Useful Bible Studies > Revelation Commentary > chapter 17
The devil will bring together the antichrist (Christ’s great enemy), the kings or rulers of the nations (16:14), and their armies for war. This will be the great final battle at Armageddon (16:16).
Clearly, those kings are the same as the 10 kings who support antichrist’s rule in Revelation 17:12-13. The soldiers in that battle may believe that their enemies are other people. However, that battle will be extraordinary, because the real purpose of the devil and the antichrist will be to fight against Christ. In Revelation 17:14, as elsewhere in the Book of Revelation, Christ is called by his title, the Lamb.
We have the account of that battle in Revelation 19:11-21. However, Revelation 17:14 tells us what will happen. The result of this battle is absolutely certain. God has given his Son, Christ, authority over every king and ruler upon earth (Psalm 110). Christ will both overcome all his enemies and act as their judge. As he fights, he is acting in judgement against them. Their defeat will be total.
‘Those with Christ’ in Revelation 17:14 could mean the angels, God’s special servants who fight on his side in that battle. However, the description of them sounds like a description of God’s people. God has called (invited) them to be his people. He has chosen them out of all the nations to be his own holy nation of royal priests (1 Peter 2:9). They are faithful (loyal) to Christ (Hebrews 10:36-39). They do not fight in that final battle, but they have already overcome the devil’s forces. They overcame because of Christ’s death for them, and because they loyally spoke for him (12:11).
Next part: Antichrist destroys the greatest city (Revelation 17:15-16)
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© 2016, Keith Simons.