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REVELATION - Behold, I am Coming Soon
Studies in the Book of Revelation
BOOK 7 - YES, I AM COMING SOON! (REVELATION 19:11 - 22-21)
PART 7.3 - THE MILLENIUM RULE (REVELATION 20:1-10)

5. The Fire Storm from Heaven (Revelation 20:9b-10)


REVELATION 20:9b-10
9b … Fire came down out of heaven from God, and devoured them. 10 The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

When Elijah stood before God, the Lord, and prayed (1 Kings 17:1) fire from heaven fell and consumed the dripping wet burnt offering on the Carmel (1 Kings 18 and 19, see also Leviticus 9:24). Also, when king Ahaziah wanted to seize Elijah, fire fell from heaven and consumed successively two special units of Ahaziah, which had been sent against the prophet (2 Kings 1:9-14). But when John and James', disciples of Jesus, grew angry at the Samaritans because of the refused hospitality and therefore asked the Lord whether they should make to fall fire from heaven, he forbade them to think in such a manner (Luke 9:54-55).

To the same John it was shown in his vision, how the innumerable great army of Satan, even before they arrived the camp of the saints, was consumed in one moment by a fire storm from heaven.

Also at the first Whitsun upon the waiting and praying apostles a mighty wind rushed down from heaven, out of which fiery flames were released that settled like tongues on each of them. This fire from heaven was, however, not a destroying judgment, but a ministry equipment that revived and endued the waiting and praying disciples with the power of God (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4).

Today we know about devastating weapons of mass destruction such as the hydrogen and neutron bomb (Zechariah 14:12). The revelation speaks of meteorite rains that exert a much more disastrous effect than the modern weapons of men (Revelation 6:13). The most powerful force, however, is the Lord, our God, himself, because he is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; 9:3; Hebrews 12:28-29). The holy Almighty is a jealous God. The innumerable great army of Satan will be burnt by His appearance and destroyed in the twinkling of an eye. In one moment the fright and horror inspiring spook vanished. The joint prayers of the saints have a great power (James 5:16).

The last judgment of Christ on Satan: The devil, who is responsible for this global disaster, will not be burnt together with his army, but captured again. All his power is vanished. He becomes a “nonentity". His deceptions and promises prove to be lies, nothing than lies. He is not able to offer anything any longer. He is completely deprived of his power.

The enemy of God and confuser of the world and of the church is thrown into the fire sea of hell unchained. There, Antichrist, his son, and his false prophet have been waiting since thousand years blaspheming and full of concentrated hate for the ancient dragon. The unclean and evil trinity will end up together in destruction.

The Book of Revelation emphasizes that these three condemned will be tormented continually day and night, even at that time, when there will be no day and night any longer. We do not know about the kind of this torture. Are there pangs of conscience, delayed contrition, hatred against God, or do they plague one another with bitter blames or infernal beats? The Book of Revelation does not read like the Koran that coarse angels heat the hell and that Allah himself torments the unbelievers (Sura Al 'Imran 3:56). It is only stated that their torture will last for ever and ever.

Hints of Christ About Hell: Jesus spoke reluctantly of hell and did not want that people believe in him because of fright of hell but out of love of and faith in him. However, for the sake of reality and truth the Son of God had to unveil occasionally the doom of eternal destruction. So the gospel of Matthew reads as follows:

  • Hell as a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth: Matthew 8:12; 13:42.50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30.
  • Hell as a place of darkness resulting from being far and distant from God: Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30; 27:45-46.
  • Hell as the place where the worm never dies (Mark 9:48) and the fire never stops burning: Matthew 3:10-12; 5:22.29-30; 7:19; 13:30.40-42.49-50; 18:8-9; 25:41; see also Isaiah 66:24.

Jesus describes in detail how the rich man suffered in hell, and emphasized that his delayed repentance and intentions to evangelize were of no avail (Luke 16:19-31). On the eternal pain of hell the Book of Revelation reports clearly and repeatedly (Revelation 14:10-11; 20:10.14-15; 21:8 and other verses). Who will contradict this revealed truth or reinterpret it?

In various religions there are Universalists who bear witness that the love of God exceeds his judgment. This is true up to a certain extend, because God offered his only son so as to reconcile all sinners with himself (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:20-21). Whoever rejects this accomplished reconciliation or fights against it or blasphemes, will condemn oneself. Alone by the grace of God Paul was saved in spite of his Antichristian ravaging (Acts 8:3; 9:1; 22:3-16; 26:9-18 and other verses); however, he had not fought against the Lord out of wickedness, but in blindness he had been zealous for God's honor.

Islam with its paralyzing fatalism has, similar to the Catholic Church, developed the doctrine of the purgatory. According to this, “all” Muslims will go into hell, but will be saved thereof after an indefinite time according to their “good” works! This is supposed to be an inescapable predestination to which Allah himself is submitted (Sura Maryam 19:71-72)!

In Iraq and Syria hundreds of thousands of Jazidis worship the devil. They hope that Allah will be merciful and save also Satan out of hell at the end of his judgment. Therefore they deliberately surrender themselves to Satan so as to be saved above all together with him “in the end". There are inconceivable satanic inspirations and lies!

We, however, want to bear witness of the reality of hell in our churches and talks with all earnestness and spirit-guided repentance and to submit to God's judgment and righteousness.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things one in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

PRAYER: Holy God, You are a consuming fire to those who reject Christ's redemption and laugh at Him and oppose Him. We put ourselves under the protection of Christ's blood that You may not consume us as You consume Satan and his angels with the demon-possessed. We request grace for those who repent sincerely and believe in Your salvation. Amen.

QUESTION:

  1. Why will the saints obtain victory? What are their weapons?

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