READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary l Revelation tells us that there is a cosmic battle that we need to be aware of, a battle that has raged through the ages, manifesting itself through the rise and fall of human empires and ideologies. Through it all, Jesus remains the final authority and victor.
The Battle’s Beginning
In Rev 20:1-3, John refers to the dragon as the ‘ancient serpent’, pointing us to the snake in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). This reminds us of the Creation story (Gen 1), where God brings order out of chaos. The “pit” where the serpent is cast is symbolic – it echoes the “deep” or “ocean,” often used in Scripture to represent the realm of chaos.
In Rev 11-15, we are introduced to the unholy trinity of the Dragon, the Beast from the Sea, and the Beast of the Earth. The dragon is the source of power of these two beasts and influences them. The beasts are symbols of the human empires and the religious ideologies that support the reign of empires. The message is clear: there is a spiritual evil behind humans acting like beasts.
This spiritual evil influences humans by tempting us to be like God. In Gen 3:4-5, the serpent tempts the woman to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil by promising her that her eyes would be opened and she would be like God. This same narrative plays out today, successfully luring humans to attempt to take the place of God, and be the masters of their own lives. It is this central lie that drives the rise of empires like Babylon.
Scot McKnight (New Testament Professor) highlights the 7 traits of empires that exemplify this.
- Anti God – disregards God and replaces God with something else
- Opulence – tendency towards displays of grandeur
- Murderous – disregards dignity of human life
- Propagandistic – displays of power to remind others of its authority
- Militarism – willingness to use military might to maintain power
- Economic Exploitation – economically exploits, prospering some at the cost of everyone else
- Arrogance – hubris and the belief that they are non-violable
We see this in biblical empires like Babylon, Rome, Egypt, Israel and Assyria and empires in the past century such as Italy, Germany, Soviet Union, Libya, Iraq and Cambodia. No one is exempt from the influence of the dragon.
This is the battle from the beginning of time. Paul highlights this in Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
The Fate of Two Sides
There are two opposing sides in this cosmic battle (Rev 19, 20) – those who bear the mark of the beast on their foreheads and hands and those who do not. The mark symbolizes ownership – who or what we belong to.
Its placement on the forehead and hand echoes Deuteronomy 6:8, where God commands His people to bind His Word (the Shema) as reminders and also teachings for future generations. The mark of the beast is the antithesis of the Shema, promoting self-rule and the belief that we can be our own god. The values and marks we choose are inevitably passed down to the next generation.
Revelation promises two different feasts for these two opposing sides. Those who believe the lies of the dragon are eaten by the birds of the air (Rev 19:17-18). Those who follow Christ will feast at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9). This is God’s final defeat of human evil, echoing the prophetic visions of Ezekiel 38, 39.
The question remains: whose mark do we choose to bear?
The Battle’s End
In Rev 19:11-16, Jesus comes to put a final end to the battle. The imagery in Rev 19 is based off Isaiah 63 where a divine warrior comes to execute justice. In Isa 63:2, the warrior is seen in red garments, like ‘those of one treading the winepress (of his enemies)’. In Rev 19:13, Jesus the warrior is also dressed in red but the narrative is different. He arrives before the battle has begun, already ‘dressed in a robe dipped in blood.’ It is His blood, His sacrifice on the cross that has already won the final victory.
Rev 19:13 declares that Jesus is the logos– a divine rational principle that pervades the entire universe. ‘From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nation, and he will rule them with a rod of iron’ (Rev 19:15).
- Jesus has the authority and wisdom to decide what is righteous and just
- He shows that the way to life and victory is through death and self-sacrifice. This is the exact opposite to the value of self-determination and individualism of the dragon and beasts.
- Jesus deals with the chaotic powers of the dragon through speaking – because He is the final authority. This mirrors Gen 1 where God spoke creation into being.
Rev 19:16 – On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus rules over every kingdom and government in the past, present and the future. Following King Jesus means following a king that overcomes through service and self-sacrifice.
- Instead of a crown of gold, He wears a crown of thorns
- Instead of a grand throne, He allowed Himself to be nailed to the cross
- Instead of taking from and exploiting His people, He gave his life for us
- Instead of His own will, He chose the will of His Father
Jesus has already won this cosmic battle. He conquers through sacrifice, not domination. In a world that worships autonomy and self-rule, we are invited to follow a King who gave everything. Let us choose the mark of the Lamb and walk in His victory.
(Sermon notes by Stella Chiam)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Read Revelation 19:11-16, then read Isaiah 63:1-6. Isaiah 63:1-6 presents a picture of a divine warrior who has come to exact vengeance. The metaphor used is of treading a wine press till his robe is stained red; it is the blood of his enemies. This is the imagery that John is using in Revelation 19:11-16, but there is an important difference. Has Jesus, the rider on the white horse, come from battle? Or does he come to battle? Whose blood is on his robe if the battle has yet to be fought in this picture?
- What does it mean to have the mark of the beast on one’s forehead and hand in light of the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4-9?
- What are the traits of Babylon that you have become most comfortable with in your own life and work? Are there things of ‘demonic’ nature that you have settled with?
- The ones whom God vindicates in the end are those who have laid down their lives because they would not bow the knee to the beast. They conquered by the blood of the lamb. In what way is God calling you to lay down your life in your resistance of the beast?
