Revelation 19:19 Commentary and Bible Study

The final battle is about to take place. This is the same battle as has been described in Revelation 16:12-21 and the same also that will be seen in Revelation 20:7-9. This passage is parallel to each of the closing scenes of the earlier visions in the book (6:14-17; 11:7-19; 14:12-20). Even though the battle is not explicitly mentioned in those passages, the link is nevertheless obvious. Revelation 6:16 reveals the terror of the wicked at the coming of Christ and how they prefer to die rather than to face him. Revelation 11:15 tells us of the final overthrow of the kingdoms of this world and the establishment of Christ’s eternal kingdom. Believers are symbolically represented by the two witnesses who are first put to death and then raised before their enemies. Revelation 14:20 describes the end of the world in terms of a harvest; the winepress of God being trampled and blood coming forth; each vision ends with the return of Jesus Christ. As the visions proceed, there is increasing light shed on the agents that lie behind the rebellion of this world and its opposition to God. In Revelation 16:14, the battle is first referred to, where it is a battle fought by the kings of the earth and their armies. In Revelation 19:19, we see the great allies of the devil, who organise this resistance to God, the beast and the false prophet. Finally in Revelation 20 the ultimate cause of all wickedness is uncovered, the devil himself. In each of these views of the battle, Christ is victorious and his enemies are crushed; the last of the three completes the picture. With the capture and defeat of the devil, the long war against God is over. Here then, it is the beast which is at war with the Lord of Glory. The beast represents anti-Christian government which opposes the kingdom of God. Daniel has already introduced us to the beast, but in a composite form, separated out into four historic beasts, which correspond to four kingdoms of Old Testament times. John’s beast is a combination of the terrible attributes of these four beasts into one. In Daniel’s prophecy, these kingdoms are overthrown and replaced by another divine kingdom which will never end. They are therefore by implication at war with the kingdom of heaven and specifically with the King himself. It is a battle that continues throughout the age, but reaches a crescendo in the last hour of this world when it will become increasingly apparent that their hatred is focused on the Lord Jesus Christ himself.Just as he goes out conquering and to conquer, not in his own person but in the person of those he sends to preach in his name, so the armies of the world are set initially against the people of God and not against the Lord himself, who is in heaven and beyond their reach. However in the final phase of this battle, which is particularly under consideration here, the battle will become visible. All parties in this great battle will be seen on earth. We should not imagine a prolonged battle after the Lord returns, as if it takes time for him to subdue his enemies. When he returns, he will overcome them instantly. The only reason their evil activity is protracted is that God wills it, for his people must for a time do battle against powers vastly greater than themselves and must prove the weapons of faith provided for them.The kings of the earth and their armies are ‘gathered together’? Does this mean they will come to one place to engage in this battle? But who is this battle fought against? Is it fought between nations, as if there were such a thing as a Christian nation? No, it is fought against the people of God scattered throughout ‘every nation, tribe, tongue, and people’ (14:6). Are these to be brought together into one place for a final physical battle? This seems unlikely, unless a restored Israel is the focus of their attention. Instead this passage uses the language of a literal battle to describe the final persecution that will break out upon the church.