The Defeat of Satan
These verses tell the story we have seen before. It happens at the end of the age, the end of the metaphorical one thousand years. The nations gather from all over the earth to attack the church. In the previous verses (19:11-21), we saw the armies led by the Beast and the False Prophet leading the attack. They gathered their forces by deception. These verses tell us the deception originates with Satan. He is released to deceive the nations and gathers them for the final battle. This is the same event as 19:19.
But they are destroyed. Just as the Beast and the False Prophet were thrown into the lake of fire, the devil is also thrown in. And they are tormented forever. The story has been retold, this time focusing on Satan and his defeat.
This passage names the nations as God and Magog. This is a reference to the prophecies of Ezekiel 38-39, where God’s enemies are slain and their bodies eaten by birds of prey summoned by God. Verse 9 of Revelation 20 says they are destroyed by fire. Ezekiel 39:6 says “And I will send fire on Magog”. He also spoke of fire and brimstone and Revelation 20 speaks of the lake of fire. All of God’s enemies are cast into hell. That was the message of the third angel in Revelation 14:9-11. He said “the smoke of their torment goes up forever an ever and they have no rest, day or night”.
During his first coming, Jesus said he came to destroy the works of the devil. He began that by casting out demons and preaching the gospel. This passage shows us the completion of that work as Jesus casts Satan into hell forever.
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