The Campaign of Armageddon

The Campaign of Armageddon

Revelation 19:17-21

 Scripture Reading and Insights

 Begin by reading Revelation 19:17-21 in your favorite Bible. As you read, notice how the Word of God is purifying your life (John 17:17-18).In the previous lesson, we focused on the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ. Now let’s find out about how Christ will conquer the armies that gather to wage war against Him. With your Bible still accessible, consider the following insights on the biblical text, verse by verse

Revelation 19:17-18

“Come, gather for the great supper of God” (19:17): The main battle of Armageddon is now about to occur. An angel, therefore, invites birds to gather for a hearty feast. The angel is “standing in the sun, “where birds could easily see him. He cries out with a loud voice so birds everywhere will hear him. Jesus prophesied about Armageddon and mentioned that birds would have a feast on the battlefield: “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather” (Matthew 24:28; Luke 17:37). The scene is gruesome. “To eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men” (19:18): The casualties of this judgment will be massive and broad. All who have resisted Jesus Christ will be targets of this judgment, regardless of their status in the world. Everyone will be included—free and slave, small and great. Here we find another application of the lex talionis, or the law of retaliation—that is, an “eye for an eye.” Recall the bodies of God’s two prophetic witnesses were not buried (Revelation 11:9-10). Likewise, those executed at Armageddon will not be buried, and the birds will have a feast.

 Revelation 19:19-21I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war (19:19): The antichrist will not give up without a fight. A multinational anti-God force, comprised of the armies of the beast and the kings of the earth, will gather to engage in battle against Christ as they see Him coming in glory. This brings up a question related to the actual duration of Christ’s second coming. If the antichrist and his forces have sufficient time to gather and unite in preparing to fight Christ, this seems to imply that the second coming will not be an instantaneous event. Revelation 1:7 says, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.” Matthew 24:30 likewise tells us, “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. “If every eye will witness the second coming, the whole world may be able to see a majestic military processional en route from heaven to earth.

 As they witness this glorious entourage, they gather forces to-do battle against Christ. If this processional takes a day or longer, then as the earth revolves, people all over the world will be able to witness the event firsthand. Of course, there will also be live television and Internet feeds. The beast was captured and with it the false prophet…These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire (19:20): The battle will instantly be over. None can thwart the King of kings. The Lord Jesus will promptly cast the antichrist and the false prophet alive into the lake of fire. Their punishment is just, for this diabolical duo will have deceived multitudes of people. The Scriptures assure us that the lake of fire (hell) is a real place. But hell was not part of God’s original creation, which He called good. Hell was created later to accommodate the banishment of Satan and his fallen angels, who rebelled against God (Matthew 25:41). Human beings who reject Christ will join Satan and his fallen angels in this infernal place of suffering.

 The Scriptures use a variety of words to describe the horrors of hell.The fiery furnace (Matthew 13:42) unquenchable fire (Mark 9:47-48) the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15) eternal fire (Matthew 18:8) eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46 Destruction (Matthew 7:13)

Eternal destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9) the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:42) the second death (Revelation 20:14) the antichrist and false prophet will be consigned to this place before Christ’s millennial kingdom.

 Scripture describes degrees of punishment in hell. Christ’s justice is perfect, and this requires that extremely evil persons (such as the antichrist and the false prophet) will experience much greater punishment than, for example, a non-Christian moralist.

 Theologians generally appeal to the following verses in support of the idea that there are degrees of punishment in hell: Matthew 10:15; 16:27; Luke12:47-48; Revelation 20:12-13; 22:12. The suffering of the antichrist and the false prophet will be eternal (see Matthew 25:46; Revelation 14:11; 20:10).

The rest were slain by the sword (19:21): God’s judgment is universal and comprehensive. All the rest of Christ’s enemies will die in an instant as Christ speaks the word of judgment.

The antichrist and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire, but wicked humans are cast into Hades, a temporary abode of punishment where people await the great white throne judgment, after which they will be consigned to the lake of fire for all eternity (see 2, Peter 2:9).(More on this later in the book.) C.S. Lewis once said that in the end, there are two groups of people. One group of people says to God, “Thy will be done.” These are people who recognize that they are sinners, and they trust in Christ for salvation. The other group of people are those to whom God says, “Thy will be done.” These are people who have refused to turn to Christ for salvation, thus ensuring their own destiny in hell forever.

 A 75-Day Interim Period Though the book of Revelation does not directly speak of it, other prophetic verses describe a 75-day interval between the end of the tribulation period and the beginning of the millennial kingdom. During this brief interim, a number of significant events transpire. For example, the image of the antichrist that had caused the abomination of desolation at the midpoint in the tribulation will be removed from the temple after 30 days. Daniel 12:11 tells us, “From the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be1,290 days.”

 The last half of the tribulation lasts only 1260 days (or three and a half years). So the abomination that makes desolate is removed from the Jewish temple 30 days after the tribulation ends. An additional 45 days must also be added into the prophetic timetable. Daniel 12:12 states, “Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days.” (The 1335 days minus the 1290 days means another 45days are added into the mix.) Apparently, the judgment of the nations, recorded in Matthew 25:31-46, takes place during this time.

 The Jewish survivors of the tribulation period will also be judged (Ezekiel20). Many theologians also believe that Old Testament saints will be resurrected from the dead during this interim period. “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead” (Isaiah 26:19). “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). Finally, tribulation saints who died are resurrected from the dead. “I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and 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” (Revelation 20:4). The governmental structure of the coming millennial kingdom may also be set up during the extra 45days. We have just read that the saints will reign with Christ in the millennial kingdom (see also 2Timothy 2:12). After believers and unbelievers have been separated and the unbelievers are removed in judgment, some time will be required to appoint saints to different government positions and inform them of their various responsibilities.The marriage feast of Christ—featuring the divine Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and His bride, the church—may also take place at the close of the 75-day period. If so, it will be the highlight of those two and half months. The invitation to the marriage feast mentioned in Revelation 19:9 immediately precedes the second coming of Christ: “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” It would make good sense that the marriage feast would take place shortly thereafter. Following the 75-day interval, Christ will set up His millennial kingdom (Isaiah 2:2-4; Ezekiel 37:1-14; 40–48; Micah 4:1-7; Revelation 20). (More on this in the next chapter.

 Major Themes

1. Death of the body. The term “flesh” in Revelation is used of the bodies of both humans and animals. Humans are made up of both a material part (the physical body) and an immaterial part (the soul or spirit). When human beings physically die, their immaterial part departs from the material body. The soul or spirit of Christians goes directly to heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21-23). The soul or spirit of unbelievers goes to a place of temporary punishment, where they await the great white throne judgment (see Luke 16:19-31; 2 Peter2:9; Revelation 20:11-15).2.

 Birds feasting on the dead.

The Bible often graphically depicts judgment in terms of birds feasting on the dead. Deuteronomy 28:26 says, “Your dead body shall be food for all birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no one to frighten them away” (compare with Psalm 79:2). Isaiah 18:6 says, “They shall all of them be left to the birds of prey of the mountains and to the beasts of the earth.” Jeremiah 7:33 says, “The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the air, and for the beasts of the earth, and none will frighten them away” (see also Jeremiah 16:4; 19:7; 34:20).

 

Digging Deeper with Cross-References

Eternal punishment—Matthew 13:40-42; 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 3:17; 12:47-48; Revelation14:10-11.Fire and brimstone—Revelation 14:10; 20:10; 21:8; see also Genesis 19:24; Psalm 11:6; Isaiah30:33; Ezekiel 38:22; Luke 17:29.

 Life Lessons1. The blessings of the second coming. The judgment aspect of the second coming is a bit overwhelming. It’s easy to lose sight of the greater significance of the blessings of the second coming for believers. Here are two: Christ will set up His own kingdom of perfect righteousness on earth, and you and I as resurrected believers will be with Christ not only during the millennial kingdom but throughout all eternity. How awesome it will be!

 2. Avoid prophetic apathy. Some Christians seem to pay little attention to the second coming. One reason for this is that there are many Christians who like to argue about the finer points of biblical prophecies, such as whether the rapture will happen before or after the tribulation period.For these Christians, prophecy has become a hot potato to be avoided. This is a tragic attitude because a significant part of the Bible is prophetic. A better policy is to regularly study Bible prophecy and become convinced in your own mind of what Scripture really teaches. On debated finer points, simply agree to disagree in an agreeable way

 Questions for Reflection and Discussion

 1. Do you look forward to the second coming of Christ? Why or why not?

 2. Do you ever feel tempted to pay less attention to matters related to end-times biblical prophecy because some Christians get a little too animated on the issue?

 3. Has your study of biblical prophecy bolstered your faith in God and your confidence in the Bible? If so, how?