Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

I.

The Return of the Conqueror (vs.

11-13)

II.

The Regiments of the Conqueror (vs.

14)

III.

The Rule of the Conqueror (vs.

15-16)

IV.

The Reigning of the Conqueror (vs.

17-21)

As in other times in the apocalypse, John sees an angel that has a major role Eschatology.

In the book of Revelation, this is about the 8th of the 11 times that John refers to an “Angel coming” to do a particular job”

I do not want to spend too much time here, but I think that it would be helpful for us to understand that angels are a much greater force than we, many times, give them credit.

The Scriptures speak repeatedly about the responsibilities of angels to carry our works of God.

Angels are the beings that carry out much of God’s plans and purposes; including, but certainly not limited judgment.

They bring God’s messages to people (Luke 1:11–19; Acts 8:26; 10:3–8, 22; 27:23–24).

They carry out some of God’s judgments, bringing a plague upon Israel (2 Sam.

24:16–17), smiting the leaders of the Assyrian army (2 Chron.

32:21), striking King Herod dead because he did not give God glory (Acts 12:23), or pouring out bowls of God’s wrath on the earth (Rev.

16:1).

When Christ returns, angels will come with him as a great army accompanying their King and Lord (Matt.

16:27; Luke 9:26; 2 Thess.

1:7).

Angels also patrol the earth as God’s representatives (Zech.

1:10–11) and carry out war against demonic forces (Dan.

10:13; Rev. 12:7–8).

John in his vision saw an angel coming down from heaven, and he records that the angel “seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit …” (Rev.

20:1–3).

When Christ returns, an archangel will proclaim his coming (1 Thess.

4:16; cf.

Rev. 18:1–2, 21; 19:17–18; et al.).

First, Angel’s show the greatness of God’s plan and love for us.

And as seen in many places throughout the book of Revelation, angels are seen directly causing the judgments that take place.

In , it was an angel who announced if there was anyone worthy to take the scroll and to open it.

In , it was four angels that were standing at the four corners of the earth holding the wind from blowing on the earth.

In , it was another angel that shouted with a loud voice declaring the previous four angel to not judge the earth until the 144,000 had been sealed.

In , it was seven angels who were handed seven trumpets to blow in which brought the trumpet judgments.

Of course, then you see in Revelation chapter 8 and 9, as each trumpet was blown John gives the vision that it was the angels that blew ushering in that judgment.

In , it was a “strong angel” that came from heaven with a scroll and place one foot on the sea and one on the earth and the text says that his voice is as the voice of a lion when it roars.

In , it is an angel that flies through the second heaven declaring the gospel to every kindred, tribe, tongue people and nation.

In , John sees seven angels that are carrying seven bowls full of the wrath of God.

In , there was another angel that came down from heaven with so much glory that the entire earth was filled with the radiance of his glory.

In , it is an angel that comes down and binds Satan and puts him in the bottomless pit.

And then, of course, there is the reference in the text that we are looking now.

The text tells us in verse 17 that the angel is “standing in the sun”.

The Greek word “ἐν” has the idea of standing in proximity to the sun, probably John giving us the picture that the angel is eclipsing the sun.

And I don’t think that that has to do with the fact of the size of the angel as much as I believe it has to do with the radiant glory of the angel and next to that glory the sun seems to be darkened.

Although, the text does not say that the sun went dark, what else would the sun do next to the glory of a holy angel?

And what this angel does to to ring the diner bell.

Revelation 19:17

This angel calls out to the birds that fly in the “midst of heaven”.

The is the Greek word “μεσουράνημα” and means middle heaven; so the birds that fly in the second heaven, where the clouds are.

Show pictures of birds

These birds are invited to feed on the carnage that will soon come.

This angel thus declares Christs’ victory before the battle is ever fought.

His invitation to the birds if reminiscent of the words of Christ.

The angel calls for the birds to assemble to the great banquet of God.

This is not the first time in the Scriptures that vultures have feasted on the remains of humans.

In , the prophet is describing the judgment of Cush (modern day Ethiopia).

Jeremiah gives an example of this after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem.

In a striking parallel to the present passage, the Prophet Ezekial wrote:

Ezek

The brief but catastrophic Day of the Lord destruction will result in an unprecedented slaughter, with uncounted millions of dead bodies strewn throughout its entire two-hundred-mile length (14:20).

Even after the birds have gorged themselves, it will still take seven months to bury the remaining corpses (Ezek.

39:12).

It is an important fact to consider that every year millions of birds of many species migrate south from Europe to Africa.

They fly over the land of Israel on their journey.

The numbers of these birds and their migrating patterns has been the special study of the Israeli government because of the threat they pose to aircraft.

This can certainly answer the question as to where such vast numbers of birds will come from.

The geographical setting of Israel, situated between the Mediterranean Sea on the west and the vast expanse of barren desert to the east, forms the natural corridor for these migrating birds.

Show Picture of the land of Israel

The angel now gives the purpose for the great call in the next verse.

Revel

They will eat the flesh of the kings, the “βασιλεύς”

Possibly a reference to the ten horns in John’s vision, which are the ten kings that we looked that the AntiChrist will have setup to rule in the ten regions of the world.

They will eat the flesh of “captain”, the “χιλίαρχος”

This is probably a reference to the generals and other commanders that are going to rule under these ten horns set up by AntiChrist.

Basically what john has here is an all-inclusive list of the total devouring of human flesh by these, probably migrating, carnivorous birds.

That all-inclusive statement reveals the worldwide extent of the slaughter.

To have one’s unburied body left as food for birds is the ultimate indignity, especially for proud kings and mighty military commanders.

That same ignominious fate awaits all the proud, God-hating rebels everywhere in the world, both free men and slaves, and small and great (cf.

11:18; 13:16).

One commentator gives this description:

This tells already an awful story.

It tells of the greatest of men made food for the vultures;—of kings and leaders, strong and confident, devoured on the field, with no one to bury them;—of those who thought to conquer Heaven’s anointed King rendered helpless even against the timid birds;—of vaunting gods of nature turned into its cast off and most dishonoured dregs.

And what is thus forintimated soon becomes reality.

The Great Conqueror bows the heavens and comes down.

He rides upon the cherub horse and flies upon the wings of the wind.

Smoke goes up from his nostrils, and devouring fire out of his mouth.

He moves amid storms and darkness, from which the lightnings hurl their bolts, and hailstones mingle with the fire.

He roars out of Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, till the heavens and the earth shake.

He dashes forth in the fury of his incensed greatness amid clouds, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

The sun frowns.

The day is neither light nor dark.

The mountains melt and cleave asunder at his presence.

The hills bound from their seats and skip like lambs.

The waters are dislodged from their channels.

The sea rolls back with howling trepidation.

The sky is rent and folds upon itself like a collapsed tent.

It is the day for executing an armed world,—a world in covenant with Hell to overthrow the authority and throne of God,—and everything in terrified Nature joins to signalize the deserved vengeance.

The beast is, of course, the AntiChrist and he gathers the kings of the earth.

Again, probably a reference to the ten kings that was setup by the AntiChrist to rule the ten sectors of the world.

They bring there armies and think themselves to be invincible and they gather they armies together and wait for the rider on the white horse.

But before it even starts, it is over.

These two demonically empowered political and religious leaders of the world are dealt a horrible blow; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire.

This is the first mention in Scripture of the lake of fire, the final hell, the ultimate destination of Satan, his angels, and the unredeemed (Matt.