THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION – Chapter 19 –  The Doom of Babylon, The Victory of The Lamb  – Episode 21

 

THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION – Chapter 19 –  The Doom of Babylon, The Victory of The Lamb

Episode 21

 (These Episodes are meant to not only ask and answer the questions, “When, Why, How and What?”, but also the question, ” WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO ME”)

In these chapters, we are witnessing what was, what is and what is to come. We saw the sentencing and the coming fall of Babylon in our previous  chapter. We witnessed those who had profited from her, who taken immoral and sinful pleasure in her, lose everything because of God’s destruction of her. They mourned their loss.

We, then, reviewed the scriptural evidence pointing to Mecca as the probable city known as Babylon; her past, her current developments and her future plans.

We will now peer into the future, what is to come, and what will follow the destruction of the Harlot, Babylon.

(To the reader:  Please do your best to understand the profundity and the gravity of what you are reading, hearing and witnessing. This is the culmination of God’s Plan for Perfection. These are things that even the angels long to look into! The fact that angels long to look into things pertaining to our salvation, our sanctification and being made into the perfect image of Christ is a poignant reminder of what a precious gift salvation is. May we long for salvation and cherish the wonder of redemption!

The Fourfold Hallelujah

Revelation 19:1, After these [footnote ‘a’] things I heard something like the great and mighty shout of a vast multitude in heaven, [footnote ‘b’] exclaiming, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory (splendor, majesty) and power (dominion, might) belong to our God; Verse 2. BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS. He has judged, [convicted and pronounced sentence on] the great prostitute, (the idolatress), who was corrupting and ruining and poisoning the earth with her adultery (and idolatry), and HE HAS IMPOSED THE PENALTY FOR THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS [footnote ‘c’] ON HER.”

(Commentary Break: All the redeemed of God are, at this point, safely with Him in heaven. The imagery from Revelation 19:1, ‘great and mighty shout of a vast multitude in heaven’ is also seen in Revelation chapter 7, verses 9 through 13, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they *cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb”, which is all the raptured and raised saints of God before His Throne! I point this out because it is important to know that God’s Chosen are out of the way of the coming judgments and of the coming complete and utter destruction.

I point this out because it is important to know that God’s Chosen are out of the way of the coming judgments and of the coming complete and utter destruction.

Going forward, there are many false religions in the world. But the antithesis of Christianity can be identified, giving further credence to the idea that the Harlot Babylon, as coming from Islam, (Mecca in Saudi, Arabia).

It is also important to note, when identifying the city of the Great Harlot of Babylon, to look at Israel’s one historical nemesis. The arch enemy of Israel, from her beginnings can be found in the confrontation between Islam and Judaism which can be traced to 20 71 B.C , with the birth of Ishmael, a son of Abraham by his handmaid Hagar.

While pregnant with Ishmael and running away from Abraham’s wife, Hagar, encountered an angel. The angel told her “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.” (see Genesis 16, verses 11 and 12).

15 years later, around 2066 B.C., Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah.

“Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking Isaac. Therefore she said to Abraham, “Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be an heir with my son Isaac!” The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son Ishmael. But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the boy and your slave woman; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named. And of the son of the slave woman I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant.” (see Genesis 21, verses 9 through 13).

The stage was now set for the conflict between Isaac, Ismael and their descendants, between Islam and Judaism and Islam and Christianity; and this conflict has been raging to this day, for over 4,000 years and will culminate as foretold, just as you are now reading in The Book of The Revelation, chapters 18 and 19! (End Commentary Break).

Verse 3. And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! HER SMOKE SHALL ASCEND FOREVER AND EVER.” Verse 4. Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures also fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah (praise the Lord)!”

Verse 5. Then from the throne there came a voice, saying, “Praise our God, all you bond-servants of His, you who fear Him, the small (common) and the great (distinguished).”

Marriage of the Lamb

Verse 6. Then I heard something like the shout of a vast multitude, and like the boom of many pounding waves, and like the roar of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all] reigns. Verse 7. Let us rejoice and shout for joy! Let us give Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb has come [at last] and His bride (the redeemed) has prepared herself.” Verse 8. She has been permitted to dress in fine linen, dazzling white and clean, for the fine linen signifies the righteous acts of the saints [the ethical conduct, personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character of believers].

Verse 9. Then the angel said to me, “Write, ‘[footnote ‘d’] Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the [footnote ‘e’] Lamb.’” And he said to me [further], “These are the true and exact words of God.” Verse 10. Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he [stopped me and] said to me, “You must not do that; I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers and sisters who have and hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God [alone]. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy [His life and teaching are the heart of prophecy].”

(Commentary Break: Once again we see that only those who believe in and worship the One True Living God will attend the marriage supper of the Lamb. Those who call themselves as Christian but have not done as Jesus instructed will not be present. The descendants of Ishmael, adherents of Islam and worshippers of Muhammad will not be present. Those who forsake the name of Christ will not be present. All these were invited but chose not to come. They will have perished in the lake of fire, ‘where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’. (End Commentary Break).

Christ the Conqueror

Verse 11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who was riding it is called Faithful and True, (trustworthy, loyal, incorruptible, steady), and in righteousness He judges and wages war [on the rebellious nations]. Verse 12. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many royal crowns; and He has a name inscribed [on Him] which no one knows or understands except Himself. Verse 13. He is dressed in a robe dipped in [footnote ‘f’] blood, and His name is called The Word of God. Verse 14. And the armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, [dazzling] white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Verse 15. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, (which is His word) with which He may strike down the nations, and He will [footnote ‘g’] rule them with a rod of iron; and He will tread the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty [in judgment of the rebellious world]. Verse 16. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name inscribed, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

(Commentary Break: Verses 11 through 16 have been ‘interpreted’ by many to say that this is Jesus’ 2^nd coming. They will say that this time He comes to the earth to engage and defeat the forces of the Antichrist, unlike in Matthew 24 verses 30 through 31, where He appears ‘in the sky’.

This view and ‘interpretation’ of these verses is not an interpretation, as some like to say. It is an only their OPINION or mistaken notion. These verses clearly say,  “I saw heaven opened”, and behold” and “the armies of heaven followed Him on white horses”, and “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, with which He may strike down the nations”. Jesus intervenes from the heavens, and His intervention is supernatural – FROM THE HEAVENS.

(These verses describe a second scene; it is a continuation of Jesus’ 2nd Advent, where it It began, as seen in Matthew 24 verses 30 through 31, “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet blast, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other”. A continuation of Jesus’ 2^nd appearing is recorded here, in Revelation 19 verses 11 through 16.

(For a natural event, which can serve as an example, The 2nd Advent of Christ (the second coming of Jesus) is one event which can be seen from TWO PERSPECTIVES:  One perspective as seen from the earth;  the other perspective, from John’s prophetic vision, is seen as it unfolds; a Spiritual and Heavenly perspective:

Look at it this way:   When Hurricane Irma hit the U.S. in the Florida Keys, it was a category 5 storm;  As Irma progressed up the peninsula of Florida, it became a category 4 storm;  then as it entered Alabama it became a category 3 storm;  and finally as it entered Georgia, Irma became a tropical storm; and later as it entered Tennessee, it became a rain event,

To those in the various states which hurricane Irma entered, it would have appeared to them that Irma might have been 5 different storms, occurring consecutively; first a Category 5 storm, then, a Category 4 storm, then, a Category 3 hurricane, then, a Tropical storm, and, finally, a rain event.  But if viewed “From Above” it was ONE CONTINUOUS STORM, progressively unfolding to its conclusion.

SO IT IS WITH THE ‘LAST DAYS’ AND THE 2nd COMING OF JESUS as seen in the breaking of the ‘Seven Seals of the Book’ as recorded in Revelation chapters 5,6,7 and 8; although, the breaking of each Seal may seem like seven different events, if viewed “from above” however, it is seen as ONE CONTINUOUS EVENT, (an eschatological STORM), progressively unfolding to its conclusion.

This is important because it puts a marker on our eschatological timeline, gives us a clearer chronology of these Last Days, and aids us in our understanding and preparation for what is to come! (End Commentary Break).

Doom of the Beast and False Prophet

Verse 17. Then I saw a single angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he shouted to all the birds that fly in midheaven, saying, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, verse 18, so that you may feast on the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of powerful and mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all humanity, both free men and slaves, both small and great [in a complete conquest of evil].”

Verse 19. Then I saw the beast and the kings and political leaders of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against Him who is mounted on the [white] horse and against His army. Verse 20. And the beast, (the Antichrist), was seized and overpowered, and with him the false prophet who, in his presence, had performed [amazing] signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were hurled alive into the lake of fire which blazes with brimstone. Verse 21. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds fed ravenously and gorged themselves with their flesh.

(Commentary Break: Verse 19 can be especially difficult to understand, especially with all the conjecture and opinions given in so many commentaries. So, I will not comment on verses 17 through 18 and verses 20 & 21, which are plain enough to read and understand at face-value. But I will take the necessary space and the time to highlight and explain verse 19 and any other verses that I consider unclear. Please, bear with me. Verse 19 is very technical in the Hebrew language.

Verse 19 says, “Then…: (the word ‘then’ is the Hebrew word, ‘kai’, which means also, likewise having a copulative and sometimes cumulative force, indicating that this is the same or similar to what preceded; and what preceded is a scene in the heavens; See Verses 1, 11 and 14);  

…I saw: (is the Hebrew verb, ‘oida’, which means to see or perceived with the eyes. What is important is that this word is spoken in the Aorist Tense which is characterized by its emphasis on punctiliar action; that is, the concept of the verb is considered without regard to past, present or future time; it is as if it were continuous, happening in the past, the present and the future, simultaneously.

…the beast and the kings and political leaders of the earth with their

…armies gathered: (The Greek verb ‘sunago’, which is in the Perfect Tense, which describes an event which has been completed in the past.)

 …to make war: (is the Greek word, ‘poieo’, meaning to create and in the Aorist Tense; i.e., made war, is making war, will make war).

 …against Him who is mounted on the [white] horse and against His army.”

These are events originating is heaven, is the spiritual, and manifesting upon the earth. See:

 Revelation 19:1, After these [footnote ‘a’] things I heard something like the great and mighty shout of a vast multitude in heaven,

 Verse 11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who was riding it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.

Verse 14. And the armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, [dazzling] white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

Jesus is the One mounted on the white horse. His army is a heavenly army, and He will supernaturally defeat ‘the kings and political leaders of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against Him who is mounted on the [white] horse and against His army’.

 Revelation 16 verse 12 through 16 is the record of what has already happened in the heavens (Aorist Tense), and will happen toward the end of the tribulation, when an angel pours out the sixth bowl judgment on the earth. The word Armageddon makes its only appearance in the Bible in this passage:

“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.”

Finally, ‘the kings and political leaders of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against Him who is mounted on the [white] horse and against His army’ are none other than the forces of the 10 nation confederation of combined armies described in the Book of Ezekiel, from the East. They are Russia, with an army of one million one-hundred thousand; Turkey, with an army of three hundred fifty-five thousand; Iran, with an army of five hundred twenty-three thousand, (including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard); Ethiopia’s army of one hundred thirty eight thousand; Chechnya’s army is approximately ten thousand; the army of Georgia is approximately twenty-one thousand; Even with this abbreviated list we can count two million, one hundred forty two thousand fighting troops. (End Commentary Break).

This has been a long and arduous journey through chapter 19. I pray that God will enlighten the eyes of our hearts and give us understanding, wisdom and the courage to complete our mission and calling as these days draw nearer.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Previous: THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION – Chapter 18 – Babylon Has Fallen – Episode 20

Next: (coming soon). THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION – Chapter 20 – Satan Bound,  The Judgement Seal of God – Episode 22

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