The Scriptural Battle

       We’ve seen how Christ’s millennial reign begins with treading, for He must reign until every enemy is underfoot. Scripture tells us that the last enemy that Christ puts underfoot is Death, at the end of the Day of the Lord (1 Cor. 15:26). What we have seen in Rev. 14 and 19 is Christ putting the first enemy underfoot at the start of the Day of the Lord.
       This particular “harvest” comes at the end of the 3½ years that are called the Wrath of that Day. It is God’s vengeance against evil (Is. 34:8). In Daniel’s time, it was pictured as the Stone that crushes the feet of the statue depicting the times of the Gentiles. In short, it is what ends the war for Jerusalem started by the Antichrist’s coalition of armies. John calls this treading the Battle of that Great Day of God Almighty (Rev. 16:14). He calls this harvesting the Supper of the Great God (Rev. 19:17).
       Given the power of God’s Authority and Voice over the earth, the Victor is obvious. The slaughter is so great that the King of kings calls in the winged calvary to clean up the mess—that is, birds of prey. The beast (Antichrist) is captured, along with his cohort, the False Prophet. They are cast alive into the Lake of Fire (perdition, eternal damnation). They are the first humans to be sent there. They have been judged and sentenced in one fell swoop. In short, the Antichrist’s notorious prophetic career lasts only 3½ years!
       What we see in Revelation is the view of the war for Jerusalem from heaven’s perspective. As with any war, though, the devastation on the earth is appalling. If you want to read more about it, check out Ezekiel 38 and 39 for more details. For our purposes, Rev. 19:21 sums up the result. “And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.”
       You may be wondering what happened to the third “person” of the counterfeit trinity, the Dragon himself, aka: Satan. His fate is recorded in Rev. 20:1-3. An angel descends from heaven holding a great chain and a key. The key opens a compartment in Hell/Hades called the bottomless pit. The angel takes hold of Satan and casts him into the pit, shuts the entrance, locks the door, and seals it. For the time being, that is.
      The Devil’s incarceration implies that he cannot work his deceptions on the nations for the time being. That is, right up near the end of Christ’s 1,000-year reign over the earth. The last statement concerning Satan’s sentencing may surprise you. “But after these things he must be released for a little while.” Stay tuned.
           End-Time Lesson: What is so peculiar about this chapter is just how different it is from what most people think of that final battle. As such, it straightens God’s end-time highway, it raises up the valleys and brings down the mountains, straightens the crooked places, and makes the rough places smooth.
      (1) The war doesn’t happen the moment Jesus comes again. It happens at the end of the wrath of that Day, at the end of the 3 ½ -war. 
       (2) It doesn’t happen at a city or location called Armageddon. It is the war for Jerusalem as the governing city, but it impacts all of Israel.
       (3) Although Israel is fighting as she has in all the wars throughout her history, the true battle is a spiritual one, for the Word cuts down the spiritual forces and the power behind the mortal enemy from above.  
       (4) The only element that is correct is that this “great supper” marks the defeat of the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and the coalition of armies that come against Israel.
       (5) The bottom line is this: Revelation 19 doesn’t depict Christ’s coming, it depicts His treading!