Avenging The Blood Of The Saints! Revelation 19:1-2

The judgment on first-century, old covenant, unbelieving Israel in Revelation was God AVENGING the blood of his servants who were killed by unbelieving Israel.

Deuteronomy 31-32 is the Song of Moses about the last generation of Old Covenant Israel where this vengeance is foretold.

This vengeance would occur during the last generation of old covenant Israel – the first century.

Recall that Jesus established the new covenant around AD 33.

This places the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 32 as occurring during the generation of the Israelite’s present during the life of Jesus.

In Deuteronomy 32, there are two groups of people prophesied to be living in first-century Israel during its final generation under the old covenant of law.

Group #1 - The Servants of God (believers in Jesus during the final old covenant generation)

Group #2 - The Enemies of God (unbelievers in Jesus during the final generation of old covenant Israel)

In Deuteronomy 32, the servants of God were persecuted by the enemies of God.

Many servants were killed.

Deuteronomy 32:43 states that God would AVENGE the blood of his servants through vengeance upon their killers.

Deuteronomy 32:43

Rejoice, you nations, with his people [the people of God in Israel were those who believed in Jesus as the Christ], for he will AVENGE the blood of his servants [believing Israel]; he will take VENGEANCE on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people.

This is the vengeance on first-century, old covenant Israel that is revealed in Revelation.

God’s judgment of vengeance upon the people of Israel for breaking the old covenant is written in Leviticus 26:25.

Leviticus 26:25

And I will bring the sword [sword is an army during the old covenant age] on you to AVENGE the breaking of the covenant.

Note: Revelation 6 is the fulfillment Leviticus 26:14-46. LEARN MORE

In Luke 21:20-24 (NKJV), Jesus told the people of Israel that the sword of vengeance of Leviticus 26:25 and Deuteronomy 32:43 was coming in their generation (first-century, old covenant Israel).

Luke 21:20-24 (NKJV)

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies [AD 70 when the Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem], then know that its desolation is near [compare with Matthew 23:36-38]. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22For these are the days of VENGEANCE, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land [land of Israel] and wrath upon this people [the people of Israel who rejected Jesus; these are the enemies of God in Deuteronomy 32:43]. 24And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations [see the curses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28]. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled [according to Revelation 11:2, the time of the Gentiles is when the Roman armies besieged Jerusalem for 42 months].”

According to Jesus in Matthew 23:31-38, this vengeance would be the pouring out of the blood of the murdered servants (believing Israel) on those who killed them (unbelieving Israel).

Matthew 23:31-38 (Berean Literal Bible)

[Jesus said to unbelieving Israel] “Thus you [unbelieving Israel during the time of Jesus] bear witness to yourselves that you are sons of those having murdered the prophets. 32You, then, fill up the measure of your fathers [complete what your fathers started by murdering the prophets sent by God in the first-century]. 33Serpents! Offspring of vipers! How shall you escape from the sentence of Gehenna [judgment on first-century Israel]?

34Because of this, behold, I send to you [unbelieving Israel] prophets and wise men and scribes [believing Israel were sent by Jesus to unbelieving Israel to proclaim he was the Christ and to warn of judgment to come; two of the prophets were the two witnesses of Revelation 11]. Some of them you will kill and will crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues, and will persecute from town to town; 35so that upon you shall come all the righteous blood being poured out upon the earth [the land of Israel; same Greek word translated as land in Luke 21:23; this pouring out of blood is fulfilled in Revelation from AD 66 – AD 70 when the Roman armies destroyed the land, people, and cites of Israel when God used them as the sword of vengeance], from the blood of the righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

36Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation [judgment on the first-century generation of old covenant Israel]. 37“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38See! Your house is left to you desolate.”

After Jesus ascended into heaven, unbelieving Israel (the enemies of God in Deuteronomy 32) began killing believing Israel (the servants of God in Deuteronomy 32), starting with Stephen in Acts 6-7.

In Revelation 6:10, the first-century murdered servants/saints pray for their blood to be avenged.

Their prayer was based on Deuteronomy 32:43.

Revelation 6:10

And they [believing Israel, the servants/saints, who were killed by unbelieving Israel] cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those [unbelieving Israel who killed the believers in Israel] who dwell upon the earth [the land of Israel; same Greek word in Luke 21:23] and AVENGE our blood? [this refers back to Matthew 23:34-36; those in Revelation 6:10 are those who Jesus said would be killed and persecuted by unbelieving Israel]”

Revelation 6:10 refers back to Deuteronomy 32:43 and Matthew 23:34-36.

Those in Revelation 6:10 are those in Matthew 23:34-36 who Jesus said would be killed and persecuted by unbelieving Israel.

The following verses in Revelation complete the narrative of God's final old covenant judgment of vengeance on first-century, old covenant, unbelieving Israel.

Revelation 16:6

For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink [Matthew 23:35], as they deserve.

Revelation 18:20 continues to unfold this first-century judgment/vengeance on old covenant Israel.

Revelation 18:20

Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.

This is the judgment of Deuteronomy 32:43, Matthew 23:31-38, and Luke 21:5-24 when the blood of the saints was avenged.

Revelation 19:1-2 completes this judgment.

Revelation 19:1-2

After this I [John] heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute [Jerusalem] who corrupted the earth [land of Israel] by her adulteries. He has AVENGED on her the blood of his servants.” [see Deuteronomy 32:43]

3And again they shouted:

“Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

Revelation 19:1-2 is the fulfillment of the curses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28.

Revelation 19:1-2 is the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 32:43, Matthew 23:31-38, and Luke 21:5-25 in the first century when the Roman army was God's sword of vengeance against unbelieving, Christ-rejecting, old covenant Israel from AD 66 to AD 70 when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed (left desolate).

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