The Defeat of the Antichrist, Rev. 19:17-21

Introduction

In verse 16 we see the Lord of Lords and King of Kings coming riding on a white horse along with His army following Him. This is no picnic, no parade of show of force. This is to judge those who reject Jesus for Satan. This is to destroy all who put their faith in the devil instead of Jesus. This is shock and awe at its finest, but it doesn't stop the army of Satan from gathering and making war. It doesn't make them surrender.

Who are these people who are against the Lord?

To be sure I don't think Satan will be overt, but in human form. he is the Antichrist. He will be able to dupe mankind in general with his deeds, his words, probably much like any other dictator as in Hitler or Stalin, or Castro. He will convince people with his rhetoric. He will be a charismatic leader in whom all mankind (save true believers) will be convinced he is the answer. People will choose him over Jesus. They will reject the gospel as many do today.

Now when Jesus comes He does not come this time all meek and mild. No! Now He comes in the ferocity of all His power. It is surely understandable that the angel would call for the scavenger birds because there is going to be a mess to clean up. John wants no believer to mistakenly think that it is all over for them, because God wins. He will overthrow all those oppressive governments and peoples that have tried to exterminate them.

I think John wants us to see this very important point: The enemies of God are going to experience a very great slaughter. They will not be victorious over God and His people. Just as in the Exodus, Pharoah's army could not defeat Israel, because God was fighting for them. During the conquest, while Israel was obedient, they were invincible. It was only during the times of disobedience that they were defeated by the enemy of God. Track with Israel throughout their history. It is clear that when they obeyed God they were successful, productive, victorious in battle. So it is in this case. Those were all precursors to this final conquest. The enemies of God can never defeat Him.

The lesson for us is that when people refuse the forgiveness offered through the Son Jesus Christ, they must bear the penalty for their sin. The Good news is that Jesus has already paid the penalty for their sin. If only they would believe. If only you would believe.

We see their defeat or we could say The Conquest of the Lord laid out in this fashion:

-The call to the birds to come to the great supper of God, v.17, 18

-The beast and his army gathered to war against the Lord and His army, v.19

-The beast and false prophet are captured and cast into the lake of fire, v.20

-the rest of the army is killed by the Lord and the birds feast on their corpses.

I. The call to the great supper of God, v.17,18

I. The call to the great supper of God, v.17,18

And I saw,

John is still looking into the heavens. Here he sees one Angel who is standing in the sun. That is to the east, at least I take this to be toward the east the rising of the sun. But the time of day is not mentioned. In either case he is looking toward the Sun whatever its orientation to the earth and this angel is as if he is standing in the sun. I take this to mean that the Angel is very bright to look at. He is shrouded by the sun. He is luminous like the sun. Of course that adds to the significance of the message being communicated. His message is heightened in importance. It is to get our attention. We flock to the lakeshore to see a magnificent sunset. We ought to pay more attention here because of what is about to be said.

This angel cried with a great voice saying, His voice is very loud, it is clearly understandable by John. The angel is not speaking to John, but to the birds flying in the middle heaven. These are birds of prey, more like falcons, eagles, vultures etc. that eat flesh.

Middle heaven this would be what we call the sky,

How high do birds fly?

Bare headed Geese have been seen as high as 33,383 feet. There is record of a collision between an aircraft and a Ruppell vulture over the Ivory Coast at 37,100 feet. That's over 7 miles high.

The Angel said to the birds:

Come! Gather for the great supper of God.

Just as there was a great wedding prepared to which the Saints of God were called, so now there is a great supper of flesh to which the birds of prey are called.

The fact that the birds are invited indicates the certainty of their supper menu, the defeat of the army of Satan.

How will God call all these birds to this supper. There will be a great slaughter on the plains (remember all the mountains are gone. The earth is a big plain, the flattening of the earth was part of the sixth seal, and part of the seventh bowl in . So there are no mountains. It is one big plain.

MacArthur explains: an Airline pilot told him that Israel is a dangerous place to fly at certain times of the year because of the great number of migratory birds that pass through that area. It is like a funnel through which birds migrate from Europe and Russia down to Africa and then back north. So it doesn't seem like a big thing for God to call these birds to the feast. They already migrate through this region.

"The longest migrations of all are those of birds. Israel, located at the junction of three continents, is crossed by migrating birds on a scale unparalleled anywhere. Studies over the past decade show that about 500 million birds cross Israel's narrow airspace twice every year in the course of their migrations. Consequently, Israel has become an attraction for bird enthusiasts worldwide.

Although Israel has laws that protect migrating birds, the massive migrations have created a grave safety problem for both the Israel Air Force and the birds. A joint study conducted over the past decade by the Israel Air Force and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel led to several solutions that have reduced the number of accidents involving aircraft and birds by 88 percent, thereby helping to protect pilots, aircraft, and the migrating birds that fill Israel's skies by the millions twice each year." https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/bird-migration-in-israel

What's the main course?

What's the main course?

in order that you may eat, the flesh of kings, and the flesh of tribunes and the flesh of strong and flesh of horses and riders and flesh of free and slave and small and great. The fact that all these groups are mentioned indicates the totality of their defeat. None will be left out to escape the wrath of God.

This same call is mentioned in and there Jesus speaks about His second coming by saying, “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

as far as the timing of this we need not think that it would be one of those two times of bird migration, because the seasons will be all messed up because of the calamities that have been occuring.

The fact that their corpses are left on the battlefield to be eaten by the birds signifies their total dishonor.

The idea is that this is going to be a great slaughter, a defeat of unprecedented scale. And God is the victor.

"if God be for us who can be against us?"

Whoever is on God's side wins.

II. The Beast and his army gathered against the Lord, v.19

v.19

John also saw,

the beast and kings of the earth and their army gathered to make war with the one who sits upon the horse and with his army.

This beast is the beast of who has the ten kings following him. These ten kings are again referred to in ; , , ; See especially 17:14 These have been gathered by the spirits of , by the false prophet, and Satan.

They are gathered to the battle of Armageddon the final battle between Christ and Antichrist.

Considering what happens in chapter 13, the army of satan overcomes the saints, it seems logical they would gather against the Lord and the saints now with confidence they could defeat them.

III. The defeat and capture of the beast and false prophet, v.20

the beast was arrested/seized and the false prophet with him, who made the signs before him in which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and who worshipped his image.

These two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur.

We don't actually read a description of the battle played out. It shows us that is not important. What is important is that the enemies of God are defeated totally. The Beast and false prophet are taken- to lay hold of or seize, to take hold of the hand or to catch as in hunting or fishing. The idea here is that they are caught. Their defeat results in their inability to escape the mighty hand of Christ and he arrests them and cast them into the lake.

The false prophet is described as the one who did the signs before the beast. He was as Aaron before Moses or as the Holy Spirit with Christ. The signs of the false prophet were designed to validate the authenticity of the beast, and with them he was able to deceive mankind into taking the mark of the beast and to worship his image.

What this tells me is that there will be noone caught up in this defeated army by mistake. Yes, they were deceived, but only because they wanted to be. They pursued the same things the beast was pursuing. Their agenda was the same: be their own god, and not worship the true God. Their hearts were full of worship, but for the wrong god..They worshipped the Antichrist.

Well, these two are cast alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

This comment that they were cast alive indicates that this is a place of conscious, eternal punishment. The lake doesn't kill or annihilate the being. Rather, it is the most miserable of places.

This lake of fire is repeatedly seen as a place of eternal punishment, where there will eternal torment.

Sulfur is a yellow substance that burns readily in air. It is found in the valley of the Dead Sea, ; . Sulfur is usually associated with volcanic eruptions and lava. If you go to Yellowstone and view the boiling pots the area wreaks of sulfur. Sulfur is the fifth most common element on earth. Its most common use today is in the form of Sulferic acid. It is used in fertilizers, matches, fungicides and insecticides. When burned it gives off the smell of rotten eggs. You know also that coming in contact with sulfuric acid can harm the eyes, lungs and other tissues. It is caustic. This this is a place of extreme misery and torment.

Satan will join the beast and false prophet later, and later the dead which is second death.

And lastly,

IV. the army of Satan are all killed, v.21

v.21

The rest of them were killed with the sword of the one who sits upon the horse that comes out of his mouth.

and all the birds were gorged to the full of their flesh.

The rest of the army made of all ranks and peoples, any who have taken the mark of the beast and worshipped him will be killed.

They are killed with the sword that comes out of the mouth of the one who sits upon the horse. That is Jesus. This is where His word kills. This alludes to as we have seen before. We could see this sword as the actual instrument of death. I think it is the Word of God that accuses and condemns the unrepentant sinner. As we have spoken before the Sword of the Spirit is the word of God. The word is sharper than any two-edged sword.

As the enemies of God come face to face with the Word of God they are slain and left for dead for the birds of prey to come and feast on their rotting bodies.

Conclusion

Oh, beloved, that you and I would take this seriously. This is the end of those who rebel against God. This is the destiny of all those who think they can be their own god and not have to be under the authority of anyone. This is the ruin of all who think they are the captain of their own souls.

Won’t you repent and pay heed to the offer of grace by the Lord?

Believe in Him today. Repent of your rebellion against God and submit to Him. Follow Him. He will save you. He will not allow you as His own to fall into such miserable judgment. Jesus took that for you.

Thank Him for that. Follow Him with all your heart.