Revelation Vision 4. Christ the Conqueror. (ch. 19 & 20)

Babylon to Jerusalem.

When the city of Babylon has been destroyed then all of heaven resounds with the praises & acclamation to God. There is the great multitude of people, the 24 elders (representing the Body of Christ) & Christ`s living ministries; all acclaim that God`s judgments are true & righteous, all acclaim salvation & glory, honour & power be unto the Lord God.

`After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying “Alleluia! Salvation & glory & honour & power to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her fornication: (idolatry) & He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.”

Again they said, “Alleluia! And her smoke rises up forever & ever!”`And the 24 elders & the 4 living creatures fell down & worshipped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”

Then a voice came from the throne saying, Praise our God, all you His servants & those who fear Him, both small & great!” And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters & as the sound of mighty thundering, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!” (Rev. 19: 1 – 6)


However although Babylon has fallen the Global Leader, possessed of Satan, continues his warfare against God.He moves his seat of power to Jerusalem, the beloved city. Here he takes over & prepares his great army of the world to come together to Armageddon.


`he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas & the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, & no one will help him.` (Dan. 11: 45)


The people of Israel then flee to the mountains round Petra in the south. They cry out to God for deliverance. They have not worshipped the `beast,` the Global Leader, or taken his mark, but await their deliverer, their Messiah.


`when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, & let not those who are in the country enter her.`(Luke 21 : 20 & 21)

Marilyn.
 
Israel waiting deliverance.

Israel is the `wife,` of Jehovah. He is called her `husband.` This is a symbolic picture of the relationship God has with His people, Israel. He is joined to them in a covenant purpose, & although they had turned from Him, God is bringing them back to Himself through the Lord Jesus, their Messiah.

`your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name; & your Redeemer is the Holy one of Israel; ..` (Isa. 54: 5)

`As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.`(Isa. 62: 5)

Thus we see Israel, the `bride / wife,` awaiting the `bridegroom, ` their Messiah. They have made themselves ready by `righteous acts,` obeying God`s laws from the heart & looking to Him for their deliverance. No wonder there is such great joy in heaven anticipating this momentous reuniting of Israel & God.

“Let us be glad & rejoice & give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, & His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean & bright, for the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.(Israel) Then he said to me, “Write: `Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” (Rev. 19: 7 – 9)


The `marriage supper of the Lamb` is the connecting of Israel in right relationship to God again. This takes place when Israel realises at last that Jesus, the one whom they crucified, is their Messiah. The Lord reveals Himself to them after the battle of Armageddon.


`And I will pour on the house of David & on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace & supplication; then they will look on Me whom they have pierced; they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, & grieve for Him as one grieves for a first-born.`(Zech. 12: 10)

How wonderful to know that God has not forgotten His people Israel. What Jesus foretold to them, His prophetic words will come to pass.

`And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, & of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”` (Rev. 19: 9 – 10)

Marilyn.
 
Christ the Deliverer.

The Lord Jesus Christ, Israel`s deliverer, is now seen coming from heaven in power & great glory. He comes in full array of His majesty & authority. We are given a wonderful description of Him revealing His Holy character & great authority over all principalities & powers in the unseen & upon earth.

`Then I saw heaven opened, & behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful & True, & in righteousness He judges & makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, & on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, & His name is called the Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white & clean, followed Him on white horses.` (Rev. 19: 11 – 14)


White horse`white,` is from Gk. word `leukos,` meaning light, glory.
`horse,` is a symbol for power & strength. (Ps. 147: 10)


Faithful & TrueFaithful is the first description of our Lord. (Rev. 1: 5)
True, truthful. He is to be trusted.


In Righteousness He judges & makes warEquity, justice in character & action. (Rev. 15: 3 & 4)

His eyes like a flamepenetrating vision, seeing people`s motives. (Rev. 2: 23)

His head with many crownsgreat authority & rulership in many realms. (Eph. 1: 20 & 21)

His name, the Word of God the expression of God made manifest. (John 1: 1 & 14)


`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 & wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe & on His thigh a name written: King of kings & Lord of lords.(Rev. 19: 15 & 16)

A sharp swordthe word of God in judgment. (Heb. 4: 12 & 13)

Rod of ironimmediate consequences for actions. (Ps. 2: 9 Zech. 14: 17 & 18)

Winepress of wrath of Godthe valley of decision, the valley of Jehoshaphat. (Joel 3: 12 – 14)

Robesymbol of authority. (Ex. 28: 4)

Name, King of kings & Lord of lordsthe ultimate in power & authority over every rule in every dominion. (Eph. 1: 20 & 21)


Marilyn.
 
Armageddon

The call goes out for the climax of the ages when the Lord gathers the rebellious together & deals with them. The details of this event are throughout God`s word.

`Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; & he cried with a loud voice to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come & gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses & of those who sit on them, & the flesh of all people, free & slave, both small & great.” (Rev. 19: 17 & 18)

The world`s armies have gathered at Armageddon, just north of Israel. (Rev. 16: 16) It is a great plain that stretches right across Israel from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. It is also a strategic centre as it is the gateway to Israel from three continents.

From here the armies of the world sweep through the valley of Jezreel & then through Samaria conquering and subduing every town & village, exterminating all Israelis enroute. Finally this mighty army will encompass the city of Jerusalem, which will eventually be overwhelmed, conquered & looted. (Luke 21: 20)


`And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, & their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse & against His army.`(Rev. 19: 19)



The Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings & Lord of Lords, then comes from heaven with His angelic army in power & great glory.(Rev. 19: 11) They go to Bozrah in Edom, where many Israelities have hidden (Isa. 63: 1) then on to Mount Zion in Jerusalem. (Isa. 31: 40)


`So the Lord of hosts will come down to fight for Mount Zion & for its hill. Like birds flying about, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem. Defending, He will also deliver it; passing over, He will preserve it.`(Isa. 31: 4 –8)

Passing over the valley of Jehoshaphat, (Joel 3: 2) to the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14: 4) the Lord deals with the beast, the false prophet & the armies of the world. (Zech. 14: 12)


`Then the beast was captured, & with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 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: 20 & 21)

Marilyn.




 
Judgments

Satan is cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years while Israel rules the nations of the world under Christ`s authority. He will be released after that time so as to test those upon the earth whether they will follow God or Satan.

`Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit & a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil & Satan, & bound him for a 1,000 years; & cast him into the bottomless pit, & shut him up, & set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.(Rev. 20: 1 – 3)

The nations are also brought under Christ`s judgment when He returns. Those that looked after `His brethren,` the Jews will be able to go into the millennium while the others will be taken away in judgment.

`When the Son of Man comes in His glory, & all the holy angels with Him,Then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, & He will divide His sheep from the goats.`(Matt. 25: 31 & 32)

`Assuredly, I say to you (says the Lord), inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did not do it to Me.`(Matt. 25: 45)


Rewards

Those of the nations who did look after Christ`s brethren, the Jews will go into the Millennium, (Matt. 25: 34 & 40) plus those of Israel (Zech. 13: 8 & 9) who receive their Messiah. The martyrs who had not worshipped the beast will be given life again & serve Christ as priests throughout the Millennium.

`And I saw thrones, & they sat on them, & judgment was committed to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus & for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or His image, & had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived & reigned with Christ for a 1,000 years.


But the rest of the dead did not live again until the 1,000 years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed & holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God & of Christ, & they shall reign with Him a 1,000 years.`(Rev. 20: 4 - 6)

Marilyn.
 
The Millennial Kingdom

After the triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ, & the defeat & disposal of every hostile & evil power, the time has come for the setting up of Christ`s Millennial Kingdom. This will be a wonderful time of blessing & fruitfulness for the nation of Israel & for those who obey Christ`s rule through them.

`Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord`s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, & shall be exalted above the hills; & all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come & say, “Come, & let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, & we shall walk in his paths,” for out of Zion shall go forth the law, & the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.`(Isaiah 2: 2 & 3)


Peace & tranquillity will prevail with the absence of wars as people will stop making weapons & make farm tools instead. Rain will come in the right season to produce a good harvest with food & work for everyone. Thus people will live longer. However if there is disobedience then there will be consequences as the rulership is `with the rod of iron.`


`They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, & their spears into pruning - hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.` (Micah 4: 3)

`I will cause showers to come down in their season;...then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit,..` (Ex. 34: 26 & 27)

There will be many generations of people during this thousand years & even though they have been under God`s blessing the human rebellious carnal will, still desires to have its own way. Thus when Satan is let loose, he deceives the nations who think they can again destroy God`s plan of rulership through Israel. This time God just sends fire from heaven as a complete judgment upon them.


`Now when the 1,000 years have expired Satan will be released from his prison & will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog & Magog, together them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.


They went up on the breadth of the earth & surrounded the camp of the saints & the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven & devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire & brimstone where the beast & the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day & night for ever & ever.` (Rev. 20: 7 – 10)

Marilyn.
 
Final Judgments

Here we are shown the most awe-inspiring vision of earth & sky being `rolled up.` The `old earth & heavens` that were contaminated by sin are now dealt with.

`Then I saw a great white throne & Him who sat on it from whose face the earth & the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.`(Rev. 20: 11)


Then we see the Lord Jesus Christ enthroned in Judicial Authority. This is the final great judgment where every person will be resurrected to appear before Him. Wealth, nobility, fame or earthly honours will be immaterial.


`And I saw the dead, small & great, standing before God, & books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

The sea gave up the dead, who were in it, & death & Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.` (Rev. 20: 12 & 13)


These books contain meticulous, accurate & complete records of every individual.

The `Book of Life,` the only one designated, is the one of supreme importance. Herein are recorded the only exemptions from this judgment. This is the register of the `Church, the Body of Christ,` already redeemed & enthroned in Heaven.


The names of the remaining books are not mentioned; nor need we speculate. However, what is certain, is that all who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ as personal saviour will be relegated to join Satan in the `Fiery Lake of Eternal Punishment.`


Whoever will be recorded as having never actually heard the Gospel, but by their works have acknowledged & worshipped God, by virtue of the wonders of His Creation, they will be granted eternal life upon the earth.


`Then death & Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.` (Rev. 20: 14 & 15)

Marilyn.
 
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