Sunday, May 20th, 2018 - AM - Christ Returns! Hallelujah, Amen!

Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, As when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, Which is before Jerusalem on the east, And the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, And there shall be a very great valley; And half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, And half of it toward the south.

Matthew 24:27–31 KJV 1900

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. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 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: 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. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Christ’s return is the center of our hope

Quote: The Long Journey Home, by Os Guinness. If we are not careful, our hope for the Lord’s return can be dulled by diversion. Guinness comments:

Modern society itself is one grand diversion—the Republic of Entertainment. With our shops, shows, sports, games, tourism, recreation, cosmetics, plastic surgery, virtual reality, and the endless glorification of health and youth, our culture is a vast conspiracy to make us forget our transience and mortality. We turn away. We tune out. Alibis for reality-escape artists are on every hand. “Modern man is drinking and drugging himself out of awareness,” psychologist Ernest Becker wrote, “or he spends his time shopping, which is the same thing.”7 [J. Scott Duvall, Revelation, ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton, Teach the Text Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014), 260–261.]

Main Thought:

Jesus, the Captain of Our Salvation, is coming back in power and glory to conquer His enemies!

Sub-Introduction:

Briefly review the earlier part of Chapter 19.

I. Heaven Opened Once for All (Rev. 19:11-16)

A. Our Captain’s Coming (Rev. 19:11-14)

Note - two interjections ("Behold" in v. 11, "Come" in v. 17)

1. He Comes to Contend Righteously (Rev. 19:11)

Revelation 19:11 KJV 1900

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

White horse = Triumph; called "Faithful & True;" judges & makes war in righteousness

2. He Comes Crowned in Majesty (Rev. 19:12-13)

Revelation 19:12–13 KJV 1900

His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Eyes - "AS a flame of fire" = piercing and scrupulously investigative judgment

Head - Crowns (diadems) - Majesty / True Sovereign

Names - "Faithful and True" - reliable / trustworthy (see Laodicea Rev. 3:14, and Rev. 22:6); Written (like Scripture, Ps. 138:2; 119:89) but known only to Him (see also Is. 62:2; Rev. 3:12; Lk. 10:22); "The Word of God" - Jn. 1:1-3; 1Tim. 3:16; Creator, now Judge; "King of kings and Lord of lords" - tells of His supremacy (1Tim. 6:15)

Vesture - "cast about" / wrapped with a garment baptized in blood

βεβαμμένον perf. pass. part. βάπτω (G970) to dip. Perf. indicates a past completed action w. a continuing state or results. The blood staining the garment of the conquering Messiah is not His own, but the blood of the enemy shed in conflict (Mounce; Isa. 63:1-6). [Cleon L. Rogers Jr. and Cleon L. Rogers III, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament, Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998), paragraph 44655. https://accordance.bible/link/read/GNT_Key#44655]

Isaiah 63:1–6 KJV 1900

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. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, And thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 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. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, And the year of my redeemed is come. 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. 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.

In Rev. 5:6 blood = redemption, but now pictures judgment

3. He Comes with Heaven’s Company (Rev. 19:14)

Revelation 19:14 KJV 1900

And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Armies - having no weapons

Clothing - similar as the Bride (see Rev. 19:8); Bride = clean & bright; Armies = white & clean

In a quick summary of this periballw [see above, here the word is from ἐνδύω] verb in Revelation, it is significant that clothing identifies the character of the wearer. For instance, saints will be clothed in white (Rev. 3:5, 18; 4:4; 7:9, 13); an angel in a cloud (10:1); two witnesses in sackcloth (11:3); the woman in the sun (12:1); the Harlot in purple and scarlet (17:7); Babylon in fine linen, purple and scarlet (18:16); and the Bride in fine linen, clean and white (19:8). [Thomas M. Strouse, To the Seven Churches: A Commentary on the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, Selected Works of Dr. Thomas M. Strouse (Bible Baptist Theological Press, 40 Country Squire Rd., Cromwell, CT 06461, 2013).]

B. Our Captain’s Campaign (Rev. 19:15-16)

1. His Enemies Are Subdued (Rev. 19:15)

Revelation 19:15 KJV 1900

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.

Sharp sword - Long Thracian Sword

Church in Pergamos - Satan's Seat (Throne of the Beast), Doctrine of Balaam (False Prophet's Deception & the World's Reception of Idolatry to the Beast), Doctrine of Nicolaitans (Kings of the earth leading rebellion against God)

Where Antipas the Faithful was martyred

Iron Rod - unyielding & absolute - rod = chastisement, correction, goading, etc. (See Ps. 2:9-11; Is. 11:4).

Psalm 2:9 KJV 1900

Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

Isaiah 11:4 KJV 1900

But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, And reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Thyatira (Jezebel - slaying God's prophets) - Rev. 2:27

Revelation 2:27 KJV 1900

And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Overcomer receives power over the nations & the Morning Star

Treading the Winepress - Refer to Is. 63:1-6; see Rev. 14:19-20

Revelation 14:19–20 KJV 1900

And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

2. He Reigns Supreme (Rev. 19:16)

Revelation 19:16 KJV 1900

And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Vesture & Thigh - part of the garment that covers the thigh; most conspicuous when riding a horse

II. An Angel Standing in the Sun, Calling God’s Clean-up Crew (Rev. 19:17-18)

A. The Gathering-Call (Rev. 19:17)

Revelation 19:17 KJV 1900

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;

Angel "standing in the sun"

Fowls - used only three times - Rev. 18:2 (Babylon, the cage of every unclean fowl), here (Rev. 19:17), and Rev. 19:21

Name of the feast - "the supper of the great God"

Titus 2:13 KJV 1900

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

B. The Goal - Consume the Enemies’ Carcass’ (Rev. 19:18)

Revelation 19:18 KJV 1900

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.

"That" - purpose

The words of Jesus:

Matthew 24:28 KJV 1900

For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

Luke 17:37 KJV 1900

And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

Contrast with the supper of Rev. 19:9!

Note - all classes of people die

Application:

Christ will return as a mighty warrior ram rather than a docile lamb. There is the constant danger when presenting Christ in a love-starved culture to overemphasize God’s love to the exclusion of his holiness. Jesus will return in power because there is a final battle to be fought against the enemies of God. We dare not attempt to domesticate the Lion. He comes to destroy his enemies and establish his universal reign. Mounce warns, “Any view of God that eliminates judgment and his hatred of sin in the interest of an emasculated doctrine of sentimental affection finds no support in the strong and virile realism of the Apocalypse.” [Duvall, 260.]

Transition: The Heaven Opened, the Angel Beckoned, now notice lastly:

III. The Beast & False Prophet Taken into Custody (Rev. 19:19-21)

A. The Beast & Earth-Kings Begin the Combat (Rev. 19:19)

Revelation 19:19 KJV 1900

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.

This is the campaign of Armageddon

Bible Background:

Revelation 16:16 KJV 1900

And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Here

Daniel 11:40–45 KJV 1900

And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 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. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

Joel 3:9–17 KJV 1900

Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, And your pruninghooks into spears: Let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, And gather yourselves together round about: Thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: For there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: Come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; For their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, And the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, And utter his voice from Jerusalem; And the heavens and the earth shall shake: But the Lord will be the hope of his people, And the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God Dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: Then shall Jerusalem be holy, And there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

Zechariah 14:1–3 KJV 1900

Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, And thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; And the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; And half of the city shall go forth into captivity, And the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, As when he fought in the day of battle.

Timing - the Final Days of the Great Tribulation

Location - gathering of the earth-armies under the Beast in Megiddo

B. The Conclusion of the Captain’s Campaign (Rev. 19:20-21)

1. The Beast & False Prophet Seized, Sentenced & Put to Death (Rev. 19:20)

Revelation 19:20 KJV 1900

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.

2. The Rebel-Remnant Slain with the Sword (Rev. 19:21a)

Revelation 19:21 KJV 1900

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.

3. The Fowl’s Are Filled with their Flesh (Rev. 19:21b)

Application:

Eight Stages (a likely scenario—Fruchtenbaum6)

1. The Assembly of the allies of Antichrist (Joel 3 / Rev 16)

▪ From Babylon, go to Armageddon

2. The Destruction of Babylon (Is 13-14; Jer 50-51; Rev 17-18)

▪ Opposing forces? (Jer 51:24-28)

3. Jerusalem falls (Zech 12:1-3; 14:1-2)

▪ Antichrist goes south to Jerusalem; city falls after stiff resistance—Gentile control; enormous losses on both sides (Micah 4:1-5:1)

4. Antichrist moves south against Jewish remnant

▪ Mt 24:16-31; Rev 12:6, 14 “flee to wilderness”

▪ Mt. Seir / Bozrah / Petra (Is 33:13-16; Jer 49:13-14)

▪ Antichrist gathers, phase four ends

5. The regeneration of the nation Israel

▪ Confesses sin (Lev 26:40-42; Jer 3:11-18; Hosea 5:15)

▪ Israel pleads for Messiah to return (Is 64:1-12; et al)

▪ Jewish leader call for nation to repent (Hos 6:1-3)

▪ After three days of confession, 2nd Coming!

▪ Why? 2 Witnesses? 144,000? Scriptures?

6. The Second Coming (Glorious Appearing)

▪ In clouds (Acts 1:9-11; Mt 24:30)

▪ First to Bozrah to begin final portion of “battle” (Is 34:1-7; 63:1-6; Hab 3:3; Micah 2:12-13)

▪ Defeats Antichrist; we are with Him (cf Jude 14-15; Rev 19:11-16)

▪ Christ saves the Jews in their wilderness refuge then goes to Jerusalem to save them (Zech 12:7)

7. The Final Battle

▪ Jesus alone fights on Israel’s behalf

▪ Antichrist, among the first casualties, defeated by the True Christ (2 Thess 2:8; Hab 3:13b)

▪ Bozrah & Jerusalem & Kidron valley (valley of Jehosaphat, i.e. East Wall of Jerusalem). Jesus will engage defeat Antichrist’s entire forces! (Joel 3:12-13; Zech 14:12-13; Rev 14:19-20)

8. The Ascent to the Mount of Olives (Zech 14:2-3 with Rev 16:17)

▪ A symbolic victory ascent

▪ Cataclysmic events occur

▪ Possibly corresponds with 7th vial; earthquake creates a valley for Jews to escape Jerusalem (Zech 14:4b-5)

▪ The Tribulation Periods ends!

Conclusion

Opposing Christ will have catastrophic results. From the perspective of Christ’s enemies, this passage spells disaster: defeat, destruction, death, judgment, and eternal punishment. God will defeat his enemies and destroy evil. But our role differs from God’s role in the eschatological war: he fights and we follow. Our following includes loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us (e.g., Matt. 5:44–45; Rom. 12:14, 17–20; 1 Pet. 3:9). This text recalls the horrible fate for those who rebel against God. While rejoicing that God will bring justice and conquer evil, we can simultaneously pray for the conversion of unbelievers and seek to love them into the kingdom of God. [Duvall, 260.]

God Wants You To:

Remember, Christ’s return is the center of our hope

Jesus, the Captain of Our Salvation, is coming back in power and glory to conquer His enemies!