The message of chapter 19 regards the certainty of God’s judgement, of His punishment of trangressors who continued the works of the adversary – Lucifer seeks to destroy as a roaring lion. Please try to understand how important this is – the text is not celebrating suffering. Rather, it resounds in demonstrating God’s trustworthiness, and serves to enable the reader in learning and embracing meaning otherwise lost in casual consideration.
God must punish wrongdoing, yet as imperfect beings we falter. In this earthly sphere such is frequently due to simple ignorance. Still, it is clear that unpunished wrong furthers human depravity. Thus it is necessary to punish sin – to prevent chaos from emerging, even flourishing. Those who persist in works of iniquity will find iniquity befalling themselves, yes, but some will yet continue unabated. Thus, in creating persons God obligated Himself to a responsibility none other could understand much less manage judge.
Christ taught us this truth in his message, “No one is good but God alone.“
I continue to marvel that only God could pay the penalty of sin, and He did so because He loves us. Yes, Jesus Christ is God’s gift of Himself to all – all who believe the scripture, all who love, hope, and trust Almighty God.
1 After this I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude in heaven, shouting:
“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God! 2 For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.”
3 And a second time they called out: “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises forever and ever.” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying: “Amen, Hallelujah!”
The fruits of salvation now harvested, the throng of creation sings praise.
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you who serve Him, and those who fear Him, small and great alike!” And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out:
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. 8 She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.”
For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.
The marriage of the Lamb has come. The joy of faithful Christians is come.
9 Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
10 So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
11 Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war.
12 He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses.
15 And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
16 And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings and commanders and mighty men, of horses and riders, of everyone slave and free, small and great.”
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army.
20 But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped [obeyed, served] its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
The beast – the unquenchable, murdererous thing, and the false prophet – that liar and deceiver, they are thrown into fiery destruction, into oblivion. Armageddon is not a battle, rather it is the judgement of God executed at the hand of the one who died to rescue humanity, the resurrected Christ.
21 And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
The entirety of the marshalled forces, the many soldiers who, themselves, committed to effect unthinkable acts of slaughter upon humanity – and to conduct it on a scale exceeding our capacity to fathom – these perish in accordance with the truths Christ taught, lived, and offered. The truth which each and every one of the combatants rejected, “Jesus is Lord!”
End Times Prophecy 