Revelation 19:17-21
Wednesday Evening Bible Study
October 22, 1997
Introduction
We’ve been looking at the moment that all creation has longed for, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth.
Tonight, we look at Armageddon
:17-21 Armageddon
:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun
Is this angel actually standing on the surface of the sun, or is he just standing in the sunlight?
helios – the sun; the rays of the sun; the light of day.
He could just be standing out in the sunshine.
He could also be standing on the sun itself. (50 million degrees Fahrenheit).
When Hezekiah was surrounded by the cruel Assyrian army, he cried out to God for help.
God answered by sending only one angel … who wiped out 185,000 Assyrians in one night. (2Ki.19:35)
These are tough guys! Be glad there’s a few of them on your side!
:17 and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven
Do you remember the Alfred Hitchcock movie, "The Birds"?
:17 Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
Don’t confuse this with the supper that’s already been mentioned.
There are two dinner parties going on.
There’s one party in heaven, the wedding feast of the Lamb, where we will be enjoying the Lord.
This party is going to be on earth, held for the birds.
I wonder if this is tied to –
Mt 24:27-30 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings …
Note how many times "flesh" is used.
Lesson:
Trust the invisible God more than you trust visible flesh.
In the end, "flesh" is nothing more than bird food. Literally.
We have a struggle with this, because we don’t want to trust what we don’t see.
If I told you to go ahead and buy a ticket to Hawaii, because I was going to give each of you a million dollars tonight, you’d probably have a hard time believing it, especially if you knew how much money was in my pocket. You just couldn’t see it.
God wants us to trust in Him, the invisible one.
Jer 17:5 Thus says the LORD, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD. (NAS)
:19 gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse
gathered - sunegmena - perf.pass.part., the armies had already been gathered when Jesus comes.
It's almost as if they were expecting Jesus to come.
I wonder if the Antichrist will be reading the prophecies of Jesus' return, and maybe even listening to some old Chuck Smith tapes, calculating when the One on the horse will appear.
We were told that demonic spirits were involved in gathering the nations together.
(Rev 16:13-14 KJV) And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. {14} For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Jesus said we wouldn't know the day or the hour, but I believe this refers to the rapture of the saints, not His triumphal second coming.
Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
But the day of Jesus' second coming can be calculated.
(Dan 9:27 KJV) And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
The Tribulation period will last for seven years, with a stop to the sacrifices happening in the middle (after 3 1/2 years). Then comes the Antichrist's destruction.
I think it might be possible that the Antichrist might be looking at these things and figuring that something is about to happen when he approaches his 3 1/2 year anniversary from stopping the sacrifices.
I think it is a bit arrogant of the Antichrist to think that he'll actually be able to take on Jesus Christ, but that's exactly what he'll be thinking.
(Psa 2:1-5 KJV) Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? {2} The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, {3} Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. {4} He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. {5} Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
One possible scenario at the end:
When the antichrist performs the abomination of desolation, the believing remnant of Jews in Jerusalem will flee into the area of southern Jordan, in response to what Jesus told them to do.
(Mat 24:15-16 KJV) When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) {16} Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
As the antichrist sets up his power base in Jerusalem (Dan. 11), one area he will not be able to conquer is this area of southern Jordan.
(Dan 11:41 KJV) He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
Some have suggested that one of the prerequisites to Jesus returning will be the Jews ASKING Him to return –
(Hosea 5:15 – 6:4 KJV) I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. {6:1} Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. {2} After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. {3} Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
It has been suggested that this is one reason why antichrist will be so bent on their destruction, to keep them from making that request.
When Jesus returns, it appears that He returns FIRST to that area of Jordan –
(Isa 63:1-6 KJV) Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. {2} Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? {3} I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. {4} For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. {5} And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. {6} And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
:20 And the beast was taken
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
:20 he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.
The false prophet is only going to be able to deceive those that either take the mark, or worship the image he sets up.
If a person says to themselves, "I’ll take the mark, but I won’t be deceived by what’s going on", they are fooling themselves.
:20 These both were cast alive
The Greek even adds a little emphasis to the fact that these two people were thrown alive into the lake of fire. (the word "living" comes first in the statement, adding emphasis).
It kind of reminds me of Korah and his rebels.
Korah wanted to be a priest like Aaron, but God didn’t want him to be a priest. He decided to do it anyway …
(Num 16:31-33 KJV) And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: {32} And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. {33} They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
:20 into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
There are several words we need to straighten out, a sort of "destination directory" –
Paradise – this was were the Old Testament saints went, known as "Abraham’s bosom", but was emptied out when Jesus rose from the dead, all it’s inhabitants were taken to heaven.
Heaven – where all believers go immediately to when they die (2 Cor. 5:6-8; Phil. 1:19-23)
New Jerusalem – a newer, improved version of heaven, where we will spend eternity after the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth.
Abyss – this is the "bottomless pit", where rebellious demons are currently being held in chains, and where Satan will be bound during the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth.
Hades, or Sheol – this is the place where all unbelievers go now. It too is a place of torment, but is only temporary.
Gehenna – this is the proper name for the "Lake of Fire". It’s first two inhabitants will be the antichrist and the false prophet. After the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth, Satan will be thrown here, along with all unbelievers.
About the lake of fire
1. It was created for the devil and his angels.
(Mat 25:41 KJV) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
It appears that it wasn’t God’s original intent for mankind to be there.
2. It’s hot and smelly
It burns with brimstone. (Rev.19:20)
Brimstone is another name for sulfur. Sulfur is a non-metallic element, yellowish in color, is soft, and melts at 113C. It burns with a blue flame and gives off a foul smelling gas, sulfur dioxide (like rotten eggs).
3. It is a place of torment.
It's not uncommon to hear an unbeliever talk about how glad he'll be to get to hell, because he can party there the whole time with his friends...
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Tormented
- basinidzo - from the "touchstone", a black rock like flint used to test a piece of metal to see if it was gold, the metal was scraped against the rock and if it left a yellow streak, it was okay. Sounds like scraping fingernails on a blackboard to me. The word became used for examining a prisoner by torture, then simply torture, torment, distress.In five places, Jesus refers to a place of torment as the place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth".
Matthew 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint [him] his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
4. It is forever.
Some have the idea that hell somehow is like a horrible death, but afterwards, the person's soul just simply ceases to exist. The problem is, there is no afterward.
Isaiah 66:24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
5. It is the final destination for all who don't receive Jesus Christ.
Re 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Lesson:
Rescue the perishing.
(2 Tim 2:24-26 KJV) And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, {25} In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; {26} And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
When we share with an unbeliever, we may help them escape the snare of the devil, and the lake of fire. But note that our lifestyle is an important factor in our ministry.
:21 And the remnant were slain
This might refer to the other kings and armies gathered at the battle, but it also could refer to all the rest of the unbelievers who are alive on the planet at this time.
Certainly, those who worshipped the image or took the mark will not avoid judgment –
(Rev 14:9-11 KJV) And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, {10} The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: {11} And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
This describes them ending up in the lake of fire, though that probably won’t happen until the end of the 1,000 years.
:22 with the sword of him that sat upon the horse
This is the power of the Word of God.
Lesson:
It’s our weapon too.
We’ve already seen the victory given to the saints because of the Word:
(Rev 12:10-11 KJV) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. {11} And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
It’s important that we keep our lives centered on and built upon the Word of God.
It needs to be the basis for our choices.
(Mat 7:24-27 KJV) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: {25} And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. {26} And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: {27} And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Martin Luther in the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God", wrote,
And though this world with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
We tremble not for him –
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure:
One little word shall fell him.
:21 and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Filled – chortazo – to feed with herbs, grass, hay, to fill, satisfy with food, to fatten