1 Why study prophecy?
We are in the book of Revelation a part of the Bible to which we seldom turn. We are almost afraid to go there because it is difficult to understand. We may disagree on the interpretation, but disagreement should not lead to disputes. Provided we give logical explanations for what we believe, we should be able to respect one another's views. But why go there at all? What is to be gained from studying prophecy? We should study it for the following reasons:
- Knowledge dispels ignorance ignorance breeds fear
The Thessalonians knew a little about future events but not enough to prevent fear and anxiety about loved ones who had passed away. Paul gives further knowledge to dispel the ignorance and hence the fear of the unknown.
- Prophecy should make us see the world in a new light.
Peter speaks about the world being dissolved in a day to come. If we really believed this, why would we cherish worldly things as we do?
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
God gave Enoch a revelation of the flood. He called his son Methuselah which means When he dies, it shall come. How did this knowledge affect Enoch? Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah. God also told Enoch that one day He would come for him, and take him to heaven without dying. Did this change the life of Enoch? Before his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God.
Should the knowledge of things to come change our appearance? In Luke chapter 12, the Lord speaks of His coming kingdom. How were His disciples to look?
Lu 12:36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord,
Back in Exodus 12, if someone looked into the home of a Jewish family on the night of the Passover, he would have seen a strange sight. The family were standing round a fire eating roast lamb. But they ate it in haste as though they were ready to depart:
11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.
The stranger would quickly come to the conclusion that here was a family that was about to leave Egypt. They were ready to depart. Do we look like men who are ready to depart?
- We would be more urgent in our preaching
Enoch had a revelation from God about the day of the Lord, the day of divine judgment. But he did not keep the news to himself. Enoch went out to tell men, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints to execute judgment upon all . If we really believed in the judgment of God, and that it might come soon, we would be more earnest in our efforts to reach men.
2 The book of Revelation is the reverse of Genesis
In the book of Revelation, we see the culmination of all God's purposes for heaven and earth. What God is doing in Revelation is to reverse all that came in through failure in the book of Genesis.
Genesis 1: 1 tells us how God made the heavens and the earth.
Revelation 21 tells us how God will make a new heavens and a new earth.
Genesis 1 tells us about a man and his bride.
Revelation 19 tells us about the Lamb and His bride.
Genesis 3 tells us about the serpent
Revelation tells us about the dragon
Genesis 3 tells us about a paradise that was lost.
Revelation 22 tells us about a paradise that is restored
Genesis 6 tells us about the Flood
Revelation tells us about the Tribulation
Genesis chapter 11 tells us about Babel
Revelation 18 and 19 tells us about the fall of Babylon
3 Summary of Revelation chapter 19
Revelation chapter 19 is one of the great turning points in the whole of the Bible. In it we deal with the following subjects:
Verses 1 to 5 The judgment of Babylon
Verse 6 to 10 The marriage of the Lamb
Verse 11 to 21 Armageddon
4 The judgment of Babylon
What is Babylon? It has its origins in Genesis chapter 11 the tower of Babel.
Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
On face value, it seems to have the right motives. They would build a tower that it would reach up to heaven. It would ensure their unity lest we be scattered. But the real purpose was, Let us make us a name. It was to gratify themselves. It was the tower that would unite them not God Himself.
What happened to Babel? God came down and scattered them.
The first Babel was a city. It re-appears as Babylon in the book of Daniel. It is still a city, but a city which had become the centre of an empire. How could the king unite the various peoples in this vast empire? it was by building a great image before which all the peoples of the empire must bow. It is religious conformity based on idolatry.
The second Babylon was soon overthrown by the Medes and Persians. In the book of Revelation, we come to a third Babylon. Now it is not just a city or an empire but a universal religious system. It has no political power of its own hence it is seen sitting upon the scarlet coloured Beast. She uses the power of the Beast to extend her own influence. And that influence is universal. She sits upon many waters and the waters are peoples and tongues and nations.
Babylon is the false bride of Revelation. She claims to be the bride of Christ, but she is not prepared to suffer with Him during this present age. She does not share in His rejection. Rather, she says:
I sit a queen and am no widow
She is clothed in purple and scarlet and decked with precious stones. She wants to reign with Christ now not to suffer with Him now, and reign later.
Many writers have said that Babylon is the church of Rome. It may be true that Rome is a harlot, but Babylon is described as the mother of harlots. It is a huge religious system which in its final form may embrace many denominations and systems. But like Babel and Babylon before, it will come to nought. It will be judged, not by God, but by the kings who form the confederacy under the Beast. These shall hate the whore.
If we go back to Daniel chapters 5 and 6, Babylon is destroyed by Darius the Mede. The idolatry of Babylon in chapter 5 is replaced by Darius himself taking the place of God as an object of universal worship. In this respect, Darius is a type of the first beast of Revelation chapter 13, the head of the great confederacy and the great political power of the last days.
The destruction of Babylon is the cause of much rejoicing in heaven. Between verse 1 and verse 6, four times over, we hear the word Alleluia. Before the true bride of Christ can be brought in, the false bride must be destroyed.
Three times over, the Alleluia come from the multitudes of heaven, but in verse 4, the Alleluia is said specifically to come from the four beasts and the twenty four elders. Who are they? I believe the four beasts are angelic beings, four being the universal number. In the gospel of Matthew, when the Lord is about to re-gather Israel, He sends His angels to gather together His elect from the four winds, from the four corners of the earth. What about the elders? In almost every commentary on Revelation, they are said to represent the church, but in this chapter number 19, ewe read of the elders and the bride. Can both be pictures of the same thing? If so, is God not guilty of mixing His metaphors? To answer this problem, we have to go back to Revelation chapters 4 and 5. Why can't the elders be the church?
- The beasts are nearer the throne than the elders.
The elders are seen sitting round about the throne in chapter 4, but the beasts are said to be in the midst of the throne and round about the throne. According to Paul in Ephesians 1, we are seated in the heavenlies before God literally in His immediate presence. In Luke chapter 1, Gabriel says, I stand in the presence of God. We are nearer to God than Gabriel.
- The elders cast their crowns before the throne
This act suggests that these elders have abdicated their position as rulers in order to worship God. We in the church, on the other hand, will be on the point of taking up our place as rulers along with the Lord Himself.
- The song of the beasts and elders in chapter 5
In the AV, verses 9 and 10 of this chapter, we read of the pronouns we and us in this song, suggesting that the beasts and elders are singing about their own redemption. Mr Darby however makes the following changes in His new translation:
Thou hast redeemed to God by thy blood . And hast made them unto our God kings and priests, and they shall reign upon the earth.
The elders are singing about the redemption of men who dwell upon earth, not about themselves for angels are not redeemed.
- The redeemed shall reign upon the earth
The last clause of verse 10 says, They shall reign on the earth. On is the Greek preposition EPI, which means upon. We in the church are to reign with Christ over the earth, thus suggesting that the redeemed here are those who will follow Christ during the Tribulation period.
- The vials full of odours
In chapter five, we read of the beasts and the elders, having each one of them vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. Is it not too much to imagine now that saints on earth are offering up prayers to heaven which are then gathered up and kept by saints who are in heaven. Much of this language is no doubt imagery, but to me, this is stretching imagery too far.
- The elders and the bride in chapter 19
In this chapter, we are going to read for the first time of the bride, the Lamb's wife. We believe her to be a type of the church, His bride. Are we not in danger here of mixing our metaphors to extremes if we also say that the church is represented by the twenty four elders. Within the space of a few verses, is she depicted by a bride?
So, if the elders do not represent the church, what do they represent? I believe that like the four beasts, they represent angels. The number twenty four is surely meaningful. In first Chronicles, from chapters 24 to 27, David makes certain arrangements for the sanctuary and for the army. He sets up twenty four courses of the priests, twenty four courses of the musicians, and twenty four courses of the porters for the governors of the sanctuary and for the governors of the house of God. He also sets up twenty four captains of the host, with twenty four thousand men in each. It all has to do with delegated authority. I believe this is the role of the elders in the book of Revelation. They are part of the civil service of heaven.
5. The marriage of the Lamb
The second cause of rejoicing in Revelation 19 is the marriage of the Lamb in verse 7. Let us be glad and rejoice. for the marriage of the Lamb is come. We note the following points
- The place given to the Lamb
- The assurance of His love
- The attire of the Bride
- The guests at the marriage supper.
5.1. The place given to the Lamb
When we think of a wedding, we think of it as being the Bride's big day. All eyes are upon her what her dress is like etc. This is how it is in our world and rightly so. But when we come to this marriage that will take place in heaven, it is described, not as the marriage of the Bride but the marriage of the Lamb. Why is this? Because in every thing, Christ must always have the pre-eminence.
5.1.1. The young child and His mother Matthew 2
In the natural world, when a child is born we read about the mother and child. Mother and child both well were the words we used to see in the newspaper column. In the religious world also, people have spoken for the past 2000 years of the Mother and Child or the Madonna and Child. But what does the Bible have to say about this relationship? The answer is to be found in Matthew chapter 2. In verses 11,13,14, 20, and 21 5 times in all- we read about the young child and His mother. Even as an infant, the Spirit of God has seen to it that we read of the young child and His mother. He takes precedence over her.
5.1.2. John the Baptist
John is described by the Lord Jesus as the greatest of all the prophets and the greatest born of women. While other prophets were able to write about the coming of the messiah, John had the privilege of actually introducing the Messiah to Israel. Great though John was, he spoke of the Lord in these words. He must increase, I must decrease. He has precedence over me.
5.1.3. His place in the heavenlies
In Ephesians chapter 1, we are seated in the heavenlies in Christ. It is indeed a place of great honour. Christ also is in the heavenlies, but of Him only is it said that He is seated at the right hand of God. He is always first He is firstborn of all creation, the Head of the Church, the Head of all principalities and powers. In Revelation 19:7, all heaven is to give honour to Him.
5.2. The love of the Bridegroom for His Bride
Every bride on her wedding day wants to feel sure of the love and the affection of her bridegroom. In this coming day, what assurances will we have? It is the marriage, not of the Christ or the King, but of the Lamb. When we see those nail pierced hands and feet, the marks of Calvary, we shall be reminded of the love that caused Him to give Himself for us, and what it cost Him to win His bride.
5.3. The Bride and her wedding dress
His wife hath made herself ready. The Bride has prepared herself for the marriage. All eyes now turn to the Bride and to her wedding dress. What is she wearing on her wedding day? Strangely, she does not choose her wedding dress. Verse 8 says, To her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen clean and white.
The fine linen would speak of her purity. In Ephesians chapter 5, Christ is working in His church to sanctify it :
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
In Leviticus chapter 16, we read instructions regarding the day of Atonement, Israel's most holy day. The High Priest had to lay aside his every day garments of beauty and glory, and put on linen garments a holy linen coat, linen breeches, a linen girdle, and a linen mitre upon his head. The linen was a symbol of purity.
4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
If the dress is made in heaven, then the Bride has provided the material for the dress. The fine linen is the righteousness of saints. I understand that the word righteousness is plural and could be translated the righteous acts of the saints. It is the accumulation of all the righteous deeds that saints have done over the past 2000 years. In Hebrews 6:10, we read that God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love. In II Timothy 4:8, Paul says, Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all them also that love His appearing. In I Corinthians 15:18, Paul says to the Corinthians, Your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Taken together, all of these righteous deeds go towards the fine linen of the Bride's wedding dress.
The marriage of the Lamb is therefore seen as the culmination of what Paul wrote about the church in Ephesians 5. There he speaks about the love of Christ for His bride. His love is seen in three different time spheres:
- In the past
Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her
- In the present
He sanctifies and cleanses it today by the washing of the word
- In the future
He will present it to Himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle
5.4. The guests at the wedding
After the marriage itself, there comes the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. In verse 9 there is a blessing for the wedding guests. We like going to a wedding, but here we read, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
John the Baptist called himself the friend of the bridegroom. He also will rejoice in that day when the Bridegroom takes His Bride. John and the saints of the Old Covenant will not be part of the Bride but they will rejoice to see the marriage of the Lamb.
6. The Bride in the millennium Rev 21: 9-12 and 18-19
In verse 9 of chapter 21, John is introduced again to the Bride. An angel beckons him, Come hither, I will show you thee the Bride, the Lamb's wife. This is now the Bride in the millennial kingdom, about to take her place in government with her heavenly Bridegroom. We would have been content to receive salvation, but that is not enough for the Lord. Away back in Genesis 1:26, God said of Adam and his bride, Let them have dominion. In the New Testament, we read, If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him. The saints shall judge the world.
We shall look at the following details in this section:-
6.1. The mountain and the city
The words mountain and city both speak to us of administration and government. In Daniel chapter 2, the stone cut out without hands became a great mountain and filled the whole earth
In Revelation 8:21, Babylon is described as that great city. She delighted to reign over men and nations, whereas the place of the true Bride is to suffer with Him today.
5.2. The heavenly character of the Bride Rev 21:10
We have already discussed the heavenly character of the bride as seen in the way that Eve was created from Adam. Our Lord is the second man out of heaven, and we are linked with Him. We were formed out of the deep sleep of the Man of Calvary. Here in verse 10, the Bride is seen as descending out of heaven from God.
In Philippians 3:20, Paul says of us that our citizenship is in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour. In Ephesians 1, we are seen as seated in heavenly places in Christ. We are a heavenly people.
5.3. Having the glory of God Rev 21:11
There is a verse which is quoted at almost every gospel meeting. Romans 3:23 says, All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The glory of God was the standard for us and we all fell short of it by some margin. But here we read of the Bride Having the glory of God. How come she has this glory now? And how can God give His glory when we read in Isaiah 48:1, I will not give My glory to another? The answer is that the Bride is not another. The Bride is part of Christ, and Christ is part of the Bride. In the New Testament, we read of the church being the body of Christ, and of Christ being the head of the body. The Head is not complete without a body and the body is not complete without the Head. In the language of Paul, We are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
5.4. The jasper
Jasper is mentioned no less than three times in connection with the Bride. Verse 11 says, Her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone. In verse 18, we read of the wall of the city, The building of the wall of it was of jasper. In verses 19 and 20, we read of 12 precious stones which form the foundations of the city, and the first foundation is jasper. Why is jasper so prominent here? The answer is found by going back to Revelation chapter 4. There John looks towards the throne of God and tries to describe Him who sits upon the throne. He that sat upon the throne was like a jasper throne and a sardine stone. God is represented by this jasper stone. Now in chapter 21, the Bride in the millennium will reflect all that is divine.
There should of course be such a reflection today, and hence Paul writes regarding the brother in the assembly that He is the image and glory of God.
5.5. The twelve gates
At each of the 12 gates is an angel, and on the gates are written the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. In I Corinthians chapter 6, Paul says of us that we shall judge the world and that we shall judge angels. In these verses, we see a picture of God's administration during the millenial kingdom. Instructions will be given from the Lord to the church, from the church to the angels, from the angels to the 12 tribes of Israel, and from Israel to the nations at large.
6. The Bride in eternity Revelation 21 : 1- 5
In Revelation 21:1, we come to eternity. John saw a new heaven and a new earth. What else does he see? a city coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. A thousand years have passed since the marriage of the Lamb, but the Church is still as fresh in the eyes of her Bridegroom as she was on that nuptial day. She is still His Bride. The love of Christ for His Bride will never wax nor wane.
John also sees a tabernacle not a temple as one might expect in eternity but rather that temporary dwelling place in which God dwelt amongst His people on their wilderness journey. As long as God dwelt in a tent, the people knew that there would no permanent rest. There would always be new horizons to explore, new valleys to pass through, new mountains to climb. Every day was a new experience. In I Cor 2, Paul wrote about the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him. In Eph 2, we read of the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us. These will be made known to us in the ages to come. We will explore the peace of God that passeth all understanding and the love of God that surpasseth knowledge.
Eternity will be an ever fresh experience. In order to emphasise this, we read of God dwelling amongst His people. The word for dwell in this verse is to dwell in a tent, again emphasising the idea of a pilgrim journey of exploration.
Finally, God will wipe away all tears from their eyes, for everything on earth that caused the tears will be removed no more death, sorrow, crying nor pain.
7 John and the angel
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
When we consider the nearness that John had with the Lord Jesus in His lifetime, it seems an incredible thing that John was about to fall down and worship the angel who spoke to him. Yet John almost repeats the error in chapter 22:8. On both occasions, the angel stops him. Only God is worthy to receive our worship, hence the angel tells him, Worship God. The fact that many came to worship Him in the days of His flesh is another proof of His deity. These included a leper and Jairus. Peter in Acts chapter 10 also forbids Cornelius to worship him. Stand up, for I also am a man. Neither men nor angels are to be worshipped by us. Worship God.
If this issue nearly stumbled John the apostle, one can understand the temptation brought before the Colossians to worship angels.
8 Armageddon
We turn from a scene of great affection, the marriage, to a scene of utter judgment.
11 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.
12 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.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Having taken to Himself His bride, the Lord must now purge the earth and make it fit for Him and His bride to reign in. We note the following points:
8.1. A white horse
Much of what follows in the remainder of this chapter stands in almost complete contrast to that which is familiar to us in the gospels. Paul writes about the meekness and gentleness of Christ. He also speaks of Him as having been crucified in weakness. He came as a Saviour, seeking the lost sheep amongst men. But in these verses that follow, He comes as a judge. The day of grace has ended men have been given every opportunity to repent and believe in Him. Now it is too late.
One of the last times that He entered Jerusalem, He came upon an animal. But He did not ride upon a horse rather He came riding upon a colt the foal of an ass. This was in fulfilment of the prophecy of Zechariah chapter 9:9.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
He came in humiliation, and because of this, the nation rejected Him. But now in Revelation 9, He leaves heaven and heads towards Jerusalem upon a white horse, a symbol of war.
8.2. Judge and make war
On His first advent, the Lord came to establish peace upon earth. This was part of the angelic praise at His birth:
On earth peace, goodwill amongst men.
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. In Ephesians chapter 2, peace is mentioned three times in relation to Christ. Here it is dispensational peace between Jew and Gentile.
He is our peace
So making peace
He came and preached peace
Christ is the great Peacemaker.
But in our part of Revelation chapter 19, He has come to judge and to make war. The time for peace and reconciliation is past.
8.3. His eyes as a flame of fire
How different are these eyes from the eyes that we know in the gospels. During His first advent, those eyes were filled with compassion. He had compassion upon the leper and stretched out His hand to touch him and heal him. He had compassion on the widow of Nain, as she followed the funeral procession of her only son. He had compassion on the multitude in the wilderness. They had no food, and He saw them as sheep that were scattered without a shepherd.
But here in Revelation 19, His eyes are as a flame of fire. They are set upon judgment. He is going to judge the nations, and the Beast and the False Prophet. The time for compassion has passed. It is time to put down every foe.
We may well breath a sigh of relief that He will not move against us in such a manner, but in Revelation chapter 1, we see the Lord standing in the midst of the seven lampstands, the seven churches of Asia that He is about to judge. His eyes shine as a flame of fire.
13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
8.4. Many crowns
On His head were many crowns many diadems. The only crown that He wore on earth was the crown of thorns given to Him by the Roman soldiers in mockery.
But now He wears, not one crown, but many crowns. He also bears a name that no one knew but He Himself.
He had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
We cannot even begin to hazard a guess as to what this name is. Let us leave it simply as a mystery.
8.5. A vesture dipped in blood
He is clothed in a vesture dipped in blood. This is not His own blood - the blood of the New Covenant shed for many for the remission of sins. Rather it is the blood of His enemies, as depicted by Isaiah in chapter 63:
1 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.
2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
3 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.
4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come
8.6. The Word of God
Here is a second name belonging to the Lord Jesus. His name is called the Word of God. This is how He was introduced by John in his gospel. In the beginning was the Word. As the Word, He is the very expression of all that God is His thoughts, His feelings, His ways. He came to speak the words of God, He came to do the works of God. When He spoke, men wondered at the gracious words the words of grace that came forth from His lips.
In Revelation 19, He is still the word of God, but now we see the word expressed not in grace but in judgment. It is the word of Hebrews chapter 4 living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
8.7. The armies of heaven
He is followed by the armies of heaven. Who are the horsemen of this army? Some say that they are the church of Christ, but my own opinion is that they are the angelic host of heaven. They are His saints, His holy ones. They are the ones predicted by Enoch when he prophesied of the day we are considering.
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
8.8. The rod of iron
15 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.
The mention of the rod of iron in verse 15 takes us back to the words of David in Psalm number 2.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
In Acts chapter 4, when the saints gather together to pray for Peter and John, they apply the opening words of the Psalm to the raging of the nations against Christ. But it's true fulfilment is surely here in Revelation chapter 19. First He breaks the nations with the rod of iron, then He rules them with the same rod. It is no longer gentle Jesus, meek and mild. It is a sovereign king, with despotic rule.
8.9. King of Kings
Both Psalm 2 and Revelation 19 speak of the king appointed by God to rule. Firstly the Psalm:
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
Then the words of John:
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
He is not just another king He is king of those who are kings, He is Lord of those who are Lords. He has no peer. It is now that Philippians chapter 2 shall be fulfilled:
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
8.10. The great supper of God
In Luke chapter 14, we have a great supper. The invitation goes out to all men Come, for all things are now ready. It is the great invitation of the gospel. But in Revelation 19, the great supper is an invitation to the birds of the air to devour the bodies of those slain by the Lord at Armageddon.
8.11. The beast and the false prophet taken
20 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.
Who are the beast and the false prophet? The beast is the beast out of the sea as described in Revelation 13:1. He is elsewhere known as the Little Horn of Daniel chapter 7; the man of sin of II Thess 2. He is the head of the great confederacy of nations in the last days. The false prophet is the second beast of Revelation 13. He is elsewhere known as the wilful king of Daniel 11, the Wicked one of II Thess 2, the Antichrist of John's epistles.
They are Satan's men they lead his great rebellion against God and His Christ. Both men are doomed to judgment. They will be taken and cast alive into the lake of fire. They are still there a thousand years later when the dragon joins them. They are not annihilated as some would have us believe.
