Revelation (Written)

Thursday, 22 July 2021

and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. Revelation 20:3

John just noted in the previous verse that the devil was to be bound for a thousand years. With that thought in mind, the narrative continues, saying, “and he cast him into the bottomless pit.”

The bottomless pit is not the final place of punishment, meaning the Lake of Fire. Rather, it is a holding place where the demons are sent as they await judgment. When Jesus encountered the demon-possessed man in the Gaderenes (also known as the Gerasenes), the demon begged to not be sent to this place –

“Jesus asked him, saying, ‘What is your name?’
And he said, ‘Legion,’ because many demons had entered him. ³¹ And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.” Luke 8:30, 31

Satan is currently the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). He has the ability to affect humanity as he prowls through this realm. However, this will not be the case during the thousand years (the millennium) referred to now in Revelation. Instead, he will be bound and cast into this place where he cannot deceive man as he now does. John continues by showing that this will be without possibility of escape, saying, “and shut him up.”

Not only will he be cast into the Abyss, but he will be shut up in there. Whatever manner of containment this is, it is something prepared by God, and it will be inescapable. And further, it then says, “and set a seal on him.” The Greek reads, “and sealed over him.”

The seal isn’t on the devil. This is evident because the previous clause says he is shut up. After he is shut up, a seal has been placed on whatever has shut him in. The authority of the seal is evident and is not to be disturbed. This is “so that he should deceive the nations no more.”

The holding of the devil has a specific purpose. He will not be allowed to exercise his authority as the prince of the power of the air. The reason, when thought through, seems obvious. Man has rebelled against God from the beginning. He was deceived in the Garden of Eden by the serpent.

Since then, he has been influenced by the devil throughout each dispensation and wickedness has abounded. In sealing him, there will be a thousand-year reign without his influence, granting man such ideal conditions that it would be incredible to think that he would be willing to turn away from the Lord. At least, this is what one might think. Will such be the case? The Bible indicates otherwise. Satan will be bound “till the thousand years were finished.”

This is now the second of six times that the thousand years are mentioned. By repeating the thought, it is telling us that this is not merely a symbolic timeframe, but a literal timeframe.

To deny the millennial reign of Christ is to deny a literal reading of the Bible. From that, anyone can make the Bible say anything. But we are being shown, in advance, that this reign is coming, and we are to accept it at face value.

After this period, and with the unbinding of the devil, he will be allowed to work his evil once again. This is evidenced by the final words of the verse, “But after these things he must be released for a little while.” This is a necessity for man to see and understand his complete need for God’s provision in Christ. Man did not have the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. As such, maybe he just couldn’t process what it meant to reject the word of the Lord.

However, man will be on earth in ideal conditions and while possessing the knowledge of good and evil. What will be the outcome of his temptations when the devil is set free to work his evil once again? Scripture will reveal the answer as we continue.

Life application: As already noted, the term “thousand years” is mentioned for the second of six times in this verse. Only the poorest interpretation possible can come to any other conclusion than that this is a literal thousand years.

The term “millennium” comes from two Latin words mille meaning “thousand” and ennium meaning “years.” This in turn comes from the Greek, which the New Testament is written in, and which says the same thing – chilias means “thousand” and ete means “years.” The reason for citing this is to make clear that what is stated is to be taken literally, especially when the term is used not just once or twice, but six times.

As has been noted, and as we will see again, this thousand-year period is given based on the pattern of creation – of which the menorah of the temple is a symbol. Each branch of the menorah represents a thousand-year period. Christ came at the year 4000. The middle candle of the menorah, which represents the time of His coming, is known as the Shamash, which means “servant.” Christ, coming at this central point of human history, lights up the ages, just as the Shamash is the first candle lit and then which is used to light the other six. At His first advent, He fulfilled the role as the servant. The pattern has been given and it points directly to His work.

The final 1000-year period, the millennium, is being described in these verses of chapter 20. The entire cycle of man on earth, centering on the Person of Jesus Christ, was prefigured based on this seven-day pattern. Jesus Christ will rule on earth in a period of peace and restoration which is spoken of in great detail in the books of the prophets in the Old Testament, particularly Isaiah. It is during this period that the devil will be shut up and the pit will be sealed.

The devil won’t be able to deceive, and the people will live in a state of wonder and beauty. Man failed in Eden at a time when he didn’t have the knowledge of good and evil. He failed when there was no law, and he could live for hundreds of years. In fact, he failed so badly that the world was filled with wickedness and needed to be completely swept clean by a flood.

Man continued to fail after the flood and prior to the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses was introduced and man…. yes, he continued to fail. Then came Christ to fulfill the law on our behalf and His people nailed Him to a tree. He gave His Holy Spirit and filled His people with wisdom and knowledge and the complete revelation of Himself now recorded in Scripture. And yes… the world at large continues to fail and reject Him.

The world will be destroyed again by fire and tribulation and then Christ will rule, physically, from Jerusalem. But even when this occurs, when men live hundreds of years under ideal conditions and in the presence of God incarnate, man will be tested and will …. he will… he will fail again as we will see in the coming verses.

These different dispensations have been given to us to show us our fallen and depraved state, but also to show us the immense grace and mercy of God as is displayed in Jesus Christ. Under every possible condition and in every way possible, man desperately needs Him. To demonstrate this, the devil will be released for a little while. In understanding what is going on, each of us should gladly call out, “THANK GOD FOR JESUS!”

How desperately we need you Lord Jesus! Throughout the ages, You have been with Your people, calling us to Yourself and revealing Yourself to us. And yet, we turn our backs to You and say we want to do it our own way. Such is our fallen state, but such is Your wondrous grace and mercy. Great are you, O God. Thank you for our wonderful Savior! Hallelujah and Amen.

Wednesday, 21 July 2021

He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; Revelation 20:2

The angel who came out of heaven who has the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain upon his hand now takes specific action against the ancient foe of man. John says, “He laid hold of the dragon.” This is the dragon introduced with this name in Revelation 12:3. This is the last time this epitaph will be used in the Bible. Vincent’s Word Studies notes, “The word is commonly derived from ἔδρακον, the second aorist tense of δέρκομαι to see clearly, in allusion to the sharp sight of the fabled dragon.”

The dragon, this sharp-sighted creature, is now seized. Though he may have great vision, it appears he didn’t see this coming. As far as the act of seizing him, the idea here is of one stronger grabbing and overpowering the weaker. It is comparable in thought to the parable of Jesus from Matthew 12:29 –

“Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.”

It then follows in thought from Paul’s words of Colossians 2:15 concerning Christ Jesus –

“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

It is with this thought in mind that it appears most likely that this angel is none other than the Lord. It is He who gained victory over the dragon who Johns next says is “that serpent of old.” It is an obvious reference to the serpent introduced in the Garden of Eden where it says in Genesis 3:1, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.” Again, this is the last time that the epitaph “serpent” is used in the Bible. Things are coming to a close for him, even if he is not completely eliminated at this point.

To ensure who is being referred to, without any doubt at all, John next says, “who is the Devil and Satan.” The epitaph of “devil” was introduced in Matthew 4:1 during the temptation of the Lord Jesus –

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”

This title will be used just one more time, in verse 20:10. Along with being called the devil, John’s fourth designating name is provided, Satan. That was first used in Matthew 4:10 by Jesus, showing that the devil and Satan are the same entity –

“Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”

The name “Satan” is derived from the Old Testament. Care must be taken when considering the word used there. The Hebrew word satan, is used 27 times. However, it simply means “an adversary.” It can be speaking of anyone who opposes another. The word is first used to describe the Angel of the Lord in Numbers 22:22 –

“Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.”

Also, it is incorrectly translated by most translations as the proper name of Satan in 1 Chronicles 21:1 –

“Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.”

The reason this is incorrect is twofold. First, it is clearly explained in 2 Samuel 24:1 –

“Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’”

These words show that it is the Lord who moved David. The second reason is that the word satan in 1 Chronicles 21:1 does not include an article before it as “the accuser,” ha’satan. Only when the article is used does it refer to Satan as a proper noun. This name, ha’satan, is first found in Job 1:6 –

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.”

This may seem like an unnecessary diversion from the contents of Revelation, but it is not. Understanding who Satan is, and understanding his role in warring against the people of the world at particular times, is an important precept that must be carefully evaluated in order to properly understand the Lord’s victory over him. This proper noun, the name “Satan,” will be used just one more time in the Bible, in verse 20:7.

Of these words so far, they are a close repeat of what has already been said in Revelation 12:9 –

“So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

For now, and of this angel (probably the Lord Jesus) who has seized Satan, it says, “and bound him for a thousand years.” The statement is simple and direct. But no reason is yet given why he is only bound for a thousand years. In verse 20:7, it will state that he is to be released, but even then, only an inference as to why this occurs can be made. For now, it is shown that this wicked entity will be bound for a thousand years.

Life application: One main principle of Bible interpretation is that if something can be taken as literal it should be taken as literal unless there are compelling reasons why it shouldn’t be. The Bible says all the way back at the beginning that Adam and Eve “…heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8). There is no reason to disbelieve this, especially at this early point in Scripture. In fact, if this didn’t occur, then it sets the entire Bible up as a document that is convoluted, must be interpreted symbolically, and cannot be trusted in its literal sense.

This truth is the same with the 6 days of creation. The Bible proclaims that all things were created in 6 days. This has been, and it still is, based on the premise that a day is a day. Only with the time of the Enlightenment and the modern development of the theory of evolution has this been called into question. These are not trifling issues, but items of the greatest importance.

Understanding these things leads us to contemplate the subject verse. This dragon, who is the serpent and who is also known as the devil and Satan, is said to be bound by the angel from heaven “for a thousand years.” The dragon of the book of Revelation is understood to be the same foe that tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. This identification with “that serpent of old” now calls out to us to revisit Genesis 3 and to believe that the account written there is, in fact, literal. There literally was a Garden of Eden, there literally was a command given by God, there literally was a temptation, there literally was a fall, and the Lord God literally did walk in the garden. These things are all to be taken as literal, factual accounts of what happened.

The veracity of the rest of the Bible stands or falls on the Genesis account. One cannot, without causing irreparable harm to proper doctrine and theology, dismiss or allegorize what is stated there. In the final three chapters of the Bible, we will see – time and again – references to the Genesis account and how what was lost will be restored. God is telling us to trust that His word is true and that there is a plan that we can hold fast to.

As noted above, the final name which is given in this verse, Satan, is the Hebrew ha’satan – the accuser. As noted, he is not the one who moved David to take the census in 1 Chronicles 21:1. Rather, there was a reason the Lord moved as an adversary in this manner. It was to complete the most important real estate contract in history. This purchase, recorded in both 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21, still bears on the events of humanity today, and it allows us to know who the rightful owner of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is.

We can know with all certainty that Jesus owns the land. Both the title deed and the genealogical proof of that deed passing to Him are recorded in the Bible. He will return and claim His right to it at the end of the tribulation period and from that spot, he will reign for “a thousand years” of uninterrupted peace. Satan is mentioned in the books of Job and Zechariah in the Old Testament in key passages that help us understand his role in what is going on.

We are asked to believe that there really is a tempter who presented himself as a serpent in Eden and who is the devil, known as Satan. He is a real foe, and he has really come against God’s people throughout the ages. And yet, his wicked actions have been used by God – time and time again, to work out His plan of redemption for the people of the world. The devil is a finite being with limited power. God is infinitely wiser than him, and He is also infinitely more powerful than him. The devil is a defeated foe when we call on Jesus Christ. As such, we are to have no fear of the devil.

One final point concerning this verse, which must be taken as literal, is that the devil is bound for “a thousand years.” In fact, the term “a thousand years” is going to be mentioned six times in the next few verses. It is the epitome of hypocrisy for scholars and theologians to “symbolize” or “spiritualize” this into anything other than a literal timeframe. And yet, in order to justify faulty theology, reformed theology – as well as other sects and cults – will claim that this thousand-year period is only “symbolic.”

They must do this in order to deny dispensationalism and the notion that God’s plan for the land and the people of Israel has not yet been fulfilled. But the premise of the tribulation period of Revelation is to show us that Israel is again in focus, and that Jesus is returning to rule from there and among them for “a thousand years.”

This thousand-year rule completes the picture started in the six days of creation. God isn’t doing something arbitrary. He is working out a plan based on this six-day creation pattern. Man’s time on earth is a six-thousand-year period until Christ comes to rule during the millennium. This thousand-year rule is symbolic of the final Day of Genesis – the seventh day of rest. In fact, in Isaiah, it says that when the Lord rules during this period, His “resting place will be glorious.” (Isaiah 11:10).

Everything must be tied together in order to understand the fullness of what God is doing for His creatures and how He is doing it through Jesus. Yes, the thousand-year reign of the Lord from Israel is to be taken literally. To claim that it is “spiritual” or “symbolic” is to diminish the truth of God’s word based on one’s personal presuppositions, likes, or dislikes.

Stand firm on what God is doing and understand that He is in absolute control of all things! Great is God and great is His plan. And it is all centered on what He has done, is doing, and will do through JESUS!

Lord, we can search Your word forever and still find new treasures in it. Help us to believe what may seem incredible when it is spoken by You. Let us not trust in our own thoughts, but rather to rely on what You have so carefully and graciously revealed to us. Help us to stand fast on Your sure word. To Your glory, we pray, Amen.

Tuesday, 20 July 2021

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. Revelation 20:1

With the introduction of Chapter 20, a new vision is also introduced. John begins it by saying, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven.” There is no reason to assume that this is not the Lord. He is coming down from heaven with a set purpose. As such, it is another aspect of the many roles of what Christ has come to do. Just as heaven opened and He came riding on a white horse in verse 19:11 in order to fulfill His role as the returning Lord and the conquering King, here, (assuming it is the Lord) He is coming down from heaven “having the key to the bottomless pit.”

The Lord is the One who has final authority over the bottomless pit. In Revelation 9:1, it said John saw “a star fallen from heaven to earth.” He then noted that “to him was given the key to the bottomless pit.” Being given a key means another gave him the key. Nothing is said about that now. Thus, the key is already in the possession of this angel. Along with the key, it says, “and a great chain in his hand.”

The Greek reads “upon his hand.” It signifies that in His hand rests the authority of binding with this chain. What will be done with it demonstrates that this is most probably Christ Jesus who bears it. Without taking the symbolism too far, one can almost imagine it is as if the chain is held upon His hand and, without words, hinting, “Here is the implement of your confinement, and it is I who have the authority to use it to bind you.”

Life application: So far, the bottomless pit has been mentioned in Chapter 9 in connection with locusts which were sent to harm men and who had over them the destroyer – Abaddon (Apollyon). It was also noted in Chapter 11 when speaking of the beast that would come from it and kill the two witnesses. Finally, the bottomless pit was mentioned in 17:8, again referring to the beast that would come out of it.

This pit, or abyss, then is not the place of final destruction, but a place which is under God’s control to which, or from which, these evil beings are directed to meet God’s sovereign plans for humanity. As He directs, these beings follow that direction. This is a good lesson for readers of the Bible to understand, and it is one that is also understood from the book of Job.

There is no wickedness, evil, or producer of evil that can thwart God’s plan. Anything which occurs does so to meet God’s overall good purposes and He is in control of all things. If we can truly grasp this and believe it, then no matter what happens, we know that it is being worked out for our good and for God’s glory. This should be an immensely comforting thought for us as we walk in a world that often contains difficulties, trials, and sadness. God is in control, and He has His great hand upon you – even when it doesn’t seem so.

Be of good cheer, God has your back. He has proved it through the redemptive narrative, and it is summed up in the incarnation. Everything ultimately points to what God is doing through His Son, JESUS!

What a great comfort it is to know that You truly are in control. Despite the evil that surrounds us, the troubles that come our way, the terrible choices our leaders make, and also in the forces of evil that constantly try to mislead us, You are still there taking care of us and tending to us. You are working it all out for our good. You are great, O God! Amen.

Monday, 19 July 2021

And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:21

The armies were said to be gathered together in verse 19. In verse 20, the description of how the beast and the false prophet were dealt with was provided. Only now are the details of how the armies are to be dealt with provided. John describes what he sees, saying, “And the rest.”

This is stated in order to set the armies off from the beast and the false prophet. It does not negate their guilt (they obviously bore the mark of the beast), but their judgment will come later when the great white throne judgment of Revelation 20:11 takes place. Of these, John says they “were killed with the sword.”

This seems like a general term, meaning they were killed in battle and the sword was the implement used to kill each person. Such is seen countless times in Scripture. Ezekiel 32 is loaded with such descriptions, such as –

“Assyria is there, and all her company,
With their graves all around her,
All of them slain, fallen by the sword.
²³ Her graves are set in the recesses of the Pit,
And her company is all around her grave,
All of them slain, fallen by the sword,
Who caused terror in the land of the living.” Ezekiel 32:22, 23

Proceeding on with John’s words, however, “the sword” takes on a different meaning, as he says, “which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.”

The meaning here is probably as simple as saying, “the armies were destroyed by the Lord merely speaking the word.” The command goes forth and it happens. This would be comparable to Jesus speaking the words, “Lazarus, come forth.” When He spoke, the event occurred.

Or it could be that the Lord gives a command, and His armies complete the task according to that command. Commentaries that dogmatically state that the armies with Christ have no part in the battle, even going so far as stating that nothing is said about them bearing swords, are useless. Such is an argument from silence. What is certain is that the armies will be defeated.

Of this, the Pulpit Commentary says, “Spiritual death is inflicted upon those who have proved themselves hostile to God.” This is incorrect and must be corrected. Spiritual death is the default state of all humans from conception. This is because of inherited sin. All people are born in sin, all people are spiritually disconnected from God, and all who die without being born again will be condemned. This is stated by Jesus, explicitly, in John 3:18 –

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

What occurs in this passage with these armies is the ending of their physical life. As they were never born again, their condemnation remains, and they will be sentenced to the Lake of Fire at the final judgment. As for their dead physical bodies, John finishes the verse and the chapter saying, “And all the birds were filled with their flesh.”

It is the banquet anticipated in verse 19:17. The indignity of being openly exposed and then consumed by the birds is the final lot for the hordes of soldiers that joined with the beast and the false prophet. It is a revolting end to their existence that will be followed by a horrifying judgment when that time comes.

Life application: These armies had joined with the kings of the earth to form the forces who have threatened to annihilate the people of the nation of Israel. We know this from the writings of the prophets, such as Zechariah chapters 12-14. Other Old Testament references reveal various details. It can also be discerned from Jesus’ own words in Matthew 24:27-31 –

‘For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ²⁸ For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
²⁹ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:27-31

He is returning to Israel after their time of refinement through the fire of the tribulation. Of the armies arrayed against Him, they have already heard and rejected the gospel which was proclaimed “to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” as is recorded in Revelation 14:6, and therefore there will be no mercy for these unrepentant people.

The sword of Jesus’ mouth is the very word which spoke the universe into existence, which proclaimed peace through the plan of redemption of man, and which cried out in agony on the cross. God has done all these things and they have been rejected. The sentence will be completely just, and it will be carried out swiftly and with finality. And thus, all the birds that have been called together for the supper of the great God will be filled with the flesh of these people.

The offer of peace has been made to the world. Be sure to receive it before it is too late. No person knows the moment of his death. So, call out to God now for restoration. Call out to God for salvation through JESUS.

Glorious God – You are righteous, and You are just. We know that You will come to judge the world, and it will be completely fair when the sentences are pronounced. No one will be able to say that they weren’t deserving of what comes upon them. And so, we ask now for You to use us to spread Your message of peace before that time of condemnation comes. Amen.

Sunday, 18 July 2021

Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 19:20

In the battle where the armies are gathered together to make war against Christ and His army, it now says, “Then the beast was captured.” The beast is the beast out of the sea of Revelation 13:1. As this beast is an entity headed by the antichrist which had heads of governmental authority and leaders of those governments, it could be that “the beast” is only speaking of the antichrist who heads the entity, or it could be referring to him and all the leaders with him. Translations vary because of this. Some say, “with him,” while some say, “with this,” or “with it.”

If this is only referring to the antichrist, a hint of his demise may be found in Isaiah 14 –

“All the kings of the nations,
All of them, sleep in glory,
Everyone in his own house;
¹⁹ But you are cast out of your grave
Like an abominable branch,
Like the garment of those who are slain,
Thrust through with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the pit,
Like a corpse trodden underfoot.
²⁰ You will not be joined with them in burial,
Because you have destroyed your land
And slain your people.” Isaiah 14:18-20

To be “cast out of your grave” is explained by the words, “You will not be joined with them in burial.” In other words, rather than dying and going to the grave, a different fate awaits him. This is mere speculation, but it is still worthy of note.

Whatever is being referred to will be understood when the time comes. For now, it continues by saying, “and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence.” This is now the beast out of the sea first mentioned in Revelation 13:11. To see the connection, the relevant verses can be placed side by side –

“He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. ¹⁴ And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. ¹⁵ He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” Revelation 13:13, 14

“Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.” Revelation 19:20

As noted in Chapter 13, this false prophet is said to have performed “great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.” It is with these signs “by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast.” Those who followed them willingly gave their full allegiance to them, acknowledging them as their supreme authority, and thus rejecting the Lord Jesus. In receiving the mark, they have rejected any chance of salvation, as is implied in Revelation 20:4. Of those taking the mark, it next says, “and those who worshiped his image.”

The verb is a present participle. It more rightly reads, “and those worshiping his image.” This is not a separate category, but the same group. They received the mark of the beast (a single event), and they actively and continually gave their devotion after that (an ongoing process of worship). This tells us that those who received the mark did so willingly. There was nothing forced about it, and it could be rejected. If some are to be given the mark involuntarily (of which the Bible says nothing), it could not be held against them because it is not followed up with the act of worship.

As far as the beast and the false prophet, the verse finishes with, “These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.” Whether these words speak of only two people (the leaders of the entities) or of many, the beast and the false prophet will be chucked directly into limnēn tou pyros, or “lake the fire,” where they will have an eternal swim. The consequences of their actions will be regretted forever and ever. Such is the nature of exalting oneself above the offer of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who come humbly before Him, acknowledging themselves as sinners in need of a Savior, will receive the grace and mercy of a tender and loving Creator. Those who fail to do so will receive their just due, even as the beast and the false prophet.

Life application: The false power, signs, and lying wonders mentioned by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2 and here in Revelation will lead many to take the mark of the beast and to worship the image of the beast. These words are not just a fairy tale, but they rather convey the truth of God’s word. The world is really heading in this direction, and when that day comes the people will rather believe a lie than the truth.

When a person takes the mark of the beast, his eternal fate will be secured. He will go to the same terrifying and everlasting doom which is the Lake of Fire. For now, in Revelation 19, it is the beast and the false prophet who are heading there. Their judgment will be immediate, and their punishment won’t be delayed.

The world will see the power and awesome display of righteous judgment when the Lord comes to accomplish His work by weeding out these miscreants and robbers of souls. Terrible times are ahead. However, after the time of terror, the Lord will reign in righteousness. Thank God for seeing things through to their completion. And thank God for sending His Son to make it possible. Praise God for JESUS!

Heavenly Father, we look to You now and thank You for sending us Your Son. The book of Revelation shows that many will be cast into the Lake of Fire, but the Bible implies that this terrifying place is what we all rightfully deserve. And yet, because of Your great love and mercy, You have given us Jesus to lead us back to You. Thank You for Jesus! Amen.