SURVEY OF CHAPTERS 17 AND 18

[McGuiggan: Chapters 17-18 speak of the fall of the city which ruled the world in John’s day (17:9, 18). Chapter 17 (the latter part) speaks of how she falls and chapter 18 gives a description of her fall.]

[McGuiggan: Chapter 19 tells of the joy (likened to the joy at a wedding feast) of the saints at the fall of the enemy and speaks of the fall of that enemy from the divine point of view. The fall was at the hands of Jesus. Her own internal strife which was emphasized in chapter 17 is marked here as the result of Jesus’ work. The enemy we are told, died in conflict with Jesus, not by accident.]

We move now to chapters 17 through 19. Here we see a number of very powerful metaphors and imagery that are pertinent to this apocalyptic literature that we’ve been referring to. The doom of the wicked and the gloom attached to their style of life is vividly contrasted with the end result of righteousness. It truly pays to serve Jesus, now and in the world to come, Mark 10, verse 30 [“who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.”]. In a marvelous verse, we learn that the Lord is “King of kings,” and we are “called, chosen and faithful,” Revelation chapter 17, verse 14 [“These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”]. The City of Rome here is identified as a sparkling exhibit of revelry, of wickedness [see chapter 18:9-16], but noticeably defiled in contrast to the sincerity and the purity of the bride of Christ.

Rome’s riches and glory and secular temporal power fade in one hour, chapter 18, verse 17 [“For in one hour such great riches came to nothing. Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance…”], as her sins come up before Heaven. The Redeemer, in awesome power, slays the wicked by the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, chapter 19, verse 15 [“Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” Ephesians 6:19: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God….”] Evil men are feasted upon by birds of prey [chapter 19, verses 17-18: “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, ‘Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.’”], while faithful children of God feast with the Savior at the marriage feast of the bride of the Lamb [chapter 19, verses 6-9:“And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”’”]. What a contrast! Again, think of how that would have affected those who would have read it—those who were so persecuted!

SURVEY OF CHAPTER 20

[McGuiggan: Chapter 20 describes the utter defeat of Satan in the matter of using Rome against the Church. It speaks of the total and complete victory of the saints in terms of a resurrection of the martyred saints. A resurrection to thrones on which they reign a thousand years. It tells us also of the assurance given to the saints concerning the future. This is conveyed to us in the loosing of Satan – his obtaining an army colossal in size – and his utter defeat. And last, but not least, it tells us of the basic difference between the servants of God and the servants of Rome. One group, in death, rises to reign on thrones (in the vision) and the others rise only to be thrown into a lake of fire.]

Chapter 20is the story of binding Satan by the power and the death of Christ. Several references in the New Testament, Mark 3:27 [“No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.”], Hebrews 2:14 through 17 [“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”], 1 Corinthians 15:54 [“So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”], and John 12:31 through 33 [“‘Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.’ This He said, signifying by what death He would die.”] clearly affirm that the cross of Christ had tremendous repercussions in hell. Jesus spoiled the Devil’s goods. Jesus defeated him absolutely and removed the sting of death from the Devil’s arsenal. When Christians died for the cause of Christ, that victory over Satan was remembered one more time. Church historians wrote and quoted this phrase numerous times: “The blood of the martyrs was the seed of Christianity.” Though chained by the power of the Gospel, the Devil still has power, but only when weak and sinful people enter into his domain. This was characterized by one writer “like a mad dog chained,” meaning he can only function or operate “within the perimeter” and “around the periphery” of that chained area. So as long as we stay close to Christ, the Devil cannot harm us.

At the end of chapter 20, John is inspired to write of the final day of reckoning, wherein men shall be “judged according to their deeds,” chapter 20, verses 11 through 15 [“Then I saw a great white throne and Him Who sat on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”]. So the Message to those Christians and those seven churches of Asia is the same Message to us today: Let us so live before God that the second death will not harm us.