Who are these "kings of the east?" Here is one of the most exciting aspects
of the battle of Armageddon. Just as god's place in Zion was located in the
"sides of the north," so his approach is always referred to as from the east.
Why? Because anciently Zion was the actual hill north of the city of
Jerusalem. Anyone coming from the east had to angle north because of the
impassable deserts, and come into Zion from that direction. This is why both
north and east are used in the Bible for God's quarters. "And I saw another
angel ascending FROM THE EAST, having the seal of the living God. [ REV 7:2 ]
Christ will return to this earth from the east. "For as the lightning
cometh OUT OF THE EAST, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be." [ MAT 24:27] The "kings of the east" are
exactly the same as the armies of heaven in Revelation 19 who triumph over
"the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies." [ Verse 19 ]
God's glory was described bu Exekiel as coming from the east. "He brought
me to the gate ... that looketh toward the east; And, behold, the glory of
God of Israel came from the way of the east ... and the earth shined with
his glory." [ EZE 43:1,2 ]
John revealed the breathtaking majesty of Christ leading the armies of
heaven to make war. "And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon
white horses ... And He hath on His vesture and His thigh a name written,
KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." [ REV 19:14,16 ] What a picture. The
kings of the east riding forth against "the kings of the earth" and all the
whole world. Spiritual Babylon and all the forces who followed her are
destroyed by the King of kings who shall reign forever and ever.
Cyrs, the man from the east, who saved literal Israel from the hands of
ancient Babylon was a type of the "kings of the east" who would save
spiritual Israel from Babylon. Just as Cyrus was called the "annoited one"
and "the righteous man," so Jesus was designated by the same titles.
By now we can easily conclude that the second coming of Christ is really
the only hope of Israel. God and Christ, the true Kings of the east, will
burst upon this world at the midnight of man's extremity. When the mark of
the beast is being enforced and every human plan of escape has dissolved,
God's faithful ones will be snatched from certain death.