Our FINAL churchwide Bible study on Revelation will be Wednesday, 3/22, 6:30 PM. Bring a friend!

REVELATION 19:17-21

17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

The Second Coming results in a complete rout of the enemy.

In John’s vision, judgement on the earth is described in multiple different ways, starting in chapter 6. To put it another way, John describes the same thing—the earth under God’s judgment—to us in different images and with different emphases. In each series of judgments, right before the Second Coming would occur, there is a digression as John describes the church’s mission.

And then each time he circles back to a theme he’s previously discussed, he tells us something new.

Allow me to recap the book’s plot so far and show you what I mean:

• SET UP: Chapters 4-5, John sees the heavenly throne room.

• JUDGMENT 1ST DESCRIPTION: Chapter 6, the judgments of the seals (#’s 1-6);

• CHURCH DIGRESSION: Chapter 7, a description of the messianic army;

• JUDGMENT 2ND DESCRIPTION: Chapters 8-9, the 7th seal, then the judgments of the trumpets (#s 1-6);

• CHURCH DIGRESSION: The message of the scroll (chapters 10-11), and then further explication of it (chapters 12-15);

• JUDGMENT 3RD AND FINAL DESCRIPTION: Chapters 16-19.

  The reason for the digressions is so that John can explain to the church that it has a role in God’s plan: to testify to the truth about Jesus so that the unbelieving nations will hear and repent.

  BUT

  Those who ultimately refuse to repent will face judgment when Jesus finally comes and time runs out.

  This is what is described in graphic terms in John’s vision (19:17-21, above).

  It is not God’s desire that anyone should face judgment. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son” (John3:16); Revelation tells us that the church’s role is to preach repentance in the name of Jesus to all nations, so that all nations might be saved. But God will not force people to repent, and those who stubbornly refuse will finally be destroyed.