Rev 19:20-21 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 20. And the beast was taken . That is, was taken alive, to be thrown into the lake of fire. The hosts were slain, ( ,) but the leaders were made prisoners of war. The general idea is, that these armies were overcome, and that the Messiah was victorious; but there is a propriety in the representation here that the leaders--the authors of the war--should be taken captive, and reserved for severer punishment than death on the battle-field would be--for they had stirred up their hosts, and summoned these armies to make rebellion against the Messiah. The beast here, as all along, refers to the Papal power; and the idea is that of its complete and utter overthrow, as if the leader of an army were taken captive and tormented in burning flames, and all his followers were cut down on the field of battle. And with him the false prophet . As they had been practically associated together, there was a propriety that they should share the same fate. In regard to the false prophet, and the nature of this alliance, . That wrought miracles before him . That is, the false prophet had been united with the beast in deceiving the nations of the earth. . With which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast . . By these arts they had been deceived; that is, they had been led into the alliance, and had been sustained in their opposition to the truth. The whole representation is that of an alliance to prevent the spread of the true religion, as if the Papacy and Mohammedanism were combined, and the one was sustained by the pretended miracles of the other. There would be a practical array against the reign of the Son of God, as if these great powers should act in concert, and as if the peculiar claims which each set up in behalf of its own Divine origin became a claim which went to support the whole combined organization. These both were east alive into a lake of fire . The beast and the false prophet. That is, the overthrow will be as signal, and the destruction as complete, as if the leaders of the combined hosts should be taken alive, and thrown into a pit or lake that burns with an intense heat. There is no necessity for supposing that this is to be literally inflicted--for the whole scene is symbolical--meaning that the destruction of these powers would be as complete as if they were thrown into such a burning lake. Compare Barnes on "Re 14:10-11" . Burning with brimstone . Sulphur--the usual expression to denote intense heat, and especially as referring to the punishment of the wicked. . (d) "beast" (e) "lake of fire"

Revelation of John 19:20-21

Verse 20. And the beast was taken. That is, was taken alive, to be thrown into the lake of fire. The hosts were slain, (Rev 19:21,) but the leaders were made prisoners of war. The general idea is, that these armies were overcome, and that the Messiah was victorious; but there is a propriety in the representation here that the leaders--the authors of the war--should be taken captive, and reserved for severer punishment than death on the battle-field would be--for they had stirred up their hosts, and summoned these armies to make rebellion against the Messiah. The beast here, as all along, refers to the Papal power; and the idea is that of its complete and utter overthrow, as if the leader of an army were taken captive and tormented in burning flames, and all his followers were cut down on the field of battle.

And with him the false prophet. As they had been practically associated together, there was a propriety that they should share the same fate. In regard to the false prophet, and the nature of this alliance, Rev 16:13.

That wrought miracles before him. That is, the false prophet had been united with the beast in deceiving the nations of the earth. Rev 16:14.

With which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast. Rev 13:16-18. By these arts they had been deceived; that is, they had been led into the alliance, and had been sustained in their opposition to the truth. The whole representation is that of an alliance to prevent the spread of the true religion, as if the Papacy and Mohammedanism were combined, and the one was sustained by the pretended miracles of the other. There would be a practical array against the reign of the Son of God, as if these great powers should act in concert, and as if the peculiar claims which each set up in behalf of its own Divine origin became a claim which went to support the whole combined organization.

These both were east alive into a lake of fire. The beast and the false prophet. That is, the overthrow will be as signal, and the destruction as complete, as if the leaders of the combined hosts should be taken alive, and thrown into a pit or lake that burns with an intense heat. There is no necessity for supposing that this is to be literally inflicted--for the whole scene is symbolical--meaning that the destruction of these powers would be as complete as if they were thrown into such a burning lake. Compare Barnes on "Re 14:10-11".

Burning with brimstone. Sulphur--the usual expression to denote intense heat, and especially as referring to the punishment of the wicked. Rev 14:10.

(d) "beast" Rev 16:13,14 (e) "lake of fire" Rev 20:10, Dan 7:11 Verse 21. And the remnant. The remainder of the assembled hosts--the army at large, in contradistinction from the leaders.

Were slain with the sword. Cut down with the sword; not rescued for protracted torment. A proper distinction is thus made between the deceived multitudes and the leaders who had deceived them.

Of him that sat upon the horse. The Messiah, Rev 19:11.

Which sword proceeded out of his mouth. Barnes on "Re 19:15". That is, they were cut down by a word. They fell before him as he spake, as if they were slain by the sword. Perhaps this indicates that the effect that is to be produced when these great powers shall be destroyed is a moral effect; that is, that they will be subdued by the word of the Son of God.

And all the fowls were filled with their flesh. Rev 19:17. An effect was produced as if the fowls of heaven should feed upon the carcases of the slain.

The general idea here is, that these great Antichristian powers which had so long resisted the gospel, and prevented its being spread over the earth; which had shed so much blood in persecution, and had so long corrupted and deceived mankind, would be subdued. The true religion would be as triumphant as if the Son of God should go forth as a warrior in his own might, and secure their leaders for punishment, and give up their hosts to the birds of prey. This destruction of these great enemies--which the whole course of the interpretation leads us to suppose is still future--prepares the way for the millennial reign of the Son of God--as stated in the following chapter. The "beast" and the "false prophet" are disposed of, and there remains only the subjugation of the great dragon--the source of all this evil--to prepare the way for the long-anticipated triumph of the gospel. This subjugation of the great original source of all those evil influences is stated in Rev 20:1-3; and then follows the account of the thousand years' rest of the saints, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment.

(f) "sword" Rev 19:15, 1:16 (g) "fowls" Rev 19:17,18