Thursday, October 31, 2013

A Study of The Book of Revelation, Part #70

Earl Gillespie
THE  SUPPER OF  GOD and THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
Revelation 19:17-18:

That dreadful word “Armageddon” appears only once in the Bible and is found in Revelation 16:16. If you read this passage along with the verses immediately before and after it, you will be amazed at what you will find and not find in regards to the battle of Armageddon. Take a look for yourself: Revelation 16:15-17  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

There are hundreds of interpretations of Bible Prophecy and especially on the issue of antichrist and the battle of Armageddon, the operative word being “interpretations.” This is the first error as we are not allowed and do not need private interpretations of the scripture. God’s Word gives us all we need to know without any speculation whatsoever. Speculation and interpretations come when we attempt to shape the word of God.  The Bible was never intended to compete with the institutes of higher learning.  The Bible depicts the fall of man, a plan of salvation and the judgment of God.  The following scriptures should impress the idea of the judgment of God deeply into our minds, the question is do we believe in the Word of God.  If we can believe a wall of water emerging from the sea and destroying cities,  how hard is it to believe in the destruction of all evil.

17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 
18. That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

In verses 7 and 8 we have the account of the marvelous, joyous marriage supper of the Lamb. In verses 17 and 18 we have the account of the great supper of God. The word “great” in verse 17 should be before “supper” and not before “God.” It is a great supper - we know He is a great God.

Verse 17: “I saw an angel standing in the sun.” This angel could be none other than the angel of the Lord. He is standing in the sun, denoting the center of governmental authority. He stands where all can clearly see him, and where he can survey the whole scene of conflict. The supper to which he invites the birds of the air immediately follows the battle of Armageddon.

The birds are invited to come. John sees in the Spirit what will literally take place when this great battle is fought. The great supper to which the birds are invited will be the bodies of the kings, captains, mighty men, horses, the riders of the horses, the bond, the free, the great and the small. Their bodies will be lying upon the Blood-drenched ground and the birds of prey will devour the flesh from their bones. This great multitude of human beings were slain by one sharp sword - the sword of the Christ who sits on the great white horse leading the teeming millions of white horses out of Heaven.  

 In verse 18 we read the word “flesh” five times in connection with this great supper to which the fowls of Heaven are invited. What a humiliating end to the strength, pomp and pride of the armies of Antichrist and the puppets who followed his power and rule! The vulture, the eagle and all other birds of prey will feed upon the flesh of kings, nobles and outstanding men of renown. “That ye may eat the FLESH of kings, and the FLESH of captains, and the FLESH of mighty men, and the FLESH of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the FLESH of all men, both free and Bond, both small and great.”  Here again the only question is, do we really believe the Bible?

THE TOTAL OVERTHROW OF THE BEAST, FALSE PROPHET,
KINGS AND THEIR ARMIES
Revelation 19:19-21:

19. 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.
20. 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.
21. 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.

The day of the Lord has finally come. The Bible refers to this event as “that day,” and also as “the great day.” God is setting the stage and preparing for the Millennium, the glorious reign of peace on earth. Read Isaiah 65:17-19, 66:22; II Peter 2:13; Revelation 21:1.

The order of events concerning this gigantic episode is:

1. The return of the Lord in glory (Matthew 24:29,30).
2. The Beast and his hosts will be destroyed: The kings of the earth and their armies, and the false prophet which is the “great and terrible” (Revelation 19:11-21).
3. The judgment of the nations (Zechariah 14:1-9; Matthew 25:31-46).
4. The thousand years of peace, the Kingdom Age (Revelation 20:4-6).
5. Satanic revolt - the little season when Satan will be released after the Millennium to try them that are upon the earth (Revelation 20:7-10).
6. The second resurrection - the resurrection of the wicked, and the final judgment of the wicked Revelation 20:11-15).
7. The DAY OF God - the time when the earth will be purged by fire (II Peter 3:10-13) and we will have a new Heaven, a new Earth, and the Pearly white City.

Let me point out something very significant: The description of the battle is mentioned very briefly, while many verses are given over to the description of the Great Conqueror, the Lord Jesus Christ, riding upon the great white charger. The battle is simply mentioned in verse 19, while many verses are given to the description of the conqueror. Jesus is worthy of all honor, praise, adoration and worship.

In verse 19 John saw the Beast, the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together.  Here John witnessed the gigantic confederation of the kings of the earth and peoples of the earth - the greatest confederation of people and kings ever beheld. This host will consist of multiplied millions. The Beast is named first, and is the center of the movement against the Lamb of God. All the material resources and wealth of the mighty revived empire make up what the Beast heads up.

Secondly, we have the kings of the earth - the very kings who wailed, moaned and groaned over the destruction of Babylon. The social and political authorities of Christendom unite with the Beast in this last tremendous attempt to overthrow God Almighty and His Christ. The battle started in Heaven when Satan brainwashed some of the angels, attempted to overthrow God, and was thrown out of Heaven (Ezekiel 28:1-19; Isaiah 14:12-17).

Next, we have mentioned “their armies.” This refers to the combined armies of the Beast and all of the kings, They are all “gathered together.” No Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler or Mussolini could bring together such a vast combination of power. Satan is the master mind behind this last movement against God. In Revelation 16:13-16 the veil is lifted and we witness the true character of this last drive. Three unclean spirits like frogs, originating from Satanic source and character, endowed with Satanic power to work miracles, “go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” The place where they will gather is named “Armageddon” (Revelation 16:16).

The Word of God is clear in making known the forces who oppose the Lamb. The place of the battle is also clear, and it is just as clearly stated that the teeming millions who make up the army of Antichrist come “to make war against Him that sat upon the horse, and against His army.” Search your history books; see if you can find one suggestion that such a battle has ever been fought. And yet some ministers have the audacity to teach that Revelation is behind us!

The Satanic trinity hates the Lamb, the rider of the great white horse, and makes war against His army of blood-washed saints who make up the New Testament Church. There has never been a battle such as this, nor will there ever be another battle like it! In Revelation 14:18-20 we read, “Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood (not wine) came out of the winepress even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thou sand and six hundred furlongs.”

That adds up to 200 miles of blood up to the horses’ bridles . . . approximately six feet deep. Isaiah speaks of the time when the land shall be soaked with blood (Isaiah 34:1-8). The prophet Zechariah says, “I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle . . . then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations” (Zechariah 14:1-3), In verse 20 we read, “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.”

 The term “Beast” usually refers to the empire, but here it refers to the personal chief of the empire. The character of the empire is molded by the Beast-ruler. The empire and its ruling head, in interest and purpose, are one and the same. Of course, they can be distinguished as in Daniel 7, but here and elsewhere in Revelation the Beast-empire and its last great Imperial ruler are so vitally and closely connected that the former perishes in the everlasting ruin of its head.

The Beast (the man, of course) is cast alive into the lake of fire and brimstone. The false prophet that was with him is the Antichrist, the combination of all religious apostasy.  These two work in perfect unison, counterfeiting God the Father and God the Son in the trinity of God. The Beast will supply the strength; the false prophet will supply the counsel to carry out the strength. The false prophet is by far the more energetic and the more powerful of the two, because he is energized by the devil and contains all the power of hell. “Who (the false prophet) wrought miracles before him (the Beast),” by which he deceived the millions who will receive the mark of the Beast and who worship his image.

He (the false prophet) deceived these millions by the miracles he performed, such as pulling fire down from Heaven. His desire was to bring world-wide worship to the Beast . . . his superior in temporal power although his inferior in craft deception, Satanic influence and demon power. The diabolical work of the false prophet will turn millions to the Beast. The false prophet will be energized by the devil and his power will be second only to that of God.

At this time Satan will give to the false prophet the power that he offered Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-6: “And the devil said unto Him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: FOR THAT IS DELIVERED UNTO ME; and to whomsoever I will I give it.”

Satan offered this power to Jesus if He would fall down and worship him. The Son of God refused and withstood every temptation the devil hurled at Him: The devil is jealous of Jesus, and always has been; that was the cause of his downfall in Ezekiel 28. He wanted to exalt his throne above the throne of Almighty God. He attempted, he failed - but he has never given up and will not give up until he is placed into the lake of fire and brimstone.

“These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (verse 20). Yes, this is literal fire a lake of it. There are not enough words in all the languages of all the world to describe the horror of such a doom! These two - the Beast and false prophet - are not killed as are their followers. Physical death does not come to them; they are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone while still living in the bodies they possess during their ungodly reign.

One thousand years later, Satan will be cast into the same lake (Revelation 20:10).  Certainly this proves that the wicked do not burn up, for when Satan is cast into the lake of fire, the Beast and the false prophet are still there, burning! Fire and brimstone denote torment that is unspeakable (Isaiah 30:33). This will be a literal lake - not of water, but of fire, regardless of what religions, preachers, teachers, or whosoever may have to say about it.

Verse 21: “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.” The pride of the armies of the Antichrist lies in the dust of the earth in death . . . butchered; but not with bullets nor atomic bombs - butchered with the sword that proceeds out of the mouth of the King of kings.

The voice of fury of the King of kings shall strike suddenly, taking the lives of chiefs, captains, kings, millionaires. They will die on the spot - a horrible death - and their flesh will be devoured by the buzzards! There will be enough for all the birds . . . “and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”

The destiny of those who worship the Beast and join his army is revealed in Revelation 14:9-11 and Revelation 20:11-15. In connection with the closing verses of this chapter, read Ezekiel 39:1-22, Matthew 24:27-28 and Joshua 10:1-11.

WOW

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

A Study of The Book of Revelation, Part #69

Earl Gillespie
THE CONQUEROR AND HIS ARMY 
Continued from part 68

Revelation 19:11-16:

The downside of doing a verse by verse study of the Bible is that a picture emerges that is completely alien to the one that we are presented with on a day to day base.  We are often presented with a picture of God smiling and lending a helping hand to his creation as we struggle from day to day.  The Bible presents a picture of an angry God who has been storing up vials of wrath, waiting to pour it out upon a sinful world.  The focus of Christianity has shifted from salvation to that of a business designed to make money and promote the well-being of society.   Many preachers and prophets have devised a scheme to fleece the follower of God out of money by promising that if you give them money God will bless you.  The Bible speaks of a prophet that wanted to get paid to deliver the word of God. Those that have been indoctrinated into this non-scriptural approach to Christianity is embedded with a certain fear that will not allow them to question this unrealistic approach to serving a spiritual God.  

The entertainment aspect of Christianity has overshadow the true worship of God as the congregation is entertained by paid performers who encourages the hearers to get up and move to the beat.  Jesus letters to the churches are considered to be irreverent and overlooked. As the condition of the world deteriorate, we ought to envision the handiwork of an angry God.  

The Bible often speaks of God's angry and when God is angry his blessing are withheld.  The blessings that were promised to the children of Israel were withheld when they sinned against God,  many times blessing given were retracted.  Religious enities love to glory in the blessings of God to show his approval of their deeds, yet many times these so-called blessings are nothing more than the nominal care that He exibits to all of his creation. Matthew 5:45 ... for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  While we glory in the creation and the seeking out of blessing, we need to be reminded that the final conclusion of things is the judgement of God.

11. 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.
12. 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.
13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15. 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.
16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

The first thing John saw was “a white horse.” This signifies victorious power. The name of the rider was “Faithful and True.” No one but the Lord Jesus Christ could bear that title. He was faithful to the Father in every minute detail and He is the Truth. He judges, and in righteousness makes war. He is coming to settle the destinies of the world and its inhabitants. The rider of the white horse is not only a mighty warrior and conqueror; He is also a righteous Judge. He is coming to judge in righteousness, as well as to destroy in blood. God “hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

Here the appointed day is about to dawn. The Man ordained to judge in righteousness is the Commander-in-Chief of the armies of Heaven approaching the earth. This is a war like no war that has ever been fought up to this hour. It is not a war for the love of conquest or to enlarge a king’s territory. It is a war to put down evil and enthrone righteousness on earth, in order that there may be peace on earth, good will toward men, and the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters now cover the sea. Jesus is about to prepare the earth for the reign of righteousness promised - but up to this point never fulfilled. The night Jesus was born the angels announced the birth of a King, and added, “Peace on earth, good will toward men.” That has never been, but it will be when King Jesus puts down the armies of Antichrist, sits on the throne of His father David, and reigns in righteousness.

 In verse 12 we read, “His eyes were as a flame of fire.” He is approaching earth to observe all, to search out every hidden evil, and to execute righteous judgment. His eyes “a flame of fire” denote omniscience - nothing shall escape the all-seeing eye of the One who sits on the white charger.   On His head were many crowns [diadems].” The word used here for “crowns” is not the same word used referring to the crowns of the saints in chapter 4:4, 10. The word here translated “crowns” expresses royal dignity and denotes absolute and supreme authority.

In chapter 12:3 the dragon has seven diadems on his head the same Greek word used here. In Revelation 13:1 the Beast has on his horns ten diadems. Thus, the Beast and the dragon will exercise great and Supreme power during their reign; but note that there is only One who can be entrusted to exercise absolute authority and dominion. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. (Read Psalm 8). Seven diadems the dragon wore. Ten diadems the Beast wore. But “ON HIS (Christ’s) HEAD WERE MANY DIADEMS!” This signifies that He is supreme over all governments, and in the end all world authority and power will crumble under His mighty hand.

Verse 12: “. . . He had a name written that no man knew, but He Himself.” There are divine names such as God, JEHOVAH, Christ, Jesus, Lord, Saviour, which express the relationship between Jehovah God and His creatures; but here is a name not revealed to man. Christ the Son, in the fulness of His divine nature and eternal existence, can alone be known by the Father (Matthew 11:27).  Christ has been forever. He was, and ever will be. There is no name to express such eternal existence - past, present and future. Christ alone can understand the fullness of who and what He was in the eternity behind us, of what He is in the present, and of what He will be throughout the eternity ahead of us. The finite mind of man cannot comprehend the fullness of the eternal Godhead.

Verse 13: “And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God.” the blood on the garments of the rider of the white horse is not His own blood, but the blood of His enemies. He has come to deal with the opposing armies of Antichrist who have gathered themselves together in war against the Lamb.

In Isaiah 63:1-4 we read concerning the victorious return from the land of Edom, from the capital city Bozrah. With vengeance in His heart, and His righteous garments stained with the Blood of His enemies,the Lord is seen in this battle; but here in Revelation, His garment dipped in blood is witnessed even before He enters into the great conflict. This is a certain guarantee that righteous vengeance shall be meted out to the fullest extent upon the millions gathered against the Lamb of God, led by the Beast and the false prophet. There is no doubt concerning the victory of this battle. The Lamb came the first time in humility, riding upon an ass; but He will come this second time riding a great white charger, to drain the blood of His enemies. He must reign until all enemies have become His footstool - and He willThis does not sound like the “grandfather-God” the liberals and modernists love to preach about, does it? Oh, yes, God is love, God is longsuffering, tender, good and kind; but God is a consuming fire, He is angry with the wicked every day.

Verse 13 closes with “His name is called the Word of God.” From the pen of eight sacred writers, God gives us the New Testament. John is the only one of the eight who applies this title to the Lord Jesus Christ. As The Word, Christ represents the Lord God in His being, in His character and in His righteous and holy works. In John 1:1 we read, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Therefore, in the beginning we see “The Word of Life.” In John 1:14 we read, “And the Word was made flesh.” The Word was in the beginning. More than two thousand years ago the Word took a body. As the Word, Jesus has personal, independent, eternal existence (John 1:1, 2). As the Word, He is maker of all things, and without Him was not anything made that was made (John 1:3; Hebrews 1:1-3).  As the Word, He is the revealer of God.  He is the One who makes God known to man (John 1:14). Our words should be the expression of what we are. The words of Christ were the absolute expression of what He ever is (John 8:25). As the Word, Jesus reveals God in His essential nature as the Light of the World, as Love, and as the only begotten Son. As the Word, Jesus declares the Father. The first without the second would leave a great blank. The finite mind cannot take in or understand a God who has no beginning and no ending, by whom all things were made, and in whom all life consists. The finite mind of man simply cannot conceive the magnitude of an eternal spirit (God is a Spirit); but Jesus (the Word) took a body and brought God to man. God was in Christ (II Corinthians 5:19) reconciling the world unto Himself.

The title used here in Revelation 19:13 (“His name is called the Word of God”) has singular significance, It is God who is here seen moved into action – the Lord God, Almighty God! The very nature of God demands the judgment of those on earth who attempt to frustrate His purpose to place His Son as King on Mount Zion and to place into His hands the government of earth: In Isaiah 9:6-7 God promised a King upon whose shoulders the government would rest. In Luke 1, Jesus was promised the throne of David, and He must occupy that throne. When the armies of Antichrist attempts to stop the King of kings, God goes into action as “THE WORD OF God.”

Christ, the Word of God, is the absolute and final expression of God in righteous judgment about to take place just before the beginning of the Millennium, the one thousand years of perfect peace on earth (Isaiah 11; Revelation 20:4-6).  Verse 14: “And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” The riders of the white horses were clothed in fine linen, white and clean. This is the heavenly attire of the saints that make up the Bride. It is clear that the Bride will accompany Christ when He returns to the earth.

We have here the fulfillment of the prophecy of Enoch: In Jude 14 and 15 we read, “ . . . Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

What a sight! What a sight!! What a tremendous sight!!! If you can, let your imagination picture this: Look toward the sky, and there is the appearance of what seems to be a giant white thunderhead.  But it is moving swiftly, and as it comes nearer the shapes of horses and riders come into view. Out in front we see a great white charger, a tremendous animal, and the rider is most unusual.  His eyes are a flame of fire. A great host is riding toward the earth.

Verse 15: “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.” This verse points out a very significant thing: The only weapon the heavenly host has is “a sharp sword.” The armies have no weapons, they will need no weapons.

The battle is THE LORD’S! “Out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations.” The reference here points back to Isaiah 11:4. When Judas led the soldiers to arrest Jesus, Jesus simply spoke - and His enemies fell to the ground (John 18:5,6).  The Word of God smites, slays, destroys. The power of the Word is irresistible. God needs no hydrogen warheads, guided missiles, atomic submarines nor supersonic bombers! All God need do is utter the Word, and creatures disintegrate. God needs no weapons made with hands.

It is very interesting to note, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). But those who refuse to hear the Word will be destroyed by the very Word that could have brought them life. The Word brings life to all who believe; the same Word metes out death to all who refuse to hear it. No wonder the devil has attempted to destroy the Word of God and discredit the Bible and twists the Word to fit an apostate religion.

Verse 15: “. . . and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” HE SHALL RULE! He shall govern (chapter 12:5). (Read Psalm 2 and Psalm 149:6-9).  The term “with a rod of iron” denotes that the ungodly, determined will of the nations must be broken and their power put down. Jesus Christ, the King of kings, is the only One who can do that. The fact that He (the Lamb, the humble One who has now become King of kings, the mighty One) treads the winepress of His fury and the winepress of the wrath of God denotes His utmost wrath. Almighty God is moved to fury. “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord.” We see three symbols of judgment in verse 15. First, a sharp sword. Second, a rod of iron. Third, the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God. “I HAVE TRODDEN THE WINEPRESS ALONE, AND OF THE PEOPLE THERE WAS NONE WITH ME” (Isaiah 63:3).

Verse 16: “And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS!” His garment, the outward character of the Lord Jesus as beheld by others, bears a title of complete universal dominion. Instead of the sword on His thigh as recorded in Psalm 45:3, the name is written on His thigh and the sharp sword is in His mouth. One would naturally look for the sword on His thigh; instead, it is in His mouth, and on His thigh they read His name. 


Continued tomorrow part 70