Chapter Thirty-Nine - The Warrior-King Triumphs at Armageddon

Conclusion of The Great Evening Meal of God

The seven-headed, ten-horned wild beast out of the sea, representing Satan's political organization, is tumbled into oblivion, and along with it goes the false prophet, the seventh world power.  (Revelation 13:1, 11-13; 16:13) While still "alive," or still functioning in their united opposition to God's people on earth, they are cast into  "the lake of fire." Is this a literal lake of fire?  No, not any more than the wild beast and the false prophet are literal animals. Rather, it is a symbol of complete, final destruction, a place of no return. Here is where, later, death and Hades, as well as the Devil himself, will be hurled.  (Revelation 20:10, 14) It is certainly  not an inferno of eternal torture for the wicked, since the very idea of such a place is detestable to Jehovah . -Jeremiah 19:5; 32:35; 1 John 4:8, 16. 

All others who were not directly part of government but who were nevertheless an irreformable part of this corrupt world of mankind are likewise "killed off with the long sword of the one seated on the horse."  Jesus will pronounce them deserving of death. Since in their case the lake of fire is not mentioned, are we to expect that they will have a resurrection?  Nowhere are we told that those executed b Jehovah's Judge at that time are to be resurrected. As Jesus himself stated, all those who are not "sheep" Go off "into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels," that is, "into everlasting cutting-off."  (Matthew 25:33,41, 46) This climaxes "the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men." -2 Peter 3:7; Nahum 1:2, 7-9; Malachi 4:1. 

In this way, all of Satan's earthly organization comes to an end. The "former heaven" of political rulership has passed away. The "earth," the seemingly permanent system that Satan has built up over the centuries, is now utterly destroyed.   The "sea," the mass of wicked humanity opposed to Jehovah, is no more.  (Revelation 21:1; 2 Peter 3:10)  What, though, does Jehovah have in store for Satan himself? John goes on to tell us. 

Next time: Chapter Forty -Crushing the Serpent's Head

From the book of Revelation