Part XIII: The Lord of the Scroll – The King of Kings Returns to Earth!
Overview
The Second Return of Jesus the Messiah
I was watching in the night visions, “And with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13–14 NET)
“Immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet [shofar] blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29–31 NET)
But Jesus was silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:63–64 NET)
Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world—to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” (John 18:36–37 NET)
Jesus is the prophesied “Son of Man,” the God-Man, the Cloud-Man, the Messiah, King of Kings, and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah coming on the clouds to judge the nations and establish His physical Kingdom on the earth.
The second time Jesus will come to the Earth to defeat the Antichrist, destroy evil, and establish His millennial (26) or thousand-year kingdom on Earth.
Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, even prophesied of them, saying, “Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all, and to convict every person of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds that they have committed, and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These people are grumblers and fault-finders who go wherever their desires lead them, and they give bombastic speeches, enchanting folks for their own gain. (Jude 14–16 NET)
Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war. His eyes are like a fiery flame and there are many diadem crowns on his head. He has a name written that no one knows except himself. He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God. The armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses. From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful. He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:11–16 NET)
This return is referred to as the Day of the Lord in scripture.
Recall that the Scroll of Authority (1) leased to man the rule over Earth for a finite time. The man then made a covenant with Satan by sinning, thus giving Satan the right to rule over his world system for the same finite time. This finite time is known by both God and Satan.
When he came to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were extremely violent, so that no one was able to pass by that way. They cried out, “Son of God, leave us alone! Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:28–29 NET)
Therefore you heavens rejoice, and all who reside in them! But woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you! He is filled with terrible anger, for he knows that he only has a little time!” (Revelation 12:12 NET)
However, so that some people (i.e., those not raptured or martyred for their faith in Jesus after the Rapture) that go through the Great Tribulation period on Earth might remain alive, the lease is interrupted before its time is fulfilled.
For then there will be great suffering unlike anything that has happened from the beginning of the world until now, or ever will happen. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. (Matthew 24:21–22 NET)
Satan is then imprisoned in the Abyss during these thousand years of Jesus’ reign on Earth.
Then I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. He seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—and tied him up for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1–2 NET)
Nevertheless, God being just, will release Satan for the balance of the time of the lease (i.e., a brief period of time), as specified in the Scroll of Authority, after the thousand-year reign of Jesus.
The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things, he must be released for a brief period of time.) (Revelation 20:3 NET)
Then Satan and all his evil will be removed forever! Hallelujah!
And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10 NET)
Jesus does give us a clue to the approximate length of the church age.
But he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work. (Luke 13:32 NET)
Remembering a day with the Lord is a thousand years (1).
Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single day. (2 Peter 3:8 NET)
Jesus was telling Satan (the spiritual “fox” that was working through King Herod) that for approximately two thousand years (two Heaven days), the church would be alive on Earth with deliverance and healing. Then in the third thousand years (the third Heaven day), Jesus will start His millennial (26) reign on Earth! (4)
There is a similar clue from the Old Covenant:
The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and so that they will always believe in you.” And Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow [i.e., two days], and make them wash their clothes and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. You must set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves not to go up on the mountain nor touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death! No hand will touch him—but he will surely be stoned or shot through, whether a beast or a human being; he must not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast they may go up on the mountain.” Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. He said to the people, “Be ready for the third day. Do not go near your wives.” On the third day in the morning there was thunder and lightning and a dense cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loud horn; all the people who were in the camp trembled. Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their place at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a great furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. When the sound of the horn grew louder and louder, Moses was speaking and God was answering him with a voice. (Exodus 19:9–19 NET)
The Lord will come down on the third day, announced by the sound of a shofar!
Again, after two days (today and tomorrow) or approximately two thousand years (two Heaven days), the church will be alive on Earth. Then in the third thousand years (the third Heaven day), Jesus will announce His return with a trumpet blast (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17) and set in motion events leading to His millennial reign on Earth!
This fits the pattern of God, who never changes (Malachi 3:6. Hebrews 13:8). In Genesis 1, the Earth was restored in six Heaven days (1) (six thousand Earth years), and God then rested on the seventh day (seventh thousand Earth years). There are four thousand years (four Heaven days) from Adam to Jesus’ birth; add two thousand years (4) (two Heaven days) of the church age for a total of six thousand years (six Heaven days). Then rest will come in the seventh thousandth years (Seventh Heaven day) – the thousand-year reign of Jesus on Earth.
Another clue is given in the purification of those made unclean (1) by contacting anything associated with human death (i.e., a corpse, bones, and grave). Recall we are dead in our trespasses and sin until we are born again from above (1).
“ ‘Whoever touches the corpse of any person will be ceremonially unclean seven days. He must purify himself with water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third day and the seventh day, then he will not be clean. (Numbers 19:11–12 NET)
Again, this refers to Heaven’s days of one thousand years each and the same time period from two different perspectives. The third day is from the perspective of starting the count from the birth of the church. Meaning that at the end of the two-thousand-year church age, or the beginning of the third day, some people will have been purified with the water of the word (i.e., born again) and raptured. The seventh day is from the perspective of the restoration of the earth. Then some will be found purified with the water of the word out of the Great Tribulation and brought to Heaven on the Seventh Heaven day, which is the beginning of the millennial ( reign of Jesus!
Another clue is given in the transfiguration of Jesus.
Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them privately up a high mountain. And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. Then Moses and Elijah also appeared before them, talking with him. (Matthew 17:1–3 NET)
The transfiguration was a preview of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (Matthew 16:27–28 NET)
We know the disciples have died for almost 2,000 years, and Jesus has not yet come into His kingdom. And yet Jesus said some were standing there and would not see death until they saw Him coming. What was He talking about? Jesus here talked about the Transfiguration, for the Transfiguration was a preview of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Transfiguration was a foretaste of glory; the Transfiguration was a glimpse into the future. And indeed, some were standing there—Peter, James, and John—who did not taste death until they saw the Son of man, the Lord Jesus Christ, in His glory, in His kingdom, because that is what the Transfiguration was. (6)
Now, what is the significance of “after six days?” Six is the number for man, and it speaks of failure. Seven is the number for completion. Man is a six; he is one less than seven. And so, six days represent 6,000 years of human history. Man’s recorded history on this globe has been 6,000 years. But there’s a new day—a great day coming—and after six days of failure will come the perfect day, the millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. After 6,000 years of failure, there is coming 1,000 years of peace and righteousness when the Lord Jesus Christ shall rule and reign. Just as the Transfiguration was the Second Coming of Jesus in miniature—six days, or the history of man in miniature, foretelling that our Lord will come after six days—and the seventh day will be the millennial rest of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (6)
Then one of the elders asked me, “These dressed in long white robes—who are they and where have they come from?” So I said to him, “My lord, you know the answer.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb! (Revelation 7:13–14 NET)
In conclusion, we should not be complacent or anxious about our Lord Jesus’ return. Rather we are to be faithful in doing what the Lord asks us to do moment by moment and living a life that will allow us to look forward to His return with unashamed joy (1 John 2:28), but letting Him “worry” about the bigger picture of bringing everything to its rightful end – Maranatha! (5)
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, who are eager to do good. (Titus 2:11–14 NET)
Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to be sure of your calling and election. For by doing this you will never stumble into sin. For thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you. (2 Peter 1:10–11 NET)
(Romans 13:8-14. Ephesians 5:1-18. 1 Corinthians 4:2. Luke 12:22-32. Philippians 4:6. Matthew 25:1-30).
Detailed Description
Revelation Chapters 19 thru 20
A Celebration in Heaven
Hallelujah (Alleluia) (25) is only found four times in the New Testament—all in Revelation 19:
After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgments are true and just. For he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and has avenged the blood of his servants poured out by her own hands!” Then a second time the crowd shouted, “Hallelujah!” The smoke rises from her forever and ever. The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures threw themselves to the ground and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne, saying: “Amen! Hallelujah!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God all you his servants, and all you who fear Him, both the small and the great!” Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns! (Revelation 19:1–6 NET)
The celebration in Heaven that ended Revelation 18 continues in the first six verses of Revelation 19. John hears all of Heaven celebrating the downfall of Satan’s anti-God, one-world system. While humans often blame God for their suffering, the great company of worshipers in Heaven acknowledges that God’s judgment on the harlot system is true and righteous, and just. They declare again that God has judged the demonically inspired system for its spiritual fornication and to avenge the blood of the martyrs who cried out for justice. (Revelation 6:10.) (21)
Now when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given. They cried out with a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Master, holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” Each of them was given a long white robe and they were told to rest for a little longer, until the full number was reached of both their fellow servants and their brothers who were going to be killed just as they had been. (Revelation 6:9–11 NET)
This worship and acknowledgment of God’s righteous judgment are by the Raptured believers who earlier sang,
After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands. They were shouting out in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, to the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9–10 NET)
It is some of the same company of people who sang the Song of Moses and of the Lamb, saying:
Then I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name. They were standing by the sea of glass, holding harps given to them by God. They sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: “Great and astounding are your deeds, Lord God, the All-Powerful! Just and true are your ways, King over the nations! Who will not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name, because you alone are holy? All nations will come and worship before you for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:1–4 NET)
While this was an incredible time of worship and praise, a voice came from the throne, exhorting the great multitude of believers, the 24 elders, and the four living beings to even greater praise. Their response was so loud John compared it to the sound of mighty thundering and the roaring sound of many waters. (21)
Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns! (Revelation 19:6 NET)
This was the original “Hallelujah Chorus.” The word hallelujah comes from two Hebrew words: halal and Yah. When combined, the word means “Praise Yah(weh),” or “Praise God,” or the more general phrase, “Praise the Lord.” (21)
Yah is the abbreviation of Yahweh, the covenant name of God. Regarding the English spelling of God’s covenant name, there is no letter “J” in Hebrew. Yahweh is mistranslated into English as “Jehovah.” (21)
King David used this phrase recorded many times in the psalms. Like the voice exhorting the heavenly host to praise God, King David said: (21)
But the righteous are glad; they rejoice before God and celebrate with joy. Sing to God! Sing praises to His name. Exalt Him who rides on the clouds — His name is Yahweh —and rejoice before Him. (Psalm 68:3–4 HCSB)
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is Announced
Let us rejoice and exult and give him glory, because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen” (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints). Then the angel said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.” So I threw myself down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “Do not do this! I am only a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony about Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:7–10 NET)
The great multitude praising the Lord now begins to celebrate the marriage supper of the Lamb. What is this about? The Bible tells us that God wants a personal relationship with us. One of the ways God communicates this to us is through various expressions we can understand in human relationships. In our relationship with God, these are figures of speech that we would not understand literally. (21)
For example, in the Hebrew Bible, God calls Israel His bride-wife. When God delivered the Hebrews from Egypt, He said to them:
Therefore, tell the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord. I will bring you out from your enslavement to the Egyptians, I will rescue you from the hard labor they impose, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you to myself for a people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from your enslavement to the Egyptians. (Exodus 6:6–7 NET)
God uses marriage talk when He says He will “take” the Hebrews. He means that He will acquire them as a bride. (21)
Isaiah clarifies:
For your husband is the one who made you— the Lord who commands armies is his name. He is your protector, the Holy One of Israel. He is called “God of the entire earth.” “Indeed, the Lord will call you back like a wife who has been abandoned and suffers from depression, like a young wife when she has been rejected,” says your God. (Isaiah 54:5-6 NET).
Some scholars see Israel as the wife of Yahweh and the followers of Jesus as the Bride of Christ [Messiah] as if they are two separate groups. Spiritually God indeed needs a wife to have a Son. From a covenant standpoint, Israel is that wife, and Jesus (Yeshua) is His Son born to Israel. His Son has a Bride, both Jewish and non-Jewish believers. However, these are figures of speech God uses so we can understand that He wants to have an intimate relationship with us. (21)
God’s covenant bride-wife is neither Jew nor Gentile. God has made us one with Him and in Him through the marriage covenant in the blood of Jesus. His Spirit in us joins us to Himself and each other as one company of people. God is in us, and we are in Him in a covenant union like a marriage. (21)
Paul makes this very clear:
But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with him. (1 Corinthians 6:17 NET)
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26–29 NET)
Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh—who are called “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision” that is performed on the body by human hands—that you were at that time without the Messiah, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, so that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer foreigners and noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:11–22 NET)
A First-Century Jewish Galilean Wedding
Now on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine left.” Jesus replied, “Woman, why are you saying this to me? My time has not yet come.” His mother told the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washing, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.Jesus told the servants, “Fill the water jars with water.” So they filled them up to the very top. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the head steward,” and they did. When the head steward tasted the water that had been turned to wine, not knowing where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the cheaper wine when the guests are drunk. You have kept the good wine until now!” Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:1–11 NET)
Weddings are among the most exciting events of our lives! Weddings point to love, hope, faith, new beginnings, and all the beautiful things in this life, not just for the couple being married but for all of us. Yet even amid all the excitement, the couple must gather and compose themselves so they can adequately handle the planning and preparation not just for the ceremony itself but also for the countless details that lead up to the ceremony. (7)
But unlike today’s modern wedding, the 1st-century Jewish Galilean wedding ceremony had very different customs, traditions, and rituals. For us to better understand the words and parables of Jesus, we must first understand the culture He was in. All of the disciples of Jesus, except for Judas Iscariot, were from Galilee. And when it came to weddings, the Galileans’ traditions differed from the rest of Israel. In addition, Jesus spent two-thirds of His time of ministry in Galilee. (7)
In Bible times, a Jewish Galilean marriage had three phases.
(1) Betrothal Phase
A young man, with help from his father, would prepare a marriage contract for the young woman. This marriage contract was, and still is, called a ketubah. It is a formal written document stipulating the terms of the marriage.
Once the contract was prepared, the young man would meet the young woman near the city gate and present the contract to her (and her father). Realize a Galilean wedding was the most important event in the town, and everyone rushed to witness it. In fact, witnesses had to be present to ratify the covenant.
The written marriage covenant was read by the groom’s father to the bride. (7) We would call this his proposal of marriage. This is not as romantic as our modern way of proposing, but the boy and girl are too young to actually have a wedding and live together as husband and wife anyway. That will occur later.
For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him. The one who believes in him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. (John 3:16–18 NET)
The most important part of the proposal was the bride price—the amount of money the young man was willing to pay the father for the right to marry his daughter. Gifts or dowry were exchanged with the most extravagant given to the bride by the groom’s father. The dowry was an insurance policy not for the bride’s purchase but to care for her.
And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:21–22 ESV)
He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 5:5 NET ESV)
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13–14 ESV)
At the betrothal or engagement ceremony, the big moment comes when the bridegroom pours wine into a ceremonial cup that he presents to the bride.
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. So they came to Jesus and said, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?” Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they do not fast. But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and at that time they will fast. (Mark 2:18–20 NET)
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete. He must become more important while I become less important.” (John 3:29–30 NET)
The cup is called the Cup of Acceptance and the Cup of Joy. It represented the blood covenant union the two would have when they came together as husband and wife.
Once he does this, she has the choice as to whether or not she will accept or reject his marriage proposal. It is completely up to her whether or not the wedding takes place, as she is given all authority for this decision. If she accepts the bridegroom’s proposal, she indicates this by accepting and drinking from the cup of joy and now becomes the bride (Hebrew calah or kallah pronounced kal-law). That is, if the young woman drank from the cup, she was saying “Yes” to the marriage proposal. (2)
The Cup of joy is then passed back to the bridegroom, who drinks from it, thus ratifying the marriage covenant. The bridegroom then says, “you are now consecrated unto me by the Laws of Moses, and I will not drink this cup again until I drink of it anew with you at my father’s house.” (7)
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.” And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:26–29 NET)
The couple was then betrothed to one another. The young woman was legally his bride, although they were not yet ready or able to live together as husband and wife. The bridegroom would give the young woman gifts as tokens of his love. The nearest we come to this tradition in modern times is the engagement period. (21)
Before leaving his newly betrothed, the young bridegroom would tell her that he was going to return to his father’s house and prepare a place for her. This was usually a room added to his father’s house. It was the wedding chamber or chuppah. He assured her that he would come again and bring her to himself that where he was, she would also be.
“Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me. There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too. And you know the way where I am going.” (John 14:1–4 NET)
Once the marriage covenant is ratified, then begins the year-long process of preparation for the wedding ceremony. The bridegroom and bride are technically married, united under a new covenant. However, the bridegroom must live apart from his bride until the day of their wedding feast. The bride still lives at her house, but she is no longer of it, for she belongs to the bridegroom and lives for him now. Everything looks the same but is now different because she belongs to the bridegroom. She is not bound by the old house anymore.
The bridegroom is now responsible for preparing for the day he will be reunited with his bride. He will acquire materials to build a new room in his father’s house for him and his bride. He will craft new furniture, including tables and stools, and purchase oil lamps, rugs, and dishes for the wedding feast that will take place in their new home. (7)
The young man’s father decided when the room was complete and when it was time for him to get his bride. Whenever someone asked him when he was returning for his bride, the young man would reply, “I do not know; only my father knows.” (21)
“But as for that day or hour no one knows it—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son—except the Father. Watch out! Stay alert! For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves in charge, assigning to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert. Stay alert, then, because you do not know when the owner of the house will return—whether during evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn—or else he might find you asleep when he returns suddenly. What I say to you I say to everyone: Stay alert!” (Mark 13:32–37 NET)
The bride must purchase materials and prepare her wedding dress for the hour that the wedding will take place. The bride was to remain always ready, remaining busy preparing for the bridegroom’s return. The bridesmaid must also prepare their dresses. (7)
She used the gifts he had given her to make herself attractive to him. Although she did not know when he was coming, she wanted to be ready. Her every thought was focused on the day she would see him face to face. She would set herself apart and resist all other would-be suitors. She had been bought with a price, and she kept herself pure for her one true love. (21)
Typically, in Galilee, about one year would elapse for a wedding at the father’s house. However, the bridegroom, bride, bride’s father, nor anyone else knew the day and the hour of the wedding. Only the bridegroom’s father knew the day and the hour of the wedding. It was to be a surprise wedding! (7)
“Learn this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. “But as for that day and hour no one knows it—not even the angels in heaven—except the Father alone. For just like the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. For in those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. And they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away. It will be the same at the coming of the Son of Man. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. There will be two women grinding grain with a mill; one will be taken and one left. “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:32–44 NET)
At a Galilean wedding, the hour would be in the middle of the night when the bridegroom’s father would tell the bridegroom to go get his bride. Consequently, the bride and her virgin bridesmaids slept in their wedding clothes to be ready with lamps prepared to go out to meet the bridegroom. (7)
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of the virgins were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra olive oil with them. But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. When the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied. ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then the door was shut. Later, the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’ But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I do not know you!’ Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. (Matthew 25:1–13 NET)
The five wise bridesmaids had “prayed the price (1)” to be born again, as indicated by having olive oil (1) ready for their lamps, thus representing the Holy Spirit within their spirits. The foolish bridesmaids believed in the Lord (even the demons believe in God (James 2:19)) but never repented of their sins and placed their faith in Him as their Lord and Savior to be born again from above, as indicated by no olive oil for their lamps, representing no Holy Spirit within their spirits and thus no salvation. (7)
The human spirit is like the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts. (Proverbs 20:27 NET)
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him. (Romans 8:9 NET)
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we preach), because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:8–13 NET)
(2) Wedding Phase
When the father, in the early hours of the morning, finally tells his son to go get his bride, the son grabs his shofar (1) and blows it, awakening the groomsmen sleeping with him. Since she did not know exactly the day or hour when he would be coming, the bride made special preparations. She kept an oil lamp beside her bed with plenty of oil in case he came at night. Her bridesmaids would do the same. (21)
As they set out into the street heading to the bride’s home, the shofar is blown long and loud, awakening the bride and her bridesmaids, who quickly trim their lamps. When the wedding party got close to the house, the young man would give a shout and blow the shofar to let his bride know he was coming for her. The bride and the bridesmaids rush out into the night air, anxiously awaiting the bridegroom’s return. Other guests who were invited, and were ready, join the bridegroom and groomsmen as the procession makes its way to the bride. (7)
The bridegroom looks upon his bride with love. She and her bridesmaids are dressed in beautiful, brilliant white flowing gowns illuminated by the lamps, contrasting with the dark new moon night sky (1). She is lovely to Him, and to her, He makes the concept of submission sacredly desirable and empowering (Esther 2:15-17). They are now reunited as one forever to live in the Father’s house.
Groomsmen bring a litter and lower it to the ground before the bride. The bride modestly steps into and gently sits and lowers herself down into the litter, then the groomsmen lift her up to transport her to the bridegroom’s father’s house and their new room, where the wedding feast has been prepared. The ancient Galileans referred to this as “flying the bride to the father’s house.” (7)
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 NET)
The bridegroom would take his bride back to the place he had prepared for her, and there in the wedding chamber, they would consummate the marriage. In Bible terms, this is called “cutting the covenant.”
(3) Celebration Phase
Once the young couple joined as one flesh, they celebrated their union with family and friends. Part of that celebration was a joyous feast called the marriage supper. The bride and bridegroom enter the new room where the marriage supper has been prepared. All those that joined the procession enter and are seated. (7)
Many couples today have a meal for family and friends after their wedding service. It is a time to honor the new husband and wife and celebrate their marriage covenant.
Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns! Let us rejoice and exult and give him glory, because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen” (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints). Then the angel said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God." (Revelation 19:6–9 NET
Those that entered that were not wearing wedding garments were thrown out into the darkness of the night as they were not prepared (i.e., not wearing robes of righteousness, not born again (Revelation 19:8)). That is, they did not choose to be the chosen (1). (7)
Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.” ’ But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them. The king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death and set their city on fire. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy. So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But he had nothing to say. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1–14 NET)
Then the bridegroom’s father shuts the door, and no one else can enter. Those not ready to join the procession when it went through the town will be left in the darkness of the night. (7)
Go, my people! Enter your inner rooms! Close your doors behind you! Hide for a little while, until his angry judgment is over! For look, the LORD is coming out of the place where he lives, to punish the sin of those who live on the earth. The earth will display the blood shed on it; it will no longer cover up its slain. (Isaiah 26:20–21 NET)
John the Baptist said of his relationship with Jesus:
You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but rather, ‘I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete. (John 3:28–29 NET)
Jesus said to His followers:
“Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me. There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too. (John 14:1–3 NET)
His followers asked Him when He would come again for them.
Jesus responded,
“But as for that day and hour no one knows it—not even the angels in heaven—except the Father alone. (Matthew 24:36 NET)
Believers are now in the betrothal phase of our covenant relationship with God through Jesus. He paid the price to make us His Bride. That price was His own blood given for us. When we say yes to Him, we spiritually drink the cup of the New Covenant in His blood, showing our union with Him through His indwelling Holy Spirit.
We become:
Through these things he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become partakers of the divine nature [of God], after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire. (2 Peter 1:4 NET)
Jesus has given us spiritual gifts with which to make ourselves ready for Him at His coming. We commit ourselves wholly and completely to Him. We are not our own because we have been bought with a price. Like the young woman waiting for her beloved to return for her, we keep ourselves pure and holy until He comes for us. (21)
While Jesus has been gone a long time preparing a place for us, we learn from Revelation 19 that our Father in Heaven has determined that it is time for His Son to come for His Bride. The place He has prepared is ready. We learn later that the New Jerusalem is the place He has prepared for us. John even calls it “the bride, the Lamb’s wife” (Rev. 21:9). The New Jerusalem is our wedding chamber or divine chuppah, where we will ultimately live forever with our heavenly Bridegroom. (21)
Our heavenly Bridegroom has finished preparing a place for us, and the Bride has made herself ready. In Bible times, when people were invited to a wedding, they wore white garments provided for them by the host. Here the Bride is clothed in fine linen, clean and bright, which John says is the righteous acts of the saints. This is wedding talk that means God’s people are now spiritually mature enough for the wedding with Jesus, our divine Bridegroom, to take place. (21)
Jesus used several wedding illustrations to explain how important it is for His Bride and the invited guests to be ready for His coming. In one of His parables, Jesus told about a king who had arranged a marriage for his son and sent out special invitations to many. But the invited guests were too busy to come and even persecuted and killed the servants who called them to the feast. (21)
The king destroyed these ungrateful ones and invited others to the wedding. When the king arrived for the celebration, he noticed that one person was not wearing his wedding garment. The king removed the man from the celebration. (see Matthew 22:1-13.)
Again, Jesus told a parable about ten virgins who were friends of the bride. They took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom when he came for his betrothed. Five were wise virgins who took oil for their lamps. Five were foolish. They had no oil for their lamps. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all fell asleep. Finally, at midnight the cry was heard that the bridegroom was coming. But the foolish virgins’ lamps went out, they had no oil to light them, and they could not attend the wedding. (Matthew 25:1-13.) (21)
Jesus used this parable to warn us to be ready for His coming.
He said,
Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. (Matthew 25:13 NET).
As the approaching bridegroom gave a shout and blew the shofar to alert his bride, so Jesus will come for us in like manner. This is the wedding phase in our relationship with the Lord. It is the time that we will be caught up to meet Him in the air, according to the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 24:29-31. He says this will occur at the last trumpet (or shofar) sound. (21)
Paul confirms this with his comments:
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 NET)
Writing about this same event, Paul adds the following:
Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51–52 NET)
We will return with the Lord and experience the third phase of our relationship with Him. We will have the marriage feast or supper of the Lamb. When Jesus had His last meal with His disciples (21)
He said,
I tell you, from now on I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29 NET)
This was the Passover or covenant meal—what believers call communion, the marriage feast, or supper. Jesus said He would not partake of it again until He did so with His followers in His Father’s Kingdom. His Father’s Kingdom is now coming to the earth. Hallelujah!
Jesus spoke of this again and said:
I tell you, many will come from the east and west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:11–12 NET)
This celebration is not in Heaven; the Kingdom of Heaven is coming to the earth!
John clarifies that while the host (Jesus) has provided the wedding garment of salvation, the believers have made themselves ready through their righteous acts. Western believers must understand that while we are not saved by works, we are saved for good works of covenantal love.
Paul explains:
For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. (Ephesians 2:8–10 NET)
People who profess to be believers but do not live godly lives will not be invited to the marriage supper. People who have “Churchianity” but do not have a relationship with Jesus, as evidenced by their lives, will not be properly dressed for the occasion. These are not my words but the words of Jesus:
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. (Matthew 16:27).
The works are the fruit of covenantal love produced in us, through us, and out of us by the Holy Spirit. They are the true test of a genuine believer, not meaningless confessions from our lips that do not produce the fruit of the Spirit. (21)
Jesus said,
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit. (Matthew 7:19–20 NET)
The Bible is clear—if there is no fruit, there is no root.
John becomes so overwhelmed that he falls at the feet of the angel to worship him. The angel rebukes John with the comment that he is a fellow servant who is giving testimony of Jesus, which is the heart of all prophecy. We are to worship God and not His heavenly messengers, no matter how glorious their appearance. (21)
The Messiah Returns
Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war. His eyes are like a fiery flame and there are many diadem crowns on his head. He has a name written that no one knows except himself. He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God. The armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses. From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful.He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:11–16 NET)
Jesus prophesied the great event of His return when He explained the end times, saying:
“Immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29–31 NET)
When the High Priest Caiaphas interrogated Jesus, he made Jesus swear by God to reveal His true identity. He asked Jesus to answer plainly if He was the Messiah, the Son of God. Because Jesus was a Torah-observant Jew, He had to answer the question according to:
“When someone sins in any of these ways: If he has seen, heard, or known about something he has witnessed, and did not respond to a public call to testify, he is responsible for his sin. (Leviticus 5:1 HCSB)
Matthew records Jesus’ response:
Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64 NET)
When Jesus gave this answer, the High Priest accused Jesus of speaking blasphemy. This is because Jesus was referring to the following verse and applying it to Himself:
I continued watching in the night visions, and I saw One like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before Him. (Daniel 7:13 HCSB)
When Jesus ascended to Heaven, two angels appeared as men and spoke to His followers.
As they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly two men in white clothing stood near them and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10,11 NET).
Zechariah makes one of the most remarkable statements about the time of the return of Jesus. Speaking through the prophet, God says:
“I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10 NET).
What is remarkable about this prophecy is that God says the people will look upon Me whom they have pierced. God talks about Himself but refers to Himself as “Me” and “Him.” They will mourn when they realize that the Messiah is God Himself, who came into the world to redeem us. But the world pierced Him when He was crucified (see John 19:34).
But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out immediately. (John 19:34 NET)
John was an eyewitness to this and wrote in the Book of Revelation:
(Look! He is returning with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes on the earth will mourn because of him. This will certainly come to pass! Amen.) (Revelation 1:7 NET)
The fulfillment of Jesus coming again in these and many other Scriptures is described in our focus verses of Revelation 19:11-16.
John writes thirteen statements about Jesus in these verses. We could write a whole book just on his comments. It is challenging to write so few words about our glorious Lord. If you really want to be blessed, spend some quality time looking up some of the many places in the Bible that describe this exalted Righteous Judge of the whole earth. The following is just a brief summary.
Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war. His eyes are like a fiery flame and there are many diadem crowns on his head. He has a name written that no one knows except himself. He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God. The armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses. From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful.He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:11–16 NET)
1. Jesus is riding a white horse.
In Revelation 4:1, John saw a prophetic door open into Heaven where he could see his spiritual vision. Now for the second time, he sees Heaven open to him so he can see the coming of the Lord. He sees Jesus sitting on a white horse. John did not mean that Jesus would return on a white horse. We have previously noted that in John’s time, a rider on a white horse was the symbol of a conquering victor. This is why John described the first seal in Revelation 6:7 as a rider on a white horse. That rider was the Antichrist, who went forth to conquer and establish satan’s kingdom on earth. This rider is the real Messiah who is coming to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. (21)
2. Jesus is called “Faithful and True.”
Throughout history, there have been many false prophets who claimed to speak for God. There are many false prophets today, and many more are yet to come. Jesus was not one of them. He is not the false prophet beast described in the Book of Revelation. He was and is the faithful and true witness. This is because He is the only One who perfectly knows the mind and character of God.
Jesus claimed to speak and do only what was faithful and true to His Father in Heaven (see John 8:26-29; 12:44-50, etc.). In Revelation 1:5 and 3:14, Jesus is called “the faithful witness” and “the Faithful and True Witness,” respectively. We can trust our souls and our eternal destiny to Him. (21)
3. Jesus is righteous in His judgments and war.
In His first coming, Jesus was the Lamb of God, who came to take away our sins. In His second coming, He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, who comes to administer God’s righteous judgments and just war against those who oppose God.
Jesus said:
I can do nothing on my own initiative. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me. (John 5:30 NET)
As Jeremiah explained, Jesus is the righteous Branch of David, who will execute judgment and righteousness on the earth (see Jer. 23:5-6).
“I, the Lord, promise that a new time will certainly come when I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David. He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding and will do what is just and right in the land. Under his rule Judah will enjoy safety and Israel will live in security. This is the name he will go by: ‘The Lord has provided us with justice.’ (Jeremiah 23:5 NET)
True and righteous are His judgments. Earlier in this chapter, the great multitude in Heaven gave glory and honor to the Lord because His judgments are true and righteous.
After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgments are true and just. For he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and has avenged the blood of his servants poured out by her own hands!” (Revelation 19:1–2 NET)
Paul wrote,
As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring. This is evidence of God’s righteous judgment, to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which in fact you are suffering. For it is right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, (2 Thessalonians 1:4–6 NET)
4. Jesus has eyes like a flame of fire.
When John first saw the vision of the exalted Son of Man, he said that the Lord’s eyes were “like a flame of fire” (Revelation 1:14). Jesus greeted the congregation at Thyatira as “the Son of God who has eyes like a flame of fire” (Revelation 2:18). The Hebrew Bible Book of First Chronicles tells us that: (21)
“And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently. (1 Chronicles 28:9 NET)
Jesus warned the congregation at Thyatira,
Furthermore, I will strike her followers with a deadly disease, and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay each one of you what your deeds deserve. (Revelation 2:23 NET)
Like modern machines that look past people’s clothes, Jesus can look past our outward pretense right into our hearts. Paul wrote to the believers at Thessalonica that when Jesus is revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, He will come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God (see 2 Thess. 1:7-10). (21)
and to you who are being afflicted to give rest together with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength,when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed—and you did in fact believe our testimony. (2 Thessalonians 1:7–10 NET)
5. Jesus has many crowns on His head.
Whereas the dragon, Satan, had seven (the number for completeness) crowns on his head (Revelation 12:3), and the Beast, anti-Messiah, had ten (the number for perfection) crowns (Revelation 13:1), Jesus has many crowns on His head. Babylon and Rome and modern empires such as Great Britain have ruled over much of the earth. Yet, eventually, their empires came to an end. The Antichrist will seek to enforce his satanic power over the nations. But it will be short-lived. When Jesus comes, He will rule over all the world’s nations forever. And God’s people will rule and reign with Him. Hallelujah! (21)
When Daniel prophesied about the coming Son of Man, this is what he said of Him:
To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:14 NET)
Isaiah proclaimed:
His dominion will be vast and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The Lord’s intense devotion to his people will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:7 NET)
Jesus is not returning as the “baby in the manger.” He is coming as the “King of the nations.” King David prophesied this glorious time on the earth with these words: (21)
Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him! Let all the nations worship you! For the Lord is king and rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:27–28 NET)
6. Jesus has a name that no one knows “except Himself.”
The next statement John makes about Jesus is that He has a name only He knows. What does this mean? In Bible times, names carried much greater meaning than just a person’s identity. A person’s name revealed his or her nature and character. To do something in someone’s name was to act like that person. (21)
The Bible says that God has given Jesus:
As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow —in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9–11 NET)
This means that the person of Jesus, who He is in all His glory and splendor, is far beyond our human ability to understand. We will only have full knowledge of Him when we see Him face-to-face in His fullness. We will be able to see our Lord this way when He returns. Only then will we truly know Him when we see Him in His blazing glory and dazzling beauty. John saw Jesus high and lifted up, but that was in a vision. He did not see Jesus, as we will see Him when He returns. As believers, this is what we are looking forward to. We will see the full revelation of His name. (21)
Jesus made a reference to this and said:
All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides to reveal him. (Matthew 11:27 NET)
In Bible times, mirrors were made of metal (1) and did not give a clear reflection of the person. Paul used this as an illustration and said, (21)
For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:12–13 NET)
7. Jesus is clothed in a robe dipped in blood.
Since Jesus is coming to judge and make war, John sees Him wearing a garment covered with blood. When Jesus was beaten and crucified, His garment was covered with His blood. Isaiah wrote that Jesus was beaten so horribly He could barely be recognized: (21)
Look, my servant will succeed! He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted— (just as many were horrified by the sight of you) he was so disfigured he no longer looked like a man; (Isaiah 52:13–14 NET)
When Jesus returns, His garment will be covered with the blood of His enemies. He will do to them as they did to Him.
Obadiah explains:
“For the day of the Lord is approaching for all the nations! Just as you have done, so it will be done to you. You will get exactly what your deeds deserve. (Obadiah 1:15 NET)
8. Jesus is called the Word of God.
In Bible times and Hebraic thinking, people thought of words as an expression of a person. Words not only communicated ideas; they also carried in them the life and personality of the person speaking. Words were personified and active in that they represented and accomplished the will of the person connected with them. (21)
God spoke the world into existence through the creative power of His Word. Jesus was and is the personification of God. He is the active agent through whom God brought the world into existence. John refers to Jesus as the “Word of God.” He is the eternal expression and personal representative of the will and person of God. In other words, He is God in human flesh, who came to reveal Himself fully and completely to us. (21)
This is the background and meaning of John’s statements in his Gospel message:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created... Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. (John 1:1-3,14 NET)
In the first of his three letters, John wrote:
This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched (concerning the word of life—and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us). (1 John 1:1-2 NET).
9. Jesus leads the armies in Heaven.
The emperors of Rome and leaders of the great empires of history led their forces into battle. Likewise, when Jesus returns, He will lead His great army of Heaven to victory over His enemies. John explains that the Lord’s army follows Him on white horses, and they are clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (21)
When God’s people are caught up to meet Jesus in the air, they return with Him as His conquering army. They have overcome their enemies by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony (Revelation 12:11). They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Furthermore, their military uniforms represent their righteous acts as proof of their faith. (Revelation 12:11; 7:14; 19:8.) These are not lukewarm, carnal professors of Christianity who talk about God but do not know Him. These are the overcomers who lived to please God and gave their lives in service and witness to Him. (21)
Jude quotes the Book of Enoch and writes:
Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, even prophesied of them, saying, “Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all, and to convict every person of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds that they have committed, and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” (Jude 14–15 NET)
Then you will escape through my mountain valley, for the mountains will extend to Azal. Indeed, you will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come with all his holy ones with him. (Zechariah 14:5 NET)
“Immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31 NET)
And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we do for you, so that your hearts are strengthened in holiness to be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:12–13 NET)
Interestingly, the armies of God do not actually participate in the fight. They simply return with the Lord, who destroys the anti-God forces with His spoken Word. (21)
In addition to God’s holy people, the angels of God also accompany Jesus on His return. (21)
For if anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38 NET)
For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:26 NET)
and to you who are being afflicted to give rest together with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. (2 Thessalonians 1:7 NET)
10. Jesus strikes the nations with His spoken Word.
We have previously discussed the concept of the spoken Word of God. Just like our own spoken words have our life in them when they come out of us, so does the spoken Word of God. The difference is that when God speaks, His words contain creative power. When John had his initial vision of Jesus, he observed that a two-edged sword came out of His mouth (Revelation 1:16). Jesus warned the believers at Pergamos that He would fight against them with the sword of His mouth (Revelation 2:16). (21)
Isaiah wrote of this time when the Lord would destroy His enemies with His spoken Word:
but He will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. He will strike the land with discipline from His mouth, and He will kill the wicked with a command from His lips. (Isaiah 11:4 HCSB)
Paul makes the same comment:
and then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of His mouth and will bring him to nothing with the brightness of His coming. (2 Thessalonians 2:8 HCSB)
Jesus will not fight His enemies with physical weapons but with the spiritual weapon of His spoken Word. (21)
John later says:
The others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh. (Revelation 19:21 NET)
11. Jesus rules the nations with a rod of iron.
In the Lord’s letter to the believers at Thyatira, He encouraged them to be faithful because He will rule over the nations with a rod of iron (1). He further said that those who overcome will rule with Him. John also mentioned that the male Child born of the woman will rule all nations with a rod of iron. (21)
And to the one who conquers and who continues in my deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations— he will rule them with an iron rod and like clay jars he will break them to pieces, (Revelation 2:26–27 NET)
So the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, who is going to rule over all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne, (Revelation 12:5 NET)
John’s description of Jesus coming to rule with a rod of iron fulfills the prophecy: (21)
You will break them with an iron scepter; you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’ ” (Psalm 2:9 NET)
Given this total victory over His enemies, the writer of this powerful psalm encourages the leaders of the nations to submit their will to God: (21)
So now, you kings, do what is wise; you rulers of the earth, submit to correction! Serve the Lord in fear! Repent in terror! Give sincere homage! Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him! (Psalm 2:10–12 NET)
12. Jesus treads the winepress of Almighty God.
We explained the winepress earlier in our discussion of Revelation 14:17-20. The winepress was both a symbol of joy and judgment. It symbolizes joy in anticipation of the wine and oil from crushing the grapes and olives. It also symbolizes judgment, as the life of the grapes and olives is being crushed. (21)
Like the winepress or olive press, the life of Jesus was crushed (1), beginning at the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane means “oil press.” Anyone who has been to the Garden of Gethsemane has seen the ancient olive trees still standing in the garden. The olive trees are probably the descendants of the olive trees that were there when Jesus prayed. This was also where Jesus was betrayed and where the Romans took Him to be interrogated. Since this was an olive orchard, there was likely an olive press for crushing the olives. (21)
Isaiah connects between Jesus treading the winepress for us at His first coming and His treading down His enemies at His second coming. Isaiah asks the question and receives the answer: (21)
Why are your clothes red? Why do you look like someone who has stomped on grapes in a vat? “I have stomped grapes in the winepress all by myself; no one from the nations joined me. I stomped on them in my anger; I trampled them down in my rage. Their juice splashed on my garments, and stained all my clothes. For I looked forward to the day of vengeance, and then payback time arrived. (Isaiah 63:2–4 NET)
13. Jesus has a name written on His robe.
John’s last statement about Jesus is that He is “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16). The emperors of Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and modern empires such as Great Britain ruled over much of the known world. While their empires were vast, they were not universal, and they were short-lived. (21)
Jesus, however, will rule over all the nations forever. This is the final fulfillment of Psalms 2, where God promised His Son universal rule over all the nations: (21)
Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property. (Psalm 2:8 NET)
This is the event proclaimed by loud voices in Heaven when the seventh angel sounded the seventh trumpet-shofar:
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15 NET).
As we all know, kingdoms do not normally relinquish their rule and power without a fight.
FLASHBACK: The Third Woe – Reaping the Earth’s Harvest of the Unrighteous – The Battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful – The Seventh Bowl – The Battle of Armageddon
The Battle of Armageddon
Then I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky: “Come, gather around for the great banquet of God, to eat your fill of the flesh of kings, the flesh of generals, the flesh of powerful people, the flesh of horses and those who ride them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, and small and great!” Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army. Now the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf—signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur. The others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh. (Revelation 19:17–21 NET)
Throughout history, rulers of nations and empires have fought each other. Jesus prophesied this to His disciples:
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Make sure that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is still to come. (Matthew 24:6 NET)
Note that Jesus said, “The end is not yet.” Because the leaders of nations reject the rule of God, they continue to fight one another. As Jesus said, wars and rumors of wars have been the norm between nations. The only time the world has been at peace is during the time between wars. And that is only because the victor is powerful enough to impose the terms of peace on its conquered enemy. Then as soon as the victor is weakened, it is attacked. This cycle of war has continued through the ages. Peace on Earth has been the exception, not the norm. Yet, this old world keeps going. Now with nuclear weapons, people fear that we will destroy ourselves. But this is not going to happen. (21)
John sees this cycle of war and the world as we know it coming to an end. Peace is coming to the earth. But it won’t be due to the futile efforts of the New World Order. It will be because the Prince of Peace is coming to rule over the nations. The end of wars and the world as we know it is at hand. Jesus is returning to judge and makes war (see Rev. 19:11).
Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war. (Revelation 19:11 NET)
Jesus will destroy the anti-God, one-world system and establish the Kingdom of God on earth. This is a Kingdom of righteousness and peace. Only then shall nations beat their swords into plowshares and study war no more. (21)
He will judge disputes between nations; he will settle cases for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not take up the sword against other nations, and they will no longer train for war. (Isaiah 2:4 NET)
This last great battle will usher in the golden age about which the prophets spoke. We have never achieved this utopian world because we have tried to establish it without God. (21)
The war that John sees in Revelation 19 is different from all previous wars. This is not a war of nations against nations. It is a war between the anti-God, one-world system and the righteous forces of God. It should be obvious that humankind cannot win a war against God. But Satan’s demonic influence has blinded and deceived the leaders of the nations into thinking they can actually defeat God in battle. This is the height of insanity and shows humans cannot think logically when possessed by sin and satanic delusions. (21)
John previously introduced us to this battle but did not give much in the way of details. In Revelation 14:17-20, he gave us a preview and referred to it as “the great winepress of the wrath of God.” In those verses, John saw an angel with a sharp sickle reaping the grapes of wrath:
Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. Another angel, who was in charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to the angel who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes off the vine of the earth, because its grapes are now ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the grapes from the vineyard of the earth and tossed them into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Then the winepress was stomped outside the city, and blood poured out of the winepress up to the height of horses’ bridles for a distance of almost two hundred miles. (Revelation 14:17–20 NET)
John shows us a flashback of the same battle in Revelation 16:12-16.
Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water to prepare the way for the kings from the east. Then I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of the demons performing signs who go out to the kings of the earth to bring them together for the battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful. (Look! I will come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition be seen.) Now the spirits gathered the kings and their armies to the place that is called Armageddon in Hebrew. (Revelation 16:12–16 NET)
This is his description of the sixth bowl judgment, which is the drying up of the Euphrates River and the demonic gathering of the world’s armies to destroy Israel. Instead, they will end up fighting God. Here John refers to this battle as the “battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14). John adds an important detail: “They [demonic spirits] gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon” (Revelation 16:16).
Before describing the battle itself, let’s “connect the Revelation dots” to help us see that John is talking about the same event in each of these instances but with differing levels of detail. Remember that the Book of Revelation ends with the close of chapter 11. The rest of the book is a flashback with backstories giving the details of the final destruction of the anti-God, one-world system, and the coming of the Lord. (21)
Recall that in the last verses of Revelation 11, John hears the seventh angel sounding the seventh trumpet and proclaiming:
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15 NET)
This is the third woe. It announces the coming of the Lord but provides no details other than the statement that God’s Kingdom is now coming to reign on the earth.
The third woe is the same as “the great winepress of the wrath of God” described in Revelation 14:17-20.
“The great winepress of the wrath of God” is the same as “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” described in Revelation 16:12-16.
“The battle of that great day of God Almighty” is the same as the seventh bowl judgment in Revelation 16:17-21 when a loud voice from the throne of God proclaims, “It is done!” (verse 17).
“It is done!” is the same as the Battle of Armageddon in Revelation 19:17-21
That is, John has described the same event with an increasing amount of detail. Finally, he gave us the final flashback in Revelation 19:17-21.
In our previous study of the sixth bowl judgment, the geographic significance of the Hill or Mount Megiddo as the staging ground for this last great battle was explained. While John gives us more detail concerning this battle in Revelation 19:17-21, he does not actually describe the battle in these verses. The battle description is found in other places in the Hebrew Bible (Described later in this article).
We have learned that Satan, working through the Antichrist and the false prophet, seeks to destroy Israel and all of God’s people. In one final effort to defeat God, Satan gathers the armies of the world to attack Israel at Jerusalem.
Why would Satan want to do this?
The answer is clearly revealed in the Bible. God chose the Jewish people to be His representative witnesses on earth. God calls the Jews the apple or pupil of His eye (Deuteronomy 32:10), meaning that the world can know there is a God by looking at the Jews. God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants to give them a land of their own and make them a great nation. In fact, God promised that one day they would be the head of the nations under the rule of Messiah (Deuteronomy 28:1). Israel is the only nation with a promise from God to be an everlasting nation. (21)
God’s covenant promise to Abraham has a provision to include the Gentiles. In a most remarkable verse all the way back in Deuteronomy, the Lord said:
Cry out, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge his servants’ blood; he will take vengeance against his enemies, and make atonement for his land and people. (Deuteronomy 32:43 NET)
The coming of the Lord in Revelation 19 is the ultimate fulfillment of this Scripture.
Although this thinking is foolish, Satan believes that if he can destroy Israel and the Jewish people, he can defeat God. He can prove that he is greater than God and that God’s holy Word is a lie. When we hear the leaders of the nations of our world speaking lies to weaken and destroy Israel, we can know that Satan has deceived them. He is preparing them to lead their nations in a collective effort to destroy Israel and defeat God. (21)
Albert Einstein said that there is nothing more foolish than to keep repeating the same thing over and over while expecting different results. If you wonder why government officials keep repeating the same failed policies regarding Israel, it is because they are so deceived by Satan that they cannot think reasonably and logically. They are mentally and spiritually foolish, yet their policies and actions will bring the wrath of God on them and the people. (21)
The world’s nations do not want God ruling over them and will do anything within their power to remove Him from their policies and actions. The Jews and Bible-believing Christians are a human “thorn in their flesh.” This is why Satan seeks to kill God’s people. He knows he cannot kill God, so he attacks God by attacking His people. Satan does this through world leaders who do not want to be reminded that one day they will have to account to God for their lives. Despite their hatred and evil schemes against us, God will always protect a remnant of His people. (21)
The Third Doom – The Beast and the False Prophet Are Taken Alive
Now the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf—signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur. (Revelation 19:20 NET)
“Take him alive.” This is the instruction often given to warriors when hunting down their leaders’ chief enemies. They want to capture the enemy’s leader so they can have the satisfaction of seeing justice done. This is the situation at the Battle of Armageddon. John explains that the Beast and the false prophet have been captured. While John does not say who captures them, obviously, it is the Lord who takes them captive. (21)
It is important to note that the Beast is a person and not just the anti-God system. This is the Antichrist John described in Revelation 13:1-10. He is the political leader whom John calls the Beast From the Sea. He is the one who was empowered by Satan to lead the anti-God, one-world system. He is the one whom the people worshiped. He is the one who blasphemed God and made war against God’s people. (21)
The false prophet is also a person and not just the anti-God harlot religious system. He is the Beast From the Earth described by John in Revelation 13:11-18. He is the one who was empowered by Satan to perform signs and wonders to deceive the people. He is the one who instructed the people to make an image of the Beast. He is the one who deceived the people by making it seem that the image of the Beast was speaking. And he is the one who promoted the worship of the Beast person and system by requiring people to take the Beast’s mark. (21)
Since God took His two witnesses alive to Heaven, it is appropriate that He takes these two false witnesses and send them alive to hell. (21) Before the Antichrist is seized and cast into the “Lake of Fire,” Satan will exit from his person. (8)
John says they are cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
“Then I kept on watching because of the arrogant words of the horn that was speaking. I was watching until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and thrown into the flaming fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their ruling authority had already been removed, though they were permitted to go on living for a time and a season. (Daniel 7:11–12 NET)
The Antichrist and the false prophet are the first people consigned to the Lake of Fire. It is the final place of judgment for those whose names are not found written in the Book of Life.
If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15 NET)
It is interesting to note that when Satan is finally cast into hell 1,000 years later, the Antichrist and false prophet are still there alive, being continually tormented day and night forever (Revelation 20:10). This means that hell is not a place of annihilation or purification (purgatory) but a place of eternal separation from God. (21)
The Fourth Doom – The Antichristian Nations are Defeated
The others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh. (Revelation 19:21 NET)
So great will be the destruction of human life in the Battle of Armageddon that God will prepare for it in advance less the stench of the unburied dead should breed pestilence.
Then I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky: “Come, gather around for the great banquet of God, to eat your fill of the flesh of kings, the flesh of generals, the flesh of powerful people, the flesh of horses and those who ride them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, and small and great!” (Revelation 19:17–18 NET)
Paul writes:
For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work. However, the one who holds him back will do so until he is taken out of the way, and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy by the breath of his mouth and wipe out by the manifestation of his arrival. The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan’s working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders, and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved. Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false. And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned. (2 Thessalonians 2:7–12 NET)
The Battle of Armageddon from the Hebrew Scriptures
Numerous Scriptures in the Hebrew Bible clearly say God will gather all the nations of the earth to fight against Israel. They also say that, instead of the nations destroying Israel, God will destroy the nations.
Notice what the Lord says through the prophet Zephaniah:
Therefore you must wait patiently for me,” says the Lord, “for the day when I attack and take plunder. I have decided to gather nations together and assemble kingdoms, so I can pour out my fury on them— all my raging anger. For the whole earth will be consumed by my fiery anger. (Zephaniah 3:8 NET)
Zephaniah says that the result of this great battle is that the King of Israel will come and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. (21)
Know for sure that I will then enable the nations to give me acceptable praise. All of them will invoke the Lord’s name when they pray, and will worship him in unison. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, those who pray to me will bring me tribute. In that day you will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me, for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast, and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill. I will leave in your midst a humble and meek group of people, and they will find safety in the Lord’s presence. The Israelites who remain will not act deceitfully. They will not lie, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth. Indeed, they will graze peacefully like sheep and lie down; no one will terrify them.” Shout for joy, Daughter Zion! Shout out, Israel! Be happy and boast with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has removed the judgment against you; he has turned back your enemy. Israel’s king, the Lord, is in your midst! You no longer need to fear disaster. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion! Your hands must not be paralyzed from panic! The Lord your God is in your midst; he is a warrior who can deliver. He takes great delight in you; he renews you by his love; he shouts for joy over you.” “As for those who grieve because they cannot attend the festivals— I took them away from you; they became tribute and were a source of shame to you. Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you. I will rescue the lame sheep and gather together the scattered sheep. I will take away their humiliation and make the whole earth admire and respect them. At that time I will lead you— at the time I gather you together. Be sure of this! I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you when you see me restore you,” says the Lord. (Zephaniah 3:9–20 NET)
The prophet Joel also writes about this great end-time battle:
For look! In those days and at that time I will return the exiles to Judah and Jerusalem. Then I will gather all the nations, and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. I will enter into judgment against them there concerning my people Israel who are my inheritance, whom they scattered among the nations. They partitioned my land, (Joel 3:1–2 NET)
In Joel, the prophet writes further about this battle. Speaking as God’s mouthpiece, Joel calls the nations to prepare for war and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, where God will judge them. Joel describes the outcome of the battle: (21)
Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for a holy war! Call out the warriors! Let all these fighting men approach and attack! Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears! Let the weak say, ‘I too am a warrior!’ Lend your aid and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves to that place.” Bring down, O Lord, your warriors! Let the nations be roused and let them go up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit in judgment on all the surrounding nations. Rush forth with the sickle, for the harvest is ripe! Come, stomp the grapes, for the winepress is full! The vats overflow. Indeed, their evil is great! Crowds, great crowds are in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision! The sun and moon are darkened; the stars withhold their brightness. (16) The Lord roars from Zion; from Jerusalem his voice bellows out. The heavens and the earth shake. But the Lord is a refuge for his people; he is a stronghold for the citizens of Israel. You will be convinced that I the Lord am your God, dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy— conquering armies will no longer pass through it. On that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the dry stream beds of Judah will flow with water. A spring will flow out from the temple of the Lord, watering the Valley of Acacia Trees. Egypt will be desolate and Edom will be a desolate wilderness, because of the violence they did to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood. But Judah will reside securely forever, and Jerusalem will be secure from one generation to the next. I will avenge their blood which I had not previously acquitted. It is the Lord who dwells in Zion! (Joel 3:9–21 NET)
In the Scriptures, we have already noted God makes the following declaration through the prophet Zechariah:
The revelation of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: The Lord—he who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth, who forms the human spirit within a person—says, “I am about to make Jerusalem a cup that brings dizziness to all the surrounding nations; indeed, Judah will also be included when Jerusalem is besieged. Moreover, on that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy burden for all the nations, and all who try to carry it will be seriously injured; yet all the peoples of the earth will be assembled against it. (Zechariah 12:1–3).
Zechariah goes on to say that God will fight on behalf of His people:
On that day the Lord himself will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like mighty David, and the dynasty of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them.So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” (Zechariah 12:8-9).
In addition to God raining down hailstones and shaking the earth, Zechariah tells us that when God’s enemies see the Lord, the armies of the Beast will be blinded, go mad, panic, and kill each other; their flesh will also melt off their bodies. (21)
In that day,” says the Lord, “I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness. I will pay close attention to the house of Judah, but will strike all the horses of the nations with blindness. (Zechariah 12:4 NET)
But this will be the nature of the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that have fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will decay while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot away in their sockets, and their tongues will dissolve in their mouths. On that day there will be great confusion from the Lord among them; they will seize each other and attack one another violently. Moreover, Judah will fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered up—gold, silver, and clothing in great abundance. This is the kind of plague that will devastate horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the other animals in those camps. (Zechariah 14:12–15 NET)
Since Megiddo is the staging area for these armies as they make their way toward Jerusalem, this final battle between God and the anti-God, one-world system is called the Battle of Armageddon. The battle’s climax will take place in Jerusalem, at which time Jesus will return and save Israel from her enemies. (21)
Zechariah said that the inhabitants of Jerusalem will mourn when they realize it is Jesus, the “pierced One” they have rejected:
“I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn. On that day the lamentation in Jerusalem will be as great as the lamentation at Hadad-Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.The land will mourn, clan by clan—the clan of the royal household of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the clan of the family of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves; the clan of the descendants of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; and the clan of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves—all the clans that remain, each separately with their wives.” (Zechariah 12:10-14 NET)
Israel alone cannot defeat all the nations of the world. In Zechariah 13–14, we read about this great battle for Jerusalem. To save Israel and Jerusalem, Jesus returns as the Son of Man-Son of God and the greater Son of David to save Israel. He will rule over Israel as King of the Jews and the nations as King of kings and Lord of lords. Hallelujah! It is at this time that “all Israel will be saved.” (21)
Paul explains:
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26-27 NET).
Zechariah explains:
Then the Lord will go to battle and fight against those nations, just as he fought battles in ancient days. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives which lies to the east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, leaving a great valley. Half the mountain will move northward and the other half southward. Then you will escape through my mountain valley, for the mountains will extend to Azal. Indeed, you will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come with all his holy ones with him. (Zechariah 14:3–5).
Isaiah explains:
Be happy for Jerusalem and rejoice with her, all you who love her! Share in her great joy, all you who have mourned over her! For you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished; you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts. For this is what the Lord says: “Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river, the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks. You will nurse from her breast and be carried at her side; you will play on her knees. As a mother consoles a child, so I will console you, and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.” When you see this, you will be happy, and you will be revived. The Lord will reveal his power to his servants and his anger to his enemies. For look, the Lord comes with fire, his chariots come like a windstorm, to reveal his raging anger, his battle cry, and his flaming arrows. For the Lord judges all humanity with fire and his sword; the Lord will kill many. “As for those who consecrate and ritually purify themselves so they can follow their leader and worship in the sacred orchards, those who eat the flesh of pigs and other disgusting creatures, like mice—they will all be destroyed together,” says the Lord. “I hate their deeds and thoughts! So I am coming to gather all the nations and ethnic groups; they will come and witness my splendor. I will perform a mighty act among them and then send some of those who remain to the nations—to Tarshish, Pul, Lud (known for its archers), Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor. They will bring back all your countrymen from all the nations as an offering to the Lord. They will bring them on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels to my holy hill Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the Israelites bring offerings to the Lord’s temple in ritually pure containers. And I will choose some of them as priests and Levites,” says the Lord. “For just as the new heavens and the new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,” says the Lord, “so your descendants and your name will remain. From one month to the next and from one Sabbath to the next, all people will come to worship me,” says the LORD. “They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die, and the fire that consumes them will not die out. All people will find the sight abhorrent.” (Isaiah 66:10–23 NET)
Once again, we read from Zechariah:
The Lord will then be king over all the earth. In that day the Lord will be seen as one with a single name. All the land will change and become like the Arabah from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem will be raised up and will stay in its own place from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate and on to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses. And people will settle there, and there will no longer be the threat of divine extermination—Jerusalem will dwell in security. (Zechariah 14:9–11 NET)
Again from Isaiah:
Come near, you nations, and listen! Pay attention, you people! The earth and everything it contains must listen, the world and everything that lives in it. For the Lord is angry at all the nations and furious with all their armies. He will annihilate them and slaughter them. Their slain will be left unburied, their corpses will stink; the hills will soak up their blood. All the stars in the sky will fade away, the sky will roll up like a scroll; all its stars will wither, like a leaf withers and falls from a vine or a fig withers and falls from a tree. He says, “Indeed, my sword has slaughtered heavenly powers. Look, it now descends on Edom, on the people I will annihilate in judgment.” The Lord’s sword is dripping with blood, it is covered with fat; it drips with the blood of young rams and goats and is covered with the fat of rams’ kidneys. For the Lord is holding a sacrifice in Bozrah, a bloody slaughter in the land of Edom. Wild oxen will be slaughtered along with them, as well as strong bulls. Their land is drenched with blood, their soil is covered with fat. For the Lord has planned a day of revenge, a time when he will repay Edom for her hostility toward Zion. Edom’s streams will be turned into pitch and her soil into brimstone; her land will become burning pitch. Night and day it will burn; its smoke will ascend continually. Generation after generation it will be a wasteland and no one will ever pass through it again. Owls and wild animals will live there, all kinds of wild birds will settle in it. The Lord will stretch out over her the measuring line of ruin and the plumb line of destruction. Her nobles will have nothing left to call a kingdom and all her officials will disappear. Her fortresses will be overgrown with thorns; thickets and weeds will grow in her fortified cities. Jackals will settle there; ostriches will live there. Wild animals and wild dogs will congregate there; wild goats will bleat to one another. Yes, nocturnal animals will rest there and make for themselves a nest. Owls will make nests and lay eggs there; they will hatch them and protect them. Yes, hawks will gather there, each with its mate. Carefully read the scroll of the Lord! Not one of these creatures will be missing, none will lack a mate. For the Lord has issued the decree, and his own spirit gathers them. He assigns them their allotment; he measures out their assigned place. They will live there permanently; they will settle in it through successive generations. (Isaiah 34:1–17 NET)
Wake up! Wake up! Clothe yourself with strength, O Zion! Put on your beautiful clothes, O Jerusalem, holy city! For uncircumcised and unclean pagans will no longer invade you. Shake off the dirt! Get up, captive Jerusalem! Take off the iron chains around your neck, O captive daughter Zion! For this is what the Lord says: “You were sold for nothing, and you will not be redeemed for money.” For this is what the sovereign Lord says: “In the beginning my people went to live temporarily in Egypt; Assyria oppressed them for no good reason. And now, what do we have here?” says the Lord. “Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing, those who rule over them taunt,” says the Lord, “and my name is constantly slandered all day long. For this reason my people will know my name, for this reason they will know at that time that I am the one who says, ‘Here I am.’ ” How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains the feet of a messenger who announces peace, a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Listen, your watchmen shout; in unison they shout for joy, for they see with their very own eyes the Lord’s return to Zion. In unison give a joyful shout, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the Lord consoles his people; he protects Jerusalem. The Lord reveals his royal power in the sight of all the nations; the entire earth sees our God deliver. Leave! Leave! Get out of there! Don’t touch anything unclean! Get out of it! Stay pure, you who carry the Lord’s holy items! Yet do not depart quickly or leave in a panic. For the Lord goes before you; the God of Israel is your rear guard. (Isaiah 52:1–12 NET)
to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn, to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. They will rebuild the perpetual ruins and restore the places that were desolate; they will reestablish the ruined cities, the places that have been desolate since ancient times. “Foreigners will take care of your sheep; foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards. You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests, servants of our God.’ You will enjoy the wealth of nations and boast about the riches you receive from them. Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. Yes, they will possess a double portion in their land and experience lasting joy. For I, the Lord, love justice and hate robbery and sin. I will repay them because of my faithfulness; I will make a permanent covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations, their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will recognize that the Lord has blessed them.” I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; I will be overjoyed because of my God. For he clothes me in garments of deliverance; he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would; I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. For just as the ground produces its crops and a garden yields its produce, so the sovereign Lord will cause deliverance to grow, and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations. (Isaiah 61:2–11 NET)
Look, a king will promote fairness; officials will promote justice. Each of them will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from a rainstorm; like streams of water in a dry region and like the shade of a large cliff in a parched land. Eyes will no longer be blind and ears will be attentive. The mind that acts rashly will possess discernment and the tongue that stutters will speak with ease and clarity. A fool will no longer be called honorable; a deceiver will no longer be called principled. For a fool speaks disgraceful things; his mind plans out sinful deeds. He commits godless deeds and says misleading things about the Lord; he gives the hungry nothing to satisfy their appetite and gives the thirsty nothing to drink. A deceiver’s methods are evil; he dreams up evil plans to ruin the poor with lies, even when the needy are in the right. An honorable man makes honorable plans; his honorable character gives him security. You complacent women, get up and listen to me! You carefree daughters, pay attention to what I say! In a year’s time you carefree ones will shake with fear, for the grape harvest will fail, and the fruit harvest will not arrive. Tremble, you complacent ones! Shake with fear, you carefree ones! Strip off your clothes and expose yourselves— put sackcloth on your waist! Mourn over the field, over the delightful fields and the fruitful vine! Mourn over the land of my people, which is overgrown with thorns and briers, and over all the once-happy houses in the city filled with revelry. For the fortress is neglected; the once-crowded city is abandoned. Hill and watchtower are permanently uninhabited. Wild donkeys love to go there, and flocks graze there. This desolation will continue until new life is poured out on us from heaven. Then the desert will become an orchard and the orchard will be considered a forest. Justice will settle down in the desert and fairness will live in the orchard. Fairness will produce peace and result in lasting security. My people will live in peaceful settlements, in secure homes, and in safe, quiet places. Even if the forest is destroyed and the city is annihilated, you will be blessed, you who plant seed by all the banks of the streams, you who let your ox and donkey graze. (Isaiah 32:1–20 NET)
A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots. The Lord’s spirit will rest on him— a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord. He will take delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by mere appearances, or make decisions on the basis of hearsay. He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed. Justice will be like a belt around his waist, integrity will be like a belt around his hips. A wolf will reside with a lamb, and a leopard will lie down with a young goat; an ox and a young lion will graze together, as a small child leads them along. A cow and a bear will graze together, their young will lie down together. A lion, like an ox, will eat straw. A baby will play over the hole of a snake; over the nest of a serpent an infant will put his hand. They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain. For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea. At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic. At that time the sovereign master will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the seacoasts. He will lift a signal flag for the nations; he will gather Israel’s dispersed people and assemble Judah’s scattered people from the four corners of the earth. Ephraim’s jealousy will end, and Judah’s hostility will be eliminated. Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah, and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim. They will swoop down on the Philistine hills to the west; together they will loot the people of the east. They will take over Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be their subjects. The Lord will divide the gulf of the Egyptian Sea; he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River and send a strong wind, he will turn it into seven dried-up streams, and enable them to walk across in their sandals. There will be a highway leading out of Assyria for the remnant of his people, just as there was for Israel, when they went up from the land of Egypt. (Isaiah 11:1–16 NET)
Seven women will grab hold of one man at that time. They will say, “We will provide our own food, we will provide our own clothes; but let us belong to you— take away our shame!” At that time the crops given by the Lord will bring admiration and honor; the produce of the land will be a source of pride and delight to those who remain in Israel. Those remaining in Zion, those left in Jerusalem, will be called “holy,” all in Jerusalem who are destined to live. At that time the sovereign master will wash the excrement from Zion’s women, he will rinse the bloodstains from Jerusalem’s midst, as he comes to judge and to bring devastation. Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over its convocations a cloud and smoke by day and a bright flame of fire by night; indeed a canopy will accompany the Lord’s glorious presence. By day it will be a shelter to provide shade from the heat, as well as safety and protection from the heavy downpour. (Isaiah 4:1–6 NET)
The Supper of the Great God
Because no one can fight successfully against God, the battle will only last long enough for God to destroy His enemies through His spoken Word and the brightness of His coming. (21)
This scene is certainly difficult for good people to contemplate. War should always be the last resort when trying to resolve conflicts. However, war is sometimes the only way to stop evil. In this case, it is the holy and just war of God to save His people on earth and avenge their deaths. God provided one opportunity after another for the people of the world to repent. Instead, they hardened their hearts and cursed Him. When they made their final rejection of His mercy, God had no alternative but to destroy them. (21)
Jesus spoke of this supper of the great God:
For just like the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. (Matthew 24:27–28 NET)
Cleansing of the Temple
Introduction from Daniel’s Vision
I heard, but I did not understand. So I said, “Sir, what will happen after these things?” He said, “Go, Daniel. For these matters are closed and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made clean, and refined, but the wicked will go on being wicked. None of the wicked will understand, though the wise will understand. From the time that the daily sacrifice is removed and the abomination that causes desolation is set in place, there are 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits and attains to the 1,335 days. (Daniel 12:8–11 NET)
Together the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord will last 3.5 years, which is 1,260 days.
But the woman was given the two wings of a giant eagle so that she could fly out into the wilderness, to the place God prepared for her, where she is taken care of—away from the presence of the serpent—for a time, times, and half a time [3.5 years]. (Revelation 12:14 NET)
So the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, who is going to rule over all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne, and she fled into the wilderness where a place had been prepared for her by God, so she could be taken care of for 1,260 days. (Revelation 12:5,6 NET)
However, in Daniel, the time from the beginning of the Great Tribulation until the “many are purified, made clean, and refined…” and God’s Wrath is poured out on “the wicked will go on being wicked,” is 1,290 days. (Daniel 12:10)
Many will be purified, made clean, and refined, but the wicked will go on being wicked. None of the wicked will understand, though the wise will understand. From the time that the daily sacrifice is removed and the abomination that causes desolation is set in place, there are 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits and attains to the 1,335 days. (Daniel 12:10–12 NET)
The second extension of time is said to be forty-five days after the thirty days. These additional 45 days (1,335 – 1,290) are when the Temple is cleansed. The 75 days (30 for morning + 45 for cleansing the temple) of the Book of Daniel speaks of the period of time between the Messiah’s physical return and Israel’s national day of atonement at the end of the 70th week.
From Israel’s Day of Atonements (Yom Kippur) to Hanukkah, there are always 75 days. Hanukkah celebrates the defeat of Antiochus Epiphanes and the cleansing rededication of the temple.
Israel mourns at the end of the seventieth week when she realizes that Jesus, the One she long rejected, is her Messiah (her national day of atonement). The seventy-five days of the Book of Daniel speaks of a period of time between Israel mourning Jesus’ physical return at the end of the seventieth week when she realizes that Jesus, the One she has long rejected, is her Messiah (her national day of atonement) and the cleansing and rededication of the temple, in anticipation of the return of God’s glory. For that reason, those who reach that point are said to be “blessed.” (18)
An Interval Between the Fourth and Fifth Dooms
Satan is Bound for 1,000 Years
Then I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. He seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—and tied him up for a thousand years. The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.) (Revelation 20:1–3 NET)
Here Satan is called by four different names—“Dragon,” “Serpent,” “Devil,” and “Satan.” From these and from the fact that he can be bound, we see that he is a “PERSON” because you cannot bind an “influence” or a “principle of evil.” While Satan is the “Prince of the Powers of the Air” (Ephesians 2:2), the “God of this Age” (2 Corinthians 4:4), and the “Ruler of the Powers of Darkness” (Ephesians 6:11–12), and whose position is so exalted that even Michael the Archangel dare not insult him (Jude 1:9), and while he has great power and influence, yet he is not omnipotent. For ONE Angel, and he is not called a strong angel, can seize and bind him. This Angel, who has the “Key” of the “BOTTOMLESS PIT,” is the same “STAR (Angel)” that is seen by John when the “Fifth Trumpet” sounded (Revelation 9:1–2), who seems to be the custodian of the “Key” of the “Bottomless Pit.” (8)
The bottomless pit, also called the abyss, is the abode of these demons that God kept chained or bound until releasing them as part of His end-time judgments. John explains that Satan rules over these demons—the (fallen) angel of the bottomless pit. He further mentions that the Beast, possessed by Satan, comes from the bottomless pit. (Revelation 11:7; 17:8.) (21)
We are told in other scriptures that “Spirit” beings can be chained. In 2 Peter 2:4, and Jude 6, we read of the angels who sinned and kept not their “First Estate,” and who are now “reserved in CHAINS,” in darkness, unto the Judgment of the Great Day (The Great “White Throne” Judgment). What interests us most is not the character of the chain but the fact that Satan can and will be bound and confined in a place where he cannot get out for 1000 years, and while nothing is said of the binding and confining of his angels and other evil agents, as demons and the “evil powers of the air,” the inference is that they too will be powerless during that period. (8)
The Binding of Satan reveals that God can stop his evil work when He is ready and without sending the armies of Heaven to do so. When the time has come, God will empower and command a single Angel to seize, handcuff, and imprison him, just as an officer of the law with a warrant arrest locks up a criminal. Satan is not cast at this time into the “Lake of Fire” to keep company with the “Beast” and “False Prophet” because God has further use for him at the end of the 1000 years. (8)
The Kingdom Age
The Messianic Kingdom on the Earth
The First Resurrection
Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4–6 NET)
In addition to those who take the Mark of the Beast and those who are sealed as God’s people, there is a third group of people living on the earth when Jesus returns. The Bible refers to them as “the nations.” Apparently, some had escaped the Beast. They did not take his mark but had not committed their lives to the Lord. Others committed their lives to the Lord but were not transformed at His coming at the first resurrection of the righteous dead. Perhaps their decision was a matter of God’s timing of events. Since the promises in the Book of Revelation are to the overcomers, some believe that only they will reign with the Messiah in His Kingdom, while the less victorious believers will live in the Kingdom but not reign. The Bible does not clarify this enough for us to fully understand it. Therefore, we should be gracious to those with differing opinions. Whatever the circumstances, some nations survived the Battle of Armageddon and are alive when the Lord returns. (21)
John says he saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given the right to judge the nations. He specifically mentions the tribulation martyrs. When Jesus establishes His rule, there will be certain divine judgments on those who have survived the tribulation period. (21)
I will bring you out from the nations, and will gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm and with an outpouring of rage! I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the sovereign Lord. I will make you pass under the shepherd’s staff, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. I will eliminate from among you the rebels and those who revolt against me. I will bring them out from the land where they have been residing, but they will not come to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 20:34–38 NET)
The Ezekiel verses picture Jesus as the good shepherd who counts and separates His flock according to those who have personally joined Him in the covenant. (21)
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ Then he will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31–46 NET)
The Matthew verses comprise what is known as the “sheep and goat” judgments. Jesus says He will judge the nations (people groups) based on their treatment of the Jewish people. These judgments are essentially the same and for the purpose of identifying those who are in covenant with God. (21)
The exalted Son of Man is clearly the Judge:
“I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears my message and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the solemn truth, a time is coming—and is now here—when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, thus he has granted the Son to have life in himself, and he has granted the Son authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. “Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out—the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation.I can do nothing on my own initiative. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me. (John 5:24–30 NET)
Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war. (Revelation 19:11 NET)
God has also promised His people that they will rule and judge the nations along with their King:
Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth: In the age when all things are renewed, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28 NET)
Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to settle trivial suits? Do you not know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary matters! (1 Corinthians 6:2–3 NET)
And to the one who conquers and who continues in my deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations— (Revelation 2:26 NET)
I will grant the one who conquers permission to sit with me on my throne, just as I too conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Revelation 3:21 NET)
This judgment determines who will be allowed to enter the Messianic Kingdom in their earthly bodies. Only those who love God will enter the Kingdom. The rest will be cut off and banished from God’s presence until the Great White Throne Judgment takes place at the end of the Messianic Kingdom. (21)
John says that God’s people included in the first resurrection when Jesus returns, are blessed and holy. They have power, or victory, over the second death, which John later defines as the lake of fire.
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:14 NET).
Then he adds that they will serve as priests of God and of His Christ (Messiah) and shall reign with Him for 1,000 years. This is the fulfillment of the promises in the Hebrew Bible and in the New Testament that God’s people (including the overcomers of Revelation 1:6 and 5:10) will live and rule with the Messiah in God’s Kingdom on the earth.
John says that God’s people will reign with the Messiah for 1,000 years. This period of time is known as the Millennium, from the Latin words milli (one thousand) and annum (year). John doesn’t tell us what life will be like in the Messianic Kingdom. We have to look elsewhere in the Bible for that. We know it is the utopia for which man has so desperately strived but never achieved because he has tried to achieve it without God. Now with God ruling through the Messiah, righteousness and peace bring the fullest blessing of God on the earth. (21)
The Messianic Government
The government in the Messianic Kingdom will be a theocracy. This means God Himself will rule over all the earth through Messiah Jesus. This theocracy will unite the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of David through the Messiah Jesus. (21)
As the divine Son of God, Jesus will administer the Kingdom of God through the resurrected believers of all ages. This will involve the heavenly aspects of the Kingdom on Earth. Jesus, as the human Son of David, will administer the kingdom of David through the remnant of believing Jews who are alive at His coming and enter into the Messianic Kingdom. This will involve the earthly aspects of the Kingdom.
The holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will take possession of the kingdom forever and ever.’ “Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others. It was very dreadful, with two rows of iron teeth and bronze claws, and it devoured, crushed, and trampled anything that was left with its feet. I also wanted to know the meaning of the ten horns on its head, and of that other horn which came up and before which three others fell. This was the horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking arrogant things, whose appearance was more formidable than the others.While I was watching, that horn began to wage war against the holy ones and was defeating them, until the Ancient of Days arrived and judgment was rendered in favor of the holy ones of the Most High. Then the time came for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom. “This is what he told me: ‘The fourth beast means that there will be a fourth kingdom on earth that will differ from all the other kingdoms. It will devour all the earth and will trample and crush it. The ten horns mean that ten kings will arise from that kingdom. Another king will arise after them, but he will be different from the earlier ones. He will humiliate three kings. He will speak words against the Most High. He will harass the holy ones of the Most High continually. His intention will be to change times established by law. They will be delivered into his hand For a time, times, and half a time. But the court will convene, and his ruling authority will be removed— destroyed and abolished forever! Then the kingdom, authority, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be delivered to the people of the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; all authorities will serve him and obey him.’ (Daniel 7:18–27 NET)
And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)—if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:17 NET)
The blessings of the Kingdom of God will come to the Gentiles through the nation of Israel as they live under the righteous rule of Messiah Jesus, who will sit on the throne of David.
he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant, to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and restore the remnant of Israel? I will make you a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6 NET)
Nations will see your vindication, and all kings your splendor. You will be called by a new name that the Lord himself will give you. (Isaiah 62:2 NET)
At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic. (Isaiah 11:10 NET)
At that time the city of Jerusalem will be called the Lord’s throne. All nations will gather there in Jerusalem to honor the Lord’s name. They will no longer follow the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. (Jeremiah 3:17 NET)
Then I said, “Lord, you give me strength and protect me. You are the one I can run to for safety when I am in trouble. Nations from all over the earth will come to you and say, ‘Our ancestors had nothing but false gods— worthless idols that could not help them at all. Can people make their own gods? No, what they make are not gods at all.” The Lord said, “So I will now let this wicked people know— I will let them know my mighty power in judgment. Then they will know that my name is the Lord.” (Jeremiah 16:19–21 NET)
Psalms 2 gives us a clear statement concerning the rule of Jesus in the Messianic Kingdom:
“I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.” The king says, “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: ‘You are my son! This very day I have become your father! Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property. You will break them with an iron scepter; you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’ ” (Psalm 2:6–9 NET)
In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever. (Daniel 2:44 NET).
I was watching in the night visions, “And with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13–14 NET).
The prophet Isaiah often spoke about the Kingdom of God. In one of his more well-known statements, Isaiah wrote:
For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called: Extraordinary Strategist, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His dominion will be vast and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The Lord’s intense devotion to his people will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6–7 NET)
At the Council of Jerusalem, a crucial occasion for the early church, James, the half brother of the Lord, proclaimed:
Simeon has explained how God first concerned himself to select from among the Gentiles a people for his name. The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written, ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it [i.e., the Kingdom], so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, namely, all the Gentiles I have called to be my own,’ says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago. (Acts 15:14–18 NET)(cf. Amos 9:11,12; Isaiah 45:21)
“In that day I will rebuild the collapsing hut of David. I will seal its gaps, repair its ruins, and restore it to what it was like in days gone by. As a result they will conquer those left in Edom and all the nations subject to my rule.” The LORD, who is about to do this, is speaking! (Amos 9:11,12 NET)
Tell me! Present the evidence! Let them consult with one another! Who predicted this in the past? Who announced it beforehand? Was it not I, the Lord? I have no peer, there is no God but me, a God who vindicates and delivers; there is none but me. (Isaiah 45:21 NET)
Not the similarity between the phrase “The Lord’s intense devotion to his people will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:7 b) and “says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago” (Acts 15:17 b).
These are just a few of the many prophecies about the Kingdom of God being fully manifested on the earth at the coming of Messiah Jesus. He will rule over the nations as a descendant of Abraham and the greater Son of David. (21)
Jerusalem – the World Capital
Jesus will rule from Jerusalem, which will be the capital of the world. The news media and wire services will dateline their stories from Jerusalem, not Washington, Moscow, Paris, or London. The world’s nations will submit to the policies that the Messiah decrees from the holy city of God. The ancient prophets spoke of this time when Jerusalem would be the center of the world government. (21)
Isaiah prophesied the following:
In the future the mountain of the Lord’s temple will endure as the most important of mountains, and will be the most prominent of hills. All the nations will stream to it, many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the temple of the God of Jacob, so he can teach us his requirements, and we can follow his standards.” For Zion will be the center for moral instruction; the Lord will issue edicts from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:2–3 NET)
Isaiah also declared:
At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic. (Isaiah 11:10 NET)
Jeremiah said:
At that time the city of Jerusalem will be called the Lord’s throne. All nations will gather there in Jerusalem to honor the Lord’s name. They will no longer follow the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. (Jeremiah 3:17 NET)
Micah wrote:
In the future the Lord’s Temple Mount will be the most important mountain of all; it will be more prominent than other hills. People will stream to it. Many nations will come, saying, “Come on! Let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the temple of Jacob’s God, so he can teach us his commands and we can live by his laws.” For Zion will be the source of instruction; the Lord’s teachings will proceed from Jerusalem. (Micah 4:1–2 NET)
Zechariah predicted:
Then all who survive from all the nations that came to attack Jerusalem will go up annually to worship the King, the Lord who rules over all, and to observe the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16 NET)
The Feast of Tabernacles is the only feast mentioned in the scriptures to continue into the millennium.
But I say to you, do not take oaths at all—not by heaven, because it is the throne of God, not by earth, because it is his footstool, and not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. Do not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. (Matthew 5:34–36 NET)
A Unified Government
The Messianic Kingdom will be the true and lasting one-world government. This is what the nations are now trying to establish, but without God. There will be no need for a United Nations because Jesus will rule with absolute authority and power. There will be no political parties and special interest groups because all nations will submit to Him, and no open rebellion will be tolerated. (21)
In addition to the Scriptures just noted, the following often-quoted references give us further insight:
Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property. You will break them with an iron scepter; you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’ ” (Psalm 2:8–9 NET)
Here is the Lord’s proclamation to my lord: “Sit down at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool!” The Lord extends your dominion from Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies! (Psalm 110:1–2 NET)
He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed. (Isaiah 11:4 NET)
The Lord will then be king over all the earth. In that day the Lord will be seen as one with a single name. (Zechariah 14:9 NET)
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15 NET)
From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful.He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:15–16 NET)
A Righteous Rule
Jesus will rule with righteousness and justice for all. All social problems will be solved. No one will be oppressed, taken advantage of, or cheated. There will be no social workers, discrimination, inequities, or inequalities of any kind. (21)
The Hebrew Scriptures declare:
But the Lord rules forever; he reigns in a just manner. He judges the world fairly; he makes just legal decisions for the nations. Consequently the Lord provides safety for the oppressed; he provides safety in times of trouble. (Psalm 9:7–9 NET)
He will take delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by mere appearances, or make decisions on the basis of hearsay. He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed. Justice will be like a belt around his waist, integrity will be like a belt around his hips. (Isaiah 11:3–5 NET)
Then a trustworthy king will be established; he will rule in a reliable manner, this one from David’s family. He will be sure to make just decisions and will be experienced in executing justice. (Isaiah 16:5 NET)
“The days are coming” —this is the Lord’s declaration— “when I will raise up a Righteous Branch of David. He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. This is what He will be named: Yahweh Our Righteousness. (Jeremiah 23:5–6 HCSB)
The Kingdom of Peace
Because Jesus can rule absolutely with perfect justice and righteousness, peace will finally come to the earth. There will no longer be border disputes between neighboring countries. One nation will not seek to dominate another. The military academies will be closed, and the war machines dismantled. (21)
We learn from the prophets:
He will judge disputes between nations; he will settle cases for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not take up the sword against other nations, and they will no longer train for war. (Isaiah 2:4 NET)
He will arbitrate between many peoples and settle disputes between many distant nations. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not use weapons against other nations, and they will no longer train for war. (Micah 4:3 NET)
The Kingdom Religion
The Messianic Kingdom will also have a one-world religion. But it won’t be the World Council of Churches. Both the political and spiritual aspects of the Messianic Kingdom will center in the Messiah. Jesus will rule as the King-Priest, uniting both functions in Himself.
Zechariah prophesied:
Indeed, he will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed in splendor, sitting as king on his throne. Moreover, there will be a priest with him on his throne and they will see eye to eye on everything. (Zechariah 6:13 NET)
Because of man’s sinful nature, it is not wise for the political and religious affairs of a nation to be under one authority. An ungodly leader who controls both of these could become a ruthless dictator destroying and corrupting lives in the worst ways. This is exactly what the false messiah will do during the Great Tribulation. (21)
But Jesus can function in both capacities because He is the perfect God-man. He will exercise His political authority with perfect righteousness while keeping the spiritual worship pure and free from perversion. Jerusalem will not only be the world’s capital, but it will also be the religious center of the world.
At that time the city of Jerusalem will be called the Lord’s throne. All nations will gather there in Jerusalem to honor the Lord’s name. They will no longer follow the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. (Jeremiah 3:17 NET)
Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him! Let all the nations worship you! For the Lord is king and rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:27–28 NET)
The Lord will terrify them, for he will weaken all the gods of the earth. All the distant nations will worship the Lord in their own lands. (Zephaniah 2:11 NET)
Because Jesus (Yeshua) is a Jewish Lord and King, the worship expressions during this time will be Jewish, not Greco-Roman. This is why the prophets describe worship in Jewish terms. Without wanting to cause offense, Western Greco-Roman Christianity, as we know it today, is not taken from the Bible. It was established by Constantine in the fourth century of our era. All the prophets in the Bible are Jewish. Jesus and His first followers in the New Testament were all Jewish. They spoke of a Jewish King and High Priest who would rule and minister in a Jewish way. They would not have had a concept of Western Greco-Roman Christianity. It is not in the Bible, and it will not exist in the Messianic Kingdom of God. (21)
When Jesus was here the first time, He came as a Jew. When He returns, He will come as a Jew, not a Christian. The Bible is very clear. In Revelation 5:5, Jesus is called “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.” In Revelation 22:16, Jesus calls Himself “the Root and the Offspring of David….”
Non-Jewish Christian believers need to be prepared for worship when Messiah comes. Those who are unprepared will be shocked when they realize Jesus is not going to “have church.” He will be a Jewish King ruling over His Kingdom led by the Jewish state of Israel and biblical Jewish expressions of worship. Those who are prepared will be ready to fully enter into the experience of worshiping the Lord biblically. Furthermore, Messianic-believing Jews will be shocked when they discover that Jesus will not preside over modern rabbinic services disguised as New Testament worship. (21)
There will be no anti-Semitic, replacement-theology Christians living in the Messianic Kingdom of God. If you are anti-Israel, there will be no place for you there. And if you are resisting God’s sovereign work of restoring Christianity to its biblical Hebraic roots, you will be miserable in God’s Messianic Kingdom. (21)
With a Jewish King and Messiah, Isaiah tells us that the world will function on the biblical Jewish calendar rather than the Greco-Roman calendar. The biblical Jewish calendar (1) is a lunar calendar for keeping the Feasts. The Greco-Roman calendar is a solar calendar based on sun worship. Furthermore, Shabbat (Saturday) (1) will be universally recognized as the special Day of the Lord for worship and rest. (See Isaiah 56:1-8; 58:13-14.)
This is what the Lord says, “Promote justice! Do what is right! For I am ready to deliver you; I am ready to vindicate you openly. The people who do this will be blessed, the people who commit themselves to obedience, who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it, who refrain from doing anything that is wrong. No foreigner who becomes a follower of the Lord should say, ‘The Lord will certainly exclude me from his people.’ The eunuch should not say, ‘Look, I am like a dried-up tree.’ ” For this is what the Lord says: “For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths and choose what pleases me and are faithful to my covenant, I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument that will be better than sons and daughters. I will set up a permanent monument for them that will remain. As for foreigners who become followers of the Lord and serve him, who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants— all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it, and who are faithful to my covenant— I will bring them to my holy mountain; I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.” The sovereign Lord says this, the one who gathers the dispersed of Israel: “I will still gather them up.” (Isaiah 56:1–8 NET)
You must observe the Sabbath rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. You must look forward to the Sabbath and treat the Lord’s holy day with respect. You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities, and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals. Then you will find joy in your relationship to the Lord, and I will give you great prosperity, and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Jacob.” Know for certain that the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 58:13 NET)
Isaiah explains:
From one month to the next and from one Sabbath to the next, all people will come to worship me,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 66:23 NET)
We also learn that people will celebrate the Feasts of the Lord, not the feasts of Constantine. We will regulate our worship on the sacred biblical calendar and celebrate God’s holy days rather than Greco-Roman holidays. (21)
Zechariah explains:
Then all who survive from all the nations that came to attack Jerusalem will go up annually to worship the King, the Lord who rules over all, and to observe the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16 NET).
The prophet Ezekiel provides information concerning worship activities during the Messianic Kingdom (see Ezekiel 40–48). In these chapters, Ezekiel describes a religious system that includes a temple, priesthood, and sacrifices. None of this is in any way meant to diminish the completed work of Jesus as the perfect human Temple of God and His perfect High Priest. Nor will it diminish His work as the once-and-for-all perfect sacrifice for our sins. The sacrifices at the Temple will not be for sin. Instead, they will be offerings of praise and worship to the Lord. They are memorial offerings. (21)
Although the Messiah will be the center of worship, He will use the religious expressions as physical objects teaching lessons to show in a tangible way who He is and what He has done. The religious teachers will use these object lessons to point people born during the millennium to the Messiah and their need for Him to become their personal Redeemer, Lord, and Savior. (21)
I will bring them to my holy mountain; I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.” (Isaiah 56:7 NET)
Zechariah explains:
The Lord who rules over all says, ‘It will someday come to pass that people—residents of many cities—will come. The inhabitants of one will go to another and say, “Let’s go up at once to ask the favor of the Lord, to seek the Lord who rules over all. Indeed, I’ll go with you.” ’ Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord who rules over all and to ask his favor. The Lord who rules over all says, ‘In those days ten people from all languages and nations will grasp hold of—indeed, grab—the robe of one Jew and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ” (Zechariah 8:20-23).
Because Israel will be the head nation, Hebrew, not English, will be the universal language.
Know for sure that I will then enable the nations to give me acceptable praise. All of them will invoke the Lord’s name when they pray, and will worship him in unison. (Zephaniah 3:9 NET)
Jeremiah 31:23 explains:
The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I will restore the people of Judah to their land and to their towns. When I do, they will again say of Jerusalem, ‘May the Lord bless you, you holy mountain, the place where righteousness dwells.’ (Jeremiah 31:23 NET)
The presence of the Messiah will ensure great spiritual blessings for everyone. All citizens will be able to have full knowledge of God through the Messiah and will enjoy the New Covenant blessings to the fullest.
They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain. For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea. At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic. (Isaiah 11:9–10 NET)
Kingdom Living Conditions
Living conditions in the Messianic Kingdom will be blessed beyond our present abilities to imagine. As just noted, there will be no more wars. (See Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:1-4.)
He will judge disputes between nations; he will settle cases for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not take up the sword against other nations, and they will no longer train for war. (Isaiah 2:4 NET)
In the future the Lord’s Temple Mount will be the most important mountain of all; it will be more prominent than other hills. People will stream to it. Many nations will come, saying, “Come on! Let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the temple of Jacob’s God, so he can teach us his commands and we can live by his laws.” For Zion will be the source of instruction; the Lord’s teachings will proceed from Jerusalem. He will arbitrate between many peoples and settle disputes between many distant nations. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not use weapons against other nations, and they will no longer train for war. Each will sit under his own grapevine or under his own fig tree without any fear. The Lord who commands armies has decreed it. (Micah 4:1–4 NET)
Because of this, we won’t need to dispatch peacekeeping forces to different trouble spots on the globe. There will be no Iron Curtain, Bamboo Curtain, Berlin Wall, demilitarized zones, revolutions, or terrorist groups. The vast sums of money now spent on the arms race will be used for the benefit of humankind. (21)
Because Jesus will rule with perfect justice and righteousness, social problems will no longer burden society. Each person will have an equal opportunity to work and provide for his or her family with dignity and honor. There will be a fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work. The rich will not be allowed to exploit the poor. There will be no special interest groups in Jerusalem seeking to gain favor at the expense of others. Kingdom justice will be administered to all citizens without partiality. (21)
There will be great economic prosperity and full employment.
They will build houses and live in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build a house only to have another live in it, or plant a vineyard only to have another eat its fruit, for my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will enjoy to the fullest what they have produced. They will not work in vain, or give birth to children that will experience disaster. For the Lord will bless their children and their descendants. (Isaiah 65:21–23 NET)
The threshing floors are full of grain; the vats overflow with fresh wine and olive oil. I will make up for the years that the ‘arbeh-locust consumed your crops— the yeleq-locust, the hasil-locust, and the gazam-locust— my great army that I sent against you. You will have plenty to eat, and your hunger will be fully satisfied; you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has acted wondrously in your behalf. My people will never again be put to shame. (Joel 2:24–26 NET)
Government housing, welfare, and ghettos will be a thing of the past. There will be no need for food-relief programs. Everyone will have plenty to eat, for the earth will be greatly productive.
“Be sure of this, the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when the plowman will catch up to the reaper and the one who stomps the grapes will overtake the planter. Juice will run down the slopes, it will flow down all the hillsides. I will bring back my people, Israel; they will rebuild the cities lying in rubble and settle down. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce; they will grow orchards and eat the fruit they produce. (Amos 9:13–14 NET)
Management and labor will work together for the common good. There will be no need for collective bargaining or crippling strikes that cut off needed services and goods. Plants will operate at full capacity. The world’s economy will stabilize without the ups and downs of inflation and depression. Goods and services will be freely exchanged for the benefit of all. (21)
Moral conditions will conform to the biblical standard (see Isa. 2:3).
many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the temple of the God of Jacob, so he can teach us his requirements, and we can follow his standards.” For Zion will be the center for moral instruction; the Lord will issue edicts from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3 NET)
We won’t need prophets to raise our moral consciousness, nor the Coalition for Better Television to rate the networks. No smut peddlers, drug pushers, drunk drivers, pimps, prostitutes, gambling halls, crime, or violence of any kind will be allowed. (21)
The curse of sin will be partially removed. The result is that life expectancy will be lengthened so that a 100-year-old person will be considered a child. Hospitals, health care, and insurance programs will not be needed, for there will be little or no sickness and death. The world will experience a great population explosion to replenish the earth.
For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly but because of God who subjected it—in hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:19–23 NET)
Never again will one of her infants live just a few days or an old man die before his time. Indeed, no one will die before the age of a hundred, anyone who fails to reach the age of a hundred will be considered cursed. (Isaiah 65:20 NET)
No resident of Zion will say, “I am ill”; the people who live there will have their sin forgiven. (Isaiah 33:24 NET)
Yes, I will restore you to health. I will heal your wounds. I, the Lord, affirm it! For you have been called an outcast, Zion, whom no one cares for.” The Lord says, “I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob. I will show compassion on their ruined homes. Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins. Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site. Out of those places you will hear songs of thanksgiving and the sounds of laughter and merriment. I will increase their number and they will not dwindle away. I will bring them honor and they will no longer be despised. The descendants of Jacob will enjoy their former privileges. Their community will be reestablished in my favor and I will punish all who try to oppress them. (Jeremiah 30:17–20 NET)
Since everyone will speak the same language, we can communicate with one another no matter what our language or country of origin might be. (21)
Light will be enjoyed around the clock so that more can be accomplished. The land will be fruitful. Even the animals will live together in peace.
On that day there will be no light—the sources of light in the heavens will congeal. It will happen in one day (a day known to the Lord); not in the day or the night, but in the evening there will be light. (Zechariah 14:6–7 NET)
Let the desert and dry region be happy; let the wilderness rejoice and bloom like a lily! Let it richly bloom; let it rejoice and shout with delight! It is given the grandeur of Lebanon, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the grandeur of the Lord, the splendor of our God. (Isaiah 35:1–2 NET)
‘for there will be a peaceful time of sowing, the vine will produce its fruit and the ground its yield, and the skies will rain down dew. Then I will allow the remnant of my people to possess all these things. (Zechariah 8:12 NET)
A wolf will reside with a lamb, and a leopard will lie down with a young goat; an ox and a young lion will graze together, as a small child leads them along. A cow and a bear will graze together, their young will lie down together. A lion, like an ox, will eat straw. A baby will play over the hole of a snake; over the nest of a serpent an infant will put his hand. They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain. For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6–9 NET)
A wolf and a lamb will graze together; a lion, like an ox, will eat straw, and a snake’s food will be dirt. They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 65:25 NET)
In every way, life will be better than we can possibly imagine because God Himself will rule the nations through a perfect human King, who is the exalted Son of God-Son of Man, the Lamb of God, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
The Fifth Doom – God and Magog
Now when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea. They went up on the broad plain of the earth and encircled the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely. (Revelation 20:7–9 NET)
With such a perfect world, why would God spoil it by releasing Satan from his prison? Living conditions during the Messianic Kingdom enabled people to live long, productive, and fruitful lives. There will be a great population explosion. Over time, human nature tends to lose sight of the fact that all their blessings are a direct result of the goodness of God, even when they are living in a perfect environment with the Lord Himself. (21)
First, because God cut the time short during the Great Tribulation, He is legally obligated to give Satan the remainder of this time. Second, God releases Satan from his prison to reveal to the people the true motives of their hearts toward their worship and service to King Messiah.
Realize because Jesus is ruling with a rod of iron, people must obey His teachings, but this does not mean that their hearts are in submission to Him. Obedience is an outward act, while the submission is an attitude of the heart. So it seems that over the long duration of the Kingdom on Earth, many of the Lord’s subjects serve Him out of duty rather than love. The Hebrews did the same thing even when God was in their midst, even when He led them out of Egypt and through the wilderness. They complained and sought a leader other than Moses, someone, who would take them back to Egypt. That was just during a 40-year period of time. (21)
Even after living in a perfect world under the rule of the righteous King, people still need to make their hearts right toward God. They still need the Holy Spirit to impart the life of God to them. Without this spiritual heart transplant, people are still vulnerable to Satan’s temptations. We are just too easily deceived and led astray. (21)
So we see that when Satan is released from the bottomless pit, he makes one last desperate effort to draw people away from God and destroy God’s people. John explains that Satan again deceives the nations and convinces them to join him in throwing off the yoke of God’s Kingdom rule. According to John’s vision, so many join in the rebellion that they are compared to the sand of the sea.
This is a sad revelation of the human heart, as Jeremiah observed:
The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9 HCSB)
“As for you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal! I will turn you around and drag you along; I will lead you up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you against the mountains of Israel. I will knock your bow out of your left hand and make your arrows fall from your right hand. You will fall dead on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the people who are with you. I give you as food to every kind of bird and every wild beast. You will fall dead in the open field; for I have spoken, declares the sovereign Lord. I will send fire on Magog and those who live securely in the coastlands; then they will know that I am the Lord. “ ‘I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. Realize that it is coming and it will be done, declares the sovereign Lord. It is the day I have spoken about. “ ‘Then those who live in the cities of Israel will go out and use the weapons for kindling—the shields, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears—they will burn them for seven years. They will not need to take wood from the field or cut down trees from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons. They will take the loot from those who looted them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them, declares the sovereign Lord. “ ‘On that day I will assign Gog a grave in Israel. It will be the valley of those who travel east of the sea; it will block the way of the travelers. There they will bury Gog and all his horde; they will call it the valley of Hamon-Gog. For seven months Israel will bury them, in order to cleanse the land. All the people of the land will bury them, and it will be a memorial for them on the day I magnify myself, declares the sovereign Lord. They will designate men to scout continually through the land, burying those who remain on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. They will search for seven full months. When the scouts survey the land and see a human bone, they will place a sign by it, until those assigned to burial duty have buried it in the valley of Hamon-Gog. (A city by the name of Hamonah will also be there.) They will cleanse the land.’ “As for you, son of man, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Tell every kind of bird and every wild beast: ‘Assemble and come! Gather from all around to my slaughter which I am going to make for you, a great slaughter on the mountains of Israel! You will eat flesh and drink blood. You will eat the flesh of warriors and drink the blood of the princes of the earth—the rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, all of them fattened animals of Bashan. You will eat fat until you are full, and drink blood until you are drunk, at my slaughter which I have made for you. You will fill up at my table with horses and charioteers, with warriors and all the soldiers,’ declares the sovereign Lord. “I will display my majesty among the nations. All the nations will witness the judgment I have executed, and the power I have exhibited among them. Then the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God, from that day forward. (Ezekiel 39:1–22 NET)
As soon as Satan is loosed from his prison in the “Bottomless Pit,” he will find a vast multitude ready to believe his lie and to serve and obey him as he did during the Great Tribulation. He will gather this rebellious army from the “Four Quarters of the Earth” to battle. They will be in number as the “sand of the sea.” Revelation 20:8–9. The revolt will be Worldwide and will mean the Mobilizing of Vast Armies. Satan will conduct them across the “Breadth of the Earth” until they compass the “Camp of the Saints” (the Holy Land) and lay siege once more to the “Beloved City” Jerusalem. From this, we see that the unregenerate heart is like a powder magazine, all it needs is a match to set it off, and Satan, when freed, will be that match. This, the “last war” that this world shall ever see, will be bloodless, for the vast armies of Satan shall be destroyed by FIRE. (8)
From this, we see that the “Millennial Dispensation,” like all the six Dispensations before it, will end in failure. God will have tested man in “Innocence,” “Conscience,” “Self-Government,” the “Headship of the Family,” “Law,” under “Grace,” and finally under the influence of the “Holy Spirit,” free from Satanic influences, and under them all, he will prove himself to be hopelessly, incurably and incorrigibly bad.
If, after 1000 years of the Presence of the King and of universal peace and blessing, man still persists in rebelling against his Maker, what will there be left for God to do? Humanly speaking, there will seem to be nothing for God to do but destroy the human race. To send another Flood and wipe out mankind. But this He cannot do, for He promised Noah that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood of waters. Genesis 9:11. But do something He must, so He will purge the earth with Fire.
Jesus said,
“I have come to bring fire on the earth—and how I wish it were already kindled! (Luke 12:49 NET)
But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, by being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. (2 Peter 3:7 NET)
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare. Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness, while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze! But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides. (2 Peter 3:10–13 NET)
Sixth Doom – Satan
And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10 NET)
As punishment for his final act of Rebellion, Satan shall be seized, probably by the same Angel that chained him, and hurled into the “LAKE OF FIRE,” where he will find alive and waiting for him the “Beast” and the “False Prophet” who were cast there a 1000 years before. This shows that there is no such thing as annihilation. The “Lake of Fire” was prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41), not to consume them in, for God could have done that with fire from heaven, but to PUNISH THEM, and all those whose names are not written in the “Book of Life” will go to the same place to spend eternity. The reason why Satan does not want people to read and study the Book of Revelation is that he does not want the world to know that there is to be an end to his power. (8)
Only the “bodies” of those who perish in this last great war will be destroyed by fire; their “souls” and “spirits” will go to the “Hell Compartment” of the “Underworld” to come out at the Resurrection of the Wicked dead and appear at the “Great White Throne Judgment,” and be sentenced to the “SECOND DEATH,” which, as we have seen, means that they must spend eternity without a material body in the “Lake of Fire.” (8)
Seventh Doom – The Wicked Dead, The Great White Throne Judgment
Then I saw a large white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then books were opened, and another book was opened—the book of life. So the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11–15 NET)
The Great White Throne Judgment is the last act of God that announces the fate of those being judged before eternity begins. As human beings created in God’s image, we must accept the fact that we are all accountable to God for the way we have lived our lives. While we seek to avoid being accountable to others, we cannot avoid being ultimately accountable to God. We will all stand before Him and be judged for the stewardship of the lives He has given us. While we all know this instinctively, we seek to avoid thinking about it. That does not change the reality. (21)
King Solomon wrote about the foolishness of living life without the fear of God and reminded his readers of the consequences:
Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion: Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. For God will evaluate every deed, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 NET)
In the New Covenant, we read:
And just as people are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment, (Hebrews 9:27 NET).
This means there is no ongoing process of reincarnation until we evolve into perfection, as some claim.
Daniel saw the Great White Throne Judgment in his apocalyptic vision.
“While I was watching, thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His attire was white like snow; the hair of his head was like lamb’s wool. His throne was ablaze with fire and its wheels were all aflame. A river of fire was streaming forth and proceeding from his presence. Many thousands were ministering to him; Many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him. The court convened and the books were opened. “Then I kept on watching because of the arrogant words of the horn that was speaking. I was watching until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and thrown into the flaming fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their ruling authority had already been removed, though they were permitted to go on living for a time and a season. I was watching in the night visions, “And with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed. “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed, and the visions of my mind were alarming me. I approached one of those standing nearby and asked him about the meaning of all this. So he spoke with me and revealed to me the interpretation of the vision:‘These large beasts, which are four in number, represent four kings who will arise from the earth. The holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will take possession of the kingdom forever and ever.’ “Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others. It was very dreadful, with two rows of iron teeth and bronze claws, and it devoured, crushed, and trampled anything that was left with its feet. I also wanted to know the meaning of the ten horns on its head, and of that other horn which came up and before which three others fell. This was the horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking arrogant things, whose appearance was more formidable than the others.While I was watching, that horn began to wage war against the holy ones and was defeating them, until the Ancient of Days arrived and judgment was rendered in favor of the holy ones of the Most High. Then the time came for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom. (Daniel 7:9–22 NET)
“At that time Michael, the great prince who watches over your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress unlike any other from the nation’s beginning up to that time. But at that time your own people, all those whose names are found written in the book, will escape. Many of those who sleep in the dusty ground will awake— some to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence. But the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavenly expanse. And those bringing many to righteousness will be like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:1–3 NET)
Daniel says that he saw the Ancient of Days seated on His throne when the books were opened. He also saw the Son of Man participating in this judgment.
The Scriptures tell us that God the Father and Jesus His Son are involved in the judgment.
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. (Matthew 16:27 NET)
Furthermore, the Father does not judge anyone, but has assigned all judgment to the Son, so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. “I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears my message and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the solemn truth, a time is coming—and is now here—when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, thus he has granted the Son to have life in himself, and he has granted the Son authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. “Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out—the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation. (John 5:22–29 NET)
But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! He will reward each one according to his works: (Romans 2:5–6 NET)
on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus. (Romans 2:16 NET)
Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12 NET)
If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,each builder’s work will be plainly seen, for the Day will make it clear, because it will be revealed by fire. And the fire will test what kind of work each has done. If what someone has built survives, he will receive a reward. If someone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12–15 NET)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 5:10 NET)
I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: (2 Timothy 4:1 NET)
—if so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials, and to reserve the unrighteous for punishment at the day of judgment, (2 Peter 2:9 NET)
Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, even prophesied of them, saying, “Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all, and to convict every person of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds that they have committed, and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” (Jude 1:14–15 NET)
God is the presiding Judge, with Jesus confirming the judgment based on His sacrificial atonement for our sins.
John makes a puzzling statement that Heaven and Earth fled from the face of God at the time of this judgment. Since the earth is cursed due to humankind’s sin. (21)
For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly but because of God who subjected it—in hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. (Romans 8:19–22 NET)
God cannot come to Earth with His people until He purifies it of its corrupt elements. This seems to relate to God beginning the transition of creating the new Heaven and new Earth where only righteousness will dwell.
Look up at the sky! Look at the earth below! For the sky will dissipate like smoke, and the earth will wear out like clothes; its residents will die like gnats. But the deliverance I give is permanent; the vindication I provide will not disappear. (Isaiah 51:6 NET)
As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered them, “Watch out that no one misleads you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many. (Matthew 24:3–5 NET)
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare. Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness,while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze! But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides. (2 Peter 3:10–13 NET)
John sees two books opened. One is the “Book of Works,” while the other is the “Book of Life.”
While scholars have differing views on who is being judged (believers and unbelievers or only unbelievers), the important matter is how the people are judged and the result of the judgment.
Jesus promised the overcomers at Sardis (1) that He would not blot their names out of the Book of Life but confess them before His Father and the angels.
The one who conquers will be dressed like them in white clothing, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will declare his name before my Father and before his angels. The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ (Revelation 3:5–6 NET)
The purpose of the Book of Life is to confirm who will spend eternity with God. The Book of Life is further identified as the Lamb’s Book of Life.
and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed. (Revelation 13:8 NET)
but nothing ritually unclean will ever enter into it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or practices falsehood, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27 NET)
This is Heaven’s registry book of believers—those who have personally accepted God’s provision of salvation and redemption through the innocent, substitutionary blood covenant sacrifice for their sins. (21)
In the Hebrew Bible, beginning with Adam and Eve, God provided animals as the means for the people to draw near Him. They were saved by grace through faith in the blood of the sacrifice that took their place.
for the life of every living thing is in the blood. So I myself have assigned it to you on the altar to make atonement for your lives, for the blood makes atonement by means of the life. (Leviticus 17:11 NET)
In the New Covenant, believers accept Jesus as the Lamb of God who has taken away our sins
On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 NET)
All true believers, both in the Hebrew Bible and in the New Covenant era, have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Our eternal life with God is based on our acceptance and identification with His righteousness made available to us through Jesus. He is the righteous Branch of David who will execute judgment and righteousness on earth.
“I, the Lord, promise that a new time will certainly come when I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David. He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding and will do what is just and right in the land. Under his rule Judah will enjoy safety and Israel will live in security. This is the name he will go by: ‘The Lord has provided us with justice.’ (Jeremiah 23:5–6 NET)
This is a matter of faith, as proclaimed throughout the Bible.
Habakkuk wrote that the just shall live by faith.
“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4 ESV)
Paul quoted Habakkuk and wrote:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” (Romans 1:16–17 NET)
The purpose of the Book of Works is twofold. For believers, it is to determine our rewards based on the stewardship and obedience of our lives as believers.
The Bible clearly states that:
But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. (James 2:20–26 NET)
Jesus said,
In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 NET)
God will reward believers based on their works of covenantal love prompted by the Holy Spirit. These Holy Spirit-inspired works of godly love are the only righteous deeds that God will accept because they come from God Himself. Religious activities and other good deeds tainted by our own selfish motives will not be acceptable. (21)
The other purpose of the Book of Works is to judge unbelievers. Sadly, their good works cannot save them. This is also the clear teaching throughout the Bible. (21)
When Daniel prayed for his people, he based his appeal on God’s righteousness, not the good deeds of the people:
Listen attentively, my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins and the city called by your name. For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you, but because your compassion is abundant. (Daniel 9:18 NET)
Isaiah confessed to God the complete unworthiness of his people:
We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. We all wither like a leaf; our sins carry us away like the wind. (Isaiah 64:6 NET)
Isaiah clearly did not appeal to God based on the moral or religious merits of the people.
Paul added that salvation and favor with God are:
he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5 NET)
Yet he wrote that our works bear witness to our faith (see Titus 1:16; 2:7,14; 3:8,14).
They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed. (Titus 1:16 NET)
showing yourself to be an example of good works in every way. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss, because he has nothing evil to say about us. (Titus 2:7–8 NET)
He gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, who are eager to do good. (Titus 2:14 NET)
This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. These things are good and beneficial for all people. (Titus 3:8 NET)
Here is another way that our people can learn to engage in good works to meet pressing needs and so not be unfruitful. (Titus 3:14 NET)
Jesus said He has the keys to Hades and death:
and the one who lives! I was dead, but look, now I am alive—forever and ever—and I hold the keys of death and of Hades! (Revelation 1:18 NET)
The One who has conquered Hades and death cast them both into the lake of fire as they have served their purpose. From this moment on, there will be no more death, and those in Hell will have gone to the Lake of Fire. Because God made way for salvation, those who have rejected it do so of their own free will. If their names are not in the Lamb’s Book of Life, they are cast into the lake of fire. (21)
Detailed Description
Revelation Chapters 21 thru 22
Please see the following link for a detailed description of Revelation Chapters 21 thru 22:
Part XIV The Lord of the Scroll – God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time
His-Story (History) Series:
- Part I: The Lord of the Scroll – Fellowship Lost!
- Part II: The Lord of the Scroll – The Two Kingdoms
- Part III: The Lord of the Scroll – The Revelation of the King!
- Part IV: The Lord of the Scroll – The Death of the King
- Part V: The Lord of the Scroll – The Re-Birth of the King!
- Part VI: The Lord of the Scroll – Salvation
- Part VII: The Lord of the Scroll – Revelation of the King’s Bride!
- Part VIII: The Lord of the Scroll – Revelation of the King of Kings!
- Part IX: The Lord of the Scroll – The Lord of Hosts
- Part X: The Lord of the Scroll – The Scroll of Authority Revealed!
- Part XI: The Lord of the Scroll – When will the King of Kings Return?
- Part XII: The Lord of the Scroll – Daniel’s 70th Week
- Part XIII: The Lord of the Scroll – The Return of the King of Kings to Earth!
- Part XIV The Lord of the Scroll – God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time
Shalom
(Security, Wholeness, Success)
Peace
Dear friend, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. (3 John 1:2 NET)
(1) Select the link to open another article in a new tab with additional information.
(2) Note: Those not able to choose for themselves (1) (e.g., aborted babies, mentally challenged, etc.) are also in Heaven.
(3) The Greek word used here for air is “aer,” which refers to the lower denser atmosphere. This contrasts with the Greek word “aither,” speaking of the upper thinner atmosphere. For example, a Greek would stand on Mount Olympus (6,403 feet high) and point up to “aither” and down to “aer.”
(4) Realize God does, at times, approximate by rounding off numbers. For example, Exodus 12:40,42 states that Israelites were in Egypt for 430 years, but Genesis 15:13 and Acts 7:6 approximate this by rounding it down to 400 years. Based on this, the Church Age could last until 2300 AD or whatever the highest number is that rounds down in God’s math (e.g., 2400 A.D.).
(5) Maranatha is the transliteration of the Koine Greek word that means “Our Lord Come!” (KJV 1 Corinthians 16:22). This word captures what our attitude should be concerning our Lord’s return. That is, while we are not to be complacent or anxious about His return, we should live such that if Jesus were to return at any moment, we would not be ashamed but rather prepared, excited, and filled with joy to see Him! (1 John 2:28. Ephesians 5:15,16).
(6) Rogers, A. (2017). Mustard Seeds and Mountains. In Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Mt 16:27–17:21). Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust.
(7) https://beforethewrath.com/
(8) Larkin, C. (1919). The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (p. 124). Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate.
(9) Got Questions Ministries. (2002–2013). Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered. Logos Bible Software.
(10) Booker, R. (2012). The lamb and the seven-sealed scroll. Destiny Image.
(11) The addition of “and see” (καὶ ἴδε or καὶ βλέπε [kai ide or kai blepe]) to “come” (ἔρχου, erchou) in 6:1, 3–5, 7 is a gloss directed to John, i.e., “come and look at the seals and the horsemen!” But the command ἔρχου is better interpreted as directed to each of the horsemen. The shorter reading also has the support of the better witnesses
Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Re 6:1). Biblical Studies Press.
(12) (www.hearthstonelegacy.com/ when the skies turned to black the locust plague of 1875.)
(13) Traditionally, we have called this event “The Rapture,” although this word does not appear in most Bible translations. The word rapture comes from the Latin, Rapare, which means to “take away” or “snatch out.” The word with the meaning of rapture in the Bible is the Greek word harpozo. This Greek word harpozo is literally translated as “caught up” and has the following meanings: to carry off by force or rescue from the danger of destruction.
The catching away or rapture of the Church will occur during the Great Tribulation before God’s wrath is poured out during the Day of the Lord.
Jesus will carry us off by force when He removes us through the territory of the Prince of the Power of the Air (lower denser atmosphere (3)) who will apparently attempt to interfere with our leaving Earth (Ephesians 2:2). Jesus will rescue us from the danger of destruction by taking us to Heaven before the outpouring of God’s wrath during the Day of the Lord.
(14) Matthew, a Jew, wrote primarily to the Jews, presenting Jesus Christ as King of the Jews. Mark, a Jew, presented Jesus as a Servant and wrote to the Romans. John, a Jew, presents Jesus as the Son of God and writes to all men. Luke, a Greek, writes primarily to the Greeks. And because the Greeks were fascinated with Aristotle’s ideal republic and Plato’s ideal man, Luke writes of Jesus as the Son of Man, the perfect Man.
Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (p. 295). Thomas Nelson.
(15) Luke’s Ethnic Background. Scholarly opinion has been divided on the question of Luke’s ethnic background. In general, two views are proposed:
(1) Luke was a Gentile Christian: This view is based mainly on the internal evidence of the Gospel and Acts: the superior quality of the Greek language, the avoidance of Semitic words (except Amen), the omission of gospel traditions about Jesus’ controversies with the Pharisaic understanding of the Law and about what is clean or unclean, the transformation of Palestinian local color and details into Hellenistic counterparts. These and similar factors have been cited to identify the author as a Gentile Christian, i.e. one converted to Christianity from paganism.
The argument is sometimes pushed still further to maintain that the author was actually a Gentile Christian of Greek origin or an Antiochene Greek. This is based on Paul’s statement in Col 4:11–14, where three persons are listed as his Jewish-Christian co-workers, but Luke seems to be listed among other, presumably, Gentile-Christian collaborators. For instance, K. Lake years ago claimed that the early tradition identified Luke as “an Antiochene Greek” (“Luke,” in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church [New York: Scribner, 1922] 1. 719); and more recently, K. H. Rengstorf (Evangelium nach Lukas, 11) has called him a Gentile Christian, indeed of Greek origin. Many others have followed this view (e.g., W. K. Hobart, A. von Harnack, P. Vielhauer, G. B. Caird, W. G. Kümmel, A. Plummer, W. Manson, J. Schmid).
(2) Luke was a Jewish Christian. The view that the author was a Jewish Christian, i.e. a convert from Judaism, is based mainly on the interest displayed in Luke-Acts in the OT and its phraseology, the author’s alleged Palestinian language, and the Epiphanian tradition (Panarion 51.11) that he was one of the seventy-two disciples; sometimes the mention of Lucius as among Paul’s “kinsmen” (Rom 16:21) is also invoked. Among supporters of this view, one may cite A. Schlatter, B. S. Easton, E. E. Ellis, W. F. Albright, N. Q. King, B. Reicke.
For reasons that I shall try to set forth below, I regard Luke as a Gentile Christian, not, however, as a Greek, but as a non-Jewish Semite, a native of Antioch, where he was well educated in a Hellenistic atmosphere and culture.
Fitzmyer, J. A. (2008). The Gospel according to Luke I–IX: introduction, translation, and notes (Vol. 28, pp. 41–42). Yale University Press.
(16) …The emphasis here would be that the Pharisees confront the kingdom in Jesus. They do not need to look all around for it because its central figure is in front of their eyes…
Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke: 9:51–24:53 (Vol. 2, p. 1416). Baker Academic.
(17) A Full Circle Rainbow over Australia, Image Credit & Copyright: Colin Leonhardt (Birdseye View Photography)
(18) Anon
(19) “Warren’s findings, together with the discovery of Reich and Shukron described in the recent news reports, fully support Josephus’s statements relating to the tunnels beneath Jerusalem and the use to which they were put during the Roman siege of 70 A.D. These underground passages enabled many inhabitants of Jerusalem to exit the city and flee both south to Masada and, via Nahal Qidron and other wadis heading from Jerusalem eastward toward the Dead Sea, to the Machaerus fort lying just east of that sea, which was actually closer to Jerusalem than was Masada. (Josephus describes the large number of refugees who gathered at Machaerus.). The circumstances as now known leave little doubt that quite likely beginning even before the siege had begun, groups engaged in hiding the Temple treasures, the books, and other items listed in the Copper Scroll — as well as those ancient writings of the Palestinian Jews known as the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were found centuries later in caves near the wadis leading out of Jerusalem. Norman Golb is the Ludwig Rosenberger Professor of Jewish History and Civilization at the University of Chicago and the author of “Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?” (Simon & Schuster, 1995).” Read more here: https://forward.com/opinion/11873/newly-discovered-tunnel-may-once-have-carried-dead-00675/
(20) http://www.livius.org/articles/concept/roman-jewish-wars/roman-jewish-wars-5/
(21) Booker, R. (2013). the Victorious Kingdom. Destiny Image.
(22) interruption of chronological sequence (as in a film or literary work) by interjection of events of earlier occurrence…
Merriam-Webster, I. (2003). In Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. (Eleventh ed.). Merriam-Webster, Inc.
(23) 1984: a story that tells what led up to the main story or plot (as of a film)
Merriam-Webster, I. (2003). In Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. (Eleventh ed.). Merriam-Webster, Inc.
(24) Booker, R. (2011). The overcomers: series- understanding the book of Revelation. Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image.
(25) HALLELUJAH (הַלְלוּ־יָהּ, hallu-yah; ἀλληλουιά, allēlouia). A liturgical phrase that means “Praise Yahweh.” Regularly used in the Psalms (e.g., Psa 104:35; 105:45; 106:1; 111:1; 112:1; 113:1)
55 tn BDAG 352–53 s.v. ἐξουσία 2 [potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power] states, “Also of Satan’s power Ac 26:18.” It is also possible to translate this “the domain of Satan” (cf. BDAG 353 s.v. 6 [the sphere in which power is exercised, domain]) Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Ac 26:18). Biblical Studies Press.
(26) Millennium [mə lĕnˊ ē əm] (Gk. chília étē “one thousand years”; Lat. mille “thousand” plus annus “year”).† The “thousand years” of Christ’s eschatological reign (Rev. 20:2–7).
Myers, A. C. (1987). In The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (p. 719). Eerdmans.
(##) For a higher number reference, see: The Feasts of Israel – Passover references
Doulos Hal
Hal has been teaching the Bible for over three decades. Presently, He desires to honor Jesus Christ through this Internet teaching ministry, thereby glorifying the Heavenly Father in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. He believes, second to cultivating his relationship with God that raising his family unto the Lord is the most significant task for him while on Earth. Furthermore, Hal believes that being a successful leader in the church or workplace is no substitute for failing to be a successful leader at home. Doulos Hal's Topical Index
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