REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE - Chapter 19 - Verse 21

Verse 21. And the remnant. The remainder of the assembled hosts—the army at large, in contradistinction from the leaders.

Were slain with the sword. Cut down with the sword; not rescued for protracted torment. A proper distinction is thus made between the deceived multitudes and the leaders who had deceived them.

Of him that sat upon the horse. The Messiah, Re 19:11.

Which sword proceeded out of his mouth. Barnes on "Re 19:15".

That is, they were cut down by a word. They fell before him as he spake, as if they were slain by the sword. Perhaps this indicates that the effect that is to be produced when these great powers shall be destroyed is a moral effect; that is, that they will be subdued by the word of the Son of God.

And all the fowls were filled with their flesh. See Barnes on "Re 19:17".

An effect was produced as if the fowls of heaven should feed upon the carcases of the slain.

The general idea here is, that these great Antichristian powers which had so long resisted the gospel, and prevented its being spread over the earth; which had shed so much blood in persecution, and had so long corrupted and deceived mankind, would be subdued. The true religion would be as triumphant as if the Son of God should go forth as a warrior in his own might, and secure their leaders for punishment, and give up their hosts to the birds of prey. This destruction of these great enemies—which the whole course of the interpretation leads us to suppose is still future—prepares the way for the millennial reign of the Son of God—as stated in the following chapter. The "beast" and the "false prophet" are disposed of, and there remains only the subjugation of the great dragon—the source of all this evil—to prepare the way for the long-anticipated triumph of the gospel. This subjugation of the great original source of all those evil influences is stated in Re 20:1-3; and then follows the account of the thousand years' rest of the saints, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment.

{f} "sword" Re 19:15; 1:16 {g} "fowls" Re 19:17,18