While the tribulation is occurring on earth, the redeemed will be celebrating in Heaven at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. After the destruction of Babylon, God will prepare to judge the Antichrist, as well as the armies he leads at the final battle of Armageddon. There is an interesting element present beginning with the fall of man which climaxes at this battle. The real battle has always been our spirit versus our flesh. From the day we were saved, our inward man representing our spirit and our old man representing our flesh have constantly waged war within our being. Now at this final battle, mankind will attempt to wage war in the flesh against God who is Spirit. It will be no contest and the angels will prepare the fowls of the air to feast upon the carnage (V17-18). The flesh will finally be destroyed! Here are the chain of events:
1. Jesus will return to earth for the second time, but this time as King and Lord!!!
V11-16 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.”
2. His shed blood which purchased our redemption will be worn as a badge of honor by Him and we will return with Him as the “blood bought” Army of the Lord!
“And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”
3. The battle will be His alone and with one word He shall defeat the armies of antichrist.
“And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.”
4. The Beast and his false prophet will be taken directly to the lake of fire while the fowls feast upon their armies.
V19-21 “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”
LESSON - All that is temporal, all that is fleshly will one day be destroyed. All that this world has strived for will be completely decimated and all those who lived for these “fleshly” things will be cast down with no hope for eternal life. Pastor Bill Monroe once quoted in a sermon “You don’t have to go to Heaven and you don’t have to go to hell, but you can’t stay here! Why live your life for things that ultimately DO NOT MATTER!!
~Mike
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