First to note: WHO are the three different sets of voices recorded here? First there is a great multitude, presumably angels and the redeemed in heaven (see 5:11), then there are the elders and four creatures close to the throne and finally there is the voice from the throne itself (Jesus?).

Second to note: WHAT are they doing? They are all proclaiming the will of God. The first group affirm that salvation comes from God alone and that His decisions to bring judgement are true and right always, especially as it has applied to the downfall of Babylon. The elders and beasts simply confirm that this is a right proclamation.

Then comes the command from Jesus (because He always glorifies His Father) that the right response therefore is to praise God, for He is worthy of it. Then there is a final proclamation by all the hosts of heaven that the time has come for Christ and His church to be brought together. This is a truly glorious proclamation!

Note in each case, except for the voice from the throne, they shout! There is an element of fervour in this that perhaps we would do well to imitate. They know the truth of what they say and they want all of heaven and earth to hear it, for it is truly wonderful!

D. Application:

1. Heaven declares the will of God; we are to conform to it!

2. The truth is worth proclaiming with fervour!

Chapter: Rev 19

Passage: Rev 19:10-16

A. Find Out:

1. Why did the angel reject John's adoration? v.10

2. Who was the rider on a white horse and what was he to do? v.11

3. How is he described? v.12

4. What does he wear and what is his name? v.13

5. Who follows him? v.14

6. How does he war against his enemies? V.15

7. What is his name? v.16

B. Think:

1. What do his various names signify about this rider?

2. What do the various descriptions of him suggest about him?

3. How would you summarise his activity and the means of it?

C. Comment:

Here is one of the most glorious and triumphant passages in the book! Here comes the Son of God as the conquering king. By His description in verse 13 it is clearly Jesus (see John 1:1,14). The fact that he has a name that no one else knows places Him far above any other being, and His name King of Kings and Lord of Lord confirms His supremacy; there is NO-ONE to compare with Him, He is high above all else!

Justice is His measure and therefore He comes against all who deserve punishment and have not already had it taken by Himself on the Cross at Calvary. Justice will be meted out and all will get what they deserve. His eyes penetrate and pierce to the very innermost areas of a persons life; nothing is hidden from Him. His means of striking down the enemies of God and bringing justice will be by the declared word of God, the truth, that comes like a sword (see Hebrews 4:12,13). He is accompanied by a mighty host who have been redeemed and cleansed by the Lamb, yet He Himself is the prime mover against the enemy; they are more like a retinue than equal warriors.

D. Application:

1. Testimony to Jesus comes again and again prophetically. All He would be

was spoken before it was. Now it will be!

2. Jesus WILL triumph, bringing justice, fury to those who deserve it!

Chapter: Rev 19

Passage: Rev 19:17-21

A. Find Out:

1. Why were the birds called? v.17,18

2. Who made war against the rider? v.19

3. Who were captured? v.20a

4. What had they done? v.20b

5. What happened to them? v.20c

6. What happened to the rest? v.21

B. Think:

1. What, quite simply, is the end of the enemies of God?

2. How were most destroyed?

C. Comment:

In one sense this is not the most enlightening piece of Scripture and yet in another it is just that. At first sight it is a gruesome sight given to us: an entire army wiped out and destroyed and left for the birds to eat, with the two main leaders being thrown into a lake of fire. Quite a harsh and violent end.

But there in the good sense it is just that, the end! It is the end of the violence, the atrocities, the deception and the lies of the years and years that had gone by previously when these godless beings, entities or organisations had led astray the world's population and progressively killed the people of God. It is also an end to the ongoing judgements of God that had sought to turn back mankind from its folly.

Finally there is an end brought about by the word of God being spoken out in power and with authority by the Son of God Himself. The word that comes forth, the word of truth, is so devastating that none are left after it. We should always remember that mankind has deserved death and it has only been the grace and mercy of God that has not brought it in this manner before. In this sovereign act we see the supremacy of the Son of God, as He always has been, but now exercising that supremacy to usher in a new era. The unrighteous have been offered mercy but when they have refused it, only death is left.

D. Application:

1. God WILL be triumphant!

2. The unrighteous WILL be judged and found wanting!

Chapter: Rev 20

Passage: Rev 20:1-6

A. Find Out:

1. What happened to Satan and for how long? v.1-3a

2. Why, and what then will happen? v.3b

3. Who reigned and why, and for how long? v.4

4. What happened to the rest of the dead? v.5

5. What will the raised be and what will they do? v.6

B. Think:

1. What are we told about Satan's power & might in this passage?

2. What are the characteristics of the thousand year period?

3. Who are the inhabitants of the earth in that period?

C. Comment:

First, note the apparent ease with which Satan is taken and imprisoned. When God speaks something to happen it will happen, even if it involves the one we so often feel is a powerful adversary. Before God he is nothing.

Second, note what follows his imprisonment: a thousand years of life on the earth without his deceiving activity. The only people from the past who seem to survive are the saints who were killed in the tribulation and who have been raised so that they might reign. Yet they reign - over who or what? In following verses we will see reference to “the nations” (v.8) so perhaps there are others left on the earth who simply did not go to Armageddon to fight against Christ and who survived the awful catastrophes on the earth. Although some commentators would suggest the picture is clear, that is not so! Is the thousand years a literal thousand years? We don't know. All we do know is that there will be a prolonged period of peace on the earth, with the absence of Satan, and under the benign rule of the saints of God. What is the purpose of this period? It is not stated but it might be speculated that it is as if God gives the earth another chance to live without Satan's influence, yet when he returns many will succumb!

D. Application:

1. It is those who resist the enemy, even to death, who will be rulers with

Christ in the era to come.

2. Perseverance is called for, with a glorious hope!

Chapter: Rev 20

Passage: Rev 20:7-10

A. Find Out:

1. What will happen at the end of the thousand year period? v.7

2. What will he do? v.8a

3. What will the nations do? v.8b

4. Who will they come against? v.9a

5. But what will happen? v.9b

6. What will happen to Satan? v.10

B. Think:

1. What is basically going to happen according to this passage?

2. What does it say about the nations of the earth?

3. What is their end?

C. Comment:

During the thousand year period there would appear to be peace and tranquillity as the rule of God prevails over the earth. As soon as Satan is released back onto the earth at the end of the period, he restarts his work of deceiving the peoples of the world and very soon(?) has all of the nations siding with him. The wording would suggest that the vast majority of the world falls under his sway, although it is possible that a number do not gather with the rest. What this passage does show us is the gullibility of mankind that has obviously learnt nothing from the previous eras of history. Sin is still in the heart of man and it doesn't take much to stir up rebellion in it!

The outcome of this foolishness is short and sharp: fire comes down from heaven and all of those rebellious masses are instantly destroyed. There is no battle, it is just destruction. Satan is unceremoniously thrown into eternal judgement where there is no hope of his continuing his activities. Why eternal pain? Presumably because a spirit being cannot be destroyed and therefore this total absence of the presence of God and the goodness of God is all that is left for him.

D. Application:

1. Sin breeds foolishness and a willingness to listen to Satan and be

deceived - but that is no excuse!

2. Sin will be judged! Destruction will come upon unrepentant sinners in a

way seen by all the watchers.

Chapter: Rev 20

Passage: Rev 20:11-15

A. Find Out:

1. What did John see first and what then happened? v.11

2. Who stood before the throne? v.12a

3. Where did they all come from? v.13a

4. What happened to them? v.12b,13b

5. What happened to Death and Hades? v.14

6. Who else went there? v.15

B. Think:

1. How is what we do in this life clearly seen to affect our eternal destiny

according to this passage?

2. What evidence in heaven will decree our destiny?

C. Comment:

All of the dead, from wherever they have gone in history are brought before God's throne of judgement. All signs (earth & sky) of the past earthly life vanish, this is a heavenly tribunal. Each person is assessed on what they did in life. Records are produced showing that each and every person failed (sinned) again and again, all deserve eternal punishment.

But a further book, the book of life, is also opened and this shows those who called on Jesus to take their sin, their guilt, their shame and their punishment. These people alone, who already possess eternal life, will continue into eternity with God. All the rest will be consigned to the lake of fire. Although Satan, the beast and the false prophet are said to be tormented in the lake for ever and ever, the same is not said of people. Note also that this lake is not hell, for death and Hades (hell- where there is non-destructive fire) have been thrown into the fire that destroys; note the distinction. The impression given is that the occupants of hell (consigned there earlier) are emptied out for this judging and then reconsigned there afterwards for destruction. Faithful Christians of all persuasions dispute over the end of sinners, eternal pain or annihilation. The traditional view is that sinners suffer eternal pain. See additional note

D. Application:

1. Our submission to Jesus as Lord determines our destiny

2. Unrepentant sinners go to an end that should be avoided!!!!!

ADDITIONAL NOTE : Final State after Death

The question as to what happens after death has been a matter of dispute down through the centuries. One of our concerns in these notes is that we are not dogmatic over matters that are somewhat unclear. There is still a measure of mystery in many of these things in Revelation and it is only our personal intellectual pride that demands to have all the answers.

The order of events after death has evoked much speculation. Various views of what happens to both Christians and non-Christians have been suggested and what follows is simply a summary of some of them:

a) Christians

  - go immediately into God's presence

    - Lk 23:43 / 2 Cor 5:8 / Phil 1:23

    - they will later simply appear at the resurrection

  - go into a period of waiting before resurrection

    - Mt 27:52 / 1 Cor 11;30 / 1 Thess 4:13,14 / Jn 5:29

b) Non-Christians

  - go to Hell - a place of eternal torment

    - Lk 16:19-31 / Jude 1:7 / Mt 25:41

    - that may involve reappearing for the final judgement which

       simply confirms their destiny

  - go to Hell and then destruction at final judgement

    - 1 Pet 3:19 / 2 Pet 2:9 / Rev 20:15

  - are destroyed entirely at death

    - Mt 10:28 [destroy!] / Jn 3:16 [perish] / 2 Thess 1:9

Of what we ARE sure:

1. Only Christians go to heaven, to an eternity with God

2. Non-Christians go to punishment (eternal or otherwise)

3. All will appear at a final judgement when the judgement of God will be confirmed for

eternity, non-Christians to destruction or eternal punishment and Christians to

their eternity in heaven on the basis of Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

4. We should do all we can to ensure we avoid the destiny of non-Christians, and

confirm our salvation in Christ.

RECAP "The Coming King" Revelation 19 & 20

SUMMARY :

In this fourth group of 6 studies we have seen :

- the host of heaven proclaiming the will of God

- the coming of the conquering king

- the destruction of all those who oppose him

- the beast and false prophet thrown into the lake of fire

- Satan bound for a thousand years

- the resurrection of the Christian martyrs for that period

- Satan released and the world deceived again

- destruction from heaven of those who oppose God

- Satan cast into the lake of fire

- the dead raised and judged before the throne

COMMENT :

Here we have seen the sovereign moving of God: the Son has returned, vanquished his enemies, and established a millennium of peace upon the earth. After which He allows the release of Satan and allows him to continue his activity of leading astray all who will be led astray. Finally this is brought to an end by the destruction of those ones on the earth. Beyond all this in heaven, all the dead then appear to have their eternal destiny determined, by their past lives and their responses to the Lamb while on the earth.

LESSONS?

1. Jesus Christ will be seen to be Lord of all the earth

2. The unrighteous will be destroyed on the earth.

3. Men's hearts will be revealed as false even in the best circumstances

4. All will have to appear before the final judgement.

5. Christ is the only means of salvation

PRAY :

Thank the Lord that He is the means of our salvation and it is secure. Thank Him that His purposes WILL be fulfilled

PART 5 : "The Eternal State"

In this final Part we will see something of the wonder of what is in store for those of us who are Christians. Watch for it!