Revelation 19:11-21
The Last Battles
Turn to Ezekiel 36, Zechariah 14, and Revelation 19.
Would you like to know the future? By reading Revelation and other
portions of the Bible, you can—not all of the details, but I believe
enough to know whether you will like the future or not.
In the last few chapters of Revelation, God has plugged the petals
off the anti-Christ’s kingdom one petal at a time.
Chapter 16 - God destroyed Satan’s world with plagues.
Chapter 17 - He destroyed Satan’s religion.
Chapter 18 - He destroyed Satan’s economy.
Chapter 19 - He finishes destroying Satan’s military and
political arms. This will be done via a war.
War and fighting are a great part of the end-times.
1. Revelation 6 informs us some kind of fighting will occur at
the beginning of the Tribulation.
2. Daniel 11 into 12 - There will be fighting in the middle of
it.
3. Revelation 19 - War at the end.
It is very possible that war will continue the entire seven years.
We have talked about these last battles already.
\\#Rev 14:18-20\\ gave us the vision is of a great harvest of death
upon the earth during the last half of the tribulation.
1. During the course of which, blood will flow as high as a horse
bridle (around four feet).
2. The blood will flow a distance of 1600 furlongs (200 miles
according to John McArthur’s translation).
\\#Rev 16:12-16\\ The sixth vial that was poured out sent three
unclean spirits to gather the kings of the east to Armageddon
is important because it gives us four truths:
1. \\#12\\ Where these kings come from - East (actually probably
northeast) from the other side of the Euphrates.
2. \\#16\\ Where these kings are going to - Armageddon, the city
or hill of Megiddo.
3. \\#14\\ What these kings are going for - "the battle of that
great day of God Almighty." The battle being called by that
name implies it is the great battle prophesied in the Old
Testament.
4. \\#14\\ Who these kings are going to meet - ‘the kings of the
earth and of the whole world"
\\#Rev 19:11-21\\ This text records only the end of that war.
1. No single passage gives all of the details of this war but
several (including Eze 38-39, Zech 14, and Rev 19:11-21) give
us details of the battles. We are going to look at all three
of those passages today.
2. We do not know the timing, order, or reasoning behind all of
the battles, but I will give you one possible sketch of what
MIGHT happen in the future.
3. Remember, just because we are not able to figure out all the
details does not mean these things will not happen. They
surely will.
4. Turn to Eze 38 and let’s review some and then add more to it.
I. \\#Eze 38:8\\ The CONDITIONS
Eze 38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited:
in the latter years thou shalt come into the
land that is brought back from the sword, and is
gathered out of many people, against the
mountains of Israel, which have been always
waste: but it is brought forth out of the
nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
A. Time Reference - It will be "After many days… in the latter
years" - Both indicate this battle will occur in the end time.
B. Land Reference
1. After "the land that is brought back from the sword, and
is gathered out of many people…."
a. Emperor Hadrian expelled the Jews from Israel in
135 AD.
b. From 135 AD until 1948, the Jews had no land.
2. "…it is brought forth out of the nations…."
3. Both are implying that Israel will have been scattered but
regathered.
C. Political Reference - "…and they shall dwell safely all of
them."
1. \\#Eze 38:11\\ also indicates this.
Eze 38:11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the
land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that
are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them
dwelling without walls, and having neither bars
nor gates.
2. In the last two months, three Middle East nations have
agreed to have diplomatic relations with Israel (United
Arab Emigrants, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia).
3. We are moving closer to a time when this may be possible.
D. Most of these conditions are already met!
1. The TIME and the LAND conditions are right already.
2. The POLITICAL conditions are starting to take shape.
II. \\#Eze 38:1-6, 13\\ The NATIONS - Too many details to mention but
it will be many and not just from the North and East.
III. \\#Eze 38:9-12\\ The MOTIVE - To take spoil from the defenseless
Israel.
Eze 38:12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey;
to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that
are now inhabited, and upon the people that are
gathered out of the nations, which have gotten
cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of
the land.
A. The motive will be for gain and by this time, the nations of
the world will need much.
B. In years gone by, many thought these nations may want the oil
Israel has, but it may be a simple as they need the cattle
(food) and goods that Israel has.
C. It is possible that with all of the judgments God pours upon
the planet that He exempts Israel, His people and His land.
D. If so, the nations of the world will most certainly want that
land and those goods.
IV. The Battle of Armageddon
A. I think Ezekiel 38-39 is the Battle at Megiddo (Armageddon)
Why?
1. Granted, there is no direct reference to Megiddo in the
text.
2. However, this is the largest prophetic battle in the Old
Testament and matches the description given in Rev 16:14
"the battle of that great day of God Almighty,"
especially \\#Rev 19:17-18\\.
B. How does it begin?
1. Ezekiel said with the gathering of the great army.
Eze 38:15 And thou shalt come from thy place out
of the north parts, thou, and many people with
thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great
company, and a mighty army:
2. John told us in \\#Rev 16:12\\ that the drying up of the
River Euphrates will make it possible for that army to
come down from the north against Israel.
C. When that army moves into Israel’s territory, God moves
against it.
1. Infighting:
Eze 38:21 And I will call for a sword against
him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord
GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his
brother.
2. God will then smite the army supernaturally, a preemptive
strike if you please,
Eze 38:22 And I will plead against him with
pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon
him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people
that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great
hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify
myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many
nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.
3. Incompetence:
Eze 39:3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy
left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall
out of thy right hand.
D. The results:
1. 5/6 will turn back or be destroyed, leaving only
1/6 of this northern army to continue.
Eze 39:2 And I will turn thee back, and leave
but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee
to come up from the north parts, and will bring
thee upon the mountains of Israel:
2. The dead will lay from the mountains down into the plains
(Megiddo ?) below.
Eze 39:5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field:
for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
3. \\#Eze 39:4\\ The dead shall be food for the birds and
animals.
Eze 39:4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of
Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people
that is with thee: I will give thee unto the
ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts
of the field to be devoured.
a. That is mentioned again in \\#Eze 39:17-20\\.
b. It is similar to \\#Rev 19:17-18\\.
Rev 17:17 And I saw an angel standing in the
sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to
all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven,
Come and gather yourselves together unto the
supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the
flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men,
and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on
them, and the flesh of all men, both free and
bond, both small and great.
c. These are similar because the same God is dealing with
the same people at or near the same time.
4. God will then send fire (either literally or a symbolic
of what He will do) on the homeland of those armies:
Eze 39:6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and
among them that dwell carelessly in the isles:
and they shall know that I am the LORD.
E. The Consequences:
1. Israel shall spoil the dead and use their weapons for
fuel for seven years.
Eze 39:9 And they that dwell in the cities of
Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire
and burn the weapons, both the shields and the
bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the
handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn
them with fire seven years:
2. It will take seven months to bury all the dead.
Eze 39:11 And it shall come to pass in that day,
that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves
in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the
east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of
the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and
all his multitude: and they shall call it The
valley of Hamongog.
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be
burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.
V. The Battle of Jerusalem
A. The Battle of Armageddon is not the only battle that will be
fought in this last great war.
B. \\#Zech 14:1-7\\ There is also the battle at Jerusalem.
Zec 14:1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and
thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem
to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the
houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half
of the city shall go forth into captivity, and
the residue of the people shall not be cut off
from the city.
3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against
those nations, as when he fought in the day of
battle.
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the
mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the
east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the
midst thereof toward the east and toward the west,
and there shall be a very great valley; and half
of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and
half of it toward the south.
1. Megiddo is 55 miles from Jerusalem as the crow flies.
2. 5/6 of the original army was destroyed but that leaves 1/6
to come to "the mountains of Israel" \\#Eze 38:8,21\\
\\#Eze 39:2, 4, 17\\.
3. Jerusalem is on several of those mountains.
C. Notice three details:
1. \\#Zech 14:2\\ All nations are gathered to spoil
Jerusalem.
2. \\#Zech 14:2\\ The city is conquered, the city plundered,
the woman ravished, half of the population is lead away
in captivity.
3. \\#Zech 14:3\\ THEN Jesus returns.
VI. The Return of Jesus
A. Let’s pick up where we left off last week in Revelation and
the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a
white horse; and he that sat upon him was called
Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth
judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his
head were many crowns; and he had a name written,
that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in
blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed
him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword,
that with it he should smite the nations: and he
shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he
treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and
wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a
name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
1. Although few details are given, this would have to be the
joining of Jesus and the Church.
2. The Marriage Supper is the celebration of that union.
B. At some point, the fellowship is over because Jesus as an
engagement.
1. Perhaps even as Jesus sits at the table, His eyes will
glow like fire.
Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire….
a. You thought Hollywood thought up glowing eyes?
b. These are not the fiery eyes of anger but of justice.
2. Jesus dons the apparel of a Kingly Warrior:
a. His crown
Rev 19:12 …and on his head were many crowns…
b. His warrior name will be written which will be for Him
alone. No one has ever seen this side of Jesus
before!
Rev 19:12 … and he had a name written, that
no man knew, but he himself.
c. His vesture will be is dipped in blood (Done to show
there is no timidity on His part to shed blood.)
Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture
dipped in blood: and his name is called The
Word of God.
d. Across that vesture or sash, Jesus’ eternal title will
be inscribed.
Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his
thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD
OF LORDS.
e. \\#19:14\\ His army rides behind Him. Jesus leadu us,
but we follow Him!
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a
white horse; and he that sat upon him was called
Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth
judge and make war.
Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven
followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine
linen, white and clean.
f. This is the visible, personal return of Jesus Christ
to the earth—and it will be glorious!
3. What will happen?
a. Out of His mouth, power goes forth to slay the army of
Satan.
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp
sword, that with it he should smite the nations:
and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and
he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and
wrath of Almighty God.
b. Zechariah saw it this way.
Zech 14:12 And this shall be the plague
wherewith the LORD will smite all the people
that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh
shall consume away while they stand upon their
feet, and their eyes shall consume away in
their holes, and their tongue shall consume
away in their mouth.
c. \\#Zech 14:3\\ Then Jesus will descend to the Mount of
Olives.
(1) The earth will again quake.
(2) The mountain shall separate into four parts.
(3) Any that are left alive will flee.
d. \\#Rev 19:17-18\\ Like the dead from the Battle of
Megiddo, the dead from this battle will be so
plenteous that God will have to summon the birds
and animals to eat their flesh.
Satan’s army is destroyed. The war is over. Christ has returned.
<Outline
Index> <Close Window>
