Armageddaboutit (Revelation 19-21) Series

Good morning. Please open your Bibles to revelation 17.

In our culture, Armageddon is shorthand for any cataclysmic, catastrophic, apocalyptic event. In 1998, it was the title of a Bruce Willis movie about a meteor heading toward earth.

In July 2011, the city of Los Angeles announced that a ten mile stretch of Interstate 405— one of the most heavily congested highways in the country, would be shut down over the weekend to make repairs on the Mulholland Bridge. Journalists quickly termed it “Carmageddon.”

In 2014 (I actually lived through this one), Nashville, Tennessee was forecast to get 2-4 inches of snow. Instead, we got 8-13 inches of snow, and it fell so quickly that every interstate became a parking lot. What was normally a 20 minute drive from the LifeWay building downtown to my house took four hours. That day will live forever as Snowmageddon.

Then there’s the game that is played every year in the United States between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. The game is to see how long you can go without hearing the MOST ANNOYING CHRISTMAS SONG EVER: “Last Christmas, by Wham.”

That’s right: Whamageddon 2025 begins this Thursday. May the odds be ever in your favor.

So with all these pop-culture “-mageddons,” you’d expect that when we finally get to the real Armageddon in Revelation, we’re about to read the story of the ultimate end-times showdown—the universe-shaking clash between good and evil.

The biggest surprise for a lot of Bible readers is that the final chapters of Revelation don’t describe an apocalyptic battle. The word Armageddon only appears once— in Revelation 16:14-16

Revelation 16:14–16 ESV

14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. … 16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

They gather against God, but they never ever get a shot off. Fast forward to Revelation 19:13-15 (It’s on the bulletin cover)

Revelation 19:13–15 ESV

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.

… and there they are gathered, but Jesus shows up, and His name is king of kings and Lord of Lords, and he’s got a sharp sword in His mouth, which is the Word of God, and then and angel announces to all the buzzards and vultures, “dinnertime…” and that’s all she wrote.

Armageddon? Armageddaboutit.

Revelation does not show us an epic battle. It shows us a victorious Savior whose word alone ends the battle before it begins.

And that brings us right back to the heartbeat of this entire series: It’s not going to be a split decision. It’s not going to be a TKO.

The outcome isn’t in question. God wins.

The victory isn’t pending. God wins.

It isn’t up for grabs. God wins.

And when God wins, believers don’t have to live in fear of the end times.

So with that in mind, let’s stand as we read God’s Word together. This is Revelation 19:1-4

Revelation 19:1–4 ESV

1 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!”

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Let’s Pray.

What you are going to see in our outline this morning is four sets of twos: Two Women, Two Songs, Two Feasts, and Two Riders.

Anytime you see two of something, that means there is going to be a choice between one of them or the other. This morning, I’m going to ask you two make a choice.

• Which woman is going to represent you?

• Which song is going to be in your mouth?

• Which feast will you partake in?

• Which Rider will you follow?

[Pray]

1. Two Women: Babylon Falls, The Bride Rises (Revelation 17-19:10

In Revelation 17-19, John shows us a vision of two women. And as any country music singer will tell you, two women is one woman two many. So which one do you identify with?