December 29, 2010: Revelation 17-19
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.” Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.” (Revelation 19:11-21)
The passage describes the final ‘battle’ if you can call it that between Heaven and Hell. The reason I hesitate in calling it a battle is because the end is such the total defeat, and the strength on either side is so uneven that it seems a little inappropriate to call it a battle. However, in this final showdown, John describes the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and the heavenly armies as they ultimately destroy the beast, the false prophet, and all those they had successfully deluded (19:19-21).
Living as we do now, this sort of epic victory seems too distant and unrelated to us when we think of our present circumstances– maybe it has to do with family, finances, relationships, health, school/work, etc. It seems somewhat irrelevant to think about some battle between good and evil when it feels like a battle at times to just get through our daily schedule. However, we mustn’t forget that this world and all that we go through in this world are temporary, these trials that we go through are not what defines us for eternity– nor will they last for eternity.
No matter what is currently before us, let us remember that the Lord will ultimately be victorious in a landslide victory that will make us feel almost embarrassed for the enemy– such a crushing loss that we wonder how we could have feared it or even thought they had an inkling of a chance of victory. And moreover, this victorious Lord is on our side, and is able to provide us with the strength and courage we need to come out of our days, weeks, and years victorious in His name. Praise the Lord!
