The Battle Of Armageddon

Revelation 19:1-20:3

“And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.  And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.” (Revelation 19:1-3)

Revelation 18:20 said, “Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.”  These verses describe the rejoicing the God has punished the system that has corrupted and misled people for thousands of years with the focus on other gods, and causing millions of God’s people to be murdered.  Those who have suffered at her hand are like victims of a rapist of other criminal, just glad they will never do it to anyone else.

“And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.  And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Revelation 19:4-8)

When Babylon is destroyed things are almost ready for the marriage supper of the lamb.  At this point the Christians have separated prepared themselves to meet their Lord, having demonstrated their faith in serving him under adverse circumstances during the Tribulation.  In the parable of the ten virgins, the bridegroom’s coming has just been announced.  Any who are not completely ready at this point in time will miss out.

“And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:9-10)

In parable of the ten virgins and the one about the king who had to invite the street people to his son’s wedding, there were those who were not allowed in because they were not ready.  Those who were prepared got to enjoy every part of the feast however.  Those who are allowed into the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will experience all the glories of Christ’s kingdom.  The angel assures John that this is actually what God has declared.

When he heard that, John fell down to worship him as an emissary from God.  The angel forbid him to do so, declaring that he was only a servant of God as well and a spiritual brother to all who spread the gospel.  Everyone who bears true testimony to Christ has the same spirit that empowered this angel or the prophets to speak the word of God.   Only God is to be worshipped, not his representatives.  God hates the doctrine and practices of the Nicolaitanes.

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” (Revelation 19:11-13)

The next thing John saw was the Lord Jesus Christ coming to judge and destroy the people of earth.  He is the living Word of God and his clothing is dipped in blood.  He comes as the king of all the nations of the world.

“And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:14)

The Christians have been resurrected and join the Lord’s army, wearing their robes of righteousness and riding white horses.  They will be strictly observers as the Lord himself will destroy the enemies with the words of his mouth.  The angel has reaped the people who don’t believe and cast them into the winepress in the valley of Armegeddon.  It is there that they will be squeeze out and the blood will run for two hundred miles, in places reaching the depth of the horses’ bridles. 

“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; 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.” (Revelation 19:17-18)

The scavengers are called from around the world to help dispose of the bodies of all those slain in the valley of Armageddon. Ezekiel 39 tells us it will take seven month of full time work to bury all the dead.

“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.  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.  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.” (Revelation 19:19-21)

The armies of the world will be gathered by the Antichrist in a last ditch effort to defeat Christ.  The Euphrates River has already been dried up to make it easy for the eastern countries to come while those of the west will come by sea.  The Antichrist, and the false prophet will be taken and cast alive into the lake of fire, a pool of molten lava giving off sulfur fumes.  They will not even be given a trial as there is no question of their guilt.  All the rest will be killed by the sword of the Lord, and their bodies eaten by the scavengers. 

“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” (Revelation 20:1-3)

The Dragon, Satan will be arrested and restrained for a thousand years in the bottomless pit.  He will be unable to communicate with the world for a thousand years so he can’t mislead them anymore.   When he has served his thousand year sentence he will be released, but will only be free for a little time before re-offending.