03.10 Eighth Division.

Eighth Division.
The Manifestation of the King and the Millennium.

Chapters 19-20:16

We reach the great climax in this wonderful book. The King in His glorious majesty is now to be manifested to deal with the earth in the great judgment and to receive the throne which is promised unto Him. The seven years of darkness, apostasy and tribulation, the years in which man’s day reached its awful culmination, the years of manifestation of demon powers which produced the greatest wickedness and blasphemy the earth has seen, are about over. The Lamb of God, the Lion of the tribe of Judah executed the decreed judgments from above. The seals of the book He received were opened by Him. The angels have blown their judgment trumpets and the things written have come to pass. The other seven angels poured out their vials upon the earth. The beginning of sorrows were followed by the great tribulation. Politically and ecclesiastically upheavals indescribable have taken place. The great nations formed their confederacy, the revived Roman Empire, and Satan put his man at the head of the Empire, the little horn. Out of Israel’s land and in the midst of that land the second Beast arose, the false prophet, the false Messiah. These two Satan possessed instruments, as we saw, worked together and through them and other agencies, Satan, cast out of heaven, produced the great tribulation. In the midst of all these terrible scenes of bloodshed, revolution and indescribable confusion the remnant of Israel gave the faithful testimony, while the remnant in the land suffered and thousands of these faithful witnesses were martyred, because they refused to worship the Beast and to receive the mark of the Beast. And a great multitude of Gentiles, were saved through the preaching of the Gospel of the kingdom, which they heard from the sealed remnant of Israel. Then we saw Babylon, the final ecclesiastical conditions of apostate Christendom, headed by Rome in a world-wide system, and we saw the fall and total destruction of the city and the system. The end of the seven years has come and heaven is now to speak and the King with His heavenly company, the Saints and also His angels, is about to appear crowned with many crowns. The King is about to come, for the great day of God Almighty, when He, as the executor of the day of vengeance, is to tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Before we enter upon the exposition of this great and long-predicted event, the visible and glorious coming of our Lord, let us picture briefly the conditions on earth when the heavens are about to open and He comes back. No human person, however, can do that fully, for the conditions and scenes which exist then beggar description. In the previous chapter we heard the wail and lamentation over the destruction of the great Babylon. They cast dust on their heads and there was weeping and wailing (Revelation 18:19). These lamentations over the loss of earthly prosperity, over the destruction of the great ecclesiastical and commercial system will continue. But there is greater fear than that. The approaching day is felt by all. What we saw under the sixth seal is now being fully enacted. The fulfillment of the words of our Lord in Luke 21:25-27 is at hand. “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers, of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” While such fear takes hold upon the people and the terror of the coming Lord is upon them, the beast, that is the head of the Roman Empire, and the kings of the earth with him, take another attitude. They become under Satanic leadership so darkened and possessed that they rush towards the land of Israel. The defiance pictured in the Second Psalm has reached its climax. Besides this the great gathering from beyond the Euphrates under the leadership of the King of the North and the Kings from the Sunrise has taken place. The northern and eastern hordes sweep into the land and threaten the Beast and the Kings with him. The nations are massed with their armies in Palestine. In Jerusalem the greatest distress prevails. The second Beast, the Anti-christ, called also the false Prophet, has his seat there, and as we saw in the eleventh chapter as well as in the thirteenth, large numbers of the faithful Jewish remnant are slain by him. The city is surrounded by the hostile armies and the siege described by Zechariah is taking place. And those who endure to the end and hold out against the false Messiah (Matthew 24) pray as never before and call for heaven’s intervention. Their prayer will be “Oh that Thou wouldest rend the heavens and come down” (Is. 64:1). It is then when the nations rage and Satan’s power is at its height that the answer comes from above. The earth shakes in its very foundations and now the powers of the heavens also begin to shake. The ominous signs in the Sun, in the Moon and in the Stars are seen. The fact that something startling is about to happen from above is realized by the Beast, and the kings with their armies. Then the Beast, the kings of the earth and their armies, utterly blinded by Satan, are ready to make war against Him who is about to be manifested. No doubt their well-equipped aeroplanes and other air-crafts circle upward to interfere with the coming King and His army. Then the blow falls upon them. The stone, which Nebuchadnezzar saw falling out of heaven strikes at last and the Son of Man appears in the clouds of heaven to receive the kingdom. And now we must look at the details of this great revelation.

Chapter 19.

1. The Four Hallelujah’s in Heaven. The Marriage of the Lamb.Revelation 19:1-10. Once more we find the significant phrase “after these things” (Revelation 4:1; Revelation 7:1; Revelation 18:1). “After these things”— the things which are described in chapters 17 and 18: the fall of Babylon and the complete destruction of the whore and the system over which she presided and domineered, after these things, voices in heaven are heard again. We were first introduced to the heavens in this book in the fourth chapter. Then a door was opened in heaven, symbolical of the entrance of the Saints of God of all ages into glory. It is the fulfillment of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Then we saw what transpired in glory. All the Saints, God’s redeemed people gathered around the throne and occupying thrones worshipping and singing the song of redemption. Under the fifth seal we had another glimpse of heaven. The first martyred company, the souls under the altar cried with a loud voice, How long O Lord? And they received their white robes. Then we read of silence in heaven and saw the Angel-Priest in His ministration at the altar (Revelation 8:1-5) while in the tenth chapter we beheld Him descending out of heaven. The martyred Saints during the tribulation we saw, raised from the dead and taken in the cloud into heaven (Revelation 11:12) while immediately after, when the seventh angel trumpeted, the heavens were celebrating in worship and in praise the consummation reached and the coming reign of the King. Again in the twelfth chapter we saw the rejoicing heavens. They that dwell in them rejoiced because the accuser of the brethren was cast down and knowing what it means for the earth when Satan is there, the heavens pronounced their woe. In Revelation 14 we beheld the heavens again, the redeemed company praising as well as the harpers. Revelation 15 revealed another heavenly scene. Babylon’s fall was also known to the tenants of heaven. We give this brief review to show that while these things are going on in the earth, the glorified Saints, we His people who shall then be in His presence, shall know, and not be ignorant of the events on earth. We shall see then all from above and praise Him for His grace which saved us and brought us to glory. In Revelation 18:20 we heard the words addressed to heaven “Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her.” And now we see heaven rejoicing. “I heard as it were [Note: Revised Version] a great voice of a great multitude in heaven saying, Hallelujah.” Hallelujah means “Praise ye Jehovah.” This Hebrew word is not found elsewhere in the New Testament. Four times this word of praise is found in the beginning of this chapter; the Hallelujah times for heaven and earth are imminent. The Book of Psalms closes with many Hallelujahs; the blessed time which the Psalms so often anticipate, when the earth is judged in righteousness and the glory of the Lord is manifested, is now at hand. The praise here is on account of the righteousness of God exhibited in the judgment of the great whore “which did corrupt the earth with her fornication” and because the blood of God’s servants shed by her is now avenged. The great multitude whose Hallelujah is heard first must be the company of martyrs who died during the tribulation. The souls under the altar and their brethren which were slain later utter this praise now. They are seen as a distinct company from the twenty-four Elders. A second Hallelujah is uttered by them, while the smoke of the destroyed city goeth up forever and ever. “And the four and twenty Elders and the four living Creatures fell down and worshipped God that sitteth on the throne, saying, Amen, Hallelujah.” The whole redeemed company, Old and New Testament Saints, add their Amen and Hallelujah to the outburst of praise on account of the execution of the righteous judgment. And they worship God for it is His righteousness which accomplished the destruction of the great whore. In the midst of this wonderful and impressive worship-scene the throne begins to be heard. A voice from the throne saith “Give Praise unto God all ye His servants and ye that fear Him both small and great.” And the command is at once obeyed. John hears the fourth Hallelujah and it is the greatest, the most magnificent. It is the great Hallelujah-chorus of heaven. Like the voice of many, roaring waters, like the voice of mighty thunderings a great multitude saith “Hallelujah for the Lord our God Omnipotent reigneth.” Who is this great multitude? In the first verse we heard the Hallelujah of the martyred companies. The twenty-four Elders and four living Creatures did not join in this first Hallelujah. Their Halleluiah followed. And now the greater outburst of a great multitude. This multitude included all the redeemed in glory. And they rejoice and give glory for an additional reason which is made known for the first time in this book. The marriage of the Lamb is about to be consummated. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come and His wife has made herself ready.” The harlot being judged, she which claimed to be the bride and now the true bride of Christ is seen in glory. And it is the marriage of the Lamb. His joy is now filled full for He receives her, who is bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh. The second Man, the last Adam, is joined to her who is to rule and reign with Him. But who is the bride about to become the Lamb’s wife? Some teach that it is Israel to be united with the Lord in the closest bonds. But these expositors forget that the scene is a heavenly one. This marriage does not take place on earth where the faithful remnant looks up expecting Him to appear for their deliverance, but this marriage is in glory. It is true such relationship is declared to be Israel’s in the Old Testament. She was married to Jehovah in a legal covenant and on account of her faithless condition, because Jerusalem played the harlot (Ezekiel 16:35) she was put away. For a time Israel was the wife of Jehovah (Is. 54:1) and then on account of her wickedness became divorced. She will be taken back in the day of her national repentance when the Lord comes. But as one who had been divorced she cannot be a bride again. The bride of Christ to become the Lamb’s wife is the church of the New Testament. All who accepted Christ as Saviour and Lord since the day of Pentecost constitute the bride of Christ. The Church began on Pentecost and her completion will be the translation to glory (1 Thessalonians 4:17). She is both the body of Christ and the bride of Christ, as Eve was of the body of Adam and also his bride. The Church is the nearest and the most beloved object to His loving heart. “He loved the Church and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the word, that He might present to Himself a glorious church not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27). She is the pearl of great price for which He sold all He had. The Church is this bride of Christ and even before the marriage, the Spirit of God in anticipation addressed her as such. “For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2). And when the Holy Spirit gives the blessed exhortation to the Christian family and indicates its deeper meaning, that the Christian family is typical of Christ and the Church, He adds “I speak concerning Christ and the Church.” For we are members of His body of His flesh and of His bones. The church is now presented in glory to Himself; this is before us in this passage. She comes into view as the Lamb’s wife. It is very significant that the twenty-four Elders are no longer mentioned after this. As we saw the twenty-four Elders are typical of all the redeemed, the Saints of both Testaments. But here a division takes place. The bride, the church takes her exalted position alongside of Himself and the Old Testament Saints are there as the friends of the Bridegroom (John 3:29). But they do not belong to the Church and do not compose the bride of Christ. But how has she made herself ready? And what does it mean “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white for the linen is the righteousnesses of the Saints”? The Grace of God has supplied the robe and the precious blood is her title to glory. In this respect she was ready. But the words here refer us to the judgment seat of Christ, that award seat before which we must appear. Then the hidden things are brought to light and the wood and the hay and stubble is burned (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).

Then “every man shall have praise of God” (1 Corinthians 4:5) and what Grace accomplished in each one and through each will be manifested. And the clean white linen “is the righteousnesses of the Saints.” The word “righteousness” is in the plural. It means more than the righteousness which we are in Christ or the faith in Him, which is counted for righteousness (Romans 4:3). It includes all the blessed results in life and service produced by the Holy Spirit, the practical righteousness of the Saints. And yet even these need the washing in that precious blood without which all is unclean and unholy. And so it is Grace after all as indicated by the word “given.” [Note: Revised Version] —”it was given to her to be clothed in fine linen, bright and pure.” He Himself has made her ready and removed every spot every wrinkle and every blemish. God grant that we His people may daily meditate on this coming glorious event, the marriage of the Lamb, and walk worthy of such a Lord and such a calling. Once more John is commissioned to write. “Write, Blessed are they which are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And who can estimate the blessedness of being in His ever blessed Presence, at His table, at the marriage supper of the Lamb! And to this feast sinners are called by the Gospel throughout this age, and they who accept the gracious invitation, and become His, can look forward with holy anticipation to the coming marriage and the marriage supper, the feast of joy and gladness. And to this is added the very seal of God. “These are the true words of God.”

What assurance this gives to our souls! Because these are the very words of God, all will come to pass as promised here. It does not matter if our years come and go, the ultimate accomplishment will surely come. And John was overwhelmed and fell at the feet of the angel to worship him. Beautiful it is how the angel takes the place as a servant, a fellow-servant of those that have the testimony of Jesus. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy. And the testimony of Jesus bears witness to His resurrection, His presence in glory, and His coming again, and all the blessed things connected with that day, so fully revealed in God’s Word. Thus the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy. All Prophecy concerns the Lord Jesus Christ and all intelligent, scriptural proclamation of the coming events are a testimony concerning Himself.

2. Heaven Opened. The Coming of the King.Revelation 19:11-16. And now we reach the great event so often mentioned in the Old Testament, the event for which this world is waiting, the visible manifestation of Him, whom the heavens received, who returns to judge the earth, to receive the promised Kingdom and rule over the earth for a thousand years. We have reached the great climax in the Revelation. In the beginning of the book we read the announcement “Behold, He cometh with clouds and every eye shall see Him” and now this long predicted and long expected event takes place. To quote the predictions in the Old Testament prophetic Word which speak of the Coming of the King and His rule would fill many pages. Without quoting the words we give a number of passages which every student of Revelation should read and become familiar with, for they shed their light upon this chapter. Psalms 2; Psalms 45; Psalms 46; Psalms 47; Psalms 50:1-6; Psalms 68; Psalms 110. Isaiah 11; Isaiah 24:19-23; Isaiah 35; Isaiah 26:20-21; Isaiah 63:1-6; Isaiah 65:5-16. Daniel 2:44-45; Daniel 7:9-14 : Joel 3; Habakkuk 3; Zechariah 14 : These are but a few of many more which could be added. His own words are to be fulfilled. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heaven shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:29-30). The angel’s message which was given when He ascended into glory is now to be accomplished. “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). The words of the Spirit of God addressed to the Thessalonians are also coming to pass. “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall perish with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power: when He shall come to be glorified in His Saints and marvelled at in all them that believed—in that day” 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).

Impressive words—“And I saw heaven opened.” Heaven was opened unto Him when He came out of “Jordan” at His baptism. While His baptism foreshadowed His death in the sinner’s place, His resurrection and ascension are foreshadowed in coming out of the waters and the opened heaven. In heaven at the right hand of God He has been ever since, unseen by human eyes. At last the time has come when God is to make His enemies as the footstool of His feet. Heaven is opened so that He might be revealed in His glorious majesty. And out of the opened heavens He comes forth. “Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously, because of truth and meekness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies, whereby the people fall under thee” (Psalms 45:3-5). Thus the inspired Psalmist foresaw long ago the great event. He comes as the mighty Victor to judge in righteousness and to make war. “And behold a white horse; and He that sat thereon was called Faithful and True and in righteousness He doth judge and make war.” The white horse is symbolical of victorious warfare and glorious conquest. When, seven years before the first seal had been opened (Revelation 6:1), a rider appeared upon a white horse achieving great conquest. It was the false King who was seen then in vision. He is as the Beast on earth with the kings and their armies to make war with the coming King who comes out of the opened heaven. Glorious sight! He is coming to conquer and to claim His inheritance. The appointed day has come in which God “will judge the world in righteousness by that man, whom He hath ordained; whereof He has given assurance unto all men in that He hath raised Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

Upon His head are many diadems. The Saints wear crowns, but He to whom belongs all power in heaven and on earth wears many .diadems, encircling His head in dazzling splendor. We look back and see Him wearing a crown of thorns, the emblems of the curse. What a scene it was when Pilate led Him forth with His face marred and dishonored and the cruel thorns piercing His blessed brow! And now God has crowned Him with supreme authority and He appears in Glory to exercise His rights over the earth. It will be God’s vindication of His ever blessed Son. His Person and His Work had been denied and rejected. Boastingly a certain leader of the so-called “new theology” [Note: It is not a new theology, for it is the Devil’s lie as old as Eden; nor is it theology, but only foolish rambling.] preached not long ago on “the vanishing Christ.” He meant by it the denial of the doctrine of Christ, His essential Deity, the virgin birth, His sacrificial death and His physical resurrection. Thus apostate Christendom rejects His Person, and the time comes during the great apostasy when they think He is a vanished Christ. But when He comes as the vanquishing Christ, then His Person will be fully vindicated by that glorious event.

“And He had a name written, that no man knew but Himself.” And again it is written “His Name is called the Word of God.” And on His vesture and on His thigh there is a name written “King of kings and Lord of lords.” The unknown Name is the name of His essential Deity. No human name can express what He is in Himself “No man knoweth the Son but the Father.” His name “the Word of God” refers us to the Gospel of John. As the Word He is the express image of God. He is the expression of God in His character, His thoughts and counsels. And the third name mentioned “King of kings and Lord of lords” expresses what He is in relation to the earth.

“And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood” —“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.” The blood dipped vesture has nothing to do with His work on the cross. He is described in Isaiah 63:1-4 as the One who has the day of vengeance in His heart, and this passage in Isaiah is here being fulfilled. The two edged sword refers us to Isaiah 11:4. “He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked.” See also 2 Thessalonians 2:8. The sentence “He shall rule them (the nations) with a rod of iron” is quoted from the Second Psalm. In that Psalm we read that God said to Him “Ask of Me and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.” And He asked God after His own had been gathered home, and the answer is here seen. He comes to rule [Note: Literal “shepherd”] the nations and to execute the wrath of Almighty God upon His enemies. But He is not alone. The armies of heaven follow the great King. They are like Him upon white horses and are clothed in fine linen white and clean.

These armies are not angels. It is true angels will be with Him as He comes, for it is written that He shall be, revealed with His holy angels. Angels will be the reapers in the judgment (Matthew 13:39) when the age ends and they will be used in the regathering of Israel. (Matthew 24:31). But the armies here are not angels. They are the glorified Saints; the fine linen, white and clean identifies them fully. In faith and blessed assurance, you dear reader and the writer can say, we shall be in that company with Himself as leader. The Son brings His many sons unto glory (Hebrews 2:10). What a sight that will be for the earth-dwellers! Each in that company bears His own image, each reflects His own glory. Then He will be Marvelled at in them that had believed (2 Thessalonians 1:10). It is the fulfillment of what St. Paul wrote to the Colossians: “When Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in Glory” (Colossians 3:4). The first Prophet mentioned in the Bible, Enoch, had predicted this event for he prophesied “Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His Saints to execute judgment” Jude 1:14). Zechariah saw it in connection with the gathering of the armies against Jerusalem, when the Lord will fight against those nations. He announced “the Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with Thee” (Zechariah 14:5). And the Saints who come with Him share His triumph, His glory, and are partakers in the judgment and in the reign which follows. “Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). Oh! beloved readers what a future is ours! To be with Him forever and like Him in glory never-ending! And the Saints are seen in this new aspect corresponding to what He is and what He does. We shall then be one with Him in the fullest sense of the word.

3. The Battle of Armageddon and the Execution of His Wrath.Revelation 19:17-21. And what a sublime vision comes next! An angel is beheld by the seer standing in the sun and with a loud voice he summons the birds that fly in mid-heaven to gather themselves to the great supper of God [Note: The authorized version has it “the supper of the great God” which is incorrect; it is “the great supper of God.”] to eat the flesh of the slain. The birds of prey are summoned in anticipation of the battle of Armageddon which is then imminent. What a contrast this great supper here is with another great supper of which we read in the Gospel of Luke! (Revelation 14:15-20). One had said to the Lord “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God.” Then He spoke of a great supper which one had made, inviting the guests “Come! for all things are now ready.” It is the supper of love and grace which God, at the infinite cost-price, the price which His Son paid on the cross, provided for lost sinners. For almost two thousand years the invitation has gone out and uncountable multitudes have come and have partaken of the riches of His Grace. But the invitation has also been rejected. Yea, as the age draws to its close the rejection of the Gospel, of the cross of Christ, the precious blood, which alone can open heaven and close forever the gates of hell, becomes more universal and more pronounced. Not alone are the great masses in Christendom rejecting the Gospel of Grace wilfully, but they are also accepting Satan’s lies and delusions, such as “salvation by character” and the wicked anti-christian cults like Christian Science”—“Theosophy” and the “new theology” As long as the Lord leaves His Church leaves His Church on earth the sound of the true Gospel can never die out. It will be heard as long as God’s true people, who know the Gospel and love it, are on earth. But after the rapture of the Church it will be different. Then all who received not the love of the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness, will be hardened; the strong delusion which comes into the world through Satan and his demons will be accepted by them. (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). We have seen this class in previous chapters; they are called, “the dwellers on the earth.” They are the apostates who rejected the Gospel, refused to come to the great supper of God’s love and even the severest judgments of God did not lead them to repentance. Instead of crying “God be merciful to me, a sinner” they blasphemed (Revelation 9:20-21). And now the hour of judgment has come. Another supper is spread. An angel, standing in the sun, the place of supreme authority, gives the invitation to the birds of prey to be ready for the feast which a holy and righteous God will have for them. The day of wrath has come. The slain of the Lord shall be many (Isaiah 66:16). And down on earth there is the greatest gathering of armies the world has ever seen. The Beast, the head of the revived Roman empire, is the commander in-chief. The kings of tKe earth are with him. Vast army camps on all sides. The great valley on the plains of Esdraelon is filled with soldiers. The hills and mountains swarm with armed men. Satan’s power gathered them and Satan blinded this vast multitude to the utmost. The unclean spirits, the demons working miracles, has brought them together to the battle of that day. And the hordes from the North, under the Prince of Rosh are also coming. These vast multitudes from the North and beyond Euphrates are described in Ezekiel 38-39. And in that Old Testament prophecy we find a statement which reminds us of the great supper of God here in Revelation. “Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, assemble yourselves and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood” (Ezekiel 39:17). “Thus shall ye be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord God” (Ezekiel 39:20).

Zechariah 14:2 is now being fulfilled. While the vast armies are covering valleys and hills, the objective will be Jerusalem. All nations are gathered against her. “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.” Jerusalem’s distress is the greatest of her history. And the faithful remnant looks up for the promised deliverance. The Beast, the Emperor of the Empire and the second Beast the false Prophet, and have beheld the banners of their nations wet with the dew of Tabor and Hermon.”

See also Joel 3:2; Joel 3:9-12. And then heaven has opened. The prayers of the Jewish remnant are answered. Triumphantly they will say as they see the heavenly glory, the returning Shekinah “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation” (Is. 25:9). “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations” (Zechariah 14:2). The battle does not consume much time. Sennacherib’s army was suddenly smitten and they all perished and here are armies in comparison with which Sennacherib’s forces are but child’s play. One mighty blow from above, one flash of glory and all their strength and power is gone. The stone has fallen (Daniel 2). With one blow the dominion and misrule of the Gentiles is at an end. The words our Lord spoke while on earth “on whom this stone falls it shall grind him to powder” have been fulfilled (Matthew 21:44). Such is the awful fate which for “Christian civilization (?)” and “Kultur (I)” and a Christ-less Christendom is rapidly approaching. Oh! that the kings and rulers would hear His word. “Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; be instructed ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and ye perish in the way—yet a little and His wrath will be kindled” (Psalms 2:9-12). But they will not hear. They cast away His Word and ere long the times of the Gentiles will end forever in this indescribable catastrophe. And while the armies perish as to the body and God’s wrath sweeps the earth clean of the mass of apostates, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel, the J Beast (the head of the Empire) and the false Prophet (the second Beast of Revelation 13), that is the false Messiah the anti-christ are cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. [Note: The King of the North, the great invader (the Assyrian of the end-time) will also be cast into the lake of fire. See Isaiah.] They were not annihilated for a thousand years later we still find them there (Revelation 20:10); and still they are in existence and will ever be as individuals in that place of eternal punishment. And those that were slain as to the body will be raised after the millennium and also share the place with the two, whom they followed and worshipped.

Chapter 20.

4. The Binding of Satan.Revelation 20:1-3. And now Satan, who was cast out of heaven three and one-half years before the visible and glorious coming of the Lord, and who has been on earth in person, though not beheld by human eyes, is now seized to be put into his prison for a thousand years. And the demons, who were liberated by Satan (chapter ix) are likewise shut up into the bottomless pit, though this is not mentioned because it is self-evident. The terms “key” and “great chain” are of course figurative. He is mentioned in all his infamous titles. He is called dragon on account of his horrible cruelty and vileness, the old serpent on account of his maliciousness, guile and deception; he is the devil, the arch tempter of man, and Satan because he is the accuser of the brethren, the one who opposed Christ and His people. He is now dethroned as the god of this age, completely stripped of his power and his dethronement means the complete enthronement of our Lord Jesus Christ. And here is the important statement that this being, the once glorious Lucifer, the Son of the morning and light-bearer, who fell through pride, has been the deceiver of the nations. It would take pages to describe his deceptions and his lies. Never before has he been so successful as now, blinding the eyes of them that believe not. Idolatry and all the perversions of the Truth of God are his work. He is the author and supporter of every cult which denies Christ. He is the real parent of Higher criticism, Mormonism, Russellism, Christian Science, Spiritism, Theosophy, Romanism, and all other isms which deny the Truth of God. No blessing can be expected, no millennium for this earth, till he is bound and thus completely restrained from deceiving the nations. And this is done. What a happy day it will be when he is shut up. Interesting and helpful in connection with these opening verses of our chapter are the words we find in Isaiah’s little apocalypse (Is. 34-37). “And it shall come to pass in that day (the day of the Lord’s glorious manifestation) that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited” (Is. 34:21-22).

5. The Reign of Christ and His Saints for a Thousand Years.Revelation 20:4-6. Thrones are seen next by the Seer. “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them.” Daniel also saw thrones in connection with the judgment of the Beast, but nothing is said of those occupying the thrones in Daniel’s vision. Here we have the complete revelation, and several times the blessed statement is made that Christ and His Saints shall reign with Him ‘for a thousand years. The new age in which all things are put in subjection of His feet, the personal reign of Christ, in which all His redeemed people have a share, begins. It will last a thousand years. Six times we read of the thousand years in this chapter. Because this coming age will last a thousand years it has been called by the Latin word “millennium.” Not a few have made the astonishing declaration that such a period of time during which Christ and His Saints reign over the earth, has but little foundation in the Scriptures. Those who believe in it are often branded as “Chiliasts” and “dreamers” or fanatics.” It is quite true that the only place m which the duration of such an age is given is this great final Book of Revelation. And that should be sufficient for any Christian to believe in such an age of a thousand years. However, such an age of unspeakable blessing and glory for this earth is revealed throughout the entire Bible. The Old Testament contains hundreds of unfulfilled promises of blessing for Israel, the nations of the earth and even for all creation, which have never seen even a partial fulfillment. Isaiah is full of such promises. In the New Testament there are also passages which clearly teach and point to such an age of glory for this earth. Read Matthew 19:28; Acts 3:19-21; Romans 8:19-23; Ephesians 1:10; Colossians 1:20; Php 2:9. What awful disheartening pessimism it would be if we had to believe, that the terrible conditions prevailing on the earth now, conditions which have steadily become worse, were to continue and that man’s work is to remedy them and produce something better. This earth has a bright and glorious future. Nations will someday no longer turn, as they do now, their plowshares into swords, but change their swords into plowshares. Righteousness and peace will surely kiss each other and creation’s curse and travail pains will end. But when? Never as long as the great unfoldings of this book, which we have briefly followed, have not come to pass. There can be no better day for the earth as long as He is absent and not on the throne, which belongs to Him. But when He comes, when He has appeared in glory and in majesty, then the earth will find her rest and groaning creation will be delivered. As we do not write on the great blessings and glories f to come when He comes, we must refrain from following these things. Here in our book the revelation is given that Christ shall reign for a thousand years and His Saints shall reign with Him. Let us notice briefly the different classes mentioned who are associated with Christ in His personal reign. The entire company of the redeemed, as we saw them under the symbolical figure of the twenty-four Elders, occupying thrones and wearing crowns, are undoubtedly meant by the first statement “they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them.” They judge with Him. This is the raptured company whom we saw “first in glory in chapters 4 and 5; and we, dear fellow-believer, belong to this company. Then follow the martyrs, which we saw under the fifth seal (Revelation 6:9-11) And I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God.” Then we have a third company. “And I saw those who had not worshipped the Beast, nor his image, and had not received his mark on their forehead, or in their hands.” These are the other martyrs who were slain during the great tribulation, when the Beast set up the image and demanded its worship (13). They lived and reign with Christ a thousand years. The first resurrection is passed and all who have part in it reign with Christ, are priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years. Oh! wonderful grace which has saved us! Grace which has saved us in Christ and through His ever precious blood delivered us from eternal perdition! Grace which saved us from Satan’s power, from sin and all its curse! Grace which has lifted into such heights of Glory and has made us the sons of God and the joint-heirs of the Lord Jesus Christ! And how little after all we enter into all these things, which ought to be our daily joy and delight. How little we know of the power of the coming glory of being with Christ and reigning with Him! How we do cling to the passing things of a fast passing age. May the Holy Spirit bless us all dear readers as we look forward into the coming glory of sharing the glorious inheritance of our Saviour Lord and may our lives tell out the wonderful story that we are the joint-heirs of Christ. And even if we were now to enlarge upon the reign of Christ, the throne of Christ, the dominion of Christ, the glory of Christ, the righteous judgments and government of the King, it would be but with a feeble pen and a stammering tongue. Not the half can be told. But this we know we shall be with Him and enjoy with Him His glorious reign and inheritance The rest of the dead mentioned in the fifth verse are the wicked dead; we shall hear more of them at the close of this chapter.