Revelation 20:1-3

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1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. ~ Revelation 20:1-3

In our last study, we saw the prophesied climax of human history, as we have known it, which will culminate with the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in visible power and glory to reclaim the earth from the devil. 

Twice in today's text we read the phrase "a thousand years." It actually is used six times throughout this chapter. The word "millennium" means "a thousand years." Luke 1:32-33 informs us that when Christ returns to the earth He will establish Himself as king in Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David.  

In Jeremiah 23:5-6 we read, “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I shall raise up for David a righteous branch, and He will reign as King and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called, the Lord our righteousness. Behold, the days are coming.’”

Jeremiah 3:17 and Zechariah 14:16 both allude to a time when all nations will come up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles which is the only Jewish feast in which non-Jews are invited to participate! This will happen during the Millennium which will be a time when there will be no distinction between Jew and Gentile! 

In v.1-2 of today's text we read, "1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years."

It is clear that this binding of Satan will occur after the second coming of the Lord Jesus. In addition, the binding of the devil will not be done by the Lord Jesus. Notice, the binding will be done by an angel whom the Lord Jesus sends with a great chain. The angel not only will bind Satan with the chain, but he will throw him into the Abyss and he will lock the door.

Many wonder why the need for a Millennium. The millennium is needed to redeem creation from the curse of sin and from the judgment of God. In Genesis, paradise was lost by the curse that was put upon man for their rebellion and sin. In Revelation, paradise is regained on the earth. The curse is removed, not only that but God will have leveled His own judgments upon the earth during the tribulation and pretty much trashed the earth. And so the earth will need God's help.

Also, the millennium is needed to fulfill all of God's promises to Israel. God promised David in 2 Samuel 7 a perpetual throne that can only be fulfilled in the Messiah. He reiterated that promise and confirmed it with an oath in Psalm 89. 

The kingdom is predicted in the Psalms, in virtually all of the prophets, Major Prophets and Minor Prophets, that there would be an earthly kingdom, as well as a heavenly kingdom. And the millennium is phase one to God's promises. There will be an earthly kingdom that will last a thousand years; at the end of that time the earth will be destroyed. Then, God will create a new heaven, we'll read more about that in Revelation 21, and a new earth because now all of the promises to the nation of Israel are fulfilled and the earth, though restored, will still be tainted by sin and must be recreated and we'll see that later. 

Another reason the millennium will be needed is that it will reveal the depths of man's rebellious nature. The problem is not on the outside of man, the problem is on the inside, sinful nature of man. The millennium will prove that because they're gonna have a perfect environment, in the end, many will still choose to not believe in God. 

As our text reveals, the Millennium will be needed to toss Satan into the abyss. With Satan bound during this time of the Kingdom, the world will be dramatically altered. The whole demonic world will be incarcerated along with their leader, and the Lord Jesus Christ will set the agenda for all of the world to see His goodness. It is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance.

In v.3 of today's text we read, "He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time."

Now, all seven times the abyss or bottomless pit appears in Revelation, it refers to the place where fallen angels and foul, evil spirits are held captive. The place where they await their final incarceration, from which they can never be relieved. It is called the lake of fire. 

In Isaiah 24:21-22 we read, “So it will happen in that day that the Lord will punish the host of heaven.” The Lord will punish in that day the wicked angels. “And they will be gathered together like prisoners in the dungeon and will be confined in prison. And after many days, then they will be punished.”

Satan will be bound “to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended.” 

During the Millennium, Satan's deceptions will be over. And, when people reject Christ, and they will, it will not be because they are deceived. It will be because they love their sin. During the Millennium, there will be no injustice. There will be peace everywhere, and righteousness will prevail.

One of the main outcomes of the Millennium will be that Satan is not fully to blame for the sin of mankind. We have been given a will to freely operate within. Just as Adam and Eve were born sinless, and yet still sinned, so too will those who are born during the Millennium will have the opportunity to act as they will. Satan can only deceive, he cannot make us sin. And, when people at the end of the Millennium reject God, they will be shown to be responsible for their choice.

Satan will be kept in the abyss, it says in v.3, “until the thousand years were ended.”

After the thousand years is over, the Lord will destroy completely the universe and create a new heaven and a new earth in eternal perfection, unstained by sin, and that will become the everlasting Kingdom.

Revelation 19:17-21

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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 the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.” 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. ~ Revelation 19:17-21

Today, we close out our study of Revelation 19, the crescendo chapter of the book of the Revelation. This will be the moment of the second return of the Lord Jesus Christ. It will be the precise day that was spoken of in Psalm 2 which reads, “Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a useless thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed.” 

In v.17-18 of today's text reads, "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 the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small."'

The last battle of this world is known to all as the Battle of Armageddon. Present in this scene are the armies of the ten nations of Europe, the Confederation. Joining them will be the armies of the kings of the east. The leftover armies from Russia and from Egypt that all gather together in that 200 mile area of Israel beginning in the valley of Armageddon and moving forward toward Jerusalem. The antichrist and the false prophet will also be there. With one weapon, the Word of His mouth, the Lord Jesus will conquer them all. 

This is not the final judgment of the ungodly, this is simply their execution. Their final judgment will come in Revelation 20:11, after the thousand-year Kingdom, at an event called the Great White Throne. They are simply executed here. They will be judged a thousand years later. This is the execution of the ungodly sinners of the world who have sided with Satan during the time of the tribulation. These had taken the mark of the beast for they worshiped him. These continuously rejected the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Six times in Revelation 19, the word "flesh" is used. If we sow to the flesh, we will reap corruption. And, there are two suppers mentioned in this chapter. The first is mentioned at the beginning of this chapter and the second, the great supper of God, is mentioned at the end of the chapter.

In v.19-20 we read, "19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur."

The Lord Jesus referred to this moment in Matthew 25:31-33 which reads, "31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left." 

When He comes to earth a second time, He will come as judge. He will judge individuals from every people group who have continually rejected the gospel. This will be a judgment of separation. The believers will be separated on the right side of the Lord Jesus and the goats on His left. 

The sad thing is the ultimate reality for those who refuse to take the offer of God's grace will spend eternity in Hell. God does not want anyone to go to Hell. He didn't create it for people. He created it for the devil and his angels. God's plan has always been that people would come and drink freely of the water, the river of life. When I came to the Lord, I was so thirsty, and I didn't even know what I was thirsty for. I just had this inner thirst in my life and I cried out to God to quench it. I discovered, it is only the Lord Jesus Christ who can quench this thirst.

In Daniel 7:11 we read, “I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and given to the burning fire.” 

The antichrist and the false prophet will be cast alive into the lake of fire. Their bodies will literally be killed but their spirits will live on into eternity in Hell. The antichrist and the false prophet will have the privilege of being the first to populate the final place of destruction, eternal hell.

In v.21 of today's text we read, "The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh."

In Revelation 19:15, we learned that out of His mouth will come a sharp sword, and with it, the Lord Jesus will strike down the nations. And, suddenly it will all be over. Its finality will come after one word spoken from Him who sits on the great white horse. Once He spoke a word to a fig tree and it withered away. Once He spoke a word to howling winds and heaving waves, and the storm cloud vanished and the waves fell still. Once He spoke to a legion of demons bursting at the seams of a poor man’s soul, and instantly they fled. And now, He speaks a word, and the war will be over.

Revelation 19:11-16

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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 wages war. 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. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.  ~ Revelation 19:11-16

Today, we return to Revelation 19. In v.11 we are introduced to a Rider on a White Horse who is called "Faithful and True." And, "With justice he judges and wages war."

As we seek to understand this passage, we must keep in mind it contains a mixture of symbolism and reality. God, in this vision is giving the Apostle John several signs and symbols. The horse, the sword and the rod of iron, for example, are all symbolic. The  reality is He is coming again with conquering power as King of kings and Lord of Lords. 

The horse was the ancient animal of warfare and victorious kings sat on white horses. When the Lord Jesus came the first time, He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey which was the animal of peace. Kings rode donkeys in times of peace. They rode in on white horses in times of war, especially after a victory. This passage is borrowed from the Roman armies and gives us a description of their victorious armies after they had conquered a nation. The general rode into town with the vanquished armies behind him. Behind them would be the spoils of the victory, and then, the general would march into town full of his glory. 

This will happen at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ who will come to execute perfect justice on behalf of all who will have been persecuted by the enemies of this world. At last, as Scripture has long promised, all the evil on the earth will be exposed and judged.

In v.12 the Apostle John tells us, "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."

"Blazing eyes" speak of the Lord Jesus' full discernment, and penetrating knowledge. "Many crowns" speak of His full authority. The two together picture omniscience and omnipotence. The Lord Jesus Christ will clearly be seen by all as the man who manifests all the fullness of God, because He is fully God and fully man. Suggested here is the fact that no one will know and understand the full extent of His mysterious union as the God and man. In fact, in heaven, we will discover, perhaps daily, new aspects of His mystery throughout eternity. This is why heaven will be constantly breaking out with new praises.

You will remember in Revelation 12, Satan will have seven crowns on his head. In Revelation 13, the antichrist will be wearing ten crowns. But at the end of time, only the Lord Jesus Christ will be wearing THE crown. 

In ancient days, whenever a general would take over another nation, he would often symbolically wear the crown of the very kingdom that he had conquered, showing that he is now in control of that kingdom. The Lord Jesus wore a crown of thorns at His first coming, sarcastically placed upon Him by narrow-minded men. In the end, He will wear the crowns of the kings of the earth. He will clearly be known by all as the King of kings and the Lord of Lords.

In v.13 we read, "He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God."

The Lord Jesus Christ will have on a robe which will be dipped in blood. He will come with the armies of heaven following Him, and He will have a sharp sword coming out of his mouth. 

His "robe dipped in blood" is referenced in Isaiah 63:1-4 which reads, "1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.” 2 Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? 3 “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. 4 It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come."

At His second coming, when the Lord Jesus comes back to earth, He will put a stop to the battle at Armageddon that will have been raging in the Middle East. And, His robe will be splattered with the blood of His enemies. This explains the appearance of His robe in this text.

In v.14 of today's text we read, "The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean."

We who believe in the Lord Jesus as our Lord and Savior right now will be a part of this army that will accompany the Lord Jesus at His second return to earth. In fact, in Revelation 17:14 we read "his called, chosen, and faithful followers," will accompany Him when He comes. 

At the Rapture, the Lord Jesus will come in the air and His followers will meet Him in the air. At His Second Coming, the Lord Jesus will come through the air and His feet will touch the earth. At the Rapture, He claims His bride. At His second return to earth, He will come with His bride. At the Rapture, only His own will see Him. At His Second Coming, every eye will see Him. At the Rapture, it's a time of blessing followed by a time of great tribulation and wrath. At His second return, it will be a time of judgment, followed by a kingdom that will be set up forever and ever. At the Rapture, the focus will be on the Lord Jesus and His church. At His second return, the focus will be on Israel and the kingdom. The Rapture is sudden and unannounced. His second return will be very predictable because at the middle of the tribulation one will be able to know the number of days to the Second Coming. 

In v.15 we read, "Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty."

This "rod of iron" is a symbol of tough justice, of unbending, unwavering righteousness. It is the standard of God's morality which he cannot lessen or diminish in any way. This is descriptive of the millennial years when righteousness will reign in all the earth. There will be sin and sinners present in His one thousand year reign on the earth, but they will not upset things.

In v.16 we read, "On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords."

In ancient days, a king would often have his title woven into his garment and engraved upon his blade. Given that the garment would hang from a band at the waist, the words written on it would fall at roughly thigh level. For all to see most prominently will be the message: "King of kings and lord of lords." It was the Lord Jesus Christ who spoke all things into existence. He came as predicted in His word to substantiate that word as He made His way to the cross of Calvary. 

Interestingly, the Lord Jesus didn't need to acquire His King of kings and Lord of lords status by going through the cross. He could have just vanquished His enemies as soon as they rebelled. But, He chose to go to the cross so that He could include you and me in on His victory over sin and death. We will, with Him, be the victors. The design of the cross includes one horizontal beam and one vertical beam. One points us to God's love, and the other points us to His holiness. One represents the width of His love and the other reflects the height of His glory and holiness.

Revelation 19:8-10

Revelation 19:8-10 PODCAST

8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” 10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.” ~ Revelation 19:8-10

Today, we continue our study of the book of the Revelation. Even though there are an awful lot of scenes of God's judgment in this book, the main event is the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth. This is why I call this chapter the crescendo chapter of the book.

In v.8 we read, "Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)"

As the bride of Christ, God uses the symbol of a wedding gown to represent the righteous acts of those who believe in the Lord Jesus as our Savior. The lavishness of our gown will largely be determined upon our obedience and service to the Lord Jesus right now on the earth. We're not saved by good works, we're saved by faith in the finished work of Christ, alone. But, our position in His kingdom and our rewards will be determined by what we do with our time, talents, and treasures, now on the earth. The Lord Jesus said, "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven." 

The image of a marriage is often used in Scripture because it was the single greatest celebration known in that part of the ancient world. In ancient times, weddings had three parts: the betrothal, the presentation, and the ceremony. 

Just prior to the actual wedding itself, there was a time of festivities which led up to the actual wedding ceremony. The festivities would last several days, even a week. And, back then, the bridegroom was the center of the wedding, not the bride. And, he would present his bride to His friends and guests, and they would feast together. 

The bridegroom would go to the house of the bride and he would then get his bride, along with her maidens, and take them to his house, and there the festivities would begin as he presented his bride. That led to the third component in a marriage, which was the ceremony, the actual exchanging of vows.

The ceremony and that final hour after that final meal when the vows were shared and the marriage was then consummated was the main event. That’s what really brought everyone together. And by the way, understanding all of this helps us to understand why Joseph was so upset when Mary was found to be with child because they were only betrothed or engaged, they had not been married. 

One day, when the Rapture happens, the church will be taken to heaven to be presented as the Bride of Christ. In John 14 the Lord Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go, I’ll come again and take you to be with me." This verse carries the picture of a bridegroom who goes away to get the place ready and he comes back to get his bride, and he takes her to the place he had prepared in his father’s house.

In v.9-10 we read, "9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” 10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus."

It is a great honor to be invited to this wedding feast. And, the invitation is nothing less than the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ which goes out to all men and women everywhere. Right now, we are in phase one of this arrangement. Right now, we have no physical contact with the Lord Jesus, but we love Him, and we are getting to know Him, and one day soon He will come for us.

At the end of v.10 we read, "For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus." In the Bible, there are roughly 330 predictions of the Lord Jesus. The odds of one man in history fulfilling 8 of those 330 prophecies would be 1 in 10 to the 17th power. The odds of that happening would be like if we filled the state of Georgia two-feet thick filled with silver dollars, mark one in advance, hide it, have somebody blindfold walk through the entire state, the odds that he would find the one that we marked would be 1 in 10 to the 17th power. Unbelievable but true! The Lord Jesus Christ is the long awaited Groom of the bride.

Revelation 19:1-7

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1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” 3 And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.” 4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!” 5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small! 6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.” ~ Revelation 19:1-7

Today, we transition into the crescendo chapter of all of the book of the Revelation. The events, in today's text, will take place in heaven where we will hear rejoicing for the revealing of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle John, for the seventh time in this book is given another vision of heaven. He hears the heavenly hallelujahs in the immediate anticipation of the revealing of the Christ. His final action on earth will be to destroy the remaining ungodly, and then, He will set up His Millennial kingdom on earth.

In v.1-3 we hear the great roar of the angels. In v.4, the twenty-four elders and four living creatures respond by bowing down before God and worshiping Him. In v.5, there is a voice coming from the throne of God, commanding people and every creature to worship and praise God. And, in v.6, again the voice of a great multitude. This time a little bit louder, a little more intense. It's like the voice of thunder, the voice of many waters. And, in v.7, we have the introduction of the Bridegroom come to receive to Himself His bride.

In v.1-2 we read, "1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."

Used four times in these verses is the word "Hallelujah." This is the first and only time the word is even mentioned in the New Testament. It is as if heaven has waited all these years to use this word until now and when they do, they will use it over and over again. By the way, "Hallelujah" is first used in the Old Testament in Psalm 104:35 which reads, "Let sinners be consumed from the earth and let the wicked be no more. Hallelujah."

Hallelujah is a word reserved in the Bible for praising the Lord because of His complete salvation for all who are dependent enough on Him to believe, and His complete judgment on those who oppress God's people. It is a special word reserved for the joy of those who are delivered from their enemies.

This great multitude in heaven will include millions and millions of holy angels. They must number in the millions, because there are two hundred million demons in Revelation 9:16 who were bound at the River Euphrates. And, in Revelation 12:4 we are told all demons total one-third of the total amount of the angels. This means there are millions and millions and millions of angels. This celebration will be due to a few different reasons. 

The first reason for this great celebration will be for God's salvation. We will all honor God because of His, and His only, salvation. He has saved us from sin's penalty and power. And, when we all get to heaven, He will have saved us from the presence of sin. This will be the reason that this massive multitude will be singing God's praises. 

The second reason we will celebrate will be due to God's true righteousness. In v.2 we will say, "for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants." The kingdom of Satan, will, as a result, be rendered null and void. 

In v.3-4 we read, "3 And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.” 4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!”"

The first two hallelujah's were in response to the judgment of God on Babylon. But, the second one will not only be spoken for the judgment, but because the judgment will be permanent as indicated by the fact that the smoke goes up forever and ever.

The twenty-four elders represent all of those who have ever trusted the Lord Jesus as Lord and Savior throughout the Church Age. And, the four living creatures are special, exalted angelic beings called Cherubim throughout the Scriptures. They are given close proximity to the throne of God in heaven. In Revelation 5:6–14 we read their duties include falling down and worshiping the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. They offer the same reverence to Him that they did to the Father in Revelation 4:6–9. This is yet another example of the deity of Jesus Christ. We will all fall down down before the Lord Jesus who gave His life for His bride. This is how one treats royalty.

In v.5 we read, "Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!"

Throughout the Bible, there is a connection between praise and fear. A better translation for the word fear here is respect. In Proverbs 1:7 we read, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Until we understand who God is and develop a reverential fear of Him, we cannot have true wisdom. True wisdom comes only from understanding who God is and that He is holy, just, and righteous.

Notice the phrase "small and great." It is just like God to mention the least first. We live in a fallen world where class distinction is highlighted and exploited. There will come a day, soon, when class warfare will be a thing of the past and all of God's people will be one in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.6-7 we read, "6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready."

We come now to the "Marriage supper of the Lamb" which is best understood in light of the wedding customs during the first century. These wedding customs had three major parts. First, a marriage contract was signed by the parents of the bride and the bridegroom. Then, the parents of the bridegroom or the bridegroom himself would pay a dowry to the bride or her parents. This began what was called the engagement period. 

The second step in the process usually occurred a year later, when the bridegroom, accompanied by his male friends, went to the house of the bride at midnight, creating a torchlight parade through the streets of the city. The bride would know in advance this was going to take place, and so she would be ready with her maidens, and they would all join the parade and end up at the bridegroom’s home. 

The third phase was the marriage supper itself, which went on and on for days. The Apostle John pictures for us here the wedding feast of the Lamb and His bride in its third phase. The implication is that the first two phases have already taken place. 

In fact, the first phase was completed on earth when each individual believer placed his or her faith in Christ as Savior. The dowry paid to the bridegroom’s parent (God the Father) would be the blood of Christ shed on the Bride’s behalf. The Church on earth today, then, is “engaged” to Christ, and, like the wise virgins in the parable, all believers should be watching and waiting for the appearance of the Bridegroom. The second phase symbolizes the rapture of the Church, when Christ comes to claim His bride and take her to the Father’s house. The marriage supper then follows as the third and final step. And, tomorrow, we will consider that in more detail.

Revelation 18:21-24

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21 Then a powerful angel picked up a large stone, like one used for grinding grain, and threw it into the sea. He said: “In the same way, the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, and it will never be found again. 22 The music of people playing harps and other instruments, flutes, and trumpets, will never be heard in you again. No workman doing any job will ever be found in you again. The sound of grinding grain will never be heard in you again. 23 The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world’s great people, and all the nations were tricked by your magic. 24 You are guilty of the death of the prophets and God’s holy people and all who have been killed on earth.” ~ Revelation 18:21-24

Today, we come to the completion of God's judgment on Babylon. As these events happen, the people of the earth will agonize and those in heaven will rejoice. And, after these events are completed, the Lord Jesus will descend to the earth to set up His Millennial kingdom. 

In v. 21 we read, "Then a powerful angel picked up a large stone, like one used for grinding grain, and threw it into the sea. He said: “In the same way, the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, and it will never be found again."

In this verse the Lord provides for all a metaphor. One day, soon, this world system will pass away, like a large stone that falls to the bottom of the sea. In graphic and poetic language, the Apostle describes how the industry and commerce of Babylon will come to an end. The destruction of Babylon will be so complete that no one will find any inkling of it anymore. Six times the phrase “it will never be found again” is used in this text indicating the finality of the defeat of the system known as Babylon.

In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus said, "If anyone offends one of these little children, these followers of Mine, it’s better that you take a millstone and hang it around his neck and throw him into the sea." God's indictment on Babylon will be in response to how they treated the people of God. Their torturous ways will be matched by the unrelenting wrath of God. It is as if God will present Himself as the believer's righteous defense attorney.

In v.22 we read, "The music of people playing harps and other instruments, flutes, and trumpets, will never be heard in you again. No workman doing any job will ever be found in you again. The sound of grinding grain will never be heard in you again."

What once was synonymous with a huge party, Babylon will be a place that no one will want to even come close to. This long-adorned system will never have anymore entertainment, industry, music, mill, grain, or food. It will be desolate, and there will no longer be anything to distract the unbeliever from true reality.

In v.23 we read, "The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world’s great people, and all the nations were tricked by your magic."

You will remember that with the pouring out of the fifth bowl judgment in Revelation 16:10, darkness covered the world. In the darkness everything is pronounced, especially the sounds. The sound of this great stone hurling through the atmosphere will be eerie. Terror will be heightened to the greatest degree in this darkness. The bride and the bridegroom will not be in this city to take their wedding pictures because terror will be heightened.

In v.24 we read, "You are guilty of the death of the prophets and God’s holy people and all who have been killed on earth."

Babylon will be guilty of the murder of God's messengers and followers in her lust for power. This will reveal the true nature of this international government and religion. And, God will finally expose the counterfeit for what it is and He will destroy it. God's judgment will be justified because the whole world will led into deception by the corrupt leadership of Babylon. 

Deception will be the moniker of Satan's kingdom. Satan masks his deceptions in beautiful packaging that appeals to our natural senses and desires. He promises there will be no repercussions for indulging in that which God has clearly said will end in destruction.

Deception is everything opposite the truth. People will stand in roaring ovations for the illusionists, escape artists, and magicians. Much of it, in the form of entertainment, tricks the mind, causing us to think we are seeing something real when truthfully it is fraudulent. Prisons and jails are filled with con artists -- and sad to say, so are many churches. 

We must have discerning spirits. This is why we must make it our habit to be in the word of God, daily, for it enables us to recognize the clever schemes of the enemy. We can not fight spiritual battles with the weapons of our flesh. We can not access God's blessings through enslavement to the flesh. It is only through our enslavement to the Spirit of God do we realize God's victory.

With the graphic description of the judgment of Babylon recorded for us in Revelation 17-18, the way is cleared for the presentation of the major theme of this book, the amazing second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the ultimate end of all things, the revealing of the Lord Jesus Christ. For those who believe, it will be precious. For those who will not believe, it will be devastating. This will be the subject of our next study in Revelation 19.

Revelation 18:15-20

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15 The merchants who became rich from selling to her will be afraid of her suffering and will stand far away. They will cry and be sad 16 and say: “Terrible! How terrible for the great city! She was dressed in fine linen, purple and red cloth, and she was shining with gold, precious jewels, and pearls! 17 All these riches have been destroyed in one hour!” Every sea captain, every passenger, the sailors, and all those who earn their living from the sea stood far away from Babylon. 18 As they saw the smoke from her burning, they cried out loudly, “There was never a city like this great city!” 19 And they threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and being sad. They said: “Terrible! How terrible for the great city! All the people who had ships on the sea became rich because of her wealth! But she has been destroyed in one hour! 20 Be happy because of this, heaven! Be happy, God’s holy people and apostles and prophets! God has punished her because of what she did to you.” ~ Revelation 18:15-20

Today, we return to our study of the fall of Babylon, the system of government that will be run by the antichrist in the final days. We have been learning of Babylon's destruction, and, in today's text, the businessmen of the world who will benefit greatly from the economics of the antichrist, they will be defined by their fear and they will watch from a distance the destruction of Babylon. 

In v.15 we read, " The merchants who became rich from selling to her will be afraid of her suffering and will stand far away. They will cry and be sad."

Sadly, the businessmen of the world will weep, and, they will never stop weeping, because they will end up in a place where there is endless weeping and gnashing of teeth. Their passions will never be satisfied because they are of a fallen world that will not last. The supposed attraction of sin is that it will make us happy, but we have all lived long enough to discover, this postulate never comes to fruition. 

The fight of biblical faith is the fight to stay satisfied with God. And, the only way to do this is by walking in His Spirit. In order to walk in His Spirit, it is imperative that we are in His Word daily and we are in the habit of praying without ceasing. I once thought this was impossible. I no longer believe that. It is not that we become perfect at it, it is that we are consistent with it. These two disciplines, the consistent study of God's Word and persistent prayer, are the lifelines for an effective walk with the Lord and an effective witness to this lost and dying world.

In v.16-17 we read, "They will cry and be sad 16 and say: “Terrible! How terrible for the great city! She was dressed in fine linen, purple and red cloth, and she was shining with gold, precious jewels, and pearls! 17 All these riches have been destroyed in one hour!” Every sea captain, every passenger, the sailors, and all those who earn their living from the sea stood far away from Babylon."

The only thing these businessmen of the world will be able to think about is the loss of all of their stuff. In Matthew 16:26, the Lord Jesus said, “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul?” And, even though they heard the gospel preached by Jews and Gentiles who came to faith during the Tribulation, and they witnessed the judgment of God, they will cling to that which can not last into eternity. They will do this because they were long ago deceived by the devil.

In v.18-19 we read, "18 As they saw the smoke from her burning, they cried out loudly, “There was never a city like this great city!” 19 And they threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and being sad. They said: “Terrible! How terrible for the great city! All the people who had ships on the sea became rich because of her wealth! But she has been destroyed in one hour!"

When we only have the stunted abilities of this world to evaluate substance, we will always be kept from what is really real. Back in Revelation 13:4, when they were all in awe of the antichrist, they said, “Who is like the beast? And who is able to wage war with him?” That deception will sadly lead to their needless demise.

According to v.18, they will totally give way to their grief. In their culture the biggest sign of grief, pain and agony was to throw dirt all over themselves. And, they will not be able to get beyond their bank account. Today, we live in a world that is fostering this type of a mentality. And, sadly, mankind's dependence on the government will make them arrive at the wrong kind of love, a love for the darkness.

In v.20 we read, "Be happy because of this, heaven! Be happy, God’s holy people and apostles and prophets! God has punished her because of what she did to you."

This verse is included in this account for the benefit to all who have come to believe in the God of the Bible. God promised vindication, retribution and vengeance for all who would risk believing Him. And, when He fulfills His promises to destroy the kingdom of Satan, the motivation of the redeemed to rejoice over the defeat of evil will not be for the pain of the deceived, it will be for God's victory over sin and death. We will rejoice because righteousness will triumph. And, in the end, we will embrace the most valuable truth: We will not merely do what God says because he is God, we will desire and do what God says because He is good. It has always been the goodness of God that has led us to repentance.