1-12-2020 Thy King Come Revelation 19:11-21

John begins by relating the circumstances that led to the writing of this book (1:1–20), then relates special messages given him by Jesus for the seven churches of Asia Minor (2:1–3:22).

Suddenly caught up into heaven, John sees a vision of God Almighty on his throne. All of Christ’s followers and the heavenly angels are worshiping God (4:1–11). John watches as God gives a scroll with seven seals to the worthy Lamb, Jesus Christ (5:1–14). The Lamb begins to open the seals one by one. As each seal is opened, a new vision appears.

As the first four seals are opened, riders appear on horses of various colors; war, famine, disease, and death are in their paths (6:1–8). As the fifth seal is opened, John sees those in heaven who have been martyred for their faith in Christ (6:9–11).

A set of contrasting images appears at the opening of the sixth seal. On one side, there is a huge earthquake, stars fall from the sky, and the sky rolls up like a scroll (6:12–17). On the other side, multitudes are before the great throne, worshiping and praising God and the Lamb (7:1–17).

Next, the seventh seal is opened (8:1–5), unveiling a series of God’s judgments announced by seven angels with seven trumpets. The first four angels bring hail, fire, a burning mountain, and a falling star, and the sun and the moon are darkened (8:6–13). The fifth trumpet announces the coming of locusts with the power to sting (9:1–12). The sixth trumpet heralds the coming of an army of warriors on horses (9:13–21).

In chapter 10, John is given a little scroll to eat. Following this, John is commanded to measure the temple of God (11:1–2). He sees two witnesses, who proclaim God’s judgment on the earth for three and a half years (11:3–14).

Finally, the seventh trumpet sounds, calling the rival forces of good and evil to a decisive battle. On one side is Satan and his forces; on the other side stands Jesus Christ with his forces (11:15–14:5). During this battle God reveals the absolute futility of Satan, who knows his time is short (12:12) and who, though he desires power and wants to rule, can only parody God and Christ. For example, the fatal wound that heals (13:3, 12) is an imitation of the Resurrection, and the mark of the Beast (13:16–18) imitates God’s seal (7:3–4).

In the midst of this call to battle, John sees three angels announcing the final judgment (14:6–13). Two angels begin to reap this harvest of judgment on the earth (14:14–20). Following on the heels of these two angels are seven more angels, who pour out God’s judgment on the earth from seven bowls (15:1–16:21). One of these seven angels reveals to John a vision of a great prostitute called Babylon riding a scarlet beast (17:1–18). After the defeat of Babylon in chapter 18, a great multitude in heaven shouts praise to God for his mighty victory (19:1–10)— and this is where we stopped.

Transition:

Jesus Christ has promised to return in great power and glory at the end of history. He will come back to raise the dead, condemn the wicked, destroy all of God’s enemies, reward and vindicate the faithful, and demonstrate God’s faithfulness and goodness by restoring His creation. Jesus’s second coming will be public and visible to all, rather than a secret appearing (e.g., Matt. 24:27; 1 Thess. 4:16). The exact time of his coming has not been advertised and cannot be predicted (e.g., Matt . 24:36; Acts 1:7). Rather, he will come suddenly, “like a thief in the night” (2 Pet. 3:10). Certain events must happen before his second coming, such as cosmic disturbances (Matt. 24:29), the persecution of believers, widespread turning away from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1) the presence of many false prophets and messiahs (Matt. 24:11), the appearance of an antichrist (2 Thess. 2:1–12), and the preaching of the gospel to all nations (Matt. 24:14). In Revelation, the return of Christ occurs in our passage this morning at 19:11–21. In real time, the return of Christ is always imminent (i.e., “I am coming soon” in Rev. 22:7, 12, 20). As a result, believers are called to remain alert and prepared for Christ’s return by doing what YHWH has called them to do (e.g., Phil. 3:20; 1 Thess. 3:13; 5:23; 1 Tim. 6:14; 1 Pet. 1:13; 1 John 2:28). Our prayer while waiting is “Come, Lord Jesus!”

In this passage, God’s final victory over evil continues to unfold from verse 6. After the announcement of the Lamb’s wedding in 19:6–10, we read of Christ’s second coming in 19:11–21. He is portrayed throughout this passage as Warrior, Judge, and King, who returns in glory and power to defeat his enemies and establish his universal reign.

Scripture Reading:

Revelation 19:11-21

Revelation 19:11–21 LEB

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and the one seated on it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and makes war. 12 Now his eyes were a flame of fire, and on his head were many royal headbands having a name written that no one except he himself knows. 13 And he was dressed in an outer garment dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. 14 And the armies that are in heaven, dressed in clean, white fine linen, were following him on white horses. 15 And out of his mouth came a sharp sword, so that with it he could strike the nations. And he will shepherd them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the wine of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful. 16 And he has a name written on his outer garment and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” 17 And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come! Assemble for the great banquet of God, 18 in order that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of military tribunes, and the flesh of the powerful, and the flesh of horses and those seated on them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, and small and great!” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war with the one who is seated on the horse and with his army. 20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs before him, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. 21 And the rest were killed by the sword of the one who is seated on the horse—the sword that comes out of his mouth—and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

What is the first thing you notice about Armageddon here? It must be insanely short! For the best-advertised battle, where is it? where is the epic fighting? It turns out, the real Armageddon is a not so action pack event. Christ wins merely by showing up and speaking victory (verse 20a). The two beasts are thrown alive into the lake of fire, and their followers are killed and held for final judgment (we’ll see more later in 20:11–15). It sort of reminds me of all you football fans out there who don’t really enjoy a game where one team is defeating the other by a long shot—even if it is your team winning, some of you wont even finish watching the game when there is no hope of the losing team catching up. Rather, it is the games where the scores are close to each other building the suspense of who will win—WELL NOT SO WITH ARMAGEDDON!! The score never shows up because the defeat happens immediately—no time for a score! Our passage then closes with God’s enemies actually becoming a banquet for the birds of prey, a gruesome image that stands in contrast to the messianic wedding banquet of the Lamb.

Transition:

The Warrior Messiah conquers the two beasts and their followers and John describes this in two halves: The first half of our passage (19:11–16) emphasizes at least eight attributes and four actions of Jesus, the conquering Christ. In the second half (19:17–21), the infamous battle of “Armageddon” occurs.

I. The Attributes of the Warrior Messiah (19:11–13)

Our passages starts with eight attributes of this coming Christ. Throughout these verses, John reveals this bloodstained divine warrior of Isaiah 63:1–6 as well as imagery from the Roman procession of triumph (e.g., the white horse, diadems, titles, military imagery) to stress Jesus’s decisive victory.

Revelation 19:11 LEB

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and the one seated on it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and makes war.

First, he rides a white horse, symbolic of his victorious return as a warrior king (cf. white symbolizing victory in 14:14; 20:11).

Second, he is “Faithful and True,” reaffirming his character as a reliable witness (cf. 1:5; 3:14), as well as the one faithful to execute God’s just and true judgments (16:7; 19:2).

Revelation 19:12 LEB

Now his eyes were a flame of fire, and on his head were many royal headbands having a name written that no one except he himself knows.

Third, his “eyes are like blazing fire,” revealing his penetrating insight and wisdom to judge (cf. 1:14; 2:18; Dan. 10:6). Fourth, he wears “many crowns” (diadems or ruler’s crowns), showing that he is the only legitimate ruler of the universe in contrast to the dragon (12:3) and the beast (13:1) with their limited number of crowns. Fifth, he has a name that only he knows—certainly a divine name and possibly the sacred name for God himself: Yahweh.

Revelation 19:13 LEB

And he was dressed in an outer garment dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God.

Sixth, he is wearing a robe dipped in blood. In light of the immediate context of spiritual warfare, most identify the blood as belonging to God’s enemies (cf. Isa. 63:1–3; Rev. 14:20; 19:15). Seventh, his name is the “Word of God,” pointing to Jesus as God’s powerful presence, his Word (John 1:1). One commentator said, “in Hebrew thought, a word is not a lifeless sound but an active agent that achieves the intention of the one who speaks” This makes sense in light of, Gen. 1. The Eighth attribute is in verse 16 which we’ll get to in a moment

Illustration:

Christ’s return is the center of our hope

If we are not careful, our hope for the Lord’s return can be dulled by diversion.

A Quote: The Long Journey Home, by Os Guinness, Guinness comments:

“Modern society itself is one grand diversion—the Republic of Entertainment. With our shops, shows, sports, games, tourism, recreation, cosmetics, plastic surgery, virtual reality, and the endless glorification of health and youth, our culture is a vast conspiracy to make us forget our transience and mortality. We turn away. We tune out. Alibis for reality-escape artists are on every hand.”

“Modern man is drinking and drugging himself out of awareness,” psychologist Ernest Becker wrote, “or he spends his time shopping, which is the same thing.”

--dulled by diversion and distraction.

Transition:

John then moves from the glories of this Warrior King to HIs armies:

II. The Armies of the Warrior Messiah (19:14-16)

The armies consist of both angels and believers. Angels are said to accompany Christ at his return both in the OT & in the New Testament (e.g., Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; Matt. 13:40–42; 16:27; 24:30–31; 25:31–32; 1 Thess. 3:13; 2 Thess. 1:7; Jude 14–15; cf. Joel 2:2; Zech. 14:5; Rev. 12:7).

Revelation 19:14 LEB

And the armies that are in heaven, dressed in clean, white fine linen, were following him on white horses.

Believers seem to be included in this group as well (17:14; cf. 1 Thess. 4:14), in light of their “fine linen, white and clean,” formerly associated with the righteous acts of God’s people in 19:8. In the larger picture, verse 14 affirms both the resurrection of believers at the return of Christ and their righteous lifestyle (in contrast to the wicked dead whose works fail them at the final judgment in 20:11–15). Ironically, the saints do very little, if anything, in the way of fighting. Their main task has been, and still is still to follow the Lamb.

Revelation 19:15 LEB

And out of his mouth came a sharp sword, so that with it he could strike the nations. And he will shepherd them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the wine of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful.

This builds on verse 11 with the declaration that the White Horse rider “judges and wages war.” John now writes the specific actions of the Warrior Messiah in four statements and three images (sword, staff, and winepress).

First, he wages war by judging justly or righteously (16:7; 19:2). His own righteous character serves as the basis of these judgments.

The second and third images parallel one another. He conquers the nations with the sword of his mouth (1:16; 2:12, 16; 19:21; Isa. 11:4; 49:2; 2 Thess. 2:8). Jesus defeats the wicked nations in much the same way that he defeated the demonic powers during his earthly ministry: through his word! Likewise, He conquers the nations with an iron scepter or staff used to destroy those who prey upon His sheep (2:26–27; 12:5; Ps. 2:9; Isa. 11:4).

Fourth, he treads the winepress of God’s furious wrath (14:19–20; 16:19; 19:13; Isa. 63:1–6). The title “Almighty” (pantokratōr) again emphasizes God’s sovereign power to conquer and condemn evil (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6; 21:22). This portrait of the Warrior Messiah leaves no room for a purely sentimental view of God.

Revelation 19:16 ESV

On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Jesus wears a title across his thigh: “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Βασιλεὺς βασιλέων καὶ κύριος κυρίων

The eighth attribute of this Warrior!

This Old Testament title for God is now used of Christ to affirm His sovereignty over all supposed earthly rulers.

Transition:

Now that we’ve seen who He is & what power He has, John reveals the resultsL

III. The Warrior Messiah conquers His enemies (vv. 17–21)

Interestingly, it starts with this invitation from an angel to the Great Supper of God. Everyone will participate in one of two eschatological feasts: the righteous joining in the wedding supper of the Lamb or the wicked becoming the feast at the great supper of God.

Revelation 19:17 LEB

And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come! Assemble for the great banquet of God,

Revelation 19:18 LEB

in order that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of military tribunes, and the flesh of the powerful, and the flesh of horses and those seated on them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, and small and great!”

God will judge the wicked from every social group; social status or rank will not be enough to exempt the ungodly from judgment. Here and in verse 21 we see the destruction of all the wicked, not just the antichrist’s “army.” They will later be pulled back from death to follow Satan in his final act of deception in chapter 20.

Now in verse 19, The great eschatological battle of Armageddon has finally arrived. But notice what happens here:

Revelation 19:19 LEB

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war with the one who is seated on the horse and with his army.

This is the “day of the Lord” prophesied throughout the Old Testament. I want you to see that the armies come up to stand off, but no actual fighting occurs here! The evil forces are “assembled/gathered” (synagō) to fight against Christ, but the epic battle never occurs. How can I be so sure? because of the next verse:

Revelation 19:20 LEB

And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs before him, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur.

Jesus conquers simply by appearing and speaking words of judgment against his enemies (the effect of the sharp sword of his word in 19:15). The Messiah’s army does not seem to participate in the actual combat.

Revelation 19:20 LEB

“The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.”

In Revelation 19–20, four groups are thrown into the fiery lake:

the beast and false prophet (19:20), the dragon or Satan (20:10),

the wicked (20:15),

and death and Hades (20:14).

Whereas Hades refers to the grave or realm of the dead, the fiery lake is equivalent to Gehenna, or what is traditionally understood as “hell” (i.e., the place of final punishment). John likely is seeing firsthand here Jesus’s teachings about hell as a place of fiery punishment.

A second result of this future final war is that “the rest” are killed and eaten by birds.

Revelation 19:21 LEB

And the rest were killed by the sword of the one who is seated on the horse—the sword that comes out of his mouth—and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

This refers to the death of all wicked human beings and not just the armies of the antichrist in context of the all-inclusive group in verse 18.

So What?

So we can celebrate today!

This passage focuses our attention on the return of Christ from several vantage points.

1. Our blessed hope is the return of Christ.

We spend extraordinary amounts of energy talking about faith and love, and rightly so, but what about hope? Some people have a hard time explaining hope and knowing where exactly to place their hope. Whereas love is mainly though of in the present, hope points to the eternal future. The ultimate resting place for our hope is Christ himself and his promise to return (“the blessed hope” in Titus 2:13). The prayer of hope is “Come, Lord Jesus.” Our hope is anchored in the assurance that God will not abandon his people but will return for them.

2. Christ will return as a mighty Warrior Ram rather than a docile Lamb.

There is the constant danger when presenting Christ in a love-starved culture to overemphasize God’s love to the exclusion of His righteousness, and His Holiness. Jesus will return in power because there is a final battle to be fought against the enemies of YHWH. We cannot attempt to domesticate the Lion to make it easier for people to accept. He comes to destroy his enemies and establish his universal reign. One commentator warns, “Any view of God that eliminates judgment and his hatred of sin in the interest of an emasculated doctrine of sentimental affection finds no support in the strong and virile realism of the Apocalypse.”

3. Opposing Christ will have catastrophic results.

From the perspective of Christ’s enemies, this passage spells defeat, destruction, death, judgment, and eternal punishment. God will defeat his enemies and destroy evil. But our role differs from God’s role in Armageddon: He fights and we follow. Our following includes loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. This passage reminds us of the horrible fate of those who rebel against God. While rejoicing that YHWH will bring justice and conquer evil, we ought to simultaneously pray for the conversion of unbelievers and seek to invite them into the kingdom of God.

Conclusion:

Jesus will return in power to render judgment upon God’s enemies. His victory is certain!

Jesus judges and wages war through his powerful presence and his mighty word.

The heavenly armies fight by following Jesus, the King

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