SWIFT DOOM UPON SATAN AND ALL WHO FOLLOW HIS LEAD

Swift Doom Comes upon Satan and his Followers

vs. 9b-10

".....and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

The Immediacy of Destruction is Marked at the Outset vs. 9b

"and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them."

Apparently Christ does not intervene at all in his own behalf. The Father, without delay, sends fire down out of heaven and devours the whole army of sinners arrayed against the Holy City. These all go into Hades and await the resurrection and the judgment of the wicked. Gk. text leaves out "from God." If "from God" is correct, then it means the Father.

This rebellion of Satan and his deluded followers is not part of the Millennial Kingdom, but follows it. As John describes the tragic event, it does not come until "the thousand years are expired" (Rev. 20:7). Then for a brief season the divine restraint will be relaxed for the purpose of providing one last and supreme demonstration of the appalling wickedness of the unregenerate human heart. How such a rebellion could spring up, following a kingdom that began with a society of regenerated people should be no mystery. For regenerated parents are no guarantee of regenerated progeny, as we should have learned long ago. If the numbers who respond to the satanic leadership seems disappointingly large - "as the sand of the sea" - we must remember that under the millennial control of disease and death, the human race will greatly multiply. Moreover, the large number of the unsaved is always balanced by the promise made to Abraham - "I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore" (Gen. 22:17). And the saved in every age, in a sense, are Abraham's seed (Gal. 3:29). When John describes the objective of the satanic attack as "the camp of the saints," there is no necessary implication that all the millennial saints are shut up in Jerusalem. It only means that Satan recognizes, as we might expect, that here in "the beloved city" is the center or "citadel" (paremboli; cf. Acts 21:34) of the millennial government. The rebellion ends in judgment, not in a battle. Though Satan gathers the rebels "to battle," there is no battle. The end is by the fire of divine execution.

The Method of Destruction is Clearly Marked Here as Fire

"and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them."

This fire is from heaven. Whether this may be electric fire, such as lightning, is not clear from the passage. It is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29).

The Objects of Destruction are all the Wicked in the Earth

The deception of Satan was universal, four quarters of the earth. The number deceived was numberless, as the sand of the sea. This number encompassed the camp of the saints. This entire number was consumed by fire. It appears that every last wicked person, every unsaved person suffers from the fire from heaven. When the wicked come before the great throne, only the dead appear there. Then all the wicked must have died.

At last it is proven that except a man be born again he cannot experience the dominion of God (John 3:3, 5).

The Devil and Leader has Eternal Doom Inflicted upon him vs. 10

"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

Without recourse this great evil being is cast into the Lake of Fire with the beast and false prophet. His judgment was sealed at the cross (John 16:11). It is now inflicted. The place that was prepared for him and his angels and of which he has already had a thousand years foretaste now becomes his eternal abode (Matt. 25:41). Ceaselessly through the ages he shall be tormented. An eternity will never satisfy the wrath of God nor be sufficient to atone for what he has done.

"Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."
"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:"