Does it seem strange that the Lord Jesus Christ is smiting with a sword after his marriage week with his bride at the marriage supper? It really, really seemed strange to me... If the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is as a wedding (as it so frequently is depicted) then where is there an example for a groom going forth and exiting the wedding chamber with the bride, and slaughtering one's enemies? It just didn't seem to make sense with this part. This question bothered me for a long time. Then it hit me. There is an Old Testiment story describing a similar thing. Sampson's wedding; which was right at the end of his 7 day bridal week. Scriptures follow: compare Rev 19:14-21 with Judges 14:1-20
[Rev 19:14] And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white
horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
[Rev 19:15] 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.
[Rev 19:16] And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written,
KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
[Rev 19:17] 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;
[Rev 19:18] 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.
[Rev 19:19] 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.
[Rev 19:20] 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.
[Rev 19:21] 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.
[Judg 14:1] And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath
of the daughters of the
Philistines.
[Judg 14:2] And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said,
I have seen a woman in Timnath of
the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
[Judg 14:3] Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never
a woman among the daughters of thy
brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the
uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson
said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
[Judg 14:4] But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the
LORD, that he sought an occasion
against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion
over Israel.
[Judg 14:5] Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath,
and came to the vineyards
of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
[Judg 14:6] And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent
him as he would have rent a
kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his
mother what he had done.
[Judg 14:7] And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
[Judg 14:8] And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned
aside to see the carcase of the lion: and,
behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
[Judg 14:9] And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came
to his father and mother, and he
gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the
honey out of the carcase of the lion.
[Judg 14:10] So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made
there a feast; for so used the
young men to do.
[Judg 14:11] And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
[Judg 14:12] And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto
you: if ye can certainly declare it
me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give
you thirty sheets and thirty change of
garments:
[Judg 14:13] But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty
sheets and thirty change of garments.
And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
[Judg 14:14] And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and
out of the strong came forth
sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
[Judg 14:15] And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said
unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband,
that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's
house with fire: have ye called us to
take that we have? is it not so?
[Judg 14:16] And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but
hate me, and lovest me not: thou
hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told
it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I
have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
[Judg 14:17] And she wept before him the seven days, while their
feast lasted: and it came to pass on the
seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told
the riddle to the children of her
people.
[Judg 14:18] And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before
the sun went down, What is
sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? and he said unto
them, If ye had not plowed with my
heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
[Judg 14:19] And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down
to Ashkelon, and slew thirty
men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto
them which expounded the riddle. And
his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
[Judg 14:20] But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.