The Seed Blog: The Battle of Armageddon

Our study this week will bring an end to the 7yr Tribulation. It will bring an end to time and existence on earth as we know it today. It will bring an end to the period of grace and mercy given to us as a gift by Jesus in His first coming to earth and it will usher in a New Era on this old earth. An Era that is not yet Heaven but not of the Old Cursed Earth either. An Era of Peace where the curse has been lifted and Jesus Himself reigns as the King of all nations which will last for 1000 years. Last week we began studying the 19th Chapter of Revelation—probably one of the most exciting Chapters in the Book. We saw the millions of saints in Heaven rejoicing and celebrating because it was now time for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb; and we discussed how that Marriage Feast will most likely occur on earth just after our Return with Him at this very moment of the Study in Chapter 19. So our study ended last week with all of the Saints of Heaven dressed up in their White Robes of Righteousness ready to be taken to the Marriage Supper as many earthly Saints are still on this dying planet, hiding, suffering, and waiting for His Return; and the armies of the world have joined the Antichrist and False Prophet in Megiddo to join against God's people of Israel and attempt to destroy God Himself when He Returns. Let's pick up exactly where we left off in our Journey through the last Hours on earth as we know it.

Here is where we ended last week: Revelation 19:6-10. Let's take a moment to realize and appreciate what we are about to witness in our study today. Stop and consider this hugely amazing fact that is often taken for granted. The God of the Universe has seen fit to reveal to us all of these coming events of His Future Plans. God has no obligation or reason for having to do this—so why does He do it? Jesus tells us: John 15:14-15. How many times have we read the passages of Christ's Return and missed so much of what they communicate? Consider the Awesomeness of this Event for a moment—the Second Coming of Jesus Christ: the Return is so paramount in Scriptures that except for the topic of Faith, the Second Coming is written about more than any other topic in all the Bible. Scholars claim 1845 biblical references to His Second Coming. 7 of every 10 Chapters in the NT speak of it—that’s an average of 1 in every 30 verses in the NT. Let's read on through Chapter 19 and include a number of other OT & NT verses as they bring details to this Moment. When Daniel gave the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream which included all of the World Empires until the end of time, his dream ended with this picture: Daniel 2:31-35: this is that moment when Jesus Christ, the Great Stone returns in the time of the last 10 nation Empire to crush all of mankind's government and Reign over the earth. Let's pick up in Revelation 19:11-16: Heaven opens and all of the world sees Jesus return this time. But it is not a time of excitement and joy, rather it is a time of overwhelming fear and dread. Jesus Himself described this Moment to His disciples: Matthew 24:29-30. Try to imagine being on earth in the middle of the horrors of the Tribulation and suddenly seeing the sky light up as a flash of lightening as a vengeful God with an army of millions instantly fills the Heavens drawing closer and closer. How will they all see? Again, couldn't happen before our generation. Stop for a moment and note the very big differences in the Rapture and the Second Coming. There is no way to confuse the two. The Rapture is a time of expectation and excitement, the Second Coming of fear and dread. The Rapture involves Christ Returning above the earth as we "meet" Him there in the clouds. The Second Coming involves Christ Returning to the earth with us riding behind Him. The Rapture involves the Saved Bride of Christ alone. The Second Coming involves the entire world. The Rapture involves Rescue and Deliverance; the Second Coming involves Judgment and Destruction—Jesus rides upon a white horse very significant. In the Ancient Middle East, a leader or King rode a donkey if they came in peace and a horse if they came to make war. If you remember, on Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey because He came in Peace; He came as a Lamb; He came to seek and save those lost. But now, the time of Peace has passed, and the One Who died to forgive sins and bring that Peace is now the One—the only One—worthy to ride a White Horse into War against those who refuse His Sacrifice for that Peace and Mercy. It was customary in the Roman Empire for Roman Generals to make Victory Processions riding "White Horses" followed by their armies. Now, our Warrior King rides a white War Horse into the Final Battle to show His intentions for War and Destruction and to symbolize His assured Victory. This Passage also makes special note of our King's Faithfulness: Revelation 19:11. Our Precious, Awesome King is the Most Faithful and Loving of all living beings, and He comes to wage this war for you and I in loyal defense of those He has died to protect and bring Home. And just imagine, a true, caring, loyal, unbending Leader of our countries and legal systems. This passage gives great description of His Wrath: Revelation 19:12-13. His eyes were "like" a flame of fire; it is not a literal description, but meant to describe the fury, anger, and intent upon His face. The Sweet, Gentle Lamb of Calvary has become the outraged, unstoppable King of Destruction. Try to imagine the feeling if those eyes were focused on you. He wore "A robe dipped in blood..." When Our King came to earth the first time, the last piece of clothing to touch His body was completely soaked in His own blood, poured out in agony and judgment. And the crown on His head was made of the very thorns which came from the cursed earth because He had been made the King of our Cursed Sins. But when He returns, His Robe will not have His own blood on it anymore, it will literally be drenched in the blood of His enemies and on His head will be the authority of many crowns because He will take His Place as Lord over all. These Passages take special note of His New Name: Revelation 19:12. A Name was written possibly on His crown which no man has ever heard or imagined. Our Precious King Who became Human and revealed so much of Himself to us is still the Infinite, Mysterious, Unfathomable God of Whom we cannot fully grasp or contain. On that day, we will learn a New Name to describe Our King, which no one knows. What might It possibly be?
Jesus Christ appears above the earth in a literal flash as sudden as lightening across the sky as Heaven is opened, with millions of His Saints behind Him on White Steeds of their own. This is surely the saints and not angels in the army because we are dressed in linens of pure white righteousness. And why would Jesus have anyone else but us with Him as He fights the Battle of Vengeance for mankind? If you even want to call this a Battle at all—in reality—it is a complete, one-sided slaughter. Where does Our King touch down to face these gathered armies? Remember when the disciples were standing together and watching Jesus Ascend into the clouds as He left earth the First Time? Two angels present at that time said He would come again, just as He had left: Acts 1:9-12. He left them literally and in Bodily form from that location on the Mount of Olives. So is that how and where He will Return? 500 years before Christ was Born into His First Coming, Zechariah wrote these Words about His Second Coming: Zechariah 14:3-5: Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah's Feet would touch the Mount of Olives one day, and the entire mountain would split in a great earthquake from east to west, allowing the Israelites to escape the wrath of an approaching army as God Himself fights against the nations and "All the Saints with Him!" Wow again, does not every Scripture fit together in perfect harmony? We often talk about riding in this Last Battle, Sword ready for action. How many have wondered what it would be like to fight in this Battle? Wondered if you could get hurt? Well, the Truth is we will be riding with Our King into Battle, but He alone will be the one who fights—we will not even get our Marriage garments dirty. Revelation 19:15-16. This verse very clearly and repeatedly states that Jesus alone is bringing Vengeance. This is absolutely proper and just because He alone is the One Who gave everything to save their souls. He alone has the right to be judge, jury and executioner; was worthy to open the scroll; has "King of Kings & Lord of Lords" on his thigh. As the remainder of this Passage describes the one-sided destruction of this Final Battle and what happens to those who stand against Christ: Revelation 19:17-21. The armies were killed with only a Word from the Mouth of Jesus. Would you expect any less from the One Who created the Universe with a Word? But the Beast (or Antichrist), and the False Prophet were not killed as the others and their souls sent to Hades to await Judgment later as the rest of the slain. They were captured alive, tried and condemned immediately and cast alive at that very Moment into the Lake of Fire because their sins were so great against men. and their hearts were so cruel and dark. And what happens to Satan after this last Battle? The answer comes at the beginning of the next Chapter: Revelation 20:1-3. We so often see Satan as an equal but opposite power to God. This is so completely out of touch with Scriptures and reality. Satan is but one creature spoken into existence with everyone and everything else, and he and his armies and everything they struggled so hard to build, are all destroyed quickly with but a Word from the True King. And after his henchmen (Antichrist/False Prophet) are thrown into the Lake of Fire, Satan is seized, put into great chains and cast into the Abyss where demons are imprisoned for future Judgment to be kept there for a thousand years until he is released once more for a short time later. Notice, it was not even God standing in a One on one battle of the ages against Satan. It was a single angel who even remained nameless in the text
which single-handedly captured and imprisoned Satan. If there is anyone who hears this lesson who does put your faith and allegiance in Satan, you need to realize he is a great deceiver with no real power. And he will quickly be taken when the time is right and you will not be celebrating and ruling with him in hell at Christ's Return. Instead you will have traded an eternity of excitement, adventure and love to suffer swift Judgment with your false god, alone and rejected by all: 2 Peter 2:17; Matthew 22:13. But for those who have seen the worth and love of our Great King, and have chosen to love Him back—we now stand at the end of the Era of mankind on this Fallen earth. Jesus has Returned with us by His Side in wedding garments. Satan, and his armies are completely destroyed and the earth has a remnant of people left across it's nations. Some who have chosen Christ and are in hiding. Some who carry the mark of the wicked and doomed. Many changes are about to occur as Christ Restores His Kingdom on earth. What will become of the wicked still alive? What will happen to those still in human bodies while this new Era of the Millennium is beginning? What will we be doing? And what will earth be like during this 1000yr Reign of Christ on Old Earth? The answers are in the Book. We will explore them next week in what may be our final study of Revelation. Don’t you want to be with Christ at this point in time? Do you realize that we may very well be physically alive when all of this transpires?