The Final Victory

Matthew 5:11–12 ESV

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Revelation: Verse by Verse (The Final Victory: The End of the Evil Empire at the Parousia (19:1–21))

THE FINAL VICTORY

THE END OF THE EVIL EMPIRE AT THE PAROUSIA

(19:1–21)

The first stage of the great victory, the destruction of the evil empire, Babylon the Great, was the subject of 17:1–19:5. There we saw the “what”; here we see the “when”: this will happen at the return of Christ. In the New Testament there are two aspects of his return, the “catching up” (popularly called the “rapture”) of the saints (Mark 13:24–27 and parallels; 1 Cor 15:51–52; 1 Thess 4:13–18) and the judgment of the sinners (Matt 13:24–30, 25:31–46; 1 Thess 5:1–11; 2 Thess 2:1–10; 2 Pet 3:10–13). The wedding feast of the Lamb (Rev 19:6–10) belongs with the first aspect, and the Parousia (19:11–16) with the second aspect. The destruction of the sinners takes place in three stages: the coming of Christ on the white warhorse with the armies of heaven in 19:11–16, the invitation of the carrion birds to the “great supper of God” in 19:17–18, and the final battle in which the army of the beast is annihilated in 19:19–21.

HEAVEN REJOICES AT GOD’S JUST JUDGMENT (19:1–5)

Revelation 19:1–5 (ESV)

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

for his judgments are true and just;

for he has judged the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth with her immorality,

and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Once more they cried out,

“Hallelujah!

The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” And from the throne came a voice saying,

“Praise our God,

all you his servants,

you who fear him,

small and great.”

HYMNS OF PRAISE BY THE MULTITUDE (19:1–3)

These first verses (19:1–5) actually conclude the section on the destruction of the evil empire (17:1–19:5) and expand the call to the heavens and the saints in 18:20 to rejoice in that just penalty on the world of evil and its inhabitants. God’s righteous judgment can only be greeted with praise by the jubilant multitude of heavenly inhabitants, which probably includes saints as well as celestial beings (see 7:9). “Hallelujah,” meaning, “praise Yahweh,” is drawn from the Hallel psalms, Psalms 113–18, and its use as a title for several others (Pss 106, 111, 135, 146–50). This word had a special place in the cultic life of Israel, expressing jubilant joy, and that is the tone here.

The hymn of praise begins with the celebration of the salvation or deliverance of God’s people from the evil powers as God demonstrates his glory and exercises his power on behalf of the saints. “Salvation” also refers to the “victory” of God achieved through his almighty power, resulting in his glory (see 7:10, 12; 12:10). The reason for this joy (19:2) is a virtual quotation of 16:7, “true and just are his judgments.” This act of judgment is “true” because it is based on his covenant faithfulness, applying the covenant curses to those who have flaunted his grace and mercy. It is “just” because it is based on his holy character that must destroy all that is evil. These sinners have brought his righteous judgment down upon themselves. The evil deeds of this unholy empire demand such an extreme penalty.

The legal basis is that the great prostitute (see Rev 17) has “corrupted the earth with her adulteries,” stressed in 14:8 (“made the nations drink the wine that leads to passion for immorality,” also 17:2; 18:3, 9). This harlot-empire has seduced the nations by employing Satan’s great weapon, deception (12:9; 20:3). Now she has paid the price for her sinful folly. In addition, God is “avenging on her the blood of his servants,” returning to 6:9–11 and the imprecatory prayers of the saints for vengeance and vindication. These prayers were partially answered in the seals, trumpets, and bowls (see 8:2–5; 16:5–6), and are now fully answered in the destruction here, which includes both Armageddon and the last judgment of 20:13–15.

In 19:3, the heavenly multitude adds a refrain to the worshipful praise of 19:1–2. A second “hallelujah” celebrates the extent of the punishment, reflecting 14:11 (and Isa 34:9–10), “the smoke of her torment ascends forever and ever.” Also, “the smoke of her burning” in 18:9, 18 describes the devastation caused by the final war. This “smoke of torment” is the polar opposite of the “smoke of incense” describing the sweet-smelling prayers of the martyrs in 8:4 and the “smoke from the glory of God,” the Shekinah, that filled the temple in 15:8. When God creates a soul, he is creating an eternal being, and thus the punishment and torment must be “forever and ever.”

CONCLUDING AFFIRMATION BY THE ELDERS AND LIVING CREATURES (19:4)

The elders and living creatures are the celestial worship leaders in the book (4:8–10; 5:8, 11, 14; 7:11–17; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4). Once more (4:10; 5:14) they “fall down and worship” God. Prostrating oneself is a more serious form of worship, symbolizing total surrender. The emphasis is on God’s complete sovereignty, symbolized in “who was seated on the throne.” Their refrain is not a second hymn but a solemn affirmation of the previous hymn, meaning, “So be it, praise Yahweh.” The “amen, hallelujah” is taken from Psalm 106:48, where it follows a prayer for deliverance from the nations. Here that deliverance has already occurred, and this is thanksgiving for God’s mighty act.

REFRAIN: THE VOICE FROM THE THRONE (19:5)

This is the third group after the multitude in 19:1–3 and the celestial worship leaders in 19:4. Now the scene shifts to earth, and the voice from the throne addresses the saints on earth for the refrain. The voice in this verse is not God, for it commands them to “praise our God.” This is probably similar to “the voice from heaven” in 18:4 and is an angelic herald bringing a divine message. “Praise our God” is a near translation for “hallelujah” (= “praise Yahweh”) and commands the believers to engage in joyous doxological praise. There are three descriptions of the saints in this verse:

1. “his servants” (douloi) refers once again to the “slaves” of God (1:1; 2:20; 7:3; 11:18; 22:3, 6) who are his special possession, as in the imagery of them as “sealed” in 7:3–4 and “measured” in 11:1–2.

2. “You who fear him” (11:18) is a critical part of the perseverance theme and means more than reverence. This refers to that healthy fear of the holy God who is Judge and rewards both saint and sinner “according to their works” (2:23; 14:13; 18:6; 22:12).

3. The “small and great,” also in 11:18 and 20:12, reflects Psalm 115:13 and means all stand equally before God and have the privilege of worshiping him.

THE MULTITUDE PRAISES GOD’S REIGN AND JOHN IS COMMANDED TO WRITE

Revelation 19:6–10 (ESV)

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God

the Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and exult

and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his Bride has made herself ready;

it was granted her to clothe herself

with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

This is the second half of the new “hallel psalms” of Revelation (19:1–10), with the first half (19:1–5) concluding and celebrating the destruction of Babylon the Great (17:1–19:5), and the second half (19:6–10) initiating the final chapter, the Parousia and final war that destroys the empire of the beast (19:6–21). This will be the greatest celebration of them all, when the saints become the bride of the Lamb.

The “great multitude” began the first half of these hallelujah choruses (19:1), and it begins the second half as well. As they sing, the incredible volume of their heavenly hymn resembles the sound of waves crashing on the shore and a huge thunderstorm (1:15; 14:2–3). The great volume fits the stupendous message. Wedding songs are known for their exuberance.

Then follows the basis for praising Yahweh: He is “Lord God Almighty” (1:8; 4:8; 11:17), stressing his omnipotence and lordship over his creation, and he has “begun his [eternal] reign” (see 11:17). The time of evil is forever over, and God is on his throne in his heaven. Thus the people of God must “rejoice and be glad” (19:7), for joyous worship is the only proper response to all that God has done. This call is frequent in Scripture (Psa 31:7; 118:24; 1 Chr 16:31; Matt 5:12), and it naturally leads to “giving him glory,” the praise and honor due him especially in light of experiencing God’s reign and taking part in the wedding supper of the Lamb.

The further reason for this joy and praise is not only the beginning of God’s eternal reign but the incredibly joyous event that initiates that reign—“the wedding of the Lamb has come.” Note the contrast between the great prostitute in chapter 17 and the bride of Christ here and in 21:2, 9. The imagery of Israel as the bride of Yahweh (Isa 49:18; 54:5; 61:10; Jer 31:32) and of the church as the bride of Christ (Mark 2:19–20; 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25–27) is behind this. In Hosea 2:16–20 God tells Israel that if she returns, “you will call me ‘my husband,’ ” and “I will betroth you to me forever”; and Paul speaks of presenting believers “to one husband, to Christ” as “a pure virgin” (2 Cor 11:2). They are the betrothed (19:7) who become the bride and wife (21:2, 9) of Christ.

Yet this goes even further, for this describes the “wedding supper of the Lamb” (19:9). This is the same event as the “messianic banquet” elsewhere, as in Luke 14:15, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God,” or Matthew 8:11, “Many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (also Luke 22:30). The idea of the messianic feast stems from Isaiah 25:6, “On this mountain the LORD God Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all people.” It was developed further during the intertestamental period, as in 4 Ezra 2:38, “Rise and stand and see at the feast of the Lord the number of those who have been sealed” (also 1 Enoch 62:14; 2 Baruch 29:8; Testament of Isaac 6:22; 8:6). So this was a well-established expectation in Judaism.

The “bride has made herself ready” builds on 7:14, “they have washed their robes and made them white.” Christ has purchased his followers with his blood (1:5; 5:9), and he expects them to put that into practice and live faithfully for him (2:10; 13:10; 14:12). He purifies us, and then we live pure lives (14:4, “they remained virgins”). This builds on Ezekiel 16:8–14, where God prepares Israel with wedding jewelry and garments to be his bride, but it adds the imagery of the bride making herself ready, which we will see in the next verse refers to the righteous deeds they perform.

The wedding day has arrived, so “God gives” (the divine passive edothē, “was given,” see Rev 6:2, 4, 8) the bride her wedding gown. The “fine linen” is the luxurious linen of 18:12. Compare the garish ostentation of the great prostitute in 17:4 with the simple beauty here. These garments are “bright and clean/pure,” symbolizing the bride’s spiritual purity and victory (the meaning of white, pure garments in the book), like the armies of heaven in 19:14 that wear “fine linen, white and clean” (from Isa 61:10).

These garments are defined as “the righteous acts of God’s holy people.” There could well be a double meaning here—the righteous works of God on behalf of his people, namely redeeming, strengthening, and vindicating them, followed by their righteous deeds in response for all he has done. The victory of the saints takes place as they “overcome” their temptation, trials, and the actions of the cosmic powers against them (emphasized at the end of each of the seven letters in Rev 2–3).

A command to write is then given in 19:9–10. This command has been given several times, always at key junctures of the book (1:11, at the start of each of the seven letters, 14:13; 21:5). This is the fourth beatitude (see on 1:3) and introduces another image for the wedding. In 19:7 the saints are the bride, while here they are the invited guests. These are not two separate groups, and mixed metaphors like this were common in the ancient world. Those invited were the people who heeded the call of the gospel and became believers. This parallels 17:14, “his called, chosen and faithful followers.” The verb is kaleō, translated “invited” here but the same term as “called” in 17:14. It likely combines the idea of an invited guest with connotations of election: These converts are those “called and chosen” by God.

The angel concludes with, “These are the true words of God,” a saying that will be repeated in 21:5 and 22:6. This is similar to the “trustworthy saying” in 1 Timothy 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Timothy 2:11; Titus 3:8, an affirmation pointing to a particularly important truth. It likely refers to this whole section (Rev 19:6–10) as well as the beatitude. They must realize how true and crucial the wedding supper is. As the inaugural event of the eschaton, they must make certain they are indeed among the invited. Remember that half the bridesmaids in the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25:1–13 were not allowed to enter the banquet.

John’s natural response is to fall on his knees in worship (19:10). But he was standing before an angel, not God or Christ, and that was tantamount to idolatry. So the angel immediately says, “Don’t do that!” What follows is an important reminder to all of us in an age when angels are often elevated to near-god-like status in some circles. He tells John he is not a quasi-divine figure but actually “a fellow servant with you” and all believers who “hold to the testimony of Jesus.” Angels are celestial beings but are not above us in the hierarchy of created beings. They are parallel to us and in some ways serve us as messengers of God throughout Scripture, as seen in several Jewish writings. The idea of angels as “fellow slaves” means that like us they serve God and belong to him. In the army of Christ the two will stand together (Rev 17:14; 19:14), and that will continue through eternity. “The testimony of Jesus” is a semi-technical phrase (1:2, 9; 12:17) describing the official witness to the world about Jesus, a task that belongs to angels as well as human believers.

This testimony or witness is further defined as “the Spirit of prophecy,” a phrase that is difficult to understand. It could mean that the witness about Jesus forms the “essence” (rather than “Spirit”) of prophecy or perhaps refers to Jesus’ own witness as the essence of prophecy. Also, it could refer to the Holy Spirit who undergirds our witness and inspires this prophetic witness. Because of the importance of the Spirit in his prophetic role in the letters to the seven churches as well as in 14:13; 22:17, the third option is best. This means that the Spirit is not only behind the visions of this book but also active in empowering this prophetic witness through the church to the world.

THE CONQUERING CHRIST ARRIVES WITH THE ARMIES OF HEAVEN

Revelation 19:11–21 (ESV)

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

Throughout this book Christ is presented as conquering ram and Divine Warrior (1:14–16; 5:6b; 6:16; 11:15; 14:14; 17:14), and this imagery culminates in this passage. The Parousia of Christ is seen from the perspective of the conquering King come to destroy his enemies and establish his reign. The characteristics of the rider on the white horse (19:11–13) lead to his actions (19:14–16). Of the two aspects of the second coming passages—the “rapture” of the church and the judgment upon sinners—this section entirely centers on the second.

The opening two pictures govern the whole. As in 4:1 (also 11:19; 15:5, where the temple is opened), John sees “heaven standing open,” meaning God is about to act in this world in a decisive way. This was a significant motif for the early church (Mark 1:10; John 1:51; Acts 7:56; 10:11; 2 Cor 12:1–2, building on Ezek 1:1), meaning that the consummation of God’s acts in history is imminent. The eschaton/end has arrived. The second is the appearance of the rider on the white horse, building on the ancient tradition that the conquering king rode a white horse into battle, signifying his invincibility. The earlier rider (Rev 6:2) brought war to this world, and this ultimate rider will bring the war that ends all wars. Now comes the sevenfold description of this rider:

1. He is called “faithful and true,” building on his character as “faithful witness” in 1:5; 3:14 and as true to his calling and purposes in 3:7, 14; 19:11. The final war is mandated because Christ is faithful to his divine destiny and true in his judgments (16:7; 19:2, “true and just are your judgments”). Not only his character but also his words are “faithful and true” in 21:5; 22:6.

2. As the Warrior Messiah he “judges and makes war in justice/righteousness,” with this double meaning intentional. He is just in his judgment and righteous as he goes to war against God’s enemies. As God always judges “in righteousness” (Psa 7:11; 50:6; 96:13; Isa 11:4), so also his Son will dispense justice via his own righteous standards. Accordingly, the Godhead makes war against the forces of evil, cosmic and human (2:16, 26; 6:16; 17:14; 19:14–16). Of all the holy wars, this is the pinnacle—the true war to end all wars.

3. As Judge and Divine Warrior, his eyes are “like a blazing fire,” repeating the description in 1:14; 2:18 and recalling Daniel 10:6 (“his eyes like flaming torches”). There it introduced “the man dressed in linen” as he prophesied regarding the “great war” (Dan 10:1). The image stresses the penetrating vision that discerns all and the fiery judgment that results. God knows all, which means he will miss nothing as he dispenses justice.

4. As royal Messiah Christ has “many crowns,” and this is the “diadem” (diadēma) or royal crown rather than the victor’s wreath (stephanos) found elsewhere in the New Testament for “crown.” This word only occurs in two other places in the New Testament (Rev 12:3; 13:1), contrasting the pretentious “crowns” of the dragon and beast with the true crowns of Christ here. The false trinity again is guilty of the great imitation, for they are mere pretenders trying to claim a crown that can never be theirs. Jesus wears many crowns because he is King of kings (19:16), and his rule is absolute and eternal.

5. He has “a name written on him that no one knows but he himself,” building on 2:17 where the victorious saints are promised “a new name written that no one knows.” Isaiah 62:2 tells Israel, “You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow” (see 65:15), and Christ tells the Philadelphian church, “I will write on them the name of my God … and my new name” (Rev 3:12). This is probably not the name of Yahweh, for that is not new (Phil 2:9); it is more likely this is a name hidden until the end of this evil age, when we will see the triune Godhead in all their revealed glory. At the second coming we will first learn the new name of Christ (here) and then will be given our new name (Rev 2:17).

6. As Christ rides the white horse, he is “dressed in a robe dipped in blood.” The blood could be the blood of Jesus as atoning sacrifice (1:5; 5:9; 7:14; 12:11), or the blood of the martyrs sacrificed for him (6:10; 16:6; 17:6; 18:24; 19:2). Yet the context is military, so this is better seen as the blood of his enemies, a reference to his total victory over the enemies of God and his people. The image goes back to Isaiah 63:3, where it is combined with the winepress image of the wrath of God (see Rev 14:10). It continues the theme of lex talionis: The terrible crimes of these evil people must be answered with divine retribution.

7. His name is called, “the Word of God,” paralleling the famous logos sayings of John 1:1–18 and found often in Revelation (1:2, 9; 6:9; 17:17; 20:4). In John, Jesus as the Word connotes the idea of Jesus as living Revealer of the Father, while here he is the authoritative Word, the proclaimer of salvation and of divine judgment. The spoken message is both military and forensic, both the sentence of guilt and the carrying out of the punishment. As such it is linked with the “sword from his mouth” in 19:15, the instrument of proclaiming and executing divine justice.

On the basis of his character, Christ performs four works in 19:11–16. They are both judicial (“he judges”) and military (“he makes war”). Since he is “faithful and true” to his calling and to his role as the Word of God, both dimensions are necessary. He must act in accordance with his character as Judge and Warrior Messiah.

1. The “armies of heaven” follow after him, “riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen.” These are the hosts of heaven, undoubtedly composed of angels (“hosts” in the Old Testament refers to the angelic heavenly army—Josh 5:13–15; 2 Kgs 6:17; Psa 103:20–21; Zech 14:5) along with the saints (see Rev 17:14). Like the Divine Warrior (19:11) they ride white horses, which is remarkable since in the ancient world only the conquering king did so. They are all pictured as conquerors, as they are called in the seven letters. They also wear fine linen like the bride in 19:8; the image of white linen depicts the Roman triumph and pictures the believers as already triumphant.

2. In 19:15 there comes from his mouth the “sharp sword” mentioned in 1:16; 2:12, 16, the symbol of Roman might and authority over life and death. These passages say that Christ alone is final authority, echoing Isaiah 11:4 (the justice with which Yahweh will rule the world) and 49:2 (the power of his word to deliver Israel and “strike the nations”). Here it signifies Jesus’ proclamation of judgment on the forces of evil and the execution of that judgment in the destruction of the nations.

3. Then the Warrior Messiah will “rule them with an iron scepter,” referring to Psalm 2:9, used also in Revelation 2:26–27 to depict the image of the shepherd’s club that will “shatter the nations like pottery.” This is not Christ governing the nations (with a royal scepter) but the conquering King destroying the nations (with a shepherd’s club).

4. Finally, he will “tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty,” combining the great winepress of 14:19–20 with the cup of God’s furious wrath of 14:10 and 16:19. These are frightening pictures of absolute destruction, alluding to the winepress of Isaiah 63:1–6. The shedding of their blood is just payment for their slaughter of the saints (Rev 6:10; 16:6; 17:6; 18:24; 19:2) and is carried out by God Almighty, whose omnipotence guarantees that justice will be done.

The final point occurs in 19:16 and returns to the characteristics of Jesus Messiah: the name written “on his robe and on his thigh.” Most likely this does not refer to two places but one, that spot on his robe at thigh level. This is where his sword would rest and where it could be seen as he rode a horse. There follows the fourth title of this section (with 19:11, 12b, 13b), summarizing the effects of the others. It is not Caesar but Christ who is truly “King of kings and Lord of lords” (the title already given to Jesus in 17:14). For Rome this meant Caesar was lord over the client kings in control of the provinces, but for Jesus it means he is Lord of the universe. Christ is sovereign over all, and he is now proving this by destroying the world of evil and the cosmic forces over it. The Warrior Messiah is God himself!

CARRION BIRDS ARE INVITED TO ANOTHER MESSIANIC BANQUET (19:17–18)

Now the vision switches from the returning Christ to the armies arrayed against him. As Christ descends from heaven with his celestial army composed of angels and saints, we turn to the situation on earth. There enters “an angel standing in the sun.” Like Christ in 1:16, the mighty angel in 10:1, and the woman in 12:1, this angel is imbued with the radiant character of God. The message is gruesome and powerful, assuming the outcome of the battle before it is even joined. The carrion birds—eagles, vultures, hawks, and so on—are invited to “gather together for the great supper of God.”

The implication is that there are two messianic banquets: the wedding feast with the Lamb for the saints and the terrible feast on the sinners by the carrion birds. The believers will partake of the greatest banquet in history, and the unbelievers will become the greatest banquet predators ever seen. This image is drawn from Ezekiel 39:17–20, where the birds and wild animals are invited to feast on Gog. There it took place after the battle was won, while here the invitation occurs before the battle even begins.

THE SWIFT BATTLE AND ITS AFTERMATH (19:19–21)

The false trinity began preparing for this battle in the sixth bowl of 16:13–16, sending out demonic spirits to call the nations to war. Now the kings and their armies who responded (they all did) are “gathered together to wage war,” so the scene is set for the final battle. There will be no more atheists, for the world will recognizes the truth about the second coming. The beast will tell them that the conflict between God and Satan is real, but will convince them that the combined might of the world’s armies under his generalship cannot lose. So they are waiting for Christ and the saints to come, thinking that their victory is a sure thing. There are many passages that describe the final eschatological war in the Old Testament (Isa 31:4; 59:17–20; 63:1–5; Ezek 38–39; Dan 12:1–3; Joel 3:9–16; Zech 12:3–9; 14:2–9) and in the New Testament (Luke 17:30; 21:27–36; 1 Thess 5:1–3; 2 Thess 2:8). This passage culminates the others.

Yet there is in reality no battle. The armies of the antichrist are waiting in 19:19, but when the sword of judgment comes from the Lord’s mouth (19:15), the battle is instantly over and all the evil forces are dead on the battlefield. In 19:20 the beast and the false prophet are captured. The armies of Christ seemingly take no part in the fighting, because there is no fighting! It is over before it even begins. The part the saints play in shattering the nations (according to 2:26–27) is apparently to accompany the Warrior Messiah as he single-handedly decimates the enemy.

In language drawn from 13:12–15 and 16:14, we are told the reason why these two members of the false trinity had to be taken and their armies destroyed: the counterfeit miracles of the false prophet had deceived the sinful world and led them first to take the mark of the beast and then to worship his image. They had led the world in rebellion against God and then to commit final apostasy and idolatry. The guilt of the wicked nations is absolute and final. They have committed an “eternal sin” (Mark 3:29), and there is no more hope or mercy. These legal charges against them necessitate final judgment.

After the utter defeat and the indictment, the verdict is made and the sentence carried out (19:20c–21). As the dragon was thrown to earth (12:9), the beast and false prophet are thrown into the “lake of fire that burns with sulfur.” It is important to realize that they are thrown in alive, indicating conscious punishment. The destiny of sinners, who are also thrown into the lake of fire in 20:14–15, is not soul sleep or annihilation but eternal, conscious torment in the lake of fire. The horror of the punishment is obvious, and one of the purposes of 19:6–20:15 is evangelistic. Unbelievers need to think carefully about their eternal destiny before rejecting Christ!

The idea of a lake of fire occurs only in Revelation in Scripture, and the background is complex. The antecedents appear to be Sodom, which was destroyed by fire and sulfur (Gen 19:24), and the Gehenna of the Gospels with its imagery of fiery punishment (Matt 5:22–30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15). The depiction of this as a “lake of fire” is a natural extension. In the Old Testament, Daniel 7:9–11 speaks of a “river of fire” flowing from the throne of God, and in Jewish apocalyptic literature 1 Enoch 90:24–27 depicts the wicked thrown into “a fiery Abyss and burned.” Other apocalyptic works speak of a great river of fire (2 Enoch 10:2; Sibylline Oracles 2:196–209), so this image of a fiery lake becomes a natural next step in the imagery.

After the fate of the beast and false prophet, the destruction of the armies in 19:21 demonstrates clearly the effects of the sword from Christ’s mouth. As stated earlier, this pictures first the proclamation of guilt and the legal punishment effected by the crimes and then the sentence as it is carried out. The declaration and the execution of the sentence are both part of the imagery. Every member of the army of the antichrist is killed, and the promise made to the martyrs in 6:11 has been fulfilled.

The feast promised to the scavenger birds in 19:17–18 is now here. All the birds that come are able to “gorge themselves on the flesh.” This is a further example of lex talionis, the law of retribution. In 11:7–10 the beast slays the two witnesses and then refuses them burial. Now the Lord shows them the same indignity and degradation. The ultimate humiliation in the ancient world was to be denied burial. God is turning upon their own heads what they have done to the martyrs.

Revelation 19:1–21 shows us that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who follow Christ and those who reject Christ. Both will participate in great banquets: believers will feast at the wedding supper of the Lamb, and unbelievers will be the feast, eaten by the carrion birds. The event that will end world history is the battle of Armageddon, but there will be no battle; every soldier of the beast’s army will be destroyed as Christ comes to exercise judgment and vindicate his people. The second coming of Christ, the event Christians have been awaiting for over two thousand years, will finally take place when he comes as the Divine Warrior, the conquering King, to destroy the enemies of God. Evil is doomed, and those who turn from God to embrace wickedness will face the divine wrath. As we look ahead to this moment, we must acknowledge that there is no issue more serious than this: to decide whether we want to follow Christ or take our chances with the ways of the fallen world. If we believe Christ’s assurance that the end of world history will come in this way, the choice is clear.