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Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
Rev 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all [ men, both] free and bond, both small and great.
Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:21 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.

Introduction

In our study of verse 9 we learned of a spiritual event called “the marriage supper of the Lamb”, and we learned that those who are called to that “marriage supper” were especially “blessed”.

Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

In today’s study we will be learning about “the supper of the great God”?

What is the difference between these two suppers? Is there one supper which we attend at a certain stage in our spiritual development, and then another supper which we attend at still another stage of our walk?

We already know that we are to “keep the things written” in this book (Rev 1:3). We already know that “all things present and to come are ours” (1Co 3:21-22). So we know these two suppers are our suppers.

Let’s look at what we are told about these two suppers and see if there is any difference at all between them.

Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

There are three principles at play in this verse. 1) An angel standing in the sun, 2) He cries with a loud voice to the fowls of the heavens to 3) gather themselves together unto the supper of the great God.

So let’s take each of these three principles and let the Word of God tell us what is their meaning.
1) What is “an angel standing in the sun?

To answer this question we must know what the sun symbolizes, because we have been told that this is a book of symbols which has been “signified” to us.

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

So what does the ‘sun’ signify? Who is this angel, and exactly where is he standing?

Here is what the scriptures reveal this angel symbolizes:

Rev 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred [and] forty [and] four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

We have seen repeatedly, and in this very chapter, that the angels of this revelation of Jesus Christ are our fellowservants and those who keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book:

Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him [the angel]. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Rev 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard [them]. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

So what is the ‘sun’? Where is this “man, that is… the angel” standing? Here is what the ‘sun’ symbolizes. Here is where he is standing.

Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

It is none other than our Lord who has “healing in His wings” and who as “the sun… tabernacles in [our] heavens”.

Psa 19:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Psa 19:2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
Psa 19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Psa 19:4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Psa 19:5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
Psa 19:6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

Mat 9:14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
Mat 9:15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

So this “angel” is “a man” standing within Christ, our Lord, and in Him he is proclaiming these words to “the fowls of the heaven”:

Rev 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

It is you and I who hear the proclamation of the destruction of our own flesh.

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

The flesh must be overcome by the new man and must be destroyed before we can enter into the kingdom of God, which kingdom is within us.

Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

If it is true that “the kingdom of God is within you”, and it is also true that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, what this means for us now is that we all must spiritually “die daily” (1Co 15:31) to our own flesh, and recognize that it is we who have been devoured by “the fowls of the heaven” all the days we were being devoured in our blindness by the false prophets of Babylon. This entire statement concerning “the supper of the great God” is but a recap of the judgment of Babylon the great of chapters 16-18, within us.

2) So who are these “fowls of the heaven” who are being called to this “supper of the great God”?

This symbol is explained for us by our Lord Himself:

Mat 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Mat 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Now let’s skip down to verse 18, and let our Lord Himself give us the interpretation of these “fowls” which “devour them up”.

Mat 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
Mat 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

The seeds which fell by the wayside were “devoured” by the fowls, which our Lord tells us signifies and symbolizes “the wicked one” and those who do the work of “the wicked one”.

So what does it signify to be devoured by the fowls of the heavens? Why are we told that the fowls of the heavens are called, “To eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great?”

If indeed, as our Lord informs us, the fowls symbolize “the wicked one” who “devours up” and “catches away that which is sown in his heart”, then that is why “the fowls of the heavens” are called to “the supper of the great God”.

Mat 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart.” Is there anyone who has not had this experience? Has anyone avoided drinking of the cup of the fornications of Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of abominations of the world”?

Jer 25:15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
Jer 25:16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
Jer 25:17 Then took I the cup at the LORD’S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:
Jer 25:18 To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day;

It is this desolation “because of the sword”, which ‘sword’ is the Word of God, that “the great city [within us] is destroyed and made desolate. It is within us “where also our Lord was crucified”. It is the destruction of “Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children”, by the Truths of the Word of God, which births within us “Jerusalem which is above… which is the mother of us all.”

Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

These two opposing ‘Jerusalems’ are nothing more or less that the enmity and the war, which God Himself has ordained from the very beginning to be fought, between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Gen 3:15 is just the earliest way of saying:

Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

Revelation 19:19 where “the kings of the earth… gather against Him that sat on the horse” is simply a more mature revelation of that original prophecy.

Who are these “kings of the earth”? Let’s read of this very same event in the prophecy of Jeremiah:

Jer 25:19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;
Jer 25:20 And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,
Jer 25:21 Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon,
Jer 25:22 And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which [are] beyond the sea,
Jer 25:23 Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners,
Jer 25:24 And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert,
Jer 25:25 And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes,
Jer 25:26 And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which [are] upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.
Jer 25:27 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.

This is “all in Adam” (1Co 15:22), and everything that was in Adam is in us all, and that is why we all experience the same event:

Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

Is there any way we can avoid being the seed of the serpent before we become the seed of the woman? Not one of us has been able to do that. But what do the scriptures teach? Let’s just read on.

Jer 25:28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.
Jer 25:29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.

Mat 20:23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but [it shall be given to them] for whom it is prepared of my Father.

Have we not shown that these nations of the earth are all just symbols of our lives in rebellion against the words of our Lord? Is not ‘the earth’ merely the spiritual symbol of those in whom His word has no place?

Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

So this is the beast within us, and all the kings of the earth and their armies, being ridden by the great whore within us, who have gathered together to make war against our Lord sitting on the horse, and against his army.

Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

However, the author and finisher of our faith has already written in His book the defeat of this beast and the kings of the earth and their armies and the false prophet within us. We were told back in chapter 16, in our study of “the pouring out of the sixth… vial” that the kings of the earth were “gathered together “to the battle of the great day of God Almighty… called… Armageddon”.

Rev 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Rev 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

3) Our last question is What is “the supper of the great God”?

The answer is that this supper is the symbolic meat or flesh, which is provided to the symbolic fowls of the heaven by the symbolic sword in the hand of Him that sits upon the symbolic horse.
The flesh symbolizes our attachment to the things of this world. The fowls of the heaven symbolize all the false doctrines of Babylon which keep us attached to the things of this world. The sword symbolizes the Truth of God’s Word which destroys all desires of our earthy, Babylonian flesh. The white horse is the symbol of the irresistible power of our God over His creation.

Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:21 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.

The beast and the false prophet are cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. Where did the great whore Babylon go? What happened to her? Why is not this great whore being cast into this lake of fire?

The fact of the matter is that she is being cast into the lake of fire, but the holy spirit is revealing to us, that “the false prophet” and “Babylon the great… whore” are one and the same symbol for all the lies and false doctrines which make up this great whore and “the false prophet”.

So what is the difference between the marriage supper of the Lamb, where His wife hath made herself ready, and the supper of the great God, where the fowls of heaven eat the flesh of men?

Mat 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

The devouring of the flesh of men by the fowls of heaven is the dying of our old man. The answer is that it is by and through being fed to the fowls of heaven, through the desolation of the flesh, that the bride makes herself ready. She is not subjected to the purifying of the lake of fire, but endures fiery trials in this present age.

Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Those who are cast into the lake of fire are said to “worship the beast”. What does that mean? It certainly does not mean that they are dying daily to the beast. What it means is that they feed their beast, and celebrate him and his power over them. They revel in their freedom from the words and the example of our Lord, and want to be “in bondage” to “the weak and beggarly elements of the world” (Gal 4:9-10).

In Galatians 4 we are told that Hagar is analogous to “Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.”

Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

To what are those in this great city in bondage? We are not left to speculate. We were told earlier in this same chapter what this bondage is:

Gal 4:1 Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Gal 4:2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Gal 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

There is no one alive who was not “made of a woman, made under the law”. It is in this condition that we are said to be “children [Greek: nepios, infants or toddlers]… in bondage under the elements of the world… made of a woman, made under the law.”

However, we are told that Christ came to redeem us from being in bondage to the elements of the world, from being under tutors and governors, from being under the law.

Now the question arises: are Gentiles ever “under the law”? What do the scriptures teach us?

Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

“The Gentiles are a law unto themselves” and “do by nature the things contained in the law.” It is natural to love your own children and even your own neighbor, as both the law of the Gentiles and the law of Moses demand, but it is unnatural for any human to love his enemy. Nevertheless, it is that which is unnatural which delivers us all from “the bondage under the elements of the world.” It is “the law of Christ.”

Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

No other law on earth commands us to “love your enemies”.

Luk 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

It is this great whore, as a false prophet, who claims she is the faithful wife of Christ who comes in His name but who has no place in her for His words, simply because the whore, who is the same as this false prophet, “cannot hear Him”.

Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
Joh 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, [even] God.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Does not the whole world teach the ten commandments? Did not Christ tell the rich young ruler to “keep the commandments”? Yes, both are true, but neither one is the whole truth or the sum of God’s word (Psa 119:160 [ASV]). Here is what makes the the ten commandments nothing more than “the elements of the world” which the Gentiles “do by nature” by comparison to this part which the rich young ruler could not do.

Mar 10:17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
Mar 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God.
Mar 10:19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
Mar 10:20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
Mar 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Mar 10:22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
Mar 10:23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

No one teaches against the ten commandments, but the whole world teaches against considering the law of Moses and those things which even the Gentiles do by nature to be “the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto we desire again to be in bondage”. This is the hold that Babylon and all of her harlot daughters have upon the whole world, within us and without.

It is those who deny the truth of Christ’s words and His example, and who deny the plain teachings of the apostles who are “the beast and the false prophet, who are cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

What is that fire? It is so very instructive to note that the Greek word translate fire here is ‘pur‘, from which we get our English word ‘pure’ or ‘purify’. What is it that purifies all men? Here is what it takes to be purified and made worthy to enter into the temple of God, undefiled.

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire [Greek: pur]; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.

“The spirit of God dwells in you… you are saved by fire”. What is that spirit?

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and [they] are life.

Christ words are spirit, and what else does He call His words?

Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

It is the few in whose mouths and hearts are these fiery words of our Lord who will comprise this thing called “the lake of fire”.

Isa 33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

Babylon is just another name for the false prophet we read of in chapter 14, where we are told that her doctrines have very great appeal to “all nations”:

Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

There is one more symbol for the Words of our Lord, which is used to destroy this false prophet, harlot. That word is “a sharp sword”.

Rev 19:21 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.

The fire and the sword are both the same. Here is the effect of that sword upon all of us when we oppose the fiery words of Christ.

Jer 25:16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.

It is incredible how the words of Christ and following in His steps, just naturally makes those who oppose those words “mad” and causes you and I to “be hated of all men”.

Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

The fact is that if it is given us to endure the sufferings of our Lord “to the end” the sufferings of this time will not be worthy to be compared to the glory which will be revealed in us.

Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Next week, if the Lord wills, we will discuss the spiritual meaning of, and the function of, the millennium, the bottomless pit, the mighty angel with the great chain, who imprisons “that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan”, for the thousand year reign of God’s elect over the kingdoms of this world. Here are the verses we will cover next week.

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 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.
Rev 20:4 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 worshipped 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.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.