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Revelation 19:17-19
"And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, Come, gather yourselves to the great supper of God, that ye may eat flesh of kings, and flesh of chiliarchs, and flesh of strong men, and flesh of horses and of those that sit upon them, and flesh of all, both free and bond, both small and great" (vv. 17-18)
A question arose in the interval as to how unclean birds could be used in connection with judgment. The clearance of the scene is in view to the introduction of the world to come, and unclean birds can be used by God to serve His purpose. When the millennium arrives, they will undergo a change of character.
Unclean birds are spoken of in the parable in Matthew 13, but there is this difference, in Matthew 13 the birds take away the seed that is sown. This is obviously enemy activity, but here the unclean birds are under the direction of the Lord.
It is not said expressly in Revelation 19 that the birds are unclean, merely that they are birds.
Is not the parallel with Ezekiel 38 very clear? There are so many bodies to bury that the birds are brought in to assist in the work.
The verse quoted from Matthew 24:28 "For wherever the carcass is, there will be gathered the eagles" makes it clear.
In verses 17 and 18 we must not lose the main thought. The result of the battle is already fixed in advance. This is why these birds are called before the battle begins. The Lord glorifies Himself in judgment.
It is striking that when the Lord enters the battle He deals with the responsible element first. He starts with the kings. The Beast and the Antichrist are dealt with, and later Satan himself. It is a principle with God that He deals with those most accountable first. This is in complete contrast with the enemy. Amalek gets the hindermost (Deut. 25:18), and it is when the people of God are either young or wavering, halting between two opinions, that the enemy is busy. He does not bother with those who have conviction and are going on, but he busies himself with those who are likely to be won. The Lord always deals with the chief culprit first.
What we have in verse 18 is a tremendous array of power. This is really the elite of the European powers, kings, chiliarchs, strong men and horses, and those that sit on them. The Western powers may display their tremendous arsenal, but it all comes from men at enmity with God. The display is impressive but it is no match for God. This same contrast is shown in Psalm 56, when the Philistines took David to Gath, giving us also great courage in adverse circumstances. The believer is opposed by the whole power of the enemy. "Be gracious unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up" (v. 1), "Mine enemies would swallow me up all day long; for they are many that fight against me haughtily." (v. 2). They are powerful and proud of themselves. But verse 3 follows "In the day that I am afraid, I will confide in Thee. In God will I praise his word, in God I put my confidence: I will not fear; what can flesh do unto me?". Here we have flesh. Whatever the power displayed, it is just flesh, and the Lord is above them all.
In this section (v. 18) the word flesh occurs no fewer than five times. It is emphatically stressed in this situation.
It is not only the flesh of these dignitaries, but the flesh of all "free and bond, small and great". So social distinctions are maintained to the end. In Colossians 3 we are told "there is neither bond nor free" (v. 11), but the world with all it's political endeavour to bring about emancipation for all manner of persons, to effect an egalitarian principle, has not been able to accomplish it's objective. There are more people in bonded labour and slavery today than ever there were in 1834 when slavery was abolished in Britain and it's territories. There are also multitudes in other types of bondage. So there are "free and bond". Then there are "small and great", but the Lord Jesus has told us that "One is your master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren". There is a wonderful egalitarian principle which the Christian may know now, but the world with all it's human endeavours is not able to accomplish, that which has been accomplished in new creation.
It is always sad that when leaders go astray; others with less understanding get drawn along with them and suffer in the same way as their leaders. So it will be at the end.
Here we have all the social categories, but all are opposed to the Lord and all participate in the apostasy. As to the equality of the Christian order the Lord removes the social distinctions but introduces another principle he that would be first shall be the servant of all.
On the matter of responsibility, some are more responsible than others and their judgment will be accordingly, but even if our responsibility is small, it is real. In Colossians 3 we have exhortations addressed to bondmen, who have little responsibility, and in verse 25 it says "there is no respect of persons". None can skip his or her responsibilities. Everyone is fully responsible. In Revelation 19 we see what a tremendous responsibility it is to lead but it is also a tremendous responsibility to follow. We do well to consider whom we follow, what we hear, and what we listen to.
Is that why in the parallel passage in Revelation 16:14, when Satan is summoning all to this battle, it is the kings of the whole habitable world? It is not only the leaders who will be held responsible but here it is clear that those who serve them will get their due deserts also.
It is a general principle in New Testament teaching that for the young or those in the subject place, more space is given to them than for others. Last evening we were reminded of fathers having a short word, young men having a few more words and babes and children many more words addressed to them. In the hortatory section of the epistles there is more said to servants and slaves than any other category. Those whose responsibility might have been thought to be less get special attention in the care of God in order that they do not make a mistake. This is very important.
Both in Ephesians and Colossians the first exhortations are to those from whom obedience is required - wives, children and slaves. Here the distinctions in the world are still true, but there is no security for anyone. They will be the subject of just and righteous judgment. The emblem of the birds of the air is to show that the judgment will be executed openly, and it will not spare anyone. It is interesting that the confrontation between the heavenly armies of the Lord Jesus and the world armies is not mentioned here, only the final result. Obviously the Lord Jesus has the victory here. On the cross it was a moral victory, here it is manifest.
In relation to verse quoted that they should eat all flesh, men may make distinctions, but in God's sight, "all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is as the flower of the grass".
There is one exception to the rule that the subject one is always addressed first. In 1 Peter 5 "the elders that are among you" are spoken to first and then "the younger among you" are told to submit. If shepherd care is there the younger will more readily submit.
Perhaps the explanation for this is that Peter places himself among the elders which Paul never does.
If we wish to discern the moral features of our society, reference to the Scriptures makes everything clear and plain. In politics there are differences between parties but in Revelation 19 rival parties are not fighting one against another but together against the Lamb. This agrees with the passage in Psalm 2 "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take council together, against the Lord, and against his anointed" (vv. 1-2). The same principle is found in the gospels also when Pilate and Herod, who previously were enemies, were "made friends together" when the Lord Jesus was brought before them for judgment.
"And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army" (v. 19)
The matter of war comes into some prominence in the book of Revelation. It is worth refreshing our memories as to the references. It is connected with the beast that comes out of the pit in one Scripture (13:7) and connected with the dragon in another (12:17). In both cases the war is against the remnant of God's people, the Jew. But in another reference we find that there is war in heaven between Michael the Archangel and his angels and Satan and his forces (12:7). It seems that the attack is made by Satan and his forces but he does not prevail. As a result of this battle Satan is cast down to the earth. Proceeding further we find in 13:4 "Who is able to make war with the beast?". In other words he is massing his strength and when we come to this chapter it is the beast who takes the initiative. The armies are now brought out into the open in order that the Lord may deal with them Himself. There is no reference to the conflict, although we do get a reference to the breath that comes out of His mouth. Even David speaks of "the blast of his nostrils" (Ps. 18:15), so that the breath of His mouth is a serious matter.
If we may refer back to Pergamos, when the Lord calls them to repent, He says "Repent therefore: but if not, I come to thee quickly, and I will make war with them with the sword of my mouth". (Ch. 2:16)
In verse 19 the first mention is of the Roman beast, the first beast of chapter 13. The second beast, coming from the earth, not from the sea, is mentioned a little later, an active collaboration. This second beast, the false prophet of verse 20 is associated with the first beast, but it seems clear that the beast is taking the initiative, to declare war on the Lamb. He is assembling his armies. "I saw the beast, the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war".
It is amazing that anyone could be so blinded as to make war with God but real believers can also be blinded and short sighted (2 Peter 1:9).
The beast here is the political power. The false prophet is the religious power in the Jewish apostasy. Earlier Babylon was the religious power in the Christian apostasy, and the remarkable thing is that both religious powers, Babylon on one side, and the apostate Jews and the Antichrist on the other will call on the political power for help. Babylon will rest on the political power but in one moment God will cause the Roman beast to abandon her and turn against her for judgment. Here it is the same.
Was it not the same at the cross? We find that the Jews were unable to carry out the sentence according to the Scripture so they delivered Him into the hands of Pilate. He had to be crucified. There we get the combination of the religious and the political in connection with the death of our blessed Lord.
In that terrible situation the Lord Jesus had to answer to the religious powers three times and to the political powers three times, Annas over to Caiaphas twice, Herod once and Pilate twice.
The second beast here has surrendered his territorial power to the Roman beast and is described as the false prophet.
There are three references to the false prophet. Although initially he had political rights within the holy land, he surrendered these in favour of the Western power. From that time forward he is addressed as the false prophet.
Is not he also mentioned as the king?
Yes, in Daniel 11:36
I am still impressed with this bizarre scenario suggested here. These shall contemplate conflict with God. At the present most Gentile powers own God in some measure. But this is diminishing all the time. Ultimately they will repudiate God completely. If they refuse to acknowledge His authority as the source of their power they will become increasingly like the beasts in their ignorance. This will bring them to a position where they do not fear God at all, and have no regard for His power to judge. They forsake their proper place as creatures subject to God, and thus judgment comes upon them.
Our dear brother Mr. Hole who died in 1964 in his ninety's lived long enough to remember the elements of the 1917 revolution in Russia. He made an interesting remark saying "The revolutionaries at one point said, We have got rid of the Czar and his allies, the next step will be to get rid of the Lord and His followers". It does show that blindness is not just a vague matter. This matter of 'No God' is something that has been proved in recent political history and is true today.
What is happening now in every sphere is man fighting against God, especially Western Europe. Intellectual armies are lined up in theology, in philosophy and science, man standing up against God. The aim is not to speak of God any more - practical atheism. We should be aware of it for we no longer live in a God-fearing world in which God, or Christ, is accepted as a Divine Person. Man is god himself! fulfilling Satan's word in Gen. 3:5. After the rapture of the church, when all believers have gone, they think they have reached their goal, but there will be those, during the time of the tribulation, who will be saved and acknowledge God and the Lord Jesus. Then, with the world under the guidance of these two god-less powers, the spiritual and the political, especially in Western Europe, they will see One come from heaven, the Lord Jesus with the company of those we have already noticed. This will not produce awe or reverence in them rather they will think that this is the last opportunity of really getting rid of God. They are so inflated in their minds that they actually think that they can fight against God, against the Man on the white horse with the sword coming out of His mouth, King of kings and Lord of lords. These powers will think "We can kill God". This was Robespiere's wish. He tried so to do, and thought he had killed Him spiritually nearly two hundred years ago. Notice again there is actually no battle here, the Word of God will dispose of them without any real fight. This shows us, especially the younger brethren, what the future of the world is. There will be a big interruption by the rapture of the saints, but the intellectual and the scientific world will still have the aim of fighting against God, come what may, at any price. What a blessing to know that the Lord will take us to Himself before that time. But we can see the direction in which things are moving.
Would it be right to suggest that there may be a difference between the official political agenda at that time and the true intention of Satan? This judgment here executed is in Israel, and the armies gathered are European armies, and we might ask the question 'How do they get there?' or 'Why do they go there?' In Daniel 11:40-45 we find that God sends an enemy into Israel, the king of the North, who then continues into Egypt. It is generally assumed that the European armies go to Israel to help Israel against the Assyrian, or the king of the north, and he, hearing this in Egypt, comes back. So the political reason maybe to help Israel, but it seems all that is passed over here, and what we read is what is the intention of Satan in bringing this about. This intention is to make war with Him who sits on the horse.
It is important to emphasize that the attack is started by the beast in verse 19, not by the Lord but by the beast. We find here a general principle of the utmost importance. It is not God who is the enemy of man. It is fallen man who is the enemy of God. When He reveals Himself man sets himself against Him. This will also be the case when Gog attacks (Ezekiel 39). The Lord will have established the kingdom and then the attack is made by Gog and his allies. It will be the same at the end of the millennium. God is not an enemy of man and it is wrong to say or to preach that God needs to be reconciled. It is man who needs to be reconciled to God. Here, of course, it is no longer a question of reconciliation but of judgment.
In all these cases Satan is behind the actors, at the cross, in the wars here and later at the end of the millennium when he gathers the army to go against Jerusalem. It is interesting to notice that Satan is not mentioned here except at the beginning of chapter 20 where he is chained, but definitely he is the one behind these tremendous movements.
It is important to distinguish between the Lord's dealings with the Western powers and with the Assyrian or king of the North. The book of Revelation deals with the Western powers whilst in the Old Testament the enemy is the chiefly the Assyrian. In Daniel 11, when the king of the North goes through the land and down into the south, he hears tidings from the north and the east. This is what brings him back to Armageddon. Those tidings are probably in connection with these armies we are now considering. In the Old Testament when Jerusalem is the centre of attack, the remnant cry to God and there seems to be distinct interventions on the divine side; the final culmination is against the Assyrian in the valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3). There is a verse in the Old Testament where the Western powers and the Assyrian are brought together. The J.N.D. translation of Isaiah 30:33 makes it clear. Topheth, the place of judgment, "is prepared of old". This preparation is for the Assyrian or the king of the North but there is a little addition in the second line "for the king also it is prepared". The king here is the wilful king of Daniel 11, so that this reference is to the king who subsequently gives up his territorial rights and becomes the false prophet. Here we get brought together in this one verse the judgment that will fall upon both the Assyrian and the Western powers.
I would like to add some thoughts on this point because this is one of the few, if not the only passage where the Western and the Eastern powers are mentioned in the same place. This may intrigue Bible readers, some of whom would wish for a survey of prophecy in one place or in one book. This is not the way the Spirit presents the truth. He has given us the Lord's life in the four gospels, each from a different viewpoint. It is the same in the prophetic writings. In the Old Testament, prophecy usually is concerned with Israel and the Lord Jesus as their coming King and the powers connected with Israel are mentioned. That is why we have in Daniel and the other writing prophets mention of Babylon and the king of the North. In the New Testament we have more church testimony, especially in Revelation, so the Assyrian is not mentioned. Here it is mainly Western Europe, the Roman empire, the area where Christianity has blossomed and brought forth fruit during this present dispensation, the day of grace. There is also reference to Israel and the link at this point is Antichrist. These remarks are made because the question may arise with many Bible students "why is there no survey in one book of all prophetic events"?
This helps in understanding Daniel 9:27 where it is said "because of the protection of abominations (there shall be) a desolator". Because of Israel's apostasy God sends the Assyrian as a desolator, but in Revelation, at the end, the apostasy is general, man against God.
"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a thing" (Prov. 25:2). Earnest Bible is called for and, of course, is most rewarding.
Prophecy is not made simple and it is difficult to sort out the different attacks upon Israel, especially the two sieges of Jerusalem at the close.
The book of Joel is particularly helpful in this matter (in company with Mr. Kelly and Mr. Darby).
