The Eternal Kingdom

The first twenty three verses of Revelation 21 give physical description of the New Jerusalem.  The city is the capital of God’s kingdom, and Revelation 21:24-27 describe the attitudes and atmosphere of the city.  “And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.  And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.  And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.”

The various countries around the world are united in and proud to be a part of God’s kingdom, instead of constantly jockeying to get ahead as we see in every world alliance throughout history.  Unlike human governments, the doors are open to everyone around the clock, and since those with evil attitudes have been consigned to the Lake of Fire, along with Satan, only those who have placed their faith in Christ will be in the New Earth.  For eternity it will be like it was during the millennium of Christ kingdom, when as Isaiah 1:9 says, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

While the entire city will be beautiful, even the decorative aspects are for the benefit of the people, as we see in Revelation 22:1-5.  “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”

The river of the water of life flows down the main street, and is available to everyone in the city.  Along both sides of the river, on the main street are rows of the tree of life, where they are accessible to everyone.  They have different fruit every month of the year, and the leaves are effective medication for every health problem.  God the father and Jesus Christ personally meet with the people every day.  Because they are eternal there will be no political competition with different political figures trying to gain influence.  People in the present world have never seen anything like it, but it is surely going to happen, as Revelation 22:6 makes very clear.  “And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.”

God’s eternal kingdom on the New Earth will complete the fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah 9:6-7.  “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

New Jerusalem

While we are told little about the New Heaven and the New Earth, we are given a much more detailed physical description of the city New Jerusalem.  Revelation 21:9-14 describes John’s initial impression.  “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”

From a distance the City looked like an enormous fortress or castle, but was far more beautiful than any man made castle, made of polished stone.  As they approached the city, he saw the gates were made of pearls with three to each side, and a sign bearing the name of one of the tribes of Israel at each gate.  The foundation stones of the wall were marked with the names of the twelve apostles.   When they arrived, John observed details he had not been able to see from a distance.   First he describes the size in Revelation 21:15-17.  “And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.  And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.  And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.”

The city is twelve thousand furlongs square and of the same height. Since a furlong is about one eighth of a mile this makes the city about one thousand five hundred miles on each side.   If located in the United States, it would cover an area almost half the size of the United states, reaching from Boston to Key Largo Florida, and extending west to Lincoln Nebraska.  It will be almost three thousand times as tall as the highest building on earth and six times as high as the international space station.  To support the weight, the walls will be two hundred sixteen feet thick at the base.  It is one gigantic fortress. 

Next, John describes the materials the city is built of, in revelation 21:18-21.  “And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.  And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.  And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.”

The walls are built of dense highly polished jasper stone, and everything is overlaid with the purest gold.  The footings or foundations of the wall are decorated with various precious and semi-precious stones, much like a public building might use slabs of marble to cover the concrete footings in a basement.   With only one gate every five hundred miles, the gates must be huge, but each one is made out of a single pearl.  Like the rest of the city, the streets are paved with the purest gold.  That our rarest and most valuable items are used as building materials emphasizes how poor and worthless our present wealth is. 

On this present earth, such a city would not be possible.  The weight of the walls would dislocate the various tectonic plates causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.  In our present world, people often need oxygen to survive at the tops of our tallest mountains and no one survive without it at the space station, yet the city is six times that tall.  As we said earlier, clearly the New Earth is different than the present one.  Because of God’s presence, there will be no need for a temple to worship him, as Revelation 21:22-23 tells us.  “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”   I assume that if the sun and the moon still shine, because of the light of God and of Christ, they will be like turning on the yard lights on a sunny day.  They will not even be noticed. 

A New Heaven And A New Earth

For a thousand years, mankind will live in world the way God intended it to be.  When they choose to follow Satan instead, God will judge them for their individual choices, and all who have rejected him will be sentenced to the Lake of Fire.  Those who have believed in him, whose names have been written in the Book of life will have been changed so they can inherit the kingdom of heaven as described in I Corinthians 15:50-53.  “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.  Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

Mankind’s sin has corrupted the entire world, causing many changes, as described in Genesis 3, and as a result, Genesis 6:11 tells us, “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.”  Initially, there was no death, but as a result of man’s sin death came upon all men. God had intended for all animals to be vegetarian, but after death came into the world, some began to kill others.  Some animals became carnivorous, killing other animals and eating their flesh while others became scavengers, eating whatever they left.  Death became a fact of life for every living thing, and the entire earth suffered as a result, as Romans 8:21-22 tells us.  “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”

Because he loves mankind, God did not utterly destroy them, giving them thousands of years to choose whether to follow him or not, but one day he will judge them for their choices.  When he finishes, he will also destroy the world that has been corrupted, replacing it with a new one, as described in II Peter 3:9-13.  “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Revelation 21:1 starts with that new world.  “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” It will be much different than the world we know.   Today three quarters of the earth is covered by water which helps to moderate and regulate temperature and weather around the world.  When temperatures rise above about forty degrees, more water evaporates, cooling the water and the resulting clouds reduce the amount of sunlight hitting the earth, helping to lower the temperature.  When the temperature falls below about forty degrees, evaporation is greatly reduced, and the water absorbs the heat, warming the air above it and limiting how cold it will get.  These effects are critical for the survival of life as we know it.  Current climate change models overlook the role water plays in regulating temperatures.  Apparently regulating temperatures will not be an issue in the new heaven and earth. 

No other descriptions of the new earth, or the new heaven themselves are given in scripture, but is is a place where God will feel comfortable.  He will create a new city called new Jerusalem. And dwell there with those who love him, according to Revelation 21:2-7.  “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

The creation of the new heaven and new earth will eliminate all the corruption and wickedness of the world today.  God will interact personally with his people, supplying their needs for ever.  All those who have rejected him, rebelling against his authority and refusing to trust him will be cast into the Lake of fire as Revelation 21:8 describes.  “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”  They will have no contact with that new world, but will be surrounded by the ones who have corrupted this world.   

The Judgement of Mankind

After the defeat of the global army, the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be cast into the Lake of Fire.  Satan will be imprisoned for a thousand years, and Christ will set up his earthly kingdom.  Those who have followed him and obeyed his laws will hold the positions of authority in this earthly kingdom, as described in Revelation 20:4.  “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” 

This is the period Isaiah 2:2-4 describes.  “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, 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.  And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”  Joel 3:9-13 and Micah 4:1-4 also describe this period. 

Isaiah 11:4-9 gives some other details about this thousand year period.  “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.  And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

I Thessalonians 4:16-17 describes the resurrection of the believers.  “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”  they are the ones mentioned in the first reaping in Revelation 14:14-16.  “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.  And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.  And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.”

This resurrection is only for those who believe in Christ, as Revelation 20:5-6 explains.  “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”   For a thousand years, they will live on this earth, with no disease, no crime, no wars, and no reason for fear.  For those who have believed, this will be a time of rejoicing, and they will never have to worry about being judged unworthy.   

Those who have survived the Tribulation and the global war will have experienced what it is like to have God in control of life and escape all the problems of our present life.  At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be released for a short time, to give those survivors an opportunity to choose whether they would prefer God or Satan as their ruler, as Revelation 20:7-10 describes.  “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

People naturally tend to prefer evil over good, and even a thousand years of perfect peace will not change their natural tendencies.  Clearly, there will be a deliberate choice to follow Satan.  As Hebrews 6:4-6 tells us, there will be no reason for God to give them any more chances.  “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”  

The only thing God can do is judge and punish those who have rejected his laws and principles.  Revelation 20:11-15 describes that Judgement.  “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

God has a record of everything a person has ever done, down to the smallest detail.  Jesus said they will be judged on the very words they said, in Matthew 12:36-37.  “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”  No matter how good or how bad they may have been, if their names are not written in the book of Life, they will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever.  Philippians 4:1-3 makes it very clear those who serve God have their names written in the book of life.  “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.  I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.  And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.” 

John 14:6 tells us, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  There is no other way into heaven but through faith in Jesus Christ.  Matthew 7:21-23 warns, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”  Without faith in Christ, their good works will not save them. 

Impact Of The Destruction Of Babylon

Babel was the first organized rebellion against God, and Babylon will play a major role in the Antichrist’s government.  Resentful of the religion’s demands, the various states will turn on Babylon as the religious center, destroying her.  After they destroy her they will begin to understand what a role the religious organizations have played in their lives.  The destruction of Babylon is announced in Revelation 18:1-3.  “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.  And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”

As the angel explains, the city is destroyed because religion has seduced people to worship other things rather than God because of the economic and political benefits of going along with their teachings.  Christians are warned not to get involved with the world’s religious practices, but to stand against them, in Revelation 18:4-6.  “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.  Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.”

For centuries, false religions have attacked Christianity, both by frontal attacks, and by trying to infiltrate and corrupt their beliefs.  They have convinced people that they are the true representatives of God, and as such are superior to other people.  It is that attitude of superiority that will result in their destruction, according to Revelation 18:7-10.  “How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.  Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.”

The destruction of Babylon will result in a political and economic vacuum that will have both the political and economic consequences on the entire world, as described in Revelation 18:9-19.  “And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.  And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.”

The destruction of Babylon will eliminate the middle men who have facilitated the selling of everything from food and necessities to slaves and sexual perversion.  Those who fear God will be glad to see the end of the corruption, as Revelation 18:20 tells us.  “Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.”

Revelation 18:21-24 describes it as sudden and complete destruction.  “And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.  And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.  And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.”

The rebellion at Babel against God and his commands laid the foundation for all the murders and ungodly behavior since the flood.  The Tower of Babel has been preserved as the Temple of Marduk to the present day.  It is a monument to man’s rebellion against God.   

Babylon’s Role In History

The sixth of the seven last plagues includes an earthquake that destroys cities around the world.  Special mention is made of the destruction of Babylon, in Revelation 16:19.  “… and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.”   Revelation 17 explains why the destruction of Babylon is such a significant event.    One of the angels who carried the seven last plagues introduces the subject in Revelation 17:1-2.  “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”  The angel describes the city as a courtesan, a woman who prostitutes herself in the courts of government to gain influence and wealth.   As a result she develops relationships with powerful political leaders, using her looks and influence to manipulate various officials.  

The angel then took John into the desert to show him the great prostitute, in Revelation 17:3.  “So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”  John describes her as a prostitute riding the beast from Revelation 13:1.  “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.”  As we saw, that beast of monster represented the world government led by the Antichrist. 

Revelation 17:4-5 clearly identifies the prostitute.  “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”  She is identified by several names.  The first, Mystery refers to secret religious rites.  The second, Babylon the Great,  refers to the Land of Babel, mentioned in Genesis 11:1-9.  She is then described as the Mother of harlots nad abominations of the earth.  The tower of Babel was the first false religion, deliberately built to seduce people into disobeying God’s order to fill the entire earth.  It laid the groundwork for every false religion since.  Those false religions have consistently persecuted and killed those who follow God from the very beginning, as Revelation 17;6 describes.  “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.”

The angel then goes on to explain exactly what each part of the vision means, in Revelation 17:7-18.  “And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.  And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.  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.  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.  And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”

As we mentioned earlier, the beast represents the global government under the Antichrist.  It is based on seven earlier world empires, one of which did not yet exist when John was writing the Revelations.  Under the Antichrist’s leadership there will be an alliance of ten nations which were not known in John’s day.  They will support the Antichrist in his efforts to wipe out those who serve God, and flock to help in his attack on Jesus Christ.  Resenting and fearing the influence of the religious world, they will turn on them, fulfilling God’s purpose of destroying the city and the religious power it represents. 

The Seven Last Plagues

Because God loves mankind, he gives them warning after warning that he will judge their sin.  In Revelation 14, he warned that man’s rebellion will ultimately fail and that their army and power will be completely destroyed.  Just before he destroys them, he causes several more events that force people to choose whether they will serve God or not.  Mankind’s refusal to listen will bring God to the boiling point, as Revelation 15:1 tells us.  “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

Even as people here on earth rebel against him, those who have followed Christ through the Tribulation are singing his praises, as described in Revelation 15;2-4.  “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.  Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.”

We are privileged to see a small example of the attitude of those who follow the Antichrist in American society today.  Like those who oppose Trump oppose everything he tries to do, Those who oppose Christ will reject every overture to reach out to them.  God will try again to get them to think about what is going on.  Revelation 15:5-16:1 describes preparations for God’s final efforts to get their attention.  “And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.  And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.”

The first of the seven last plagues is some kind of skin disease, producing painful infections similar to boils, constantly oozing pus, according to Revelation 16:2.  “And the first went, and poured out his vial 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.”   These afflict those who have the mark and worship the Antichrist. 

While an earlier plague had poisoned a third of the sea, turning it red, the second of these last plagues make the sea coagulate like the blood of a dead person, with the result that everything in the oceans will die, according to Revelation 16:3.  “And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea.”

One third of the fresh water had been polluted earlier, but now all the fresh water becomes like blood, because violence has been so widely accepted, as Revelation 16:4-7 describes.  “And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.  And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.  And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.” 

We have heard a lot about global warming in recent years.  In that day, God will cause the sun to give off more heat than normal, with the result that temperatures become far hotter than normal.  All the efforts to prevent Global warming will have no effect, according to Revelation 16:8-9.  “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.  And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.”  While it will be clear that only God could do this, people will refuse to repent, cursing God instead.   

The fifth plague will disrupt the power supply to the Antichrist’s capital, and block out the sunlight, yet the heat will continue. People will be doing anything they can to distract themselves from the pain of their skin infections and sunburns, as Revelation 16:10-11 describes.  “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.”  The cursing of God will only get worse as a result. 

The sixth angel will cause a drought that results in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers drying up, making it easy for the armies of Asia to attack Israel.  The drying of the Euphrates will leave Babylon without water, and forcing people to leave.  Satan will use the destruction of their religious center to Incite the people to attack Jerusalem and God’s people, as described in Revelation 16:12-16.  “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.  And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”

The darkness in his capital and the destruction of Babylon have stirred up Satan and the Antichrist’s anger and they are prepared to fight the Lord at the Armageddon, but there is still one plague to come, as Revelation 16:17-21 describes.  “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.  And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.  And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.”

There will be greatest earthquake in human history.  It will destroy cities around the world, causing mountains to collapse like Mt St. Helens, and islands to disappear.  Babylon will be destroyed, and with the Euphrates dried up, they will be unable to put the fires out.  Along with the earthquake, there will be a huge hailstorm, with hailstones weighing as much as seventy pounds battering down buildings and killing people and livestock.  Blaming God, people will flock to Satan’s army in hopes of defeating him.  . 

There Is A Limit To God’s Patience

God loves mankind, and as a result, he repeatedly gives those who disobey chances to repent, but his patience is limited, as Genesis 6:3 states.  “And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.”  Before the flood, people lived hundreds of years, but after the flood, they were limited to only about a hundred twenty years if they refused to do what was right.  Most people today do not live even close to that long. 

Not only has God limited how long individuals will live as a result of sin, he has also set a limit on how long he will but up with humanity’s rebellion.  It is frustrating for those who try to do right to see people openly flaunting their sin and trying to force others to approve of it as the homosexual and transgender movement does.  As a result, Christians are looking forward to time when God stops the rebellion, as Revelation 14:12-13 tells us.  “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.   And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, 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.”  Now death Frees them from that struggle, but when the Lord ends the rebellion, there will be no more struggles. 

During the Tribulation, God will allow mankind to see that neither they, nor Satan can manage the problems in the world, giving them one more chance to turn to him.  When they have gone to the limit against him, he will intervene and stop their rebellion.  Just before he destroys the wicked, he will remove his people from earth for their protection.  Revelation 14:14-16 describes the Lord removing his people.  “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.  And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.  And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.”

With those who have chosen to follow God safely out of Satan’s reach, God will destroy those who have chosen to follow Satan, as described in Revelation 14:17-20.  “And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.  And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.  And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.  And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.”

For the last three and a half years, Satan and the global government led by the Antichrist will have controlled Jerusalem and tried to eliminate all worship of God.  When Christ returns to Jerusalem and makes it his capitol, the armies of the world will unite in an attempt to maintain the power of the Antichrist and his global government.    Ezekiel 39 lists some of the groups that will be involved.  There will be a battle fought in the valley of Megiddo, where Satan and his armies will be defeated.  So many people will be killed the blood will run bridle deep on the horses.  Ezekiel 39:12-14 tells us it will take seven months to bury all the bodies.  “And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.  Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD.  And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.”

God used the illustration of reaping a crop of grapes to illustrate his final judgement on the earth.  It is essential that the grapes be allowed to come to peak ripeness so that they make the best tasting juice or raisins possible.  If picked to soon, they will not taste good, and if left too late, they will begin to rot.  God will not bring judgement on the earth until the last person has been saved, nor will he delay it and allow Satan to destroy his people.  Revelation 19 will give more detail about the battle of Armaggeddon.

God’s Love Demonstrated Again

The false prophet has horns like a lamb, but the voice of a dragon.  Like numerous other false prophets throughout history, his appearance is intended to give the illusion that he is the Lamb of God, but he is inspired by Satan.  When John looked around he saw the real lamb, Christ, surrounded by God’s chosen people, according to Revelation 14:1.  “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.”

The real Messiah will be honored by people that love God.  One of the tests John gave for identifying whether a teacher was from God or not was to look at who hears them, in I John 4:5-6.  “They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”  The entire hundred forty four thousand have served their time on earth and understand what Christ has done for them.  They sing a song of praise that people who have never suffered for the Lord cannot sing.  Revelation 14:2-5 describes the kind of men they are.  “And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.  And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.”

Even at this point, when the Antichrist has seized control of the world government, killing the hundred forty four thousand, and trying to kill all who believe in God, the Lord will still give people one more opportunity to accept Christ as Revelation 14:6-7 tells us.  “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, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

Throughout the centuries, there have been various religious centers such as Rome, Mecca. Jerusalem, Alexandria, or Constantinople.  The Antichrist will establish a worldwide religion combining elements from several of those religions, making Babylon the religious center of the world.   God will cause the destruction of Babylon to get people’s attention, as described in Revelation 14:8.  “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”  This will be discussed more in revelation 17. 

This will be followed by a serious warnings about the danger of following the Antichrist, as stated in Revelation 14:9-11.  “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”  II Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord is …longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  He will give mankind repeated opportunities to repent right up until the final judgement, because he loves mankind.  II Peter 3:10 warns, despite his love, God will judge the world.  “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”  

With all the repeated warnings people will have no excuse for ignoring God.  He loves mankind too much to allow Satan and his followers to keep killing people.

The Antichrist And The False Prophet

Over the centuries, Satan has repeatedly tried to seize control of the world by setting up a global government and religion.  After the flood, he inspired the construction of the Tower of Babel, and has inspired a number of world empires since that time.  He will set up one more world empire a few years before the Lord’s return.  That government will be based on what he learned from the previous world empires, and will be taken over by a man we know as the Antichrist.  Revelation 13:1-8 describes his coming to power.  “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.  And the beast 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 gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.  

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.  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.  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.”

Satanically inspired, the beast or Antichrist will convince people that they can resolve all the world’s problems if they just follow him.  Despite his promises of peace, we will use military might to crush any opposition and do everything in his power to destroy anyone who worships God, blaming them for preventing his success.  The resemblances to the dragon are intentional, focusing mankind’s attention on Satan. 

Just before the Antichrist takes power, according to Daniel 11:17-19, the world government will form a peace treaty with Israel and then turn to the east in a conflict over a bunch of islands.  This will result in one of the armies being wiped out and economic collapse.  When the Antichrist comes to power he will rebuild that country, convincing people he has the power to fix the world’s problems.  Revelation 13:9-10 warns that  things will not turn out the way he promises.  “If any man have an ear, let him hear.   He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”

Throughout history, governments have used religion to manipulate the people and the Antichrist will use religion to help him control the people as well.  Revelation 13:11-17 describes the leader of his religious organization.  “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.  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.

And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.  And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

This second beast, or false prophet forms a religion that in some ways resembles Christianity, but their beliefs are Satanic.  It is designed to deceive the people, seeming miracles to convince them and getting them to worship the Antichrist as a god. 

Citizens of the Antichrists empire will be required to have a mark, perhaps some sort of chip in their forehead or their hand, and apparently it will use the number 666 as a prefix to identify them as following the Antichrist.  Revelation 13:18 warns “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath 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 is just a number at present, but what it means will become clear during the Tribulation period. 

Why Will God Judge The World?

We know from revelation 10:7 that when the last trumpet sounds it will finish God’s judgement on earth.  In Revelation 12 and 13, God gives a quick review of history to explain why his judgement is so severe.  His judgement is the culmination of millennia of Satanic rebellion against God and his plan. 

Revelation 12:1-2 introduces one major player, the nation of Israel.  “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: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.”  Joseph first saw the sun and moon and twelve stars in his dream in Genesis 37:9-10.  “And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.  And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?”   

For centuries, Israel looked forward to the coming of the Messiah.  The first clear statement that he would come from Israel is found in Genesis 49:10.  “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”  As time passed, the prophecies about the Messiah would become clearer,

The second major player in history is Satan, portrayed by a great red dragon or lizard in Revelation 12:3-4.  “And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.”

Revelation 17:9-11 explains the symbolism of the seven heads.  “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.  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.  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.”  The seven heads represent seven empires. Five had already passed when John was writing, and the Roman Empire was in power at the time.  There will be one more global empire, and the Antichrist will build his empire out of it.  Revelation 17:12-13 explains that the ten horns are countries that unite with the Antichrist to form his kingdom.  “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.”   Satan, the dragon has inspired and supported every one of those empires, and all of them tried to prevent the Messiah from coming to power.      

Despite the dragon’s efforts, using the governments of the world, Messiah was born, and Satan turned on Israel in an attempt to destroy her, according to Revelation 12:5-6.  “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”  The last three and a half years of the Tribulation will be one long concerted attack on Israel.   

The whole thing started when Satan also called Lucifer decided to overthrow God in Isaiah 14:12-14.  “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

This led to war, and Satan was kicked out of heaven along with a third of the angels who chose who follow him, as Revelation 12:7-9 explains.  “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.  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.”

Because Christ, the Messiah brought us salvation, Satan has been defeated and knows that his time is limited he is doing everything he can to stop God’s plan.  Revelation 12:10-12 warns, “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters 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.”

In one final attempt to disrupt God’s plans, Satan will do everything he can to turn Israel against God and destroy those who follow him.  Revelation 12:13-17 describes those efforts.  “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of 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.  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.  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”   

For three and a half years, Satan will do everything he can to destroy Israel, but when those efforts fail he will turn on anyone around the world who serves God, whether Jew or Gentile.   He is still desperately trying to overthrow God.

God’s Final Warning

Daniel 11 tells us that the Antichrist will seize control of the global government half way through the Tribulation.  Even during that period, God will still be working in people’s hearts, as described in Revelation 11:1-3.  “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.” 

When he comes to power, the Antichrist will break the treaty with Israel, taking over Jerusalem and defiling the Temple for forty two months or three and a half years.  During that same forty two months, God’s two witnesses will prophesy in Jerusalem, but their message will be heard around the world.  Revelation 11:4 describes their ministry.  “These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.  These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.”

During the first three and half years of the Tribulation, the hundred forty four thousand will build the temple and teach the Jews to worship God.  When the Antichrist takes over, they will be forced to flee, as Jesus described in Matthew 24.  Much like Elijah prophesying to Ahab and Jezebel, these two witnesses will stand against the Antichrist and the false prophet.  Like Elijah, they will do miraculous things to show that they are in fact from God.  Some have speculated that they may in fact be Elijah and John, based on the fact that Elijah was still alive when he was caught up into heaven, and Jesus’ statement in Matthew 16:28.  “Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”  This could be what Revelation 10:11refers to since there is no actual record of John’s death.  “And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” 

Like Elijah, the two witnesses will be hated by the powers of his day, and will eventually be killed, as described in Revelation 11:7-10.  “And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.  And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.”

The death of the two witnesses will be taken as proof they have eliminated God’s power by Satan and his followers.  They will leave the bodies lying in the street as proof of their success, broadcasting pictures around the world.  Three and a half days later, the dead bodies will come back to life, terrifying the people in Jerusalem, according to Revelation 11:11.  “And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.”  The fear will intensify when God calls them into heaven, in Revelation 11:12.  “And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.”

Immediately, there will be a great earthquake in Jerusalem, killing seven thousand people, and the survivors will recognize it is God’s power, as Revelation 11:13 states.  “And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.”  The death and resurrection of the two witnesses seems to occur about the end of the time described in the Revelation 9:14-21, when a third of the earth’s population will be killed, as Revelation 11:14 tells us.  “Re 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.”

Revelation 10:7 told us, “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.”  With the killing of the two witnesses, mankind has made it very clear they will not seek the Lord despite his efforts to warn them.  Now he will move to end their rebellion forever, setting up his own kingdom.  Those who are in heaven will be pleased that he has finally stopped Satanic power, as Revelation 11:15-19 describes.  “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.  And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 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.  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.  And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.”

While those in heaven are rejoicing, natural disasters continue on the earth.  Revelation 11:19 states, “…and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.”