Revelation | May 6, 2026

Start your day with a short, Scripture-centered devotional from Paul Michael. In about seven minutes, you will hear the Word, reflect on its truth, and be encouraged to live it out in everyday life.

Revelation | Armageddon, Part 2

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Transcript

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Welcome to Your Daily Devotional with Me, PMV. Today we take a closer look at what is commonly called the Battle of Armageddon. All right, as we come to Revelation chapter 19, verse 15, it reads, Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that with it he should strike the nations, and he himself will rule them with the rod of iron. He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. So Jesus is pictured as having a sharp sword coming out of his mouth. This is most likely not a literal sword, but pictures the power of his word. We know from passages like Ephesians 6.17 and Hebrews 4.12 that the word of God is likened to a sharp sword. But also Jesus was pictured this way at the very beginning of the book of Revelation. Revelation 1.16 reads, He had in his right hand seven stars. Out of his mouth went a sharp, two-edged sword, and his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. The battle Jesus comes to wage is not a matter of power. Jesus has all power and authority. It's a matter of truth. In this moment, the truth of God is about to prevail, and evil will be judged in truth and righteousness. Verse 15 also speaks of Jesus ruling the nations with a rod of iron. Well, this is a reference to Psalm 2.9, which is a messianic psalm speaking of God's Messiah ruling over the nations. We've looked at this some before. This psalm has been alluded to or quoted multiple times through Revelation, and now it's being fulfilled. Also in verse 15, it speaks of treading the winepress. We've already seen this imagery in Revelation chapter 14. The treading of the winepress is a common metaphor for judgment through the Old Testament. The day of judge God's judgment has come, and Jesus is the one who carries it out. Then verse 16 gives us our fourth and final name for Jesus. We've been looking at those from last time and then today. And it's this name in relation to Revelation 19. There's these four names. It reads, and he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. So we saw this alluded to when it described Jesus as having many crowns on his head. Jesus came once as Savior of the world. Jesus came once and wore a crown of thorns. Jesus came once and died for the salvation of all who would believe in him. But the next time Jesus returns to earth, he is coming in might and power, and he will rule as King of kings and Lord of Lords. He is coming as a conqueror to defeat evil, to defeat those who oppose him, and to enforce his rule over all of his creation. And that brings us to a spiritual truth that we must weigh for ourselves regarding what we believe about Jesus. If Jesus does not return, he's not God, because he's promised to do it. So if he doesn't return, he's not kept his word. But everyone must be ready to meet their God if he does return. There's no middle ground when it comes to what you believe about Jesus. If he's God, then he'll keep his word, and he will return one day as the judge of the living and the dead. The only way to be ready for that day is to believe in him today. If Jesus is not going to return as the judge of the living and the dead, then he's a liar and you have no reason to believe him at all. But the evidence of millions of changed lives, archaeological evidence, fulfilled prophecy, and the thumbprint of God on his creation all point to Jesus being exactly who he claimed to be. But looking at the evidence is not what saves us. Faith in Jesus, turning from your way, believing upon him is how we are saved. So what have you decided about Jesus? Everything hangs upon what you believe about Jesus. Will you take him at his word? Will you believe that he is who he says he is, that he will do what he's promised to do? Let's read the remainder of our passage today. Revelation 19, verses 17 through 21. Read, 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, 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. And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathering together to make war against him who sat on the horse and against his army. Now listen, 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 worshipped his image. Notice there's really not much of a battle. We'll get to that in just a second. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone, 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. Okay, several things from this passage, and then we'll bring it to a close. First, there's no real battle. Jesus shows up, his enemies are defeated, case closed. Second, note the emphasis on all people, whether small or great. Your place in society will not matter when Jesus returns. The only thing that matters is whether Jesus is your Lord or not. Third, the beast and the false prophet, they're cast into the lake of fire. This is the first mention of the lake of fire and revelation. There are four groups that are cast into the lake of fire. First, the beast and the false prophet. Satan, we second, we will see Satan thrown into the lake of fire. And then third, death, Hades will be thrown in. And fourth, unbelievers who rejected Christ and appear at the final judgment. So the last thing I want to point out about our passage today is that it's likened to a feast for the birds of the air. It's pretty hardcore. There are two feasts in Revelation 19. The first feast is the marriage supper of the Lamb. Those are for believers who are in Jesus Christ. We will get to be with him forever, and he will throw this great feast as he receives us to himself. It's going to be a joyful time. Second, there's a feast when Jesus destroys his enemies and the birds of the air feast on the slain. These two feasts are set in contrast to one another in Revelation 19. So the question that's kind of being implied is which feast will you be at? Will you eat or be eaten? The second feast was prophesied about in Ezekiel 39, 17 through 20. We don't have time to read that today, but you can go back and look, Ezekiel 39, 17 through 20. And Jesus spoke about it in Matthew 24, 28. Matthew 24, 28. So here's the point God's not hiding this from you. He's not trying to keep this from you. God has revealed himself to you. In the Old and the New Testament, He's been foretelling about this day that would come. So the question is: will you believe him? Will you take him at his word? Will you eat or will you be eaten? It all hangs on what you do with Jesus Christ. Will you trust him? Will you believe him? Will you cast yourself upon the mercy of God in Jesus? Thank you for joining me today. For more information, you can go to pmbministries.org. As always, I hope you have a great day.