(*All Bible verses are from the NIV unless otherwise noted)
Chapter 19
9 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army.
20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Rev 19:19
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army:
From the beginning of time, all the powers and principalities of the Enemy have gathered in rebellion against the Creator – Chaos against Order, Fantasy against Reality, Lies against Truth!
- The rider on the white horse is triumphant Christ;
- The armies that follow him are the redeemed of the earth;
- The dragon represents Satan, the devil (Rev 12:9);
- The beast represents Satan’s efforts to control and conquer humankind (Rev 11:7; 13:1-18; 14:9-11; 16:10; 17:3-17);
- The kings of the earth represent the rulers and nations of the earth that rebel against God (Rev 6:15; 17:2,18; 18:3, 9);
- The second beast – the false prophet – represents the lies and deceptions that mislead mankind into following Satan rather than God (16:13).
Rev 19:20
But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur:
Amazing! There’s no description of fiery battle clashes and tumult; no continued trumpet blasts and cries of soldiers and commanders! It’s simply finished! For all the demonic power that the beast seemed to wield over the men and women of the earth, the Lord, with no more effort than a thought, casts the false prophet and the beast into oblivion:
Rev 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
This is not just an end-time event!
- It happened at the cross when Jesus gave his life in payment for our own rebellion.
- It happened at the empty tomb when Jesus triumphed over death!
- It happens every time a person surrenders before God and receives His Holy Spirit of Truth!
Satan is completely defeated – he’s bound along with his deceptions and lies and is cast into everlasting oblivion!
Rev 19:21
The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse:
The Hallelujah! message of the Gospel is “Praise Jehovah!” God’s word sword sweeps the world clean of Satan’s influence and dominion! The good news of Christ’s redeeming life, death, and resurrection forever breaks the dragon’s power; the beasts are crushed beneath the weight of divine love!
Footnote
*All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
