A Tale of Two Women
Chapter 19 begins with the tale of two women. Allegorically speaking, the history of the world has been a story of two women. One woman is the Great Harlot, which represents an evil religious system that worships nature and worships the state as the cosmic instantiation of god on earth. The other is the church, which is those called out by God and follow Jesus Christ while in this world. Every individual will ultimately belong to one of these two and will experience whatever destiny is appointed to each woman.
Chapter 19 begins with a proclamation that there is much rejoicing in Heaven over the destruction of the Great Harlot. We see here a hint that this destruction is an eternal, never-ending damnation rather than simple annihilation or mere non-existence. The smoke of her burning continues to rise forever. The Greek transliterated is ‘eis eis aion.’.The word ‘eis’ indicates reaching a point in place or time. The word ‘aion’ is where we get the English word eon. An eon can be eternal or an extremely long but finite period of time. The double use of ‘eis’ indicates that there is not a single arrival at a point in time that would exist in any finite time period, and thus indicates that ‘aion’ here means eternity.
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Revelation 19:1-5 NKJV |
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After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! (2) For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” (3) Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” (4) And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” (5) Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” |
The Marriage Supper
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is the third and final phase of the commencement of a marriage:
A Jewish marriage procedure would begin with the signing of the contract (ketubbah) or covenant by the parents and either the parent of the bridegroom or the bridegroom himself paying the dowry. The covenant here is the New Testament, and the dowry is the blood of Jesus.
The second phase (Chuppah) would happen when the party of the bridegroom would march to the house of the bride at a prearranged time known to both. While at the house, the bridegroom would go into the bridal chambers and consummate the marriage, becoming one flesh with his bride through the first act of sexual intercourse.
The second phase immediately segways into the third. Upon finishing the consummation sexual act in an ancient Jewish wedding, the bride would then accompany the party of the bridegroom to the place of the Wedding supper at the house of the Bridegroom. It is this ritual that is featured in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. We are not told when Christ will come for us, so we must make every preparation to be ready for the rapture at any time.
It is at the point of the rapture/ resurrection of the saints that the church consummates her relationship with Christ. At this moment, she engages in the analogy of having sexual intercourse with the Lord Jesus Christ, her husband and King. It is the receiving of the resurrection body that will accomplish the one-flesh relationship. The text in 1 Corinthians 15 tells us that the resurrection body will be far greater than a resuscitation of our natural body. We will receive a glorified, spiritual body that is far more powerful than the bodies we currently possess. Ephesians 4 promises us that we will eventually be able to access “all of the fullness of God.” Its fulfillment in a marriage of the church to Jesus Christ will require bodies that can contain all that He has. This will require a resurrection body. These resurrection bodies will experience all of God’s pleasure continuously for all eternity as we experience hyper-dimensional, eternal life.
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1 Corinthians 15:35-49 NKJV |
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But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” (36) Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. (37) And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. (38) But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. (39) All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. (40) There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. (41) There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. (42) So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption… |
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1 Corinthians 15:35-49 NKJV |
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..(43) It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. (44) It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. (45) And so it is written, “THE FIRST MAN ADAM BECAME A LIVING BEING.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. (46) However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. (47) The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. (48) As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. (49) And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. |
The experience of God’s pleasure throughout all eternity means all kinds of pleasure, including sexual pleasure. At the hearing of this, our flesh will get in the way of our understanding. The flesh gets in the way in three ways: It causes misunderstanding of legitimate desires, it creates bad desires that cannot be redeemed, and it focuses us on things rather than the Lord.
The flesh can cause us to completely misunderstand the nature of our future union with Christ. We should not think of the ecstasy of the church in her marital bliss with Christ after the manner of a naked woman lying in her bed with her legs wide open as he sexually takes her vagina. This is aiming far too low. The mere possession of our resurrection bodies consummates that marriage. We will be in a state of sexual bliss. This sexual bliss will not be limited to a few narrow bands of physical and psychological pleasure, but will cut across every category of life. The endgame of “one-flesh” is to enjoy all of life together, something done very imperfectly in carnal marriages after the mortal flesh. Our resurrection bodies will keep us in constant communion with Jesus Christ. We will not need genitalia in the world to come. Our resurrection bodies will not have a port for sexual interface; they will be a port in their entirety. It is a complementary relationship in which Christ is male and the rest of us will be females. He will pour all of Himself into our Resurrection bodies in a manner analogous to the male organ pushing his seed into the woman.
It is impossible to understand our consummation with Christ without understanding gender complementarity. Gender complementarity is manifest through the physical world in ways far beyond the scope of sex in such places as electromagnetism and particle physics. The flesh can cause the existence of bad, nonredeemable desires that must be destroyed. Homosexuality can destroy one’s ability to understand anything about our future consummation with Christ by blocking one’s ability to see the working of gender complementarity. This is why Satan pushes homosexuality so hard. Homosexual desires do not bring different but complementary parts together, but are necessarily self-centered, as those consumed by those desires can only desire that which is like themselves. This breeds both narcissism generally and also a self-centered approach to God. This approach seeks only to use God to fulfill selfish desires and can never lead to God’s ideal for marriage. The Lord will not settle for less to gain pleasure. He really does not need it, but chooses to give pleasure because He loves us.
The flesh, by its nature, leads to self-centered approaches to the things of God. Romans 6-8 deals extensively with this topic. The incurable sinfulness of the mortal flesh is the elephant in the room. It is why we need a Savior and continues to dog those who have come to Christ. As the church matures and prepares for marriage, there comes a point where we must cast off this corrupted mortal flesh to be properly clothed with a body that can participate in a holy sexual union with Jesus Christ as man and wife.
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1 Corinthians 15:50-58 NKJV |
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Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. (51) Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed… |
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1 Corinthians 15:50-58 NKJV |
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…(53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (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.” (55) “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING? O HADES, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?” (56) The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. |
In ancient Jewish weddings, the bride would prepare herself to be ready for the chuppa and the subsequent marriage supper. If she were a virgin, she would be dressed in white. It is the same for the marriage of the Lamb’s Wife. She must also prepare herself.
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Revelation 19:6-8 NKJV |
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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! (7) 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.” (8) 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. |
She prepares herself to be ready for the marriage. She is wearing linen, which stands for the righteousness of the saints. This is provided by Christ. He is our righteousness. He has provided everything we need for godliness ( 2 Peter 1:3). His blood shed cleanses us from all sin, and His Holy Spirit has been given to lead us.
Christ comes in to vanquish evil with His hosts.
Christ comes riding a white horse in glory. He first comes to destroy the military forces that have arrayed themselves against Him. Keep in mind that the Earth has been thoroughly broken by the previous geologic events. They have no supply chain and no logistics of any sort necessary to carry out a meaningful campaign. The centralized civilization is no more, leaving the people with no means to resist Christ with any hope of success. He comes in on the white horse and, with a single word, wipes out the military forces. The Antichrist and the False Prophet are thrown alive into the Lake of Fire.
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Revelation 19:11-21 NKJV |
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Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. (12) His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. (13) He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. (14) And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. (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… |
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Revelation 19:11-21 NKJV |
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…(16) And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (17) 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, (18) 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.” (19) And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. (20) Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. (21) 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. |
The beast and false prophet are taken alive to be tried, while the military forces with them are turned into bird food. Keep in mind that the birds of the air are invited to “the supper of the great God.” This immediately follows the marriage supper of the Lamb and His Wife. A critical Kingdom aspect of the Lord’s prayer receives complete fulfillment. We are commanded to pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. The marriage Supper of the Lamb in Heaven has a parallel fulfillment on earth as the birds of carrion feast on the flesh of the armed resistance to the advent of the Kingdom of God on earth.
What about the remnant who refused the mark alive at the Lord’s return? Wrapping loose ends?
The battle of Armageddon only involved engagement between Christ and the military forces. Around the world, there will be numerous people still alive. While these numbers have been decimated due to the many who have already died, the remnant of humanity will still number in the millions. If 99% of the current human population of the earth were to die, it would leave 75 million still living.
Among these survivors, you would have those who took the Mark of the Beast. Jesus spoke in a parable about these. In Luke’s version of the Parable of the Ten Talents, we are given some additional information that tells us what the saints will be doing when Jesus returns. Whereas Matthew’s version is concerned more with how we manage our private property rights in this world, Luke’s version provides political context concerning the eternal Kingdom of God.
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Revelation 16:17-21 NKJV |
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Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. (12) Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. (13) So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ (14) But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’ (15) “And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. (16) Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ (17) And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ (18) And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas…’ |
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Revelation 16:17-21 NKJV |
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Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. (12) Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. (13) So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ (14) But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’ (15) “And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. (16) Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ (17) And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ (18) And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas…’ |
Three things are happening here in the political context:
The first is that the citizens of the land that Christ was to inherit made it clear that they did not want Him to reign over them. This was prefigured in Psalm 2 when the kings of the earth enter into a conspiracy against Christ, the anointed of the Lord. This found fulfillment in the beast system that has just been destroyed by Christ at His coming. Those who took the mark of the beast were rejecting Christ as king.
The second thing is that, when Christ touches down on the earth, He will give instructions to the saints who came with Him. These saints did nothing in the battle of Armageddon besides accompany Him. He will give instructions that will organize His administration during the Millennium. Those of us who are faithful to the end will be given authority over cities and regions. This will be our authorization to take the rest of the earth and the authority to carry out his next instruction. We will then have the command to round up the rebels for execution. We are to “bring hither, and slay them before me.” It will be our task to round up everyone who took the Mark of the Beast and bring them to Christ for sentencing to death. He will then command us to slay them before Him. It is a just and fitting sentence for those who participated in the genocide of God’s people. They will not get to participate in the benefits of the Millennium.
As for the rest, those who did not have the mark and survived the Great Tribulation will be allowed to live, grow, and reproduce as mortals living under the government of Jesus Christ.
Satan’s final doom and eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire?
Satan is captured and imprisoned for a thousand years. During this Millennium, the saints who are in Christ will participate in the first resurrection and reign with Christ as priests of God.
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Revelation 16:17-21 NKJV |
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Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (2) He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; (3) and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. (4) And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years… |
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Revelation 16:17-21 NKJV |
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…(5) But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (6) Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. |
After a thousand years, Satan will be loosed. At this time, we have had 1ooo years of the government of Jesus Christ upon the earth. There will have been perfect justice. The immanent Presence of God on earth will have perceived physical changes to the physical universe. There will be one more trial that will tie every loose end. Satan will likely appeal to the envy of the mortals. He will approach the descendants of the nations comprising the coalition that supported the Antichrist and will tell them that he can give them the glory that they lack as mortals. He will paint the reign of the Antichrist as a glorious time and promise to rebuild that glory. None of the ancestral generation that witnessed the Great Tribulation will succumb, as their names are written in the Book of Life. They will remember the horror and will not buy into Satan’s lie. Successive generations, however, will be born with a corrupt fleshly nature and will need to decide for Christ as Savior. Most of these will not remember first-hand the atrocities of the Antichrist. Many from these nations will join the rebellion and will try to storm the royal city in Gog vs God part 2.
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Revelation 20:7-10 NKJV |
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Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison (8) and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. (9) They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. (10) The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. |
After the utter destruction of the enemies of God comes the Final Judgment. The rest of the dead were resurrected from the dead. The Book of Life was opened to determine who was eligible for eternal life, and other books were consulted to judge every work that was ever done. Death and Hell are cast into the Lake of fire. The consumption of Death by the Lake of Fire means that nothing else will ever die. Then everyone who was not found written in the Book of Life is cast into the Lake of Fire. Because Death is destroyed, they cannot die. Their resurrected bodies will renew as fast as the flames and the worm destroy. They will be eternally dying in a process that will never, ever end, as Death will no longer exist to terminate them.
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Revelation 20:11-15 NKJV |
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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. (12) 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. (13) 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. (14) Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. |