Fire Came Down from God Out of Heaven Revelation 20:9

An “angel” from heaven showed John the apostle many things which will occur in the tribulation time on the earth, and John wrote about commercial Babylon's destruction and the people who were affected by it. John wrote about great worship which occurred in heaven afterward and then shared about the birds being gathered together to eat the flesh of the bodies of the opponents of Jesus. He wrote, “And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. And I saw an angel come down from heaven,

having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.” John continued, “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. John continued, “And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” John continued, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.” In Revelation chapter twenty and verse nine John sees how, “fire came down from God out of heaven” where we read:

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

The verse reads, “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city:” John began with the words, “and they went up” which means “and the people who were deceived by Satan ascended, mounted up and sprung up” “on the breadth” or “upon the great extent” “of the earth” which means “pertaining to the arable land, country, territory and region”, “and compassed” or “and surrounded, lead around and encircled” “the camp” or “the encampment, sacred congregation or army” “of the saints about” which means “pertaining to the pure, morally blameless or religiously and ceremonially consecrated”, “and the beloved city” or “and the welcoming, entertaining and fondly loved abode and dwelling place or heavenly Jerusalem”. John shared how those who aligned themselves with “Satan” as an army surrounded the “sacred congregation” of Jesus.

The verse goes on to say, “and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” John continued the words, “and fire” which means “and fiery lightning” “came down” which means “descended from a higher place to a lower place” “from God” or “the origin and cause of which was the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father , Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “out of heaven” which means “away and out of the region above the sidereal heavens and the seat of order of things eternal and consummately perfect where God dwells and other heavenly beings”, “and devoured them” or “and consumed, squandered and wasted the opponents of Jesus”. John shared how God sent “consuming” “fire” down upon the enemies of Jesus and His believers.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we see how God was involved in the destruction of the enemies of Jesus and His people. Though “Satan” and his deceived ones gathered together for war against them, God intervened and they made no progress at all. God desires people to have a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus, and those who align themselves with Him do not have to be a part of the enemy's army. May all who read these words be wise and receive Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” today.

Next time John shares how, “the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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