Revelation 19:20
But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
But the beast was captured
The term "beast" in Revelation is often understood to symbolize a powerful, oppressive political or religious system that stands in opposition to God. The Greek word used here is "θηρίον" (thērion), which can mean a wild animal or beast. In the context of Revelation, it represents the ultimate manifestation of evil in the world. The capture of the beast signifies the triumph of divine justice over evil. Historically, this reflects the hope and assurance that God will ultimately defeat all forms of tyranny and oppression.

and with it the false prophet
The "false prophet" is a figure who supports the beast, performing deceptive miracles to lead people astray. The Greek word "ψευδοπροφήτης" (pseudoprophētēs) combines "pseudo" (false) and "prophet," indicating someone who falsely claims to speak for God. This highlights the danger of spiritual deception and the importance of discernment. The false prophet's capture alongside the beast underscores the comprehensive nature of God's judgment against all who oppose His truth.

who had performed the signs on its behalf
The "signs" refer to miraculous acts intended to validate the authority of the beast. The Greek word "σημεῖα" (sēmeia) is often used for miracles or wonders. These signs are counterfeit, designed to mimic the true miracles of God and deceive the faithful. This serves as a warning to believers to remain vigilant and grounded in Scripture, recognizing that not all supernatural acts are from God.

By these signs he had deceived
Deception is a central theme in Revelation, with the false prophet using signs to lead people away from the truth. The Greek word "πλανάω" (planaō) means to lead astray or cause to wander. This deception is a deliberate act to mislead those who are not firmly rooted in their faith. It emphasizes the need for spiritual discernment and the dangers of being swayed by appearances rather than truth.

those who had the mark of the beast
The "mark of the beast" is a symbol of allegiance to the beast and rejection of God. The Greek word "χάραγμα" (charagma) refers to an engraving or stamp, indicating ownership or loyalty. In the historical context, it reflects the pressure on early Christians to conform to societal norms that conflicted with their faith. Spiritually, it represents the choice between following God or succumbing to worldly pressures.

and worshiped its image
Worshiping the "image" of the beast signifies idolatry and the ultimate betrayal of God. The Greek word "εἰκών" (eikōn) means image or likeness, often used in the context of idol worship. This act of worship is a direct violation of the first commandment and represents the spiritual adultery of turning away from God to serve false gods. It serves as a reminder of the importance of exclusive devotion to God.

Both of them were thrown alive
The phrase "thrown alive" indicates the immediacy and severity of God's judgment. The Greek word "ζῶντες" (zōntes) means living, emphasizing that the beast and the false prophet are conscious and aware as they face their punishment. This underscores the reality of divine justice and the certainty of accountability for those who oppose God.

into the fiery lake of burning sulfur
The "fiery lake of burning sulfur" is a vivid depiction of eternal punishment. The Greek word "λίμνη" (limnē) means lake, and "πῦρ" (pyr) means fire, while "θείον" (theion) refers to sulfur, known for its intense heat and suffocating fumes. This imagery is consistent with other biblical descriptions of hell, serving as a sobering reminder of the consequences of rejecting God. It highlights the ultimate victory of God's righteousness and the finality of His judgment.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Beast
Represents a powerful, evil entity or system opposed to God, often interpreted as a political or religious power that leads people away from true worship.

2. The False Prophet
A figure who supports the beast by performing deceptive signs and wonders, leading people to worship the beast and receive its mark.

3. The Mark of the Beast
A symbolic mark representing allegiance to the beast, often interpreted as a sign of loyalty to worldly systems opposed to God.

4. The Fiery Lake of Burning Sulfur
A place of final judgment and eternal punishment for the beast, the false prophet, and those who follow them.

5. Deception through Signs
The false prophet uses miraculous signs to deceive people, highlighting the danger of relying on signs and wonders without discernment.
Teaching Points
Discernment in the Last Days
Believers must cultivate spiritual discernment to recognize and resist deception, especially when it comes in the form of miraculous signs.

Allegiance to Christ
The mark of the beast symbolizes allegiance to worldly powers; Christians are called to maintain their allegiance to Christ alone.

The Reality of Judgment
The fiery lake of burning sulfur serves as a sobering reminder of the reality of God's final judgment against evil.

The Power of Deception
The false prophet's ability to deceive through signs underscores the importance of grounding our faith in Scripture, not in experiences or miracles.

Victory in Christ
Despite the power and deception of the beast and the false prophet, their ultimate defeat is assured, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in faith.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of the beast and the false prophet in Revelation 19:20 relate to the challenges Christians face today in discerning truth from deception?

2. In what ways can believers ensure their allegiance remains with Christ and not with worldly systems, as symbolized by the mark of the beast?

3. How does the concept of final judgment in Revelation 19:20 impact your understanding of God's justice and mercy?

4. What practical steps can you take to develop spiritual discernment in light of the deceptive signs performed by the false prophet?

5. How do the events described in Revelation 19:20 encourage you to remain faithful in the face of opposition and deception? Consider connections to other scriptures that speak of perseverance and victory in Christ.
Connections to Other Scriptures
Daniel 7
The vision of the beasts in Daniel parallels the imagery in Revelation, providing a prophetic backdrop for understanding the beast's role in end-time events.

2 Thessalonians 2
Discusses the man of lawlessness and the deception of those who do not love the truth, similar to the deception by the false prophet.

Matthew 24
Jesus warns about false prophets and false Christs performing great signs and wonders to deceive, even the elect if possible.

Revelation 13
Provides a detailed description of the beast and the false prophet, including their roles and the mark of the beast.
The Eternal in the Universe, and His Representative to ManD. Thomas Revelation 19:1-21
The Four Names of ChristS. Conway Revelation 19:11-21
The Holy WarR. Green Revelation 19:11-21
People
John
Places
Patmos
Topics
FALSE, Alive, TRUE, Beast, Behalf, Bow, Brimstone, Burneth, Burning, Burns, Captured, Cast, Deceived, Deluded, Ever-burning, Fiery, Fire, Image, Lake, Led, Mark, Miracles, Miraculous, Performed, Presence, Prophet, Receive, Received, Seized, Sight, Signs, Statue, Sulfur, Sulphur, Thrown, Wherewith, Wild, Worked, Worship, Worshiped, Worshipped, Wrought
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Revelation 19:20

     1416   miracles, nature of
     1450   signs, kinds of
     4123   Satan, deceiver
     4125   Satan, agents of
     4306   minerals
     6157   fall, of Satan
     7774   prophets, false
     8484   spiritual warfare, enemies
     8738   evil, victory over
     8787   opposition, to God
     9512   hell, experience

Revelation 19:11-21

     2372   Christ, victory
     5127   back

Revelation 19:19-20

     4609   beast, the

Revelation 19:19-21

     4369   sulphur

Revelation 19:20-21

     9130   future, the

Library
January 22. "His Wife Hath Made Herself Ready" (Rev. xix. 7).
"His wife hath made herself ready" (Rev. xix. 7). There is danger in becoming morbid even in preparing for the Lord's coming. We remember a time in our life when we had devoted ourselves to spend a month in waiting upon the Lord for a baptism of the Holy Ghost, and before the end of the month, the Lord shook us out of our seclusion and compelled us to go out and carry His message to others; and as we went, He met us in the service. There is a musty, monkish way of seeking a blessing, and there is
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

King of Kings and Lord of Lords
And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, K ING OF K INGS AND L ORD OF L ORDS T he description of the administration and glory of the Redeemer's Kingdom, in defiance of all opposition, concludes the second part of Messiah Oratorio. Three different passages from the book of Revelation are selected to form a grand chorus, of which Handel's title in this verse is the close --a title which has been sometimes vainly usurped by proud worms of this earth. Eastern monarchs, in particular,
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

The Lord Reigneth
Hallelujah; for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth! T he book of the Revelation, being chiefly prophetical, will not, perhaps, be fully understood, till the final accomplishment of the events shall draw near, and throw a stronger light upon the whole series. But while the learned commentators have been, hitherto, divided and perplexed in their attempts to illustrate many parts of it, there are other parts well adapted for the instruction and refreshment of plain Christians. Particularly, those passages
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Departed Saints Fellowservants with those yet on Earth.
"I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets." The revelation made to St. John in the isle of Patmos, was a comfort to the suffering apostle, and a blessing to the church. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the word, of this prophecy." The beginning indeed was dark; the prophetic sketch, was for sometime, gloomy: It unfolded a strange scene of declensions and abominations, which were to disgrace the church of Christ and mar its beauty; and dismal series of woes on woes,
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

The Saviour's Many Crowns
My brethren, it needs John himself to expound this glorious vision to you. Alas my eye has not yet seen the heavenly glory, nor has my ear heard the celestial song, I am therefore but as a little child among topless mountains, overawed with grandeur, and speechless with awe. Pray for me that I may utter a few words which the Holy Spirit may comfortably apply to your souls, for if he help me not, I am helpless indeed. With his divine aid, I dare to look upon the glorious diadems of our Lord and King.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

"They have Corrupted Themselves; their Spot is not the Spot of his Children; they are a Perverse and Crooked Generation. "
Deut. xxxii. 5.--"They have corrupted themselves; their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation." We doubt this people would take well with such a description of themselves as Moses gives. It might seem strange to us, that God should have chosen such a people out of all the nations of the earth, and they to be so rebellious and perverse, if our own experience did not teach us how free his choice is, and how long-suffering he is, and constant in his choice.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Christ's Kingly Office
Q-26: HOW DOES CHRIST EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF A KING? A: In subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. Let us consider now Christ's regal office. And he has on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name written, "King of kings, and Lord of lords", Rev 19:16. Jesus Christ is of mighty renown, he is a king; (1.) he has a kingly title. High and Lofty.' Isa 57:15. (2.) He has his insignia regalia, his ensigns of royalty; corona est insigne
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Seventh (And Last) vision "On Earth"
E^7, xix. 17&151xx. 15. THE FINAL FIVE JUDGMENTS. We must get a complete view of these in order to embrace them all and view them as a whole. The Structure shows their true sequence: E^7., xix. 17-- 15. The Seventh (and Last) Vision "on Earth." E^7 A^1 xix. 17-21. MEN. The Judgment of the Beast and the False Prophet. B^1 xx. 1-3. SATAN. The Judgment of Satan (Before the Millennium). A^2 xx. 4-6. MEN. The Judgment of the overcomers. The "rest of the dead" left for Judgment. B^2 xx. 7-10.
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

The Last Watch of the Night
C. P. C. Rev. xix. 7 It ends--the vigil of high festival, The solemn night of song; For lo! the crimson day has lit the hills, The day desired so long. From peak to peak there spreads the jasper glow, The morning star grows dim; How passing strange the joy that now we know-- So soon to look on Him! Oh, deeper than our longing and our love, More wondrous than our bliss, His love that waited while the ages rolled To welcome us as His! And now, the watching and the waiting o'er, The sin and sadness
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Moses' Prayer to be Blotted Out of God's Book.
"And Moses returned unto the Lord and said. Oh! this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou--wilt, forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray they, out of thy book which than hast written." In the preceding discourse we endeavored to show that the idea of being willing to be damned for the glory of God is not found in the text--that the sentiment is erroneous and absurd--then adduced the constructions which have been put on the text by sundry expositors,
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

That Worthy Name.
James ii:7. IN the second chapter of the Epistle of James the Holy Spirit speaks of our ever blessed Lord as "that worthy Name." Precious Word! precious to every heart that knows Him and delights to exalt His glorious and worthy Name. His Name is "far above every Name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come." (Ephes. i:21.) It is "as ointment poured forth" (Song of Sol. i:3); yea, His Name alone is excellent (Psalm cxlviii:13). But according to His worth that blessed
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

He Shall not Keep Silent.
THE heavens have long been silent. It is one of the leading characteristics of this present age, the closed, the silent heavens. But they will not be silent forever. "Our God shall come and shall not keep silence" (Ps. i:3). In His divine Patience the Lord has been at the right hand of God for nearly two thousand years. He will not occupy that place forever. It is not His permanent station to be upon the Father's throne. He has the promise of His own throne, which He as the King-Priest must occupy.
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

The Disciple, -- Master, what is the Real Meaning of Service? is it that We...
The Disciple,--Master, what is the real meaning of service? Is it that we serve the Creator and then His creatures for His sake? Is the help of man, who is after all but a mere worm, of any value to God in caring for His great family, or does God stand in need of the help of man in protecting or preserving any of His creatures? The Master,--1. Service means the activity of the spiritual life and is the natural offering prompted by love. God, who is Love, is ever active in the care of His creation,
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet

The Third vision "In Heaven"
H3, xi. 15-19-. THE SOUNDING OF THE SEVENTH TRUMPET. The Seventh Trumpet brings us back to Heaven and to the Third Vision seen there by John. For it is "in heaven" that the Trumpet is sounded. After it is sounded, we again hear the heavenly utterances which tell us of the design of this sounding. In xix. 1-16, heavenly voices again tell us of the completion of its effect. After it is sounded, and its object unfolded, there is a break; and an episode occupying chaps. xii., xiii. and xiv.; the effects
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

All Fulness in Christ
The text is a great deep, we cannot explore it, but we will voyage over its surface joyously, the Holy Spirit giving us a favorable wind. Here are plenteous provisions far exceeding, those of Solomon, though at the sight of that royal profusion, Sheba's queen felt that there was no more spirit in her, and declared that the half had not been told to her. It may give some sort of order to our thoughts if they fall under four heads. What is here spoken of--"all fullness." Where is it placed--"in him,"
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

An Advance Step in the Royal Programme
(Revelation, Chapters iv. and v.) "We are watching, we are waiting, For the bright prophetic day; When the shadows, weary shadows, From the world shall roll away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the star that brings the day; When the night of sin shall vanish, And the shadows melt away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the beauteous King of day; For the chiefest of ten thousand, For the Light, the Truth, the Way. "We are waiting for the morning, When the beauteous day is dawning, We are
by S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation

The Power of God
The next attribute is God's power. Job 9:19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong.' In this chapter is a magnificent description of God's power. Lo, he is strong.' The Hebrew word for strong signifies a conquering, prevailing strength. He is strong.' The superlative degree is intended here; viz., He is most strong. He is called El-shaddai, God almighty. Gen 17:7. His almightiness lies in this, that he can do whatever is feasible. Divines distinguish between authority and power. God has both.
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Living One
"I am He that liveth, and was dead" (i. 18). (...) (ho zon), THE LIVING ONE. Like the previous title, it is used as a special designation of the One whose unveiling is about to be shewn to John. Its use is peculiar to Daniel and Revelation. The two books thus linked together by it are linked as to their character and subject matter in a very special manner. It is used twice in Daniel:- Dan. iv. 34 (31 [19] ) and xii. 7; and six time in Revelation:- Rev. i. 18; iv. 9,10; v. 14; x. 6; and xv. 7. [20]
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

The Seventh vision "In Heaven"
H^7. Chap. xix. 1-16. The final heavenly Utterances and Actions. We now come to the last of the seven Visions seen "in Heaven," which is the subject of chap. xix. 1-16, giving us the final heavenly Utterances and Actions which lead up to, explain, and introduce the five concluding judgments which close up the things of Time, and pass on to what we call the Eternal State. This last Vision "in Heaven" is divided into two parts, each having its own independent construction. The first contains the words
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

An Appendix to the Beatitudes
His commandments are not grievous 1 John 5:3 You have seen what Christ calls for poverty of spirit, pureness of heart, meekness, mercifulness, cheerfulness in suffering persecution, etc. Now that none may hesitate or be troubled at these commands of Christ, I thought good (as a closure to the former discourse) to take off the surmises and prejudices in men's spirits by this sweet, mollifying Scripture, His commandments are not grievous.' The censuring world objects against religion that it is difficult
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Opposition to Messiah Ruinous
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel T here is a species of the sublime in writing, which seems peculiar to the Scripture, and of which, properly, no subjects but those of divine revelation are capable, With us, things inconsiderable in themselves are elevated by splendid images, which give them an apparent importance beyond what they can justly claim. Thus the poet, when describing a battle among bees, by a judicious selection of epithets
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

The Lord's Supper
We are approaching now the end of our Saviour's life. The last week has come, and we are in the midst of it. This is called Passion week. We commonly use this word passion to denote anger. But the first and true meaning of the word, and of the Latin word from which it comes, is--suffering. And this is the sense in which we find the word used in Acts i: 3. There, St. Luke, who wrote the Acts, is speaking of Christ's appearing to the apostles, after his resurrection, and he uses this language: "To
Richard Newton—The Life of Jesus Christ for the Young

In Reply to the Questions as to his Authority, Jesus Gives the Third Great Group of Parables.
(in the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) Subdivision D. Parable of the Marriage of the King's Son. ^A Matt. XXII. 1-14. ^a 1 And Jesus answered and spake again in parables unto them, saying, 2 The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son, 3 and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come. 4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Consolations against the Fear of Death.
If in the time of thy sickness thou findest thyself fearful to die, meditate-- 1. That it argueth a dastardly mind to fear that which is not; for in the church of Christ there is no death (Isa. xxv. 7, 8), and whosoever liveth and believeth in Christ, shall never die (John xi. 26). Let them fear death who live without Christ. Christians die not; but when they please God, they are like Enoch translated unto God (Gen. v. 24;) their pains are but Elijah's fiery chariot to carry them up to heaven (2
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

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