Tom Lowe
9/5/17
Book of Revelation Commentary
Lesson: IV.D.2: The Beast, His Armies and False Prophet (Land Beast) are Defeated (Revelation 19:17-21)
Revelation 19:17-21
17 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;
18 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.
19 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.
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.
21 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.
Introduction
The day of Jehovah has finally come. The Bible refers to this event as “that day,” and also as “the great day.” God is setting the stage and preparing for the Millennium, the glorious reign of peace on earth. Read Isaiah 65:17-19{3] 66:22; 2 Peter 2:13; Revelation 21:1.
This passage depicts the final vanquishing of all of Christ’s enemies on earth. It is the long-looked-for conflict of Armageddon (16:16). All of the demon-inspired nations are completely overthrown.
The order of events concerning this gigantic episode is:
The return of the Lord in Glory (Matthew 24:29, 30).
The Beast and his hosts will be destroyed: The Kings of the earth and their armies, and the false prophet which is the “great and terrible” (Revelation 19:11-21).
The judgment of the nations (Zechariah 14:1-9; Matthew 25:31-46).
The thousand years of peace, the Kingdom Age (Revelation 20:4-6).
Satanic revolt—the little season when Satan will be released after the Millennium to try them that are upon the earth (Revelation 20:7-10).
The second resurrection—the resurrection of the wicked, and the final judgment of the wicked (to see Revelation 20:11-15).
The DAY OF GOD—the time when the earth will be purged by fire (2 Peter 3:10-13) and we will have a new Heaven, a new Earth, and the Pearly White City.
Let me point out something very significant: the description of the battle is mentioned very briefly, while many verses are given over to the description of the Great Conqueror, the Lord Jesus Christ, riding upon the great white charger. The battle is simply mentioned in verse 19, while many verses are given to the description of the conqueror. Jesus is worthy of all honor, praise, adoration and worship.
Commentary
17 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;
John saw another “angel”; this one described as “standing in the sun” and calling out “to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven”—referring to the eagles and the vultures; carrion birds. This angel could be none other than the angel of the Lord. “Standing in the sun” denotes the center of governmental authority. He stands where all can clearly see Him, and where He can survey the whole scene of conflict. This will be the most gruesome single act of carnage ever in the history of mankind; the entire army will come to do battle, and they will be totally annihilated with the word of Christ. [ The scene described here and to the end of the chapter is a true and literal one.]
As the rulers of the earth converge on the city of Jerusalem in their last strenuous effort to destroy the Jews; their end will come suddenly with the descent of the King of kings. The flesh of the hundreds of thousands of fighting men from Europe and Asia is called here a “supper.” The great supper to which He invites the birds of the air immediately follows the battle of Armageddon. John, while in the Spirit, sees what will literally take place when this great battle is fought. The great supper to which the birds are invited will be the bodies of the kings, captains, mighty men, horses, the riders of the horses, the bond, the free, the great and the small. Their bodies will be lying upon the blood drenched ground and the birds of prey will devour the flesh from their bones. This great multitude of human beings were slain by one sharp sword—the sword of the Christ who sits on the great white horse leading the teeming millions of white horses out of heaven. In this one chapter there are two suppers one of joy which follows the wedding, and one of judgment which follows the war.
18 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.
Their “flesh” will be left for the birds to eat, for there will be no one left to bury the dead. A previous description of this battle included how “the blood (not wine) flowed from the winepress in a stream about 180 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridal (approximately 6 feet deep)” (14:20). This “great supper of God” is a grim contrast to the wedding supper of the Lamb (19:9). Both will be provided by God—but one will be a celebration, the other will be devastation.
The angel called the birds together before the battle. Again, the picture of the certainty of the final outcome is clear. Ezekiel had written God’s words to him in a prophesy of this final battle, ‘“And now, son of man, call all the birds and wild animals,’ says the Sovereign Lord. Say to them, ‘Gather together for my great sacrificial feast. Come from far and near to the mountains of Israel, and there eat the flesh and drink the blood…. Feast at my banquet table—feast on horses, riders, and valiant warriors’” (Ezekiel 39:17, 20). What a humiliating end to the strength, pomp and pride of the armies of Antichrist and the puppets that followed his power and rule! It is a grim and terrible picture, I admit, but one that we must expect to come to pass. In addition to Ezekiel’s prophesy concerning it, our Lord warned that “wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together” (Matthew 24:28).
The revived Roman Empire, including the monarchs of the 10 kingdoms, will assemble together in a futile attempt to withstand the King of kings. What daring audacity! Having the Antichrist as its only leader, all earth defies the Lord Jesus Christ. The wickedness of man has come to its full, so the wrath of God now reaches its peak. Because this vast confederacy has subdued the earth, it now boldly attacks Heaven. But to no avail. The preacher is a fool who fights against his creator.
19 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.
John “saw the Beast, and the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together.” Here John witnessed the gigantic confederation of the kings of the earth and peoples of the earth—the greatest confederation of people and kings ever seen. This host will consist of multiplied millions. The Beast is named first, and is the center of the movement against the Lamb of God. All the material resources and wealth of the mighty revived empire make up what the Beast heads up. This “Beast” is the same one that had risen out of the sea (See comments below).
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(13:1) “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.”
Chapter 13 presents a most important public figure of the end time—a “beast” coming “out of the sea.” His “10 horns” and “7 heads,” with “10 crowns” on his horns depict the revived Roman Empire which was also represented by the fourth “beast” of Daniel, which also had “10 horns” (Daniel 7:7-8; 13:3; 17:3, 7). In Revelation 13 and 17 the “beast” is the world ruler whereas in Daniel 7 the little horn on the “beast” was the world ruler.
Many have said that the “beast” refers to some character in past history, but the context clearly refers to the final three and one-half years before Christ’s second coming. Under the control of this central ruler in the Middle East during the Great Tribulation will be 10 nations (Daniel 7:24, “The 10 horns are 10 Kings”).
“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea.” John’s next vision is of a “beast” emerging from the “sea.” The fact that the “beast” comes out from the “sea” indicates that he is a ‘Gentile,’ for the sea of humanity is involved as his source (17:15). In the ancient world “the sea” was seen as hostile and chaotic. The four great beasts of the book of Daniel also came from the “sea” (Daniel 7:1-8). In fact, many of the descriptors of Revelation’s “beast” from the “sea” are similar to those associated with the four beasts in Daniel. For example, Daniel’s fourth beast has 10 horns, which represent 10 kings of the Greek empire (Daniel 7:7-8, 23-24). In Revelation the diadems (crowns) on the 10 horns also represent kinship.
Let’s keep in mind that everything reported by the Apostle John was seen in a vision sent by God. Were there really sea monsters? If you go far back in history you will discover that whales were called sea monsters. I saw a picture that shows a whale destroying a small boat, while sailors hurl harpoons at it. Many people will tell you that there is no such thing as a sea monster; that it is pure fiction. But the Old Testament records the story of Leviathan which is part of Jewish tradition (see Job 3:8; 41:1; Psalm 74:14; Isaiah 27:1), who often played a role in Jewish apocalyptic documents. It is clear from 13:7 and 17:3, 9-10, 18 that the “beast” represents the “Roman Empire.”
“Having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns. “Seven heads” as explained in 17:9, refers to “seven emperors.” Notice that the English phrase “head of state” is used for a ruler.
“Ten horns” are minor kings who have not yet received power (17:12). The imagery, associates the “seven heads and ten horns,” with the dragon of chapter 12 and with the fourth beast of Daniel 7:7-8, 19-25.
“And upon his heads the name of blasphemy.” “Blasphemous names” are names that belong only to God, but are ascribed to mere men. The Roman emperor referred to himself as “son of God,” “Lord,” “Savior,” “King of Kings” and “Lord of lords.” Especially Domitian, emperor during John’s time, insisted on being addressed as “Lord” and “God.”
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Secondly, we have the Kings of the earth—the very Kings who waited, moaned and groaned over the destruction of Babylon. The social and political authorities of Christendom unite with the Beast in this last tremendous attempt to overthrow God Almighty and His Christ. The battle started in Heaven when Satan brain washed some of the angels, attempted to overthrow God, and was thrown out of Heaven (Ezekiel 28:1-19; Isaiah 14:12-17).
The phrase “kings of the earth” refers also to the “ten horns” that John had seen on the Beast (see 13:1), and, most likely, their number symbolizes all the kings of the earth who pledge allegiance to the Antichrist. At the pouring out of the sixth bowl of God’s wrath, “miracle-working demons caused all the rulers of the world to gather for battle against the Lord…. to a place called Armageddon” (16:14-16). Chapter 16 gave a preview of what was to come and how; chapter 19 describes the event itself. Here, verse 19 tells of the assembly for the battle of Armageddon. (For further information on this battle and the various viewpoints regarding it, see comments below.)
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(16:16) “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”
“And he gathered them together,...”
Or rather "[they] gathered them together", as in Revelation 16:14 and the same spirits (“spirits of devils”) that are said there to go forth to gather the kings together, will be the same ones who do in fact gather them together; for they will persuade the Papal, Pagan, and Muslim powers,?the remains of them in the various parts of the world??to join together, and make one colossal effort for the reviving of their declining, and almost ruined wellbeing; and that is the purpose for which they will be brought together.
Who “gathered them together?” I believe it was the spirits mentioned above, but there are differing opinions held by good commentators. One theory supposes that it was God that gathered them together; others suppose that it was the sixth angel; others that it was Satan; others that it was the beast; and still others that it was Christ.
Should I ever need to defend my view of this matter, I would point out that in Revelation 16:14, the spirits are represented as going forth into the whole world for the purpose of gathering the nations together to take part in the great battle, and it is natural to suppose that the reference here is to them, for having accomplished what they went forth to do.
But who are to be “gathered together?” Evidently those who, in Revelation 16:14, are described by the word “them”?the “kings of the earth, and the whole world”; that is, there will be a situation which could be correctly described as a universal gathering of forces on a central battlefield. It is by no means necessary to suppose that what is represented here will literally occur. There will be a mustering of spiritual forces; there will be an alliance and a unity of opposition against the truth; there will be a rallying of the declining powers of paganism, Mohammedanism, and Catholicism, as if the forces of the earth, marshaled by kings and rulers, were assembled on some great battlefield, where the destiny of the world was to be decided.
“…into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon;”
And they gathered them together into the place which is called in the Hebrew tongue Har-Magedon. The ‘they’ spoken of in the first part of this verse refers to neither God nor the angel, but to the unclean spirits of Revelation 16:14. These spirits had gone forth to gather together all who had submitted themselves to the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. They have accomplished their mission, but the conflict does not yet take place. The spot where the horde assembles is mentioned only in anticipation. The battle itself is described in Revelation 19:19-21.
The word “Armageddon” is believed by most Bible scholars to come from the Hebrew, “{(Har},” a mountain, and “Megiddo” in Manasseh in Galilee. This is the only place in the New Testament where this word can be found. In the Old Testament it was the scene of the overthrow of the Canaanite kings by God‘s miraculous intervention under Deborah and Barak. Israel’s king Josiah, too, as the ally of Babylon, was defeated and slain at Megiddo; and the mourning of the Jews at the time just before God shall intervene for them against all the nations confederate against Jerusalem, is compared to the mourning for Josiah at Megiddo. Megiddo comes from a root, {gadad}, “cut off,” and means slaughter.
So much of what I have said here concerns an anticipated literal battle between God and unbelieving men who are His enemies, and who hate Him. But if it is not going to be a real “no-holds-barred battle,” what is it really. I’ll try to explain what is going to happen.
Note that there is no "battle" of any kind mentioned here. "Not a word is said about the Lord God's army." Why should Almighty God need an army? "There is no such place as Har-Magedon. The name is symbolic. It signifies a conflict that is not carnal, but a spiritual conflict. John means the place of the final struggle between the powers of evil and the kingdom of God." And where is any such place if it is not in the hearts of people?
The entire concept of the so-called "Battle of Armageddon" is unscriptural; it is not some kind of a super-colossal showdown on some earthly battlefield; that is totally illogical, and contrary to the whole teaching of Christ. Even writers who generally maintain their spiritual understanding of this prophecy have a tendency to "go literal" here. Why? Could it ever be supposed that the Almighty God will fight a literal battle on earth? Remember who God is. He needs no army.
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Search your history books; see if you can find one suggestion that such a battle has ever been fought. And yet some ministers have the audacity to teach that Revelation is behind us!
“The beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse (Christ), and against his army (the redeemed).” The battle lines had been drawn, and the greatest confrontation in the history of the world was about to begin. The enemy armies believed they had come of their own volition; in reality, God had summoned them to battle in order to defeat them. That they would even presume to fight against God shows how pride and rebellion had perverted their thinking.
The Satanic Trinity, “The beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies” hates the Lamb, the rider on the great white horse, and makes war against His army of blood-washed saints who make up the New Testament Church. There has never been a battle such as this, nor will there ever be another battle like this!
20 And the beast{1] 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.
These two worked in perfect unison, counterfeiting God the Father and God the Son in the Trinity of God. The Beast will supply the strength; the false prophet will supply the council to carry out the strength. The false prophet is by far the more energetic and the more powerful of the two, because he is energized by the devil and contains all the power of hell. They are confident of victory; after all, no one can defeat such awesome power.
The two armies sat facing each other—the Beast and all the kings of the earth verses the rider on the white horse and His redeemed people. Suddenly, the battle was over. There was no fight, for, in a second, the end had come. There was no need for a battle because the victory had been won centuries earlier when the rider on the white horse, Christ, had died on a cross. At that time Satan had been defeated; here at Armageddon, he is finally stripped of all his power. Satan’s beast (the Antichrist, described in 13:1-10) was captured. In addition, his false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf was also captured, for he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast “and worshipped his image. This is described in 13:11-18.
The Beast (the man, of course) and the false prophet (the Antichrist, the combination of all religious apostasy) were captured and thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The beast-empire and its last great imperial ruler are so vitally and closely connected that the former parishes in the everlasting ruin of its head. This is the final destruction of all evil. At this point, however, only these two evil beings received this punishment. This lake is different from the abyss (bottomless pit) referred to in 9:1; it is the Gehenna of 14:10-11 and 19:3 (see 19:3 commentary below).
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(19:3) “And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”
“And again they shouted: “Hallelujah!”
The voices in heaven ring out, again and again, the praise for God’s final victory. The “great prostitute,” the evil city, has been destroyed and the smoke from that city ascends forever and forever (see also 9:2; 14:11; 18:9, 18). BABYLON’S destruction will be final. She will never rise again. The internally burning fires are reminders of Gehenna or Hellfire.
This is not only physical burning and smoke as we know fire and smoke, but this is spiritual burning… judgment from Almighty God… everlasting destruction. The judgment poured out on Babylon will not be as if Paris, London or New York were burned after a great bombing by the enemy. It will not be just a big city going up in smoke, burned to an ash-heap, with that being the end of the city. The burning here is the judgment of Almighty God on a kingdom of ungodliness, a system of debauchery a gigantic organization both political and religious—the system of Anti-God, made up of politics, business and religion. The smoke of a city like New York could not ascend up for ever and ever as does the smoke of Babylon. Babylon is the mother of Anti-God… Politics, religion, business… Anything contrary to righteousness, holiness and purity.
This gruesome sight causes rejoicing in heaven because God’s name and God’s people have been vindicated. The people who are judged were those who had lived in total depravity against God, willingly rejecting His offer of salvation. Their sins “are piled as high as heaven” (18:5) and God justly judges them.
The apostle states, “The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever”; but if the new heaven and earth of 21:1, is to be regarded as a completely new creation, the expression “for ever and ever” must be limited here to the 1000 years of the millennium; the ashes of the ruined city presumably disappear with the old earth.
Observe, verse 3 has the SECOND hallelujah, which I have called THE HALLELUJAH OF RIGHTEOUS RETRIBUTION. All of God’s judgments, upon the good and the evil, are true and righteous. The great harlot has received a just retribution for her evil, and her doom is an everlasting, visible witness to the righteous judgment of God. On the other hand, there is another theory which says that one should not push the term “for ever and ever” or should not interpret it in relationship to the smoke. The idea of a new heaven and earth would make it unlikely that the spiral of smoke from Rome’s ruins would be seen eternally. He has avenged the blood of His servants who died at her hand. The hallelujah here is expressed because God has gotten the victory over His foe. The permanence and finality of God’s judgment upon all His people is cause for the rejoicing of God’s people. Hallelujah!
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There are several statements concerning both spiritual powers and people being thrown into the “lake of fire.” Here, the Antichrist and the false prophet were “cast alive” into the fiery lake. [these two emissaries of Satan’s are still found alive in the lake of fire at the close of the thousand years (20:10{4])]. Next, their own leader, SATAN himself, will be thrown into that lake (20:10{4]), at the close of the thousand years (20:10{4]), and finally death and Hades (20:14{5]). Afterward, every one whose name is not recorded in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire (20:15{6]).
The followers of these wicked men (the Beast and the false prophet) once said, “Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (13:4). Now they have the answer as their leaders are cast alive into the lake of fire{2]. Two Old Testament saints, Enoch and Elijah, were taken up alive to Heaven, but these two enemies of Christ are cast alive into hell. Daniel saw their end in a vision (Daniel 7:11{7]).
“Both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” Yes, this is fire…. A lake of it. There are not enough words in all the languages of all the world to describe the agony of such a doom! These two—the Beast and false prophet—are not killed as are their followers. Physical death does not come to them; they are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone while still living in the body’s they possessed during their ungodly reign
One thousand years later, Satan will be cast into the same lake (Revelation 20:10{4]). Certainly this proves that the wicked do not burn up, for when Satan is cast into the lake of fire; the Beast and the false prophet are still there, burning! Fire and brimstone denote torment that is unspeakable (Isaiah 30:33{8]). This will be a lake—not of water, but of fire, regardless of what religions, preachers, teachers, or whosoever may have to say about it.
Let the doom of these two men and their followers serve as a solemn warning to all who are still rejecting Christ. I sound this alarm because I feel I must. God has done everything to save you. You must come to Christ at once and receive Him. Rebellion against Him means doom, for no weapon formed against Him can prosper. If you decide to take issue with these things, you must deal with Him who is the author of them.
21 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.
The pride of the armies of the Antichrist lies in the dust of the earth in death … butchered; but not with bullets nor atomic bombs—butchered with the sword that proceeds out of the mouth of the King of kings. The voice of fury of the King of kings shall strike suddenly, taking the lives of chiefs, captains, kings, millionaires. They will die on the spot—a horrible death—and their flesh will be devoured by the buzzards! There will be enough for all the birds … “and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”
With the two leaders captured (the Beast and the false prophet), the army was left to be destroyed. Christ, with “the sharp sword of His mouth (19:15), kills the entire army of rebellious kings and soldiers in one fell swoop. His sword of judgment falls and destroys everything. The vultures who had been called ahead of time by the angel (19:17-18) gorged themselves on the dead bodies. With no one left on the planet to bury these dead, they were abandoned to the carrion birds to devour.
Thus ends the battle of Armageddon! For a thousand years there will be peace on earth after that. Men will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, their tanks into tractors and their missiles into silos for grain. The ages will roll by and the words for war in human speech will become archaic fragments of a language dead to mankind.
Scriptures and Special Notes
[1} The term “Beast” usually refers to the empire, but here it refers to the personal chief of the empire. The character of the empire is molded by the Beast-ruler.
[2} This fiery lake is a picture of hell, which in the New Testament is commonly called Gehenna (Matthew 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28). The Greek word is a transliteration of a Hebrew phrase meaning “the valley of Hinnom,” a valley on the south side of Jerusalem where the Jews of Jeremiah’s time offered human sacrifices by fire (Jeremiah 7:31). This was an appalling act that brought God’s judgment upon them. The valley later came to be used as the city’s garbage heap, where fires burned constantly. Such a place of constant stench and burning became an appropriate symbol for the place of eternal judgment.
[3} “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying” (Isaiah 65:17-19).
[4} “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).
[5} “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death” (Revelation 20:14).
[6} “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).
[7} “I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame” (Daniel 7:11).
[8} “ For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it” (Isaiah 30:33).
