Daily Bread

The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open^(A) and there before me was a white horse, whose rider^(B) is called Faithful and True.^(C) With justice he judges and wages war.^{(D) 12} His eyes are like blazing fire,^(E) and on his head are many crowns.^(F) He has a name written on him^(G) that no one knows but he himself.^{(H) 13} He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,^(I) and his name is the Word of God.^{(J) 14} The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen,^(K) white^(L) and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword^(M) with which to strike down^(N) the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”^[a](O) He treads the winepress^(P) of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:^(Q)

¹⁷ And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds^(S) flying in midair,^(T) “Come,^(U) gather together for the great supper of God,^{(V) 18} so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people,^(W) free and slave,^(X) great and small.”^(Y)

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast^(Z) and the kings of the earth^(AA) and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse^(AB) and his army. ²⁰ But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet^(AC) who had performed the signs^(AD) on its behalf.^(AE) With these signs he had deluded^(AF) those who had received the mark of the beast^(AG) and worshiped its image.^(AH) The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake^(AI) of burning sulfur.^{(AJ) 21} The rest were killed with the sword^(AK) coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse,^(AL) and all the birds^(AM) gorged themselves on their flesh.