The Beast, Part 8: Final Judgments

Final Judgments

After the great Battle of Armageddon, the Beast and the False Prophet – the leaders of the earthly warfare against Christ – will be “cast alive into a lake of fire.” Rev. 19:20 This fulfills the prophecy of Enoch about their latter end:

Enoch 10:9 “…and in the great day of judgment let him [Azazel] be cast into the fire.” … 15 Shemhazai and…the others who are with him…bind them for seventy generations underneath the earth, even to the day of judgment, and of consummation… 16 Then shall they be taken away into the lowest depths of the fire in torments; and in confinement shall they be shut up forever.”

It is noteworthy that Satan the Dragon steers clear of the Battle of Armageddon, and consequently is not cast into the lake of fire along with the Beast and False Prophet. Rather, he is

Revelation 20:3 …cast into the Abyss…[for] a thousand years…and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Satan is judged according to the original judgment of the rebellious Watchers, because, like them when they first fell to earth, he is judged to be guilty of teaching rebellion to mankind, but has not actually shed blood himself. The Watchers are to be condemned to the destruction of fire only after they personally lead armies to shed innocent blood in a war of rebellion against God and Christ. Rev. 19:19-20

After the Millennium, however,

Revelation 20:7 …when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 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…

This time, Satan becomes culpable as the leader of of blood-letting armies, and therefore liable to the same doom as the Watchers:

Revelation 20:10 And the Devil that deceived them [will be] cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the Beast and the False Prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Even though God knows the set dispositions of these angelic rebels, and therefore their final end, it’s significant that He still first allows them an opportunity for repentance in the Abyss-prison. Because God’s justice always provides an opportunity to sinners for repentance.

Equally significant is the eternal judgment that souls who shed innocent blood bring upon themselves by rebelling against God.

Conclusion

The Devil, the Beast, and the False Prophet have often been called the Unholy Trinity, corresponding to the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Satan contests with the Father for authority over the heavens; Azazel with Christ for dominion upon earth; and the False Prophet with the Holy Spirit for authority to instruct mankind about the truths of life. These all contest for the minds, souls, and hearts of every creature.

“Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.”