And the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.—And did we not find all the rest of the men included in Rev. 9:20, 21, and did we not eat them in the same manner? We did, indeed. We ate or appropriated the truth concerning them. It is our eating of these truths that lead to the events next narrated.
19:19. And I saw the beast.—The Papacy restored to power. Weymouth's New Testament in Modern Speech translates this verse as follows, and adds a footnote that the “once for all,” though not expressed in the Greek, is implied in the aorist tense of the verb: “And I saw the Wild Beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, all assembled to make war, once for all, against the Rider upon the horse and against His army.”
And the kings of the earth.—Called to the war by demons. (Rev. 16:13-16.) “The kings of the earth set themselves [in opposition], and the rulers [not knowing that they are fighting against the establishment of the Lord's Kingdom], take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, [but] He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision.”—Psa. 2:2, 4; D. 52.
And their armies.—Their following, Civil, Social, Ecclesiastical and Financial.
Gathered together to make war.—“The war,” Greek.
Against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army.—Although composed of the twelve symbolical tribes (Rev. 19:14; 7:4-8) they are, after all, but one army, all “One in Christ Jesus.” “Let it be seen that the best and the worst of earth's nations are but ‘kingdoms of this world,’ whose lease of power from God is now expired, that they may give place to their ordained successor, the Kingdom of Messiah, the Fifth Universal Empire of earth (Dan. [pg 298] 2:44; 7:14, 17, 27)—and it will do much to establish truth and to overthrow error. But as it is, the actions of Papacy in this regard, sanctioned by the Protestant Reformers, go unquestioned among Christian people. And since they should uphold the Kingdom of Christ, they feel themselves called to the aid of the present falling kingdoms of so-called Christendom—to the side of the kingdoms of this world, and the prince of this world, rather than to the side of the coming true Kingdom of Christ.”—A. 270; Rev. 16:16; 17:13, 14.
19:20. And the beast was taken.—The Papacy was caught. (Jer. 50:43-46.) No doubt the publication of this book has come at a time unfavorable to the schemes of Papacy and will interfere greatly with its efforts at re-establishment—Rev. 17:14.
And with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him.—The Image of the Beast.—Rev. 13:11, 13, 14 15; 14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2, 13; 19:20; 20:10; Matt. 24:24.
With which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast.—Catholics.
And them that worshipped his image.—Protestants.