Take Refuge In The King Of Kings

Chapter 19 of The Revelation concludes with a disturbing image of flesh-eating birds gorging themselves with the flesh of men and beasts who have made war against the LORD Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords. The one known as "the beast" is captured, together with the "false prophet"

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great." 

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. - Rev 19:17-21 ESV

This "beast" is first mentioned in Rev. 13:

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. - Rev 13:1-3 ESV

As noted in my commentary upon Rev. 13, this beast symbolically refers to Rome, the city built upon seven hills. The beast's  seven heads refers to the seven Roman emperors, probably beginning with Julius Ceasar. Now John sees this great beast's end. He and "the false prophet"—the anti-Christ of Dan. 7:8,11, 20-21, 24-25;11:36-45; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; and 1 John 2:18; 4:3—are to be judged. They are both thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

Lake of fire

What is the "lake of fire that burns with sulfur"? Some, contrary to what we have learned about John's symbolical writing, want to turn the area around the Dead Sea into that literal lake of fire. That area was indeed where Sodom and Gomorrah once stood. Jude calls our attention to that ruined area (Jude 7). But just as the beast and the false prophet are symbols, so also is the lake of fire that burns with the  putrid smell of sulfur a symbol pointing back to a previous time of final judgment. Sodom and Gomorrah are gone forever. So likewise will the beast and the false prophet meet their final end in fiery judgment.

Once again John's Revelation reminds us that Christ's judgment will come upon all who dare to oppose Him. He is the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. As the psalmist long ago said,

Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. - Psa 2:10-12 ESV