Revelation Chapter 19 Verses 19-21

19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who sits upon the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had worked the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword of him who sits upon the horse, the sword that issues from his mouth; and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

Who is arrayed against God? The two beasts (one of whom is now called the false prophet) and the kings of the earth, all of whom we have already met. The beast is the beast from the sea who represents the civil persecuting side of Rome. The kings of the earth lead the armies of the earth that are composed of those who dwell upon the earth. They stand in contrast to the armies of Heaven that are composed of those who dwell not on earth but in Heaven. The false prophet is the beast from the earth who represents the false religious side of Rome. Notice that the focus is still on Rome! This book has not changed its focus, and neither should we.

In verses 19-20, we see a war waged and we see that these two beasts are thrown into the lake of fire. This event was shown in 14:9-11, but here we see some additional details. But although we see more details, we still do not find a description of the battle itself. Instead all we see is the outcome of that battle.

As for the lake of fire, in John 15:6 we are told that a similar fate awaits all who oppose Christ. “If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.” That same image is used here to describe the fate of this great enemy of God. Rome is utterly defeated and cast into the lake of fire to join all the others who have died in opposition to God.

Why is Rome, represented by the two beats, cast in to the lake of fire alive? Rome was judged and sentenced while it was still very powerful and very much alive. This book reminds us four times that the events it describes were to come to pass soon, and this judgment of Rome was no exception. Rome’s judgment did not happen at the end of its life. Rome’s judgment happened at the height of its powers. Rome was cast in alive.

Is this the final judgment at the end of all time? No, it is not. To argue otherwise is to lift these verses right of their theological and historical context. It would require us to ignore or twist the time frame of the book, stated twice at the beginning and twice at the end — the events in this book were to come to pass soon. It would also make us wonder why similar language used throughout the Old Testament to describe past judgments against the enemies of God could not be used here in the New Testament for precisely that same reason.

Will there be a last great day of judgment when the righteous hear the words “Well done” and the wicked hear the words “Depart from me”? Absolutely! Could that last great day be described using the same language of judgment we find here about Rome and that we find in the Old Testament about Babylon, Edom, Tyre, etc.? Absolutely! But that great day is described elsewhere in the Bible. It is not the focus here, just as it was not the focus in the Old Testament parallels we have seen over and over during our studies.

What happens next? Those who follow the beasts are slain and become food for the birds, as was foretold at the beginning of the battle.

Notice that even here we get the clear message that vengeance belongs to God alone. The followers of the beast are not killed by the armies of heaven but rather by the sword of the one on the white horse — that is, by Jesus, the righteous judge. Jesus marches with an army to fight Rome, but Jesus doesn’t need an army to defeat Rome. He destroys the armies of the earth by the sword that issues from his mouth.

What is that sword? That sword is the word of Christ, which as John 12:48 tells us will be used to judge all who reject Christ. “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.