(This is a fictional interpretation of the biblical account.)

Impoverished. Widowed. Sonless. A decade-long legacy of loss, sorrow and tragedy.

“Oh Lord, You have laid a burden on me that is too much for me to bear. Please withdraw Your hand of judgment from me.”

It was more of an embittered accusation than a plea for mercy. But now was not the time to rail against God; Naomi had a crucial decision to make. As she paced alongside the main road that led out of the heathen nation of Moab, Naomi rehearsed her words. Two women and three mules were awaiting her decision. Satisfied she had found the right words, she returned to her companions. “Ruth, Orpah, please come here.”

The two young women obeyed. Naomi inhaled deeply and gathered herself.

“As you know, my dear daughters, it was ten years ago that a terrible famine struck my
hometown of Bethlehem in Israel, bringing us here.” The women already knew the story. “I
opposed the move. I told my husband that we were God’s people and that we belonged in the land He had given us. But Elimelech was a stubborn man. He said, ‘Naomi, if we are God’s people, then why has He turned His back on us.’”

The younger women nodded respectfully.

“Elimelech,” Naomi continued, “was convinced that God had abandoned us, so, when he heard that food was bountiful here in Moab, he moved us here.” Her eyes began to well up. “And we know how that decision turned out. Elimelech – may his soul rest in peace – died a few years later, and then my two sons married each of you, even though our law forbids marriage of Israelites to Moabites.”

Naomi noticed her daughters-in-law hurt expressions and quickly sought to mend them. “I mean no offense,” she said. “You two have been blessings beyond measure to me. And now, with the deaths of Mahlon and Kilion to the plague, I am left bereft of husband and sons, as you are of spouses. And what is worse, all three of us are impoverished. We have nothing.”

“It seems,” Orpah ventured, “that our grief unites us.”

“It does, my dear,” Naomi concurred, “but to what end?”

“What do you mean?” Ruth asked suspiciously.

“It means, my daughters, that I must insist that you turn back and return to your homes.”

Naomi’s bluntness stunned the younger women. “Do not be alarmed at my words,” Naomi
continued. “What have I to give you if you continue this trip home to Bethlehem with me? I have nothing but our property, and that cannot sustain you. The Lord has stretched out His arm to afflict me, and me only. I have nothing to offer you by way of security. You are both young. Please, return to your fathers’ homes and begin life anew.”

The two women began to weep. “How can we abandon you at such at time?” Orpah asked.

Naomi assured her. “You are not abandoning me, dear. That you have come this far with me is a wonderful act of kindness. Please, turn back and go home.”

Orpah looked at Ruth, who quickly dropped her gaze to the ground. Finding no support there, she turned back to Naomi. “Please, my daughter, I absolutely insist.”

Orpah released an anguished wail and embraced Naomi. “Could you ever forgive me if I desert you?”

“There would be nothing to forgive, my dear. And besides, I would consider it wisdom, not
desertion.”

Orpah had run out of objections. After another show of grief and making her final farewells, she took hold of her mule that carried her possessions and headed back to her father’s home.

Naomi turned to Ruth. “You must do the same, dearest.”

“No, Mother, I cannot.”

“But Ruth, the Lord’s hand of affliction is heavy upon me. I have nothing for you …”

“No, Mother,” Ruth countered, her tone firm, her words insistent. “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

Naomi wanted to argue, but could not. Ruth’s bold proclamation had staggered her and rendered her dumbfounded. “Very well, then,” she stuttered, “let us go to Bethlehem.”

A few days later upon their arrival, they were greeted by a town shocked at Naomi’s return. They had heard of all that had befallen her, and had no idea how to comfort her. “Welcome home, Naomi,” the women said softly.

Naomi stopped and looked at them. “My friends, please do not call me Naomi any longer. The name ‘Pleasant’ no longer applies to me. Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty Himself has made my life bitter. He has afflicted me and brought misfortune upon me.”

After a week, Naomi’s wretchedness knew no bounds. She still felt the relentless pangs of her tragic fate and the dreary emptiness of her husbandless and sonless house. Ruth, on the other hand, knew there were dire needs that must be met – nourishment being one of them. 

“We are running out of food, Mother,” she said. “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”

Naomi had no choice but to consent as Ruth set out for the nearby fields.

Alone in the house for the first time since her return, Naomi’s misery was never more acute. She felt the horrible loneliness of her existence, the terrible bitterness of her soul. “Oh Lord,” she cried falling to her knees, “why have You afflicted me so? Why have You forsaken me as You have?”

She wallowed in her misery all day until suddenly Ruth came rushing through the door. “Mother, please, come outside and see.”

Naomi was baffled. Following Ruth, she found on the ground before her house a week’s supply of barley. “Where did you get this?” she asked stunned as she gazed over the bountiful haul.

“I harvested in the field of a man named Boaz. He showed remarkable kindness and mercy to me.”

Naomi considered the name. “Yes, I know Boaz,” she said, detecting an unexpected twinge of hope. “He is a very close relative of ours and a wonderful man. Yes, Ruth, glean only in his fields. He will look after you.”

Over the next few months, Boaz continued to do exactly what Naomi said he would do, and the two women had no lack of provision. But Naomi was not satisfied. One morning before Ruth left for the field, Naomi stopped her. “I must speak with you, my dear.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“I can no longer sleep. My mind is consumed with thoughts of you.”

“Then please, speak what you must.”

“My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for?”
Ruth listened quietly. “I want you to do something,” Naomi continued. “Tonight Boaz will be
winnowing barley on the threshing floor. I want you to wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, and when he lies down, go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

“You want me to offer myself to him in marriage?”

“Yes, my love. I know he is quite a bit older than you, but he will provide for you for the rest of your life. You will be a woman of means and security. Will you do this, my dear?”

“I will do whatever you say, Mother.”

Naomi watched as Ruth left for the fields. When she was out of sight, Naomi kneeled. “Lord,” she said softly, “I am tired of fighting with You and inflicting my hostility upon You. If You would but make this marriage a reality, then I will die contently. Oh Lord, I know I do not
deserve Your mercy, but if You do this one thing, You will have my gratitude for eternity.”

---

One year later, Naomi sat as the guest of honor of the women of Bethlehem. On her lap was her two-day old grandson Obed.

“Praise be to the Lord, who has given you a son!” the women rejoiced. “He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

Ruth came up behind Naomi and embraced her. Naomi wanted to return the loving gesture, but her hands were already filled. Then, suddenly, all seemed to go silent. In that moment of inexpressible joy, Naomi felt the presence of God as never before.

Dearest Lord, she gloried in the inner recesses of her soul, you have turned my misery into joy; my tragedy into triumph. My heart is yours. My soul is yours. I am yours. Always.

Identifying Empires

The identification of 7 historical empires used by Satan to accomplish his strategic purposes has been a central focus in this series of posts. In 3 different visions recorded in Revelation chapters 12, 13, and 17, John references a beast with 7 heads and 10 horns.

As the symbolism and significance of these heads and horns are revealed in the light of the prophetic Scriptures, the darkness that enshrouds Satan’s evil and mysterious strategy is dispelled.

To this point, we have identified the first 7 heads depicted on the dragon. In this post, my intent is to present what I believe Scripture reveals concerning the identity of the 8th and final beast empire of the future Antichrist.

The towering importance of this identification cannot be overstated as the world rockets toward the events of the Last Days, the rise of Satan’s end-time empire, and the triumphant return of Jesus, the Messiah.

First, however, we must briefly review the foundational issues essential to a proper identification of the final beast empire.

Immediately after Adam and Eve succumbed to the seduction and treachery of the serpent in the Garden of Eden, God pronounced a curse upon Satan. The Seed of the woman would one day bruise (crush) the serpent’s head.

From the moment of God’s declaration against Satan, the obsession of the Wicked One has been to destroy the vessel (the nation) through which the Promised Seed (Jesus Christ) would be born to bring redemption to humanity.

This sovereignly chosen nation is Israel; therefore, Satan has relentlessly targeted the woman (Israel) through history as well as the Seed to whom she gave birth more than 2,000 years ago. Seven different historic empires, along with their associated kings, have been unwitting pawns in the scheme of Satan in his effort to annihilate or assimilate the Jews.

The Sequence of the 7 Empires

One of the key Scripture passages essential in the quest to identify these 7n empires is Revelation 17:9-10:

Based on Scripture and the chronological narrative of history, it seems clear the 7th empire in the list – the “other” that was “not yet come” at the time of John’s writing – was the Ottoman Caliphate. I believe it best fits the biblical criteria. In the previous article I detailed 4 key factors essential for making this determination.

1. The Chronology of Empires: The 7th kingdom had not yet risen to power in John’s day. Since Rome was ruling at the time of John’s writing, the potential candidates are restricted to the empires that ruled over the land of Israel, and specifically Jerusalem, after the fall of the Roman Empire.

2. The Continuity of Empires: The first 6 empires were successive, rising one after the other, without interruption. Egypt rose to power and was defeated by the Assyrians. In turn, Assyria fell to the Babylonians. The Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Medo-Persians. The Medo-Persian Empire succumbed to the hand of Alexander the Great as the Grecian Empire rose to power.

The Greeks then fell to the Romans. Emperor Constantine moved the Roman capital to Byzantium (modern-day Istanbul) and renamed it Constantinople. Thus, when the Ottoman Empire rose to power and conquered Constantinople, it brought the Roman Empire to an end.

3. The Natural Grouping of the First 7 Empires:  In John’s description, he uses very few words when alluding to the 7th empire. It’s as if he assumes his readers will understand the natural progression from the first 6 to the 7th empire. In this regard, it seems he is grouping these first 7 together due to their similar nature.

The Ottoman Caliphate, as the 7th, fits neatly within the grouping of the previous 6. In contrast, the 8th empire – the empire of the Antichrist – is distinct and set apart from the previous 7 empires.

4. The Geographic Relationship of the First 7 Empires: The territorial areas controlled by the Islamic Ottoman Empire at the height of its power have a consistent geographic relationship with the previous 6 empires. Essentially, any empire outside of the geographic region of the Middle East would seem to be an unlikely candidate for the 7th empire.

All of this brings us to the threshold of identifying the 8th and final beast empire. This will be the empire of Satan’s last stand at the end of this age as he seeks to wrest control of planet Earth from the Creator of the Universe.

Satan will empower his progeny, the Antichrist, to rule over it. With dominating power and ferocious brutality, the detestable dictator of this final beast empire will trample Earth with a vengeance.

Read the precise words of the Apostle John regarding the mysterious identity of this future empire:

The essence of what John reveals is this: The beast that existed before – that is no longer in existence – will emerge again as an 8th empire from the previous 7 – and will eventually be consigned to judgment.

How should we interpret these mysterious words? Allow me to draw your attention to the phrase, “and is of the seven.” It is this phrase that holds the key to understanding the deeper significance of this passage, yet it has confounded students of Scripture for centuries.

I too have personally wrestled with the intended meaning of this phrase. Until recently, I would unassumingly insert the word “one” into the phrase and read it this way:

OPTION 1: “And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is [one] of the seven.”

Reading the word “one” into the text in this manner leads to the conclusion that only one of the beast’s 7 heads [that is, one of the previous empires] will be revived as an 8th and final empire.

Many students of biblical prophecy are familiar with a prevalent interpretation that holds to the idea that the 8th and final beast empire will be “a revived Roman Empire.” This idea stems from what I believe to be a misunderstanding of Daniel’s vision of the 4 beasts recorded in Daniel 7.

However, this conclusion should be understood that when this interpretation is viewed in conjunction with the phrase under our consideration here in Revelation 17, it results in a flawed conclusion – that the 8th and final beast empire of the Antichrist is Rome – and thus, it will be the one empire that will “come back to life” before the return of Jesus Christ.

There is also another way in which to view the phrase under consideration in Revelation 17:11; and that is to read the verse in the following manner:

OPTION 2: “And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the [seventh].”

Reading the text in this way leads to the conclusion that the 8th and final beast empire of the Antichrist will be a revival of the 7th empire, which would mean that the Ottoman Caliphate would be the exclusive empire that re-emerges in the Last Days.

Though I am not unbendable on this issue, I believe both miss the sobering reality of John’s words. It is not simply “one” of the former beast empires that will rise again to power in the Last Days. And it is not exclusively the “seventh” (the Ottoman Empire) that will rise again.

It is “all seven” of the previous beast empires that will be revived to collectively form the empire of the Antichrist.

Look again at the initial part of John’s words while keeping in mind that John, when seeing this vision, had already been taken to a future point in time to witness this epic scene. As you read his words carefully, it becomes clear John is describing what he sees from an end-time vantage point:

OPTION 3: “And the beast that was [referring back to the entire beast with its 7 former historic empires], and is not [affirming that the reign of all 7 empires has ended], even he [the entire 7-headed beast] is the eighth, and is [comprised] of [all] the [previous] seven.”

If this is the intended meaning of John’s words – and I believe it is – then a sobering reality must be understood.

The 8th and final beast empire of Satan will not simply be the re-emergence of the Egyptian, or the Assyrian, or the Babylonian, or the Medo-Persian, or the Greek, or the Roman, or the Ottoman Empire. It will be an earth-shaking, simultaneous revival of them all! The implications for the nation of Israel, for Christians, and for humanity are staggering.

Living in the Gap Between the 7th and 8th Beast Empires
 
For nearly 4,000 years Satan has empowered these 7 beast empires in the Middle East to persecute the Jews and dominate Jerusalem. This all came to an end in 1922 when the last of the 7 beast empires fell from power with the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire.

The year 2022 marked the 100th year since the world entered the period of time referenced by John when he said, “And the beast that was … is not …” What this means for us today is that we are living in the period of the “is not.”

This is the gap in time between the 7th and 8th empires. But in the near future, the world will enter the time that corresponds to what John terms, “… yet is,” when the entire beast comes back to life.

As I previously explained, the rise and fall of the first 7 empires were all consecutive and uninterrupted. So why is there now a gap in time between the 7th and 8th beast empires?

In the providence of God, something else of major significance took place in 1922. The Balfour Declaration was formally approved by the newly created League of Nations and ratified by treaty at the San Remo conference.

The famous document called for a national home for the Jewish people in what was then referred to as “Palestine” (their ancient historic homeland) and was the legal impetus for the eventual rise of the modern Jewish state.

However, over the next decade a madman by the name of Adolf Hitler rose to power and began his ruthless, satanically- inspired campaign against the Jews, where he systematically murdered more than 6 million Jewish people.

It is impossible to fathom such horror apart from seeing the larger narrative of Satan’s strategy against the Jews.

But once again, through God’s sovereign providence, something of wondrous importance arose from the tears and ashes of the Holocaust. In fulfillment of biblical prophecy, the nation of Israel was miraculously reborn after her people had wandered the earth in exile for nearly 2,000 years.

In 1948, Israel declared her independence as a nation – and was immediately forced to fight for her survival. Then in 1967, through a miraculous series of military battles, the Jews regained control of their ancient capital, Jerusalem.

This gap in time between the 7th and 8th empires, however, is also being utilized by Satan to prepare for one last stand against God, His Chosen People, and the faithful Church.

In the plan and program of God, Jesus Christ will ultimately emerge victorious over Satan and his minions. But at present, Satan’s 7 ancient empires are also re-growing and re-forming. They are rising, once again, to take center stage on Earth.

Modern Day Equivalents

Today, each of these 7 empires are embodied in a modern-day equivalent with the exception of Assyria. The ancient Egyptian empire is obviously one-and-the-same as the nation that bears its name today, Egypt. Babylon today is Iraq. Medo-Persia equates to Iran.

Greece is a little more challenging at first glance. But remember that after the death of Alexander the Great, the Greek (Hellenistic) Empire was divided among his 4 generals. The most important of the 4 in relation to Israel was the Seleucid Dynasty to the north of Israel.
 
Antiochus Epiphanes, who hailed from Syria, attempted to assimilate the Jews into the Greek Hellenistic culture, religion, and philosophy before he attacked Jerusalem, desecrated the Temple, and demanded the worship of himself in the form of Zeus on the Temple Mount.

In terms of the 5th empire used by Satan against Israel, it is clear that the Greek Hellenistic Empire equates to Syria.

Regarding Rome, consider that Emperor Constantine moved the capital of Rome to Byzantium, and renamed it Constantinople. What historians label as the Byzantine Empire was, in reality, the continuation of the Roman Empire in the East. And its capital city was what we know today as Istanbul. In terms of the 6th empire, it is clear that Rome equates to Turkey.

The Ottoman Islamic Caliphate covered a large swath of territory spanning much of the Middle East. As the 7th empire, it equates to many of today’s Middle Eastern nations.
 
However, it also correlates with Sunni political Islam embodied in a growing transnational organization, the Muslim Brotherhood.

I believe it is entirely possible that within our lifetime, we may see these 7 unite to form the 8th and final beast empire of the Antichrist – exactly as the Apostle John saw in his vision.

In light of this sobering reality, I encourage you to rest in the comforting words of John as recorded in another New Testament book that bears his name:

Even so come, Lord Jesus!

Be Prepared
 
Difficult days are coming upon Earth, and the desire of our Heavenly Father is that we, as believers, are prepared.

He instructs us to live righteously as we watch expectantly for His Son’s glorious return (1 Thessalonians 5:4-10). In this regard, He has provided for us a wealth of vital prophetic information through His inspired penmen – the apostles and prophets.

You and I – or perhaps our sons, daughters, or grandchildren – may be among the generation of believers called upon to face the onslaught of Satan’s End Time advances on Earth prior to the triumphant return of Jesus Christ.

Admittedly, this is a sobering thought. But if we and those we love are to remain faithful and emerge victorious, it is crucial we understand the enemy’s strategic assault plan as revealed in the prophetic Scriptures.

In the previous post of this series, we saw the vital connection of 3 epic visions given by God to the Apostle John in Revelation chapters 12, 13, and 17. Through vivid symbolism, these 3 visions reveal both the historic and future strategy of the Wicked One to thwart God’s plan for the redemption of humanity.

Revelation 12 begins with a depiction of Satan as a red dragon with 7 heads, 10 horns, and 7 crowns. A pregnant woman is seen in Heaven struggling to give birth. She is clothed with the sun, has the moon under her feet, and is crowned with 12 stars.

The dragon stands ready to devour her child as soon as He’s born. But her Son, Jesus Christ – the One who is destined to rule the nations as King of the earth – is caught up to the very throne room of God in Heaven.

In the vision, the woman symbolizes the nation of Israel in her historic struggle to give birth to the Savior of the world. Together, this imagery is intended to depict the central role of Israel in God’s redemptive plan and to reveal the diabolic strategy of Satan to defeat Jesus Christ at His first coming.

The dragon is depicted as having 7 heads. These heads have no relationship to the Seven Hills of Rome as is sometimes suggested.

As explained in recent posts, the heads are symbolic of 7 powerful kingdoms that arose through history. These kingdoms have been an integral component of Satan’s master plan and have been used by him in an attempt to annihilate or assimilate Israel – the woman clothed with the sun.

Satan’s hatred of Israel is inseparably linked to his understanding that she was sovereignly chosen by God to give birth to the Promised Seed, Jesus Christ, who was destined to crush his head.

Further on in the same chapter, John’s symbolic vision leaps to a future time just prior to Christ’s Second Coming, when the dragon (Satan) is cast out of Heaven to Earth. Enraged, he is seen pursuing the woman (Israel) as she flees into the wilderness to escape his persecution:

In the very next chapter, Revelation 13, John’s second vision addresses the question of how Satan will pursue and persecute both Israel and Gentile believers living in the Last Days – and whom he’ll use to do it.

John describes a beast that rises up from the sea with 7 heads, 10 horns, 10 crowns on his horns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. This vicious creature is depicted as a leopard, with feet like a bear, and a mouth like a lion.

While this beast embodies many of the same prominent features as the red dragon in the previous chapter, there are obvious distinctions. Two important differences are the number and placement of the crowns.

The red dragon is depicted with 7 crowns, and they are on his 7 heads. This depiction symbolizes Satan’s control over the 7 kings that are associated with these 7 empires through history.

However, this new beast John sees rising from the sea (from the nations) has 10 crowns, and they are positioned on his 10 horns. We will discuss the 10 horns in greater detail further on in this series. But what is important to understand at this point is that the 10 horns are intended to symbolize one additional kingdom – bringing the total number of kingdoms to 8.

This 8th kingdom will rise in the Last Days and will be comprised of 10 nations, each with an associated king. These leaders will unify and give their power and authority to one prominent individual who will rule over their collective empire.

So the beast in Revelation 13 that John sees rising from the sea with 10 crowns on his 10 horns is symbolic of the future final beast empire that will rise from among the Gentile world and be ruled over by Satan’s progeny, the Antichrist. As the seed of the Wicked One, he will be directly indwelt and empowered by his father, the devil.

Four chapters later, in Revelation 17, John sees another woman, but she is not a lady of noble character. In stark contrast to his earlier vision of a woman in Heaven who is clothed with the sun and crowned with 12 stars, this woman is a vile harlot who flaunts her wealth, dresses to seduce kings, and is drunk on the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus Christ.

Upon her forehead is a name: Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. She is in the wilderness, and seated upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of the names of blasphemy, having 7 heads and 10 horns.

The purpose of this vision is two-fold. First, it serves to identify, through symbolism, Satan’s evil cohorts (i.e. the beast and a wicked harlot) and their synergistic relationship in this winner-take-all, end-times drama. Second, it further exposes Satan’s agenda and reveals the shocking and horrific future judgment of his infamous co-conspirator – the harlot of Babylon.

But this brings us back to the question of the beast she rides, the identity of its heads (kingdoms) and their associated kings. Again, the identification of specific rulers associated with each kingdom seems clear in some cases – and yet in others is more difficult to determine. Below is a list of what I believe to be plausible identifications of these historic kings:

1. Egypt and the Pharaoh “who knew not” Joseph:
Initially, the Jews prospered down in Egypt during the life of Joseph. In time, however, they were enslaved and the command was given that all Hebrew male children were to be slain at birth (Exodus 1:15-16). Only the action of the midwives, who did not obey Pharaoh’s command, prevented this from occurring (Exodus 1:17).

2. Assyria and Tiglath-Pileser or Sennacherib:

Infamous for its cruelty, the Assyrian army, under Tiglath-Pileser, invaded and took captive the 10 northern tribes of Israel in 722 B.C. Less than 20 years later, in approximately 701 B.C., Sennacherib of Assyria attacked the southern kingdom of Judah and besieged Jerusalem. As his army encamped outside the city on the night before their attack, the Angel of the Lord destroyed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers (2 Kings 15:29; 2 Kings 19:35).

3. Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar:
Three times in a 20-year period the Babylonian army, under Nebuchadnezzar, sacked Jerusalem. On the final attack in 586 B.C., he burned the Temple on Mount Moriah, put an end to the sacrificial system, and plucked out the eyes of Zedekiah, who was the last king in the Davidic lineage to reign (2 Kings 25:7).

4. Medo-Persia and Haman:
In the 4th Century B.C., a decree was sent out by Persian king Artaxerxes (initiated by his second-in-command, Haman) announcing that the Jewish population in all 127 provinces of the Persian Empire were to be slain on a specific day. Only the intervention by Queen Esther, a secret Jewess, and her cousin Mordecai prevented the annihilation of the Jews (Esther 3:13).

5. Greece and Antiochus Epiphanes:
Following Alexander the Great’s rapid conquest of territory stretching from Macedonia in the west to India in the east, and to Egypt in the south, the young military general unexpectedly died at the young age of 32.

Four of his generals then divided up the massive Grecian Empire. Eventually Antiochus Epiphanes rose to power in the region of Syria. He marched into Jerusalem and desecrated the rebuilt Temple on Mount Moriah by slaughtering a pig on the altar. He erected a statue of his pagan god Zeus in the Holy of Holies and demanded the Jews worship him. Many of the Jewish people who refused were martyred (Daniel 11:21-35).

6. Rome and Emperor Vespasian or General Titus:
In A.D. 67, Emperor Nero in Rome dispatched Vespasian to quell the Jewish rebellion in Israel. According to Josephus, Vespasian’s army may have killed or enslaved as many as 100,000 Jewish Galileans before setting up his base of operations in Caesarea Maritima.

After Nero committed suicide, Vespasian rushed back to Rome to proclaim himself Emperor, leaving his son General Titus in charge of the conquest of Jerusalem. In A.D. 70, following a 7-month siege, Titus eventually broke through the city walls, looted the Temple, and set it on fire. Tens of thousands of Jews were killed, and many were taken to Rome as slaves.

The Identification of the 7th Kingdom

This brings us to the 7th kingdom, and what I believe, in certain respects, to be the most challenging of all to determine. Beginning in Revelation 17:9, John writes:

In determining the identity of the 7th kingdom, several important factors help narrow the possibilities:

1. The Chronology of Empires: The 7th kingdom had not yet risen to power in John’s day. Obviously, since Rome was ruling at the time of John’s writing, the potential candidates are restricted to the empires that ruled over the land of Israel – and specifically Jerusalem – after the fall of the Roman Empire.

2. The Continuity of Empires: Not simply chronology, but continuity is important for the purpose of identifying the 7th empire. The first 6 were successive empires that arose one after the other, without interruption. Egypt rose to power and was defeated by the Assyrians in 671 B.C. In turn, Assyria fell to the Babylonians in 612 B.C.

The Babylonian Empire then fell to the Medo-Persians in 539 B.C. The Medo-Persian Empire fell by the hand of Alexander the Great in 330 B.C. as the Grecian Empire rose to power. The Greeks then fell to the Romans in 146 B.C.

Eventually, the capital of the Roman Empire was moved by Emperor Constantine from Rome to the ancient city of Byzantium (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey) which was renamed Constantinople.

What became known historically as the Byzantine Empire was in reality the continuation of the Roman Empire in the east – and it remained in existence until the fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the Ottomans by the hand of the Islamic Sultan, Mehmed the Conqueror. However, when the Ottoman Empire rose to power, it did not initially control Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

In prior years, Jerusalem had been captured and recaptured by various Muslim dynasties and multiple crusader conquests between the years A.D. 638 and 1244. But now, the newly established Islamic Ottoman Empire was rising.

In 1517, the first official Ottoman Caliph – Selim I – more than doubled the land area of the empire by conquering the Mamluk Sultanate headquartered in Egypt, along with its vast territories. As a result, the Ottomans controlled nearly all of the Middle East including Jerusalem, the Holy Land, and the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina (which are in modern-day Saudi Arabia).

Thus, Jerusalem and the Holy Land now fell under the dominion and rule of the Islamic Ottoman Empire. This remained in effect for 400 years until the dissolution of the empire in 1917, at the end of World War I.

However, this long period of 400 years raises a significant challenge. In Revelation 17:10, John states, “the other [the 7th empire] is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.”

In the English language, the normative reading would seem to make clear that the future 7th empire to which John is alluding would be on the scene for a short period of time.

Admittedly, this creates a challenge for biblical scholars, as neither the historic Islamic Caliphates nor the Ottoman Empire existed for a short period of time. It’s possible John’s emphasis here is not so much on the brevity of the 7th empire, but more on the fact that the 7th empire would rise and come to an end as did the previous 6.

Another possible answer may be found in the Greek word oligon that has been translated as “short space” in the KJV. In many instances, the word can also be translated “little while.” But on occasion, it can simply be translated, “a while.”

In other words, oligon allows for the possibility that what John is actually saying is: “Yes, there is a 7th empire coming, and it will remain for a while, but ultimately will not remain. It’s going to be here and then give way to something bigger.” This would allow for an empire of longer duration such as the Islamic Ottoman Caliphate.

3. The Natural Grouping of the First 7 Empires: In John’s description, he uses very few words when alluding to the 7th empire. It’s as if he assumes his readers will understand the natural progression from the first 6 to the 7th empire. In this regard, it would seem he is grouping these first 7 together due to their similar nature.

The Ottoman Caliphate, as the 7th, fits neatly within the grouping of the previous 6. In contrast, the 8th empire, which is the empire of the Antichrist, is uniquely distinct and set apart from the previous 7 empires.

4. The Geographic Relationship of the First 7 Empires: The territorial areas captured and controlled by the Islamic Ottoman Empire at the height of its power have a consistent geographic relationship with the previous 6 empires. Essentially, any kingdom or empire outside of the geographic region of the greater Middle East would seem to be an unlikely candidate for the 7th empire.

In conclusion, it seems likely that the Islamic Ottoman Empire was the 7th head on the beast in John’s apocalyptic vision. And while I am not dogmatic concerning this identification, I do believe it best fits the necessary criteria.

More importantly, an 8h and final beast empire is yet to come. According to John, this beast lived once before, and died. In the Last Days it will rise from the dead to become the most powerful weapon of Satan’s final attack against a remnant of faithful Jews and Christians.
“And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition [judgment].”

The empire of the Antichrist will be the subject of the next post in this series.

Formidable Journey
 
In the previous post in this series (Rapture & Wrath, Part 11), we embarked on a formidable
journey in search of the hidden identity of a sinister and infamous lady of the night.

She is no ordinary seductress. She is alluring, and her cunning words, warm embrace, and abundance of delicacies have the power to entrap both kings and commoners. In Revelation chapter 17, she is identified as Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.

Since the time of John’s writing, many have searched and speculated as to the mysterious identity of the prostitute. But nearly 2,000 years later, she still remains elusive. However, the same cannot be said of the beast she rides. The beast’s identity is clearly revealed to John in a vision he receives 5 chapters earlier.

This earlier vision is the first of 2 paired together in Revelation 12 and 13. In light of the fact  both of these visions are foundational for understanding the symbolic significance of the beast and for identifying its mysterious harlot rider in Revelation 17, we’ll take a brief look back at these pivotal chapters.

The Vision of a Woman and a Dragon (Revelation 12)

In Chapter 12, the first of these tandem visions unfolds. John sees a wondrous scene in Heaven; a pregnant woman clothed with the sun, and a great red dragon with 7 heads, 10 horns, and 7 crowns on his heads. As the woman travails to give birth, the dragon stands ready to devour her child.

The identity of this pregnant woman is not overtly stated in the text, but it should be understood with certainty that she symbolizes historic Israel and her national struggle to give birth to Jesus Christ.

The dragon, whose identity is clearly revealed by John, seeks to kill the Christ Child. Thus, the first part of the vision is a summary of Christ’s first coming and Satan’s attempt to destroy the Savior at His birth.

Read the words of John in Revelation 12 (with added clarifications) as he describes the scene:

Verse 1: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman [Israel] clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars [symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel].”

Verse 2: “And she being with child [Jesus] cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.”

Verse 3: “And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon [Satan], having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.”

Verse 4: “... and the dragon [Satan] stood before the woman [Israel] which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child [Jesus] as soon as it was born.”

Verse 5: “And she [Israel] brought forth a man child [Jesus, at His first coming], who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron [Jesus, at His second coming]: and her child [Jesus, the crucified, risen, and ascended Savior] was caught up unto God, and to his throne.”

The graphic depiction of Satan as a red dragon with 7 heads – each with a crown – and 10 horns, is both hideous and shocking. However, as I mentioned in the previous article in this series, this symbolism reveals something deeper and far more sinister regarding Satan’s strategic goals.

Since the dawn of creation and the fall of humanity, the wicked one’s ultimate objective has been to undermine God’s redemptive plan for the salvation of the human race and elevate himself as king of the earth.

God sovereignly chose the nation of Israel to be the vessel through which the Promised Seed, Jesus Christ, would be born to pay sin’s price on the cross. Jesus, who came the first time as “the Lamb of God” to offer Himself as the sacrifice for the sin of humanity, will return a second time as “the Lion of Judah” to crush the head of Satan and take His rightful place as King of Israel and Ruler of Earth.

In seeking to counter God’s plan, Satan initiated a wicked strategy to target Israel – the nation that would give birth to the Promised Seed.

Throughout history, Satan has used 7 Gentile kingdoms as pawns in his campaign against the Jews for two specific reasons: to either assimilate God’s chosen people into pagan cultures through intermarriage (with the intent that Jews lose their religious distinctiveness and cease to exist as an identifiable people group) or to annihilate them through repeated attacks by marching armies (thereby wiping them from the earth forever).

This obsessive pursuit by Satan is the reason Jewish people have been the most persecuted on Earth. Living in the constant crosshairs of the Devil, their long and storied history is one of enduring relentless anti-Semitic hatred and threats of extinction.

The ongoing war against them is a spiritual one. It is a war that has been waged by Satan since God sovereignly determined Abraham’s descendants – through Isaac and Jacob – would be privileged to give birth to the Savior of the world.

For this reason, the depiction of Satan in Revelation 12 as a fearsome, 7-headed, scarlet-colored dragon is an accurate and revealing symbol of him and his 7 “Beast Empires.”

In summary, then, the first 5 verses of John’s vision in Revelation 12 symbolize the important role of Israel and the strategy of Satan in connection with Christ’s first coming. In contrast, the very next verse leaps ahead at least 2,000 years to a future time just prior to Christ’s second coming.

Beginning in verse 6 and extending to the end of Chapter 12, John’s vision reveals the sequence of end-time events associated with Satan’s relentless pursuit of both a faithful remnant within Israel and Christians throughout the world:

Verse 6: “And the woman [the persecuted remnant of Israel] fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there [1,260] days [a period of 3½ years during the second half of Daniel’s 70th Week].”

Verse 7: “And there was war in heaven: Michael [the archangel] and his angels fought against the dragon [Satan]; and the dragon fought and his angels [demons].”

Verse 8: “And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.”

Verse 9: “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

Verse 12: “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

Verse 13: “And when the dragon [Satan] saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman [Israel] which brought forth the man child [Jesus, the Savior].”

Verse 17: “And the dragon [Satan] was [filled with rage at] the woman [the remnant of Israel], and went to make war with the remnant of her seed [faithful Christians], which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

This portion of the vision details a horrific end-time scenario that will occur near the middle of Daniel’s 70th Week (during the second half of the final 7 years of this age of human history) when the remnant of Israel will flee into the wilderness to escape the wrath of Satan.

In light of all these things, a crucial question must be asked at this point: “By what means will Satan persecute the remnant of Israel and faithful Christians after he is banished from Heaven and cast down to Earth?”

The sobering answer is revealed in the second of John’s visions, which is recorded in the next chapter.

The Vision of a Beast Out of the Sea (Revelation 13)

In Revelation 13, John recounts a second, stunning visionary scene. Again he sees a beast with 7 heads and 10 horns. At first glance, it may appear this second beast is identical to the dragon in Revelation 12, but upon further inspection, it becomes clear there are important distinctions between the two.

This beast is unique in that it rises up from the sea, has 10 crowns on his horns, and is depicted with the distinct features of three wild animals:

Verse 1: “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast [the Antichrist] rise up out of the sea [the Gentile nations], having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy [against God].”

Verse 2: “And the beast [the Antichrist] which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon [Satan] gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.”

Verse 3: “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”

Verse 4: “And they worshipped the dragon [Satan] which gave power unto the beast [the Antichrist]: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?”

Verse 5: “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies [against God]; and power was given unto him to continue [42] months [for 3 ½ years – during the second half of Daniel’s 70th Week]”

Verse 7: “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints [the faithful followers of Christ], and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

In response to the earlier question: “By what means will Satan persecute [the saints in the last days]?” the answer is revealed: By a ravenous, bloodthirsty beast who rises from the dead, amasses power, deceives the nations, blasphemes God, and demands that he be worshiped.

He will be a cunning and corrupt individual who evidences a depth of depravity seen only in Satan himself. But this shouldn’t be surprising. The obvious symbolic similarities between the dragon and the beast in John’s 2 visions make it clear that Satan will indwell and empower this beast that rises from the dead – emerging a second time from among the Gentile nations in the Last Days.

This blasphemous beast is the seed of Satan – the man of sin and lawlessness – the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 John 2:18). He is “cut from the same cloth” as Satan. Just as Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead, so too will Satan seek to produce a counterfeit resurrection to authenticate his counterfeit messiah.

And just as God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are 3e in 1, so too will the “father of lies” seek to counterfeit this triune relationship in an unholy alliance with himself at the head, his Antichrist, and his false prophet.

After initiating a so-called covenant of “peace” with Israel at the start of the 70th Week, Satan’s counterfeit christ will abandon the agreement and break the covenant.

At the midpoint of the Week, he will erect an image of himself at the rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The Scriptures refer to this event as the Abomination of Desolation (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15), and it will trigger “The Time of Jacob’s [Israel’s] Trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7) or what Jesus  referred to as “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21).

The “Man of Sin” will pursue God’s people with a vengeance. Tragically, this will be an unprecedented time of severe persecution by the Antichrist – first against the Jews, and
then against Christians.

Two Evil Adversaries and One Satanic Strategy

These 2 ominous visions by John in Revelation chapters 12 and 13 are deeply troubling. But they are also vitally important. The first vision characterizes Satan through the use of descriptive symbols that reveal his strategy to use 7 historic empires in his effort to destroy Israel and thwart the redemptive plan of God.

Through the symbolism of John’s second vision we have evidence of a coming 8th empire led by a counterfeit christ that will arise in the Last Days. He will be directly empowered by Satan.

The dragon (Satan) and the beast (the Antichrist) are clearly distinct, yet they will work as one with unity of purpose. Together they will take center-stage, along with the mysterious harlot mother of Babylon, in John’s epic vision in Revelation 17.

The Vision of the 7-Headed Beast and Its Harlot Rider (Revelation 17)
 
In the opening verses of Chapter 17, the Apostle John is carried into the wilderness where he is given yet another prophetic vision. He is astonished by what he sees: a licentious harlot, drunk on the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, riding on the back of a gruesome, scarlet-colored beast that has seven heads and 10 horns.

After describing the great harlot to John, the angel turns to an explanation of the beast’s heads:

Verse 9: “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.”

Verse 10: “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.”

Follow the progression of the angel’s crucial words to John in verses 9 and 10:

First: He revealed, “The seven heads are seven mountains.” As I explained in the previous post in this series, Scripture repeatedly speaks of mountains symbolically as kingdoms, or empires.

Second: The angel then indicated the 7 mountains represent 7 notable kings, each associated with a kingdom throughout the course of history. This is evidenced in the angel’s next phrase: “And there are seven kings: five are fallen ...”

By the time of John’s writing, the first 5 empires of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece had already risen and fallen from their dominant positions of power. The Roman Empire was the 6th empire in sequence and was the dominant power at the time of John’s writing. Therefore, the angel’s words to John were simply, “… one is ...”.

Third: The angel continued, “… and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” In other words, the 7th empire in sequence would rise sometime later – after the fall of the Roman Empire. Curiously, the angel indicated that after the 7th empire and its associated king rose to power, it would not endure for long.

The identity of the specific kings associated with each “Beast Empire” is debated. Based upon our understanding of the anti-Semitic character of the dragon and his ongoing quest to assimilate and/or annihilate the Jews, it seems consistent to reason that the 7 ancient kings in view here are notable not simply due to their status in a long line of royals, but rather for their hatred of Israel and their historic persecution of the Jews.

As such, within each successive kingdom there emerged a powerful new nemesis against Israel. In essence, these 7 forms a crescendo of 7 kings and kingdoms that will give rise to the 8th and ultimate kingdom of Satan’s Antichrist.

However, before moving into a discussion of the 8th and final beast empire, the difficult task remains of identifying the 7th head. Bible scholars and students of Scripture have struggled with this identification – and for good reason.

Was the 7th kingdom the historic Islamic Empire – birthed by the “Prophet Mohammed” and ruled by Muslim caliphs? Was the 7th kingdom the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over Israel and the Middle East for more than 400 years through a series of Islamic sultans?

Was the 7th kingdom the Third Reich of the Nazis under the dictatorship of the madman named Adolf Hitler? Or, is it possible the 7th empire, symbolized by the 7th head on the beast of Revelation 17, has not yet come?

In the next post, we’ll seek to answer these questions as we take a closer look at each of the 7 beast empires, their historic kings, and their connection to the soon-coming 8th and final beast empire of the Antichrist.

It is these empires upon which the prostitute sits. As such, they are foundational in the quest to de-mystify the Great Harlot of Babylon.

Still Alluring
 
In the first verse of Revelation Chapter 17, the Apostle John informs his readers that one of the 7 angels tasked with dispensing divine wrath upon Earth has called him to come and witness an impending judgment of epic proportions.

He is immediately made aware that the one who is to suffer this divine punishment will be a prostitute – a “lady” of the night. A few verses later, John records what he sees written upon her forehead; “Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.”

Since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden, harlots have used their beauty and charms to captivate their suitors. They dress to allure and speak to entrap. They artfully forge their subtle enticements into weapons of seduction.

They practice their trade for profit. It is for them a business. It’s “pay as you go.” And the fact that they destroy families, scar bodies, corrupt society, and sin against a holy God is of no consequence to them.

But the specific harlot of whom John speaks is infinitely more dangerous than all others who have worked within her trade. She’s smart. She’s scheming. She’s seductive, and she’s sinister. She’s been around a very long time and is experienced at her craft. You would think that, after all the years, she would appear weathered and unattractive.

But paradoxically, she is still a pleasure to the eyes, and alluring to the senses. Time has neither diminished her appeal nor her zeal for her work. She is arrayed in purple and scarlet and adorned with gold and precious jewels. In her hand is a golden chalice.

To understand the fuller context of John’s vision of this mysterious harlot, we must look back to the previous chapter. In Revelation 16, John describes the final outpouring of God’s wrath in the form of 7 bowl judgments. As each bowl is poured out, another judgment impacts Earth. The purpose of these judgments is to purge and cleanse Earth of all things which have defiled it since the fall of Adam and Eve.

This purging of the planet is in preparation for Christ’s 1,000-year reign over Earth. Only after the planet has been cleansed, will Jesus Christ establish His Millennial (1,000-year) Kingdom and take His rightful place as King of the earth on His throne in Jerusalem.

In conjunction with the 7th bowl judgment, John recorded, “Great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath” (Revelation 16:19). Great Babylon, or “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots” (Revelation 17:5) will not escape judgment as God purges Earth of all which has defiled it. Her judgment will be swift and severe and is the principal subject of Revelation 17.

But a burning question must be raised; “Who is she – this lady of the night, this mother of harlots? Let’s take a closer look at the details that provide some clues to her identity.

In verse 1, John is summoned to witness the “judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.” In Scripture, the terms “harlot” and “whore” are often used to describe spiritual unfaithfulness, debauched worship, idolatry, and false devotion.

She is said to “sit on many waters,” a strange expression the meaning of which is not subject to debate. John is told by the angel that “the waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Rev. 17:15). In other words, this lady of the night is busy and effective. Her harlotry has seduced the world.

She is supremely wealthy, and her decadence knows no bounds. In fact, she skillfully uses her unparalleled wealth to intoxicate the people and nations of Earth. She sees herself as royal – an unrivaled queen of luxury, power, and prestige (Revelation 18:7), but there is no level of debauchery to which she will not stoop. She is the ultimate seductress – luring kings and commoners into fornicating with her (Rev. 17:2).

Princes and prime ministers surrender to her embrace for political benefit. “And the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies” (Revelation 18:3) Jeremiah prophetically wrote of her:

Twice in the Book of Revelation John is said to be “in the spirit” (1:10, 4:2), and twice John says an angel “carried me away in the spirit” (17:3, 21:10). The idea is that he was put into a prophetic mindset, and while in that condition he was permitted to record his visionary experience.

John is carried into the wilderness, and as his vision begins to unfold, he immediately sees that the harlot does not work alone. She has a powerful companion. She is seated upon a scarlet beast with 7 heads and 10 horns. That she is riding the beast is indicative of the fact there is mutual benefit in this cooperative arrangement. The beast aids the harlot who rides on its back, and the harlot assists the beast that carries her.

The fact that John is taken to a specific place – the wilderness – to witness this diabolic duo should not be overlooked. This locale provides a vital clue in our quest to ascertain the identity of the harlot. We’ll discuss this in more detail at a later time.

At this point, the inclusion of a beast that has 7 heads and 10 horns is of great importance. Obviously, John mentions the beast here in Revelation 17 because he sees it in his vision and because of its association with the harlot who is riding on its back and about to be judged.

But who, or what is this beast with 7 heads? Determining the identity of this gruesome, scarlet-colored creature is also essential for us to correctly identify its mysterious female rider.

Several chapters earlier, in Revelation chapter 12, we are first introduced to this hideous red beast when John describes another vision he was given – this one of a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and 12 stars upon her head.

She is described as pregnant and crying out in pain as she is about to give birth. In this same vision, John also beheld a great red dragon with 7 heads and 10 horns that stood ready to devour her Child at the moment of His birth.

In the context of Revelation 12, the pregnant woman symbolizes the nation of Israel who gave birth to the Promised Seed, Jesus Christ. And John makes it clear that the great red dragon who was ready to kill her offspring is “Satan, which deceiveth the whole world” (Rev. 12:9).

So as we move back to the issue at hand in Revelation 17 (which is to determine the identity of the scarlet beast the harlot is riding) one important fact becomes clear. The harlot’s wicked, 7n-headed accomplice is none other than Satan himself.

With this understood, the question then arises as to the significance of the scarlet beast’s (Satan’s) 7 heads and 10 horns. Why is Satan depicted as having these heads and horns? In verse 9, the answer is given: “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman [the harlot] sitteth.”

Within Scripture, mountains are often used to symbolize a city, a kingdom, or an empire (Psalm 48:1,2; Jeremiah 51:25). Clearly, this is what is in view in the context of Revelation 17 in John’s description of the 7 heads on the scarlet-colored beast.

The 7 heads represent 7 Gentile world empires Satan has used through history in his effort to thwart God’s plan for the ultimate redemption of Earth. One after the other, these 7 “Beast Empires” were willing pawns used by Satan in his attempt to accomplish two things:

First, Satan used them in his effort to assimilate the nation of Israel into other cultures so that God’s chosen people would lose their religious distinctives and would cease to be an identifiable people group.

Second, Satan sought to use their marching armies to attack and utterly annihilate the Jews; thereby wiping them from Earth forever.

Satan’s Strategy

The question then arises, “Why has Satan’s strategy been to either assimilate or annihilate the Jews during the course of human history? The answer is that Satan’s purpose has been to prevent the Promised Seed (Jesus Christ) from entering the world.

At the dawn of human history, Satan was successful in his attempt to solicit Adam and Eve to rebel against God and His command not to eat of the fruit of the tree in the garden.

As a result of sin’s entrance into the sphere of human existence, God condemned Satan and foretold that a Seed would one day arise from Eve’s lineage (humanity) that would eventually bruise (crush) Satan’s head (Genesis 3:15).

But from where would the Seed come?

God called a man by the name of Abram to be the father of a new and distinct nation. And it was this nation – the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that God sovereignly chose to be the vessel through which the Promised Seed – Jesus Christ – would be born.

He would bring the hope of salvation to a lost world through His death on the cross and resurrection on the third day. This is why Satan’s diabolical strategy has always been to prevent that Seed from being born through the nation of Israel.

For this reason, the Jewish people have been the most persecuted people on the face of the earth. It is for this reason God has miraculously protected His chosen people from both assimilation and annihilation through the centuries. And it is for this reason He wondrously re-established them in their ancient homeland after nearly 2,000 years of worldwide exile.

In light of Satan’s “grand” strategic plan, the symbolism in Revelation 17 that depicts him as a beast with 7 heads is both accurate and revealing. This imagery provides great insight into Satan’s ultimate strategy and also reveals further clues as to the identity of its harlot rider.

The first 6 Gentile world powers represented as heads on the scarlet beast (Satan) are: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Certainly, there have been many other empires that have risen upon the world’s stage and fallen from glory.

However, these 6 pagan world powers are of primary importance in Scripture due to their impact on the nation of Israel and the role they have played in the war between God and Satan over who will ultimately rule Earth.

The battle lines have been drawn. On the one side is Satan and his wicked seed – the Antichrist. On the other is God and his holy Seed – Jesus Christ. He alone has the right, power, and credentials to rule Earth, redeem God’s creation, and bring history to a proper consummation.

However, there is one additional head on the beast (the 7th) that we have not identified to this point. There are also 10 horns that collectively symbolize a climactic 8th and final world empire.

The identity of these, along with the elusive identification of Babylon, Mother of Harlots, requires a fuller explanation. The Lord willing, this will be our focus in next few posts.

Seeing a Sign
 
Revelation Chapter 15 begins with these words: “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous.” In saying he saw “another sign,” John was stating this was not the first sign he had observed.

In Chapter 12, John said, “and there appeared a great wonder [literally “sign”] in heaven.” The sign was “a woman clothed with the sun” (Revelation 12:1). Then John said he beheld a second wonder [“sign”]: “And there appeared another wonder [“sign”] in heaven.” The second sign John beheld was “a great red dragon” (Revelation 12:3). The sign of “a woman clothed with the sun” referenced Israel. The sign of “a great red dragon” referenced Satan.

Having identified Israel and Satan as the 2 major antagonists of history, John succinctly summarizes the conflict of the ages as the red dragon (Satan) seeks to destroy the Seed (Christ) of the woman (Israel). God, however, intervened and protected the Seed at birth by warning Joseph to take the infant and Mary down to Egypt because King Herod would seek His life by murdering all the male children in Bethlehem up to 2 years of age (Matthew 2:13, 16).

Following the Virgin Birth, John passes completely over Christ’s life, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection without a word and moves immediately to His ascension to Heaven (Revelation 12:5). This was done to prepare for John’s central point of discussion; namely, Satan’s attempt to kill the woman during the Great Tribulation at the end of the age (Revelation 12:13-14).

Since Satan could not kill the Seed destined to crush his head, he seeks to get the woman (Israel) who gave birth to the Seed to worship the Antichrist and take his mark. Those who will not comply, he will seek to kill. God, however, commands Israel to flee to the mountains where He protects a remnant of her seed for 3½ years during the last half of Daniel’s 70th Week – the final 7 years of this era of human history (Revelation 12:14).

Frustrated at not being able to get at those who have fled to the mountains, Satan turns his hatred toward her offspring. This should not be construed to mean Jews only. Her “offspring” is a reference to believers worldwide who, like father Abraham, have been justified by faith in Christ.

In Chapter 13, Satan, in concert with his emissaries, the Antichrist and False Prophet, launches his final campaign to rule the world. This satanic program began thousands of years earlier in the Garden of Eden.

However, at this point in history, humanity is being confronted with an unmistakable choice – worship Christ or worship the Antichrist. To some, the decision may seem conspicuous – choose Christ. But the tragic reality is that most will choose the Antichrist because their thoughts and deeds are evil. They prefer darkness rather than light.

Rejecting the Antichrist, evidenced by the refusal to take his mark, will come with tremendous cost. It will result in great persecution and martyrdom for many of God’s faithful sons and daughters. This hour of history will be so severe that unless those days are shortened, according to the Lord Jesus, no believing flesh would survive (Matthew 24:21-22).

No one should be dismayed at this devastating attack on God’s children. On one occasion, the Lord Jesus said to His followers, “If any man will come after me, let him … take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

He was not simply speaking of the daily pressures of life. What He was saying to His followers was this: If you are not willing to die for Me should the occasion arise, you are not worthy to be My disciple. This will be such an occasion. The Bible never teaches that following Christ is like a stroll in the park – that to be a Christian is to have no problems and to be healthy, wealthy, and wise.

Then, in Chapter 14, in the midst of the darkness and undiluted evil, the Lamb is seen standing on Mount Zion. The significance of this portrait of Christ standing on Mount Zion cannot be overstated. The Seed of the woman who will crush Satan’s head and whom Satan had attempted to murder at birth is alive and well and standing on Mount Zion, the very heart of Jerusalem, His capital city.

The Lamb, however, is not alone. Standing on Mount Zion with Him are 144,000 Jews. These are those who have rejected the mark of the Antichrist and were sealed by God in Chapter 7. They survived the 7 trumpet judgments and now stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion. They are the “firstfruits” of a great multitude of people from among every kindred, tongue, and tribe who will reject the Antichrist and put their faith in the Son of God (Revelation 14:4).

As noted earlier, John had seen 2 signs in Chapter 12. First, the woman clothed with the sun (Israel); and 2nd, a great red dragon (Satan). Now, in Chapter 15, John sees a 3rd sign. The sign is said to be both “great” and “marvelous” (v. 1). It is “great” in that is speaks of the final triumph and vindication of God in connection with all of history.

It is “marvelous” in that it will showcase God’s holiness, justice, truth, love, and power in the accomplishment of His redemption of Earth. This final sign is identified as “seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God” (Revelation 15:1).

The 7 last plagues are the 7 bowl judgments (Revelation 15:6-7). In identifying the bowls as the “last” judgment of God, it is clear that there were earlier judgments. In saying, “for in them is filled up the wrath of God” (Revelation 15:1), John was saying that following the 7 bowls there will be no need for further divine judgment. With the pouring out of the bowl judgments, the purging of Earth of all that has defiled it through the ages is complete.

A Chronology of the Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls

Since John indicated that the 7 bowls “fill up” or “complete” the wrath of God, the question then arises, “When did God’s wrath begin?” An answer to this important question requires no speculation. John wrote:

With the breaking of the 6th seal around the scroll, 2 events of great significance occur. The 1st event can be described as cosmic disturbance. The heavenly bodies of the sun, moon, and stars will be in total disarray and the resultant impact on the earth will be devastating.

The 2nd event will be people from all stations of life running for cover and concealment among the caves and rocks and mountains. They are seeking to hide from God the Father who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. The reason for their panic is clearly stated: “For the great day of his wrath is come.” That is, God’s wrath is an overhanging event which is about to commence.

Through His prophets, God repeatedly indicated that cosmic disturbance would be the prelude to His “day of the Lord” wrath (Joel 2:30-31; 3:14-15; Matthew 24:29-30; 2 Peter 3:10-11). God’s wrath is announced by the cosmic disturbance associated with the 6th seal and begins with the breaking of the 7th seal. Each seal, when broken, brought some sort of dire consequence upon the earth. The 7th seal contained the 7 trumpet judgments.

The wrath of God that was said to be “filled up” or “completed” with the pouring out of the 7 bowls had its beginning with the blowing of the 7th trumpet. Since the 7th trumpet contains the 7 bowls and the 7 trumpets are contained in the 7th seal, one is faced with the obvious conclusion that the 7th seal contains both the trumpet and bowl judgments.

Practically speaking, this means all the judgments of “the Day of the Lord” are contained in the 7th seal. And, of course, with the breaking of the 7th and final seal in Chapter 8, the scroll could now begin to be opened and the events of the Book of Revelation, from Chapters 8 to 22, begin to unfold.

The Day of the Lord does not begin at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th Week nor does it continue through Christ’s Millennial (1,000-year) Kingdom – 2 positions sincerely but erroneously held by many of my pretribulation-rapture friends. The Church is not appointed unto God’s wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9). God’s wrath begins with the breaking of the 7th seal after the shortened Great Tribulation and following the Rapture of the Church.

This occurs sometime well within the second half of Daniel’s 70th Week. The Church will be on Earth for the Great Tribulation, which is limited to the 5th seal (Revelation 6:9-10; 7:13-14). The Church will not be on Earth during God’s Day of the Lord wrath, which occurs during the trumpet and bowl judgments.

There are some things I have written in this series of articles on Revelation about which I would not be dogmatic (they represent my best understanding of the text), but that the Rapture of the Church occurs before the breaking of the 7th seal and onset of God’s wrath, I have absolutely no doubt.

I hold the Pre-Wrath Rapture as a core belief based on my conviction it is the clear teaching of the Word of God. For one generation, to be on the wrong side of this issue can bring dire consequences. We could very well be that generation.

In the Book of Revelation, the 7 seals around the scroll will be broken, the 7 trumpets will be blown, and 7 bowls will be poured out. The imagery behind the seals, trumpets, and bowls is of great significance. Ancient seals were made from soft clay which hardened quickly. The seals were fastened with twine around important documents for security.

Seals could only be broken by one who had the authority and power to do so. In Revelation 5, only Jesus had the authority and power to break the 7 seals around the scroll seen in the right hand of God the Father (Revelation 5:1-8).

The trumpets were long and fluted and made from a seamless piece of silver (Numbers 10:2). The blowing of the trumpet had a number of important purposes. One purpose was to call the people to the presence of God at the Tabernacle during Israel’s wilderness wanderings (Numbers 10:3). A second purpose to blow a trumpet was when Israel was to go to war under divine direction (Numbers 10:9).

These 2 things are precisely what will occur in connection with the trumpet judgments. First, God will call His people to His presence (the Rapture – Matthew 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17); and second, He will go to war during the Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10).

The bowls carried by the 7 angels were probably broad in girth, shallow in depth, and made of gold. Religious Jews to this day wash their hands in shallow bowls for ceremonial cleansing before eating their Sabbath dinner. Because the bowls are wide and shallow they can be quickly emptied.

This fits the concept that the bowl judgments are poured out by the 7 angels in rapid, almost machine-gun-like rapidity. It seems, therefore, that the concept of “bowls,” rather than “vials” – which are cited in the King James Version – is more appropriate.

The 70th Week of Daniel ends with the blowing of the 7th trumpet when “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ” (Revelation 11:15-17). This raises the important question as to when the 7 bowls are poured out since they come out of the 7th trumpet which is blown at the end of the 70th Week. This is critical in any attempt to understand the chronology of the last book of the Bible and the last events of human history before Christ establishes His Millennial Kingdom.

Perhaps it is Daniel the prophet who provides the key. The last half of Daniel’s final 7-year period is referred to as 42 months or 3½ years (Revelation 13:5). It is referred to in the prior chapter as “a time, and times, and half a time” or 3½ years (Revelation 12:14).

It is also referred to as “[1,260] days” or 3½ years, based on the Hebrew lunar calendar which is approximately 5 days shorter than our solar calendar of 365 days each year (Revelation 12:6). However, near the very end of his book, Daniels adds 75 days to the last half of his 70th Week prophecy. He wrote:

Here Daniel extends the 1,260 days of the last half of his 70th Week by 30 days to 1,290 days. But he is not done; he continues by saying: “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the [1,335] days” (Daniel 12:12).

Again, Daniel extends the period of time beyond the 70th Week by another 45 days – from 1,290 to 1,335 – for a total time expansion of 75 days. It is during this extended period of time that the 7 bowl judgments are poured out in rapid succession. The purpose of this purging of Earth of all that has defiled it since the advent of sin is preparation for Christ’s Millennial Kingdom.

Christ’s triumph will be so complete that they (those who had gotten the victory over the Antichrist) “sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 15:3). One is immediately reminded of the author of the epistle to the Hebrews who wrote of Moses who was a faithful servant and of Christ who was worthy of even more glory because He was faithful as a son (Hebrews 3:5-6).

The song of Moses being sung by those who had gotten the victory over the Antichrist probably refers to the song Moses and the children of Israel sang at the Red Sea where they triumphed over Pharaoh and his soldiers (Exodus 15). It could, however, also refer to the song Moses wrote near the end of his life in which he spoke of God’s wondrous faithfulness to His people (Deuteronomy 32):

The Bowls of Wrath
 
The 7 angels to whom were given the 7 bowls are now commanded to pour out their assigned divine judgment on Earth. The bowls are poured out in trip-hammer rapidity. They will devastate Earth beyond humanity’s ability to fully comprehend. It is important, however, to remember that none of God’s children will experience any of the trumpet or bowl judgments. Believers will only be present on Earth through the 6th seal, and then they will be raptured (Revelation 6:12; 7:13-14; 8:1).

Because there is similarity between some of the trumpets and bowls, many commentators suggest that they overlap and run concurrently. These same commentators tend to play down the significant differences between the trumpets and bowls. The unfortunate result is that they make a hodgepodge out of the chronology of the Book of Revelation.

This, in turn, leads to a confusing interpretation of the text. The seals, trumpets, and bowls run consecutively, not concurrently. To be sure, there is overlapping. The boils of the first bowl continue on as subsequent bowls are poured out, each adding to the cumulative effect of the wrath of God, but they are each launched in sequence. They are linear, not parallel.

The first angel “poured out his vial [bowl] upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image” (Revelation 16:2).

Millions of men and women throughout the world will take the mark of the beast, but to their sorrow they will find themselves with sickening boils covering their bodies. They chose the mark of Antichrist; they will have additional marks they did not choose which will cover them from head to toe.

“The second angel poured out his vial [bowl] upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea” (Revelation 16:3). The water in the oceans of the world will become thick, dark, and coagulated like the blood of a corpse. (It will be “as” or “like” blood but should not be understood to be actual blood.) As a result, the death and decay of all sea creatures will add to the terrible misery of this judgment.

“The third angel poured out his vial [bowl] upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood” (Revelation 16:4). The fresh water of the rivers and streams suffers the same fate as the oceans. Now men and women will have no fresh water to drink, nor will they have clean water with which to wash the boils on their bodies.

“The fourth angel poured out his vial [bowl] upon the sun; and power was given unto him [the sun] to scorch men with fire” (Revelation 16:8). As the judgments begin to mount with boils and no drinking water, they now begin to be scorched by the sun.

Amazingly, in the wickedness of their hearts, instead of repenting, they blaspheme the name of God. Nor simply a few men and women here and there – but the overwhelming mass of humanity.

“The fifth angel poured out his vial [bowl] upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain” (Revelation 16:10). The expression “the seat of the beast” would be better translated “the throne of the beast” and is almost certainly a reference to the first beast of Revelation 13 who is identified as the Antichrist. We cannot be certain of the location of the throne, however, the prophet Daniel gives us a strong hint.

Writing of the Antichrist, he said:

The pouring of the bowl upon the throne of the beast will lead to the darkening of his worldwide kingdom. So horrendous will be the discomfort of the followers of the Antichrist from the growing impact of the bowls that “they gnawed their tongues” because of the pain, and still they blasphemed God and refused to repent (Revelation 16:10).

“The sixth angel poured out his vial [bowl] upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared” (Revelation 16:12). The Euphrates River is one of the great rivers of the world, more than 1,800 miles long. Historically, its depth was 10 to 20 feet deep, and it was of varying widths. Today, its flow is influenced by dams in Turkey. The “kings of the east” are literally “kings of the rising sun.”

It may refer to armies from China, India, and Japan, numbering as many as 200 million soldiers (Revelation 9:14-16). Three unclean spirits (demons) coming out of the mouths of the dragon (Satan), the beast (the Antichrist), and the False Prophet will influence these armies to gather on the battlefield in north-central Israel. There they will participate in the final battle of history called “Armageddon” (excluding the short conflict at the end of the Millennium; Revelation 20:7-8), and their armies will be decimated by the Lord Jesus Christ.

“The seventh angel poured out his vial [bowl] into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done” (Revelation 16:17). This 7th bowl – the most devastating of all – will bring to an end the Day of the Lord wrath.

It will be an earthquake, worldwide in its intensity, beginning at Jerusalem and reaching to the nations of the world. Giant stones like meteorites will fall from the sky, and still men and women will continue to blaspheme God and refuse to repent of their sin.

These bowl judgments, like the trumpets which preceded them, are the ultimate manifestation of an angry God who is holy, righteous, and just. Humanity rebelled against God’s law, rejected God’s grace, refused God’s mercy, and spurned God’s love. God is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish. But there comes a time when the cup of humanity’s sin is filled full and God says “No more.”

That day will arrive when the 7th seal around the scroll, which contains the title deed to the earth, is finally broken. “God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31).

A Tale of 2 Chapters
 
The blackest of storms often gives way to the most beautiful of sunsets. Such is the case in Revelation Chapters 13 and 14. Chapter 13 is black and foreboding. Apart from the crucifixion of Jesus, not since the serpent beguiled Adam and Eve in the Garden and brought sin and death into the world has there been a comparable period of evil and wickedness.
 
In Chapter 13 we feel the sickening shock of horror at the very contemplation of Satan’s hellish power, blasphemies of God, and unparalleled tyranny of humanity, and we ask, “Who is this wicked created being that he presumes to think he can defy the living God?”

In Chapter 13 we gaze upon the falsely deified Antichrist and his malignant program for Earth and we ask, “Who is this progeny of Hell that he dares to think he can usurp the throne of the King of glory?”

In Chapter 13 we watch the thickening evil and darkness of the False Prophet who looks like a lamb but speaks as a dragon and who, with devilish lies, intoxicates the nations that refuse to have Christ rule over them, and we ask, “Who is this liar and deceiver that he naively believes he can supplant the true prophets of God?” Here then is the manifestation of Hell’s ultimate power and humanity’s sinful susceptibility to it.

Revelation Chapter 13 records the midnight of human history. Death and darkness appear to have vanquished life and light. It is the time of Great Tribulation, and if God does not intervene, all believing flesh will perish (Matthew 24:21-22).

A Lamb Standing on Mount Zion
 
Chapter 14 opens with these words: “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount [Zion]” (verse 1). Who is this Lamb who suddenly appears on the scene? Clearly, this Lamb is not the beast who arose out of the earth having two horns like a lamb and speaking as a dragon (Revelation 13:11). No, this Lamb is familiar to us. We encountered Him in Chapter 5.

We are told this Lamb is standing on Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1). This is precisely where we would expect to find Him. For, paradoxically, this Lamb is also a lion. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Revelation 5:5). In His flesh, He is the descendant of King David.

King David captured a fortified city called Jebus, which was inhabited by a war-like, idolatrous people called the Jebusites (2 Samuel 5:6-7). After capturing the city, He made it his capital, and it became known as the City of David (2 Samuel 5:9) and Zion.

In time, the term “Zion” was revived and widened to refer to the entire western ridge of early Jerusalem. The walled city of Jerusalem eventually included the Temple Mount on Mount Moriah. Centuries later, the term “Zion” was applied to the entire city of Jerusalem (Psalm 126:1; Isaiah 1:26-27). And Jerusalem is the heart of Israel.

The Lamb is seen standing in the midst of His earthly capital. This is the prophecy recorded in Psalm 2 and which will find fulfillment during Daniel’s 70th Week (the final 7 years of this era of human history). In that prophecy, God decreed: “Yet [that is, in spite of all that rebellious men can do to oppose God’s purposes] have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion” (Psalm 2:6), and now He is standing there.

The 144,000 on Mount Zion
 
But the King is not a solitary figure. He is not alone on Mount Zion. John tells us: “and with him an [144,000], having his Father’s name written [on] their foreheads” (Revelation 14:1). The relevance of this statement cannot be overstated.

John is informing his readers that although the power of Hell in all of its strength, fury, and deception is being unleashed against the earth during the Great Tribulation as described in Chapter 13, God still has a faithful remnant. His Son is not a king without subjects; not all of Earth’s inhabitants have taken the mark of the Antichrist during the Great Tribulation.

As to the identity of this 144,000 there should be absolutely no question. They are Jews who have trusted Jesus. They are the same 144,000 who were sealed in Revelation 7:1-8. The seal indicated 2 critical truths. First, the 144,000 were sealed by God. Therefore, they belonged to God. And secondly, since they belonged to God, God would protect them. The key elements of divine sealing are ownership (they belong to God) and security (they are kept safe by God).

In Chapter 7, the 144,000 are said to be sealed in their foreheads (Revelation 7:3). Again, in Chapter 14, they are said to have the Lamb’s Father’s name written in their foreheads (Revelation 14:1). God the Father’s written name in the Hebrew Bible is YHWH. To be sealed with God’s name – as are these 144,000 – is the ultimate blessing of life. They belong to God and are protected by God.

It is important to note the focus of attention moves in Revelation 14:1 from the earth with the Lamb and the 144,000 on Mount Zion to the throne room of God in Heaven with the raptured Church and 4 living creatures in verses 2 and 3. John wrote:

John did not say that he “saw” or “beheld” the throne scene in Heaven as he frequently does. He said that he heard the joyous adoration taking place around the throne in Heaven. But he was familiar with that scene; he beheld a similar one earlier in Revelation 4:1-8 and again in Revelation 7:9-12.

The parallel between Revelation Chapter 7 and Revelation Chapter 14 is striking and highly significant. Both speak of the 144,000 sealed Jews on Earth, and both speak of the raptured and glorified Church in Heaven. In many respects, Revelation 14 can be overlaid on Chapter 7.

It is the glorified Church in Heaven John hears singing the new song. The 144,000 on Earth are those who, having experienced redemption, have also learned the song (Revelation 14:3). They are still on Earth because they were sealed at the precise time the Church was raptured and therefore did not take part in it.

Chapter 14 gives additional information concerning the 144,000 and thereby complements Chapter 7. The focus of attention moves again from Heaven back to Earth in verses 4 and 5. The last 5 words of verse 5, “before the throne of God,” are not found in most translations and, therefore do not negate that the scene is on Earth.

First, we are told that “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins” (Revelation 14:4). This does not mean they were eunuchs as some suggest; nor does it mean they were celibate as others teach. The 144,000 are spoken of as virgins in a spiritual sense (Revelation 2:14, 20-22; 17:2, 4; 18:3). They did not commit fornication during the Great Tribulation by embracing the Antichrist, taking his mark, and giving him their loyalty and affection.

Secondly, we are told that “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he [goes].” Lambs normally follow the leading of the shepherd. But in this case, the lamb is both the Lamb and the Shepherd. He will lead the 144,000 into paths of righteousness and safety for His name’s sake. They have rejected the Antichrist and instead follow the Lamb wherever He leads.

Their following the Lamb indicates courage and unquestionable obedience. They follow the Lamb because He is their heart’s desire. The Lamb is their Kinsman and Savior. Their people had sought Him for centuries, and now that they have found Him, they will not let Him go.

Apart from the fact that the 144,000 are Jews from the 12 tribes of Israel, we are given no further clue as to their identity. Here, I make a subjective suggestion based on a lifetime of prophetic study wed to working among the Jewish people as a missionary for 50-plus years. These are likely Hassidim (“pious ones”) and ultra-orthodox Jews. Today, these are those who most oppose the Gospel of Christ among the Jews.

In Israel, some from this group attack our missionaries, steal and destroy their literature, harass them at their work, damage their places of worship, mutilate their rented signs posted on public bulletin boards throughout the city of Jerusalem, attempt to get their citizenship revoked, and bring false charges against them to the police so they are frequently brought to the police station for questioning.

There is no hyperbole here. In doing these things, the religious Jews truly think they are serving God; that they are doing a good deed. The Apostle Paul – history’s greatest theologian and missionary, and himself a Jew – says that his brethren have zeal of God, but not according to knowledge (Romans 10:1-2). Tragically, their zeal for God is misplaced.

In 168 B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes – archetype of the Antichrist – the ruler of Syria, marched on Jerusalem with his army. He demanded that the people, on pain of death, bestow upon him worship as a god. The secular, non-observant Jews did so gladly. The ultra-religious Jews refused. They would not worship a man no matter how powerful he might be nor the danger he posed to their lives. As a result, many religious Jews suffered and died.

Nearing the end of the age, when the Antichrist demands worship and obedience from his headquarters in Jerusalem, I believe it will largely be from among the ultra-orthodox that the 144,000 will come. They will not worship a counterfeit messiah, and when these ultra-orthodox Jews realize who Jesus is – the One they rejected through the centuries – they will mourn as few have ever mourned. At that time, they will repent of their sin and be born again. In a moment of time, the world will have 144,000 Apostle Pauls, each perhaps asking the question, “What will You have me to do, Lord?” (Acts 9:6).

Thirdly, we are told, “These were re-deemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb.” If this expression means anything at all, and it certainly does, it means this: There will be more to follow. The 144,000, as wonderful as they are, are only the firstfruits. They are just the beginning.

The feast of firstfruits is the 3rd of the 7 solemn assemblies or “holidays” God gave Israel. It occurred in the spring of the year, in late March or April when barley, the first crop of the year, began to develop (Leviticus 23:10-11). The priests would cut the first sheaf which ripened and bring it to the Temple and offer it to God. When accepted by God, it would be the earnest, or guarantee, that more of the crop would come out of the ground.

Revelation Chapter 7 reveals the sealing of the 144,000 (Revelation 7:1-8), and then, immediately, John speaks of a great multitude, so large they cannot be numbered. This great multitude is universal in composition, coming from all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues, and they are standing before God’s throne in Heaven and before the Lamb (Revelation 7:9). Concerning who this great multitude is and when they appeared in Heaven, an angelic messenger told John, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14).

I strongly believe this great multitude is the raptured Church. It is as if the Church has passed the baton to the 144,000 at its rapture. God will not leave Himself without a witness on Earth; and He promised that when the “fullness of the Gentiles” is completed, He would remove the blindness from Israel and restore His people to Himself.

3 Angels – 3 Urgent Proclamations

The scene John beholds – a Lamb standing on Mount Zion with 144,000 faithful servants – once again changes. Three angels each have an urgent proclamation for the world. Their messages are orderly in presentation and related in content. Each builds upon the other, and each stands in direct opposition to the message of Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet in the previous chapter.

Concerning the 1st angel, John wrote: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6). The urgency of the message of the first angel is underscored by his warning that “the hour of his [God’s] judgment is come” (Revelation 14:7). That is, it is an overhanging event that will soon begin.

A 2nd angel suddenly appears and his message to the world is this: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Revelation 14:8). Babylon is so important to understanding history and prophecy that 2 full chapters (Revelation 17 and 18) are given to a discussion of her satanic opposition to God and sudden catastrophic demise.

In Scripture, Babylon is a literal city located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (modern-day Iraq), and Babylon is also a religious and political system. The system began with the building of the tower of Babel and city of Babylon under the leadership of Nimrod who revolted against God (Genesis 10:8-9; 11:1-9).

This system, from antiquity to the present, has had 2 main goals: the establishment of a one-world government and the establishment of a one-world religion. Its purpose, from the beginning under Satan, is that at the end of the age, Satan’s progeny – the Antichrist – will rule the world. But if that entire system is going to be destroyed in a day, why would anyone want to give their allegiance to a king (the Antichrist) who is destined to see his kingdom crushed?

And now a third angel appeared, saying with a loud voice:

A summary of the proclamations of the 3 angels could be stated this way:

The 1st angel invited the nations and peoples of the world to trust God and heed His everlasting Gospel. This would be their last opportunity. God’s final wrath was about to be unleashed on the earth.

The 2nd angel announced the fall of Babylon. The one-world government of Antichrist would be totally destroyed in a day.

The 3rd angel warned that those who worship the Antichrist or his image and receive his mark will be eternally separated from God in a place of unending torment.

The message of the 144,000 – who are the firstfruits and given the promise of more fruit to come – is to the Jewish people (Revelation 14:1-5). The message of the 3 angels to the nations of the world, with the invitation to trust God while there is still a brief window of opportunity, is to the Gentile (Revelation 14:6-12).
I believe as a direct result of the messages of the 3 angels, the prophecy of the 2 witnesses (Revelation 11:3), and the testimony of the 144,000, the greatest revival the world has ever known will occur. And it will occur “in the nick of time.”

The final words of the 3rd angel are these: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). The expression “patience of the saints” is an extremely important and beautiful concept. It means to remain faithful to God during the most difficult and trying of times – to endure to the end while under the oppressive hand of the Antichrist and the False Prophet.

John now hears a voice from Heaven. It is not the voice of one of the 3 angels. It is a new voice and the message is one of great comfort. John is told to write: “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Revelation 14:13).

Some who heed the heavenly messages will suffer and be martyred for their steadfast fidelity to Christ during the Great Tribulation. They will refuse to take the mark of the Antichrist. On first reflection, how strange these words are to our ears. He wrote: “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth . . . .” We ask, “How are the dead which die in the Lord blessed?” But with a second reflection, the words take on new significance. Throughout the Bible, the word “bless” carries with it the idea of life.

The blessed man of Psalm 1 is the man or woman who has life. They are like a tree planted by the rivers of water – their leaves will not wither and whatever they do will prosper. The expression, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord” could literally be expressed this way: “Alive are the dead who died as martyrs for the Lord.”

What an amazing paradox! And the Lord God of the universe has a perfect memory: “Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Revelation 14:13).

The Harvest
 
The end of this era of human history nears as the final section of Chapter 14 reveals what initially seems to be a description of 2 reapings of the earth (vv. 14-20). Among the numerous opinions, most commentators group these so-called “2 reapings” and identify them as the judgment of God upon a humanity that has embraced the Antichrist and taken his mark. Concern-ing the “1st reaping,” John wrote:

In describing the “2nd reaping,” John said:

In the passages above, the so-called “2nd reaping” in verses 17-20 is obviously describing divine judgment upon the wicked which will be carried out by angels. However, a question arises as to why John differentiates this reaping from the so-called “1st reaping” in verses 14-16. And why is the “1st reaping” carried out directly by one who seems to be Jesus Christ himself?

Allow me to offer what I believe to be a plausible explanation that may serve to clarify these passages.

I believe these events must be understood within the larger context of the Day of the Lord (which is the time when God purges Earth and punishes the wicked). Scripture teaches that immediately prior to the outpouring of God’s wrath, He sends His angels to seal 144,000 Jews for protection (Revelation 7:3-8), He raptures the Church (Revelation 7:9-17), and then there is silence in Heaven for the space of a half-hour (Revelation 8:1). This series of events occurs in rapid-fire succession just prior to the start of His Day of the Lord wrath.

It is my conviction that, collectively, these are all part of a sequence of events that comprise the great harvest of Earth by Jesus Christ at the end of the age. In light of these things, I suggest Revelation 14:14-16 is simply stating that Christ will initiate the events of His final harvest when the time is right. And the time will be right when Earth is fully ripe.

In the phrase, “for the harvest of the earth is ripe” in verse 15, the Greek word used for “ripe,” is exeranthe, which implies the idea of being overripe to the point of being withered or dry. Some commentators take the position that the particular usage of this word, in combination with the previous phrase, “Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap” is emphasizing a negative, wrathful aspect of His reaping. They therefore conclude this so-called “first reaping” is exclusively describing His punishment of the wicked in the lead-up to the battle of Armageddon.

While I am not dogmatic on this issue, I take the position that the connotation of the word “ripe”

in context here is not so much intended to negatively define the nature and character of that which will be harvested, but rather it is a condemnation denoting the condition of Earth at that time. The focus is on Earth, and the emphasis is on timing. In other words, when Earth is ready (fully ripe), it will trigger the time to separate the wheat from the weed.

At that time, the full spectrum of events associated with the final harvest (including the sealing of the 144,000, the rapture of the Church, and the judgment of the wicked) will be successfully implemented by Jesus Christ.

Regardless of one’s understanding of “the harvest” in verses 14-16, it is clear the verses that follow depict the climactic events associated with God’s purging of Earth of all that has defiled it since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. These verses are all about “the great winepress of the wrath of God.”

It includes the destruction of the converging armies of the world at the battle of Armageddon in the Jezreel Valley; and the bowl judgments of God described in Revelation Chapters 15 and 16.

The God of creation and redemption is longsuffering and not desirous that any should perish, but a day will come when the cup of humanity’s iniquity is full and God says, “No more! Longsuffering is past.” Humanity cannot forever turn up its nose at God, ignore His law, and reject His grace.

Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet may have their brief moment in Chapter 13, but the Lamb standing on Mount Zion in Chapter 14 is the Lion of the tribe of Judah – the Son of David – the Son of God, and He need only speak the word to smite them.

The Second Coming
 
I am acutely aware of the potential emotional implications related to a consideration of the timing of the Rapture.

Pretribulational Rapturism and Imminence are doctrines tenaciously held by many of God’s choicest servants. I have no desire to be divisive, but must share what I believe to be paramount biblical truth for this crucial moment of history.

The warning of James – the half-brother of the Lord Jesus – has not gone unnoticed: “My brethren, be not many teachers, knowing that we shall [be judged more strictly]” (James 3:1). If, in the addressing of this issue, I inappropriately offend any of God’s children, I sincerely apologize.

Almost 2,000 years ago Jesus – the Son of God – left Heaven’s glory and came to Earth to become the Son of Man. He who had eternally existed with the Father and Spirit in perfect unbroken fellowship, took on human form and became a man.

His miraculous birth, sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, glorious ascension, and enthronement at the right hand of His Father are all brilliant facets related to the first coming of Christ.

The implications of that direct intervention of God in the affairs of humanity can neither be fully fathomed nor, with the greatest of oratory and literary skills, overstated by mere mortals.

The Lord’s first coming was the noon hour of at least 6,000 years of human history. Astoundingly, but not surprisingly, as the Jewish prophets foretold, God was dwelling in human form among His creation. Men and women could see the visible Son and know precisely what the invisible Father was like, for Jesus was “the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person” (Hebrews 1:3).

Only one event in the still-to-unfold future that awaits humanity will be able to compare in significance with the first coming of the Son of Man. That event can be succinctly summed up in four words: Jesus is coming again.

Among the major purposes associated with the Second Coming will be:

• The fulfillment of the promise of salvation for those who have died in Christ (“the dead in Christ shall rise first” [l Thessalonians 4:16])
• Deliverance of the living who have trusted Christ as Savior (“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them” [l Thessalonians 4:17])
• The judgment of the wicked during the Day of the Lord (“For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape” [l Thessalonians 5:2-31)
• And the establishment of Christ’s rule over Earth (“The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” [Revelation 11:15]).

The resurrection of the dead, the final redemption of the righteous living, the judgment of the wicked, and the introduction of a golden age, then, are major themes related to Christ’s return.

Is the Return of Christ Imminent?

For those who believe and honor God’s Word, the fact of the return of Christ to Earth is beyond debate. Concerning that return, a significant number of Bible-believing Christians believe the Bible teaches that Christ’s return will be premillennial – that is, at His return He will personally establish a litera1, 1,000-year (Millennial) Kingdom on Earth. I concur.

However, there has been considerable, spirited debate with regard to the 7-year period (often referred to as the Tribulation Period, or the 70th Week of the Book of Daniel) immediately preceding Christ’s physical return to Earth and its relationship to the timing of the Rapture.

Some contend that the Rapture of the Church will occur prior to the beginning of that 7-year period – or “pretribulationally.”

Intimately associated with the pretribulational view of the Rapture is the belief in imminence. Imminence is commonly expressed by the concept of an any-moment Rapture.

It is sometimes voiced with the sentiment, “I’m looking for the upper Taker (Christ), not the undertaker (the Antichrist).” A number of Second Coming hymns suggest imminence in their lyrics. Leila Morris wrote:

And in the same vein, George Whitcomb wrote:

Many outstanding seminaries, Bible colleges, missionary agencies, and churches include Imminence in their doctrinal statement.

A large number of those who hold to a pretribulational and imminent return of Christ view Imminence as an important but not a divisive doctrine. They give genuine latitude to those holding divergent views on the chronology of the Second Coming.

Others, however, have “set” Pretribulational Rapturism “in concrete,” and in such circles to even raise genuine questions concerning Imminence is to incur wrath and to be held suspect.

Amazingly, a doctrine which was virtually unknown in America 160 years ago has now become, for some, a fundamental of the faith. Of course, the bottom line – the final arbiter in every spiritual debate – is to be the Word of God; never tradition, church dogma, or human preference.
 
The Origin and Early Definitions of Imminence

Some writers have attempted to anchor Pretribulational Rapturism and its handmaiden, Imminence, in the rock of antiquity and the early Church. It has been suggested that extant historical documents show that the early Church believed in an any-moment pretribulational Rapture.

Actually, quotations from the early Church fathers suggest that (1) they believed Christ could return in their lifetime, and (2) His return would be preceded by a period of difficulty. But in no sense did they teach that the Rapture was pretribulational or imminent – that is, that it could happen at any moment.

A review of Ante-Nicene writings overwhelmingly substantiates the reality of this statement. Neither the writings of Clement of Rome (A.D. 30-100), “The Epistle to Barnabas” (A.D. 130), “The Shepherd of Hermas” (A.D. 150), “The Didache” (A.D. 150), Ignatius (A.D. 50- 115), Polycarp (A.D. 70-167), Papias (A.D. 80-163), Pothinus (A.D. 87-177), Justyn Martyr (A.D. 100-168), Melito of Sardis (A.D. 100-170), Hegisippus (A.D. 130-190), Tatian (A.D. 130-190), Irenaeus (A.D. 140-202), Tertullian (A.D. 150-220), Hippolytus (A.D. 160-240), Cyprian (A.D. 200-258), Commodian (A.D. 200-270), Nepos (A.D. 230-280), Coracion (A.D. 230-280), Victorinus (A.D. 240-303), Methodius (A.D. 250-311), or Lactantius (A.D. 240-330) lend support to the validity of a pretribulation rapture.¹

John Sproule, writing in defense of Pretribulational Rapturism, nonetheless with candor and integrity, noted concerning Imminence:

Sproule continues:

Far from having its roots in the early Church, Pretribulational Rapturism and an any-moment Rapture can trace its origin back to John Darby and the Plymouth Brethren in the year 1830.

Some scholars, seeking to prove error by association, have attempted (perhaps unfairly) to trace its origin back 2 years earlier to a charismatic, visionary woman, named Margaret MacDonald.⁴ In any case, neither its recent origin nor its source proves or disproves its correctness. But if Pretribulational Rapturism is used for a badge of fellowship and orthodoxy, one is faced with the perplexing question of what to do with the millions of godly believers who, for almost 1,800 years, did not hold to Pretribulational Rapturism.

Among them are heroes of the faith such as John Wesley, Charles Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, John Knox, John Huss, William Carey, John Calvin, Isaac Newton, George Whitfield, A. B. Simpson, George Mueller, John Newton, Jonathan Edwards, John Wycliffe, John Bunyan, and multitudes more. Would these men be spurned today because they were not pretribulational?

The pretribulational view of Christ’s return made its way from England to America in the 1870s and with it, unfortunately, came friction and division. The Scofield Reference Bible (which has helped millions of people in their personal Bible study) made pretribulational teaching a major facet of its 1917 revised edition.

Untold multitudes became pretribulational as a result of Scofield’s notes which, because they were attached to his reference Bible, became highly authoritative in the minds of many.

It was the Niagara Bible Conference, however, that initially spearheaded the growth of Pretribulational Rapturism and the concept of an any-moment Rapture in America. In 1878, the Conference adopted a 14-point doctrinal statement. The 14th section dealing with the return of Christ stated: “This personal and premillennial advent is the blessed hope set before us in the Gospel for which we should be constantly looking.”⁵

This was a broad statement which could be embraced by all premillenarians. However, later that same year, The First General American Bible and Prophetic Conference (closely aligned with the Niagara Conference) in New York City passed 5 resolutions. In Article 3, they went beyond the Niagara statement. Their resolution stated: “This second coming of the Lord is everywhere in the scriptures represented as imminent, and may occur at any moment.”⁶
 
Debate on the interpretation of the meaning of imminence followed. Some argued that imminence meant that signs could be fulfilled and that Christ could return within the lifetime of any individual generation of believers.⁷ This view of imminence could better be described as expectancy.

It conveyed 2 facts: (1) Christ could return in any generation, and (2) signs could precede His coming. If the word could in Point 2 were changed to will, their statement would reflect precisely the view of this article. A second group argued that imminence meant that the coming of Christ was possible at any hour.⁸ It was the position of this latter group which, in the years that followed, dominated pretribulational thinking.

With the passing of time, the definition of imminence was more closely defined. John R. Rice wrote:

“Christ’s coming is imminent. That means that Jesus may come at any moment. That means that there is no other prophesied event which must occur before Christ’s coming. Nothing else needs to happen before Jesus may come. No signs need precede it. Jesus may come today.”⁹

Any moment – no prophesied event must occur – nothing else needs to happen – it could be today; these are the points Rice emphasizes. John Sproule, in a context of taking issue with posttribulationalist Robert Gundry’s definition of imminence, wrote:

“More representative of the pretribulational concept of imminency is the belief that, without qualification, Christ can return for His Church at any moment and that no predicted event will intervene before that return.”¹⁰

In this definition, the emphasis is changed from no prophesied event must occur to no prophesied event will intervene before Christ’s return.

It is one thing to speak of the Rapture as imminent and mean by that that Christ could come in one’s lifetime and signs can precede that coming. It is another thing altogether to define imminent as meaning that Christ could return at any moment, that His return is signless, and that no prophecies will intervene before He returns.

Is Imminence a Biblical Doctrine?

It has already been noted that there is no historical evidence to demonstrate that the early Church believed in an any-moment Rapture. (It should be added, that fact is in marked contrast to the overwhelming evidence that the early Church was premillennial.) In fact, biblical statements preclude the early Church from believing in imminence.

The Gospel had to be preached throughout the world before Christ could return (Acts 1:8). For the early Church, that precluded an any-moment Rapture. Peter was to live to be an old man (John 21:18-19). For the early Church, that precluded an any-moment Rapture. The Temple was to be destroyed before Christ returned (Matthew 24:l-3). For the early Church, that precluded an any-moment Rapture.

Some, attempting to circumvent this very real dilemma, have suggested that after those events were fulfilled the Church began to believe in imminence. Not only is there no valid evidence for that reasoning, but it continues to contradict Scripture.

Based upon Daniel 9:27 and the prophet’s words, “he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week,” pretribulationists have historically and continuously insisted that the Antichrist will make a covenant with Israel to protect her for 7 years (the 70th Week of the Book of Daniel).

It is that event which triggers what is commonly referred to as the Tribulation Period. But from the defeat of the Jewish nation in A.D. 70 until the emergence of the modern State of Israel on May 14, 1948, no Jewish nation or representative government existed. Hal Lindsey wrote:

“The events leading up to the coming of the Messiah Jesus are strewn throughout the Old and New Testament prophets like pieces of a great jigsaw puzzle. The key piece of the puzzle, which was missing until our time, was that Israel had to be back in her ancient homeland, reestablished as a nation. When this occurred in May 1948, the whole prophetic scenario began to fall together with dizzying speed.”¹¹

It would have been impossible for the Antichrist to sign a covenant of protection with a non-existent nation. An any-moment Rapture, therefore, was not possible before the modern State of Israel was resurrected out of the ashes of the Second World War. Israel could have become a nation during any generation – but the Rapture could not have preceded that event.

Above all other issues, the fact remains that there is not one verse of Scripture that teaches imminence, if by imminence it is meant that Christ’s return is signless, any-moment, and without the possibility of fulfilled prophecies preceding it.

The student of the Word of God will search in vain for exegetical (a critical explanation or interpretation of a Bible text evidence) support of imminency. The fact that we are to “wait for,” “expect,” “look for,” “keep awake,” “be free from excess,” “be alert,” (and similar phrases) does not substantiate the claim that no prophesied event can occur before the Rapture.
 
If church history and the New Testament do not support an any-moment, signless, no-prophesied events-can-occur-first concept of the Rapture; from where did such a concept come, and how did it grow to dominate much of the conservative Bible-believing, evangelical church?
 
Pretribulationists have rightly understood that the Book of Daniel provides the backbone of prophetic interpretation; that at the end of Daniel’s 69th prophetic Week the Messiah (Christ) would be cut off (Daniel 9:26). They also correctly understood that an indefinite period of time intervened between the 69th and 70th Week.¹²

Coupled with that was the belief that Israel’s prophetic time clock will again begin when the 70th Week is initiated with the signing of the covenant between the Antichrist and Israel. Of necessity, for pretribulationism to be correct, the Rapture must occur before God’s prophetic time clock begins again with the 70th Week of Daniel.

Pretribulationism requires a signless, any-moment, imminent Rapture of the Church. Without imminence, pretribulationism is dead. Or, put another way, if Pretribulational Rapturism could be exegetically proven, Imminence would be demonstrated to be a logical corollary.

Imminence would be a necessary outgrowth of a proven pretribulational Rapture, but an unproven concept of imminence cannot be used to prove pretribulationism. Here is a classic illustration of putting the cart before the horse, and it is routinely done in defense of Pretribulational Rapturism. The battle cry is sometimes voiced this way: Christ can come for the Church at any moment. Prophetic signs cannot occur. Therefore, the Rapture must be pretribulational.
 
Pretribulational rapturists, with few exceptions, believe that the Day of the Lord begins with the Rapture of the Church. The Scofield Reference Bible is typical of this position. It teaches that the Day of the Lord will begin with the translation (Rapture) of the Church.¹³ However, since the Day of the Lord is a period of direct, divine wrath upon Earth (Joel 1:15, 2:l-2, 10-11, 30-31; Isaiah 2:12-21; Zephaniah 1:14-2:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4), and since Paul taught that believers are “not appointed … to wrath” (1 Thessalonians 5:9), it is convenient for pretribulational rapturists to begin the Day of the Lord with the Rapture of the Church.

Doing so, however, has created monumental problems for the belief in an any-moment, no-prophesied-event-can-occur-before-the-Rapture position. Because of space restrictions, a few of these problems can only be briefly mentioned.¹⁴
 
First: The Bible makes it clear that cosmic disturbance must precede the Day of the Lord. The prophet Joel wrote:

Second: There remains a word from the last of the Old Testament prophets concerning that future day. It is a message that holds out some hope. Before the Day of the Lord begins, God will send a messenger to call the nation of Israel to repentance. Malachi, God’s spokesman about 400 years before Christ, recorded:

Third: In the clearest possible way, the Apostle Paul notes 2 events which must precede the Day of the Lord. There must be (1) the apostasy and (2) the revealing of the man of sin in the Temple of God. Paul wrote:

The Word of God clearly teaches that cosmic disturbance MUST precede the Day of the Lord, that Elijah MUST appear before the Day of the Lord, and that the apostasy and revealing of the man of sin MUST occur before the Day of the Lord. Since pretribulationism states that the Day of the Lord starts at the Rapture, the concept of an any-moment, no prophesied-event-will-occur-first position is biblically impossible to sustain.

Expectancy Not Imminency

Many believers within the early Church had either seen Christ during His incarnation or known fellow-believers who had known Him. Consequently, Christ’s life, death, burial, and resurrection were not abstract issues of theology – they were vibrant realities. His promise of personal return was dominant in their thinking. Their Lord was coming again in power and glory. Things would be different when that occurred.

God, not Rome, would be the victor. Christ, not the emperor, would reign. Righteousness, not wickedness, would be the order of the day. Unlike today, the heart of the Apostolic Age burned with the prospect of their Sovereign’s return. They knew full well that the Church Age had begun. The Apostle Paul had revealed that fact (Ephesians 3:4-6). But they had absolutely no concept of its duration.

It is easy for believers in the 21st century to look back at 2,000 years of Church history, but the 1st century Church had no basis for anticipating that kind of extended period of time between their own day and the return of Christ. They believed their Savior could return in their lifetime, and their lives revolved around the expectation of that event.

That expectancy can be seen in Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians. He wrote:

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them who are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them who are asleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-15).

With the use of the personal pronoun we in the phrase, “we who are alive and remain,” Paul clearly includes himself among those who could be living at the time of Christ’s return. In his second epistle to the Thessalonians, he emphasized the same truth. He wrote:

The adjective “our” in the phrase “our gathering together unto him” again demonstrates the apostle’s expectancy of Christ’s return.

A score of verses teach the Second Coming of Christ. All are consistent with the thesis that Christ could return in any generation. Among those verses are the following:

• “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ” (Timothy 2:13).
• “So that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:7).
• “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
• “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:28).
• “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

Expectancy – yes; imminency – no.

There simply are no verses in the Bible which teach that Christ’s return can occur at any moment, is signless, and that no prophesied events will precede it – an absolute necessity to sustain pretribulationism.

The Signs of the Lord’s Return
 
What the Word of God does teach is that every generation should be living with the expectation that Christ could return in its lifetime. That fact should be so real, that expectation so conspicuous, that it becomes a catalyst for holy living.

But, the generation which enters the 70th Week of Daniel will know that Christ’s return is near. They will know precisely, because signs will be given to that generation. The Lord taught, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree: When its. branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near” (Matthew 24:32).

They did not know the hour or day when summer would begin, but they did know the general time period. For the Jewish person of the 1st century, the fig tree was a sign of approximation. When its branch became tender and put forth leaves, one knew that summer was getting close.

That was a non-debatable fact. And then, using the parable, the Lord taught this truth: “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it [My return] is near, even at the doors” (Matthew 24:33).

That which indicated Christ’s return was near had just been revealed by the Lord in Matthew 24:3-28 in answer to the disciples’ question. They had asked, “And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the age?”

Those things are (1) the emergence of Antichrist; (2) war generated by the Antichrist; (3) famine as a direct result of the war; (4) pestilence because of the resultant unsanitary conditions; (5) martyrdom of some who will not submit to the mark of the Antichrist; and (6) cosmic disturbance.

These events will indicate that the Rapture is near. Like the fig tree, they will be signs of Christ’s return. They will not indicate the precise hour or the day, but the general time period.

These signs of His coming cannot possibly have referenced Christ’s physical return to Earth at the end of the 70th Week as some contend. That event will occur precisely 3½ years (or 1,260 days) after the abomination of desolation occurs at the midpoint of the 70th Week. The precise day of His physical return will be known.

The coming of the Lord for His Church can best be described by the word “expectancy.” Jesus can come during any generation of history, but only those who are alive when the 70th Week of Daniel begins will know that the Lord’s return is near.

They will not know the hour or the day but they will know the general time period because signs will precede His coming. This is the significance of the Lord’s teaching, “Verily I say unto you, This generation [the generation that enters the 70th Week] shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” (Matthew 24:34).

The Church Will Enter the 70th Week

God never exempts His children from the normal and natural difficulties of a sinful unregenerate world. The destruction of Sodom was God’s work – so He told Lot to get out of the city. The universal flood was His judgment – so He told Noah to get into the ark.

The difficulties of the first part (the first 6 seals) of the 70th Week of Daniel are the result of the emergence of the Antichrist and the rebellion of unregenerate men against God. From those events the Church is not exempt. She will be exempted, however, and raptured before God’s wrath begins with the opening of the 7th seal (Revelation 6:17; 8:l).

It must therefore be concluded that the Church has yet before her a period of great difficulty related to the activities of Antichrist before her final deliverance.¹⁵ No normal person enjoys persecution, and the prospect of entering an unprecedentedly difficult period of time (the 70th Week) is not a pleasant prospect. Understanding this should not cause God’s people to recoil in fear and intimidation; it should be a call to holiness and preparation.

The Church is the Bride of Christ, and the Bridegroom would never harm His bride. The Bible teaches that He does not – He raptures her before His wrath against the wicked begins.

The first part of the 70th Week is not the wrath of God. It is a period of time when the Antichrist will arise; he will deceive many; he will enter the temple erected for the glory of God; he will demand the worship from humanity that should be directed to the true Bridegroom alone. In that day, the Bridegroom will be under attack. A false lover will seek to capture the hearts of humanity.

It would not be comely for the Bride to absent herself during such an hour of history. A true and courageous Bride will want to remain, fight, and give her life in martyrdom, if need be, to condemn the false lover and tell the world that Jesus Christ alone is the true Lover of her soul.

Nearing the end of His life, and anticipating the approach and anguish of Calvary, Jesus asked 3 of His disciples to watch and pray with Him. They could have been of great help – an encouragement to the Savior in His time of need. However, when the Lord returned from His awesomely difficult time in the Garden of Gethsemane, He found His disciples asleep.

The first Gospel records it this way: “And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and he saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” (Matthew 26:40). Gethsemane means olive press, for in that garden olives were squeezed to produce olive oil – and in that garden the Lamb of God was squeezed as he anticipated that which was before Him, and He “sweat … great drops of blood.”

He desired the support of His disciples in an hour of great need, but they did not give it.
During the 70th week, the Lord will need and want a courageous Bride to stand for Him and speak of His exquisite perfection as the gates of Hell are arrayed against His character through the Antichrist who will be directly empowered by Satan (Revelation 13:4). Will the Church, His bride, be asleep, having been convinced of an any-moment, signless, imminent Rapture?

Will she have become so complacent and worldly that her only concern will be her wellbeing and escape rather than the glory of the Bridegroom? Will she neglect the oft-repeated warnings to be ready, watching, and expectant?

The Apostle Paul taught an important principle which the Western church would do well to remember: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Timothy 2:12).

This could be the generation that will enter the 70th Week of Daniel. Some of us may be called upon to suffer even to the extent of martyrdom. If we are not willing to make such a sacrifice for our sovereign Lord, we are not deserving of being called His disciple.

Jesus is coming again. The dead in Christ will be raised, the living caught up – both to meet the Lord in the air and be forever with Him. The true believer just can’t lose – Jesus is coming again.

Yes, there are prophesied events which must take place prior to the Lord’s return. But if today’s geopolitical events are casting shadows, then I believe we are racing toward the end of the age. Quite possible these events may take place without our lifetime.

May our lives be filled with the expectancy of the Lord’s glorious return!

END NOTES
1. William R. Kimball, The Rapture (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1985) 20-21.
2. John A. Sproule, In Defense of Pretribulationism (Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1980). 18.
3. Ibid., 23.
4. Pretribulation traced to Margaret MacDonald, See Henry Hudson, A Second Look at the Second Coming (Massillon, OH: Calvary Chapel) 3.
5. Ernest R Sandeen, The Roots of Fundamentalism: British and American Millenarianism 1800-1930 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1970), 276-77.
6. Nathaniel West, “Introduction,” Premillennial Essays of the Prophetic Conference held in the Church of the Holy Trinity, (New York City, Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 1878, Ed. Nathaniel West (Chicago: Revell, 1879), 8.
7. Samuel H. Kellog, “Christ’s Coming – Is It Premillennial?” in Premillennial Essays, 57.
8. William J. Erdman, The Parousia of Christ a Period of Time; or, When Will the Church be Translated? (Chicago: Gospel Publishing House, n.d.), 126.
9. John R Rice, Christ is Coming – Signs or no Signs (Murfreesboro, Tennessee: Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1945), 3.
10. Sproule, In Defense of Pretribulationism, 12. 199.
11. Hal Lindsey, The Promise (New York: Bantam Books, 1984),
12. This fact can be demonstrated in that at the end of the 69th Week the Messiah would be cut off (Daniel 9:26). That occurred approximately A.D. 32, but the 70th Week (Seven-year period, or Tribulation) would not begin until after the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70. Therefore, the 70th Week could not possibly immediately follow the conclusion of the 69th. There was, of necessity, a gap of 38 years which has now extended more almost 2,000 years.
13. The New Scofield Reference Bible, C.I. Scofield, ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967), 1372.
14. For a fuller discussion, see the author’s book, The Prewrath Rapture of the Church, published by Thomas Nelson. It can be ordered by phone (1-888-781-9466) or online at Zion’s Hope Silver Shekel Shop.
15. The Apostle Paul taught that one evidence of God’s righteousness during His day of the Lord judgment of the wicked would be based on the wicked’s persecution of the righteous during the 70th Week of Daniel (2 Thessalonians 1:4-8).

An Unholy Trio
 
Writing articles requires a lot of work, and it is normally accompanied with a great amount of pleasure. However, I had no pleasure in writing this article, the second of two which deal with the teaching of Revelation chapter 13. This chapter afforded me no joy, encouragement, or hope as the study of God’s Word normally does. It is a biblical text all about gloom and doom.
 
I feel confident in suggesting that the Apostle John who, under divine inspiration wrote the Book of Revelation, also took no pleasure in writing this text, more so because he realized his nation would be at the apex of the terrible events he was describing.

Revelation 13 records the high watermark of satanic rebellion against God which began at the dawn of history.

Chapter 13 describes the diabolical plan of Satan for the final takeover of the world at the end of the age.

Chapter 13 describes blasphemous pronouncements against Christ by the Antichrist and his wholesale slaying of believers at the end of the age.

Chapter 13 describes the treacherous and deceptive religious lies of the False Prophet at the end of the age.

Chapter 13 is all about the unholy trinity’s final assault against God, against His only begotten Son, and against all who belong to God.

This unholy trinity made up of Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet will have its final wicked activity restricted to 3½ years, the final half of the last 7-year period of this age foretold by the prophet Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27). John wrote:

Concerning reciprocity, John noted that what the followers of the Antichrist do to God’s redeemed sons and daughters, God will do to them:

Revelation 13 is all about the ultimate demonic attack against the very character of God, His Son, and believers worldwide.

One of the most important lessons America’s young warriors are taught in the military is this: “Never underestimate the enemy!” To make this mistake can lead to disaster. To think that during the Great Tribulation – when Hell breaks loose on Earth – the Church will not be present will be a grave error in judgment.

The God of creation and redemption is truly “transparent.” He holds nothing back of things concerning that which His children have genuine need. He reveals the details of the conflict of the ages – even the very difficult details – so one generation of believers can be prepared and not caught off-guard when those days come to pass.

In Revelation Chapter 12, John warns of the persecution of Jews who refuse to acquiesce to Satan. But he also tells us that some will flee to the mountains where they will experience divine protection. In Revelation 14, John speaks of 144,000 people, from the 12 tribes of Israel (Revelation 7:4), having the Father’s name written in their foreheads, who choose to reject the Antichrist and instead choose to worship the true Christ.

They, too, will experience divine protection. But in Chapter 13, on the one hand God and His Son are being blasphemed; and on the other, those who refuse to embrace the Antichrist are being persecuted and slain. Evil, in all of its darkness, is on the march in Chapter 13.
It must have been with great apprehension that John wrote, “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth …” (Revelation 13:11). John had just finished writing of a beast that would arise out of the sea (Revelation 13:1-9).

In describing this first beast who emerges out of the sea (the Antichrist and his revived empire), John noted that the beast possessed a number of fearful and horrendous qualities. Among them, he will be: (1) empowered by Satan, (2) a military conqueror, (3) a blasphemer of God, (4) a merciless murderer of those who reject his mark and give allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ, and (5) the emerging ruler of the new world order (Revelation 13:1-10).

Think of the most evil men who ever lived, and then understand, in terms of wickedness, this man will dwarf them all, both in power and depravity. As Satan’s ultimate progeny, the Antichrist will be the epitome of evil. As Jesus is the Light of the world, the Antichrist is its darkness. He will embrace everything Jesus opposes and oppose everything Jesus embraces. As wicked as this satanically-empowered man will be, there will be many who will choose – of their own volition – to follow him.

Though indescribably tragic, this reality should come as no surprise. Did not the Lord Jesus teach:

We should not think for a moment these words were exaggeration or hyperbole. God’s Word never suggests the great mass of humanity will appropriate God’s grace and come to faith. We are commanded to evangelize the world. However, it is always a remnant from among humanity which turns to God in believing faith.

It seems reasonable to assume, although John would have been greatly disturbed by the appearance of the second beast which emerges out of the earth (the False Prophet), he would not have been surprised by his appearance.

John was present on the Mount of Olives more than 60 years earlier when Jesus spoke of His Second Coming. Though many years had passed, John would not have forgotten the Lord’s teaching concerning the events leading up to His return (Matthew 24-25). Jesus instructed His disciples:

The Lord warned of both false christs and false prophets who would mislead and persecute His followers during the time immediately preceding His coming. False christs and false prophets complement one another. John understood when the Antichrist appears in the Last Days, he will have an accomplice: the beast out of the land, the False Prophet.

It will be through highly deceptive speech and impressive, demonic wonders that the False Prophet will direct humanity to worship the beast out of the sea, the Antichrist. If false christs and false prophets are doing “great” signs, they are doing (impressive and persuasive) false signs (wonders). It is not that the wonders are not genuine, but that the message they are designed to authenticate concerning the Antichrist is a lie.

A Surprising Alliance
 
John noted that the first beast arose out of the sea (Revelation 13:1), and the second beast came up out of the earth (or land) (Revelation 13:11). For John, the distinct origins of the two beasts – one out of the sea and one out of the land – must have had great significance. Why else would he have called this distinction to our attention?

There is good reason to believe the Antichrist who comes out of the sea is a Gentile and will represent the Gentile nations of the world. Two facts are important in this regard. First, a long succession of Gentile nations has attempted to destroy the Jewish nation throughout much of history.

The Lord himself called this period the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). The “times of the Gentiles” is the period of time when no Jewish king from the royal tribe of Judah and family of David is ruling over Jerusalem. Instead, Jerusalem is ruled by foreign powers. This period continues until Christ returns.

In contrast, the False Prophet who comes out of the earth or “land,” I believe, will most likely be a Jew and come from the land of Israel. In the Scriptures, the designation “land” frequently refers to the “land of Israel.” Note the following verses of Scripture:

• “And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him” (Genesis 12:7).
• “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever” (Genesis 13:15).
• “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee” (Genesis 13:17).
• “And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land” (Genesis 35:12).
• “So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war” (Joshua 11:23).
• “And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes” (Ezekiel 38:16).

If the Antichrist is a Gentile who emerges out of the sea – the Gentile world – and if the False Prophet is a Jew who emerges out of the land – the Jewish world – an immediate problem is created for the Jews. Throughout the Word of God, inspired penmen wrote of a Jewish Messiah who will come at the end of days to bring peace, justice, and prosperity to the world.

He is portrayed in the Scriptures primarily as a political leader. This coming King (Messiah) is consistently identified as a descendant of Abraham and David. Matthew 1:1 traces the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ back to Abraham and David to reveal His Jewish pedigree and legal right to the throne of David (Matthew 1:1-18).

To convince the Jews that a “Gentile” is the Messiah who will bring peace, justice, and prosperity in the face of the teaching of their prophets will require a powerful, influential, miracle-working, religious Jewish leader identify a Gentile political leader as God’s Messiah. This is precisely what I believe the beast out of the land (the False Prophet) will do as he influences the Jews to follow a counterfeit Gentile messiah with whom they will sign a 7-year peace agreement.

This beast that comes up out of the land is 3 times called a “false prophet” (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). In describing this prophet, John said he has “two horns like a lamb” (Revelation 13:11). In contrast, the Antichrist (the beast out of the sea) has “ten horns” affixed to a composite body which combines the appearance of a leopard, bear, and lion.

In military terms, this suggests the Antichrist has speed as a leopard, power as a bear, and ferociousness as a lion (Revelation 13:1-2).

In the Bible, horns often symbolize power (Psalm 18:2; Daniel 7:7). This terminology is logical since horns were used by certain animals for fighting. Because they symbolized power, horns were appropriately used to speak of kings and the kingdoms over which they ruled. The Antichrist has 10 horns. They are an indication of his great power over the 10 nations and kings which will comprise his empire.

The False Prophet, by contrast, has only 2 horns. And they are like the small stubs on the head of a lamb. Therefore, the False Prophet will be harmless in appearance – he is depicted as a lamb with 2 small horns – whereas the Antichrist is depicted as a powerful, ravenous beast with 10 horns.

It would, however, be a grave error to think the False Prophet poses no threat. His appearance is deliberately deceiving. His power is simply power of another kind. The Antichrist will primarily wield his power with a sword as a king and military leader. The False Prophet will wield his power as a false religious leader with savory persuasion.

John called attention to the fact that the False Prophet “[spoke] as a dragon” (Revelation 13:11). His source of power will not be from fire proceeding from his mouth and nostrils, or from a potent tail used as a weapon but from subtle lies, deceptions, threats, intimidations, and coercions. His appearance as a lamb will disguise his real motives as he speaks as a dragon.

It is clear that the False Prophet is not competitive with the Antichrist, as one might think – rather, he is partnering with him. Utilizing the power given him by Satan, the False Prophet “[causes] earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast [the Antichrist], whose deadly wound was healed” (Revelation 13:12).

John states 3 times in Revelation 13 that the beast (which is most likely referring to both a revived empire and the Antichrist himself) died and came to life again: “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast” (Revelation 13:3).

Again he wrote: “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed” (Revelation 13:12).

The third time John said of the False Prophet:

He repeats the same truth 3 more times in Revelation 17, verses 8 and 11.

The expression used to describe the death of Christ, a Lamb “as it had been slain” (Revelation 5:6), is exactly the same Greek expression used to describe the death of the Antichrist “as it were wounded to death” (Revelation 13:3). Therefore, if Jesus literally died – and He did – the Antichrist also literally will die.

There is no legitimate way of getting around the clear statement of Scripture. Obviously, based on the 6 times of repetition, that the beast (Antichrist) is slain and comes back to life again is understood by John to be exceedingly important.

Those who attribute the Antichrist’s death and coming to life again as a cheap magician’s trick or some kind of clever deception are, in my view, missing the point. This raising of the Antichrist from the dead will be accomplished through the power of Satan, and its purpose will be to get the people of Earth to embrace and follow the Antichrist.

For the Antichrist to be perceived as Christ, he must appear to conquer death just as Jesus, the true Christ, actually did.

For the raising of the Antichrist from the dead to be believed – and not simply seen as some kind of carefully arranged scheme – it will require the Antichrist to be a highly recognizable worldwide political personality; his death be confirmed far beyond the standard of reasonable doubt so there will be no questioning or suspicion; and, not only will he be raised from the grave, but, in all particulars, he will be confirmed to be the same person who died.

The restoration of the Antichrist to life should not be confused with the resurrection of the Son of God. Jesus, in His sacrificial, substitutionary, vicarious (something done for the sake of another) death defeated sin. The holiness of God the Father was eternally propitiated (satisfied) when Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Because sin was defeated at Calvary, Jesus was resurrected to life by His heavenly Father never to die again. Death has no more dominion over Him.

The Antichrist will be raised (not resurrected) from the dead by the power of Satan. But he will be the embodiment and essence of sin itself. So, unlike Christ, though he will be raised for a brief time, he will die again. At Christ’s coming, both the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone (Revelation 19:20).

Not only does the False Prophet cause humanity to embrace the Antichrist, based on his being raised from the dead, he also does other miracles to help authenticate his counterfeit message. It is said of the False Prophet:

An important question which needs to be answered, however, is “Why?” Why, in the midst of myriad miracles the False Prophet could perform, does he call down fire from Heaven? Why is it a featured miracle?

A Counterfeit Elijah
 
John the Baptist was the herald, or forerunner, of Christ in connection with His first coming. The prophet Elijah, who we believe will be one of the 2 witnesses for God during the Last Days, will be the herald of Christ at His second coming. He will be to the Second Coming what John was to Christ’s first coming.

It was Elijah (along with Moses) who was present on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:3). According to the Lord, the events that occurred on the Mount of Transfiguration were a preview of the manifestation of His glory which will be revealed at His second coming (Matthew 16:27-28).

Through the prophet Malachi, God told Israel: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5). The Malachi text is speaking of the precise time frame being discussed in Revelation 13.

It is this same prophet Elijah who, in the Old Testament, encountered the 450 prophets of Baal. It was a terrible period of time in Israel. Wicked Ahab was ruling with Jezebel and idolatry had come into the nation like a flood.

The Israelites were at a critical juncture in their history. Were they going to worship the Lord God of Israel or the pagan deity Baal? In the end, Elijah would call down fire from Heaven to settle the matter (1 Kings 18:20-35).

At the end of the age, Elijah the true prophet of God, and the False Prophet of Satan will be in conflict during the last 3½ years of this age. Nothing will have changed. The False Prophet will call down fire from Heaven to sway people to his side. So great will be his power that, unlike the prophets of Baal, empowered by Satan he will succeed in calling down fire from Heaven.

No wonder the Lord, speaking of those days, warned:

In this context, how grateful I am for four words uttered by my Savior. He said, “if it were possible,” they would deceive the very elect. By God’s infinite grace, it won’t be possible. God’s sons and daughters will not be deceived.

The Mark of the Beast
 
Under the Mosaic Law, God said idolatry was to be strictly forbidden. No person had ever seen God (who is Spirit), and so no one knows what God looks like. Therefore, no idols were to be made (Exodus 20:4).

That command by God notwithstanding, humanity, in its fallen state, has a powerful inclination to make idols to its gods and then build magnificent temples in which to house the gods its hands have made.

Therefore, at the end of the age, the False Prophet will command the world make an idol “to the beast [the Antichrist], which had the wound by a sword, and did live” (Revelation 13:14). After all, he appeared to conquer death and so humanity in its unbelief and folly will worship his image. This image will be extraordinary:

In addition to demanding all people worship the image of the beast, they will be required to take a visible “mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” (Revelation 13:16). This mark will be an outward sign of loyalty to the Antichrist and, by association, to Satan.

But more than an outward sign of loyalty, men and women will be required to take the mark or they will be unable to buy or sell. The most basic things of life such as food, housing, transportation, and medical care will be denied them without it. The mark itself will allow the False Prophet and Antichrist to control all these things.

The mark of the beast is in some way associated with “the name of the beast” or “the number of his name.” We are told by John to “Let him that [have] understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six [666]” (Revelation 13:18).

Volumes have been written in an attempt to interpret the meaning of John’s words. The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin alphabets all assign numerical values to each letter of the alphabet. Using this method, some theorists have identified Nero, Caligula, Napoleon, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, and others as the Antichrist. But this system is totally subjective, unimpressive, and easily manipulated to come up with many names to fit the interpreter’s leanings.

Others have suggested the number 7 is the perfect number and is the number for God. In contrast, the number 6 is the number for man. Using the number 6 one time makes the statement that the Antichrist is a man; using the number 6 a second time emphasizes that statement; using the number 6 a third time is the superlative and makes the statement emphatic in the same way the prophet Isaiah said of God, kadosh, kadosh, kadosh, meaning “holy, holy, holy” is the Lord of Hosts.

The triple use of the word “holy” made it a superlative statement. John may not have been saying “666.” He may have been saying “6-6-6,” meaning, the Antichrist is not God; he is not the Savior; he is not holy; he is simply a man – a fraud, empowered by Satan – and never to be worshipped. There are other theories as well; some reasonable, some farfetched. Of these things, however, we cannot be certain.

A careful examination of Revelation Chapter 13 indicates 3 important principles:

First, the Antichrist wants to be the leader of a global government – most likely centered in the Middle East.

Second, the Antichrist wants to be the object of worship in a global religion – most likely Islam.

Third, the Antichrist wants to control a global economic system – most likely through an Islamic Caliphate comprised of 10 nations.

If successful, Satan, who empowers the Antichrist, will fulfill his dream of world domination. But be of good cheer, Chapter 13 is not the last chapter in the Book. Both Satan and his dream will be crushed.

Extensive Explanation

No story, however wicked or perverse –imagined or real – can compare with the end-time scene the Apostle John presents to his readers in Revelation Chapter 13. The subject of the chapter is the Great Tribulation, which is also the topic in a number of earlier chapters.

Chapter 6 refers to martyrs of the Great Tribulation (Revelation 6:9-11). Chapter 11 refers to the two witnesses of the Great Tribulation (Revelation 11:3-12). Chapter 12 refers to the persecution of the Jews in Jerusalem during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 12:13-16).

However, none of these chapters provides an extensive explanation regarding what the Great Tribulation will be like, nor do they refer to the demonic forces behind the coming horrific days. This task is left to Chapter 13 and is expanded upon in Chapter 17. In short, the Great Tribulation is Satan’s final attempt to defeat Christ and rule the world. Satan will lose the war and be totally defeated, but he will leave great devastation in his wake.

John’s purpose in writing of these things is not to frighten his readers, whom he calls “my little children” (1 John 2:1, 12, 13, 18, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4). Rather, his purpose is twofold: First, to inform God’s people concerning the events of the Last Days leading up to Christ’s return; and second, to keep the generation living at that time from being caught off-guard, or unprepared, for the unprecedented challenge and danger they will be forced to confront in Christ’s name.

John’s warning is a classic illustration of the truth that “to be forewarned is to be forearmed.” To ignore the critical scene John is presenting, as some do, because it is too frightening and unpleasant to contemplate, is both unwise and irresponsible. Still others, who genuinely believe they will be raptured before these events occur, diminish the significance of John’s warning because of their sincere, but unsustainable theological position.

Revelation 13 reveals the final stage of the satanic strategy begun at the dawn of history to delude humanity into blaspheming God and His Son and, instead, direct humanity toward the worship of the Antichrist. The word “antichrist” is a transliteration of the Greek word antichristos.

The prefix “anti” means “against”; it also means “in place of.” While there are a number of references to the Antichrist in the New Testament, the word “antichrist” itself appears only 4 times, and in each instance it comes from the inspired pen of the Apostle John (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7). John writes of the Antichrist (singular) who is to come at the end of the age and of “antichrists” (plural) that were present in his day.

“Antichrists” were men who rejected the teaching that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who came in the flesh. In so doing, they also rejected the Father who sent Him. In its place they championed belief in pseudo – or false – “christs” (anointed ones).

The Apostle Paul unites the concepts of the end-time Antichrist being both “against” and “in place of” the true Christ as he described “the man of sin” (the Antichrist) in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4: “… and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth [meaning ‘to be against’] and exalteth himself above [meaning ‘to be in place of’] all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, [showing] himself that he is God.” The Antichrist wants Christ’s crown, scepter, throne, and subjects.

In speaking of the end-time Antichrist, John describes a time when Jerusalem and the Jews will be at the center of Antichrist’s persecution and when born-again Christians will be called upon to be valiant and faithful to their Lord, to a degree never before experienced, as all the powers of Hell will be marshaled against them (Revelation 12:17; 14:12).

The Church will be exempted by rapture from the wrath of God, which will be directed against ungodly humanity during the Day of the Lord. The Church, however, will not be exempted from the persecution of Satan and the Antichrist– which occurs earlier, during the Great Tribulation – when God’s name and character will be under assault and universally blasphemed.

One would hope that during such an hour believers would have a burning desire to remain resolute, courageous, and faithful out of unbridled love for their Savior, while at the same time knowing that such action could result in their martyrdom.

The Jews, in contrast, are warned by the Lord in His Olivet Discourse to flee Jerusalem when the abomination of desolation triggers the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:14-16). The reason for the warning given to the Jews to flee is based on the fact that the armies of the world are going to converge on Jerusalem, and there will be a terrible bloodbath (Luke 21:20).

The believing Church, scattered as she is throughout the world, has been given no such command to flee. The Lord encouraged His beloved Church to remain faithful during the Great Tribulation with these promises:

To the church of Ephesus He promised: “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life” (Revelation 2:7).

To the church of Smyrna He promised: “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days [a short period of time]: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

To the church of Pergamos He promised: “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna” (Revelation 2:17).

To the church of Thyatira He promised: “Hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end [of the age], to him will I give power over the nations” (Revelation 2:25-26).

To the church at Sardis He promised: “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” (Revelation 3:5).

To the church of Philadelphia He promised: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience [‘patience’ is faithfulness to the Lord in the midst of terrible adversity during the Great Tribulation], I also will keep thee from [or ‘out of,’ by rapture] the hour of temptation [the trumpet and bowl judgments which occur during the Day of the Lord], which shall come upon all the world, to [judge] them that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10).

To the church of Laodicea He promised: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame [Jesus overcame by being faithful unto death], and am set down [at His ascension] with my Father in his throne” (Revelation 3:21).

The Book of Revelation is futuristic. It is the apocalypse (unveiling) of Christ’s power and glory at the end of the age (Revelation 1:1). The dangers and promises spoken to the 7 churches will have their ultimate fulfillment during the Great Tribulation.

The urgent, repeated call to the Church during the Great Tribulation is to be an overcomer, but what does this mean? It should not surprise us that the same John who wrote Revelation gave us the authoritative definition of an overcomer in his first epistle:

According to John, first, to be an overcomer one must be “born of God.” Second, to be born of God one must exhibit “faith.” And third, the object of that faith is belief that Jesus is the Son of God in flesh; and in a broader sense, that in His life and death He accomplished those things the Bible attributes to Him.

Among those things are His virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death (that is, He died on our behalf), bodily resurrection, visible ascension, priestly enthronement at the right hand of His father, and His future Second Coming.

In the events described in Revelation 13, the dragon (Satan), the beast out of the sea (a revived empire under the authority of the Antichrist), and the beast out of the land (the false prophet) will demand that humanity worship the Antichrist and blaspheme God and His Son. A major theme of the Great Tribulation will be the blaspheming of God by Satan, his demon minions, and the great mass of people who will choose to follow him.

The Antichrist and false prophet will seek to authenticate their false message through highly impressive, satanically-empowered miracles and wonders. These will not be cheap magicians’ tricks. Therefore, great discernment will be required to determine who and what is of God and who and what is not of God.

Today there is a famine in the land, not of bread, but “of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11). As believers living in this sinful world, we are not ready to confront the unique challenges of the Last Days. And the Last Days could soon confront us. Faithfully resisting the demands of Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet during the Great Tribulation will result in the martyrdom of many believers (Revelation 13:6-7).

In that environment, the great mass of humanity (which will include multitudes who identify themselves as Christians but who know nothing whatsoever of the grace of God and therefore have never been “born of God”) will quickly succumb and follow Satan and the Antichrist. They will not be overcomers.

The shocking and tragic reality is that at the end of the age hundreds of millions of men and women will, of their own volition, choose Satan over God, and the Antichrist over the true Christ. It will be the ultimate manifestation of the reality that humanity loves darkness more than light because its deeds are evil (John 3:19).

In marked contrast, all true believers living during the Great Tribulation will be given grace to remain faithful because they are “born of God.” They will, without exception, be the overcomers. This is the divine promise (1 John 5:5). True believers will never give in to the Antichrist and take his mark.

But God does not promise that being an overcomer will be easy. In the words of an old hymn we rarely sing anymore, “Some thru the waters, some thru the flood, some thru the fire, but all thru the blood.” What joy, what privilege, what honor it will be for the true Church to be given the opportunity to remain faithful to their Lord while all the poisonous arrows of Hell and the collective wickedness of unregenerate men will be targeted against our Savior.

At His first coming, as Calvary approached, all forsook Him – even His apostles. God forbid that in connection with His second coming – as Satan is launching his final attack and as the world is blaspheming the name of Jesus – His Church should turn and run.

As I reflect upon these things, I am deeply saddened that many, however well-intended, have bought into a system of theology that demonstrably was not held by the early Church, is clearly not sustained in the Scriptures, and, in historical precedent, is less than 200 years old, which teaches the Church will be removed by rapture before the Antichrist and the Great Tribulation are upon us.

We sing “Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus, going on before!” At the same time, many today are totally unprepared to face the enemy – counting instead on evacuating the area before the climactic battle even begins.

As I look out at America’s Bible-believing Church today, I cannot help but wonder: Are we as Christians preparing for battle like a soldier who expects to face combat – with commitment, diligence, and passion? Are we made of paper-mâché or are we made of forged steel? Are we simply going through the motions – marching to a comfortable cadence – without a real sense that we may be the generation called upon to enter a raging battle just over the next horizon?

Perhaps this is the reason the Church in America, with some notable exceptions, has become increasingly irrelevant, cold, and anemic at this hour of history. God’s Word is a two-edged sword, and I speak to myself and of my own sinfulness, shortcomings, and shallowness before I address others.

The apostle Paul wrote, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). For Paul, the purpose for living was all about Christ, and to die was all about winning. Oh that Paul’s passionate and unbending commitment to Christ would become our commitment to Christ.

These are bold words. Some may be theologically offended or put off by my directness. But directness is required by the lateness of the hour. It is my sincere prayer for the body of believers living in America and around the world that we would be strengthened and revitalized, by God’s grace – to prepare for what will soon come upon the earth.

The Beast Out of the Sea

Revelation 12 ended with these words:

The “remnant of her seed” against whom the dragon will make war during the Great Tribulation is not simply the Jews, or those Gentiles who come to faith during the 70th Week of Daniel (the final 7 years of this era of human history) – it also includes the believing Church which is still on Earth (Revelation 14:12).

It is through the provision of the covenant God made with Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, that all men and women can be saved (Genesis 12:1-3). The believing Church is not Israel; it never was Israel; and never will replace Israel.

Replacement Theology has no legitimacy in God’s Word. To suggest that the Church has taken the place of Israel is not only a form of spiritual anti-Semitism, it is far worse; it denies the faithfulness of God to His eternal promises. Having said this, it must also be understood that all of the Church’s blessings come through Israel and her incomparable Son.

 It is this association which will place Gentile believers – the “remnant of her seed” – in the crosshairs of Satan’s persecution in the Last Days. In our beloved America, we are already seeing increased attempts to dismantle Christianity, rewrite the Judeo-Christian foundation out of our history, and silence those who hold to biblical principles. It is only going to get worse – much worse. It grieves my heart to say it, but I believe that persecution of both Jews and Christians will be coming to America in the not-too-distant future.

The epicenter of persecution is going to be in the Middle East – specifically in Israel. But like the dramatic impact of a powerful earthquake centered deep beneath the ocean floor, a rising tide of persecution is going to flow across the sea of nations and cause a massive Tsunami. Obviously, some parts of the world will be hit more severely than others by this wave of persecution.

However, Satan’s attack against believers during the Great Tribulation will be so successful that the Lord taught:

“And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved [that is, none who would survive the persecution of Antichrist]: but for the elect’s sake those days [of great tribulation] shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:22).

Satan is not attacking the unsaved world unless it is in the realm of expanding his political power base. He desires the worship and allegiance of the unsaved world with the intent of making them subjects of his kingdom of darkness. It is believers – whose worship and allegiance he does not have – that he seeks.

If God does not directly intervene by shortening the length of the Great Tribulation, no believers will survive the onslaught of Satan (Matthew 24:22). But God, in great grace, will intervene – He will shorten the Great Tribulation with the onset of the Day of the Lord (Matthew 24:29-30).

There are 3 divisions (not 2, as often taught) to Daniel’s 70th Week. They are: the beginning birth pangs, the Great Tribulation, and the Day of the Lord. The Lord clearly reveals these 3 divisions in His Olivet Discourse in Matthew Chapter 24.

One day Jesus told His followers to “take up his [your] cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). He was not teaching that everyone has a cross to bear as is frequently suggested. He was saying: “If you are not willing to die – to be a martyr – for Me at a future time should the need arise, you are not worthy to live [be a disciple] for Me today.”

Authentic biblical Christianity is not some kind of tiptoe-through-the-tulips, politically-correct, easy-belief religion. Christians are called to be bold, resolute, and courageous – following our Savior wherever the battle leads – even if, at some point, it requires our very lives. If we are afraid to share the wondrous Gospel of Jesus Christ with our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers today, what kind of soldier will we be tomorrow when things get tough and we are called to stand for truth at a time when we have far more to lose?

No wonder Generation X and Millennials are lulled to sleep in many of our churches – we give them no legitimate biblical challenge. Ever-expanding contemporary programs may bring in young people, but they are not a substitute for a biblical call to total commitment. Contemporary seeker-driven programs may grow church attendance, but this alone will not develop disciples.

The Greek word for “martyr” carries with it the idea of being a faithful witness, even if it leads to death. Obviously, martyrdom is not a pleasant idea, nor is it something we seek. Yet, Christ’s call to all of His true sons and daughters is to remain steadfast and faithful, no matter the cost.

This call to believers is absolutely crucial in light of the Apostle John’s words:

How ominous! How frightening! A 7-headed, 10-horned, grotesque beast – history’s most powerful demonic creature – re-emerging from among the nations of the world through Satan’s power in a diabolical war against those who refuse to give their allegiance to the beast, but instead choose to follow Christ!

It would be wonderful to be able to say to all believers at that time, “Now is the time to go to war! Pull out the sword from your scabbard and slay this 7-headed, 10-horned beast.” But the reality is, he is too powerful for us. We must leave his defeat to our King. Our responsibility is to stand strong by remaining faithful to Christ.

It is the dragon (Satan) of Chapter 12 who summons the beast “out of the sea” to assist in his all-out assault against God and His redeemed people. The phrase, “out of the sea” is most likely a reference to the Gentile nations (Revelation 17:1, 15).

First, the beast is said to have 7 heads. It is important to understand that these heads symbolize previous empires Satan used in an attempt to either assimilate or annihilate the Jewish people throughout their history. In seeking to destroy God’s Chosen people and the Promised Seed (Jesus Christ) that would be born through them, Satan believed he could thwart God’s redemptive plan to bring salvation to the world through Christ’s finished work on the Cross.

Second, the beast has 10 horns. They represent ten future nations that will unite together to form a revived final beast empire.

Third, the beast has 10 crowns. These crowns symbolize the 10 future kings of these 10 nations who willingly give their authority to one individual who will rule over them – the Antichrist.

John continues his description by using a combination of 3 animals to visualize the beast. There is no one animal that can accurately represent its appearance because there is no one animal that can fully reflect its character. For this reason it is described as a composite beast. John wrote:

This is immediately reminiscent of the beasts of Daniel 7, although they are listed in the opposite order here in Revelation 13. The leopard represented the agility and speed of the Grecian Empire of Alexander the Great. The feet of a bear represented the lumbering power of the Medo-Persian Empire, and the mouth of a lion represented the ferociousness of the Babylonian Empire of Nebuchadnezzar.

In speaking of the beast, we are told: “And the dragon [Satan] gave him his power, and his seat [throne], and great authority” (Revelation 13:2b). John saw one of the 7 heads of the beast “as it were wounded to death” (Revelation 13:3). The expression “as it were wounded to death” is precisely the same Greek wording used of Christ and translated “as it had been slain” (Revelation 5:6).

If Jesus at His crucifixion actually died (and He did), it must be concluded that one of the heads of the beast actually died. But more than that, John tells us “his deadly wound was healed” (Revelation 13:3). This can only be referring to a restoration to life. Some don’t want to attribute this power to Satan – but I believe it is so.

Since a “head” of the beast can refer to both a kingdom and its king, the question is: “Who or what died and was raised to life again?” Is the text referring to one of the 7 kingdoms over which the beast ruled which died and came back into existence, or is it referring to a king of one of the 7 kingdoms who died and was brought back to life?

It seems clear that the revival of an ancient empire is in view here. But it is possible that a king – the Antichrist, himself – is also in view and that his restoration to life will be observable by the masses of people. As a result of this restoration to life, John wrote, “And all the world wondered after the beast” (Revelation 13:3c).

In response to repeated questions, Jesus told the Jewish leaders that the sign (miracle or wonder) to authenticate all He did in life and death would be His resurrection (John 2:18-21). Satan, therefore, may perform a counterfeit resurrection to authenticate his counterfeit message concerning the Antichrist. Jesus was resurrected, never to die again. The Antichrist will be raised from the dead, but eventually, he will be thrown into the abyss for eternity (Revelation 19:20).

One cannot help but reflect on the Lord’s comments in His discourse on the Mount of Olives. He said: “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5).

And again, He said: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall [show] great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24). What greater counterfeit sign could there be than one being raised from the dead?

As a result of these things, we are told:

Again, we are told: “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).

The world will worship the Antichrist. But there is a crucial exception. All will worship him, “whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). The powerful truth being revealed is this: Those whose names are written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world will not worship the Antichrist.

Then, suddenly, in the midst of this discussion of the dragon (Satan) and the beast (the Antichrist) and the persecution of the sons and daughters of God, John proclaims: “If any man have an ear, let him hear” (Revelation 13:9). It is an immediate reminder of Matthew’s comment in the midst of the Lord’s teaching on the Great Tribulation. Matthew wrote, “whoso readeth, let him understand” (Matthew 24:15).

In both instances, the idea is this: The subject being discussed is critically important; therefore, make every effort to understand it, because Satan will make every effort to keep the Church from understanding it.

Suddenly we are given a promise of righteous vindication and divine justice with these words: “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword” (Revelation 13:10a). Here is the ultimate manifestation of capital punishment. It is an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

There are no excuses – there are no exceptions. Those who have persecuted or slain God’s sons and daughters will suddenly have the roles reversed. What the unsaved have done to believers God will do to them. It is not a matter of revenge; it is a matter of justice. “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints” (Revelation 13:10b).

Two things are in view. First is patience. “Patience” is remaining true to God in the midst of great pressure and adversity. What is clearly in view here is the persecution directly attributed to the Great Tribulation.

The second thing is faith. “Faith” is the soul resting in the sufficiency of the evidence. It is taking God at His word with the unshakable conviction that what He has promised, He will bring to pass, even if the world itself and all the powers of Hell appear to be conspiring against it.

Then, without warning, John said: “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth” (Revelation 13:11a). What a shock! It almost leaves us breathless! Wasn’t the first beast devastating enough? And now, we are confronted with a second beast. The first beast (the Antichrist) comes out of the sea (the nations) and will be a Gentile. The second beast (the false prophet) comes out of the land (probably Israel) and will most likely be a Jew. Like the Antichrist, he too will be empowered by the dragon (Satan) for 3½ years.

Satan has now assembled his wicked, demonic team for his final attempt to take over Earth. But the question remains: What strategy will he employ to accomplish his diabolical work? I’ll share the answer from God’s Word in the part of “Rapture and Wrath.”

An Unwelcome Ruler
 
For almost 2,000 years, millions of Christians have prayed these familiar words: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). That prayer will literally be answered at the very end of this age, when the 7th trumpet of Revelation is sounded (Revelation 11:15), and the 70th seven-year period prophesied by Daniel the prophet comes to an end (Daniel 9:24-27).

The apostle John wrote concerning that event:

Only two verses later, the 24 elders (a high order of angelic beings) who sat before God on their thrones worshiped, saying, “We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned” (Revelation 11:17).

It would be reasonable to expect that with the return of Christ to rule over Earth, the nations of the world would rejoice. At last there will be a King who will bring peace, joy, blessing, and righteousness to Earth. However, John surprises us with the response of the nations of the world to Christ’s coming: “The nations were angry” (Revelation 11:18).

How shocking! How tragically shocking! For 2,000 years godly men and women have prayed, “Thy kingdom come.” But astonishingly, when Christ finally touches down on Earth at the end of this age, the sinful, unregenerate nations of the world will be angry. They will be characterized by defiant rage.

The hostility of the nations will manifest itself in an insane attempt to fight against God and His only begotten Son. Sensitive ears can almost hear the words of King David reverberating down through the ages of time as he wrote these words of the Last Days:

The nations want no bands (bonds) or cords – no interference – no divine restraint. Rather, in their spiritual blindness and rebellious spirit, they will submit instead to Satan, the Antichrist, and the forces of evil.

If one feels the need for further evidence to substantiate the attitude of the nations at Christ’s coming, they need not look far. During the final 3½ years of this age, God will raise up 2 witnesses to proclaim His message to the world. God said: “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a [1,260] days, clothed in sackcloth” (Revelation 11:3).

These 2 servants of God – probably Moses, the great lawgiver, and Elijah, the premier prophet – represent the law and the prophets. Upon completing their ministry, they will be slain by the Antichrist. That terrible event is spoken of this way:

“When they [God’s 2 witnesses] shall have finished their testimony, the beast [the Antichrist] that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit [the place where demons are incarcerated and an indication that the Antichrist will be satanically empowered] shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them” (Revelation 11:7).

The response of the nations to the murder of God’s 2 servants by the Antichrist is described this way:

The world is not moving toward greater enlightenment, justice, and peace. Instead, it is being drawn, as if by an increasingly more powerful magnet, toward the counterfeit kingdom of Satan and his diabolic plan to rule Earth, which began in the Garden of Eden. The godless nations are represented as goats in the “sheep and goats judgment” of the nations at Christ’s coming (Matthew 25:31-46).

God, however, has not been caught off-guard, unprepared, or powerless to respond to Satan’s influence upon the nations. He has encouraged men and women of faith to watch, work, wait, and pray for the promised coming Redeemer. In the text being examined in this article, God reveals the prominent events at the end of this age in preparation for the Messianic Age to come.

A Chosen Woman

“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Revelation 12:1).

The Greek word translated “wonder” or “sign” is semeion. The basic meaning of “sign” is that of an authenticating mark. For this reason, in the Bible signs are often associated with “wonders” or “miracles.” The purpose of a sign, wonder, or miracle was frequently to authenticate a message as coming from God. And, of course, there are warnings not to be fooled by counterfeit signs (Revelation 13:13-15).

Moses did signs (miracles) in the royal court of Egypt to authenticate that God had sent him to Pharaoh to command him to let God’s people go (Exodus 4:1-8).

Throughout Christ’s earthly ministry the Jewish leadership repeatedly came to Him to ask for a sign to authenticate what in their view was His revolutionary teaching and the source of His authority (John 2:18). His oft-repeated answer was this: “There shall no sign be given” (Mark 8:11-12). They continued to pressure for a sign, and He responded by saying, “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign” (Matthew 12:39). Christ was saying that, had the nation been faithful to the writing of Moses and the prophets of Israel, they would have known who sent Him and the source of His authority.

But they had spiritually prostituted themselves. They substituted the traditions of humanity for the truth of God. Still, with unabated audacity they continued to press Him for a sign. He responded by saying, “For as [Jonah] was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40).

On yet another occasion, He gave the same answer to the same question with these words: “Destroy this temple [speaking of His body], and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). The one sign (miracle) He gave that would authenticate all He did in life and death would be His resurrection.

Signs were normally seen on earth, but the “sign” to which this text refers appeared in Heaven. John wrote: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven.” The sign was of “a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Revelation 12:1).

It was her adornment that made this woman unique and miraculously significant. Many Bible teachers have done great harm to this text with an incorrect identification of the woman. Their interpretation not only does harm to the immediate context, it also distorts God’s plan for the redemption of humanity as revealed throughout the Bible.

The woman in Revelation 12 is not Mary the mother of the Lord, as some teach. Nor is she to be identified with the Church, as others proclaim.

The identification of the woman as the Church comes from certain Protestant writers who, with the wave of a mystical wand, bestow upon the Church all the blessings promised to Israel. But somehow, these same writers want to allow all the promises of cursings to remain upon Israel. They want to have it both ways. These are often the same commentators who want to identify the 144,000 people, who are sealed and said to be comprised of 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, to somehow refer to something other than Israel (Revelation 7:3-4).

Once people embrace a system of theology teaching that the Church has replaced Israel, they are forced to explain away the obvious meaning of many biblical texts in an attempt to keep their ill-conceived system intact. However sincere and well-intended, these “Israel replacers” have done great harm to students trying to gain an understanding of God’s Word.

The woman of Revelation 12 clearly refers to the descendants of Abraham through Jacob – the Jewish people. Their status as the woman of Revelation 12 has nothing to do with what they believe, where they live, or how good or bad they are. By contrast, it has everything to do with the unconditional covenant their God – who cannot lie and is never unfaithful – made with Abraham, the patriarch of the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). It goes back to Genesis 3:15 where the “woman,” in the expression “of the seed of the woman” bruising or crushing the serpent’s head, is a prophetic reference to Israel whose seed will defeat Satan.

This woman is said to be “clothed with the sun.” To be “clothed with the sun” indicates the sovereign bestowal of divine honor and favor. We do well to ask, “In what ways was this honor and favor bestowed?” In the Apostle Paul’s epistle to the Romans, he wrote this concerning the Jewish people:

Concerning the adoption – they were sovereignly chosen to receive God’s calling and blessing freely – or literally, “without a cause.” They did nothing to deserve God’s calling. What other nation had such a privilege?

Concerning the glory – they were sovereignly chosen to have the manifestation of God’s presence (the Shekinah Glory) in their midst, first in the wilderness Tabernacle and later in the Temple on Mount Zion. What other nation had such a privilege?

Concerning the covenants – they were sovereignly chosen to be the recipients of a series of legally binding agreements with their God. Among them are the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3); the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19-31; Deuteronomy 29-30); the Land Covenant (Genesis 15:1-18); the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:8-16); and the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Matthew 26:28). What other nation had such a privilege?

Concerning the service of God – they were sovereignly chosen to officiate over the sacrificial and ceremonial system God revealed to Moses and was designed to point to Christ. What other nation had such a privilege?

Concerning the promises – they were sovereignly chosen to be the depository of God’s Word to the world. Both the Old and New Testaments are the fruit of the Holy Spirit moving upon Jewish men. Those God-breathed Scriptures reveal the promises of God to Israel, the Church, and the unsaved world. What other nation had such a privilege?

Concerning Christ – they were sovereignly chosen to be the human channel through which Christ would come into the world. What other nation had such a privilege?

It is the Jewish people who are clothed with the sun, not Mary – as wonderful and heroic as she was – and not the redeemed Church. God chose the Jewish people to be the lifegiving spring of every spiritual blessing that comes into the world. It is this truth that is at the core of the Lord’s statement that “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22).

Some who don’t like God’s sovereign choice of the Jewish people may voice their displeasure, or even attempt to distort the facts. But none of it will change the reality of God’s sovereign, unconditional election of Israel for the purpose of being His instrument to bring blessing to the world.

Not only is the woman clothed with the sun, but the moon is under her feet (Revelation 12:1). This symbolism points to the clear fact that the woman will be in a place of dominance and the moon in a place of subjection. The identification of the moon under the woman’s feet has perplexed commentators through the years.

The moon in the imagery set before us is likely referring to the Gentile nations of the world. More specifically, it may be a reference to the Islamic world, which is represented by the crescent moon. That the moon is under the feet of the woman clothed with the sun is most likely a graphic depiction of Israel’s victory over the nations of the world at the end of the age. And in the end she will fulfill the divine purpose for which she was miraculously brought into being, even though the nations oppose her at every occasion.

Israel’s domination over the nations will be directly related to God’s defeat of Satan and Christ’s defeat of the Antichrist. The Gentile nations of the world have been Satan’s weapon of choice to achieve his goal of world domination since the Tower of Babel, where the virus of idolatry, counterfeit religion, and the concept of a one-world government had their beginnings (Genesis 11:1-9).

As a direct result, the nation of Israel was supernaturally brought into existence to counter Satan’s plans. Through her seed, God provides redemption for those who will come to faith (Genesis 12). It has been noted that at the end of the age, the nations of the world will rebel against God. This, of course, excludes the believing Church that had earlier been raptured and is by the time of these events with her Lord.

This woman clothed with the sun is said to have a garland, or crown (stephanos) of 12 stars upon her head (Revelation 12:1). The 12 stars represent the 12 sons of Jacob who, in turn, became the 12 tribes of Israel.

The biblical definition of a Jew is one who is a descendant of Abraham through Jacob. Regardless of his religious convictions or worldview, by birth he is part of the covenant nation and the covenant is unconditional. Faith, however, in the provision of the covenant is that which opens the door to the covenant’s blessings. Abraham believed God and it (his belief or faith) was accounted by God to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:5-7).

Abraham was the father of Ishmael, but Ishmael was not a Jew. The promises given to Abraham were given to his son Isaac (Genesis 21:9-12). Isaac was the father of Esau, but Esau was not a Jew. Jacob, the grandson of Abraham and son of Isaac, had the promises confirmed to him (Genesis 28:13-15). Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel by God (Genesis 32:24-28), had 12 sons, and they became the 12 tribes of Israel. The tribes, in truth, came to represent the entire nation of Israel.

Something further concerning this woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and a crown of 12 stars upon her head is noted by John: “And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered” (Revelation 12:2). The entire Old Testament, from the covenant God made with Abraham in Genesis 12, until the birth of Christ, as recorded in Matthew Chapter 1, is the account of a nation in travail and paining to give birth.

That travail did not last 9 months, but almost 2,000 years. It was not simply the travail of nationhood with which all nations must normally cope. It was dramatically intensified travail directly attributed to Satan, who did everything within his power to keep the woman from giving birth to the promised Seed who will one day consign him to eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14-15). It is of great importance to understand that Israel’s travail in giving birth to the Messiah was for the benefit of humanity.

People condemn Israel for her failure and sin in the Old Testament, and she deserves condemnation. Few, however, link her failure to an understanding of the unique pressure she was under from Satan because of her divinely appointed destiny. It is for this reason God promised Abraham: “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee” (Genesis 12:3). An early Prime Minister of Israel faced with a myriad of problems was once heard to lament, “Let someone else be the Chosen People for a while.”

It is reasonable that the New Testament opens this way: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). As the physical seed of King David, Christ has a legal right to the throne of Israel. As the seed of Abraham, He will fulfill the covenant God made with the patriarch Jacob (Israel) when He promised, “in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 28:14).

A Dreadful Dragon

Another wonder appeared in Heaven. This second sign was not of a woman clothed with the sun – rather it was of a “great red dragon.” The woman had the moon under her feet – the dragon had 7 heads and 10 horns. The woman had a crown of 12 stars upon her head – the dragon had 7 crowns on his 7 heads. As the woman is all about righteousness and ultimate triumph, the great red dragon is all about wickedness and ultimately his own defeat.

It is a serious miscalculation to laugh, scorn, or dismiss the imagery of a great red dragon as ghoulish foolishness, or give up on any attempt to understand the Book of Revelation with its many figures of speech behind which there is literal truth.

The 7 heads of the dragon represent 7 powerful kingdoms that arose throughout history. They have no relationship to the Seven Hills of Rome as is sometimes suggested. These 7 heads of the dragon had one preeminent goal – the annihilation or assimilation of the woman clothed with the sun. Why should it be thought otherwise? Satan knew that the seed to which the woman would one day give birth would crush his head. The identity of the 7 heads (kingdoms) of the dragon can be identified.

The 1st head of the dragon was Egypt. Initially, the Jews prospered down in Egypt during the life of Joseph. In time, however, they were enslaved and the command was given that all Hebrew male children were to be slain at birth (Exodus 1:15-16). This would quickly lead to Israel’s extinction. Only the action of the midwives – who did not obey Pharaoh’s command – prevented this from occurring (Exodus 1:17). A later Pharaoh planned to slaughter the Jewish people and amassed his chariots against them. On that occasion God intervened by parting the Red Sea, allowing the Jews to escape (Exodus 14:10, 16, 21-22).

The 2nd head of the dragon was Assyria. In 722 B.C., the notoriously ruthless army of the Assyrians came from the East and defeated the 10 northern tribes of Israel, which had at an earlier time separated themselves from the 2 southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin. It was characteristic of the Assyrians to chain prisoners together and place hooks in their jaws and tongues as they marched them back to Assyria (2 Kings 15:29). If the captured prisoners didn’t keep up, a pull on the chain could rip the tongue out or tear away part of the jaw.

The 3rd head of the dragon was Babylon. Three times in a 20-year period the Babylonian army sacked Jerusalem – in 606 B.C., 598 B.C., and 586 B.C. On the final occasion, they destroyed the Jewish Temple on Mount Moriah, put an end to the sacrificial system, and plucked out the eyes of Zedekiah, the last king in the Davidic lineage to reign; but only after he was forced to watch the murder of his two sons (2 Kings 25:7). After 70 years of captivity, a small and feeble remnant of the people returned to Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah.

The 4th head of the dragon was Medo-Persia. In 536 B.C., the Medo-Persians defeated the Babylonians and became the dominant world power. The Book of Esther records a decree sent out by the Persian King announcing that all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the Persian Empire were to be slain on a specified day (Esther 3:9-15). Only intervention by Queen Esther, who was a secret Jewess, prevented the annihilation of her people.

The 5th head of the dragon was Greece. In 336 B.C., at the age of 23, Alexander the Great crossed the Aegean Sea from Macedonia into Asia Minor. With a small, well-trained army and brilliant tactics, Alexander defeated the dramatically larger Persian army. Over the next 12 years he continued his military campaign and pushed all the way to India in the East, and south to Egypt and North Africa, capturing everything in his path. Through the introduction of the Greek language, culture, and pagan gods, as recommended by his teacher Aristotle, he assimilated his conquered lands into the Greek Empire. History, however, records that Alexander befriended the Jewish nation and did not attack or harm Jerusalem. He died at age 33.

Following his death and after much political intrigue and conflict, four of his generals divided up what was now the massive Grecian Empire. In 168 B.C., the army of one of Alexander’s Grecian Empire successors – Antiochus Epiphanes – who ruled Syria and Asia Minor, marched into Jerusalem. He desecrated the rebuilt Temple on Mount Zion by sacrificing a pig on the altar, placing a statue of his pagan god Zeus in the Holy of Holies, and demanded that the Jews worship him. He forbade the Jews the right to practice circumcision, observe the Sabbath, or adhere to the Mosaic Law. It was an attempt to assimilate the Jews into his kingdom by adopting the idolatrous, Hellenistic (Greek) religion. Many Jews refused to acquiesce and became martyrs.

The nation’s existence hung in the balance. Only a heroic uprising, led by Mattathias Maccabee and his 5 sons, which would last for 3 years (168-165 B.C.), drove the invaders from the land, permitted the cleansing and rededication of the Temple, and the restoration of the priesthood. The Jews established a holiday to commemorate the event and called it “Hanukkah” – the Feast of Dedication.

The 6th head of the dragon was Rome. During the 2nd century B.C., Rome began its ascendency as one of the world’s superpowers. Rome united much of the civilized world through her military might, rule of law, brilliant road system, and Pax Romana (Roman peace).

But Rome was intolerant and ruthless toward nations that would not submit to her. In A.D. 66, a small group of Jews complained because of religious persecution at Caesarea Maritima, the major Roman stronghold along the sea coast of Israel. A legion was sent from Rome to quell what had now become a disturbance. War between Rome and Israel broke out and lasted 4 years.

In A.D. 70, with 3 legions, the Romans finally broke through the city walls of Jerusalem and then the walls leading into the Temple compound. The Temple was looted and set on fire. The large amount of gold that adorned the Temple melted and ran down the massive Herodian stones. The soldiers, in a frenzy to get at the gold, literally dismantled the massive stones one by one, fulfilling Christ’s prophecy spoken 40 years earlier that not one stone would remain upon another (Matthew 24:1-2).

During the 4-year conflict, tens of thousands of Jews were killed, and many more men, women, and children were taken to Rome as slaves. Many were forced to build the Coliseum, probably with funds from the artifacts taken from the Temple. Evidence of the Roman conquest of the Temple in Jerusalem can still be seen to this day in the carved relief on the Arch of Titus in Rome near the Coliseum. Thousands more Jews fled to other countries and the islands of the sea. Almost 1,000 men fought on for 3 more years from a mountain fortress in the Judean wilderness called Masada. In A.D. 73, when they could no longer hold off the Roman soldiers, the defenders agreed among themselves to die by self-inflicted wounds.

Thus began the worldwide Diaspora (dispersion) of the Jewish people that would last almost 1,900 years. During those centuries, the Jews were persecuted wherever they went. It was as if there was a sign over the earth that read: “No Jews wanted.” This period of worldwide dispersion was graphically described by Moses.

The 6th head (kingdom), as already noted, was Rome. In between the 6th kingdom, Rome, and the 8th kingdom, that of the Antichrist, there must be a 7th kingdom. However, the 7th head of this great dragon mentioned in Revelation is far more difficult to identify than the first 6. Biblical scholars have debated the identity of the beast’s 7th head for centuries. The constraints of time and space do not allow for a full discussion here, but I do want to offer a few thoughts as it relates to this difficult question.

Some have speculated that Germany fits the description. Germany was a highly advanced, moral nation with a strong Christian influence that could be traced to the Protestant Reformation and Martin Luther. But in the early part of the century, Christian “higher criticism” (theological liberalism), which began in Germany, started to make inroads and the great historic doctrines of the Christian faith were rejected. This liberalism created a spiritual vacuum in the hearts of many of the German people.

By the early 1930s, a man came to power who would plunge the world into the Second World War. Adolf Hitler wanted to rule the earth and populate it with a super race. The mentally ill, deformed, gypsies, and especially the Jews were special targets of the Third Reich. When the war ended in 1945, 6 million of the estimated 15½ million Jews of the world were murdered for no other reason than they were Jews.

Others have sought to identify the 7th head of the dragon as the Ottoman-Turkish Empire. The Ottomans ruled the Middle East from 1517 to 1917. Their empire was one of the largest and longest-lasting empires in history. At the height of its power, this sprawling empire controlled territory that extended from the borders of Austria in central Europe to the horn of Africa. From east to west, it spanned a vast region extending from the Persian Gulf to the western regions of North Africa. Most importantly, it controlled Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

Still others identify the 7th head of the dragon as the historic Islamic Caliphate. I lean toward this view as I believe it best fits the criteria of Scripture regarding the 7th kingdom.
 
The Islamic Caliphate

Shortly after the death of Mohammed, a series of militant Islamic caliphs (Muslim military leaders) rose to power. One after the other, they conquered and colonized vast swaths of territory across the Middle East by the sword in the name of Allah. They each led their Islamic armies to loot their way through towns and cities from Syria to Egypt and as far east as Persia – crushing all who stood in their way. They sought to erase the cultures, religions, and symbols in these conquered lands by enforcing total submission to Islam. During their reign of pirating and terror, much of Christendom was completely destroyed within a short span of years.

In A.D. 636, with their sights set on the ultimate prize, these marauders moved south after ravaging the Christian communities in Syria, to besiege Jerusalem. In this wave of Islamic conquest, they cut off supplies and took the city by starving the inhabitants. Jerusalem fell to the Muslims after a 4-month siege in A.D. 637.

According to some historians, when Umar, the conquering Muslim caliph entered Jerusalem and saw that no church had yet been built on the ruins of the Temple Mount, he took advantage of the situation and ordered the construction of an Islamic mosque on the site of Israel’s Second Jewish Temple. It was competed in A.D. 691. Through the years, many changes and updates have been made to the structure, but it still stands today as an Islamic shrine known as the Dome of the Rock.

The strengths of this view are many. Without getting into too much detail at this point, I will say that one of the most significant strengths related to our discussion here concerning the 7-headed beast of Revelation 12 is that the geographic land area of the historic Islamic Caliphate covered nearly the same land areas of the nations that will comprise the 8hth and final kingdom (see Revelation 13:1-3; Ezekiel 38).

If you understand Scripture to indicate that the 7enth head (kingdom) of the beast re-emerges in the Last Days as the 8th and final kingdom, then this geographic consistency becomes exceedingly important. This final beast empire will be a conglomeration of 10 nations (symbolized by the 10 horns on the beast, each with its king) that unite under the authority of the Antichrist.

John noted there were 7 crowns on the 7 heads of the dragon (Revelation 12:3). As the 7 heads on the dragon depict 7 empires, the 7 crowns on the heads of the dragon depict kings who rule over those empires. The identification of specific rulers associated with these kingdoms seems clear in some cases – and yet in others is more difficult to determine. Below is a list of what I believe to be plausible identifications of these historic kings.

The pharaoh of Egypt “which knew not Joseph” – perhaps the son of Ramesses the Great, who wanted to annihilate the Jewish people – was most likely the 1st crown (Exodus 1:8-10).
The king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser, who took the 10 northern tribes into captivity, or his grandson, Sennacherib, who laid siege on Jerusalem, may have been the 2nd crown (2 Kings 15:29).

The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed the Temple, ended the priesthood, and took the Jews into captivity, was the 3rd crown (2 Kings 24:1-16).

The prime minister of Persia, Haman, who tricked the Persian king into sending out a decree to have all the Jews in the empire killed, was the 4th crown (Esther 3:8-11).

The king of Syria (part of the Grecian Empire of Alexander the Great), Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who ruthlessly attempted to outlaw the practice of Judaism and assimilate the people into Greek culture and idolatry, was the 5th crown (Daniel 8:9-11).

The emperor of Rome, Vespasian, or his son, General Titus, who destroyed the Temple and took thousands of Jews back to Rome as slaves, may have been the 6th crown.

As previously noted, the identification of the 7th head of the beast has been debated among Bible scholars for centuries. Obviously, the leader of the 7th empire is inseparably linked to the identification of the empire itself. Without the certainty of that knowledge, we can only speculate at this time as to the identity of the 7th crown.

The 7 crowns (kings) upon the 7 heads (kingdoms) depict the kings empowered by the dragon for one primary purpose – the destruction of the Jews. The dragon, however, does not work alone in his treacherous activity. A third of the angels followed him in his initial rebellion against God. They do his bidding by influencing men and nations: “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth” (Revelation 12:4a).
 
A Royal Birth
 
Through the first 5 heads (kingdoms) and 5 crowns (kings), the satanic attempt to abort the birth of the seed of the woman failed. And “when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman” (Galatians 4:4). But Satan was not easily discouraged: “And the dragon stood before the woman [Israel] which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born” (Revelation 12:4b).

Historically, this occurred when Herod the Great, upon hearing from the wise men of the East that the King of the Jews was born, sent soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all male children 2 years of age and under. But Joseph, being warned by God in a dream, took the child and Mary down to Egypt and escaped Herod’s death decree (Matthew 2:13-16). Herod was not a Jew; he was an Edomite. Herod was not of the tribe of Judah or the family line of David and had no right to Israel’s throne.
He was placed in power by Rome – the 6th head (kingdom) of the dragon. Like the dragon, Herod had attempted to devour the Child at birth, but the Child who is destined to rule the nations with a rod of iron (Revelation 12:5a) was safe in Egypt.

Within the text of Revelation 12, the sinless life, sacrificial death, and bodily resurrection of the newborn King is passed over in silence. Not a word concerning this incomparable life is spoken in a rush to get to His ascension: “And her [Israel’s] child was caught up unto God, and to his throne” (Revelation 12:5b).

The scene moves immediately from Christ’s birth to the final stage of the battle of the Last Days because the Last Days are the context of Revelation Chapter 12: “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her [1,260] days” (Revelation 12:6).

In clear focus is the last 3½-year period of Daniel’s prophesied final 7 years.
 
A Conflict in Heaven

The dragon with the 7 heads, 7 crowns, and 10 horns is here identified by 3 titles. He is called the Serpent, the Devil, and Satan. They are all descriptions of his character. To know what the dragon is like, simply follow his names. As the Serpent, he is the tempter of man to sin against God – and that solicitation which began in the Garden of Eden has not yet ceased.

As the Devil, he is the accuser of man before the throne of God both day and night. As Satan, he is the adversary of the human race, seeking to destroy humanity’s soul and usurp his divine destiny to be king of the earth. Sometimes he does his work as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) and other times as a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8).

The devil’s expulsion from Heaven will be a source of great rejoicing in Heaven:

The devil’s expulsion to Earth is the catalyst for what the Lord Jesus called the “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21), for it is at that precise time that the serpent will empower the Antichrist for 3½ years (Revelation 13:5-7).

To underscore this period’s unprecedented severity, Jesus added, “And except those days [of great tribulation] should be shortened, there should no [believing] flesh be saved” (Matthew 24:22). The prophet Jeremiah called this period “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7) to emphasize the fact that Israel would be at the center of this terrible persecution.

John wrote, “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child” (Revelation 12:13). More than 2,000 years have already elapsed since the woman gave birth to the man-child, but still the dragon hates the woman with a fanatical, unholy hatred. The intensity of his persecution now becomes desperate because he knows he has only 3½ years to succeed in his conquest of Earth or face eternal damnation (Revelation 20:10).

During the Old Testament economy, Satan’s plan was to destroy the nation through which Christ would come into the world. Satan failed. Christ was born, grew to manhood, died for the sins of the world, rose from the dead, and ascended to His throne at the right hand of His Father. At the end of this age, it will be time for Christ to return.

At His coming, He will imprison Satan and cast the Antichrist and false prophet into the Lake of Fire.

At His coming, He will purge the earth of all that has defiled it since the advent of sin.

At His coming, He will bring to fruition the salvation of all those who, through the ages, have been redeemed by grace through faith alone.

At His coming, He will establish a glorious 1,000-year Messianic Age upon Earth.

But Jesus is not a usurper. He is a legitimate heir to the throne of Israel. He is from the royal tribe of Judah and the kingly line of David. For Christ to return, there must be a nation called Israel, a capital called Jerusalem, and a people called Jews (literal descendants of Jacob/Israel). Therefore, when Satan is cast out of Heaven to Earth and knows he has only 3½ years, he will go after the woman who gave birth to the male Child.

His only hope will be to get the Jewish nation to worship him and take the mark of the Antichrist. This is “the abomination of desolation” to which the Lord referred with the accompanying warning to flee Jerusalem when this occurs (Matthew 24:15-21; Luke 21:20-21).
 
A Miraculous Preservation

The Bible doesn’t tell us how many Jewish people will flee into the wilderness. Even if it were only 5 percent of the Jewish population living in Israel today, it would suggest a figure nearing 350,000. I pray this number will be much larger. Our missionaries in Israel are tireless in their attempt to contribute to that cause. These Jewish believers will comprise a believing remnant within the nation. And they will, in some miraculous way, be helped by God during their flight to a place He has prepared for them in the wilderness.

Some believe their flight will be to the mountainous desert region of Petra in southern Jordan or to nearby Bozrah. They will be pursued by the serpent: “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood” (Revelation 12:15).

The imagery of a flood in pursuit of the woman may be understood at face value or may be a depiction of an advancing army. If so, the army is seemingly being drawn into a trap: “And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth” (Revelation 12:16). Perhaps the earth will help the woman by one of the many earthquakes foretold for the Last Days, but this is only speculation.

How will the dragon respond to his inability to kill this remnant of Jewish believers who are being protected and provided for in the wilderness by the same God who provided for the 2 million Jews of the Exodus for 40 years?

The “remnant of her seed” will include all those Jews and Gentiles who reject the mark of the Antichrist and, like the patriarch Abraham, place their faith in the Son of God alone.

In May 1948, Israel became a nation after almost 1,900 years of worldwide dispersion. From the ashes of the Holocaust, which was a satanic attempt to annihilate the Jewish people once again, God brought the nation of Israel back into existence. In the more than 75 years since that event, the Jewish state has had to fight 6 major wars and defend itself against countless terrorist attacks for survival.

Aside from the United States, the Jewish nation stands alone among the nations of the world. The Arab world, the European Union, India, China, Russia, and a host of other nations routinely oppose her on important matters at the United Nations.

Israel’s isolation and exclusion has nothing to do with her policies. Though far from perfect, she has been one of the more ethical and upstanding democratic nations of the world (notwithstanding the gross misrepresentation of her in the media). Her long list of remarkable contributions to the greater good of humanity in the areas of medicine, technology, invention, and innovation has dwarfed those of many other nations with far greater land areas, populations, and natural resources.

But these accomplishments have done little to change her situation. Israel has a long history of enduring hatred and persecution, and it is all due to one reason: She is the woman clothed with the sun. She was the vessel chosen to give birth to the Son of God. The dragon hates her for this, and will continue to seek her destruction by influencing the nations of the world.

The dragon and his 7 world empires are in a spiritual war with Israel that has stretched across the centuries in a largely unseen and little understood conflict. In the final episode of this lopsided battle, the dragon and his 10 horns (the 10 nations who will give their power and authority to Satan’s progeny, the Antichrist) will be on one side – and Israel will be on the other.

From a human perspective, the outlook for the Jewish nation seems dire – and the prospect of Satan’s victory seems certain. But things are not what they seem. The dragon and his hoards don’t stand a chance of winning; one plus God is always a majority.

Jesus Christ is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David – and He alone is destined to rule the world from Jerusalem. In the end, He will crush the dragon’s head. He will restore Israel to her place of glory among the nations of the world, and He will reign as the legitimate King of Israel, as King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

Part 1: Rapture & Wrath: Ready or Not
Part 2: A Scroll with 7 Seals: The Key to Unlocking the Chronology of the Last Days 
Part 3: The Sealing of His Servants and the Salvation of His Saints 
Part 4: Silence in Heaven Before God Goes to War 

Part 5

Priceless Information

Revelation Chapter 10 opens with a surprising and powerful statement. It catches the reader off-guard and unprepared. It is almost as if the chapter doesn’t belong – as if it is an intrusion into the text, which breaks its uniformity and continuity. But the information it provides concerning Christ’s coming and the end of the age is, for the citizen of Heaven, priceless.

In Chapter 8, the Apostle John saw 7 angels who were given 7 trumpets. With each angelic blast of a trumpet, a devastating Day of the Lord judgment fell upon the earth. The first 6 trumpet blasts with their attendant judgments are recorded in Chapters 8 and 9.

The exact start time in the sequence and the duration between these trumpet judgments cannot be determined. However, if the sequence and chronology of the Book of Revelation are understood, the trumpet judgments appear to extend over a period of 1 to 2 years, with the 7th trumpet ending at the close of Daniel’s 70th Week (the final 7 years of this era of human history). The impact of the trumpet judgments on the earth will be unprecedented, catastrophic, and beyond humanity’s comprehension.

But the 7th trumpet is not blown at the beginning of Chapter 10, where it would naturally be expected. Instead, there is an intrusion into the sequence of the trumpet blasts.

Earlier in the Book of Revelation there was an exact parallel situation. It occurred between the 6h and 7th seals. Following the opening of the 6th seal (6:12-17), God intruded into the sequence to inform humanity of two important events: first, that 144,000 Jews would be sealed (7:1-8); and second, that the Church would be raptured before the 7th seal was broken (7:9-14).

The 144,000 Jews would be sealed and protected to be the first fruits of a multitude of people who would be saved during the Day of the Lord and enter the Millennial (1,000-year) Kingdom (Revelation 7:1-4; 14:4). In the case of the raptured Church – the great multitude seen in Heaven (Revelation 7:9-17) – God promised that His sons and daughters would not experience His wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9). Therefore, they would be caught up to the sphere of Heaven before His wrath was poured out on Earth (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

The Mighty Angel

John now turns his attention to this second divine intrusion, which begins at Chapter 10, between the 6th and 7th trumpets with these words:

The identity of this angel has been long debated. Some scholars believe he is an angelic being; others believe the angel is an appearance of Christ. A majority of commentators take the former position, insisting that this angel is a high-ranking, powerful, angelic being. In defense of this view they note he is said to be “another mighty angel.”

The word for “another” (Greek, allon) ordinarily means “another of the same kind.”

Therefore, these commentators argue that this angel – like the others – is a created being and cannot be deity. However, allon does not necessarily mean “another of the same kind.” In this instance, John may simply be distinguishing this angel from the 7 angels who were given the 7 trumpets to blow (Revelation 8:2).

This mighty angel also took an oath:

Those who believe this mighty angel is a high-ranking angel argue that this oath would be inappropriate for Jesus to make to His heavenly Father. However, this argument is not convincing. Theologians have long taught that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the same in substance (essence) but distinct in subsistence (they are apart from each other).

And they each have different roles in the outworking of redemptive history. They are co-equal and co-eternal, but there is functional distinction. Salvation was planned by the Father, purchased by the Son, and processed by the Holy Spirit. Speaking of Christ at the end of the age, the Apostle Paul wrote:

The Lord frequently informed His followers that, as the Son of God, He was subordinate to His Father – that He did not come to do His own will, but the will of His Father who sent Him (John 6:38-39). Paul taught that when Christ takes over the reins of Earth, He will offer up the kingdom to His Father. This is precisely what is behind the mighty angel’s oath, as he indicates “there should be no more delay.” With the blowing of the 7th trumpet, Christ assumes the mantle of King of the earth.

Some commentators suggest this mighty angel cannot be Christ because this would be the only reference to Christ as an angel in the entire Book of Revelation. Still others attempt to equate the mighty angel of Revelation 10:1 with the strong angel referred to in Revelation 5:2.

In both instances, this is pure conjecture. Because Christ is not referred to as an angel anywhere else in Revelation does not preclude His being the “mighty angel” in Revelation 10:1. Nor is there any clear exegetical evidence to link this “mighty angel” to the “strong angel” of 5:2, thereby nullifying the claim that this “mighty angel” is deity.

In support of the view that this “mighty angel” is Christ, commentators cite the following evidence:

First, in the Old Testament, in a number of texts, Christ is clearly revealed as “the angel of the Lord” (Genesis 16:7; 22:11-18; 31:11-13; Exodus 3:2-5; Numbers 22:22-35). Therefore, it is neither new nor novel to have Christ manifested in the Scriptures in the appearance of an angelic being.

Second, the phrases by which this mighty angel is described are used elsewhere of deity. He is dressed in a cloud (Psalm 104:3; Daniel 7:13); there is a rainbow upon his head (Revelation 4:3); his face is as the sun (Revelation 1:16); and his feet are as pillars of fire (Exodus 13:21-22).

Third, the rainbow upon this mighty angel’s head is like a crown or diadem. It is indicative of divine faithfulness and is most appropriate in this setting. Following the universal flood, God made a covenant with Noah that He would never again destroy the world by flood. He confirmed that covenant by placing His rainbow in the sky. God spoke to Noah and said:

God promised by covenant that He would never again destroy the world by flood. But He does, in fact, state He will one day destroy the world by fire. The Apostle Peter, in discussing the Day of the Lord, said:

Just as in the Noahic flood, the destruction of the earth was not the annihilation of Earth, the destruction of the world by fire during the Day of the Lord will not be the annihilation of the world. In both instances, life continues in the aftermath of Earth’s destruction.

Noah and his family survived the flood and re-populated Earth. Those who refuse the mark of the Antichrist after the rapture of the Church and survive the Day of the Lord will enter the Millennial (1,000-year) Kingdom in mortal bodies and likewise re-populate Earth.

Fourth, it is said of this mighty angel that “he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth” (Revelation 10:2). Here is a deliberate act, and it is full of significance. To set one’s foot in a place can express the purpose of taking possession of that place. God told Abraham: “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee” (Genesis 13:17). God told Joshua:

This straddling of the sea and earth graphically and powerfully expresses the purpose of taking possession of the entire world. There is no evidence that the mighty angel is doing this for another – he appears to be doing this for himself. This is precisely what occurs when the 7th trumpet is sounded. Christ takes absolute control of Earth (Revelation 11:15, 17).

Fifth, during this period of divine intrusion between the 6th and 7th trumpets, 2 witnesses are brought onto center stage. They are major participants in the drama of the Last Days. Concerning these 2 witnesses, John wrote:

Contextually, if the King James translation is correct, it is clear that it is the “mighty angel” who is speaking to John in Revelation 11:1-2. The angel declares: “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy [1,260] days, clothed in sackcloth” (Revelation 11:3, emphasis added).

It is a bridge far too long to believe that an angel, even a mighty angel, in speaking of the 2 witnesses who play such a major end-time role, would say they are “my witnesses” unless He is God and the 2 witnesses are His servants.

One cannot be dogmatic as to the identity of this mighty angel. However, on balance, I believe the evidence favors identifying “the mighty angel” with the Lord Jesus. What is certain is the message he brings is of great importance and precise in its timing.

The Little Book

As John continues to describe what he was seeing, he notes there was a little book in the hand of the mighty angel (Revelation 10:2). Technically, it was not a book John beheld, but a scroll, as the process of book-making had not yet been developed. It would probably have been an animal skin with writing on the smooth side of the skin. It would then be rolled up as a scroll.

John twice called attention to the fact that it was a “little book” (Revelation 10:2, 9). Larger scrolls, required for longer messages, would have a number of skins sewn together to provide a larger writing area. The fact that this was a “little” scroll did not mean the message it contained was unimportant, but simply that it was not lengthy.

John also noted twice that this little scroll was open (Revelation 10:2, 8). Scrolls were sometimes secured with seals around them which had to be broken before the scroll could be opened. This little scroll was opened at the outset, which probably meant it had no seal around it. Less likely would be the possibility that the scroll was unraveled in the mighty angel’s hand.

When one thinks about the scene John is beholding – a mighty angel clothed with a cloud, a rainbow upon his head, his face appearing as the sun, his feet as pillars of fire and so large a personage that he takes a deliberate stance with his right foot upon the sea and his left foot upon the earth – it is amazing that John even takes note of the little scroll and calls attention to its detail. The fact that he does so underscores the scroll’s importance in John’s thinking.

This scroll should not be identified, as some have attempted to do, with the scroll in the right hand of God the Father that had writing on the inside and back and which was sealed with 7 seals (Revelation 5:1-2). That scroll was not little, was not open, was uniquely sealed with 7 seals, and required someone worthy to break the seals to open it.

The scroll in Chapter 5 contained the title deed to Planet Earth. It includes within it the breaking of the 7 seals, the blowing of the 7 trumpets, and the pouring out of the 7 bowls in the process of conquering Earth from Satan.

The scroll in Revelation 10 contains the account of the 2 witnesses of Revelation 11 and their ministry during the last 3½ years of Daniel’s 70th Week. As the mighty angel stood upon the sea and land (symbolizing ownership of Earth) with the little scroll in his hand, he took a 4-fold oath (Revelation 10:6).

1.   He swore by Him that lives forever.
2.   He swore by Him who created Heaven and the things contained there.
3.   He swore by Earth and the things contained there.
4.   He swore by the sea and the things contained there.

He took an oath in the name of God who lives forever and who created all things.
And what was it that he swore? It was: “that there should be time no longer.” He was not saying that “time” as we know it would come to an end. In saying “that there should be time no longer,” he was saying, “There should be no more delay.”

The Messianic Kingdom righteous men and women through the ages have prayed for, looked for, hoped for, and longed for was about to come to pass with the blowing of the 7th trumpet.

“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

The end of Daniel’s 70th Week – or what is popularly (but without biblical justification) called the “Tribulation Period” – will occur at the 7th trumpet. Permit me to repeat this. The 70th Week is never called the “Tribulation” period in God’s Word. Nor can a case be made to justify that position. There is a “Great Tribulation” which begins in the middle of the 70th Week, but it is cut short before the end of the week.

The Church will be raptured to meet the Lord in the clouds before the Day of the Lord wrath begins. The Day of the Lord will begin with the breaking of the 7th seal – and the 7th seal contains the trumpet judgments.

From the clouds, the Lord will command His mighty angelic army to unleash His trumpet judgments against Earth, which is the usurped domain of Satan, the Antichrist, the false prophet, and those from among humanity who have taken the mark of Antichrist and given their allegiance to the evil one.

Further questions now arise. How should we understand the 7 bowl judgments yet to come? When are they poured out if the 7th trumpet is blown at the end of the 70th Week? The answer is tied to a 75-day period which takes place beyond the 70th Week – a period of time clearly indicated in the Scriptures. In the context of the Last Days, the prophet Daniel was told:

This length of time is 30 days beyond the 1,260 days, beyond the 3½ years, which brings Daniel’s 7-year period to an end. But Daniel is given more information. The angel said, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the [1,335] days” (Daniel 12:12). This is a further extension of 45 days. Combined, the 2 extensions of time provide a 75-day period beyond the end of the 70th Week.

The 70th Week will end with the blowing of the 7th trumpet and Christ returning to Earth as King. But His return will not be as an illegal invader or usurper. He will return as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and legitimate Heir to the throne of David.

From Jerusalem, His capital city, during the 75 days beyond the 70th Week, one of His tasks will be to punish the unrighteous population of the nations – those who have managed to survive the trumpet judgments, with the pouring out of the 7 bowl judgments in rapid succession.

The Two Witnesses

During the 3½ years leading up to the 7th trumpet, 2o important events occur. The first is the measuring of the Temple along with the desecration of the city of Jerusalem. The second is the ministry of the 2 witnesses. These are the 2 subjects contained in the little scroll and recorded in Revelation Chapter 11.

John had been a spectator, simply recording what he beheld, until he was told to eat the little scroll, and hence, become personally involved in the portrayal of an important end-time event. He wrote:

The focus of the events in Chapters 11, 12, and 13 are all set in the context of the last 3½ years of Daniel’s 70th Week.

• The two witnesses will minister for 3½ years (Revelation 11:2-3).
• A believing remnant of Israel will flee into the wilderness for 3½ years (Revelation 12:6).
• The Antichrist will be empowered by Satan for 3½ years (Revelation 13:3-5).

John was given a measuring rod and told to measure the Temple, the altar, and those who worship there. This will be the “tribulation” Temple, built for the reinstitution of animal sacrifices. It will, most likely, be small – more like the Tabernacle than the Temple. And it will probably be built over a short period of time, not years.

There is at present an orthodox Jewish group in Israel which has developed detailed plans to build such a Temple. They should not be thought of as believers. They have already woven the priestly garments, constructed the required Temple artifacts needed for sacrifice, and are training certain young men to function as priests. In a phrase, they are now “ready to go.” The only problem is, they are not at present permitted on the Temple Mount.

John measured the Temple and altar, but he was told not to measure the court outside of the Temple because it has been given to the Gentiles (Revelation 11:2).

It may well be that in an attempt to bring about a peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount will be divided. The southern half of the Temple Mount already houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock.

It is possible, according to some archaeologists, that the northern half of the Temple Mount may, in fact, be the actual site of the ancient Herodian Temple and the place where religious Jews would want a new Temple to be built.

Clearly, any political indication that the Temple Mount is going to be divided to forge a peace between Israel and the Palestinians would fit perfectly into the prophetic picture of the Last Days. But just as Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Islamic caliphates persecuted and oppressed Jerusalem and the Jewish people throughout history, so too will the Antichrist in the Last Days.

Under the government of the Antichrist (which may be comprised of many Muslim nations which form a powerful, new Islamic caliphate), Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles (Luke 21:20-24). His persecution will be the most severe of all and, therefore, called by the Lord Jesus the “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21).

However, God will raise up 2 witnesses during this dreadful period of time. While their identity has long been debated, there is strong evidence to identify these 2 men as Moses and Elijah. Moses was Israel’s great lawgiver and Elijah was Israel’s greatest prophet. Together, they represent the Law and the Prophets.

• Moses died on Mount Nebo and God buried him, and Satan fought with Michael over the body of Moses (Jude 1:9).
• Elijah was caught up without dying (2 Kings 2:11).
• Moses and Elijah appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration where Christ’s glory was manifested, just as it will be again at the end of the age (Matthew 17:1-3).
• The 2 witnesses performed miracles as part of their testimony, reminiscent of the miracles performed by Moses and Elijah (Revelation 11:6).

When their time of witness is concluded at the end of the 70th Week, the Antichrist will murder them and the wicked unregenerate world of that day will rejoice. But their rejoicing will be short-lived. The Lord of life will raise His servants from the dead.

Only then is the 7th trumpet blown. With the blowing of that trumpet at the end of Daniel’s 70th Week, the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His King, Jesus Christ (Revelation 11:15).

But the end is not yet. In the post, we’ll take an in-depth look at Revelation 12 and a great wonder in Heaven: a woman, a child, and a dragon.

Part 1: Rapture & Wrath: Ready or Not 
Part 2: A Scroll with 7 Seals: The Key to Unlocking the Chronology of the Last Days 
Part 3: The Sealing of His Servants and Salvation of His Saints 

Part 4

The eighth chapter of the Book of Revelation begins with a startling statement. It has the impact of an unexpected blow to the solar plexus that knocks the wind out of a person.
The Apostle John wrote: “And when he [Jesus] had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour” (Revelation 8:1).

In the previous chapter, John spoke in glowing terms of a great multitude in Heaven crying with a loud voice saying, “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Revelation 7:10). He also spoke of angels, elders, and living creatures who were worshiping God and saying, “Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 7:12).

Heaven itself was alive with the sound of music. And then, in the very midst of those songs of praise sung by this “heavenly multitude,” and without any warning or transition, John suddenly speaks of “silence in heaven about the space of half an hour” (Revelation 8:1).

Joyous songs of praise emanated from the heavenly host one moment, and in the next moment there was absolute silence. What caused the great multitude in Heaven to turn from singing to silence as quickly as the flick of a light switch turns light to dark?

A careful search for the cause of this dramatic change is rewarded. The prophet Zephaniah wrote: “Hold thy peace [be silent] at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests (Zephaniah 1:7).

The prophet made three important observations, all of which are directly related to the call for silence in Revelation Chapter 8.

First, the prophet commanded, “Hold thy peace [be silent] at the presence of the Lord God.
Second, he wed his call for “silence” to the beginning of the Day of the Lord. He said, “for the day of the Lord is at hand.” The Day of the Lord is the precise subject of Revelation Chapter 8.

When the Son of God opens the sixth seal, there will be cosmic disturbance. Something will happen to the sun, moon, and stars (Revelation 6:12-17). The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light, and the stars will fall from Heaven. Cosmic disturbance is the consistent testimony of Scripture to the fact that the Day of the Lord is about to begin (Isaiah 13:6-11; Joel 2:30-31; Matthew 24:29-30; Acts 2:19-20; 2 Peter 3:9-13). With the breaking of the seventh seal (Revelation 8:1), the Day of the Lord will begin.

The scroll, no longer bound by the seals, will be consecutively rolled open as the trumpets are blown, and the Lord Jesus Christ will begin His return to Earth as the conquering King.
It is the realization in Heaven of the horrific judgment that is about to occur on Earth with the blowing of the seven trumpets which initiates the silence. Apart from the crucifixion of the Son of God, one cannot envision a more somber event in the annals of history. No wonder Heaven will be silent.

And third, Zephaniah made clear who the recipients of this judgment will be. He said, “For the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.” Here is an expression by the prophet which is dripping with sarcasm. In no sense should it be thought of as being a positive statement. The Bible is precise in stating believers will not be among the invited guests to the Day of the Lord. And our feelings should not be hurt because we were left out of the invitation list.

The Day of the Lord is the time of God’s wrath, and believers are not appointed to God’s wrath. The Apostle Paul wrote, “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered [delivers] us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). And again, he wrote, in a context where he was discussing the Day of the Lord, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation [deliverance] by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

Believers will be raptured immediately prior to the opening of the seventh seal, which initiates the wrath of God. It will be a pre-wrath rapture. The “sacrifice” the prophet refers to is those who will be slain during the Day of the Lord, when God’s holiness will be vindicated before His creation. God’s “invited guests” on that occasion will be those who rejected His grace, refused His mercy, and spurned His love. They will be sinners in the hands of an angry God.
 
The Prayers of the Saints

It is difficult for many Christians to get comfortable with the truth of God’s wrath. We are more at home in speaking of the love of God, of turning the other cheek, and of little Jesus meek and mild. Yet, I remind all of us that God’s love cannot embrace what His holiness condemns. God’s attributes work in harmony. Men cannot pick and choose the ones they like and discard the rest. If God is God, if He is holy, He must judge sin. In the ultimate sense, God’s judgment will come during the Day of the Lord.

John wrote, “And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets” (Revelation 8:2). Judgment of the earth is now at the very portal of Heaven. But first, for a moment, a word of prayer must come; a prayer the content of which I suspect we would not have anticipated:

"And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake" (Revelation 8:3-5).

The censer is a golden pan, suspended by a chain. It was used at the Temple by the priests to transport heated coals from the brazen altar to the altar of incense in front of the curtain which blocked the entrance to the Holy of Holies. The coals would ignite the incense which would then rise and symbolize the prayers of the people ascending to God.

The prayers of the “saints” refer to the prayers of the great multitude in Heaven (Revelation 7:9). Following the breaking of the sixth seal, they were raptured and glorified, and are now serving God in His Temple (Revelation 7:14-15).

The Church is praying that the Lord Jesus Christ will now begin to judge Earth. Theirs is not a vindictive prayer; nor is it, in any sense, an inappropriate or insensitive prayer. It is a prayer for the triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ. In a sense, it is the prayer believers have prayed through the centuries, perhaps without full understanding, when they voiced the words, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10; Luke 11:2). There can be no victorious king or righteous kingdom without the defeat of Satan.

Earth has been contaminated by sin since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Wickedness, evil, perversion, murder, lying, cheating, greed, war, bigotry, hatred, transgression, disobedience, natural catastrophe, idolatry, and corruption – these are some of the dreadful consequences of sin since it entered the human experience.

Satan, who solicited Adam and Eve to sin, heads an ordered world (cosmos) system which stands in opposition to God. His desire from the beginning has been to supplant man and rule Earth. Satan has an Antichrist, a false prophet, demons, fallen angels, counterfeit religionists, corrupt governments, pagans, idolaters, wicked and godless men – an army of immense size and power – at his beck and call.

Sometimes Satan, “as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8), and sometimes he goes about as “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). To deny his existence, ignore the threat he poses to the soul, disregard his subtle devices, and be naïve regarding his influence in the world is the height of folly. If, for a moment, the curtain were pulled back and we were permitted to see the spiritual conflict raging all around us, we would fall on our faces as dead men.

The heavens, the oceans, the rivers, the mountains, the valleys, the plains, and all life – everything over which humanity was given dominion – has been corrupted by sin brought about by Satan.

When Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), He was not saying He would not one day rule over Earth, as some have erroneously suggested. He was saying He would not rule over this corrupted Earth until it is purged of all that has defiled it.

When the Apostle Peter wrote of new heavens and a new Earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13), he was not speaking of a “new” (Greek, neos) Heaven, in the sense of “origin”; he was speaking of a “new” (Greek, kainos) Heaven, in the sense of “quality.” The new heavens and new Earth of which Peter spoke are the same heavens and earth that now exist, but during the Day of the Lord they will be purged of all vestiges of sin, and will be qualitatively new (kainos).

A believer, upon accepting Christ as Savior, becomes a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). He is the same person, but, because his sin has been imputed to Christ and Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to him, he is a new (kainos) creation qualitatively.

Without the purging of Earth, there can be no “restitution [restoration] of all things” (Acts 3:21). Without the purging of Earth, there can be no triumph of Christ over Satan. Without the purging of Earth, there can be no golden age or Millennial (1,000-year) Kingdom ruled over by the Prince of Peace.

Understanding these things, the glorified Church in Heaven is seen praying for the wrath of God to begin on Earth; not because it is pleasant (it is unpleasant), but because it is just and necessary.

A Blowing of Trumpets

It is deeply regrettable that many Christians ignore the Book of Revelation; some literally fear it, and others do not even attempt to understand it. Many pastors, called by God to preach the whole counsel of God, never even attempt to preach from the Book of Revelation.

• All the while, the Book of Revelation brings consonant (in contrast to discordant) understanding of the closure of human history.
• The Book of Revelation records the ultimate vindication of Christ before His creation in both Heaven and Earth.
• And, it is the Book of Revelation that is the corridor leading the sons and daughters of God into the eternal state of triumph.

But now it is time for the trumpets to sound the battle cry. Everything has been done. All is ready. It is time for the Son of God to go to war: “And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound” (Revelation 8:6). But the choice of the trumpet to sound the attack is not an arbitrary decision.

In ancient Israel there were two kinds of trumpets. One was a straight, seamless, silver trumpet flared at the end and known as the Hatzotzerah. The exact appearance of this trumpet can be seen today on the Arch of Titus in Rome.

By the time of King Solomon, the number of silver trumpets in the Temple had grown to 120 (2 Chronicles 5:12).

The other more familiar trumpet was known as the shofar. It was a curved trumpet fashioned from a ram’s horn. The Lord instructed that this trumpet be blown on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 25:9), one of Israel’s two high holy days – the other being the Feast of Trumpets.

Different kinds of blasts from the trumpets conveyed different messages. A long blast was called Tekiah, three short blasts were called Shevarim, and nine staccato blasts were called Teruah.

The trumpet had several major uses in the spiritual ritual of the nation. These uses were ordained of God. One major use was to call the people to God’s presence (at the Tabernacle) during their wilderness wanderings: “And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation” (Numbers 10:3). The 12 tribes – numbering perhaps 1.5 million people – were spread out in designated areas for miles in every direction, and, unlike today, they possessed no cell phones. However, specific blasts on the shofar would summon them to God’s house.

A second purpose was to sound a battle alarm when they were to go to war under divine direction:

• Joshua blew the trumpet when Israel attacked Jericho (Joshua 6:4-5).
• Gideon blew the trumpet when they fought the Midianites (Judges 7:18-20).
• Nehemiah blew the trumpet when Jews defended Jerusalem from attack (Nehemiah 4:18-20).

And God himself will blow a trumpet at His second coming at the end of the age to call His children to His presence before going to war (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:6).

The Day of the Lord
The first of the three fall Jewish holidays is popularly known by the Jewish people as Rosh Hashanah, meaning “head of the year.” However, it is never called Rosh Hashanah in God’s Word. In the Scriptures, it is referred to as Zikhron Teruah, meaning “a memorial of blowing of trumpets” (Leviticus 23:24). It can also be known as Yom Teruah, meaning “day of blowing the trumpets” (Numbers 29:1). Ancient Jewish tradition states the final blowing of the trumpet will occur during the Feast of Trumpets, and at that time God will judge the world for its sin.

The Feast of Trumpets is repeatedly spoken of as Israel’s dark day. It is their only feast day that occurs on the first day of a new month on the Jewish lunar calendar, when there is only a sliver of light from the new moon.

The prophets of Israel repeatedly warned of a coming dark day of judgment for the world. They referred to it as “The Day of the Lord.” They understood it to be the time at the end of the age when the Lord would pour out His judgment on the world because of its sin.
At a time when the Jewish leaders thought the Day of the Lord was to be a time of judgment on the Gentile nations – and not on Israel – the prophet Amos wrote:

And the prophet Zephaniah gave this ominous warning:

The Apostle John, who was intimately familiar with the Jewish prophets, wrote of the Day of the Lord with these descriptive words:

However, something other than darkness and judgment was deeply embedded in the observance of the Feast of Trumpets. Ancient Jewish tradition also stated that the resurrection of the dead would occur at the end of time with the blowing of the shofar.

This concept was so strongly engrained in rabbinical thought that Jewish gravestones were often engraved with a shofar. It is more than coincidental that religious Jews, until this day, view the cemetery on the Mount of Olives as the most holy Jewish cemetery in the world. This is based on the belief that those buried there will be the first ones resurrected at the Messiah’s coming. Of course, from this mount Jesus ascended and to this mount He will return.

Two things, then, are intimately associated with the Day of the Lord. First, it is the time of the resurrection of the righteous dead and the rapture of living believers. And second, it is the time when God will go war to purge the earth of everything that has defiled it.
Concerning that day when the trumpet will be blown, the Lord taught:

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:

Immediately following his discussion of the Resurrection and Rapture, the apostle moves into a discussion of the Day of the Lord with these words:

The Word of God frequently refers to human beings and angels blowing trumpets, but only twice is it ever recorded that God blows a trumpet: once at Mount Sinai, at the giving of the Law (Exodus 19:18-20), and a second time in connection with His second coming, when He will rapture His Church and then go to war (Matthew 24:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:3).

Here Come the Trumpets

The catastrophic events inflicted upon Earth as God goes to war by unleashing His seven Trumpet Judgments is unimaginable to the human mind. The level of devastation cannot be fully grasped.

Some commentators interpret the Trumpet Judgments figuratively and simply allow their imagination to run away with them. Others interpret the judgments literally but struggle with terms such as, “there followed hail and fire mingled with blood” (Revelation 8:7); “a great mountain burning with fire” (v. 8); “there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp” (v. 10), and “the third part of the sun was smitten” (v. 12).

Admittedly, these are difficult texts, but we lean toward interpreting the first four judgments as “natural phenomenon” such as earthquakes, volcanoes, meteorites, or asteroids which are supernaturally controlled by God in terms of their location, timing, and intensity.
Based on the description of the Day of the Lord in 2 Peter 3:10-13, some believe the Trumpet Judgments will lead to an atomic event (or series of events) which will result in the absolute destruction of Earth. While we believe it is plausible Earth will encounter a nuclear catastrophe, we do not believe the Scriptures describe its total (though this view is held by some excellent and well-known Bible teachers).

Earth is not going to be annihilated during the Day of the Lord. It is going to be purged of all defilement and prepared to become “a new heaven and a new earth” discussed in Revelation Chapter 21.

Details concerning the specific judgments may be debated, but the broad picture is clear. The first four trumpets appear to be targeted at Earth’s ecology – vegetation, oceans, rivers, streams, and the temperature. The last three trumpets are designated as “woes” because they will be far more severe than the first four trumpets. They will involve demonic torment and the killing of men.

• Angelic beings, as servants of God, are involved in initiating all seven Trumpet Judgments.
• The Trumpet Judgments are probably between one and two years in duration.
• The Bowl Judgments (to be discussed in a later article) are the result of the seventh trumpet, as the seven trumpets are the result of the seventh seal.
• The Trumpet Judgments are blown from the heavens in the process of Christ, as a conquering king, returning to Earth. He will literally reach Earth at the seventh trumpet. The Apostle John wrote of that event this way: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
• From Earth – to which He has now returned – the Lord will rapidly pour out His seven Bowl Judgments during a specified 75-day period which runs beyond Daniel’s 70th Week, or what is commonly called “the tribulation period” (Daniel 12:11-12). The 70th Week is the final seven years of this era of human history.

The Sum of the Matter

For 3,400 years, on the first day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar (Tishri 1), observant Jews have celebrated the Feast of Trumpets. Ten days later, they celebrated the Feast of Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). The 10 days from the 1st to the 10th of the month are called the “Days of Awe.” The rabbis believed that on “Trumpets” God reviewed the books of judgment to determine whether a man would live or die, and 10 days later (Tishri 10), on the Day of Atonement, final judgment was meted out.

The Feast of Trumpets was often referred to as Yom Ha-Din (“Judgment Day”) by the rabbis since it began the Days of Awe, the traditional time of God’s judgment. Repentance of sin was always foremost in the Jewish mind at this time of year.

During the 10 Days of Awe, when men and women passed each other on the street, they did not share the customary greeting of “Shalom” (Peace). Instead, they greeted one another with the words, “May your name be inscribed in the book of life.”

According to Jewish tradition, each year three books are opened on the Feast of Trumpets: the Book of Life for the Righteous, the Book of Death for the Wicked, and the Book of the In-between. And the Judge of the universe inscribes every man in one of the books.

Those inscribed in the Book of Life for the Righteous will experience grace and be granted life by the Lord. Those whose names are inscribed in the Book of Death for the Wicked will be cut off from the living and their judgment is final and irrevocable. For those whose names are not found in either of the first two books, their fate is deferred for 10 days until Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). If they sincerely repent during the 10 Days of Awe, tradition suggests God will grant them life and move their name into the Book of Life for the Righteous.

This judgment-book tradition – although greatly embellished – nonetheless finds its origin in the Scriptures. Moses, Israel’s great lawgiver, interceded before God for his nation with these words:

King David penned these words: “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous” (Psalm 69:28). And the prophet Daniel in the context of the “time of Jacob’s trouble” – or what is known biblically in the New Testament as the Great Tribulation –  was told: “… at that time thy people shall be delivered, [next the subjects of deliverance are identified], every one that shall be found written in the book” (Daniel 12:1).
The rabbis got it right when they said that at the end of time God would judge the world at the Feast of Trumpets.

The rabbis got it right when they said the resurrection of the righteous dead would happen at the Feast of Trumpets. The time of the Resurrection coincides with the time of the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).

Did the rabbis somehow get it right when they said that, at the Feast of Trumpets, three books would be opened by God: the Book of Life for the Righteous, the Book of Death for the Wicked, and the Book of the In-between?

Immediately prior to the beginning of the Day of the Lord, the dead in Christ will be resurrected and the living believers will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Are these those who were written in the Book of Life for the Righteous?

During the Day of the Lord, tens of millions of wicked men and women – the invited “guests” to the sacrifice (Zephaniah 1:7) – will be slain as the trumpets are blown. Are these those whose names were written in the Book of Death for the Wicked?

At the end of the Day of the Lord there will be those who were not part of the raptured Church who will still be in mortal bodies, and will inhabit and repopulate Earth during Christ’s Millennial (1,000-year) Kingdom. Did they hear the prophetic message of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:3), perhaps speak to one of the 144,000 sealed Jews (Revelation 7:2-8; 14:1-5), or heed the preaching of the Gospel angel (Revelation 14:6-7)? Did they witness the epic event of the Rapture, then repent of their sin and refuse the mark of the Antichrist? Are these those whose names were not written in either of the first two books and came to faith in Christ during the Day of the Lord, having survived the Trumpet Judgments?

What we do know is the Word of God teaches these truths:

• First, before the Day of the Lord begins, the Church will be raptured.
• Second, countless multitudes will die during the Trumpet Judgments.
• Third, some will survive the Day of the Lord, come to faith, and enter the Millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth.

In light of these truths, dear friend, may we be so bold as to ask you some crucial questions? “In what book has your name been inscribed? Have you embraced the glorious reality that Jesus came to die for your sin on the cross of Calvary? Have you received His free gift of grace by accepting His sacrificial payment on your behalf? Have you put your trust in the Son of God as your Savior?
If you honestly answered “Yes,” then you can rest in the certainty that your name has been inscribed in the Book of Life for the Righteous!

Celebrating Attacks

Nearly two years ago (2018 at the time of this writing), on a quiet Saturday that began like any other, a Jewish massacre occurred in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Robert Bowers barged into the Tree of Life Synagogue and launched a spray of gunfire, slaughtering 11 men and women and wounding six.

About two months ago in Monsey, New York, five Jewish people were stabbed when a man with a machete broke into a house where a Hanukkah party was in progress.
A few weeks before that, two assailants went on a prolonged shooting spree inside a Jersey City, New Jersey, kosher market. Three people were killed.

All three of these attacks were targeted against the Jewish community.

Though outrage and sympathy poured in from all sectors of society in the aftermath of the Pittsburgh attack, there was an undercurrent of anti-Semitism beginning to bubble up from below. I remember seeing this evil underbelly in the comments sections of assorted websites carrying the story. Though the wording varied, the basic thought was the same: These arrogant and pompous snobs who regard themselves as “the Chosen People” got exactly what they deserved.

There were many disturbing comments along these lines, with the identity of the authors of the vitriol safely concealed by a clever avatar and username. But what wasn’t concealed was the shameless, overt, and almost proud contempt harbored against the Jewish people. Make no mistake, the shadow of anti-Semitism looms large in the West, and is growing ever larger.

An Ancient Enmity for the Jews Outside the Church

Enmity for the Jewish people has existed for thousands of years, going back to ancient Israel. Even then Israel’s neighbors wanted to wipe the Hebrews off the face of the earth. Today, religious and secular anti-Semitism can be found in the BDS Movement. BDS stands for “Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions,” and is aimed against the nation of Israel for its alleged ill-treatment of the Palestinians. BDS advocates seek to portray Israel as the bully whose objective is to oppress the Palestinian people.

The BDS movement is a pet cause of social-justice warriors who seek to end what they regard as injustice. But the BDS movement is rooted in anti-Semitic attitudes, and it conveniently turns a blind eye toward the leaders of the various Palestinian political factions which stand resolutely on the platform of seeking the complete and utter destruction of Israel. They have no real interest in equal justice – nor are they interested in sharing land with Israel. They want it all.

Resentment Toward Jews From Within the Church

Within the realm of historic Christianity, it is undeniable that much good came from the Reformation. Sadly, however, and unknown to many today, the biased theology of the Reformed Church regarding the Jewish people has contributed to anti-Semitism within a sizeable segment of Christendom. One example is Martin Luther’s latter writings. As a young man, Luther enthusiastically sought to reach the Jewish people for Christ, but after years of fruitless evangelism, he radically turned against them.

In his 65,000-word anti-Semitic treatise, On the Jews and Their Lies, Luther argued that Jewish synagogues and schools should be set on fire, their prayer books should be destroyed, rabbis should be forbidden to preach, Jewish homes should be burned, and their property and money confiscated. Furthermore, he described the Jews as a “base, whoring people, that is, no people of God, and their boast of lineage, circumcision, and law must be accounted as filth.”

Though not to such flagrant and violent degrees, resentment of the Jews still festers in some Reformed quarters.

While there are many fine examples of godly individuals and churches within Reformed circles that disavow all forms of anti-Semitism, there are many who take the unbiblical position that God has forsaken the Jewish people due to their rejection of Christ, and has transferred Israel’s God-given blessings to the Church. (Yet, ironically, they also believe Israel retains the curses pronounced against them.) This is a dangerous position which is confirmed by the fact that so many mainline religious denominations live in the shadows of anti-Semitism under the mask of anti-Zionism or anti-Israelism as a direct result of their flawed understanding of God’s prophetic plan and His promises to Israel in Scripture.

While many believers – leaders and laymen alike – are not aware of these unbiblical positions deeply rooted within traditional reformed theology, they are nonetheless a reality.

The Real Reason for Jewish Resentment and Anti-Semitism

The Jewish people are still God’s Chosen People. A simple and unbiased reading of Romans Chapters 9 through 11 leads to no other conclusion.

However, according to 1 Peter 2:9, the Church – Christians – are also God’s Chosen People. How can both be “chosen”? Simple. God has ordained both; but they clearly have two distinct purposes. The Church is to proclaim to the unsaved world that Jesus is the Lord and Savior. The Jewish people – by their very existence and the as-yet-unfulfilled promises made to them – are a testimony as to God’s faithfulness, goodness, and truthfulness.
The pages of the Old Testament and portions of the New are filled with as-yet-unfulfilled promises to the Jewish people. God has not transferred these promises to the Church, but has vowed them to the Jewish people, and He will deliver on those vows.

The redemption of the Jewish people and the establishment of Christ’s physical, 1,000-year Millennial Kingdom on the earth at the end of the age are both major components of God’s end-time agenda. In order for these to come to fruition, the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem must exist.

Satan wants to foil God’s plans, and would love to destroy God’s original Chosen People and usurp Jesus Christ’s future throne in the Holy City. So long as this is Satan’s plan, he will continue to sow the seeds of anti-Semitism.

As we draw nearer to the end of the age and the return of Jesus Christ, Satan will ramp up his efforts in a desperate attempt to destroy the Jewish people, thereby thwarting God’s plan for their ultimate redemption. Because of this, the shadow of anti-Semitism will continue to grow.

The recent attacks on the Jewish people here in the U.S. only hint at what may come in the near future. It seems that much more is inevitable.

As believers in the Lord Jesus, we must be faithful to share the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ with a lost and dying world – and this includes our Jewish family, friends, and acquaintances. They too desperately need to hear this soul-saving truth!

The First Six Seals

The sixth chapter of the Book of Revelation is a stunning, sobering, rapid-fire account of the major events leading to the second coming of Christ. The chapter is powerful in its prophetic message, priceless in its contemporary worth, and parallel to the Lord’s teaching in His Olivet Discourse in its scope (Matthew 24:1-31).

In the sixth chapter of Revelation, the Son of God begins to break the seven seals surrounding and securing the scroll He took from the right hand of His heavenly Father in Revelation 5:7. The importance of this scroll can never be overstated; it contains the title deed to Planet Earth. The one who can open the scroll by breaking its seals and bring to pass the events the scroll foretells will become the undisputed ruler of the kingdoms of this world (Revelation 11:15). A universal search is made in Heaven, on Earth, and beneath the earth for such a man. Only one man is found who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. He is the Lamb of God – the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5).


In sequence, these four satanically-empowered horses and riders will be the causal agents for the emergence of false Christs, war, famine, and pestilence. They will do their dastardly work during the first 3½  years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week (this seven-year Seventieth Week is popularly, but wrongly, called the “Tribulation” or “Tribulation Period”). By the time these 
four horses and riders gallop off the scene, much of the earth will be reeling from the chaos, devastation, and destruction they have caused.

Yet, in describing the devastation caused by the opening of the first four seals, amaz-
ingly the Lord says this will only be “the beginning of sorrows,” or, more literally, 
“the beginning of birth pangs” (Matthew 24:8). The message is patently clear. As destructive as the four horses and riders will be, the worst is still to come. The first four seals are just for openers. The pressure against God’s people is going to increase dramatically with the breaking of the fifth seal.

The imagery intended by the Lord is critically important to grasp. Just as a pregnant woman must normally go through the beginning birth pangs, followed by hard labor before the birth of a child, so must the beginning birth pangs of the first four seals be followed by the hard labor of the fifth seal before Christ’s coming.

Unlike the first four seals, the fifth seal has no horse and rider associated with it. However, because the persecution of God’s elect is greatly increased in connection with this seal, the Lord calls the fifth seal the “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:9-22; Revelation 6:9-11).

The fifth seal begins at the mid-point of Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Daniel 9:24-27). The catalyst for the Great Tribulation will be the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27; 12:11; Matthew 24:15). It is then that many believers will be martyred by the Antichrist because they will not take his mark or give him their allegiance. They will remain faithful to the Lamb of God who encouraged His followers with this promise: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Again, He taught, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord” (Revelation 14:13), or, literally, “living are the dead which die in the Lord.”

The Lord warned that if those days of Great Tribulation were not cut short, no “believing” flesh would survive. But, for the elect’s sake, those days will be shortened (Matthew 24:21-22). The fifth seal, which is the Great Tribulation, is commonly taught today to last 3½ years when in reality, according to the Scriptures, it is actually less than 3½ years for the elect. It is amputated, or “cut short,” before the end of Daniel’s Seventieth Week. Satan will empower the Antichrist for 3½ years (Revelation 13:5; Daniel 7:25), but his unobstructed power to kill believers during the fifth seal terminates with the opening of the sixth seal.

With the breaking of the sixth seal, suddenly and without advance notice, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light, and the stars will fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29; Revelation 6:12-13). This will be a terrifying event for the unsaved world. This cosmic disturbance associated with the sixth seal is the clear indicator that the “Day of the Lord” wrath is about to begin (Joel 2:30-31; 3:14-15; Acts 2:19-20).

God’s wrath begins with the breaking of the seventh seal. But that is preceded by the resurrection of those who have died in Christ, immediately followed by the rapture of living believers, who are not appointed unto God’s wrath (Matthew 24:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; 5:9-10). From the clouds with His angelic army, Jesus begins to punish the world for its sin through the destruction inflicted by the seven trumpet and seven bowl judgments.

A compendium from the prophets’ descriptions reveals that the Day of the Lord will be:

• A time when God “ariseth to shake terribly the earth” (Isaiah 2:19, 21).
• A time of destruction from the Almighty (Isaiah 13:6; Joel 1:15).
• A time of divine wrath and fierce anger (Isaiah 13:13; Zephaniah 1:15, 2:2).
• A time when God punishes the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity (Isaiah 13:11).
• A time when God directs His indignation and fury against the nations (Isaiah 34:1-2; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:14-2:3; Zechariah 14:3).
• A time when God reveals His vengeance (Isaiah 34:8).
• A time of darkness in the heavens (Isaiah 13:9-10; Isaiah 34:4; Joel 2:31; 3:15).
• A time of fire from the Lord (Joel 2:3, 
5, 30; Zephaniah 1:18; 3:8).
• A day of clouds, thick darkness, gloominess, wrath, trouble, distress, and terror (Ezekiel 30:3; Zephaniah 1:15).

God is not mocked; people cannot turn up their noses at God and get away with it. Whatever a man, nation, or the world sows, it reaps in due season. The Day of the Lord will be the time for reaping – the time for God to be vindicated among His creation.

The apostle John wrote of the unsaved world’s response to the opening of the 
sixth seal:


It has often been said that “there are no atheists in fox holes.” The accuracy of this statement can be debated. However, one thing is absolutely certain: When the sixth seal is broken and the sun is darkened, the moon withholds its light, and the stars fall from heaven, there will be no atheists anywhere in the universe. Humanity will know the righteous wrath of God is about to begin – that time has run out.

No bunker will be thick enough, no fox hole deep enough, and no cave dark enough to shield humanity from the wrath of the Lamb. In that day, all that remains for the outpouring of God’s wrath is the breaking of the seventh seal. When the seventh seal, which contains the seven trumpets and seven bowls, is broken, the scroll will begin to be opened. It will be sinners in the hands of a righteous and, therefore, justifiably angry God. All which has defiled the earth since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden will be purged by fire (2 Peter 3:10).

To repeat, the first four seals are the beginning birth pangs (Matthew 24:3-8; Revelation 6:1-8). The fifth seal is the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:9-28; Revelation 6:9-11). The sixth seal is the cosmic disturbance indicating the Day of the Lord wrath is about to begin (Matthew 24:29-30; Revelation 6:12-17). Just prior to the opening of the seventh seal, the world 
will see the Lord coming in the clouds, to resurrect the dead in Christ, immediately followed by the rapture of living believers (Matthew 24:31; Revelation 7:9-14).

Believers are not appointed to God’s wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9), but they are not exempted from Antichrist’s persecution. This is the most important truth presented in this article. And, however well-intentioned and sincere, arguments to the contrary will pose great danger to the generation of believers entering the Seventieth Week with the false hope of a pre-Seventieth-Week Rapture.

But what happened to the seventh seal? The first six seals were opened in sequence in Chapter 6; the opening of the seventh seal is not found there. Both logic and continuity suggest the seventh seal will be found at the beginning of Chapter 7. This is not the case.

Not until Chapter 8 is the seventh seal opened. John wrote of the Lamb of God: “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour” (Revelation 8:1). The “silence in heaven” immediately prior to the beginning of the Day of the Lord is a prophesied event usually overlooked by Bible teachers. The prophet Zephaniah wrote: “Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand” (Zephaniah 1:7). The devastating divine judgment, which is about to begin on earth, brings silence to the angelic host of heaven and the newly-arrived resurrected and raptured saints.

Unlike the first six seals, which were consecutive and uninterrupted, the breaking of the seventh seal, which is going to unleash the wrath of God, is suddenly delayed by the events of Chapter 7. What can be so important that it interrupts the continuity between the sixth seal – which announces the coming of Christ and that His Day of the Lord wrath is about to 
begin – and the seventh seal, which – when broken – begins that wrath?

Urgent Angelic Restraint

In Revelation 6, with the opening of the sixth seal, we are told God’s wrath “is come”– that is, it is an overhanging event about to occur. In Revelation 8, with the opening of the seventh seal, God’s wrath begins immediately to fall upon the earth. Between the warning that God’s wrath is about to begin, in Chapter 6, and the actual beginning of that wrath, in Chapter 8, lies Revelation 7. This chapter presents a critical portrait of two distinct groups of people.

In Chapter 7, John sees “four angels standing on the four corners of the earth,” empowered to hold back the wind on the earth, “that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree” (Revelation 7:1). Then suddenly, John beholds another angel ascending from the East. Apparently, he is an angel of higher rank than the first four angels. He carries an urgent message in the form of a command: “And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt [damage] not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads” (Revelation 7:2-3). Hurting the earth is to be withheld until these servants of the Lord are sealed in their foreheads.

The word “sealed” is used 15 times in six short verses of Scripture (Revelation 7:3-8). The sealing of these servants of God is mentioned on another occasion when they are referred to as having their Father’s name written (sealed) in their foreheads (Revelation 14:1). Sealing carried with it two important concepts.

The first concept of “sealing” is ownership. Whoever’s name was on the seal owned what the seal was attached to or contained. In the case of the 144,000, their Father’s name was written on their foreheads. They belonged to Him. In Revelation 13, the Antichrist demands men and women have his mark, or name, or number of his name in their right hand or forehead. The purpose is to indicate that those who take his mark belong to him (Revelation 13:16-17) and can function in his short-lived kingdom by buying and selling. Taking the Antichrist’s mark guarantees eternal judgment and separation from God (Revelation 14:9-11) – an action no true believer will ever take.

The second concept of “sealing” is protection. Those who are sealed by God’s angels belong to God and are therefore protected by God. In one of the most exultant texts in the Word of God, the apostle Paul proclaims: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). Believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation. Therefore, they belong to God and are protected by God (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Those who are sealed in Revelation 7 belong to God. He protects what belongs to Him. This is the basis of the urgent command to the four angels to cease and desist from hurting the earth until these servants of God are sealed. Those who are sealed are to remain on the earth during the Day of the Lord wrath – but they will be protected from that wrath. They will be the first fruit of many who will come to faith in Christ to enter His Millennial Kingdom in mortal bodies (Isaiah 65:17-25).

The 144,000 on Earth

Who are these sealed servants of God? They are said to number 144,000, and come from all the tribes of the children of Israel. The composition of the 144,000 sealed servants of God is said to comprise 12,000 men from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. Each of the 12 tribes is singled out for personal mention by using the formula: “Of the tribe of [insert the tribal name] were sealed twelve thousand.” The tribe of Judah is mentioned first because it is the royal tribe from which Jesus originates. The tribe of Reuben is mentioned second because Reuben was the firstborn. The tribe of Dan is omitted from the list because it was an idolatrous tribe. The tribe of Benjamin is mentioned last because he was the 12th and youngest son of Jacob. In between are found significant historic references concerning a number of the tribes.

John went to great lengths to clearly identify this group of servants of the Lord. They are 144,000 in number. They are sealed. They are from the children of Israel. There are 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes. If words are intended to convey truth – if they can be understood – then this much is clear: When John spoke of the children of Israel, he was speaking specifically of the children of Israel. When only two chapters earlier Jesus is referred to as “the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David” (Revelation 5:5), it was not symbolic. We were being told that Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.
It is sad that some commentators take the clear teaching of this portion of the Word of God and attempt, by what can only be termed “bizarre exegesis,” to explain it away. They do so because in almost all cases they blur the biblical distinction between Israel and the Church. Then they are forced to distort certain other texts in an attempt to keep their theological systems afloat.

One commentator has said, “The number twelve (the number of tribes) is both squared and multiplied by a thousand – a twofold way of emphasizing completeness.” A second has written, “The whole picture is symbolic. Twelve times twelve, multiplied by one thousand, or 144,000 is an ideal number denoting that the body [the Church] is complete.” Still a third has asserted that “the number 144,000 is made up of twelve multiplied by twelve– the perfect square – and then rendered even more inclusive and complete by being multiplied by 1,000.” Few people in the early Church could even read, let alone apply, mathematical formulas to understand the sacred text. More similar quotes could be added to the list, and all are simply parroting some earlier writer. To think this is how John expected his writing to be understood, or that this is how the early Church would have understood it, is far beyond plausible.

Exegesis means “taking out of a biblical text what is there.” Eisegesis is “reading into a biblical text what is not there.” The above quotes are classic examples of the latter. Their commentary is empty talk in a vain attempt to explain away the truth that the 144,000 are Israelites – 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes.

Some suggest that, historically, the 12 tribes of Israel ceased to exist as identifiable entities. They argue that, in 722 B.C., Israel (the 10 northern tribes) was taken into Assyrian captivity, leaving only the southern kingdom of Judah (the two southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin). And, in A.D. 70, the Roman legions captured Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple on Mount Moriah, and forced the Jews into a worldwide dispersion where they lost their tribal identity. Their conclusion is in conflict with what the Scriptures teach.

In a prophetic text of the last days, God said He will unite the 10 northern tribes of Israel and the two southern tribes of Judah into one nation (Ezekiel 37:16-19). The apostle Paul, in sharing his Jewish pedigree, said he was “circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin” (Philippians 3:5). Clearly, tribal records were still maintained and viewed as important in the first century. James, the half-brother of Jesus, began the New Testament book which bears his name with these words: “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (James 1:1). More than 700 years after the 10 northern tribes were taken into captivity, there were still identifiable Jews from all 12 tribes.

On an important occasion, the apostle Peter, representing the Apostles, asked the Lord: “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee [unlike the rich young ruler]; what shall we have therefore?” Jesus answered them with these words: “Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:27-28).

Was the Son of God lying to or misleading His Apostles? God forbid! There is no precedent for this event in history. It will occur during Christ’s Millennial Kingdom. In the final analysis, the God who has the power to resurrect the believing dead of the ages, no matter how they died or where their bodies lie, will have no problem recognizing and sealing 12,000 Jews from the 12 tribes of Israel. During the Old Testament economy, the Jewish people were to be God’s witnesses to the world – they failed terribly! During the Day of the Lord, 144,000 Jews from the 12 tribes of Israel will take the Gospel of Christ to the Gentile nations of the world – this time they will succeed wondrously! The 144,000 will be the first fruits of a great harvest of Jews and Gentiles who come to faith in Christ (Revelation 14:4; see also Romans 11:11-12).

The Great Multitude in Heaven

A second group is now brought into focus. This group is called “a great multitude.” They are so large a multitude that “no man could number” them. Therefore, this multitude must be much larger than the 144,000 mentioned above. They are universal in scope and said to be from “all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues [languages].” They are seen standing in Heaven before the throne and before the Lamb. They are clothed with white robes. And they have palms (branches) in their hands (Revelation 7:9). But this great multitude is not silent. They are singing a psalm of praise to the Lord with a loud voice saying, “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Revelation 7:10).

This great multitude is not without an audience. All the angels, 24 elders, and the four living creatures “fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God” (Revelation 7:11; see also 4:4-6). They said, “Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever” (Revelation 7:12).

Some commentators insist this great multitude in Heaven represents those who were martyred during the Great Tribulation because they refused to take the mark of the Antichrist (Revelation 6:9). These teachers argue that John saw this multitude in Heaven. But when John was asked by one of the elders who they were, he acknowledged he did not know who they were or from where they came (Revelation 7:13). These teachers then conclude if John didn’t recognize who this great multitude was, it could not be the raptured Church, for surely John would recognize the Church he served most of his life. However, the exact opposite would be more logical. The Church John knew in the first century was very small in number, under severe persecution by Rome, surrounded by paganism and idolatry, and struggling for its very existence.

By contrast, what John saw in Heaven was a great multitude which no one could number, joyous and triumphant, representative of all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues; certainly not representative of the Church at the end of the first century. It is no wonder John could not recognize who the great multitude was. When this great multitude suddenly appears in Heaven, all the angels, elders, and living creatures are there to joyously greet them. Conspicuous by its absence is the Church. The Church was not part of the greeting committee because the great multitude just arriving is the Church. But more to the point, the Bible identifies this great multitude which came out of great tribulation as the Church. The Lord Jesus taught:


In Revelation, Chapter 6, with the breaking of the sixth seal, God’s wrath is about to begin. In Chapter 8, with the breaking of the seventh seal, God’s judgment of the earth begins. In between, in Chapter 7, 144,000 Jews are sealed for protection during the Day of the Lord. And a great multitude which no one can number, the raptured Church, is caught up to meet the Lord in the clouds.

The entire scene in Chapter 7 suggests a flawless passing of the baton. The Church will be raptured before the seventh seal is broken because she is not appointed unto God’s wrath. But immediately prior to the Church’s rapture, 144,000 Jews will be sealed for protection as they remain on the earth during the Day of the Lord.

In Part 1 of this series, we identified the four main views of the timing of the Rapture and Christ’s Second Coming. They are known as the Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation, Post-Tribulation, and Pre-Wrath Rapture views. We also sought to direct your attention to three crucial issues which are foundational for a proper understanding of the last days.

First, we explained that the Bible clearly indicates there will be a climactic, seven-year period of time in which God will bring history to a proper and righteous consummation. This vital piece of information has been provided to us in Scripture by the prophet Daniel. While captive in Babylon, Daniel was concerned about the destiny of His people (the Jews) and their holy city, Jerusalem, which was in ruin. After calling out to the Lord in prayer, this man of God was given a prophetic vision which revealed the destiny of his people and their holy city, along with God’s plan to bring history to an epic conclusion during a future, final, seven-year period of time.

Second, we emphasized the critical importance of referring to this future seven-year period by its proper biblical name – the “70th Week of the Book of Daniel.” This future period of time is commonly – but incorrectly – referred to as the “Tribulation.” This name has been superimposed upon this seven-year period without biblical justification. We warned that this incorrect designation can lead to a misunderstanding of the timing of the Rapture and events related to Christ’s Second Coming. We’ll share more on this in a moment.

Third, we touched on the biblical truth that Christians will not experience the wrath of God. This promise, given to believers within Scripture by the apostle Paul, assures us that God will not subject us to His vengeance upon the wicked, but will rescue true believers by Rapture prior to the unleashing of His fury. Most Bible-believing Christians agree on this point, and we wholeheartedly concur.

However, it is at this point in the process where unbiblical assumptions can arise. If you refer to the future seven-year period (Daniel’s 70th Week) by its incorrect name, the “Tribulation,” it is but a small jump to reason that all seven years of this so-called “Tribulation" are enacted by God and therefore must represent the “wrath” of God. This flawed reasoning results in a faulty conclusion: that Christians will be raptured “Pre-Tribulationally” – that is, before the final seven-year, so-called “Tribulation” period.
While this is a popular view held by many faithful churches and godly Christians today, it cannot be substantiated from Scripture. The Old Testament prophets, the Lord Jesus himself, and the apostle John all clearly taught that God’s wrath will not begin until well inside this final seven-year period of time – with a duration which will be significantly less than seven years.

In light of this reality, we must seek the answer to these questions: “If Christians are not destined to be recipients of God’s wrath, then 1) when will the wrath of God actually begin and 2) what will be the signs indicating its arrival?” Answers to these questions are essential to gain a proper understanding of the timing of the rapture of the Church and Christ’s second coming.

There are clear indicators revealed in God’s Word signaling the start of His wrath – known biblically as the “Day of the Lord.” It is our strong conviction from the clear teaching of Scripture that these indicators will not appear until sometime in the last half of Daniel’s 70th Week. We’ll discuss these details more fully later in this article.

For now, in order to view the larger context and see the logical progression of events within this future seven-year period, we’ll take a step back to explore the chronological sequence of major events within the 70th Week which lead to the Rapture of the Church and the time of God’s wrath.

The Importance of the Scroll

In the fifth chapter of the Book of Revelation, John saw a scroll with seven seals in the hand of God who was seated upon His throne in Heaven. That scroll in God’s right hand became the focal point of the chapter. Like a powerful laser beam, it drew John into its light. At first, John was intrigued by the fact that a universal search was made for a man worthy to open the scroll by breaking its seven seals. He was devastated, however, when no man was found worthy. He realized that if no man could be found, all would be lost.

John confessed that he began to sob uncontrollably until he was suddenly commanded by an angel to stop weeping and look again to the throne. He was told “the Lion of the tribe of Judah,” a direct descendant of King David, was worthy to break the seven seals and to open the scroll.

John looked again, and this time he saw a standing Lamb, which looked as though it had been slain (a depiction of God’s Son). The Lamb came to the One seated on the throne (His Heavenly Father) and took the scroll from His right hand.

This was no ordinary scroll. Not only was it sealed with seven seals, in practical terms, it was the title deed to planet Earth. It contained, on both sides of the smoothed surface of a rolled-up animal skin, the prophetic record of the events of the Book of Revelation. If the scroll could not be opened because the seals could not be broken, the redemption of man and the earth over which man was destined to rule could not be achieved. In such a scenario, Satan would win, God would lose, and we all would be dying in our sins.
But from among all of mankind only one Man was found worthy to step forward to open the scroll by breaking the seals. He was worthy because He redeemed men to God by His blood (the price of redemption) from every kindred, tongue, and tribe. His wonderful name is “Jesus,” and its simple meaning is “Savior.”

As the fifth chapter of Revelation is drawing to a close, a universal choir proclaims:

The Significance of the Seals

In Revelation Chapter 6, having taken the seven-sealed scroll from His Father, the Lamb begins to break the seals in anticipation of unrolling the scroll and bringing the events it depicts to pass. This will lead to the total defeat over evil of every kind and the emergence of a new (“new” in the sense of being qualitatively perfect) heaven and earth. But before examining the significance of the seals of Revelation 6, permit some very important observations.

First, down through the centuries, the Book of Revelation, among all the books of the Bible, has arguably caused the greatest difficulty for expositors. The time frame of the book and chronology of events have been at the forefront of the difficulty. It is our opinion that a proper understanding of the significance of the seven seals around the scroll helps resolve these problems. What the backbone is to the body, the seals are to the Book of Revelation, and the Book of Revelation is among mankind’s greatest treasures. It, far more than any other source, tells us how this age will end and how to be prepared for it.

Second, the breaking of the seals has not yet occurred. The events they depict will occur at a future time when the seals are broken during the 70th Week. To state the matter another way, the events depicted by the seals have not been fulfilled in the early Church nor have they been fulfilled throughout Church history as some commentators suggest. From the standpoint of this writing, the breaking of the seals is still future – how far into the future we cannot be sure. However, many current events suggest the time for breaking the seals is fast approaching.

Third, in addition to the seven seals around the scroll, the Book of Revelation also introduces us to seven trumpets and seven bowls. These elements extend the chronological framework and depict events which occur after the seals have all been opened. We’ll discuss the trumpets and bowls in greater detail in future articles, but for now, it’s important to understand that the seals, trumpets, and bowls of Revelation do not occur at the same time. A number of commentators suggest they all run at the same time because some of the future events depicted by the trumpets and bowls are similar.

What is important to understand at this point is that the breaking of the seals, the blowing of the trumpets, and the pouring out of the bowls are not concurrent – they are consecutive. They occur one after another, not side by side. The scroll itself cannot be opened until all seven seals are broken. The seals are on the outside of the scroll, keeping it locked until, at the proper time, the One who is “worthy” breaks all of the seals. In contrast, the trumpets and bowls are events inside the scroll and come to pass as the scroll is progressively opened. The seven trumpets are blown in succession after the seventh seal is opened, and the seven bowls are poured out in sequence after the seventh trumpet is blown.

Fourth, and this is exceedingly important, the six seals of Revelation 6, precisely parallel the Lord’s teaching to His disciples on the Mount of Olives. This is known as the Olivet Discourse. It was during this sermon that Jesus gave His fullest teaching concerning His second coming (Matthew 24:3-30).

The breaking of the first four seals (Revelation 6:1-8) parallel the Lord’s teaching in His Olivet Discourse and are called by the Lord the “Beginning of Sorrows” (Matthew 24:3-8).
The breaking of the fifth seal (Revelation 6:9-11) also parallels the Lord’s teaching in His Olivet Discourse and is called by the Lord the “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:9-28). A discussion of the Great Tribulation begins in verse 9, not at verse 15, as some commentators suggest.

The sixth seal (Revelation 6:12-17) parallels the Lord’s teaching in His Olivet Discourse as well. It is here that He speaks of the sun being darkened, the moon withholding its light, the stars falling from heaven, and the powers of the heavens being shaken (Matthew 24:29-30). This cosmic disturbance is a clear indicator that God is about to go to war during a period of time at the end of the age which the Bible repeatedly refers to as the “Day of the Lord” (Isaiah 13:6-13; Joel 2:11, 30-31; 3:14-15; Acts 2:19-20; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4).

Breaking the six seals leads up to the second coming of Christ (Matthew 24:29-31). The events which come out of breaking the seals answer the questions posed by the disciples in the Olivet Discourse. They asked, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world [age]?” (Matthew 24:3). He begins to answer their question by referring to three events which must precede His coming.

First must come the beginning of sorrows or birth pangs, the first four seals of Revelation 6.
Second must come the Great Tribulation, the fifth seal of Revelation 6.
Third must come cosmic disturbance, the sixth seal of Revelation 6, which announces the Day of the Lord is about to begin. The Day of the Lord is directly associated with Christ’s second coming and the judgment of the earth.

That the six seals of Revelation 6 very closely follow the Lord’s Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:1-31) should not be surprising. Both speak of the last days and the second coming of Christ. The apostle John, the human author of the Book of Revelation, was among the apostles on the Mount of Olives when the Lord taught the Olivet Discourse.

The Beginning of Birth Pangs and the First Four Seals

In describing events which would precede His coming, Jesus began by focusing on four issues. First, He said there would be false Christs; not men who would claim to be Jesus, but men who would claim the office of Messiah and therefore promote themselves as those who can solve all of society’s ills (Matthew 24:4-5). Second, He said there would be wars and rumors of wars – nation would rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. Third, He said there would be famines (Matthew 24:7b). Fourth, He spoke of pestilence, or disease, which the Old Testament associates with death (Matthew 24:7c). He also spoke of earthquakes which would occur in various places. And, as devastating as these things will be, the Lord specifically calls this period of time the “Beginning of Sorrows” (Matthew 24:8).

The picture portrayed in the words “beginning of sorrows,” or literally “birth pangs,” is a vivid one. Just as the labor pangs of a pregnant woman indicate the nearness of the birth of a child, these events (the birth pangs) indicate the soon-coming of Christ. But they are the beginning birth pangs. The hard labor has not yet arrived.

The natural understanding of the Lord’s statement that “all these things are the beginning of sorrows [birth pangs]” argues strongly against the view of some, that these verses (Matthew 24:4-8) describe the general characteristics of this age, beginning with the first century and continuing up to the present time. To suggest the “beginning birth pangs” have already lasted almost 2,000 years is totally inconsistent with the analogy of a woman with beginning birth pangs who will soon give birth.

There can be no mistaking the fact that the first four seals of Revelation 6 closely parallel the “beginning birth pangs” of Matthew 24. When the first seal is broken, a white horse and rider gallop onto the stage of history. This seal represents false Christs. When the second seal is broken, a red horse gallops onto the stage of history. This seal represents wars and rumors of wars. When the third seal is broken, a black horse and rider gallop onto the stage of history. This seal represents famine. And when the fourth seal is broken, a pale (sickly green) horse and rider gallop onto the stage of history. This seal represents pestilence.
There have been false Christs, wars, famine, and pestilence throughout recorded history. But the “beginning birth pangs” of the last days will be unique in detail, sequence, scale, and extent. These events will occur during the first 3½ years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.

The Great Tribulation and the Fifth Seal

Beginning in Matthew 24:9, the Lord spoke to His disciples of the Great Tribulation (Greek - thlipsis), during which time the birth pangs become harder and occur more rapidly, leading up to His coming and the end of the age. The word thlipsis is translated into English by the words “affliction” and “tribulation” in the King James Version (KJV) Bible and “persecuted” and “distressed” in the New International Version (NIV) Bible (Matthew 24:9, 21). In classical Greek, thlipsis conveyed the idea of physical pressure. It was used to describe a person who was bound hands and feet, and laid prone on his back. A heavy boulder would then be placed on his chest. Unable to use his hands or feet to dislodge the boulder, in time, the pressure on the chest would diminish his ability to collect air in his lungs. Slowly, the victim would die of suffocation. This idea of thlipsis (physical pressure) came to speak of the pressures, problems, and distresses of life. Strong’s Concordance defines thlipsis as “affliction,” “anguish,” “persecution,” “trouble,” and “tribulation.”

The Revell Bible Dictionary states: “The OT abounds with images of a period of intense tribulation associated with the appearance of the Messiah. … In his ‘Olivet Discourse,’ Jesus picked up the OT image, speaking of coming ‘great distress’ [tribulation], unequaled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equaled again (Matthew 24:21).”
In describing the Great Tribulation in His Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24), the Lord foretold events which will come upon His followers. He said:

• They will be afflicted, slain, and hated by all nations (v. 9).
• They will be an offense, betrayed, and hated by one another (v. 10).
• Many false prophets will arise and deceive many (v. 11).
• Because iniquity will flourish, the love of man (for God) will grow cold (v. 12).
• Those who stand firm, or “endure,” to the end of the age will be “saved” (v. 13).
• The reference is not to the salvation of the soul of the believer who endures persecution, but to his deliverance at the Lord’s return.
• And finally, the Lord said, the “gospel of the kingdom” will be preached throughout the world and then the end of the age will come (v. 14).

The disciples wanted to know the sign of their Lord’s coming and the end of the age. He told them that before the “sign” of His coming is revealed, there must first come the beginning birth pangs (vv. 4-8), followed by the harder and more frequent birth pangs of the Great Tribulation (vv. 9-28). As the first four seals of Revelation 6:1-8 parallel the beginning birth pangs, the fifth seal (Revelation 6:9-11) parallels the Great Tribulation. John wrote of the fifth seal: “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held” (Revelation 6:9).

The Cosmic Disturbance and the Sixth Seal

In response to the disciples’ request to know the sign of the Lord’s coming and the end of the age, Jesus responded by using the analogy of a woman with child. First will come the beginning birth pangs – specific events of the last days which will indicate His return is near. Those birth pangs will be followed by the more severe birth pangs of the Great Tribulation – a time of hardship and persecution initiated by the Antichrist with such severity that if those days were not shortened, all believing flesh would perish. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened (Matthew 24:22).

The event God will use for “shortening” the Great Tribulation will be cosmic disturbance. The sun and moon will cease their normal and critical light- and heat-giving functions and the stars will fall from heaven. Not only will the cosmic disturbance “cut short” the Great Tribulation, it will also serve to instantly and universally announce the coming of the Son of God. Believers will be raptured immediately prior to the outpouring of God’s wrath during the Day of the Lord. The Lord Jesus described that event to His followers with these words:

Contrary to the popular belief of many Christians today, the Church will not be exempted from the Great Tribulation which is soon coming upon the earth; it will, however, be exempted from God’s wrath by being raptured before the Day of the Lord begins.

We make decisions every day about what we will do, and what we will not do. And therein lies the dilemma of the human experience: Our lives revolve around alternative choices – forks in the road – and consequently those choices determine our destiny. Some choices are minor and neutral but others bear more weight. Some are downright crucial.

Like falling dominos most decisions set us on courses of action which influence other decisions, which eventually tumble toward a concluding destination or result. We all want to end up in pleasant places, but not all decisions have beneficial results and sometimes the consequences take us by surprise.

Most often, though, we know what the result of a bad decision will be, but we intentionally indulge ourselves anyway. Eating wrong foods or devouring too much is like that. My doctor recently lectured me on eating better to remedy my borderline diabetes. He said, “Dan, if it tastes good, spit it out.”

So, in the crucial decisions of life, why, as believers in Jesus Christ, do we do what we do? Well, it’s because our actions result from our thoughts. If we think like the world, we act like the world. If we think prayerfully on Christ and His Word, our actions reflect those thoughts. Salvation in Christ is supposed to change our thinking and enable us to make spiritually beneficial decisions. That’s what is supposed to happen. But I have noticed in today’s American church it rarely does.

Surface Christianity

This may sound like a wild generalization and I admit, of course, there are wonderful exceptions. Sadly, observation tells me surface Christianity has become the norm while total commitment to Christ and His Kingdom has become less common.

Christianity did not have the support of the Roman government for the first three centuries of the Church. The early Church did not have prayer and Bible reading in schools, nor did it have manger scenes, Christian crosses in town squares, or Ten Commandments hanging on courtroom walls. It existed within a culture filled with rampant immorality, exploding sexual corruption, and open hostility to the Gospel of Christ.

Sound familiar?

Yet, the rabble-rousing mob cried out to the Thessalonian government officials, “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also” (Acts 17:6, emphasis added). Radical commitment to Christ and His message of transforming love was overwhelming the Greco-Roman culture.

Let me ask you, who’s overwhelming our culture today?

Not the Christians of the American church. Think about it. It’s the political far-left with its anti-biblical agenda; and it’s radical religionists who intimidate us with an obsessive commitment to their religious perspective and messages of hate and death. Love is actually stronger than hate – but you would never know it by observing the Church today.

Passionate Commitment

Passionate about what they believe, these people – radical politicians, corrupt world leaders, and radical religionists – would sacrifice everything for their cause, even life itself. Take, for example, the case of Islam. They do not accommodate themselves to the culture. Worship services feature prayers and long sermons by their clerics – not praise bands, emotional singing, and watered-down sermonettes. They have no interest in emerging into contemporary relativism in order to fit in with postmodern thought. They bow prostrate five times a day and memorize the Koran. They are not politically correct and they are not culturally attractive. They defy every principle of modern Church growth. Yet, they are growing – even attracting young Americans to join the cause because of their passionate commitment.

This raises a basic question: What in the world are we – as believers (and churches) of Jesus Christ – doing, and why are we doing it?

Insipid evangelism and shallow teaching are an embarrassment to the cause of Christ. I love the Body of Christ, but I’m losing my respect for “the Church.” The world isn’t impressed with the Church either – probably because they don’t see an awe-inspiring commitment to Christ.

My purpose here is not to extol the virtues of radical godless religions, but to expose a fundamental flaw in the Christian mindset about what it means to be a follower of Christ.

The Mind of Christ

Fifty years ago the American church made a collective decision to become more attractive to the culture. Seeker-services and entertainment scenarios became the ecclesiastical rule of the day and the Great Commission was revised from “GO” to “COME.” That decision put us on a course of consumer religion and an audience mentality.

In our hurry to become attractive, we have become tawdry.

Well, whatever happens with the Church, perhaps we as individual believers need to make another decision – to adopt a whole new way of thinking. Instead of following the collective rabbit down the hole into Alice’s Wonderland, let’s turn our eyes upward and absorb the mind of Christ as He instructs us on how to make better decisions.

Pursuing Christ means denying ourselves, dying to the world, and following Him (Matthew 16:24).

Now that’s what we should be doing!

The eyes of the world are often turned to the Middle East, Israel, Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount. We are told again and again of the great struggle for a homeland for a race of people known as “Palestinians.” They desire, we are told, the restoration of their homeland, usurped by the Israelis and the United Nations.

In addition, they are willing to conduct a “jihad” (holy war) to protect the sanctity of the third most sacred spot of Islam – the Temple Mount.

All of this is presented to us on an almost daily basis as fact. But is it indeed factual, or have we been sold a “bill of goods”? An understanding of the historical background of everything involved will help us to put it all in perspective.

How It Began

The story begins in Genesis 17:19-21. God had promised a son would be born to Abraham. Because of Sarah’s age, she did not believe she could bear a child. Following a custom of the people of that day, Abraham and Sarah agreed that a handmaid, Hagar, would give birth to the promised child.

Hagar did indeed have Abraham’s son and named him Ishmael. In Genesis 17, God informs Abraham that this is not the child He promised. Sarah would be the one to bring forth Abraham’s heir, and his name would be Isaac.

The story resumes in Genesis 21:9-13. There is conflict between Hagar and Sarah, and their two sons Ishmael and Isaac. The conflict begins in Genesis, and it has continued down through the ages. The descendants of Isaac are the Jews. The descendants of Ishmael are the Arabs. We are seeing the continuation of the conflict in our day. It will not be resolved until the King of kings and Lord of lords comes back to establish His kingdom. What began in Genesis will culminate in Revelation.

Not Until 1967

I remember watching a television special on the Arab/Israeli problem. The commentator commented on how he could not understand why there was so much animosity between the two groups.

They had a common ancestor (Abraham), shared many cultural traditions, and according to him, worshipped the same God using different names (Jehovah and Allah). Given all this, the hatred between the two groups was incomprehensible to the reporter. I found myself shouting at the set, “Read your Bible!”

In Genesis 16, verse 12, the angel of the Lord said to Hagar, “And he [Ishmael] will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”

We see the final fulfillment of this prophecy in many of the Islamic Arab people of today.
But what of the claims that the “Palestinians” are only asking for the restoration of their ancient homeland and possession of a highly sacred religious site?

It is of great interest to note that before the 1967 Arab-Israeli war there was no serious push or demand for a Palestinian homeland. Some might object by saying that the Six-Day War gave control of a major portion of the “Palestinian land” to the Israelis – and that prior to the war the Palestinians were in possession of their land, and had no need to raise a furor.

However, the Israelis did not take this land from the late Palestinian chairman Yasser Arafat. They captured the territory from the Jordanians in a war they did not want and were forced to fight for national survival. Before the war, the people who now identify themselves as “Palestinians” lived in Jordanian territory, not “Palestinian land.” Consequently, they did not develop a nationalistic, pro-Palestinian fervor until after the war and the land was in the hands of the Israelis.

A Roman Offense

The first time the name “Palestine” was used for this land area was in A.D. 135. After Rome defeated the Jews and destroyed Jerusalem, they wanted to erase even the memory of Israel. They renamed it “Syria-Palestina,” which means “Land of the Philistines.”

The ancient Philistines occupied a small strip of land on the southwest coast of Israel on the Mediterranean Sea. They were a constant thorn in the side of the Jews, but they never controlled more than a tiny portion of the Land. Eventually, they were conquered by King David.
The so-called “Palestinians” of today are not descendants of the ancient Philistines. Neither are they of Canaanite descent.*


The land of Canaan never existed as Palestine or as an autonomous entity. This land – between the river and the sea – has been ruled over by the Israelis, Romans, Muslim Caliphs, Christian Crusaders, Ottoman Turks, and the British. There has never been a nation of Palestine with a Palestinian government in any period of history.

In fact, there is no Palestinian language, no distinct Palestinian culture, and there are no distinguishing characteristics. Palestinians are Arabs and are no different than Jordanians, Iraqis, Saudis, or any other Arab people.

Unsupported by the Koran

This fact raises another important issue. The Arab nations own 99.9% of all of the Middle East lands. Israel owns less than one-tenth of 1%. The entire state is about the size of Vermont. With tens of thousands of square miles of basically uninhabited Arab lands, why could not a “Palestinian” homeland be located there?

Because the basic issue is not a homeland: The basic issue is Israel. Even one-tenth of 1% of the total land mass is too much if the Jews live on it – according to the Arab mindset.
What about their holy sites? Surely the Palestinians could not walk away from their sacred places in Jerusalem, could they? The truth is, there are no genuinely sacred, Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem as the Arabs claim.

No doubt the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque – situated on the Temple Mount – immediately come to mind. No doubt you recall the hundreds of times you have heard or read that this is the third most holy site in Islam. The truth is the Koran – the sacred scriptures of Islam – says nothing about Jerusalem. Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia are referenced hundreds of times, but Jerusalem is never mentioned.

In fact – there is no historical evidence that Mohammed, the founder of Islam and author of the Koran, ever visited or set foot in Jerusalem. How, then, did these mosques come to be known as sacred?

The Dome of the Rock was built in A.D. 691. The Al-Aqsa Mosque was built a few years later. There are several theories as to why the Dome of the Rock was built. The predominant one today is that it was built to commemorate Mohammed’s ascension to Heaven to receive instruction from Allah concerning the prayers his followers were to perform.

However, it should be noted that there is no direct information about this in the Koran. History shows that the idea of Mohammed’s ascension from the Temple Mount arose hundreds of years after the Dome of the Rock was built.

This tradition is based on an interpretation of the Koran entitled “The Night Journey.” The 17th Sura states, “… from the sacred temple to the temple that is most remote, whose precinct we have blessed, that we might show him our Signs …”

From that statement, some Muslims later deduced that the first Temple was in Mecca, and the second one was in Jerusalem. This is the closest the Muslims can get to claiming Jerusalem as a holy city and the Temple Mount as a sacred spot.

History records that in A.D. 638 the Caliph Omar conquered and entered Jerusalem. He went straight to the Temple Mount to honor the location of the Temple of Solomon. The site of the “Holy Rock” was highly esteemed by the earliest Muslim leaders because it was the site of the Temple, not because it held Islamic religious significance.

In the same chapter of the Koran quoted above, under the title of “The Night Journey,” we also find the following statements:

Professor Abdul Hadi Palazzi, an eminently qualified scholar on Islam and the Koran, states:

Positive Muslim-Jewish Relations

In summary, the claim of the Palestinians of sovereignty over Jerusalem on the basis of being a holy place is an empty claim. To make such a claim is actually a rejection of the clear teaching of the Koran and Islam. Professor Palazzi comments further:
“Anti-Jewish sentiments expressed by Islamic leaders throughout the Middle East are, in fact, not religious in nature, but rather, political. The best proof of this is in the fact that Islamic anti-Judaism is quite recent.”

He then recounts how Omar, the first Muslim Caliph (ruler) to enter Jerusalem, ended the Roman ban that prevented the Jews from entering Jerusalem. Other Caliphs built synagogues for the Jews. One of the greatest conquerors was Saladin. After destroying the Christian Crusaders, he sent letters to the Jewish leaders, proclaiming, “Your exile is over. Whoever wants to come back is welcome.”

The professor’s point is that the early Muslims had no prejudice against the Jews. He continues this point by stating: “The late King Faysal of Iraq openly expressed his sympathy for the Zionist movement, while King Abdullah of Jordan was [reluctantly] compelled to wage war against Israel by the other Arab leaders [as was his son King Hussein].”

Changing the Story

In the early 2000s, the Muslim law of Waqf began to alter the story. The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf is an Islamic religious trust (sometimes called an “Islamic Religious Endowments” organization) best known for controlling and managing the current Islamic edifices on and around the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.

This Waqf has proclaimed that the Western Wall (Kotel) is not a Jewish shrine, but rather, the wall to which the Prophet’s [steed] was tethered, or at best, the wall surrounding the Muslim Mosque. The Waqf has also stated that all of Hebron – the city of Jewish patriarchs – should be turned over to the Resident Arab [“Palestinian”] Authority, and that Jews would be forbidden to pray there in the Cave of the Patriarchs, such declarations are ridiculous and absurd.

The Kotel (Western Wall) was effectively – according to the Islamic tradition – the place where al-Buraq (the Prophet’s steed) was tethered, but it was already an existing part of the 1st century Herodian structure. Muslims have never prayed close to it, and it has never had a special relevance in Islam. On the contrary, the Western Wall is crucially important to Jewish worshippers as it is the closest point of access for Jews today to their ancient Temple, and specifically to the Holy of Holies.

Apart from Mecca, no Islamic holy place is off-limits for non-Muslims. Historical sources say the Prophet Mohammed entertained a delegation of Catholics from Najran in the Mosque of Medina, and permitted them to celebrate a mass inside the Mosque, notwithstanding the fact that Christian rites can include words that are against Islam [such as Jesus is God].
There is nothing in Islamic Law that prevents Jews from praying on Haram al-Sharif/Har Habayyit (the Temple Mount), at the Cave of Machpela in Hebron, or in any other place that is regarded as holy by Muslims.

As stated earlier, the most telling statement Professor Palazzi makes may be this: “Anti-Jewish sentiments expressed by Islamic leaders throughout the Middle East are, in fact, not religious in nature, but rather, political.”

In fairness, it must be noted that Professor Palazzi is very pro-Islam and pro-Arab. What he is against is Palestinian terrorism and the use of Islam as an excuse for anti-Semitism.

Whether or not the situation in Israel will improve in the short term, we do not know. The one thing that is essential is truth, but there is so much being propagated today that is myth, misconception, and misunderstanding.

God’s people need to be informed and knowledgeable about the issues of our day, as they pray intelligently and fervently for the peace of Jerusalem.

The central importance of Israel in God’s plan for the redemption of humanity is clearly revealed within the very first book of the Bible.

God instructed a man by the name of Abram (later changed to Abraham) to leave his home in Ur of the Chaldees and journey to Canaan (Genesis 12:1). God said to Abraham:

God promised Abraham fruitfulness and blessing, descendants as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5), and an everlasting land grant (Genesis 17:8). Ever since, Israel has been “the apple of [God’s] eye” (Zechariah 2:8).

Compelling evidence of this can be seen in the continued existence of Israel. History is replete with detailed accounts of nations, kingdoms, and empires attempting – and failing – to wipe Israel from the face of the earth. In some cases, the attacking nations themselves were destroyed.

Another evidence of Israel’s special place in God’s heart is that after nearly 2,000 years of being scattered across the earth, God miraculously brought her back to the very same piece of real estate she had occupied in the days of her antiquity – along with the same ancient language. No other nation can make this claim.

Tragically, however, many within Christendom today believe Israel has little or no relevant role to play in God’s future plan for the world. They believe Israel’s relevance has come and gone with the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus – who was, of course, Jewish, and resided in Israel.

It’s true the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ is not just for Israel, but for all of humanity – even to the furthest corners of the earth. But it’s equally true that God has never rescinded the unconditional promises He made to Abraham and his descendants.

Later, God also made a covenant with Israel’s King David that was built upon the earlier Abrahamic Covenant. God promised He would establish an everlasting dynasty that would one day be ruled by David’s greater Son – an ultimate reference to Jesus Christ at His Second Coming when He returns as King to rule the world from Jerusalem. These unconditional covenants established by God with His Chosen People remain just as real, relevant, and rock-solid today as the day He made them.

They are the bedrock of God’s future plan for the world, and yet sadly, such teaching about Israel and God’s covenant promises to her is rare or non-existent in many of our churches. Even more troubling is a theological view known as “Replacement Theology” – also known as “supersessionism” –  which advances the belief that the Church has replaced (superseded) Israel – and that the promises given to Israel in the Old Testament have been somehow transferred to the Church.

How disastrous! Such a misinterpretation or outright disregard for the central role of Israel in both history and prophecy has caused significant confusion among Christians and immeasurable harm to the Church. Where many Christians regard Israel as having no current or future relevance, God deems Israel as crucial to His future plan for the ultimate redemption of humanity. Even as Israel has strayed from God throughout her history, she remains the unyielding object of His love, care, and preservation.

With this in mind, let’s look at several passages (though not exhaustive) of what God Himself says about Israel.

Israel as God’s Chosen People

Deuteronomy 7:6: “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”

Psalm 105:6: “O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.”

Isaiah 44:1: “Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen ...”

Note: 1 Peter 2:9 refers to believers in Christ as a “chosen generation,” which we are. We share this responsibility and honor with believing (redeemed) Israel today.

God’s Purpose for Israel

Exodus 19:5-6: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.”

Note: This condition and promise will be fulfilled in the Millennial Kingdom.

Isaiah 43:10: “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he …”

Israel Blessed

Isaiah 43:1: “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.”

Isaiah 61:9: “And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.”

Isaiah 62:6-7: “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”

Israel Protected

Isaiah 41:11: “Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.”

Jeremiah 31:35-37: “Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord.”

Israel Set Above All Nations

Deuteronomy 10:15: “Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.”

Isaiah 2:2-3: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains [of Israel], and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

Israel Not Rejected

Isaiah 41:9: “Thou [Israel] whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.”

Romans 11:1: “I say then, Hath God cast away his people [Israel]? God forbid.”

Israel Redeemed and Restored

Psalm 130:7-8: “Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

Romans 11:25-27: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of [Zion] the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

An Israel-Centered Bible

Those who cast Israel aside, or believe Israel is no longer relevant to God’s future plan for the redemption of humanity, will struggle in vain to deny the profusion of biblical passages which prove God is not yet done with Israel.

Some claim the vast majority of these proof-passages are from the Old Testament, but that’s an unconvincing argument. God voiced His regard for Israel irrefutably and explicitly in the Old Testament, and nowhere in the New Testament has He disavowed it or declared it null and void.

What is clear is that God has a deep and abiding love for Israel. Sadly, many of our churches (with some notable exceptions) are doing little to instill this into the hearts of believers. Yes, God loves His blood-purchased children in Christ, and churches are quick and right to teach this. But God also loves wayward Israel and looks to the day when He will restore her to Himself. Regrettably, the Church is often mute when it comes to teaching the flock to love her as well – that is, to love what the Lord loves.

"For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my [God's] kindness shall not depart from thee [Israel], neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee" (Isaiah 54:10).

May our churches recognize and affirm Israel’s rightful place as God’s chosen, central, and beloved people – even as we pray that her eyes will be opened to receive her coming Messiah, 
the Lord Jesus Christ!

The opening verse of the song “There’s Something About That Name” by Bill and Gloria Gaither reads:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
There’s something about that name
Master, Savior, Jesus
It’s like the fragrance after rain

The closing verse reads:

We love the name
The holy name
Your precious name

These are inspiring, uplifting words, and lovers of the Lord Jesus embrace them. However, such sentiments are not shared by the world. To the world, the name “Jesus” is a swear word or an expression of anger, frustration, or disbelief. Among unbelievers, the name “Jesus” is not fragrant, but a stench; not loved, but abhorred; not holy, but accursed; not precious, but worthless.

The Bible has much to say about the name of the Jesus. Far from being a dreaded curse word, the name of Jesus is a fountain of blessing to all who embrace and honor it. Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about this most wonderful of names.

In the name of Jesus, eternal life is granted. “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

In the name of Jesus, sinners are forgiven and the Holy Spirit is bestowed. “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38).

In the name of Jesus, miracles are performed. “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6).

In the name of Jesus, people are willing to sacrifice their lives. “So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul – men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 15:25-26).

In the name of Jesus, spirits, demons, and the doings of Satan are defeated. “She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!’ At that moment the spirit left her” (Acts 16:18).

In the name of Jesus, lives are transformed to the point of death. “Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus’” (Acts 21:13).

In the name of Jesus, every created being will kneel and pay homage. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

And in the name of Jesus all who worship Him have forgiveness of sins, redemption, peace, and eternal life. Let us join the psalmist as he invites us to “Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together”!

Be a Defender

Have you ever had to “defend” Jesus, the Bible, or Christianity? How did you do? Well?  Not so well? Do you wish you could have done better? Regardless of your answer, let’s agree it’s important for believers to know how to defend their faith.

The question is: Why is this so important? Let’s consider some things.

Discovering the Need

I was on an independent film shoot some years ago, and the audio man was Jewish. He asked me, “Michael, why are there four versions of the Gospel?” At the time, I had no idea why; I didn’t know what to tell him. It would have been a golden opportunity to share the Gospel with him as he had given me an opening, but I wasn’t equipped to make good on the opportunity.

In part, this is what got me interested in apologetics. I wanted to begin studying what it was I believed, and why I believed it. I wanted to be able to defend the Christian faith. I knew I needed to study Christian apologetics, and am convinced every believer should do the same.

Defining the Term

What does the word “apologetics” mean? One thing this word does not mean is apologizing for being a Christian, though in our culture, there are believers who hold to this definition. Rather, “Apologetics” is an area of theological study dedicated to intellectually defending truth claims. These “claims” include Jesus, the Bible, God, miracles, the Creation, and numerous other topics.

Several portions of the Bible address the importance of apologetics. One is Philippians 1:7, where the apostle Paul says,

Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence [sic] and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace (italics added).

Paul says something similar in verses 15-17:

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence [sic] of the gospel (italics added).

This brings us to the classic “apologetics passage,” 1 Peter 3:15:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer [a defense] to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear (italics added).

The word “answer” here or “defense” (as well as in the passages in Philippians) is derived from the ancient Greek word apologia, which carries with it the image of an attorney presenting a court case. As we live out the Christian life, we have to think like Christian attorneys. We’re going to encounter people who have questions, and we’re going to have to answer those questions. We are also going to encounter those who are hostile, and we’ll need to address their objections.

When we acknowledge Christ as Lord, people are going to ask, “Why? What makes Christianity so different from all other religions?” Jewish people want to know why we believe Jesus is the Messiah. Muslims want to know why we believe Jesus is not a prophet like Mohammed, but instead is the Son of God. Hindus want to know why they should believe in Christ alone instead of multiple gods. Others want to know why they should believe in Jesus rather than … fill in the blank.

Other people will believe things contrary to Scripture. This is particularly true of cults. How about when some of these come to your door? What a great opportunity to tell them about Jesus! You have a captive audience right in front of you.

The Spurgeon Dilemma

The godly, renowned 19th century British preacher Charles Spurgeon offered his now-famous thoughts on the defense of the Gospel:

A great many learned men are defending the gospel; no doubt it is a very proper and right thing to do, yet I always notice that, when there are most books of that kind, it is because the gospel itself is not being preached. Suppose a number of persons were to take it into their heads that they had to defend a lion, a full-grown king of beasts! There he is in the cage, and here come all the soldiers of the army to fight for him. Well, I should suggest to them, if they would not object, and feel that it was humbling to them, that they should kindly stand back, and open the door, and let the lion out! I believe that would be the best way of defending him, for he would take care of himself; and the best “apology” for the gospel is to let the gospel out. Never mind about defending Deuteronomy or the whole of the Pentateuch; preach Jesus Christ and him crucified. Let the Lion out, and see who will dare to approach him. The Lion of the tribe of Judah will soon drive away all his adversaries.

Of course, there is truth in Mr. Spurgeon’s words – especially in the fact that we can’t argue someone into faith in Christ. The Gospel itself is the power of God unto salvation. Mr. Spurgeon is right that we must preach Christ. But we also must understand that Mr. Spurgeon’s time was much different than today. In his day, there was a cultural respect for the Bible, even if people did not believe in it. There was even respect for pastors and preachers.

Sadly, this is not the case today, and because of this we need to defend the truth with boldness. The more people deny, denounce, and dismiss the Bible, the more we, as followers of Christ, need to stand up and say, “God’s Word is truth – and these are the reasons we believe it!”

Reasons to Engage in Apologetics

1. Scripture commands it. This takes us back to 1 Peter 3:15:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer [defense] to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear (italics added).

2. The culture demands it. Yes, we “let the lion out,” but it must be demonstrated and defended in a world of lies. Believers must fight back against the lies perpetrated against God, Jesus, the Bible, and our faith.

3. Bad theology requires it. There is a ton of bad theology out there, and believers must be able to dispel the bad with good. Good theology is crucial.

4. Our minds need it. When we read the truth of God’s Word, we are nourished in our relationship with God. Furthermore, God doesn’t expect us to believe blindly in Him. He wants us to study and be prepared. Paul told Timothy:

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

How Should We Engage in Apologetics?

Again, 1 Peter 3:15 is our source, particularly the last four words, “with meekness and fear.”
Whenever we defend the faith, we need to do so with kindness and gentleness. The goal is not to win an argument, but to demonstrate to a lost soul the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must be careful to never get angry or to dismiss others’ thoughts and beliefs as being ignorant. We are to engage them with patience and in love. We are to lovingly and boldly present the truth, but the Holy Spirit does the convincing, convicting, and conversion. We cannot change anyone!

Be prepared to be rejected, despised, or even hated. Remember, one of the claims of Christianity is that Jesus is the only way to salvation. We’re going to be accused of being narrow-minded, intolerant, and unloving because of this. However, this is the world we live in, and we must preach and defend the truth.

Ways to Improve Our Apologetic Skills

There are a variety of ways we can improve our skills.

First, we must know the Truth ourselves! We need to read, think upon, and study Scripture, as well as find good resources.

Second, and closely related, is to ask ourselves difficult questions: Do I know Jesus as my Lord and Savior? How do I know the Bible is true? What do I believe and why? Do I believe something only because my pastor or Sunday school teacher told me? How do I know the Bible is the only Word of God? While we should be able to trust church leaders, our faith is strengthened when we take the initiative to learn the Truth ourselves.

Third, our lives must reflect the life change only Christ can make. This does not mean perfection, but progression, being changed into His likeness. If our lives are not different than the world, why should the world listen to us?

Fourth, study! Get some apologetics books from biblically solid apologetics ministries with materials in written form, or video. Do your research, and by all means, pray to God for wisdom and discernment that you may be better equipped in defending your faith.

Fifth, think of the questions your family and friends have asked. What answers would you give them?

Last, consider the questions the world asks. These include core questions of the heart: Where did we come from? Why are we here? What happens at death? Why is there suffering in the world? What do I do with my guilt? What about evolution versus creation? These also include cultural questions: What is the definition of marriage? Is it right to abort babies? Why is it wrong for men to enter women’s locker rooms? Aren’t all religions the same?

Conclusion

This is a challenge for us. In recent years, I have been asked some difficult and heartfelt questions. As I look at the world and the Church, I am more and more convicted that Christians need to love the Truth, know the Truth, live out the Truth, and defend the Truth.

As we engage with the unbelieving world– particularly in a digital- and social-media age – the more we see a strong defense of the Truth is questioned, and this Truth is needed now more than ever. When we study Apologetics, we not only strengthen our faith, but we prepare ourselves to lovingly and boldly answer the questions others have, in order to clearly share the Gospel of the grace of God and salvation through Jesus, our Lord.

One of the first things an experienced military strategist will tell you is, “Know your enemy.” It’s no secret that the Islamist terror organization, Hamas, harbors deep-seated hatred of Israel and is obsessed with destroying the Jewish state. It’s also a well-known fact that Hamas – and millions of Islamic zealots throughout the world – are motivated (and often incited) by their religious ideology and political aspirations.

But the questions must be asked: “How and where do they believe they can achieve their ultimate objective?” The answer to the former is “through war and conquest.” The answer to the latter is,  “the city of Jerusalem.” Evidence of this can be clearly seen in the events of October 7 and in the months following the horrific massacre.

A very important, but under-reported fact related to the attack was that Hamas’ leaders chose to name their operation  “Al-Aqsa Flood.” Al-Aqsa is the name of the Islamic gray-domed mosque located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Perched atop the southern retaining wall of the mount, it is far less known to most of the world in comparison to another Islamic structure on the holy mount – the iconic golden Dome of the Rock – which appears more prominently in panoramas of Jerusalem.

The entire 35-acre Temple Mount platform on which both structures rest is known by Muslims as Al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary), but they also refer to it simply as Al-Aqsa. The mosque compound is held in very high regard by Muslims as the third most-holy site in the Islamic world, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

But why would Hamas code-name a military attack planned for southern Israel –
more than 75 miles away from Jerusalem – “Al-Aqsa Flood”? To most of the world, this term meant very little, and was largely ignored. But to devout Islamists, they understood it to be a rallying cry – a call to Palestinians living in the West Bank, to Hezbollah in Lebanon, and to Muslims across the region – to join them in Jihad (an Islamic holy war) and “flood” Jerusalem.

Hamas, Red Cows, and Texas

The cows he was referring to are red heifers that were brought to Israel in 2022 with great fanfare and excitement by Uvne Jerusalem, a group committed to seeing a Third Jewish Temple rebuilt in the Holy City. The Israeli group had earlier embarked on an extensive search for the rare animals before discovering a Christian farmer in Texas who was a breeder of red heifers. Special permission was obtained to import the animals to Israel.
 The religious significance of red heifers for Jews and Christians is rooted in the Old Testament book of Numbers, Chapter 19, and the ritual purification required of priests for service in the temple:
  
In September of 2022, the heifers imported to Israel from Texas were only 11/2 to 2 years old. But in order to meet the stringent religious requirements for the ritual purification ceremony for the priests serving at the temple, the heifers would need to be at least 3 years of age and be free of any spot, blemish, or any white or black hair. Thus, the October 2023 timing of Hamas’ attack is noteworthy.
 
According to project leaders, two additional requirements must also be met:

•  First, the sacrificial ceremony must take place on the other side of the Kidron Valley, on the Mount of Olives, in a location directly aligned with the original Temple and the Holy of Holies. More than 12 years ago, a plot of land was purchased by Rabbi Yitshak Mamo of Uvde Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives that would meet this requirement – thus making it possible to fulfill this ritual standard.

•  Second, purified priests are required for the ceremony. According to The Temple Institute – another well-known organization in Jerusalem with aspirations to construct a Third Temple – Jewish priests are already prepared and standing at the ready to reinstitute the animal sacrificial system.

From the comments made by Hamas, there can be no doubt that Islamists are fully aware of the desire by certain organizations within Israel to construct a Third Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount.

This is an affront to all Muslims, and thus, Hamas’ reference to Israel’s importing of red cows was an incitement for an Islamic Jihad against Israel to “defend the Muslim holy sites.”
The Scriptures are clear that another Jewish Temple will indeed be built in Jerusalem – even as Israel’s ancient animal sacrificial system is reestablished (Daniel 9:26-27). However, most Jewish people in Israel do not share the vision of a rebuilt Temple – and the official position of the Israeli government is to “maintain the status quo” on the Temple Mount. Nonetheless, there is a small but growing sentiment within Israel to see a Third Jewish Temple rise majestically upon the holy hill of Zion.

The war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas is simply the opening salvo in a greater war that looms over Jerusalem like a dark cloud. I am not simply speaking of the coming war for the Holy City that will be seen by human eyes, but of a largely unseen spiritual war that is raging even today, between God and Satan, and between the Jews and their enemies.

The rising tide of anti-Semitism on university campuses across America is deplorable and deeply troubling. Less than 80 years removed from the murders of more than 6 million Jewish people by the Nazis during the Holocaust, it’s inconceivable that America’s prestigious Ivy League universities – along with many others throughout the country – have become hotbeds of hatred and anti-Semitism.

Make no mistake, the radical protests that have erupted from New York to California and from Minnesota to Texas are not based on historical facts or an accurate understanding of the war taking place in Gaza. They’re rooted in deep-seated hatred, and are largely funded by outside money and influence.

Masked university students – many of whom are foreign nationals with student visas from Muslim countries – are among the most vociferous. Even more, many of the protestors who’ve been arrested don’t attend the universities at all. They are paid agitators descending onto campuses to foment unrest among easily-manipulated, ill-informed students. Within these ranks are left-wing political operatives, Marxist activists, and Islamic fundamentalists.

Student protestors have blocked, intimidated, and in some cases physically assaulted Jewish students attempting to attend classes. Their despicable graffiti on campus buildings and rage-filled chants have polluted our American university campuses with both anti-Semitic and anti-American slurs: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” “We are Hamas!” and shockingly, “Death to America!”

Most perplexing to outside observers is why the leaders of America’s renowned academic institutions have done so little and waited so long to quash these hate-filled, and often violent anti-Semitic protests. It’s true that these institutions consider themselves to be bastions of “free speech and thought.” Many are run by presidents and board members that are loathe to jeopardize their coveted liberal status and risk alienating their outspoken students, tenured professors, and corporate sponsors.

But the question must be asked, “Are there more nefarious forces at work within our universities that has them turning a blind eye to these hate-filled anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian ‘protests?’” The clear, unequivocal answer is, “yes.”

Follow the Money

For decades, American universities have received vast sums of money from political activists, corporate billionaires, and globalist foundations. But what has largely been ignored until now has been the enormous flow of money from authoritarian Arab-Muslim nations within the Middle East into our universities. Three nations in particular – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar – have “contributed” more than $10 billion to U.S. academic institutions in only the last 10 years. Qatar alone is responsible for more than half that total.

The tiny state of Qatar shares a border with Saudi Arabia, and is situated on a small peninsula that juts northward into the Persian Gulf. At first glance, the modern glass towers of its impressive capital, Doha, seem like an anomaly as they rise dramatically from a dry, low-lying desert devoid of natural resources. The reality, however, is that Qatar’s tremendous wealth comes from its vast undersea reserves of natural gas off its coast. The Gulf nation ranks third in the world for natural gas reserves – behind only Russia and Iran.

Only 100 miles in length from north to south and 56 miles wide, Qatar may be small, but it boasts the fifth highest GDP (gross domestic product) per capita on Earth. And what it lacks in geographic size is overshadowed by its prowess for using its wealth to gain power and influence across the globe. For the past two decades, Qatar has mastered this technique, utilizing its “soft power” to implement a pro-Islamic, anti-Israel agenda below the radar and out of public view.
But now, its influence-peddling is coming to light, and many within the halls of the U.S. government and the European Parliament are asking serious questions about Qatar’s financial dealings.

In 2022, Europe was rocked by a bribery scandal which was largely ignored by the American press. Police in Belgium raided more than 20 sites across Brussels – including the European Parliament itself – arresting six and seizing more than $1 million in cash. A judge charged four of the people – including a Vice President of the European Parliament – with “participation in a criminal organization, money laundering, and corruption on behalf of a [Persian] Gulf State [specifically Qatar]” (clarification added).

The perpetrators were accused of being paid large sums of money and given luxury cars to influence Europe’s parliamentary decision-making regarding Qatar’s poor human-rights record. At the time, the wealthy Gulf State was on the verge of dramatically improving its image throughout the world by hosting the highly-coveted FIFA World Cup global soccer championship. Behind the scenes, however, Qatar was desperately trying to avoid intense scrutiny by European officials for using coercive hard labor tactics to build soccer stadiums and infrastructure projects that were linked to the deaths of thousands of migrant workers.

Allegations of bribery and influence-peddling by Qatar are not confined to Europe, however. Here in the United States, New Jersey Democrat Senator Bob Menendez will go on trial this month for allegedly conspiring to act as a foreign agent. Menendez, who spent years serving as the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is accused of passing along highly sensitive information to the Egyptian government regarding the American embassy in Cairo, and of acting to help the Qatari government by issuing statements publicly supporting Qatar. In exchange, prosecutors allege Menendez and his wife received gifts, gold bars, hundreds
of thousands of dollars in cash, and a luxury car.

Qatar: A Back-Channel Negotiator

As Israel contemplates its final strategic plan to defeat Hamas in Gaza, Qatar is once again in the spotlight – seeking to negotiate a cease-fire, hostage release, and prisoner exchange between the two. Since 2012, Qatar has hosted the “political offices” of Hamas’ chairman and leadership as part of an agreement with the U.S. This arrangement gives the U.S. and Israel the ability to engage in back-channel discussions with Hamas through Qatar.

But Qatar is hardly a neutral broker. Recently, in a carefully worded criticism, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu accused Qatar of “being problematic” in its recent negotiations with Hamas for the release of Israeli hostages. The Netanyahu government believes Qatar is acting duplicitously. As evidence, the Israeli government recently took action to shut down the Jerusalem bureau of Qatar’s influential satellite news network, Al Jazeera, for 45 days. Israeli officials have referred to Al Jazeera as a mouthpiece for Hamas and a “well-oiled incitement machine that harms the security of Israel.”

The Muslim Brotherhood Connection

One of the most important issues surrounding the current conflict in Gaza, but largely overlooked by the mainstream media, is Hamas’ particular brand of Islamic ideology. Hamas is an affiliate and perhaps the most visible manifestation of an entity known as the Muslim Brotherhood. Founded in Egypt in 1928, the Muslim Brotherhood is a radical, Islamist organization with tentacles that have far-reaching influence throughout the Middle East and around the world.

At the forefront of its fundamentalist ideology are two main objectives. The first is to destroy Israel and wipe it off the map. The second is to establish an Islamic caliphate – an empire of Islamic nations ruled by one individual and governed by strict Islamic Shariah (Muslim law) in all civil and religious matters.

Today, the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood movement largely festers in the shadows – both within and outside of established governments. This ongoing threat to independent Arab nations such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia that are seeking to modernize their infrastructure and westernize their laws have led them to label the Muslim Brotherhood a terror organization, criminalize all brotherhood activities, and expel their agents.

But not all Islamic nations have taken this stand. In fact, two states in particular have been at the forefront of support for the Muslim Brotherhood. They are Qatar and Turkey. This is one of the key reasons Turkish President Erdogan has been one of the most vocal and vitriolic critics of Israel during its campaign to defeat Hamas in Gaza. In fact, the war against Hamas has angered the Turkish President to the point where he recently cancelled all trade with Israel.
There is a reckoning day coming to Qatar. Its bribery and influence-peddling in the European Parliament, in the U.S. government, and throughout our university system is finally emerging from the shadows. In fact, there is now talk of the U.S. pressuring Qatar to expel Hamas and its leaders from Doha in the wake of its failed, duplicitous attempts to negotiate an agreement between Israel and Hamas.

If this comes to fruition, there is little speculation as to where the expelled leaders of Hamas will go to find safe harbor. They will seek to reestablish themselves in a nation that shares their disdain for Israel and embraces their grand vision to establish an all-powerful empire of Islamic nations– Turkey. Not surprisingly, the leaders of Hamas traveled to Turkey only weeks ago and were given a red-carpet treatment by Erdogan.

Clash of Kingdoms

What we are witnessing today are the pieces on a chessboard being moved into place for the ultimate clash of coming kingdoms. One will be ruled by Satan and his progeny, the Antichrist – and the other by God, and His Son, Jesus Christ.

The Bible reveals that prior to the end of the age, a coalition of 10 kings will unite, and will give their power to one individual who will rule over them (Revelation 17:12-13). I believe this coalition of kings is likely to be an assemblage of Islamic nations in the Middle East (Ezekiel 38:2-6).

I contend it is not mere coincidence that the objectives of Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, Qatar, Turkey (and other nations within Islam, including Iran) are consistent with what the Bible describes will occur at the end of the age. These factions will ultimately merge their power, give their authority to a charismatic Islamic leader, and attack Israel.

God has said:
I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat [Jerusalem], and will plead with them [judge them] there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted [divided] my land (Joel 3:2).

Only time will tell how the current conflict in Gaza will end, but I am convinced its impact will be a catalyst to bring dramatic changes to the Middle East. The world is moving ever-closer to the Last Days, the rise of the Antichrist, and the return of our glorious God and triumphant King, Jesus Christ.

In light of all these things, I encourage you, beloved friend, to watch carefully, live soberly, and love Him faithfully.

The flames of Iranian military power and Islamic extremism threaten to engulf Israel in the inferno of a wide-scale war.

Iran’s Ayatollah Khomenei and Islamic religious leaders are on a warpath to make Israel pay a heavy price for the recent assassination of Hamas’s top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh – something for which Israel has yet to officially claim responsibility. Haniyeh’s shocking death, which occurred in the Iranian capital of Tehran, has caused a virulent uproar in the region – raising the ire of Iran and its Shiite Muslim allies. Together, they form a “crescent of fire” – a geographic arc of Iranian dominance that spans from Lebanon in the north to Yemen in the south.

The flames of Iranian military power and Shiite Muslim extremism have swept west ward across the deserts of Iraq and Syria – burning through the capitals of Baghdad and Damascus, and scorching a path to the Lebanese coast of the Mediterranean. Through its terror proxy, Hezbollah, in southern Lebanon, Iran’s “crescent of fire” has now reached the borders of Israel, and threatens to engulf the Jewish state in the inferno of a wide-scale war.  

Ismail Haniyeh, who had lived in self-imposed exile from Gaza since 2019, made his base of operations in Doha, the luxurious capital of Qatar. However, he often traveled to Iran and other locations across the region to develop strategic alliances against Israel while seeking financial support for Hamas’s terror network in Gaza.

Media outlets often presented Haniyeh as the moderate face of Hamas, but he was no “moderate.” Immediately following the October 7 cross-border massacre by Hamas against Israel in which more than 1,200 were murdered, tortured, raped, or taken hostage to Gaza, Haniyeh praised the attack. Hours later, he was caught on video leading prayers with other Hamas officials giving thanks to Allah for its success.
In May of this year, Haniyeh had traveled to Iran to speak at the funeral of late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. In his speech, he said the following:

“The Al-Aqsa flood [Hamas’ code name for the October 7 massacre] was an earthquake that struck the heart of the Zionist entity and has made major changes at the world level … We will continue the resistance against this enemy [Israel] until we liberate our land, all our land.”

Last month, Haniyeh once again returned to Tehran – this time for the Iranian presidential inauguration. As a guest of state, he was housed in a large compound known as Neshat in an upscale neighborhood in the capital. The facility is routinely used for visiting dignitaries and is heavily guarded by Iran’s elite forces – the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC). Despite intense security, the IRGC was unable to protect Haniyeh, who was killed in the middle of the night by a remotely-detonated explosive device likely planted inside his guesthouse several weeks or months earlier.

On the night of Haniyeh’s death, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was awakened and told that the Hamas leader had been killed. That very morning, by 7 o’clock, the Ayatollah had called the members of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council to an emergency meeting at his compound during which he issued an order to strike Israel in retaliation.

However, the order was not immediately carried out, and reports indicate the first priority was for a humiliated IRGC to initiate a swift and harsh internal investigation to root out any potential Iranian collaborators who may have worked covertly with foreign operatives [thought to be Israeli Mossad agents] in the assassination of Haniyeh.
According to credible sources, there has been considerable internal debate among Iran’s governmental and religious leaders over the timing and type of retaliation against Israel. Pragmatic leaders within Iran are deeply concerned that another direct Iranian attack on Israel may spur a devastating military response by Israel, America, and the West that could decimate critical Iranian infrastructure and further cripple an already teetering Iranian economy.

But Iran’s Islamic religious leaders are desirous of making a strong statement against “the Zionist entity,” who they see as a cancer and an obstruction to their grand expansionist plan to capture Jerusalem, control the entire region, and implement strict Shia Islam throughout the Middle East and beyond.

More than five years ago, I wrote:

"Iranian leaders are seeking to distract their people from societal ills, government corruption, lack of freedom, and an imploding economy by casting blame on Israel, spewing venomous rhetoric, and calling for her destruction.

And yet, Iran, which changed its name from Persia in 1935, isn’t satisfied with sabre rattling. As the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, the Shiite Muslim nation has actively implemented an aggressive strategy to re-establish the power of the Persian Empire. This objective necessitates the conquest of land that includes vast areas of the Middle East …

Iran’s aggressions, however, cannot simply be quantified by its desire to amass power. Its preoccupation with Israel and its compulsion to destroy the Jewish State goes far deeper. In fact, it would not be an overstatement to say it emanates from the pit of Hell itself. Iran’s obsession is part of a much larger spiritual war raging between God and Satan for kingship of Earth. And the future King will be enthroned in Jerusalem (Psalm 2:6).

Iran’s obsession with Jerusalem is evidenced by the fact that its premiere clandestine military unit (which operates under Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corp) is named “Quds Force.” Al Quds is an Arabic name used for Jerusalem. This name wasn’t chosen by Iran out of respect for Israel’s capital, but as a reminder of its longstanding desire to recapture the Jewish Holy City."

At the time of my writing, the Middle East stands at the brink of a potential war the likes of which has not been seen in modern history. The stakes are enormously high. An Iranian-dominated crescent of fire threatens to consume Israel in the current standoff. On one side are the Iranians and their Shiite Muslim allies – backed by Russia and China. On the other are the Israelis – backed by the United States and a few nations from Western Europe.

Further complicating the dire situation is the fact that no one knows with certainty how far Iran has progressed toward the development of nuclear weapons. Most reports indicate it is nearing completion. Of one crucial fact, however, there can be no doubt: If Iran were to succeed in its nuclear ambitions, the largest state sponsor of terrorism on Earth would possess an arsenal of weapons with which it could obliterate entire nations and blackmail the world.

These thoughts are sobering, but as faithful followers of Christ and students of Scripture, they should not surprise us. The Bible reveals that in the Last Days, wars will rage and chaos will ensue (Matthew 24:6; Mark 13:7). Things are going to get very bad on Earth before they become wondrously good. In light of these things, I encourage you to watch and “pray fervently for the peace of Jerusalem.” But as you pray, remember that Jerusalem will only experience true and lasting peace when “the Prince of Peace,” Yeshua HaMashiach, returns as King to reign over the earth from the Holy City (Isaiah 9:6, 7; Luke 1:31-33). Even so come, Lord Jesus!

Part 1 

In this series of articles entitled “Rapture & Wrath: Ready or Not?” we focus on the sequence and chronology of events occurring during the future time found in Scripture known as the “Seventieth Week,” which is outlined briefly in the Book of Daniel. You may be familiar with this future period by its common name, “the Tribulation.” However, this widely-used designation is biblically incorrect, and is one of the reasons there has been such a great deal of confusion and conflict within the Church in understanding the timing of the rise of the Antichrist, the rapture of believers, and the wrath of God. We’ll dig deeper into the specifics of these issues further in this series.

As Christians, we should live with the expectation that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will take place within our lifetime. When God brings this era to a close, He will punish the world for its wickedness, and usher in a new era where He establishes His Millennial (1,000-year) Kingdom on Earth and rules the world from Jerusalem. This will be a time of unmatched peace, justice, and glory, and is wondrously described in Isaiah Chapter 11.

But before Jesus Christ takes His rightful place upon the throne of Israel, there will be a climactic seven-year period during which unbridled wickedness, satanic deception, and cataclysmic destruction will devastate much of the earth. And when the stench of mankind’s iniquity has reached its threshold and ignites the fury of God’s wrath, divine judgment will rain down from heaven to purge the earth of all which has defiled it.

A Future Seven Years Identified

Having said this, how do we know human history is heading toward a climactic period of events with a duration of seven years – as opposed to five, eight, ten, or more years? The answer is found within the pages of the Old Testament Book of Daniel, which gives us the crucial chronological framework necessary to understand this significant period of time.
As Daniel and the Jewish people were nearing the end of their captivity in Babylon, this beloved prophet of God petitioned the Lord to understand what would become of his people, the Jews, after their captivity had ended. The answer was revealed to Daniel through an angelic vision. He was told:

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people [the Jews] and upon thy holy city [Jerusalem], to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness … and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24).

These seventy weeks (or literally, 70 sevens of years) add up to 490 total years. So, in reality, Daniel was told through the words of the angel Gabriel that God would restore His people, punish evil, enthrone Jesus Christ as King of the earth, and bring history to a proper consummation – all within 490 years.

At first look, this seems to be an implausible scenario. However, in the very next verse, the crucial starting point of this 490-year prophecy was given to Daniel. It was to begin with the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem. We know this historic proclamation was issued by Persian King Artaxerxes Longimanus in 445 B.C. (read Nehemiah 2:1-8). On that occasion, Artaxerxes granted the Jews permission to rebuild Jerusalem’s city walls.

We also have another crucial piece of information given to us in Daniel 9:26. Daniel is told the Messiah would be cut off after 69 weeks (69 sevens of years), which equals 483 years. In other words, the first 483 years of Daniel’s prophecy ended with the death of Jesus on the cross at Calvary.

This brings us to an important question. If the entire prophecy given to Daniel consists of a total of 490 years, and if 483 years of the prophecy were completed at the time of our Lord’s crucifixion, what are we to understand regarding the final seven years? They, obviously, did not occur immediately after Christ’s crucifixion. The answer is this: The final seven years of Daniel’s prophetic vision have yet to occur and are still in the future.

Today, we are living in the period of time between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel’s prophecy. This “gap” in time is known biblically as the Times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24). We also know it today as the Church Age. The Old Testament prophetic writers most likely had no idea there would be such a large span of time until the ultimate fulfillment of their prophecies. But they did understand there would be one, final, climactic period at the end of the age when God would judge wickedness and vindicate Himself before all nations.

Seven Years and the Importance of Timing

To reiterate once again, this seven-year period is commonly – but incorrectly – referred to as “the Tribulation.” This name has been superimposed on the “Seventieth Week” of the Book of Daniel, but there is absolutely no justification for it. This is far more than simple semantics. As a student of Scripture, if you regard the entire seven years as a time of “tribulation” enacted by God, it is but a small jump to reason that all seven years represent the “wrath” of God.

This is critically important in light of the apostle Paul’s teaching in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 which confirms the fact that “God hath not appointed us [the Church] to wrath.” In other words, Paul is saying to Christians: God will not leave you on the earth to endure His fury – you will be raptured beforehand.

Paul’s teaching is clear: The Church (believers) will not be on Earth during any part of God’s wrath. There can be no room for disagreement on this point. However, if you then make the assumption that the entire seven-year, so-called “Tribulation” is the wrath of God, you will be forced to conclude the Church will be raptured “pretribulationally” – that is, before the seven-year “tribulation” begins.

Conversely, if God’s wrath begins well inside this final seven-year framework – and its duration is significantly less than seven years – then we must look to the Scriptures to determine when it begins, and how long it will last.

This is the core issue when it comes to understanding the timing of the rapture of the Church and Christ’s second coming. The question all Christians must ask themselves is this: If the Church is not destined to be the recipient of God’s wrath, then when does the wrath of God actually begin?

Again, we cannot stress enough just how critically important it is for believers to have a clear understanding from Scripture about this future time. The Scriptures teach believers will enter the Seventieth Week, will encounter the Antichrist, will endure persecution, and will be raptured by God before He pours out His wrath upon the earth.

There is an urgency in this hour of history – but most Christians in the West have been desensitized to the danger ahead. If believers think we’re going to be taken out of here before things get tough, we will not prepare as we should – like a well-trained soldier who knows he or she may be called to the frontlines.

Furthermore, the realization that the Church will encounter the Antichrist and endure a significant portion of Daniel’s Seventieth Week will dramatically impact the way you live today.

For most believers, life is centered on the daily issues of managing finances, improving marriage, achieving career goals, raising kids, and planning for retirement; obviously, these are all vitally important. But if you understand you and your family may be among the final generation of believers who will face the difficulties associated with that future seven-year period (which will begin centered in Israel), you will far more intentionally watch and be discerning when you see earth-shaking events begin to unfold in the Middle East.

Sadly, many Christians today are not looking toward God’s covenant nation, Israel. As a result, they are missing out on a great deal of knowledge and prophetic understanding given to us by God in Scripture, which is invaluable for this hour of history. The land of Israel, and the Jewish people, have been – and will be – at the epicenter of God’s prophetic plan, especially as it unfolds in the days ahead.

Current events are rocketing us toward the last days. If you want to understand the sequential flow and general timing of God’s prophetic plan, then you must seek the answer to this question: When does the wrath of God begin? Does it start at the outset of the Seventieth Week, or sometime inside of it? Once we determine from Scripture when the wrath of God begins, the other prophetic pieces fall into place.

What follows is a chronology of end-time events which lead to the rapture of the Church as seen in the Book of Revelation.

The Throne in Heaven

In Revelation Chapter 4, the apostle John is summoned by a trumpet up to Heaven. From this vantage point he sees a throne upon which God the Father is seated, surrounded by magnificent sights, colors, sounds, and high orders of angelic beings. The One seated upon the throne is declared to be “holy, holy, holy.” The threefold proclamation is the way of emphasizing the superlative of holiness. The One who is seated upon the throne is also spoken of as “Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” so that the attributes of omnipotence and eternality are added to His holiness.

The 24 elders seated around this awesome throne in an act of worship proclaim: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). The point is this: Because God the Father created the earth and all things for His good pleasure, and because He is holy, omnipotent, and eternal, He has both the right and the power to bring the earth and all therein to the consummation He has determined. This truth is the first of two foundational, doctrinal platforms upon which a proper understanding of Revelation and the timing of end-time events must stand.

The Scroll in God’s Right Hand

The second theological, foundational platform is found in Chapter 5. John informs his readers that he saw a book (literally, a scroll) in the right hand of God the Father who was seated upon the throne. The scroll had writing on the inside and the back. The scroll John saw was sealed with seven seals. It was not unusual for important ancient scrolls to be sealed with one, two, or even three seals. In contrast, it was extremely rare to find a scroll with seven seals.

Each seal normally had the combined appearance of a piece of twine tied around the outside of the scroll, and a small piece of clay pushed and flattened against the twine and scroll. But before the clay hardened, a brief message was written or etched into the clay itself. If a seal was broken, it could not be put back together again to conceal the intrusion.
The seven seals were all on the outside of the scroll so all seven seals had to be broken to unravel the scroll. It was a matter of all or nothing. None of the scroll could be opened until all seven seals were broken. Concerning the scroll John saw, a strong angel proclaimed with a loud voice: “Who is worthy [has the right or authority] to open the book [scroll], and to loose the seals thereof?” (Revelation 5:2).

The search for a qualified man was universal. The search was in heaven, earth, and beneath the earth. No man was found worthy to open the scroll by breaking the seven seals. The initially unsuccessful search caused John to begin to sob uncontrollably. He realized the scroll was the title deed to Earth and if the scroll could not be opened by breaking the seals – because no man was found worthy to open it – all was lost.

Then, unexpectedly, a strong angel mildly rebuked John with this command: “Weep not,” or literally, “stop weeping.” Then the reason for the command to cease weeping is given: “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book [scroll], and to loose the seven seals thereof” (Revelation 5:5). At the moment of humanity’s greatest need, Israel and the Davidic lineage are summoned to provide help for the world.

Again John beheld the throne in heaven, but this time he saw something on the throne he had missed in his earlier description. He said: “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth” (Revelation 5:6).

The Kinsman-Redeemer

The Lamb alone was worthy to take the scroll and break the seals because He was slain and redeemed us to God by His blood; as a result, we shall reign on the earth (Revelation 5:9-10). The Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the fullness of time became a man to become our kinsman. Man was created to be king of the earth, and only an innocent, sinless man who needed no redemption Himself could redeem man’s lost inheritance. Jesus is worthy to open the scroll because He redeemed us to God by His blood. The heavenly choir breaks out into unrestrained singing with these words:

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne [God the Father], and unto the Lamb [God the Son] for ever and ever (Revelation 5:12-13).

The first foundation upon which to understand Revelation and end-time events is that the Father is to receive blessing, honor, and glory because He created the earth and all therein. The second foundation is that the Son is to receive blessing, honor, and glory because He redeemed that fallen creation.

In ancient Israel, a man known as a goel (“kinsman-redeemer”) could redeem a family member’s lost inheritance if he met three criteria. First, he must be a kinsman. Second, he must be willing to redeem (not all kinsmen were willing). Third, he must have the redemption price. First, Jesus became a man to become our Kinsman. Second, Jesus was willing to redeem. Third, Jesus had the redemption price – His shed blood. We were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold (1 Peter 1:18).

A goel sometimes had one more responsibility. Sometimes there were squatters, living on the land which had to be forcibly driven from the land. When Jesus, as the Kinsman-Redeemer, began to break the seals to unravel the scroll, he was beginning the process, which would continue throughout the Book of Revelation, of driving squatters off the land such as wicked men, corrupt nations, counterfeit religions, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and Satan himself. This is all done during the Day of the Lord (which is the time of God’s wrath). When finished, He will establish a Golden Age upon the earth.

The Breaking of the Seals

In Revelation 6, Jesus, the Kinsman-Redeemer, begins to break the seals around the scroll. When broken, the first four seals permit four horses and riders – one after another – to gallop onto the earth. In sequence, they portray false christs, wars, famines, and increasing death from pestilence. These four horses and riders begin their ride during the first half (3½ years) of the seven-year Seventieth Week. The fifth seal, when broken, begins the Great Tribulation, which is also called the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), and starts at the midpoint of Daniel’s Seventieth Week. (Note: The term “Great Tribulation” is a biblical term, but it is never used to describe the entire seven-year period of time.)

After starting at the midpoint, the Great Tribulation does not last for the remaining 3½ years as popularly taught. It is amputated, or “cut short,” before the end of the Seventieth Week of Daniel, by the breaking of the sixth seal. The sixth seal initiates cosmic disturbance.

At that time (the breaking of the sixth seal) the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven. The cosmic disturbance is the clear indication the “Day of the Lord” (which is the time of God’s wrath) is about to begin. This will be the direct intervention of God for judgment in the earth. He will purge the earth of all that has defiled it since the fall of humanity in the Garden of Eden.

The six seals of Revelation 6 are a clear parallel to the teaching of the Lord Jesus about His second coming in His Olivet Discourse, which includes false christs, wars, famines, death by pestilences (Matthew 24:3-8), great tribulation (Matthew 24:9-22), and cosmic disturbance (Matthew 24:29-30).

IT IS AT THIS POINT THAT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH TAKES PLACE BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS NOT APPOINTED UNTO GOD’S WRATH (Matthew 24:31). THEREFORE, THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH OCCURS FOLLOWING THE BREAKING OF THE SIXTH SEAL – JUST BEFORE GOD BEGINS TO POUR OUT HIS WRATH ON A SINFUL WORLD.

What Happened to the Seventh Seal?

It would be reasonable to assume the seventh seal would be a focal topic in Chapter 7. But it is absent. Six seals were broken in sequence in Chapter 6, but no mention of the seventh seal is in Chapter 7. Instead, it opens with an urgent command to four angelic beings, which were about to begin to hurt the earth, to refrain from their harmful activity for a time:

And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads (Revelation 7:1-3).

The sixth seal, which is cosmic disturbance, indicates God’s wrath is about to begin. (Many Old Testament passages clearly link cosmic disturbance with the impending wrath of God during the Day of the Lord.) But two events must occur before His wrath. First, 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes, must be sealed for protection during the Day of the Lord (Revelation 7:4-8). Second, the Church (believers), which is not appointed to God’s wrath, will be raptured. These raptured believers are described as a great multitude which no one can number, from out of all nations, who came out of the Great Tribulation, who are now in Heaven, clothed with white robes, palms in their hands, and saying, “Salvation to our God … and unto the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9-17).

Silence in Heaven

Revelation Chapter 8 opens with these words: “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour” (Revelation 8:1). How strange to read of silence in heaven for 30 minutes. What would have caused this silence? The answer is provided in an obscure Old Testament text: “Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand” (Zephaniah 1:7).

The wrath of God upon the earth, which begins with the breaking of the seventh seal, will be so devastating there will be silence in heaven just prior to its momentous unleashing. Those among the silent may include angelic beings, but clearly, it includes the Church, just raptured in the previous chapter and who are referred to in Chapter 8 as being in a mode of prayer. The prayer is not on behalf of wicked humanity but out of reverence for God, who, in the final judgment of the earth, is being vindicated throughout the universe (Revelation 8:2-6).

When the seventh seal is opened, the trumpet judgments of God begin to fall upon the earth. It is the seventh seal which contains the seven trumpets, and out of the seventh trumpet emerges the seven bowls. All of these judgments are the work of God the Father and the Kinsman-Redeemer who are driving squatters off the earth and purging it of all of sin’s defilement through the ages. All of this is being done by a God who is holy, holy, holy, infinite in power, and everlasting in longevity.

Conclusion

It is our fervent belief that the Church (believers) will be on earth during the first six seals of this future seven-year period of time known as the Seventieth Week of Daniel. During that time, many believers will fall prey to intense persecution occurring on planet Earth, including persecution being unleashed by the Antichrist. Some believers will be martyred at this time (Daniel 7:21; Revelation 13:7). However, a proper understanding of the Scriptures makes it clear that this is man’s (Satan’s) wrath against believers – it is certainly not the wrath of God. Faithful Christians who lose their lives during Daniel’s Seventieth Week will be ushered immediately into the presence of God.

It is our prayer that this article has given you insight regarding the basic chronology of the final seven years of this era of human history, and in particular that of the Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church. It is not our intention to be adversarial, to sound unnecessary alarms, or to foster a sense of fear within the true Church. Good and godly people can and do have differing views as to the timing of the Rapture.

It is our hope that this article has provided a firm foundation on which to understand the studies that follow in this series on the Pre-Wrath Rapture, the wrath of God, and the second coming of our glorious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. With a clear knowledge of God’s sovereign plan for the future should also come a quiet confidence that rests upon this truth: “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).