Revelation 19:17

standing in the sun
Standing is ἐστῶτα [estōta] , perfect tense: having stood. The angel had taken his position prior to John seeing him. Fausset suggests his position in the sun is “so as to be conspicuous in sight of the whole world.”¹ “Though some have taken this as a very unusual phenomenon, the most natural explanation is that the angel is standing in the light of the sun with the angel himself possibly shining with even greater brilliance.”²

the birds that fly in the midst of heaven
In the midst of heaven is ἐν μεσουρανήματι [en mesouranēmati] : in Rev. 8:13+; Rev. 14:6+].”³

supper of the great God
Supper is δεῖπνον [deipnon] , the same word which describes the marriage supper of the Lamb. Both suppers are hosted by God, but with dramatically different guests and foods. Those who are slaughtered for this supper share in the curse of Deuteronomy: “Your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and no one shall frighten them away” (Deu. Deu. 28:26). Jesus indicated at His Second Coming there would be great bloodshed upon which birds would feast: “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together” (Mtt. Mat. 24:27-28). Those who are served to the birds following the Campaign of Armageddon suffer the same fate as those taken in judgment “when the Son of Man is revealed”:

“I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.” And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” (Luke Luke 17:34-37)

Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ question alluded to a passage in Job:

Does the eagle mount up at your command, and make its nest on high? On the rocks it dwells and resides, on the crag of the rock and the stronghold. From there it spies out the prey; its eyes observe from afar. Its young ones suck up blood; And where the slain are, there it is. (Job Job 39:27-30) [emphasis added]

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Notes

¹ A. R. Fausset, “The Revelation of St. John the Divine,” in Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997, 1877), Rev. 19:17.

² John F. Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1966), Rev. 19:17.

³ Timothy Friberg, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller, Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 259.