Faith Baptist Church
4258 Botetourt Road
Fincastle, Virginia 24090
(540) 473-2325
There is nothing in this world more precious to the child of God than the word of God. It gives to us comfort, direction, correction, courage and much more. It keeps us in contact with our heavenly home. It is our contact with the will of our heavenly Father. It is the history of our Savior and his redeeming work. It is the story of the children of God. And one day the word of God will be heard straight from the mouth of God to our ears. Have you ever wondered what the voice of God sounds like? To the saved it will be the most assuring and encouraging sound we shall ever hear, but to the unsaved it will be the most dreaded voice they will ever hear. The word of God to the unsaved is like a piercing sword that cuts right to the heart. It slices away all excuses and lays the accountability square on the individual’s own shoulders. It cuts away at non-biblical notions. It cuts away at sentimentalism. It cuts away at all human goodness.
19:17-18
In our text today we are exposed to the carnage left over from the battle of Armageddon.
Millions and millions of soldiers who stand ready to annihilate Israel are reduced to dead corpses. Rev.14:20 tells that the blood will be spilled for over 200 hundred miles in that area.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of Iran, has said it is his soul belief and mission to see that Israel is wiped off the map of the world.
If he is here when Armageddon takes place he and his country will see the futility of that statement.
We have a foretelling of the animosity of the Arab world against Israel found in the 83rd Psalm. “They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.” Ps.83:4
The Lord has promised he will make these wicked people to be ashamed, and he will cause them to perish in verses 12-17.
Now lets get to Rev.19:17-18 read...
As our Lord is descending with his righteous army of saints and holy angels he calls the birds of prey in the lower atmosphere to join his campaign. This prophecy is also found in Ezek.39:12-17.
Men who stick out their chests and strut about like little gods will be no more than food for the birds. The birds care not that the carcass is that of a general or a ditch digger. What’s left is the body that housed a sinful soul. The souls of these unsaved men and women will be cast into Hades. All that is left is their shell of a body. Please note that God does not spare the unsaved from Hades due to their status in life, whether they be rich or poor, free or bond. He shows no favoritism.
v.19
In this passage we see the Antichrist, called the beast, and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against Jesus Christ who sits on his white victory horse. He sits with his army of saints and holy angels behind him.
v.20
And the beast, the Antichrist was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, miracles he used to deceive those who had the mark of the beast, and those who worshipped his image in the temple.
These were cast alive into the lake of fire.
This is not Hades which is where the unsaved await final judgment as per Rev.20:11-15. The Antichrist and the second beast, which is also called the false prophet, are cast directly into the fires of Hell.
Notice in Rev.20:10 that one thousand years later the Antichrist and the false prophet, two deceived unsaved human beings are still there. There is no annihilation in the lake of fire as some suppose. The confinement and torment is forever.
v.21
And the remainder of those unsaved gathered together in that array of soldiers will be slain by the word of God.
All of those from the four major world powers of Russia; the Arab nations lead by the false prophet; the vast armies of the orient and India and last but not least the ten nations confederation of armies lead by the Antichrist will be present. Rev.16:14 spoke of demonic spirits working miracles, convincing these army leaders to pursue after Israel.
These armies will be gathered in four geographical areas
1. Jerusalem: Zech.12:2-11; 14:2
2. Megiddo and the Plain of Esdraelon, Rev.16:16
3. Jehoshaphat Valley, east of Jerusalem, Ezek.39:11; Joel 3:2, 12
4. Edom, Isa.34:16; 63:1-6
This campaign to overrun and annihilate all of Israel will be all over the land of Palestine as Ezek.38:9, 16. It will look as if every man alive is armed to utterly wipe Israel off the map of the world and then all of their attention will turn skyward.
How quickly a battle plan can change; how quickly can a man’s confidence and dreams of power be crushed.
As we saw in Rev.17:14, these armies will make war with the Lamb of God, and he will overcome them.
Do you remember our Lord’s words to his disciples as noted in John 16:33? Christ said in this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Obviously our daily tribulations are not what is spoken of in Rev.19, however, just as our Lord in his eternal wisdom and power can rescue his saints from trial, so will he rescue the remnant of the saved at the end of the Great Tribulation period.
His overcoming is not wishful thinking. He has already seen down through time and his plans will not be altered by man or demon.
I am just so thankful that I know him as my Savior; that whatever happens I will be all right.
Brethren, isn’t it good to know you have been saved of your sins. I trust all of you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you do not, will you say yes to Him? Tell the Father that you believe Jesus Christ is the one who died for your sins. Tell the Father that you know you are a sinner and deserve eternal judgment for your sins. Tell the Father that you are accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior; as your sin bearer, and then thank the Father for saving you for all eternity.
The folks who end up in Hell are the ones who wrestle with the will of God for their lives, beginning with the need to be saved. Jesus Christ did not say “Ye must be born again” for nothing.