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Divine Council Series  ·  Revelation 19–21

The Divine Warrior & Eden Restored

Heaven opens. The Rider ends the rebellion. And heaven comes down to earth.

Jesus on a white horse strikes the dragon with a blast of teal light, carved in gold relief

What’s a place you love that you’d like to see restored to the way it was at its very best?

Throughout this series, we’ve watched God’s council fracture — rebel spirits seizing the nations, a dragon thrown out of heaven, a scroll of judgment broken open. Now Revelation reaches its climax. Heaven opens, and Jesus rides out as the Divine Warrior to end the rebellion for good. Then comes the twist: instead of taking his people away to heaven, he brings heaven down to earth.

Play War in Heaven II to see the dragon’s final defeat.

Playable game — Revelation 19–20

War in Heaven Part II: an archangel and hooded warriors battle the seven-headed red dragon over a burning city
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War in Heaven II  ·  The Dragon’s Final Defeat

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Revelation 19:11–21The Rider on the white horse ends the rebellion

11I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself. 13He is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood. His name is called “The Word of God.” 14The armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen. 15Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp, double-edged sword, that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He treads the wine press of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. 16He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

17I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, “Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God, 18that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, small and great.” 19I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army. 20The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21The rest were killed with the sword of him who sat on the horse, the sword which came out of his mouth. All the birds were filled with their flesh.

1 This story gives us a picture of Jesus that some might find surprising. In verse 21, Jesus kills the enemies of God, and afterwards the birds eat their flesh. Does this depiction of Jesus surprise you? Why or why not?
Your thoughts
2 Notice the armies of heaven ride with Jesus to the battle, which is thought to include God’s Divine Council. However, verse 21 implies only Jesus will fight the enemies. The army who follows him, which seems to include humans and angels, doesn’t fight. It only witnesses the battle. What do you learn from this?
Your thoughts
A golden angel holds the key of the abyss and a great glowing chain
“I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon…” Revelation 20:1–2
3 The rider on the white horse is Jesus, described as having many crowns* (see Revelation 19:12). What do the many crowns symbolize?
View a suggested answer
The many crowns mean Jesus is king of all nations, signifying all the earth.
Your thoughts
4 Revelation 19:13 calls Jesus the “Word of God.” In Greek thinking the word for Word (logos) meant the divine order of the universe, which gives it structure and meaning. Throughout this series we’ve seen spirits on God’s Divine Council go rogue and rebel. Now we see Jesus bringing judgment on them. What does his title as the “logos” that brings structure and meaning to the universe reveal?
Your thoughts
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Playable cutscene — Earlier, on Patmos

Jesus, glowing, stands among seven golden lampstands in a cave on Patmos
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The Vision on Patmos  ·  Revelation 1–2

Revelation 2:26–27Jesus promises to share his authority

26He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations. 27He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of my Father.

5 This passage reveals our final purpose; Jesus intends to share his rule with his followers. Humans are meant to be co-kings with Jesus over the next world. How do you feel about this opportunity and what do you think it would look like?
Your thoughts

* Or “diadems.”

The seven-headed red dragon rises out of the abyss in teal fire
“And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison…” Revelation 20:7

Key Takeaways

01
According to Revelation, things will get worse before they get better… but they will get better.
02
Jesus will ultimately defeat Satan and his armies.
03
Today, it’s a popular idea that we “go away” to heaven, but the Bible ultimately describes heaven coming down to Earth. The idea is that God will remake this world by combining heaven and earth, restoring it to the way it was at the very beginning (and seemingly restoring it to an even better state than the world was originally in).
04
Jesus wants to share his reign. His followers will be given important roles in managing the new world.
I want to remember…

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Module Complete?

If you’ve played War in Heaven II, watched the Patmos cutscene, and discussed the questions, mark this module done.

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