Revelation 19:11-21
The Battle (campaign) of Armageddon
The location of this campaign:
1) Megiddo
2) Joel 3:2,13 - the valley of Jehoshaphat” is an extended areas east of Jerusalem
called “valley of the passengers in Ezekiel 39:11.
3) Isaiah 34:1-6 and 63:1-3
4) Zechariah 12 and 14 see the battle in Jerusalem
The four great world powers will
be involved:
1) the ten kingdom federation under the beast
2) the northern federation from the area of Russia and allies
3) the kings of the east from beyond the Euphrates, the Asiatic peoples
4) the king of the south, the African powers.
The Development of the Campaign
1) Daniel 9:26-27, the anti Christ makes a 7 year treaty with Israel attempting
to imitate the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant and give Israel the land
of Palestine. This is seen as the rider going forth in Rev. 6:2. The false rider
on the white horse.
2) After 3 1/2 years of this Satan is cast out of heaven beginning the great tribulation and the Armageddon campaign. (Rev. 12:9) The demons begin to gather the nations (Rv.16:14)
3) The movements begin in Daniel 11:40 when the King of the North and the King of the South invade Palestine.
4) Because of the 7 year treaty an attack against Israel is an attack against the antichrist.
5) Jerusalem is attacked: Zechariah 12:1-9 Ezekiel 38,39
6) The Armies of the Northern confederacy are destroyed
7) The Antichrist and his armies move into Palestine according to Daniel 11:41 and conquer the middle east including Egypt and parts of Africa.
8) The coalition of the 10 nations forms at this time when the 10 kings hand their power over to the AC according to Rev. 17:13
9) While AC is conquering in Africa the report of the coming king of the East arrives (Rev. 16:12 and Dn. 11:44). This is in response to the destruction of the king of the North.
10) AC moves headquarters to Jerusalem (Dn.11:45) to prepare for the invasion of the King of the East. During this phase of the campaign or war of Armageddon, the Lord returns
19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.
Christ is returning with the purpose
of bringing divine judgment and establishing His righteous kingdom
This event is described in: Zechariah 14 Matthew 24:27-31
Jesus had earned the right to rule on the cross and had received the title deed
to the earth in Rev.5:1-7
Mount of Olives has two high points when seen today.
It appears that the division between them will become the great valley of Zechariah
14.
All the world will see this return.
The world will be engulfed in complete darkness that is pierced like a bolt
of lighting that does not recede when Jesus returns.
That is where John picks up his account here when he says: “I saw heaven standing
open.”
Like Isaiah writes in Isaiah 64:1-2, “Oh, that you would rend the heavens
and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets
twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to
your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!”
The white horse in the Roman world was ridden by the victorious conqueror.
In these verses there are four names given to Jesus:
a) “Faithful and True” which describe the character of the victor on the horse and the character of the kingdom he will establish.
b) “He has a name written on him
that no one knows but he himself” which describes his eternal essence known
only by the trinity themselves. This is spoken of in Matt. 11:27: “All things
have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son and
those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
c) “His name is the Word of God” which is the name of the incarnation of the Son of God.
d) “On his robe and on his thigh
he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” which is the
name of the Son of God as the
Messiah in his Earthly reign.
He “makes war”
The Lord is a warrior. He always has been and always will be.
Exodus 15:3, “The Lord is a warrior;
the lord is his name.”
Psalms 24:8, “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the
Lord mighty in battle.”
Psalm 45:3-5, “Gird your sword upon your side, O might one; clothe yourself
with splendor and majesty. In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf
of truth, humility and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds.
Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies; let the nations
fall beneath your feet. Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, a scepter
of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.”
19:12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. “
"eyes of blazing fire”
is the righteous judgment on sin.
This is possible because of his omniscience and omnipresence.
“many crowns” speak of his absolute sovereignty over the kingdoms of the world and the kingdom of God.
“crowns” is “diadems” and refers
to the rulers crown.
This is different than the victors crown called the “stephanos”.
Jesus is the rightful heir. Jesus is royalty that has inherited the throne.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
Jesus is robe dipped in blood” speaks
of his victory march as he tramples the wine press of the fury of God’s wrath.
This is the blood of divine judgment. Isaiah 63:1-3 Revelation 14:20
His garment is stained from this battle as it begins, but also from the many
previous battles he has fought through out history.royalty
19:14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
“the armies of heaven” is made up of apparently several groups:
a) the church, the bride of Christ, just described as having fine linen in ch. 19
b) angels, described in Matt. 24 and 25:31.
c) the saints of all time since believers from all ages will be clothed with white linen from the righteous deeds. The OT saints are seen as being resurrected at this time in Dn.12:1,2)
d) the tribulation saints where given white robes in Rev. 7:9
Most likely,this group is a combination of angels and believers from all time that make up the kingdom of God that is now coming upon the earth.
Jude also quotes Enoch as saying “thousands upon thousands of his holy ones.” (14)
15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
“sword” is “hromphaia” and indicates
a long Thracian sword.
This is one that is unusually large and longer than most swords.
The word is used to refer to a javelin or a sword thrown like a spear."
A large and broad sword, used by barbaric peoples, especially the Thracians
Isaiah
11:4 , “With righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will
give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the
rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness
will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.”
Psalm 2 is fulfilled at this time.
“iron scepter” refers to an unbending rule
“wine press of the fury of the wrath
of God” describes the battle scene of Armageddon described in:
1) Revelation 16:14, 16
2) Revelation 14:17-20, the Grape judgment
The winepress judgement is also seen in: Isaiah 63:1-3 Joel 3:12-14 16
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great."
The sun has return into sight of
the earth.
The “loud voice” in Revelation refers to an important announcement. (6:10; 7:2,
10; 10:3;14:15;18:2)
This is important because it is the clean up and removal of the dead remains
of kingdoms of the world and their rebellion to God.
This announcement is made even before the battle begins.
Obviously, this is a literal event with real dead people and real birds.
It is wrong to try and spiritualize these events that will take place on this
earth.
Read Zephaniah 1:14-18
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.
Zechariah 14:5
20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
The “beast” is the antichrist (civil leader) and the false prophet (religious leader) was the one who performed miracles on his behalf.
Both are demonically empowered
Previous references to this place
here called for the first time “lake of fire” is found in
1) Isaiah 66:24, “. . .their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched,
and they will be loathsome to al mankind.”
2) Matthew 25:41, “. . .eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
3) Mark 9:48 Matthew 13:42, “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
) Rev. 14:11, “The smoke of
their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night.”
These two are the first to enter
the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
They will be alone there for 1,000 years.
The Lake of Fire is not:
a) annihilation—for they are still suffering there later in the book 1,000 years
in the future.
b) purgatory—because they are not purified after 1,000 years
The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.