Chapters 12-22 of Revelation seem to describe the deep Spiritual conflict between Christ and Satan. The main theme is that Christ and His faithful are victorious. Many figures are given in these chapters to describe Satan and the real nature of his ministry. First is the dragon, then the sea beast, then the land
beast or false prophet. Other figures are Babylon, and the kings of the earth and still others. But there are
also signs in heaven, evidences that Christ’s kingdom is more powerful and that Christ and His faithful are
victorious. These signs show that Satan isn’t as powerful as he seems, and that God’s judgment is certain.

In Chapters 17 and 18 we see God’s judgment on Babylon, symbolic of a great enemy of God, first from God’s point of view and then from man’s. And now in chapters 19 and 20 we shall see God’s judgment on all
that are representatives of Satan. First in chapter 19, we see His judgment on the beast and the false prophet
and all that follow them and then in chapter 20, we see His judgment on the old dragon, the serpent, the devil, Satan himself. If God’s judgment is certain to come on these, that can be symbolized as Satan’s “ringleaders,” then surely we will know that Christ and His faithful are victorious. That is the message, the victory of the church through Christ.

And John hears a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven. They are singing, the answer of the saints cry. “Hallelujah, Salvation, glory, and power belong to God. His judgments are true and righteous. He has avenged the blood of His bondservants! He has judged the harlot!” This is what the saints were looking for, and now they have it. So now they sing some more “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises forever!” The saints are truly rejoicing. This great persecutor is destroyed. The twenty four elders and the four living creatures fall down to worship God. God deserves the praise. He is the righteous judge. Amen they say, “so be it,” it’s His judgment, Hallelujah, they say “Praise Jehovah” for them. But the praise does not cease. God is worthy of all praise that can be given to Him. A voice comes from the throne, “Praise God you His bondservants! Fear Him, all of you!” And then a most glorious response, great multitudes, as the sound of many waters or peals of thunder sound “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God Almighty reigns! Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him for the bride has made herself ready, and the marriage of the Lamb is come!” This is the climax. In heaven the feast takes place.

But now the marriage is still very much a part of the faithful’s life. To express the desire to live according to Christ’s wishes is to become betrothed, Christ has already paid the dowry. The interval between the betrothal and the wedding is now, a time of a growing relationship between the ones betrothed, so that the people involved will be best suited for each other when the wedding takes place. Christ already did His part, for the relationship to grow, now it depends on us or the faithful. “It is given to her, the church, to clothe herself with righteous acts.” The marriage takes place in the lives of Christians now, the climax or the feast will be in heaven. And a voice spoke, it had the authority of God, it spoke the true words of God, but yet, it was not God. The voice said to John, “Write,” here was something John could be sure of, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb.” Truly from what we have seen it is a blessing to be able to take part in the betrothal to the Lamb, and to have a growing relationship with Him to be climaxed at the great marriage feast. John fell down to worship the one who spoke, he thought possibly, that it was God. But the voice spoke to him again, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant, a brethern who holds the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy. Worship God.” John’s praise was to be directed toward God, because only God was worthy of it. Now is the time when John speakes of judgment upon the beast, false prophet and their followers. It seems only characteristic of John in his writing to speak of the glories of being victorious with Christ before describing this judgment of the wicked.

Heaven was opened, a white horse with a rider upon it called Faithful and true, one who judges and wages war only in righteousness is seen. The rider’s eyes were like flames of fire and on his head many victors crowns and he had a name written on him which no one knew. His robe was dipped with blood, those whom
he had defeated had spilt their blood on him, and His name is called the Word of God. This rider can be none
other than Christ. How can we know? The armies in heaven followed him, in his mouth was a sharp, two-edged sword to smite the nations. He was to rule with a rod of iron and he was to tread the winepress of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. On his thigh, on his robe was written the name “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” We can be positive that it is Christ. Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Rev. 17:14. He is the one that leads the armies to victory. That is why His robe is stained and not the others. Christ and His people are victorious.

And because Christ stands as victor, with these in His army, who had the proper relationship with Him, an angel in the sun calls to the birds to assemble for the great supper of God. Here finally comes the judgment. They are summoned together to eat the flesh of kings, commanders, mighty men, horses and their riders,
and all other men. This is the judgment of the wicked. Their flesh is eaten. And the beast and the kings of
the earth show their real nature, they continue to battle Christ and His faithful. But now the beast, 1/3 of
Satan’s “ringleaders” and the false prophet another 1/3 are seized, and all those who worship them are taken
also and thrown into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. Their judgment is come. They are doomed.
And so we are sure that all the wicked are punished. Verse 20 tells us the rest of the wicked were killed
with the sword of Christ and the birds were filled with their flesh. We can now be sure that the beast and the
false prophet and all the wicked who seem so powerful, are not really what they seem to be, because their doom is so sure.

But wait, there is still 1/3 of satan’s “ringleaders” left. This one is the dragon. We can not sit comforted until we know the outcome of this creature. He may be the most powerful. He is identified as the serpent, the devil. Satan himself. Something must become of him. But first John wants to show us something about this creature, too. He wants us to be sure that this dragon really isn’t all he’s stacked up to be either. An angel from heaven with a key to the abyss and a great chain, lays hold of the dragon and binds him and throws him into the pit and seals it over him for 1000 years, except that he does have a short time. But what is his short time compared to 1000 years. Nothing, Satan is bound, the question is how? The answer is simple, by the redemptive work of Christ. Christ’s redemptive work makes it possible for individuals to come into a relationship with Him that protects them from any and all power that Satan can muster. John saw thrones and those who sat on them, those who had a right relationship with the One who sits on the throne, and he saw all the righteous, and they reigned as kings with Christ for 1000 years. Those who take advantage of Christ’s redemptive work can be as kings the entire period that Satan is bound. Satan is not nearly powerful enough to overcome the righteous. His little time or little power does not compare to the 1000 year reign of the righteous with Christ. The rest of the dead, the wicked have no power compared to the 1000 year reign. This is the first resurrection, the ones who take advantage of Christ’s redemptive work and come to life to reign with Him. Blessed and holy is the one who has part in this first resurrection. How true that is. They are priests of God, they reign with Christ for 1000 years, satan has no real power he can use against them, and also the 2nd death has no power over them. This will be explained later.

In verses 7-10 Satan’s little time is described as a useless struggle. He trys to deceive the nations into thinking they really can overcome God. He gathers them together, and they are too many to count. They surround the saints, hoping that the saints might think they are beaten, but fire comes from heaven, that great protector, God, and devours them, Satan’s power is nothing compared to God’s. And now here is the judgment of Satan’s last “ringleader,” or the judgment of Satan himself. He is taken and thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone with the beast and false prophet. Judgment upon him is just as sure and certain as it is
upon the beast, false prophet and all the other wicked.  He is doomed, they are doomed, and they shall be tormented day and night, forever and ever. Praise the Lord. Ding Dong, the dragon’s dead.

And then John saw a great white throne. God sat upon it. Who else would the heavens and earth flee from? No place was found for the heavens and earth. What God has prepared for the faithful will be far more beautiful. And the dead, all the wicked stood before the throne. The books were opened and the book of life
was opened. And the dead were judged from the things written in the books, according to their deeds. And
certainly no man can, by his own deeds, become worthy of heaven. The sea, death and Hades, those things representative of how man is separated from God gave up the dead which were in them. And they too were judged according to their deeds. No man who lives a life separate from God can be found worthy of heaven either. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. That is the second death, eternal life or death, separation from God, in the lake of fire. And all those who were judged according to their deeds, the dead, the wicked, since their names were not found written in the book of life, were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the judgment of the wicked, they will experience the second death.

In closing, I would like to state that the theme of these chapters is not that the beast, false prophet and dragon will experience judgment, but that Christ and His faithful are victorious. The wicked, the beast, the false prophet, and dragon all are doomed but only because Christ can overcome them. Christ and His faithful overcome! Hallelujah. Who is on the Lord’s side? He that overcomes, the faithful. “In all things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37.