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.