I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      In the previous lesson, we considered the final judgment and destruction of the great harlot, Babylon the great, which was symbolic of the city of Rome.

                                                             1.      For her destruction, the earth wept and mourned.

                                                             2.      However, heaven, the saints, the apostles, and the prophets rejoiced in God’s judgment.

B.      In this lesson, let us consider the final judgments of the other enemies of God in the book of Revelation, the beasts and the dragon.

II.      THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB

A.      Heaven continued to rejoice over the fall of Babylon, the great harlot (Rev. 19:1-4).

                                                             1.      John heard a great multitude in heaven praising God.

a.       These verses contain the only occurrences of the word “hallelujah” (meaning “praise the Lord”) in the Bible.  This expresses the very highest level of praise for God.

b.       These praises were given because God had judged righteously against the harlot (Rome) and had asserted His eternal reign.

                                                             2.      The second time the multitude spoke, they declared the eternal destruction of the great harlot.

B.      In the midst of this celebration, the marriage of the Lamb was announced (Rev. 19:5-10).

                                                             1.      When the great multitude was commanded, they praised God for the marriage of the Lamb and His bride.

a.       The bride is the church, whose relationship to Christ currently is that of a betrothed wife.

i.         Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin” (2Cor. 11:2).

ii.        During this time, the church is making herself ready for the Lord.  Thus, she clothes herself in fine, clean linen, which is the righteous acts of the saints (contrast to the attire of the harlot, 17:4).

b.       In the end, the church will be presented to Christ as a holy bride (21:2; Eph. 5:25-27).

                                                             2.      The angel who showed John these things commanded him to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

a.       Those who are called to the marriage supper are those who respond to the gospel call.

b.       John attempted to worship the angel, but the angel directed him to worship God because of the testimony of Jesus.

III.   THE JUDGMENT OF THE BEAST

A.      John then saw the great Warrior and His armies arrayed for battle (Rev. 19:11-16).

                                                             1.      This was a vision of Christ.  Notice His description:

a.       He sat on a white horse (victorious, pure) and was called Faithful and True (3:7, 14).

b.       In righteousness, He judged and waged war (see Isa. 11:4).

c.        Notice the similarities in this description and that given of Christ in 1:12-16.

d.       His robe was dipped in blood (the blood of His enemies, Isa. 63:2-3), for He had trodden on the winepress of God’s fierce wrath (14:20).

e.        His name is The Word of God (John 1:1, 14; 1John 1:1).

f.        He smote the nations with the sword of His mouth (Isa. 11:4) and ruled them with a rod of iron (Ps. 2:7-12).

                                                             2.      The attire of His army was the same as that of His bride, so it seems that His army was His church.

B.      This great Warrior destroyed the beast, the false prophet, the kings of the earth, and their armies (Rev. 19:17-21).

                                                             1.      An angel called for the birds of the air to come and feast on the flesh of those whom the Lord and His armies were about to defeat and destroy.

                                                             2.      The beast (Roman Empire – 13:1-10) and the false prophet (false religion, the beast of the earth – 13:11-18) were cast into “the lake of fire which burns with brimstone” (place of eternal destruction – 20:10).  This marked the end of these persecuting powers forever.

                                                             3.      The rest were killed with the Lord’s sword and devoured by the birds.

IV.    THE JUDGMENT OF THE DRAGON

A.      The dragon was bound while Christ’s martyrs reigned with Him for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-6).

                                                             1.      An angel with the key to the abyss (or bottomless pit, see 9:1-2) bound the dragon (Satan) with a great chain and cast him into the abyss for one thousand years.

a.       The purpose of this restraint of Satan was “so that he should not deceive the nations any longer” (see 12:9).  This means that Satan’s power to deceive nations into opposing Christ and His church (as he did in the Roman Empire) would be taken away.

b.       Notice that this restraint of Satan would be for a thousand years (symbolic of a long time).  However, this was not an eternal restraint (more on this in vv. 7-10).

                                                             2.      During this time, those who had died for Christ’s sake reigned with Christ.

a.       Those who had been murdered by the beast and its allies, who had not worshipped the beast, and who had not received the mark of the beast were brought back to life to reign with Christ.

i.         This is symbolic of the victory of faithful Christians over their persecutors.  Even though they were killed, they would yet live victoriously over their killers.

ii.        Keep in mind that the purpose of Revelation was to give encouragement to early Christians who were suffering for their faith.  This vision gives that encouragement by showing the blessed results of their suffering.

b.       In this context, the first resurrection was when Christ’s faithful ones died and went to reign (share in the victory) with Christ.  The second resurrection is the final resurrection of all souls for the judgment (see vv. 11-15).

                                                             3.      Let us note that this passage is the basis of the false doctrine of Premillenialism.  This false doctrine arises from faulty, literal applications of this figurative language.  It also incorporates elements that are not found in the passage at all (second coming, David’s throne, Jerusalem, etc.).

B.      At last, Satan will be released for a short time before he is finally destroyed forever (Rev. 20:7-10).

                                                             1.      Just before his final destruction, Satan will be released to deceive the nations once more.

a.       For a short time, he will deceive the nations in the manner in which he deceived the Roman Empire, which will certainly result in an intense persecution of the church.

b.       Gog and Magog (symbols of a wicked nation opposed to God – Ezek. 38-39) will come out in great force to make war.

c.        When these enemies have surrounded “the beloved city” (the church – 11:2), fire from heaven will devour them (Christ will come and rescue His people).

                                                             2.      Finally, Satan will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone with the beast and the false prophet for eternal destruction.

C.      At the same time will come the final judgment of all the dead (Rev. 20:11-15).

                                                             1.      All of the dead from the sea and from death (or earthly graves) and Hades (place of departed spirits) will assemble before the throne of God for the final judgment (Eccl. 12:13-14; 2Cor. 5:10).

                                                             2.      The dead will be judged according to their deeds and according to the books that are opened in heaven (the word of God – John 12:48; Rom. 2:16; Jas. 2:12).

                                                             3.      Death and Hades will be destroyed forever in the lake of fire (the second death).

                                                             4.      Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life (3:5; 13:8; Phil. 4:3) will be spared, but those whose names are not found there are to be thrown into the lake of fire.

V.      CONCLUSION

A.      These are the final judgments of God against Satan and his wicked agents of persecution in the world.

                                                             1.      For Christians who were suffering at the end of the first century, these were comforting words.

                                                             2.      For us, these are also comforting words, but they may be even more necessary in the future when Satan deceives the nations once more.

B.      In our final lesson, we will at last see the ultimate, blessed destiny of those who overcome through Christ.

*** In the next lesson, we will consider the final estate of God’s people (21:1-22:21).***