The return of Christ in the Second Coming is quite a contrast to His First Coming. At the First He came humbly on a donkey, was forced to wear a crown of thorns, and became bloodied from scourging. Here He arrives on a white horse, wears “many diadems”, and He is “clothed with a robe dipped in blood” in a reversal of whose blood is about to be shed. Whereas in His First Coming they wondered at His “gracious words” (Lk. 4:22), here “in righteousness He judges and wages war”. The work of the “Suffering Servant” is finally fulfilled by the “Conquering King”.
7“I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”
Psalm 2:7-9
Read verses 11-16
Q: How does this last event of the eschaton reflect the 1st Seal of the final week of years?
A: In Revelation 6:1-2 we are presented with the Antichrist attempting to pre-counterfeit this last event. He looks similar in some things but falls short when it comes to the details. The Antichrist comes on a white horse, but with a bow instead of a sword, and a single crown instead of many.
1Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.” 2I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Revelation 6:1-2
Q: What might be significant about the sequence given for each of Christ’s names?
“…a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself…” (v.12) Signifies God’s personal approval as His eternal Son.
“…His name is called the Word of God”. (v.13) References His First Coming as an incarnation in the flesh. (Jn. 1:1)
“…He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS’”. (V.16) Embodies His Second Coming and the establishment of His Millennial Kingdom.
Q: How does the reference in v.15 to God’s wrath serve as a stark contrast to Christ’s First Coming?
A: On the cross He bore God’s wrath for all who believe; here He brings God’s wrath on all those who do not.
Q: How does this fit with the first reference of a wine press in Revelation 14:17-20?
A: As observed previously, the grapes keep being fed into this overflowing vat illustrate the second harvest of unbelievers.It takes time to complete, but it has finally come to an end.
Point: This serves to also confirms how the middle part of Revelation is showing what is going on in parallel to the Trumpets and perhaps Bowls.
Application: The whole of God’s Word for this present age is fulfilled by THE “Word of God”.
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:11
Read verses 17-18
Q: What is the contrast between the two suppers in Revelation 19?
A: The followers of Christ experience “the marriage supper of the Lamb”, (Rev. 19:9) and the followers of Antichrist “the great supper of God”. Both are preludes to the beginning of eternity, the saved into heaven and the unsaved into the lake of fire.
Q: What is significant about the repeated use of “flesh” in these verses?
A: They suffer the ultimate consequences for being devoted to the lusts and lifestyle of the flesh. The literal is a representation of the spiritual.
Q: How might this similarly apply to the sword of His mouth?
A: It can pierce the flesh literally, but has a more powerful spiritual application.
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
Application: The ultimate intentions of the flesh will, in the end, meet the reality of its choices and limitations.
Read verses 19-21
Q: How are we provided an example of the apex of deception?
A: In their preposterous belief that they can actually fight Christ and His army.
Q: What is significant about the different destination for the Antichrist and False Prophet vs. their followers?
A: By being “thrown alive into the lake of fire”, the Antichrist and False Prophet are immediately judged by God; the rest must await until Final Judgment at the end of the Millennial Reign. (Rev, 20:11-15)
Note: This is a very powerful scriptural proof militating against both the notions of “Annihilationism”—the assertion that God does not actually send anyone to hell but they instead simply cease to exist upon death, and “Purgatory”—the proposal that at least some will be given a second chance to “work things out” and still get into heaven.
Q: Why is there no description of these two armies engaging each other?
A: They “were killed with the sword” which comes from Christ.
Application: There is no epic, military battle; the enemy is simply eliminated by the Word of He whose name is also “The Word of God”.
Overall Application
It has been observed that the whole of human history as provided in Scripture can be illustrated as a loaf of bread coming out of the oven where both ends appear to be the same. That which began with Christ the Lamb at the beginning of time has many parallels in how it is ultimately fulfilled in the end. During this time Satan has failed in his repeated attempts to counterfeit Christ and assume the place of God. Whichever dinner reservations each receives makes all the difference for eternity.
