Revelation 19 and 20 "Beginning of the End"

Introduction

Reminder of purpose. An eternal perspective not a worldly or now perspective.

Noel Paul Stookey. Peter, Paul and Mary. songs like: If I had a Hammer, Puff the Magic Dragon, Blowin in the Wind.

Paul is 83 now. Was interviewed lately and was asked about becoming a christian in the late 60’s and how that influenced his song writing.

“It completely changed my songwriting, I had a turn around in the late 60’s and the impact was pretty incredible. You have a whole new perspective. You feel refreshed. There’s a sense of being forgiven from your previous perspective, but you truly look at the world in a new way. My perspective on everything changed. And I’m immensely thankful for it. It altered everything, including my relationship with my family.

Two perspective: a worldly or a now perspective and an eternal perspective. We are trying to get us focused on an eternal perspective.

Worldly or now perspective lived by the lost and some believers

It is like being in a maze. It’s tall and you can’t see through it or over it. You go in need to make choices. Go left or right. You don’t know anything about what is coming around the next corner or two. One direction will have difficulties, another might bring temptation, some might be great at first. you just are reacting what you see an can evaluate at that moment of decision. And then you continue to react again and again.

An eternal perspective is like a person on top of a mountain. You can see in all directions, hills, valley, rivers. And what you say to God is “What ever” What ever you want me to be. What ever you want me to do. Where ever you want me to go.

Before diving into Revelation 19 and 20, let’s review where we are and what has happened, in general up till now. People living in the church age. The Church is referred to as the bride of Christ thought scripture. During the Church age the bride is preparing herself. The Church is being prepared. Believers raptured before the tribulation starts. Read 1 Thes 4:13-17. The dead believers who died up to this time will be raised from the dead to meet him in the air. Those believers that are alive at that specific time will not die but in an instant, will immediately go to meet him in the air. These believers will be spared from all the things experienced during the tribulation. The tribulation will follow for seven years. It is a terrible time to be alive. Satan, the anti-christ(The Beast) and the false prophet lead humanity through a terrible time.

This gets us to Revelation 19 and 20. The beginning of the end of Satan, the beast and the false prophet. The beginning of the end of deception, evil and lies to manipulate mankind to destruction. Its the beginning of a wonderful time for believers.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 ESV

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Revelation 19 and 20

Rev 19:1-5

English Standard Version Chapter 19

19 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,

2  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.”

3 Once more they cried out,

“Hallelujah!

The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”

4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice saying,

“Praise our God,

all you his servants,

you who fear him,

small and great.”

A great multitude “crying out” Hallelujah!

This praise and worship is because this is the beginning of the end of the enemy.

Rev 19: 6-10

English Standard Version Chapter 19

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.

7  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;

8  it was granted her to clothe herself

with fine linen, bright and pure”—

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

9 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.” 10 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.

Vs 7 says “The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready with fine linen,bright and pure.”

Remember a Galilean wedding. Jesus was a Galilean and all his disciples were Galileans. This is their understanding of a wedding.

A man publically proposes to a woman. If she accepts, they will be engaged for a significant period of time. It could be a year. During this year, the groom prepares the home and the preparations for the wedding feast. The bride prepares herself by making her and her wedding groups dresses. While engaged no one knows the time of the wedding except the father of the groom. When he knows the groom is ready, he will wake his son in the middle of the night and tell him it is time. The groom immediately goes to get his bride. As he goes through the town to get his bride a horn is blown to let all that want to attend and are ready to attend know. When he gets there everyone is following. His bride is ready. Dressed in her wedding gown both her and her attendants. She must be ready at any time for him to come. The wedding is performed there immediately. Then all there and who were ready are invited to the wedding feast. After all the guests arrive for the feast, the doors are shut and no one else can come in.

Jesus is coming with his bride, the church. The wedding has already occurred and “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb.”

Rev. 19:11-16

11 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. 12 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. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 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. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Re 19:11–16). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

(Thought scripture spiritual warfare was protecting us. The goal was to stand. Believers needed endurance. This is a different picture because it is the beginning of the end for evil, sin, lies and deceit.)

Jesus is coming like we have not seen Him before. Because this is the time of victory. The time Satan, the Beast and the false prophet will be defeated.

He is riding a white horse. Eyes of fire, head with many crowns, robe dripping in blood.

He is called the “word of God.”

Army in “white linen and pure” on white horses.

He will strike down the nations.

Rule with an iron scepter.

He will tread the wine press” of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty”

King of kings and Lord of lords.

This is Jesus coming to establish the 1000 year reign at the end of the tribulation.

Rev 19:17-21

English Standard Version Chapter 19

17 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, 18 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.” 19 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. 20 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. 21 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.

An angel inviting the buzzards to eat the flesh of “kings, captains, mighty men, horses and riders, all men free and slave.”

The beast gathers the armies of the world and tries to do battle with Jesus and his army.

The beast is captures, and the false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire the burns with sulfur.

The rest of the worlds army were slain.

It does matter who you follow. What decisions you make. Just following what the masses are doing will lead you to distruction. No decision, just going through life without committing, is a decision. It is a rejection of Christ. I must decide to follow Him. not making a decision is a no decision and you will find your self with a worldly perspective following the direction and actions of the world.

Revelation 20:1–3 ESV

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

Satan is bound for a thousand years? And must be released for a short time. Why? I don’t know

Satan is in the bottomless pit. Not the lake of fire. He is bound but not permanently dealt with. He can not deceive the nations any longer.

Revelation 20:4–6 ESV

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

John saw thrones with those seated with some who had authority to judge.

He saw those martyred for the testimony of Jesus and the word. and those who had not worshiped or gotten the mark of the beast.

These are the ones that came to life and reigned with Christ for the thousand year

This is the first resurrection( not the rapture) review

These will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him

Revelation 20:7–10 ESV

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Satan is defeated for the final time. Thrown into the lake of fire.

Notice after a thousand years of Christ’s reign, there we still those that would follow Satan. Christ does not ever force people to believe. We still must chose who to follow.

Revelation 20:11–15 ESV

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

The Great White thrown of Judgement. A judgement for the dead or unsaved.

Books were opened. then another book of life.

In the first books the dead were judged by what they had done.

All the dead are judged. This is the final and end.

This is the second death. The first death was spiritual death suffered by Adam. A separation from God. This is the final death which makes the separation from God eternal and final.

If your name is not written in the book of life you are thrown into the lake of fire for eternity.

How does your name get written in the book of life?

Accept Jesus as your savior is the only way. Confess you are a sinner, know and believe Jesus is the savior, give your life to Him. It’s His now. You are his child.

What is your perspective? On the things to come or are we focused on just what is in front of us right now.

Which group do you want to be a part of? The church that is raptured before the tribulation? Believe in him Now. Part of the those the we killed for the sake of Christ and did not receive the mark of the beast during the tribulation. These experienced the first resurrection and ruled with him for the 1000 years but lived and experienced the tribulation. Please don’t be a part of the last group that were part of the second resurrection. Those that died not believing in Jesus as the savior. They will are given eternity in the lake of fire with Satan, the Beast and the false prophet. Eternal separation from God in eternal agony . Do wait. Time could be short.