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THE WAR

REVELATION 19:11-21

Three scenes are depicted here:

I

The first scene starts with an opened heaven, and consists in a horse riding warrior, followed by armies.

There is no doubt that the warrior is the Lord Jesus, for His name is Faithful and True (Rev.3:14.), and the Word of God (John 1:1), and His appearance is as described in the first vision (Rev.1:12-18). The white horse is possibly a cherub (Psalm 18:10), and the horse's white colour denotes victory. The name written that no one knew except himself is probably the one promised to he who overcomes, in the message to the angel of the church at Philadelphia (Rev. 3:12).

The Lord Jesus came first as a Lamb to be a sacrifice for sin, but he will return as a Conqueror and King to execute judgment (2Thes.1:7-10). His first coming brought forgiveness; his second will bring judgment. The battle lines have been drawn between God and evil, and the world is waiting for the King to ride onto the field. The description of His robe dipped in blood corresponds with a prophecy concerning the destruction which God will bring upon His enemies, found in Isaiah (Isa.63:1-6): according to this prophecy He will come from Bozrah, in the land of Edom (currently Jordan) where the remnant of Israel will have obtained refuge (Rev.12:14, Mic.2:12-13 - the fold is a translation of bozrah). On His return Christ will first come to Bozrah, and on his own destroy the surrounding armies; He will then proceed to Israel with blood sprinkled upon His garments (Isa.34:1-8, Hab.3:3-7 - Teman and Mount Paran are by Bozrah).

Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword (Isa.11:4: a figure here for forensic and judicial condemnation), a supernatural weapon of destruction to strike the nations. He will personally rule them with a rod of iron, indicating power and firmness, and will bring the fierceness and wrath of the Almighty God on the disobedient, as has been prophesied (Psa.2:7-9), assuming the post of King of kings and Lord of lords written on His robe and on His thigh.

The winepress is the final battle of Armageddon (Scofield comments: Armageddon (the ancient hill and valley of Megiddo, west of Jordan in the plain of Jezreel) is the appointed place for the beginning of the great battle in which the Lord, at His coming in glory, will deliver the Jewish remnant besieged by the Gentile world-powers under the Beast and False Prophet (Revelation 16:13-16; Zechariah 12:1-9). Apparently the besieging hosts, whose approach to Jerusalem is described in Isaiah 10:28-32, alarmed by the signs that precede the Lord's coming (Mat 24:29, 30) have fallen back to Megiddo, after the events of Zechariah 14:2 where their destruction begins; a destruction consummated in Moab and the plains of Idumea (Isaiah 63:1-6). This battle is the first event in "the day of Jehovah" (Isaiah 2:12) and is the fulfilment of the smiting-stone prophecy of Dan 2:35).

The Lord Jesus himself declared that He would return with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30), and no doubt all attention in the world will be focused on the battle that is about to take place between the armies of the Antichrist and his allies on one side and the faithful Jews near Bozrah, and in some way all the world will be able to physically watch the magnificent return of Christ, bringing terror to His enemies. He will be followed by his armies made up of angels and his saints, the Church (Matt.16:27, Jude 14-15).

II

The second scene is of an angel standing in the sun: he dramatically announces the outcome of the battle (resulting in the defeat of the armies of the beast and his allies), inviting the birds to eat the flesh of the enemies of Christ.

III

The third scene is also very quick: it takes place on earth, and after a view of the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies, the beast and the false prophet are captured and cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. All the rest of the kings and armies are then killed by means of the sword of the Lord Jesus.

There appears to be an inconsistency with the prophecy of Daniel (Dan.7:11, 23-27.), which indicates that the beast will be killed and his body burned, as confirmed by the Apostle Paul who advises us that the Lord will consume (the lawless one) with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming (2 Thessalonians 1:8). This is, however, explained in Isaiah 14 (where the beast is called king of Babylon): the beast's soul arrives in Hades (verses 10-15) and his body is left under other dead (verses 16-21). But it will not be buried (verse 20): this is because it will be resurrected and thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone - which would not be possible in his earthly body.

The battle is described in greater detail in other parts of Scripture, such as Zechariah 14, in parallel with the judgment of the seventh bowl (Rev.16:17-21, Matt.24:29, Joel 3:14-17).

 

 

 

 

 

Christ on a White Horse

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

The Beast and His Armies Defeated

17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,
18 "that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great."
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.
20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
Rev 19:11-21 (NKJV)