Revelation 17:14-18 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings… These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful, etc. To our mind these verses seem to adumbrate the greatest of all the campaigns this world has ever witnessed or ever will. In every department of sentient being there seems to be an arena of conflict, and physical wars in human life have been rife in every part of the world, from the first periods to the present hour. But the great moral campaign is the most universal, unremitting, and momentous. The words serve to bring to our notice two subjects in relation to this campaign - I. THE CONTENDING FORCES. "These shall make war," etc. (ver. 14). What are these? Truth and falsehood, selfishness and benevolence, right and wrong, - these are the battling powers. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Each of these contending forces has its own leader or general. 1. The one is represented as a "beast." The beast is the emblem of the mighty aggregate of wrong in all its elements and operations; wrong in theories and in institutions; wrong in sentiments, ideas, and habits; wrong as imposing as seven mountains, as majestic as kings and empires; wrong sitting as empress over all "nations, and peoples, and tongues." Wrong is the greatest thing in this world at present; it is the mighty Colossus with the "head of gold, breast and arms of silver, his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay." 2. The other is represented as a "Lamb." "These shall make war with [shall war against] the Lamb" (ver. 14). The Lamb is the emblem of innocence, mildness, and purity. In Daniel's vision wrong was a colossal figure, and right a little stone. Here wrong is a terrible "beast," and right a tender "Lamb." Here are the two great generals in this mighty campaign. II. THE MARVELLOUS CONQUEST. Observe: 1. The Conqueror. "The Lamb shall overcome them" (ver. 14). The Lamb, not the beast, is the Conqueror. Power is not to be estimated by size or form. The little stone shivered the image; the Lamb strikes the beast into the dust. The Lamb, though not a bellicose existence, is: (1) Invested with the highest authority. "He is Lord of lords, and King of kings" (ver. 14). The greatest sovereignty that man wields over his fellows is lamb like rather than leonine. It is not that of physical force and gorgeous form, but of lowliness and silence. (2) Followed by a noble army. "They that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful" (ver. 14). Who are his followers? Whom does he lead into the battle? "The called, and chosen, and faithful." Soldiers in the physical battles of nations are men who have embarked in the campaign, not from disinterested love of their country or admiration for their generals, but from motives sordid and sinister; they have sold themselves to the execrable work. Not so with the armies under the command of the Lamb, who is "Lord of lords, and King of kings." They are "called, and chosen, and faithful." Love to him and his grand cause fills and fires their souls. 2. The conquered. "These shall hate the whore," etc. (vers. 16-18). (1) The conquered turn with indignation on themselves. The "beast" with the "ten horns," all his mighty armies, "hate the whore," the harlot whom they fondled and adored, strip her of her grandeur, devour her, and "burn her with fire" (ver. 16). Thus it has ever been. Those whom Christ conquers in his love and truth turn in devouring indignation against their old comrades. Thus Paul turned against the Hebrews, in whom at one time he gloried as a Hebrew of the Hebrews. (2) This wonderful change in them is the result of the spiritual influences of God. "He hath [did] put in their hearts to fulfil his will [to do his mind], and to agree [to come to one mind]" (ver. 17). The moral conquest of wrong is ever ascribable to him who is the Fountain of truth and right. "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph," etc - D.T. Parallel Verses KJV: These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. |
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