAESAREA).

Finally, no one can resist Christ (APRINGIUS), and so the devil and his entire society will be destroyed (PRIMASIUS). The devil and the antichrist will be condemned to the lake of fire, where they will be immortal and live eternally (OECUMENIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA). By a great justice God does not condemn the devil and his followers with the same punishment (OECUMENIUS). The sword is swift, the second death eternal (OECUMENIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA). At that time the saints who hungered and thirsted after righteousness will be filled with the full knowledge of divine righteousness (PRIMASIUS).

19:17 | One Angel Standing in the Sun

THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL INTERVENES. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: He saw an angel standing upon the sun. The sun upon which this angel is standing is the Faith of the catholic church. Concerning this angel also Daniel spoke as follows: “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who stands before the sons of your people.” For just as then this holy archangel stood in the sight of God on behalf of the sons of the ancient people, so now he unceasingly intervenes for the people of the whole catholic church. “And there shall be a time, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time.” In the Revelation the holy John says that in that time the birds of the earth shall gather to consume the bodies of the impious. TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.17-18.

THE ANGELS DESTROY GOD’S ENEMIES. OECUMENIUS: I think that this holy angel … is a certain military herald of the divine army and that he commands all the holy angels in heaven, here called “birds” because they are sublime and fly in the air, to partake of the slaughter of the enemies. To be sure, even one angel was sufficient to destroy an entire army of the enemy, as that one clearly demonstrated who destroyed 185,000 Assyrians in one night. However, he orders all to partake so that all might share in the joy against [God’s] enemies. For I think that also these say with the prophet, “Do I not hate them that hate you, O Lord? And have I not wasted away because of your enemies? I have hated them with a perfect hate, and they were counted among my enemies.” And since he commanded angels who were flying in mid-heaven, he too was standing in mid-heaven when he gave them orders. For the sun is established in the middle of the seven planets, with three above it and three below it. Either this [is the meaning], or he was giving his commands in the light, which is as it were, in the Spirit and was speaking of the coming slaughter. For the Spirit is the spiritual light, as the prophet teaches when he was discoursing with God the Father, and said, “In your Light, shall we see Light,” that is, in the Spirit we shall see the Son. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.17-21.

BY PREACHING THE CHURCH TRANSFORMS UNBELIEVERS. PRIMASIUS: The angel refers to the church in her preaching. Rightly it adds “one,” for “my dove is only one.” In this manner the mystery of unity is preserved. [The angel] is “in the sun,” where it may be already brightly visible and not further hidden because of fear. “And with a loud voice it called out.” In the loud voice we recognize the liberty of a great trust. … In some contexts birds are interpreted by the qualities of evil birds, in other contexts they are interpreted by the qualities of good birds. As earlier the form of an eagle in flight was mentioned, so in this passage those who are spiritual are invited to the feast. Peter, who bore the image of the present church, was told of this feast when it was said to him, “Kill and eat.” Since they kill what they had been so that they might become what he is, that is, faithful, they are transformed into the body of the church, and having been planted with the members of the Christ, they reign with them. For whatever we eat, we bring over into our body. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.L7.

AS THOUGH THEY WERE ONLY ONE CHURCH. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: [The angel in the sun] is the preaching that takes place in the church. … Depending on the context, we interpret birds or beasts to represent the good or the wicked. For example, “The wild beast will bless me,” or, “The Lion from the tribe of Judah.” In the present passage the birds flying in mid-heaven are the churches that, being considered as one body, it had said was an eagle flying in mid-heaven. EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.18, HOMILY 17.

THE ANGELS SHARE THEIR ASCENT AND JOY. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: We think that this angel is one of the highest of the angels and exhorts the others to rejoice over the punishment of the sinners and the cessation of sin. He has called the angels “birds” due to the exalted and sublime nature that they have in comparison with ours. In imitation of Christ, their food is the fulfilling of the divine will. They are “in mid-heaven” so that they might share their ascent and joy, just mentioned, with those people who are similar to the angels. For through their mediation there is a way up from the things below, and through them the saints “are caught up to meet the Lord.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.17.

LIKE AN EAGLE IN FLIGHT. BEDE: [The angel standing in the sun] represents preaching in the church, which shines the more brightly and thunders the more freely the more it is oppressed. … The birds refer to the saints who live a heavenly life, “for wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” Considered as one body, he had referred to the saints as an eagle flying in mid-heaven. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 19.17.

19:17-18 | Gather for the Supper of God

TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE. OECUMENIUS: “That you might,” it says, “eat the flesh of kings.” The delight over the death of one’s enemies is called “food.” Similarly, the Lord also speaks of joy [as food] when he says to his disciples and apostles, “I have food to eat which you do not know.” In this way he calls “food” that delight that will come to those who believe. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.17-21.

THE NATIONS BECOME THE BODY OF CHRIST. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: We know that this in fact happens in the church. For when all nations are incorporated in the church, they are spiritually devoured. Indeed, those who have been devoured by the devil become the body of the devil, while those who have been received by the church are made to be members of Christ. EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.17-18, HOMILY 17.

THROUGH OUR WORKS WE DESIRE THE KINGDOM OR TORMENT. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: That will of God is to be regarded as foremost which is called both his “good pleasure” and the supper most desired by him, namely, that “people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” and that they turn and live. But second, it is his will that those who have trusted in themselves suffer punishment. Therefore, Christ said that his food was the will of the Father. In this passage he calls this the “supper of God,” since each of those who are present desired through their works either the supper of the kingdom or the supper of torment. Through the eating of flesh it indicates the destruction of everything fleshly and the end of kings and rulers on the earth. It mentions horses, not because they will rise again, but through them it signifies either the excessive desire for women or those who have submitted to evil, or perhaps both. In the riders it symbolizes those who are especially wicked. A little further on it further clarifies, saying, “both free and slave, both great and small.” By the free and great it refers to those who sinned freely and willingly, and by the slave and small it indicates those who transgressed in a lesser manner, either because of their intent or because of their age or because of weakness. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.17-18.

THE FAITHFUL WILL EAT THEIR FILL. BEDE: “Come,” it says, “you who hunger and thirst for righteousness, to the supper of the kingdom that is to come, when the anger of the proud has been suppressed and you will eat your fill of the light of the divine righteousness.” EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 19.18.

19:19 | The Kings of the Earth Gathered Against Him

WAR AGAINST CHRIST AND THE SAINTS. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: If you compare the words of the blessed Daniel, you will find one and the same thing. “He will come with a great multitude so that he might exterminate and destroy many.” However, in the Revelation it is said that, when the kings of the earth and their armies are gathered together, they will war against him who sits on the horse, that is, against Jesus Christ, and against his army, that is, against all saints who follow him. TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.19.

THE LORD WILL DEFEAT HIS ENEMIES. OECUMENIUS: And they waged war against the Lord and his holy angels, that is, the devil and the antichrist—for it calls the latter the “false prophet” of that brutal devil—and the kings who are arrayed with them. However, they were defeated more quickly than a word [is spoken]. For what do the divine Scriptures say about them? Speaking of their sudden destruction, Isaiah says, “Let the ungodly be taken away, that he not see the glory of the Lord.” And the apostle says, “whom the Lord will slay with the breath of his mouth.” For what is shorter than to breathe or to blow upon one’s enemies? COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.17-21.

CHRIST HAS ONE ARMY. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: It speaks of the armies allied with the devil in the plural, because of the many forms of their sin and their divisions and various opinions. [By contrast], it speaks of the angelic powers and of those persons like the angels who follow Christ in the singular as an army, because of the unity of their mind and their will which is well-pleasing to the divine Word. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.19.

19:20 | Thrown into the Lake of Fire

AGAINST WHOM THE LORD FIGHTS. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: And Daniel says, “No one will help him.” When the Lord fights against him, no one is able to bring assistance to him. … [The two thrown into the fire were] the devil, the leader of every evil being, and that one who is most wicked, who is called the antichrist. TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.20.

FOREVER CONDEMNED. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: Although these, together with the kings and rulers who trusted them, arrayed themselves against Christ the Savior, both the antichrist and the false prophet, who by signs and wonders made the rogue acceptable, are bested and overcome by the divine wrath. … Perhaps these will not die that death that is common to all, but in the twinkling of an eye will be made immortal by being condemned to the second death of the lake of fire, just as the apostle spoke of others who “will not sleep but will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” These [mentioned by Paul] will rightly go to judgment. But the two mentioned in this passage, being wicked and against God, will not go to judgment but to condemnation. And although some do not hold this opinion, we base ourselves on the saying of the apostle that the antichrist will be destroyed by the spirit of the command of God and on one of our teachers who said that some will be found living after the destruction of the antichrist. We affirm that those living are those blessed by Daniel, but that after the destruction of their power these two will be handed over with their incorruptible bodies to the fire of Gehenna. This will be their death and destruction by the divine command of Christ. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.20.

19:21a | The Rest Were Slain by the Sword

A GREAT JUSTICE. OECUMENIUS: “These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire. And the rest were slain by the sword.” O, what a superabundance of justice! He does not reckon those responsible for the war and those who were accomplices worthy of the same punishment. Rather, the two, namely, the devil and the antichrist, were condemned to the fire, in which they will live for eternity—for this is the meaning of their being thrown alive into the fire. The rest are killed by the sword. It is, certainly, much different to give swift justice with the sword than to condemn to fire. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.17-21.

THE DEVIL AND ALL HIS FOLLOWING WILL BE DESTROYED. PRIMASIUS: “The beast was captured and with him the false prophet.” This refers to the devil and the antichrist or the leaders and their entire following. … There are two, the head and the body, the devil and his society … which shall continue until the end of time. “The rest were slain by the sword … which issues from his mouth.” It divides the one body into parts, wishing to show both those who have been dead a long time and those whom Christ will find living at his second coming, as we read, “whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the brightness of his coming.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.20-21.

19:21b | The Birds Were Gorged with Their Flesh

EATEN BY BIRDS. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: All who have believed [the beast] will be killed by the judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the breath of his mouth, and their flesh will be put out for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth. TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.21.

FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF RIGHT-EOUSNESS. PRIMASIUS: “And all the birds were gorged with their flesh.” We ought not think of this in a carnal manner so that we believe that the saints, who seek higher things, are sated on the flesh of the impious. Rather, when the equity of the divine judgment has been revealed, through which [God] will determine the full number of the elect and so decree that the others are to be damned, [the saints] are said to be sated with the knowledge of that righteousness after which they hungered and thirsted in this life but were unable to comprehend perfectly. For even Isaiah said of the impious, “And they shall be a complete spectacle to all flesh.” I think it is the satiety of the birds that is mentioned in this passage. Also the apostle admits that he has not yet understood perfectly when he says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on so that I might understand because I have been known by Christ.” And so, they shall not rejoice at the damnation of the wicked, but sated by the light of the divine righteousness, they will at that time rejoice. One might interpret the birds in a negative way and regard them as the transgressing angels. Having led their followers into destruction, these angels are said to have fulfilled their evil desire and to be filled on the flesh of the lost. Thus, they acquire their satiety from the damnation of those to whom they had offered themselves as guides to error. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.21.

EVERY FLESHLY DEED IS LOATHSOME TO THE SAINTS. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: There are two deaths, the first that of the separation of the soul and body, and the second that of being sent to Gehenna. Concerning those who ally themselves with the antichrist, there is reason to think that they will suffer the first death, that of the flesh, by the sword of God, that is, by his command, and that then the second death will follow. However, should this not be the case, then they will share with those who deceived them the second death, that of eternal torment. The birds are gorged on their flesh. To this we might add, that just as God spoke to some through Isaiah, “You have become loathsome to me,” so every fleshly deed is tiresome, grievous and loathsome to the saints. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.21.