John explained how Jesus Christ Himself instructed him to write to the seven churches and share with them his prophetic vision of the Messiah's Second Coming.

In being "in the Spirit of the Lord's Day," John was enabled to see the entire process of Judgment, from beginning to end, and record all that he observed as though he was there.

While other passages use the phrase, "Day of the Lord," to refer to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ or Jesus' judgment on the Great White Throne, John's account indicates that the "Day of the Lord" encompasses a period of time that is much larger than a twenty four hour day.

The apostle John is instructed by Jesus Christ to record all of his observations of what he will see in a sequence; however, what John sees is not in the sequence of a) the past, b) things which are (i.e. the present), and c) things which will take place after these things (i.e. the future). While this contributes to the challenge of reading and understanding John's observations, Revelation is intended for Believers to read and know.

This implies that the scroll John is about to write, Revelation, is a continuous record of all that he is shown sequentially. John will be describing what he sees as best as he can so he should be taken literally and with the natural meaning of words. When he is observing something he is unfamiliar with, he uses figures of speech (i.e. similes, etc.). This affects our biblical hermeneutics of Revelation.

However, after John eats the "little scroll" (Rev 10:1-11), it appears that the Second and Third Interludes are the only sections in Revelation that are discontinuous.

John's record will also include explanations of important figures of speech.

In the course of contemporaneously recording his observations, John is instructed not to record some things by someone in heaven. This indicates that some events that occur are not meant for Believers to know and understand.

1. The third angel indicates the Beast's exertion of power (political, religious, or otherwise) requiring the identification of his followers with a mark on one's forehead or hand.

2. John is told to write about Believers, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!" This is in reference to the persecution of Believers who do not accept the mark of the Beast. This precise moment is what Jesus calls "the Great Tribulation" (Matt 24:15-22).

21) For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22) And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. (Matt 24:21-22, LSB)

3. Following the third angel's announcement, Jesus Christ reaps the earth (Rev 14:14-16), and the rapture of Believers takes place. It is when "for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short."

29) "But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30) And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31) And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. (Matt 24:29-31, LSB)

4. In the chronology of God's judgments, this all occurs before the bowls are dispensed (Rev 15). When John is commanded to record "blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on," it is to highlight how heaven views those Believers who were martyred during this period of the Great Tribulation.

"Blessed are those who are invited" – Those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb are blessed. Like Jesus' Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matt 22:1-14), all people are invited; however, the ones who can attend are those wearing the proper wedding garment (Matt 22:11-14). And in this heavenly event, Believers are "clothe fine linen, bright and clean for the fine linen is their righteous acts" (Rev 19:7-8).

"True words of God" - To qualify as a descendant of Abraham, one had to have a genuine faith in God. It is only those who are Believers that God chooses to be God of (Gen 17:7). In keeping with His promise to Abraham, God's "true words" blesses and enables a Believer to be invited to the marriage supper.

2) For indeed in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3) inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4) For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5) Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. (2 Cor 5:2-5, LSB)

26) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27) For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29) And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise. (Gal 3:26-29, LSB)

This explains Jesus' concluding comment of His Parable of the Wedding Banquet, "for many are called (invited), but few are chosen" (Matt 22:14).

God is speaking to John who has just observed a new heaven, new earth, and New Jerusalem.

God emphasizes a statement that is very important for John to record, "these words are faithful and true:"

"Faithful" – This refers to God's faithful commitment to His unilateral and unconditional covenant with Abraham. I will be God to you and your descendants. (Gen 17:7)

"True" – Through the process of resurrection, "God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you" (Deut 30:1-6). Up until this point, the last promise to Abraham that was not fulfilled was the Promised Land "From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates" (Gen 15:18). With a new earth and Jerusalem, God fulfills His promise of Land for the descendants of Abraham, God's kingdom of priests, and holy nation. With the complete fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, God's word is faithful and true.

Later in this study, you will see that the stated dimensions of New Jerusalem will match the the geographical area bordered by the Nile and Euphrates rivers.

A church that promotes sound doctrine, discerns and removes false teachers, but serves without agape love. (Ephesus)

A church, whose members are quite poor, experience slander for their faith yet strong enough to endure and persevere under the circumstances. (Smyrna)

A church that has sound doctrine, but does not enforce a doctrinal standard, has teachers who embrace society's sexual norms and advocate that all religions are good. (Pergamum)

A church, motivated by love and faith, places an emphasis on and does good work, but allows teachers that teach a different gospel and unfounded biblical doctrine; there are other ways to salvation. (Thyatira)

A church, teaching little about the gospel, preaches with a focus on Christian living echoing cultural values and with little basis on the Bible. (Sardis)

A church, faithful and evangelistic, is unapologetic for God's word despite prevailing cultural pressures. (Philadelphia)

A church, whose members are wealthy and prosperous, chooses to teach Christian values that are consistent with society's values and with an emphasis on the examples found in the life of Jesus; it avoids discussion about man's sin and Jesus' death of atonement. (Laodicea)

The first heaven appears to be the physical atmosphere around the earth and its gravity where water exists as a gas and liquid.

Then God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. (Gen 1:6-8, LSB)

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth (Isa 55:10a, LSB)

The second heaven appears to be the visible solar system.

Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so. God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. (Gen 1:14-16, LSB)

The third heaven appears to be where God resides on His throne (Ps 11:4), is seen as the "highest heaven" (Deut 10:14; 1 Ki 8:27), where Jesus ascends after His resurrection (Heb 9:24), and from where the Holy Spirit is sent (1 Pet 1:12). Created by God, third heaven is also where unfallen angels, the "heavenly host," reside (Neh 9:6) and serve God (Rev 5). While God resides in the third heaven, all three comprise His heavenly realm (Ps 115:16).

The heavens are the heavens of Yahweh,
But the earth He has given to the sons of men. (Ps 115:16, LSB)

The four living creatures proclaim the holiness of God day and night without ceasing:

And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within, and day and night they do not cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come." (Rev 4:8, LSB)

The twenty four elders proclaim the sovereignty of God, and they end on the thought that "You created all things, and because of Your will they existed" (Rev 4:11). This sets up a contrast, because the scroll with the seven seals is introduced next; when the seals are broken, it is the beginning of the end of human history.

9) And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10) the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11) "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." (Rev 4:9-11, LSB)

When Jesus takes the scroll from the right hand of God His Father, the four living creatures and twenty four elders praise Jesus for fulfilling the Mosaic Covenant (Ex 19:5-9; Matt 5:17):

"because You were slain and purchased for God with Your blood people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And You made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God. (Rev 5:9-10)

The myriads of myriads of angels, who are not entitled to Jesus' work of atonement, recognize the magnitude of His obedience to His Father that results in His sacrificial death.

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing." (Rev 5:12)

All of Creation recognizes the sovereignty of God and His Son. While this is difficult to understand, there is an example of an eagle speaking (Rev 8:13), which suggests that at the end of time, the natural world may be a bit different.

"To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." (Rev 5:13)

Jesus Christ was the only one who could open the scroll, because He:

1. Obediently and knowingly endured the judicial penalty for sin and paid it in full with His death.

2. Obediently and knowingly endured the righteous wrath of God His Father and satisfied it completely with His death.

3. Enabled a kingdom of priests to arise, because before Jesus Christ, most people were unable to fulfill their commitments to the Mosaic Covenant (Rev 5:6)

In Zechariah's first vision and the first four seals, the riders of each colored horse are unfallen good angels who work in concert, as a unit, patrolling the earth (Zech 1:7-11) monitoring peace / aggression, food security, and war / violence on the earth.

In Zechariah's eighth vision, the angel on the black horse carried out God's judgment in the "north country" to appease His wrath, which is similar in purpose to the angels' task of the first four seals.

1) Then I lifted up my eyes again and saw, and behold, four chariots were coming forth from between the two mountains; and the mountains were bronze mountains. 2) With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, 3) with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses—all of them mighty. 4) Then I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me, "What are these, my lord?" 5) And the angel answered and said to me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth, 6) with one of which the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, and the dappled ones go forth to the south country. 7) Now the mighty ones went out, and they sought to go to patrol the earth." And He said, "Go, patrol the earth." So they patrolled the earth. 8) Then He cried out to me and spoke to me saying, "See, those who are going to the land of the north have caused My Spirit to have rest in the land of the north." (Zech 6:1-8)

John saw the souls of Believers who were martyred because of their faith in and testimony of God. Since this was before the completion of their resurrection (Rev 20:4-6), the apostle saw disembodied souls.

Who are these martyrs? They are Messianic Jews and Gentile Believers who died for their faith (Rev 6:9-11). This includes martyrs before and during the Great Tribulation (Rev 7:9-15; 20:4-6).

The martyred souls sought justice and appealed to God's punishment of the wicked (Deut 32:35-36; Rom 12:18-21; Heb 10:30-31). These martyred souls would be recognized for their love and service of God (Rev 7:9-17).

Upon their release from underneath the altar, the martyred souls were given a white robe (Rev 6:11), which represented the righteous acts of the saints (Rev 19:8). This clothing is reminiscent of Jesus' Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matt 22:1-14), and later the wedding banquet actually occurs in heaven (Rev 19:7-8)!

It is significant to observe that when tribulation saints were given their white robes, they were told to rest "for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also" (Rev 6:11). This suggests that all of the remaining Great Tribulation saints will be killed soon.

At the end of the Sixth Trumpet, the apostle John reports that all of the survivors of the plagues were not repentant (Rev 9:20), which suggests that before the Seventh Trumpet is sounded, most if not all, Believers are likely dead.

1. The Great Tribulation is days of vengeance against God's people "such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation."

2. Jerusalem will be surround and conquered; death and destruction awaits God's people.

3. Anyone around Jerusalem should leave immediately; the hearts of non-Believers are so hard that sharing the gospel is futile.

4. Do not find your hope in false prophets.

The apostle John reports that this special class of Believers would be resurrected first and reign with Him for a thousand years before a new heaven and earth is ushered in.

This special class of Believers is comprised of just martyrs - those who died because of their testimony of Jesus Christ and the word of God before the end times and during the Great Tribulation, because they refused the mark of the Beast and did not worship him.

9) And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the witness which they had maintained; 10) and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Master, holy and true? Will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11) And a white robe was given to each of them; and it was told to them that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also. (Rev 6:9-11, LSB)

Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. (Rev 20:4-6, LSB)

In preparation of understanding the breaking of the Seventh Seal, it is important to make the first two observations:

1. The "four angels standing at the four corners of the earth" are not in third heaven.

2. An angel "ascending from the rising sun" commands the four angels not to "harm the earth or the sea or the trees" until the bond-servants of God have been sealed. Until you read about the first four trumpets, you won't realize that this identifies the four angels as the ones who would be introduced later dispensing the judgments of the first four trumpets that harm the earth and sea.

3. Until you read about the Seventh Seal (Rev 8:1-2), you won't realize that the thirty minute silence in third heaven is the time it took to seal the foreheads of the 144,000 bond servants. No harm can come upon the earth and sea until the sealing of the 144,000 bond servants of God on earth is completed. This sealing is apparently so important that the heavenly angels do not receive their trumpets until after this period of silence.

1) When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2) Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. (Rev 8:1-2, LSB)

Observe carefully:

1. The bond servants are on earth.

2. As exemplified by Paul, Timothy, James, Peter and Jude (Phil 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Pet 1:1; Jude 1:1), a bond servant is one who is wholly devoted and dedicated to serve God. They serve without any wages and can be seen as "slaves to Christ" (Eph 5:5-8).

3. They are sealed with the names of Jesus and Yahweh written on their foreheads.

4. This sealing appears to be very different from the Holy Spirit's sealing of a new genuine Believer (2 Cor 1:21-22; Eph 1:13-14). As you will read later, the "seal of God" protected the bond servants from the woe of the Fifth Trumpet (Rev 9:4) – the plague of stinging locusts from the bottomless pit that tormented people with pain for five months.

5. The 144,000 are described as blameless virgin Jewish men who "follow Jesus wherever He goes" and were considered "first fruits to God and to the Lamb" (Rev 14:3-5).

12,000 bond servants come from each of the 12 sons of Israel.

1. The 144,000 bond servants come from the tribes of: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.

2. The original sons that Jacob blessed were (Gen 49:3-28): Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Dan, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.

3. Comparing the 144,000 bond servants to the original twelve sons of Jacob, the tribe of Dan is missing and in its place is Manasseh who was the oldest and most prominent son of Joseph (Gen 46:20; Num 26:28-37; Josh 17:1). Although Manasseh was his grandson, Jacob accepted him as his son.

5) So now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. 6) But your kin that have been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the names of their brothers in their inheritance. (Gen 48:5-6, LSB)

There is no explanation for Dan's omission from the list of 12 tribes and 12,000 bond servants. Also noteworthy is that while his grandson Manasseh was Joseph's firstborn, Jacob recognized his grandson Ephraim, Joseph's second born, as greater and blessed him accordingly (Gen 48:8-20). But the greater tribe of Ephraim was omitted from the list tribes from which the bond servants arose from.

Clothed in white robes, just like the twenty four elders (Rev 4:4) and God's angels (Rev 15:6; 19:14), the multicultural saints were standing and holding palm branches. The object of worship was God and Jesus Christ for salvation. John's record of Jesus' triumphant entry is significant, "blessed is Jesus (God is salvation) who comes in the name of the LORD."

12) On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13) took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel." (John 12:12-13, LSB)

The angels around the throne, the twenty four elders, and the four living creatures fell on their faces and worshiped God. These beings also worship Jesus Christ; but, their worship is more specific. In the context of salvation, they attributed it to God and worshiped accordingly. In the context of who could open the scroll, they attribute it to Jesus Christ and praised and worshiped Him (Rev 5:7-11).

The washed white color of the robe was determined by the atonement of Jesus Christ, and it represented the righteous acts of the saints (Rev 19:8). This special class of Believers would be resurrected first and reign with Him for a thousand years before a new heaven and earth is ushered in. (Rev 20:4-6)

Those who died for their faith during the Great Tribulation have the privilege of being before God in His presence and serving Him day and night.

God will see to their comfort in life and Jesus Christ will look over them and see to their supply of the water of life.

After observing the 144,000 bond servants and the great multitude of martyred saints of the Great Tribulation standing before God and Jesus Christ, John's First Interlude concludes with the blessings and honor that the martyred saints of the Great Tribulation receive.

This indirectly informs Believers of the seven churches of their role and purpose: share the gospel regardless of your persecution.

The implication to the seven churches is: "are you living now in the manner worthy of a Great Tribulation saint?"

1. Four angels, standing at the four corners of the earth (not in third heaven) and holding back the four winds of the earth, were "granted to harm the earth and the sea." Commanded by the angel "ascending from the rising sun with the seal of the living God," the four angels could "not harm the earth or the sea or the trees" until "we have sealed the slaves of our God on their foreheads."

The Bond Servants were sealed with the names of Jesus and Yahweh written on their foreheads (Rev 14:1). This sealing of the Bond Servants appears to be carried out by special angels, who perhaps had the seal themselves, and the process took about 30 minutes.

2. The seven angels mentioned after the First Interlude are in the Temple of God (third heaven) and were each given a trumpet while standing before God.

When Jesus Christ took the scroll from the hand of God, John observes incense, for the first time, being held by the twenty four elders in golden bowls and identified as the prayers of the saints (Rev 5:8).

Burnt on the altar outside of the earthly Temple (Ex 20:24-26; 27:1-5), incense produced an appeasing aroma to the Lord and soothed His wrath (Gen 8:20-21). Functioning in a similar fashion, the psalmist portrays incense as symbolic of the prayers of Believers (Ps 141:2).

May my prayer be established as incense before You;
The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering. (Ps 141:2, LSB)

The altar is mentioned for the first time when the Fifth Seal is broken, (Rev 6:9). The only altar in front of God is described as the four horned golden altar (Rev 8:3; 9:13).

The earthly Temple had two altars, one inside and the other outside of the Temple. Inside the Temple, in the Holy Place, was the Altar of Incense, which was overlaid with gold and known as the Golden Altar (Ex 39:38; 40:5; Num 4:11). It was considered "most holy to the Lord" (Ex 30:1-10).

Like the heavenly alter, the Altar of Incense was shaped in a square with four horns at each corner.

After the seven angels receive their trumpets, an angel is seen standing at the golden altar upon which are the prayers of all the saints. It is not clear if this is the prayers of all the saints on earth and heaven, or if it means all of the Great Tribulation martyrs. With a golden censer with much incense, the smoke produced with the prayers of the saints went up before God (Rev 8:2-4). An incident in the Old Testament provides some perspective in understanding this scene occurring in heaven.

Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer and put in it fire from the altar, and lay incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone forth from the Lord, the plague has begun!" Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. He took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was checked. (Num 16:46-48)

With the smoke of the incense and prayers of all the saints, God's wrath is temporarily halted – until the incense and prayers are all burned up. Refilling the censer with fire from the altar, the angel throws it down to earth, and God's wrath is set to resume.

Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them. (Rev 8:5-6)

The four angels standing at the four corners of the earth are not in heaven and each carry out harmful earthly events (Rev 7:1-3) when signaled by their trumpet blowing partner in third heaven (Rev 8:1-2).

When the First Trumpet sounds, one of the four angels throws down to earth hail and fire mixed with blood which results in the burning of 1/3 of the earth, 1/3 of the trees, and 1/3 of the green grasses (Rev 8:7).

When the Second Trumpet sounds, one of the four angels throws down to earth's sea "something like a great mountain burning with fire" which results in 1/3 of the sea becoming blood, killing 1/3 of all sea creatures, and destroying 1/3 of all ships in the sea (Rev 8:8-9).

When the Third Trumpet sounds, one of the four angels throws down "a great star burning like a torch" called "Wormwood" which results in 1/3 of the world's rivers and springs becoming poisoned and bitter and killing many who drink it (Rev 8:10-11).

When the Fourth Trumpet sounds, one of the four angels strikes 1/3 of the sun, moon and stars which results in the darkening of 1/3 of the sun, 1/3 of the moon, and 1/3 of the stars; the net effect is that 1/3 of the day and night is darkened (Rev 8:12).

"Woe" is meant usually as an expression of grief or despair. When expressed by the eagle, aware of the evil on earth, "woe" takes on a more complex and nuanced expression. There is a sense of sadness, almost like a sympathetic sorrow; but, there is an emphasis, a declaration of condemnation, with the sense of divine judgment of the evil.

The three woes herald God's judgment upon the disbelieving world.

Up until and to the Fifth Trumpet, God's wrath of judgment was not targeted directly upon human beings; now the last three trumpets will bring targeted torment and death upon all of mankind on earth. Let's review the prior judgments to see if they were directly targeting people:

Seals 1-4: aggression, conflict, famine, and death on earth.

Seal 5: heavenly event.

Seal 6: great earthquake on earth.

Seal 7: heavenly event.

Trumpet 1: a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

Trumpet 2: a third of the creatures which were in the sea died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Trumpet 3: a third of the fresh waters became poisonous, and many men died from the waters.

Trumpet 4: a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck so that the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

After opening the abyss, the angel from heaven does three things (Rev 9:3-5):

1. Gives the locusts a power like a scorpion such as a tail that stings and hurts people for five months.

2. Restricts the locusts from hurting the grass, any vegetation, or any tree.

3. Restricts the locusts from stinging any of the 144,000 sealed bond servants and causing any death of those they afflict.

Using a concordance, the term "abyss" is first introduced in the account of the demon possessed man of Gerasenes (Luke 8:26-31):

And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," for many demons had entered him. And they were pleading with Him not to command them to go away into the abyss (Luke 8:31, LSB).

In Matthew's account of this same event (Matt 8:28-32), the demons ask, "have You come here to torment us before the time?"

Jude makes a statement that alludes to the abyss (Jude 1:6-7), because there is no other location mentioned where fallen angels are confined:

And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, (Jude 1:6)

Thus the opening of the abyss marks the first time that God is using a demonic instrument to dispense His wrath upon mankind. The abyss is featured prominently as a place, darken by smoke as if by a great furnace, for fallen angels.

The abyss is the location that Satan that will later be confined to for one thousand years (Rev 20:1-3) and then be release for a short time until he is thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev 20:7-10).

John introduces the fallen angel and king over the abyss with his Hebrew and Greek names with the intention that all would have no doubt of who he is and what he does. Using a concordance and a lexicon, you learn the following:

Abaddon (Hebrew): Used in several instances in the Old Testament (Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; Ps 88:11; Prov 15:11; 27:20), this Hebrew noun means "destruction" or "the place ruin."

Apollyon (Greek): Found only once in the Bible (Rev 9:11), this Greek noun means "exterminator" or "destroyer."

From the abyss comes a demonic angelic being that may very well be the one that kills the Two Witnesses later.

Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. (Rev 11:7, LSB)

Note: this "beast" is distinctive from the human individual known as the Beast from the Earth (Rev 13:11-17) and refers to a demonic fallen angel.

When the Fifth Trumpet sounds, an angel from heaven is sent to earth to open the "bottomless pit" with the key he was given. From the abyss comes "the smoke of a great furnace" which darkens the sun and locusts emerge (Rev 9:1-2). The locusts appear to the apostle John as something he's unfamiliar with, because he describes them using similes:

They appeared like horses prepared for battle

On their heads appeared to be crowns

Their faces were like faces of men

They had hair like the hair of women

Their teeth were like the teeth of lions

They had breastplates like breastplates of iron

The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots of many horses

They have tails like scorpions

The Fifth Trumpet is the First Woe, which God intends as a means to torment human beings with pain such that they would seek death but not find it for five months. If death is unobtainable, will it force one to consider God?

When the Sixth Trumpet sounds, an angel next to the golden altar in the heavenly temple of God commands the angel of the Sixth Trumpet to release of four bound angels at the Euphrates River.

In contrast to the Fifth Trumpet which initiates an angel to go unlock the abyss (Rev 9:1), there is no mention of how the angel with the Sixth Trumpet releases the four bound angels at the Euphrates river.

Along the Euphrates river, the location of the four bound angels is uncertain.

When the Bible speaks of confined or bound angels, it is always in the context of fallen evil angels (Luke 8:26-31; Matt 8:28-32; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6-7).

For if God did not spare angels who sinned, but cast them into the pit and delivered them to chains of darkness, being kept for judgment; (2 Peter 2:4, LSB)

Just as with the Fifth Trumpet, where God used evil demonic instruments to carry out His judgment, the four bound fallen evil angels serve a divine purpose.

God scheduled the release of the four bound angels to commence at the exact hour of a precise day of a certain month and of a specific year (Rev 9:15).

John hears that the armies of horsemen numbered two hundred million, and he's never seen horses like this before.

The riders had breastplates the color of fire, hyacinth (i.e. dark blue / purple), and brimstone (i.e. sulfurous yellow).

The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions.

Out of the horses proceeded fire, smoke and brimstone.

The tails of the horses were like serpents with heads from which they can do harm.

How human beings are killed is worth noting:

18) A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19) For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads, and with them they do harm. (Rev 9:16-19, LSB)

The riders did not kill anyone.

The Greek noun "plēgē," translated in English as "plague" does not place an emphasis on "disease" or "affliction;" instead the Greek meaning is "wound" as in the context of a physical injury. However, God's "plēgē" is not limited to physical injury and can include infectious disease.

A good example to understand this is the plagues God brought upon the Egyptians so that Pharaoh would let His people go. Plagues are used as a means to rebuke and reprimand both Believers and non-Believers to turn to God.

Then Yahweh said to Moses, "One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely." (Ex 11:1, LSB)

58) "If you are not careful to do all the words of this law which are written in this book, to fear this glorious and fearsome name, Yahweh your God, 59) then Yahweh will bring wondrous plagues on you and plagues on those who are your seed, even great and enduring plagues, and miserable and enduring sicknesses. 60) And He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt of which you were afraid, and they will cling to you. 61) Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, Yahweh will bring on you until you are destroyed. (Deut 28:58-61)

John observes that the four bound evil angels, used to carry out God's judgment, were limited to kill 1/3 of the world's population. In consideration of the Fourth Seal, in which 25% of the population was killed, the death of 1/3 of the surviving 75% leaves at most 50% of the original population before the First Seal was broken.

The surviving human beings do not recognize that the plagues confirm the existence of God, do not turn to Him, and are unrepentant.

This likely indicates that, at the end of the period defined by the Sixth Trumpet, there are few Believers on earth left to evangelize and testify of God. And the Seventh Trumpet will sound soon…

How would you draw this angel?

He was clothed with a cloud.

Upon his head was a rainbow, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the earth.

He cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars, and in response, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices, which John was instructed by someone in heaven, not to record.

The strong angel lifted his right hand to heaven and, in swearing by the Maker of heaven, earth, and sea, did not take God's name in vain (Ex 20:7; Deut 5:11). Making a solemn statement, the strong angel was affirming that when the Seventh Trumpet sounds, the mystery of God is finished and no longer a mystery. Good news for God's prophets!

The mystery of God that the strong angel was referring to is revealed in the next chapter, chapter 11 of Revelation:

Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever." (Rev 11:15, LSB)

The mystery of God appears to be that the kingdom of the world becomes the Kingdom of God belonging to, not only to God the Father, but to His Son as well!

There is an allusion to this idea elsewhere in the New Testament.

And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, everything comes in parables, (Mark 4:11, LSB)

1) For I want you to understand how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not seen my face in the flesh, 2) so that their hearts may be encouraged, having been held together in love, even unto all the wealth of the full assurance of understanding, unto the full knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, (Col 2:1-2, LSB)

The New Testament introduced the phrase "Kingdom of God;" but, there was something very mysterious about it. Whose? What? Where?

The Kingdom is Inaugurated: With the birth of Jesus, the angel Gabriel signals the inauguration of the Kingdom of God by explicitly linking the birth to the covenant God made with David (Luke 1:31-33). Jesus will receive the throne of David, reign over the house of Jacob and His rule will be everlasting. The unconditional promise of a King begins the process of being fulfilled.

The Kingdom is Near: After John was put in prison, Jesus began His public ministry and announced the coming Kingdom of God to Israel, "The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15 also Matt 3:2; 4:17).

Jesus introduces the idea that the Kingdom of God is exclusively associated with salvation through Christ. To enter the Kingdom, one must be "reborn" (John 3:1-21).

The Kingdom of God that Jesus presents appears to be intimately associated with Jesus Himself. Faith in the Messiah is integral to the Kingdom and here the verdict that will be passed on to a person in final judgment was determined by the attitude that he adopted towards Jesus at that present moment (Matt 11:20-24; Luke 10:2-16).

The Kingdom is Here: While Jesus speaks of the nearness of the Kingdom of God, there are instances where He says that the Kingdom is here especially when speaking to Jewish religious authorities!

As Jesus' ministry grows, Jewish religious authorities increasingly object to Jesus' portrayal of Himself as the Messiah, Son of David. Opposition becomes rejection when, after healing the demon possessed deaf mute, Jesus is accused of using demonic power. Jesus responds, "If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." (Matt 12:22-28; Luke 11:14-20).

The Kingdom is Yet Future: While there is an intimacy of the Kingdom of God to His Person, Jesus reveals to the disciples that the Kingdom of God is ushered in suddenly and without warning with the return of the Son of Man (Mark 13:1-37; 14:62; Luke 17:22-37). The arrival of the Kingdom will be unexpected and apocalyptic.

The sudden arrival of the Kingdom of God is portrayed by images of the sudden onset of the catastrophic Flood (Matt 24:37-39; Luke 17:26-27), the sudden destruction of Sodom (Luke 17:28-33), the unexpected burglar (Matt 24:42-44; Luke 12:39-40), the sudden arrival of the homeowner (Matt 24:45-51; Luke 12:35-48), or the sudden arrival of the bridegroom (Matt 25:1-13).

The Kingdom is Realized: At this moment, just before the Seventh Trumpet sounds, the Kingdom of God is about be be realized, and the mystery of God will be understood.

Reference: What is the Kingdom of God? Is it present or in the future?

While the idea of literally eating a small scroll may be hard to understand, an incident like this occurred earlier with the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel, and it provides some clarity to the command given to the apostle John.

2.7) But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. 8) "Now as for you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you." 9) Then I looked, and behold, a hand was sent forth to me; and behold, a scroll was in it. 10) Then He spread it out before me, and it was written on the front and back, and written on it were lamentations, sighing, and woe.
3.1) Then He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." 2) So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. 3) And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you." Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth. (Ezek 2:7-3:3, LSB)

Several observations can be made of this passage in Ezekiel:

The scroll was full of lamentations, mourning and woe (Ezek 2:10).

Just as Ezekiel was told to "eat this scroll" and "speak to the house of Israel," John was told to "eat it" and "prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings" (Ezek 3:1; Rev 10:10-11).

Just like Ezekiel, John found the taste of the scroll "sweet as honey" (Ezek:3:3; Rev 10:9).

God's instruction of eating was intended to fill Ezekiel's "body with this scroll," and the ingested scroll enabled Ezekiel to prophesy in a manner that all would understand (Ezek 3:3-6). From this point on, at age 30 (Ezek 1:1), Ezekiel becomes a prophet of God.

Here an important observation must be made. Up until this point, the apostle John was "in the Spirit on the Lord's day," and he was instructed to "write in a book" what he saw, "and send it to the seven churches" (Rev 1:10-11).

However, by eating the strong angel's scroll, he was given prophetic material that was additional to what saw while he "in the Spirit on the Lord's day." This material was so important that he "must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings" (Rev 10:11); this prophesy was intended for the whole world beyond the seven churches!

The change in prophetic content is immediate; the apostle John is instructed to see and feel what he is being shown; he is to "measure the temple of God and the alter" (Rev 11:1).

To God, the Two Witnesses are figuratively seen as "two olive trees" and "two lampstands that stand before the Lord on earth" (Rev 11:4). This precise imagery was used in the prophet Zechariah's vision of the restoration of the Second Temple to vindicate the leadership of Joshua the priest and Zerubbabel the governor of Judah.

The two olive trees represent two anointed servants of God who stand before the Lord on earth.

11) Then I answered and said to him, "What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?" 12) And I answered the second time and said to him, "What are the two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?" 13) So he spoke to me, saying, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." 14) Then he said, "These are the two anointed ones who are standing by the Lord of all the earth." (Zech 4:11-14, LSB)

The two lampstands represent what is behind the Two Witnesses, "not by might nor by power, but by God's spirit."

1) Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me, as a man who is roused from his sleep. 2) And he said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it, 3) also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side." 4) Then I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, "What are these, my lord?" 5) So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." 6) Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, "This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says Yahweh of hosts. (Zech 4:1-6, LSB)

The Two Witnesses appear clothed in sackcloth and are confronting the world's sin and evangelizing for God for a period of 3-1/2 years (1,260 days). As His witnesses, God will grant them the authority to:

Kill any who attempt to harm them by fire that flows from their mouths (Rev 11:5).

Have the power to stop the rain while they are prophesying (Rev 11:6).

Have the power to turn water into blood (Rev 11:6).

Have the power to invoke every plague known to man (i.e. diseases, the plagues of Exodus, etc.) upon the earth as often as they desire (Rev 11:6).

The Two Witnesses are reminiscent of the Old Testament prophet Moses who had the ability to invoke supernatural wonders and spectacular natural events to demonstrate to the world the reality of the God of the Hebrews.

God gave Moses a staff with which to perform the spectacular signs (Ex 4:17).

The signs were to validate his authority as God's spokesman to both the Hebrews and Pharaoh (Ex 4:15-16; 7:1-3). And instead of recognizing the sovereignty of the God of the Hebrews, Pharaoh's heart hardened.

The image of "the beast" conveys a sense of power, and this "beast that comes up out of the abyss" may refer to the fallen angel king of the abyss named Abaddon (Hebrew) / Apollyon (Greek) who was released when the Fifth Trumpet sounded signaling an unfallen angel to use a key to open the abyss (Rev 9:1-2, 11-12). If not, the "beast" could refer to different fallen angel who comes out of the abyss.

This "beast" does not sound like the one from the sea (Rev 13:1) or the one from the earth (Rev 13:11), both of whom are introduced in the Third Interlude.

The "beast that comes up out of the abyss" overcomes and murders the Two Witnesses, and their bodies will be on a street in Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified (Rev 11:8). Today that would be around the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Their bodies will be left out for public viewing for 3-1/2 days (Rev 11:9-10), in which people worldwide will rejoice and celebrate, because there will be no more prophetic indictments nor harmful spectacular natural events and plagues.

With an audible voice from heaven, the world will see a visible resuscitation and physical ascension of the Two Witnesses and followed by an earthquake that destroys 1/10 of Jerusalem and kills seven thousand. This produces great fear among the people, and many will praise God (Rev 11:11-13). What is uncertain is how many will come to a genuine faith in God.

It is significant to note that the Two Witnesses is the cause of the Second Woe and associates the end of the Two Witnesses to the end of the Sixth Trumpet (Rev 11:13-14). The Second Woe encompassed the release of the four bound fallen angels of the Euphrates (Rev 9:13) to the ascension of the Two Witnesses.

According to the message from the angel Gabriel, it would take "7 weeks" to rebuild Jerusalem with "plaza and moat."

The Hebrew term behind the English translation "plaza" can be better understood as a "broad open space," which, if it was confined, a "plaza", or, if not, it would be "streets."

The Hebrew term behind the English translation of "moat" has the meaning of a "trench" or "ditch." It referred to a ditch that was dug exterior to the city's walls that was intended to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the wall.

While Nehemiah completes the initial rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem in 52 days (Neh 6:15), there is little record of when Jerusalem was finally rebuilt in the fashion mentioned by the angel Gabriel. Subsequent to the destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C., Jerusalem was left in ruins for some 140 years, and there was considerable debris (Neh 4:10).

To determine when Jerusalem was rebuilt according to prophecy, some calculations are required:

1. The number of prophetic years: (7 weeks) x (7 years / weeks) = 49 years.

2. The number of solar years that is equivalent to 49 prophetic years: (49 prophetic years) x (360 days / prophetic year) x (solar year / 365.24219 days) to the nearest integer = 48 solar years.

3. Jerusalem, in light of the angel Gabriel's message, was rebuilt with streets and a strong defensive wall system: (444 B.C.) – (48 years) = 396 B.C.

While this may seem feasible, this date for the complete rebuilding of Jerusalem cannot be verified.

The arrival of Messiah the Prince's arrival takes place 62 weeks after 7 weeks of rebuilding Jerusalem:

1. The number of prophetic years: (69 weeks) x (7 years / weeks) = 483 years.

2. The number of solar years that is equivalent to 483 prophetic years: (483 prophetic years) x (360 days / prophetic year) x (solar year / 365.24219 days) to the nearest integer = 476 solar years.

3. Messiah the Prince, in light of the angel Gabriel's message, arrives: (444 B.C.) – (476 years) = 33 A.D.

Note: there is no year that is numbered as zero. The year 1 B.C. is followed by the year 1 A.D.

Further scholarly work determined the exact day of Jesus' triumphant entry:

Sunday, Nisan 9 (March 29, 33 A.D.): Jesus' triumphant entry to Jerusalem (Matt 21:8-11; Mark 11:7-10; Luke 19:35-41; John 12:12-15; Zech 9:9).

Daniel's 69th week ends on this day.

Friday, Nisan 14 (April 3, 33 A.D.): Jesus was cut off or crucified.

Just as Daniel 9:26 predicts "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing!!"

From Daniel's 70th week prophecy, the following can be summarized:

1. A total of 70 weeks was allotted God's people and Jerusalem to a) to finish the transgression, b) to make an end of sin, c) to make atonement for iniquity, d) to bring in everlasting righteousness, e) to seal up vision and prophecy, and f) to anoint the most holy place.

2. Restoring and rebuilding Jerusalem will take the first 7 weeks (396 B.C.).

3. Messiah the Prince will come in 62 weeks (33 A.D); but, will be "cut off and have nothing" shortly after.

Many questions still remain. Did the 70th week already occur? What covenant? Who is this "one who makes desolate?"

And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will make sacrifice and grain offering cease; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate. (Daniel 9:27)

1. To finish the transgression.

Transgression describes the action of intentionally overstepping the boundary of God's word. "To finish the transgression" suggests the allowance of this willful act of disobedience of God's moral law and behaving in a profane manner to a certain extent before bringing it to end. It is reminiscent of God speaking to Abram:

Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete. (Gen 15:16, LSB)

2. To make an end of sin.

Sin, desiring anything apart from the love for God, will come to an end. Combined with "to finish the transgression," this suggests that sin will cease to exist. The complete removal of all sin seems only possible when all mortal human beings no longer exist.

For Old Testament Believers like Daniel, who were living under the Law of Moses, this was likely an inconceivable thought. As New Testament Believers, living under the New Covenant, continue to sin, this thought comes within the realm of possibility.

5) For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6) knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7) for he who has died has been justified from sin. (Rom 6:5-7, LSB)

3. To make atonement for iniquity.

People have until the end of the 70th week to atone for their iniquity; in other words, come to faith in Jesus Christ's sacrificial death of atonement. Thereafter, people are judged for their iniquity.

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.' (Lev 17:11, LSB)

4. To bring an everlasting righteousness.

With the elimination of iniquity, transgression and sin, an everlasting righteousness is the result. This seems possible only when human beings are no longer present. For righteousness to be everlasting, it seems possible when only glorified human beings are present.

14) But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; 15) having a hope in God, for which these men are waiting, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. (Acts 24:14-15, LSB)

For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, (Rom 6:5, LSB)

5. To seal up vision and prophecy.

The Hebrew behind "to seal up" can be better understood as "to make an end." The sealing up of Daniel's vision and prophecy meant that they would come to an end by the 70th week. In reference to God's response to Daniel's appeal to His lovingkindness, the end of the 70th week would usher in God's Divine Kingdom.

This does not appear to include the fulfillment of God's Abrahamic Covenant, which occurs after the Millennial Kingdom.

6. To anoint the Holy of Holies.

This is difficult to understand. Anointing the Most Holy Place has its basis in Exodus 29:44-45 where God consecrates the Tabernacle; it is the space that is sanctified, set apart, and devoted to God.

But with Jesus Christ's death and atonement, there seems little reason for anointing the Holy of Holies.

11) But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12) and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy places once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. (Heb 9:11-12, LSB)

Yet Daniel's prophecy seems to indicate that the Temple exists during this 70th week:

And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will make sacrifice and grain offering cease;... (Dan 9:27, LSB)

It appears that this anointing of the Holy of Holies occurs in the last week. However, it is difficult to understand this interpretation.

In Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Daniel describes the fourth empire "as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things" (Dan 2:40) which alludes to a militarily strong nation.

However, Daniel's description of the feet and toes of Nebuchadnezzar's statue as being "partly of iron and partly of pottery" symbolized a "divided kingdom" and one that was not uniformly united (Dan 2:41-43).

In Daniel's vision, all but the fourth beast is described with features of familiar animals: 1) a lion and with wings of an eagle, 2) a bear, and 3) a leopard with four wings of a bird and four heads. The fourth beast was difficult for Daniel to describe:

7) After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, fearsome and terrifying and extraordinarily strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8) While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great boasts. (Dan 7:7-8, LSB).

Daniel describes the fourth beast, like the first three, came up "from the sea" but was "fearsome and terrifying and extraordinarily strong."

It had "large iron teeth" and "ten horns" and "claws of bronze."

The ten horns is reminiscent of Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the fourth kingdom, the feet and ten toes of a statue:

41) Now in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron; it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42) And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43) And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay; they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not cling to one another, even as iron does not combine with clay. (Dan 2:41-43, LSB)

An additional horn emerged, "a little one," but it removed three existing horns by pulling them "out by the roots." Unlike the other horns, this one was personified with eyes "like the eyes of man and a mouth uttering great boasts."

The boasting of "little horn" of the fourth beast captured Daniel's attention until the beast was destroyed:

11) Then I kept looking because of the sound of the great boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was killed, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. 12) As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was given to them for an appointed season of time. (Dan 7:11-12, LSB)

The "burning fire" is described in Revelation as the "lake of fire," in which a "beast" is defeated and thrown into.

And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who did the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. (Rev 19:20, LSB)

While their dominion was taken away, note that the first three beasts are not destroyed until a future time; thus, elements of their power that allowed their dominion remains and won't manifest until the fourth beast is destroyed.

The angel explains to Daniel the meaning of the fourth beast:

19) "Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, extraordinarily fearsome, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet, 20) and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth speaking great boasts and which was larger in appearance than its associates. 21) I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overcoming them 22) until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was given in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the season arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. (Dan 7:19-22, LSB)

Daniel first observes the horn with the "eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts" as the "little horn" (Dan 7:8); however, after uprooting three other horns, Daniel describes the horn as "larger in appearance than its associates" (Dan 7:20). This boastful horn was waging a war with Believers and overcoming them.

After describing God, "the Ancient of Days" taking His seat on the throne with myriads of angels serving Him (Dan 7:8-9), God judges and the Kingdom of God begins.

The angel further explains the fourth beast to Daniel:

23) "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24) As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will make low three kings. 25) He will speak words against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make changes in seasons and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26) But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 27) Then the reign, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.' (Dan 7:23-27, LSB)

Out of this fourth kingdom, "different from all other kingdoms" that "will devour the whole earth and trend it down and crush it," "ten kings will arise."

One difference from the prior three kingdoms may be its organization and unity. With history recording the Roman Empire succeeding the Greek Empire, many commentators have assigned the fourth empire as Romanesque and have speculated the identity of the eleven kings / nations.

"Another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings." The angel repeats that boastful horn will be against God and His saints and for a time succeed in overcoming Believers.

The boastful evil horn / king will be capable of changing the calendar and the legal system.

The apostle Paul alludes to this boastful evil dictator:

3) Let no one in any way deceive you, for it has not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4) who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the sanctuary of God, exhibiting himself as being God. 5) Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6) And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7) For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8) And then that lawless one will be revealed—whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming— 9) whose coming is in accord with the working of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, (2 Thes 2:3-9, LSB)

The boastful evil horn / dictator will be most active during "time, times, and half a time."

Because Daniel used the same Hebrew word for "time" earlier for "seven periods" ("And let seven periods of time pass over him" [Dan 4:16]), "time, times, and half a time" is understood as half of seven year period, or 3-1/2 years.

This is corroborated when Daniel speaks of the "one who makes desolate" who will "make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will make sacrifice and grain offering cease" (Dan 9:27).

Not only is the boastful little horn destroyed, but the entire empire it represented.

Leading the fourth kingdom that arose from the sea with ten horns, the One Who Makes Desolate is the "little horn" that became "larger in appearance than its associates" after usurping three. Extremely boastful, he speaks "words against the Most High" and will "wear down the saints of the Highest One."

And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. (Dan 7:3, LSB)

7) After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, fearsome and terrifying and extraordinarily strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8) While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great boasts. (Dan 7:7-8, LSB)

19) "Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, extraordinarily fearsome, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet, 20) and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth speaking great boasts and which was larger in appearance than its associates. (Dan 7:19-20, LSB)

23) "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24) As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will make low three kings. 25) He will speak words against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make changes in seasons and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26) But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 27) Then the reign, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.' (Dan 7:23-26, LSB)

26) Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are decreed. 27) And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will make sacrifice and grain offering cease; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate." (Dan 9:26-27, LSB)

The Abomination of Desolation is associated with the great tribulation "such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world." When the Antichrist desecrates the Temple by entering the Holy Place, this is known as the "abomination," and for his destructive intent, "of desolation."

15) "Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16) then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17) Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18) And whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his garment. 19) But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20) But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21) For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22) And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. (Matt 24:15-22, LSB; Mark 13:14-20)

For Paul, the Man of Lawlessness and Son of Destruction "exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship," "takes his seat in the sanctuary of God," and exhibits "himself as being God."

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it has not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the sanctuary of God, exhibiting himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then that lawless one will be revealed—whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming— whose coming is in accord with the working of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, (2 Thes 2:3-9)

In this initial passage about the Seventh Trumpet, the strong angel that came down out of heaven "clothed with a cloud, and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire" with an open small scroll in his hand (Rev 10:1-2) indicates that there will be no longer any delay of God's plan.

Furthermore, the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet will reveal the mystery of God which will be good news to Believers.

While Jesus was on earth, the disciples thought the mystery of God was all about "when" the kingdom of God will return and in the context of a Jewish king (Acts 1:6).

But there was also a mystery of "where." While the phrase "kingdom of God" is found in 70 instances in ten books of the New Testament, the phrase "kingdom of heaven" occurs 33 times and only in the book of Matthew. So for the Jews, there was consideration that the kingdom of God was located in heaven.

In the second passage about the Seventh Trumpet, John records that "the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ." The "when" and "where" of the mystery of God is answered.

Now all that remains of the mystery of God is "is this the Promised Land?"

The Seventh Trumpet heralds the Third Woe. In contrast, unique among the previous seals and the trumpets, the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet elicits great praise and worship among the heavenly beings.

When the eagle announced three woes (Rev 8:13), he was warning of the coming judgments coming directly for human beings. Prior to this, all of the seals and trumpet judgments indirectly harmed human beings.

First Woe: The Fifth Trumpet gave locusts the power like a scorpion with a tail that stings and hurts people for five months; but, restricts them from stinging any of the 144,000 sealed bond servants and causing any death of those they afflict.

Second Woe: The Sixth Trumpet released four angels bound at the Euphrates River who were limited to kill 1/3 of the population.

When the Seventh Trumpet sounds, loud voices in heaven announce that the kingdom of the world, previously ruled by Satan, has become the kingdom of God and His Son Jesus.

Before His resurrection, Jesus identified Satan as the ruler of the world.

Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. (John 12:31, LSB)

Similarly, the apostle Paul calls Satan a ruler as "prince of the power of the air."

And you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among whom we all formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. (Eph 2:1-3, LSB)

The heavenly voices are rejoicing that something has happened that signifies that the kingdom of the world "has become the kingdom of God and his Son." At this moment, all that has happened has been the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet.

The twenty four elders fell on their faces and worshiped God by praising Him for the following reasons:

1. The Seventh Trumpet heralds God's reassertion to rule His creation earth. However, what is significant is the phrase "the Almighty, who are and who were." Observe carefully that there is no mention of the triune God in the future tense, which is in contrast with an earlier praise:

And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come." (Rev 4:8, LSB)

There will no longer be any mystery of God; the eschatological concept of God is about to be fully realized.

2. The Seventh Trumpet heralds the final dispensation of His wrath of judgment against the "sons of disobedience."

3. The Seventh Trumpet heralds the judgment of the dead including the rewards for Believers.

The sounding of the Seventh Trumpet also opened the heavenly temple of God and revealed the ark of His covenant.

The open heavenly temple was later restated as "the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened" (Rev 15:5).

"The temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven" was used in the Old Testament as a reference to the portable tabernacle in the early history of Israel (Num 1:50-53), which served as "a copy and shadow of the heavenly things" (Heb 8:5).

The open temple allows the seven angels with the seven plagues to come out (Rev 15:5-6). These plagues are the last of God's judgments, and with them, the wrath of God is finished (Rev 15:1).

Described as "a great sign… in heaven," the first sign is of a Woman clothed with the sun, moon under her feet, and wearing a crown with twelve stars, and she is pregnant with Child. Similar to Joseph's dream related to his brothers (Gen 37:9) and as the recipient of his father Israel's blessings (Gen 49:22-26), the sign of the Woman may symbolize the nation of Israel, those who are God's own possession, and the twelve stars appear to represent the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev 12:1).

God's people are the object of God's covenant relationship. To Abraham and his descendants, God made unilateral and unconditional promises, and He was committed to fulfilling His promises as a faithful husband would in a marriage commitment.

Among the promises that God made, the most significant was the promise of a savior (Gen 2:12) and, elaborated in the Davidic Covenant, as King (2 Sam 7:12). While the gospel account is of Mary who is pregnant with Jesus (Luke 1:31-33), John's Revelation account is of Jesus being born of the nation of Israel.

The Child symbolizes Jesus Christ as He is identified as the one "who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron" (Rev 12:5; 19:15-16).

While John's prophecy does not mention the death of Jesus, the apostle speaks of the Child being "caught up to God and to His throne" (Rev 12:5) which appears to be a reference to Jesus' ascension to heaven (John 20:17; Acts 1:9-11).

Imagery notwithstanding, there can be considerable confusion in the sequence of events here. There are two instances of the woman being nourished for 3-1/2 years:

Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. (Rev 12:6, LSB)

But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth. (Rev 12:14-16, LSB)

Restatement is a Hebrew literary style in which the essential elements of an account are repeated with some variation and introduces more specific information to emphasize or place a focus on some elements of the account. This may be a reference to the first 3-1/2 years of Daniel's 70th week, when the "boastful little horn / abomination of desolation" emerges around the time when "the end will come with a flood" (Dan 9:26).

The second sign is the Red Dragon with seven heads and ten horns (Rev 12:3). This figure of speech is explicitly identified as Satan (Rev 12:9); however, the significance of his seven heads and ten horns is unfathomable.

With the impending birth of Jesus, the John's imagery of Satan's tail sweeping "away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth" (Rev 12:4) suggests that 1/3 of God's angels fell to follow Satan for the purpose of killing the coming Savior-King. Consistent with this view are the gospel accounts of frequent encounters with Satan and evil spirits and ultimately Jesus' death by crucifixion.

Jesus' death and resurrection establishes His authority as Judge (Rev 12:10), which empowers the angel Michael and his angels to disbar Satan and his fallen evil angels' residence in heaven (Rev 12:7-9). Note that this war of angels did not result in any angelic death; instead, Satan and his fallen angels are "thrown down" to earth. Revelation 12:1-13 locates these events of the Third Interlude to the period between Daniel's 69th and 70th weeks.

Jesus' death and resurrection also empowers Believers. The voice from heaven appears to be a heavenly saint of authority referring to tribulation saints, because he speaks of Satan as "the accuser of our brethren" and overcoming Satan by "the blood of the Lamb" and "the word of their testimony" regardless of their personal safety (Rev 12:10-11). The ejection of Satan, the deceitful accuser before God, physically from heaven is cause for rejoicing in heaven but a woe for earth, because Satan knows that Jesus Christ will render judgment soon (Rev 12:12; 1 John 3:8).

The imagery continues with Satan and his fallen angels, now confined to earth, bent on persecuting Messianic Jews (Rev 12:13); but, they were thwarted. "Enraged with the woman," they "went off to make war" with all Believers, "the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have the witness of Jesus." (Rev 12:17).

While Daniel's prophecy indicates that the fourth Gentile kingdom continuously succeeds the third (Greece), John's prophecy focuses on the king of the fourth kingdom.

John describes the Beast from the Sea as an unfamiliar animal with seven heads with blasphemous names written on them and a total of ten horns each with a jeweled crown (Rev 13:1). The animal looked "like a leopard, with feet like those of a bear, and a mouth like that of a lion."

Daniel's prophecy shares some physical similarities:

It was an unfamiliar beast from the sea that was "dreadful and terrifying," and it was "extremely strong" with "large iron teeth" that "devoured and crushed" and "trampled down" with "its feet" (Dan 7:7).

It had ten horns. (Dan 7:8).

An angel interprets the fourth beast as "the fourth kingdom on earth," "different from all other kingdoms," "devour the whole earth," and "crush it" (Dan 7:23).

One of the most significant attributes of the Beast from the Sea is John's description of one of the seven heads with a "fatal wound" that "healed," which establishes the Beast of the Sea as a supernatural being worthy of worship (Rev 13:3-4). Satan is portrayed as the one who gives "power (military including supernatural), a throne (political), and great authority" (Rev 13:2), which was only possible if God allowed Satan to do so.

The powerful king Nebuchadnezzar learns from his dream when Daniel reveals this same concept:

24) this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the resolution of the Most High, which has reached my lord the king: 25) that you be driven away from mankind and your place of habitation be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you know that the Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever He wishes. (Dan 4:24-25, LSB)

The apostle Paul is more explicit about Satan. As God "restrains" Satan directly, Satan is unable to empower the Beast of the Sea and, and through Satan, God "restrains" the emergence of the Beast.

3) Let no one in any way deceive you, for it has not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4) who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the sanctuary of God, exhibiting himself as being God. 5) Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6) And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7) For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8) And then that lawless one will be revealed—whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming— 9) whose coming is in accord with the working of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, (2 Thess 2:3-9, LSB)

John also reveals that Satan gave the Beast of the Sea a mouth to speak "arrogant words with blasphemies against God" (Rev 13:5-6), which Daniel also saw:

8) While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great boasts. (Dan 7:8, LSB)

With Satan's power and authority, the Antichrist is given a time of 3-1/2 years to act, to make war and conquer the saints, to rule every nation given to him, and to receive worship from around the world (Rev 13:5-8). Daniel had a similar prophecy including the destruction of the Antichrist and his entire kingdom, and he used the ancient phrase "times, and half a time" to refer to 3-1/2 years of rule (Dan 7:19-26).

Thus, Revelation 12:14 - 13:18 locates these events during the first half of Daniel’s 70th week.

The idea that the Beast from the Sea is the "Antichrist" comes from the apostle John's epistles. He defines antichrist as one who deceives and denies God the Father and / or His Son Jesus Christ. While this definition applies to anyone, the Antichrist is applied to one individual who comes in "the last hour."

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. (1 John 2:18-22)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3)

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. (2 John 1:7)

This individual, described as having two horns as a lamb and spoke as a dragon, presumably was a male who spoke like Satan (Rev 13:11). He has the authority to make the whole earth worship the Antichrist (Rev 13:12).

With the intent to deceive, he performs miracles to encourage the worship of the Antichrist including the making of Antichrist idols (Rev 13:14-15).

Anyone who did not worship the Antichrist or his image was killed (Rev 13:15).

In order to participate in any aspect of the economy, everyone in the whole wide world had to have the name of the Antichrist or his number 666 on their right hand or forehead (Rev 13:16-18).

Although he was introduced as the Beast from the Earth, John later identifies him as the False Prophet which described the role and relationship he had with the Antichrist (Rev 16:13; 19:20; 20:10).

13) Then I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; 14) for they are spirits of demons, doing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. (Rev 16:13-14, LSB)

And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who did the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. (Rev 19:20, LSB)

And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Rev 20:10, LSB)

John indicates that the Beast from the Earth arrives shortly after the emergence of the Beast of the Sea which signaled the start of Daniel's 70th week. Identifying the followers of the Antichrist would be only necessary if there were Believers present; thus, the Great Tribulation.

The Third Interlude is significant for providing a historical context to the loud voices in heaven who, at the sound of the Seventh Trumpet, praised God saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever." And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, "We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign." (Rev 11:15-17)

The interlude introduces Satan, the origin of fallen evil angels, and Satan's war with Believers.

The interlude explains Satan's influence on evil human agents like the Antichrist and the False Prophet and their powerful deceptive roles and relationship with each other.

And during this extremely difficult and lethal time for Believers, it sets the stage for what the Seventh Trumpet signals – the rapture of all Believers on earth.

In his letter to the church of Corinth, Paul makes the case for resurrection, and the process begins at the last trumpet. Paul describes this as being "raised incorruptible."

42) So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a corruptible body, it is raised an incorruptible body; 43) it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44) it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45) So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46) However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47) The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48) As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49) And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Cor 15:42-49, LSB)

50) Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the corruptible inherit the incorruptible. 51) Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. 53) For this corruptible must put on the incorruptible, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54) But when this corruptible puts on the incorruptible, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the word that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. 55) O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 56) Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57) but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Cor 15:50-57, LSB)

The apostle Paul wrote something similar to the Thessalonians in which Believers meet Jesus Christ when "the trumpet of God" sounds.

16) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17) Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thes 4:16-17, LSB)

The author of Hebrews draws a contrast between Mounts Sinai and Zion when responding to the trumpet sound.

After making their covenant agreement with God (Ex 19:3-6), when the ram's horn sounds, God descend down to Mt. Sinai to the nation of Israel and causes the people to fear God and tremble at His voice.

10) Yahweh also said to Moses, "Go to the people and set them apart as holy today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; 11) and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day Yahweh will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12) And you shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13) No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or surely shot through; whether beast or man, he shall not live.' When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain." (Ex 19:10-13, LSB)

At the "blast of a trumpet," Believers come up to Mt. Zion (city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem) to myriads of angels, festal gathering, and into the presence of God and His Son Jesus mediator of the New Covenant.

18) For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19) and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. 20) For they could not bear what was being commanded, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned." 21) And so terrible was what appeared, that Moses said, "I am full of fear and trembling." 22) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23) to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24) and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. (Heb 12:18-24, LSB)

Three angels flying in midheaven make three pronouncements.

The first angel preaches to the whole world the gospel in a manner that all would understand and have no excuse (Rev 14:6-7). This suggests that there are few remaining Believers who can evangelize.

The second angel, following the first, proclaims the fall of the secular worldview that denies the existence of God and sin. The lifestyle that is motivated by pride and power and attracts all cultures and people, intoxicating and pleasurable, will be judged for its immorality (Rev 14:8). Is this present today?

The third angel, following the previous two in speaking to all human beings of the world, condemns all those who have the mark of the beast (Rev 14:9-11).

At the conclusion of the three angels flying in midheaven, a voice from heaven instructs the apostle John to write, "blessed is he who die in the Lord from now on" to which the Holy Spirit echos and reiterates (Rev 14:13). This places an emphasis on what Believers should remember and persevere in one's faith. Overcoming is when the desire of loving God overcomes the desire of self preservation.

This short passage illustrates the compassion of God. At this moment in time, most if not all pre-existing Believers died at the end of the sixth trumpet; thus, any new Believers would have been those who responded to the gospel of the first flying angel. When the bowls containing God's wrath are poured, the plagues are no longer intended to rebuke and reprimand so that non-Believers will to turn to God. Instead they are intended to exact His judgment of death (Deut 28:58-61).

The final result of the Seventh Trumpet is the appearance of the reapers, and the reaping that occurs is in the figurative sense and reminiscent of the Parable of the Tares. This heralds the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ, sitting on the cloud wearing a golden crown, wields a sharp sickle (Rev 14:1-16).

An angel, who came out of the heavenly temple, wields a sharp sickle (Rev 14:18-19).

The sounding of the Seventh Trumpet signals several major transitions:

1. The "mystery of God" is finished. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of God and of His Son. When? Now. Where? On earth. Is this the Promised Land? You'll see soon.

2. The Third Woe, the last and final dispensation of God's wrath, is about to begin.

3. The heavenly temple of God is opened.

4. Three angels flying in midheaven make three pronouncements for all on earth to hear and understand: a) the gospel, b) the illusion of the secular worldview that denies the existence of God and sin, and c) the condemnation of all with the mark of the beast.

5. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, with His arrival in the cloud, begins to gather all Believers, whether dead or alive, and this gathering is the start of the process of resurrection (1 Cor 15:42-54). At the same time, the angel begins the reaping of all non-Believers alive on earth.

Jesus Himself defines His Second Coming to His disciples. He will come: 1) after the tribulation, 2) when both day and night is dark, 3) on the clouds, 4) with power and glory, 5) a trumpet sounds, and 6) His angels will gather Believers on earth and in heaven. Because the apostle John is recording Jesus' Second Coming from a heavenly perspective (Rev 14:1-20), he records all of the above heavenly elements except the earthly phenomena when both day and night are dark.

"But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other." (Matt 24:29-31)

"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven." (Mark 13:24-27)

"There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:25-28)

When Jesus spoke of His return to His disciples, He wanted them to know that He was coming for them. His Second Coming preceded the distribution and dispensation of God's bowls of wrath (Rev 15:5-8; 16:1-21).

Jesus Christ's appearance on a white horse leading a heavenly army to Armageddon takes place after God's wrath is completely finished with the dispensation of the seven bowls, and after the marriage / wedding feast (Rev 19:7-9).

The apostle John makes a keen observation, he saw "heaven opened:"

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. (Rev 19:11-14)

Throughout the Bible, when "heaven opened," the heavenly vision was only witnessed by the individual for whom heaven opened. This suggests that John's vision of Jesus riding on a white horse, adorned for war, leading a heavenly army may not have been widely perceived by those on earth.

Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. (On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile, the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.) (Ezek 1:1-3)

But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he *permitted Him. After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." (Matt 3:15-17; Luke 3:20-22)

But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. (Acts 7:55-57)

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things." Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. (Rev 4:1-3)

Jesus does not mention returning to lead a heavenly army to His disciples, because His people would not be on earth to see this frightening sight. And while John does not provide much detail of the war at Armageddon, there is little doubt as to the outcome of Jesus Christ's judgment.

1. Both accounts describe the rider of the white cloud as the Son of Man. Throughout the gospels, the expression "the Son of Man" is used solely by Jesus Himself as a self designation, not as Messiah, but as an indication of a role He will play in eschatology (Dan 7:13).

"I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And came near before Him. (Dan 7:13, LSB)

2. Both accounts present the appearance of Jesus in different dramatic fashion.

Jesus' account, from an earthly perspective, presents a dark backdrop without any light from the sun, moon, or stars, from which He emerges on very visible clouds with "the powers of heaven shaken" and great glory.

John's account, from a heavenly perspective, observes Jesus arriving with a golden crown on His head signifying power and great glory.

3. Both accounts present the reaping as occurring after a trumpet sounds and with a seemingly different chronology.

In Jesus' prophecy, it is not apparent that the trumpet is the Seventh Trumpet; however, the apostle Paul implies that the last trumpet is the Seventh Trumpet when he associates "the trumpet call of God" with the "voice of the archangel" (1 Thes 4:16-18) which is consistent with the John's account. With this in mind, Jesus' account of sending "forth His angels" includes the three angels that fly in midheaven making their respective pronouncements (Rev 14:6-13).

In John's account, the only trumpet that sounds is the Seventh Trumpet (Rev 11:15), and several events take place (great praise in heaven [Rev 11:15-18], heavenly temple of God opens [Rev 11:19], three angels fly in midheaven and make three pronouncements for all on earth to hear and understand [Rev 14:6-13]) before Jesus reaps.

4. Both accounts seem to indicate that all Believers are dead.

In Jesus' account, the reaping occurs after the tribulation. In all of His uses of the term "tribulation," Jesus was describing the persecution that occurs as the result of one's faith in God. In this context, the tribulation ends with the death of the last Believer who would have died for their faith on earth.

In John's account, this conclusion was developed with the demise of the 144,000 sealed Bond Servants (Rev 14:1), the demise of the Two Witnesses (Rev 11:7), and the observation that no survivor of the Sixth Trumpet "repented of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their theft" (Rev 9:20-21).

This is further evidenced in the reactions of human beings to the dispensation of the bowls in which they blasphemed the name of God (Rev 16:9, 11, 21). If there were any Believers present who would have been persecuted for their faith, the tribulation would have certainly continued.

5. It is apparent that the verb "reap" is in the figurative sense. While John sees Jesus solely doing the reaping, in reality, Jesus is sending out His angels to gather Believers from around the heavens (Matt 24:31) and the earth (1 Thes 4:13-16; Rev 14:15). Paul sees this as the start of the process of resurrection (1 Cor 15:42-54).

Paul, writing to the church of Corinth (1 Cor 15:51-54) and Thessalonica (1 Thes 4:16-18), provides additional information of this reaping but with a view towards Believers.

a) The effect of the reaping will be immediate. "The perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable" may refer to the white robes, which martyrs received earlier (Rev 6:11), in preparation for the Wedding Feast (Rev 19:7-8). Paul is speaking in the context of immortality and being clothed; the process of resurrection includes this robe of righteousness that defines "immortality" and fulfills the saying that "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

b) If there are any Believers left alive, they will change in a similar manner and meet with the dead in the clouds with Jesus Christ and be with Him forever.

6. The gathering is for "His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other" (Matt 24:29-31) and on earth itself (1 Thes 4:13-16).

When Paul speaks of all Believers who are alive up until the "trumpet of God" (1 Thess 4:17), he avoids any mention of death and instead explains that they will be "caught up."

Likewise, with careful observation of the heavenly Temple of God, the only human souls that the apostle John sees are a) saints who died for their faith (Rev 6:9-11), b) tribulation saints (Rev 7:13-15), and c) the 144,000 bond servants (Rev 14:1-3). Where are the souls of Believers who did not die from persecution for their faith?

Elsewhere in the Bible, third heaven is described has having, in addition to the Temple of God, "the city of the living God / heavenly Jerusalem" (Heb 12:22-24), which could reasonably be where other saints reside.

Because the "marriage supper of the Lamb" (Rev 19:7-10) occurs in the Temple of God (Rev 19:4-5) where saints are clothed in a white robe (Rev 6:11; 7:9, 13-14; 19:8), the gathering of the elect is bringing all other Believers to the Temple of God to receive their white robe of righteousness and attend the marriage supper of the Lamb.

1. Just as Jesus' reaping was a figure of speech, so too was this angel's reaping. Because it is Jesus treading in the wine press (Rev 19:15) that produces the vast amount of blood (Rev 14:20), this angel's reaping event encompasses a period of time that includes the final dispensation of God's wrath – specifically all of the bowls and the battle of Armageddon.

The angel from the altar announces that the grapes from the vine of the earth are "ripe" (Rev 14:18). This "ripeness" represents the fullness of sin which God allows before He judges. It is akin to Daniel's prophecy, "Seventy weeks have been determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin,.." (Dan 9:24)

2. The grapes that are thrown into the great wine press of the wrath of God (Rev 14:19) represent evil human beings just before being crushed in judgment.

The plague wielding angels and the bowls of God's wrath are the last of God's wrath (Rev 15:1), and it serves to enrage the world (Rev 16:2, 9, 11).

Of particular note is the sixth bowl which was intended to dry out the Euphrates River so that the kings from the east can make war at Armageddon (Rev 16:12-14; 17:9-14).

When the Seventh Bowl is dispensed, the seventh angel announces, "it is done," to express the end of God's judgment and wrath (Rev 16:17).

The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, makes an indirect reference to this reaping by angels:

6) Since it is right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7) and to give rest to you who are afflicted and to us as well at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8) executing vengeance on those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9) These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might, 10) when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our witness to you was believed. (2 Thes 1:6-10, LSB)

3. When Jesus treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God (Rev 14:20; 19:15), the wine press metaphor represents divine judgment.

A similar metaphor was expressed by the prophet Isaiah who was speaking of God's judgment against Edom.

2) Why is Your clothing red,
And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?
3) "I have trodden the wine trough alone,
And from the peoples there was no man with Me.
I also trod them in My anger
And trampled them in My wrath;
And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments,
And I stained all My clothes.
4) For the day of vengeance was in My heart,
And My year of redemption has come. (Isa 63:2-4, LSB)

With all of the bowl judgments poured, God's wrath is complete, and it is Jesus Christ who exacts judgment at Armageddon (Rev 19:11-16). And all as of this occurs before the Millennial Kingdom. Final judgment takes place after the millennium (Rev 20:11-15), which is the context of "He has given all judgment to the Son."

22) For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, 23) so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 24) "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. 25) Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26) For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27) and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. (John 5:22-27, LSB)

Is it possible for any non-Believer to survive and escape God's judgment?

When John sees the sign of the seven angels with the seven plagues, he sees them before they emerge from within the Temple of God (Rev 15:1, 6). The sign is "great and marvelous," because these angels "are the last and in them the wrath of God is finished."

The people "who have overcome the beast and his image and the number of his name" and have "harps of God" are saints of the Great Tribulation. Since the "sea of glass" is associated with the throne of God (Rev 4:6), the saints of the Great Tribulation have the honor of singing before God in His throne, the four living creatures, and the elders.

The appearance of these seven angels with their seven plagues, inside the Temple of God, and what they represented caused the saints of the Great Tribulation to sing three praises to God.

The first song was the Song of Moses (Rev 15:3; Ex 15:1-18). The Song of Moses memorialized the deliverance of Israel from Egypt and the spectacular nature of the Exodus. Celebrating God's victory over Egypt was public acknowledgment of God's sovereign rule over the universe.

Just as when Satan appears to be in control at this time, as Pharaoh was in his time, the saints of the Great Tribulation know otherwise as they sing in acknowledgment of God's sovereign rule and judgment of evil.

The second song of praise was the Song of the Lamb that only the 144,000 sealed bond servants of God could originally sing; but, now the saints of the Great Tribulation know the song as well. However, John does not reveal what the Song of the Lamb is.

1) Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. 2) And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. 3) And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth. 4) These are the ones who are not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5) And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless. (Rev 14:1-5, LSB)

The third song of praise is short and asserts God's holy, righteous, and powerful nature deserving of fear and worship (Rev 15:2b). It places an emphasis on "the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever" (Rev 11:15-18).

Since the Fourth Trumpet, there was considerable foreboding of the last three trumpets, because each caused the eagle to express a "woe for those who dwell on the earth" (Rev 8:13). This sorrow was in anticipation of what these last three trumpets signaled: the expression of God's wrath directly upon human beings. The third and last woe was about the reaping angel, and the seven angels each with a plague and a bowl of God's wrath.

When the Temple of God opens, revealing the Ark of the Covenant (Rev 11:19; 15:5), seven angels with seven plagues wore clean and bright linen with a distinctive golden sash around their chests.

One of the four living creatures gave to each angel seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, and it appears that each plague is mixed with each corresponding bowl (Rev 21:9).

When the angels with the seven plagues and bowls leave the sanctuary, it fills with smoke from the glory of God and His power such that no one is able to enter the sanctuary until the seven angels finished dispensing their bowls (Rev 15:8).

Golden Bowl 1. Because all surviving human beings are non-Believers (Rev 9:20-21; 13:7-8, 16-18), they are tormented with disfiguring and painful sores.

[After the Sixth Trumpet] 20) And the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21) And they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their sexual immorality nor of their thefts. (Rev 9:20-21, LSB)

[After the emergence of the Antichrist] 7) And it was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. 8) And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. 9) If anyone has an ear, let him hear. (Rev 13:7-8, LSB)

[After the False Prophet exercises his authority] 16) And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, that they be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17) and that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18) Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of man; and his number is 666. (Rev 13:16-18, LSB)

Golden Bowl 2. With the poisoning of all salt water and the killing of all living creatures within it, billions of people are without their primary food source. This also devastates the economy of many nations. The Second Trumpet earlier poisoned 1/3 of the sea and its sea life (Rev 8:8-9).

8) And the second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, 9) and a third of the creatures which were in the sea—those which had life—died; and a third of the ships were destroyed. (Second Trumpet, Rev 8:8-9, LSB)

Golden Bowl 3. With the poisoning of all fresh water, governments will be severely tested and societies could quickly collapse. Among numerous issues: drinking water is confined to limited supplies of packaged goods, filtration systems will be required, personal hygiene is curtailed, and cooking is restricted. The Third Trumpet earlier poisoned 1/3 of all rivers and water springs, which usually feed into lakes (Rev 8:10-11).

10) And the third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. 11) And the name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter. (Third Trumpet, Rev 8:10-11)

Golden Bowl 4. Increasing the heat of the sun to "scorching" critically exacerbates the problem of scarce safe water for any use and increases the risk of massive wildfires. And without water, hydroelectric production of electricity ceases. The First Trumpet already burned up 1/3 of the earth (Rev 8:7). The supernatural events of Bowls 1-4 did not cause people to recognize the authority of God or honor Him; instead, they blasphemed His name and did not repent.

And the first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. (First Trumpet, Rev 8:7, LSB)

Golden Bowl 5. Darkening the Antichrist's kingdom causes less solar power generation, crop failures, and health problems as evidenced by "pains and sores." The Fourth Trumpet already darkened 1/3 of sun and moon light (Rev 8:12), and people had already experienced the torment of unrequited pain as the result of the Fifth Trumpet (Rev 9:4-10). Now there is more, and the people respond by continuing their dishonor and disobedience of God.

And the fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. (Fourth Trumpet, Rev 8:12, LSB)

4) And they were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5) And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. 6) And in those days men will seek death and will never find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them. 7) And the appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. And on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8) And they had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. 9) And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses running to battle. 10) And they have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. (Fifth Trumpet, Rev 9:4-10, LSB)

Golden Bowl 6. The drying of the Euphrates River sets in motion the conflict at Armageddon by enabling the kings from the east to mobilize their troops over land. With the drying of the Euphrates River, a demonic spirit comes out of Satan, the Antichrist and the False Prophet (Rev 16:13). A literal reading of the text suggests that the demonic spirits were indwelling; but, a figure of speech is possible indicating that these demonic spirits were called forth. Regardless, these demonic spirits influenced human kings such that they would gather their armies at Armageddon (Rev 16:14-16). It is reminiscent of Pharaoh of the Exodus, who is so mad at God and the people of Israel, that he sought to destroy them.

4) Thus I will harden Pharaoh's heart with strength, and he will pursue them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army, so that the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh." And they did so. 5) Then the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?" 6) So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; 7) and he took six hundred choice chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. (Ex 14:4-7, LSB)

The Seventh Bowl is significant for being the last of God's wrath. From this moment on, God will no longer have a reason for anger, because He has satisfied His wrath of judgment on the last of sin. This final judgment is celebrated in heaven.

19) And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the wrath of His rage. 20) And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21) And huge hailstones, about one talent each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe. (Rev 16:19-21)

1) After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 2) because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her sexual immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His slaves shed by her hand." 3) And a second time they said, "Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever." (Rev 19:1-3)

4) And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" (Rev 19:4)

5) And a voice came from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all you His slaves, you who fear Him, the small and the great." (Rev 19:5)

6) Then I heard something like the voice of a great crowd and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. (Rev 19:6)

With judgment passed, all that remains is Jesus Christ executing that sentence upon all those human beings who are left.

The location Babylon has a special significance to God. After Noah's Ark and the Flood, human beings attempted to build a tower and make a name for themselves. But it wasn't simply building a tower, it was building a tower "into heaven" and seeking some recognition akin to God.

1) Now the whole earth had the same language and the same words. 2) And it happened as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3) Then they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and they had tar for mortar. 4) And they said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, lest we be scattered over the face of the whole earth." (Gen 11:1-4, LSB)

The area became known as "Babel," the precursor to Babylon, "because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth" (Gen 11:9).

Using a concordance, a "harlot" was a term God used to refer to His people that were unfaithful to the Mosaic Covenant by worshiping other gods (Ex 34:14-16; Lev 20:4-6; Deut 31:15-17).

The angel's interpretation portrays Babylon as something more than an individual non-Believer. It is "the great harlot" who leads others, including kings, to be immoral. It could be a dominant lifestyle that attracts all cultures and people and is intoxicating and pleasurable.

Just as "the great Harlot sits on many waters" (Rev 17:1) ruling "peoples and crowds and nations and tongues," the Harlot, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH," is "a kingdom over the kings of the earth" (Rev 17:18).

In the New Testament, "harlot" is not found except here in the book of Revelation. With the New Testament focused on the New Covenant, the emphasis moves from the unfaithful "harlot" of the Mosaic Covenant to the faithful "bride" of the New Covenant, and this idea is seen towards the end of this Fourth Interlude and in the context of the Seventh Trumpet.

and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. (Rev 18:23, LSB)

In a reference to the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt 25:1-13), the light of a lamp is symbolic of the faithful bride waiting for her bridegroom to fetch her for the wedding; it is the faithful Believer waiting for the return of Jesus Christ at the Seventh Trumpet. But Babylon's lamp will not shine nor will she be able to hear the bridegroom coming.

John's personification of the angel with the golden bowl's Great Harlot (Rev 17:1-6), the woman sitting on the Scarlet Beast, portrayed a world now full of evil people, and it is reminiscent of the apostle Paul's warning to Timothy of the seductive power of human lust:

1) But know this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2) For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3) unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, without gentleness, without love for good, 4) treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5) holding to a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Keep away from such men as these. 6) For among them are those who enter into households and take captive weak women weighed down with sins, being led on by various desires, 7) always learning and never able to come to the full knowledge of the truth. 8) Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, disqualified in regard to the faith. 9) But they will not make further progress, for their folly will be obvious to all, just as theirs was also.
10) But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, 11) persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra. What persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12) Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
13) But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Tim 3:1-13, LSB)

When another angel, with great authority and illuminated with glory, came down from heaven crying, "fallen, fallen is Babylon the great," John learns more about Babylon and what it represented (Rev 18:1-3):

A "dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean bird and a prison of every unclean and hateful beast." (Rev 18:2)

"For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the power of her sensuality." (Rev 18:3)

What the authoritative angel describes figuratively as "Babylon," John described in his earlier writing and used the words of Jesus as "the world."

18) If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19) If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. (John 15:18-19 LSB)

15) Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17) The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17, LSB)

When one of the seven angels who has one of the seven bowls of God's wrath interprets the Scarlet Beast, he explains "the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits."

8) The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. 9) Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, 10) and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. 11) And the beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. (Rev 17:8-11, LSB)

Five significant kings, whoever they may be, have come into existence and have since "fallen." John appears to describe the sixth "king" as presently "ruling," and the seventh "has not yet come" (Rev 17:10).

The seventh king that "has not yet come" is baffling to understand, because the Scarlet "Beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction" (Rev 17:11). There is one possible interpretation of this is based on the account of the Antichrist.

1) And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2) And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 3) And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain fatally, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth marveled and followed after the beast. 4) And they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?" (Rev 13:1-4, LSB)

Bestowed his power, throne, and authority by Satan, the Scarlet Beast appears to be the Antichrist and seventh king under the dominion of the Great Harlot.

In the context of Daniel's prophecy of the fourth kingdom, an angel provides a partial interpretation where of ten kings, another supplants three, and becomes the seventh king. And the description corresponds to the Antichrist introduced in Revelation 13:1-7. Daniel's number of seven king matches John's Scarlet Beast's seven kings.

23) "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24) As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will make low three kings. 25) He will speak words against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make changes in seasons and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. (Dan 7:23-25, LSB)

In addition, corresponding to a body "full of blasphemous names" (Rev 17:3), the Antichrist is known by the angel Gabriel as "one who makes desolate" (Dan 9:27) and by Jesus as "abomination of desolation" (Matt 24:15; Mark 13:14).

The Antichrist is the seventh king that "has not yet come and when he comes, he must remain a little while" (Rev 17:9-10). When the Antichrist is judged and thrown into the Lake of Fire, the Scarlet Beast "was, and is not" (Rev 17:8).

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. (Rev 17:8, LSB)

and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. (Rev 17:10, LSB)

While the Antichrist is thrown into the Lake of Fire, Satan is thrown and bound into the abyss for one thousand years. When he is free of the abyss, Satan assumes the image of the Scarlet Beast, because the Antichrist was essentially a surrogate of Satan and the Red Dragon and Scarlet Beast shared the same physical similarities of seven heads and ten horns. Scarlet could be the color that results from the body color combination of the Red Dragon and Beast of the Sea.Furthermore, as the eighth king, Satan is not under the dominion of the Great Harlot who sat on the Scarlet Beast with seven heads. Satan, now as the Scarlet Beast, "is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction" (Rev 17:8-11).

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. (Rev 17:8, LSB)

9) Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, 10) and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. 11) And the beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. (Rev 17:9-11, LSB)

And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Rev 20:10, LSB)

When one of the seven angels who has one of the seven bowls of God's wrath interprets the Scarlet Beast, he explains "the ten horns."

12) And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 13) These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. 14) These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and elect and faithful." (Rev 17:12-14, LSB)

The ten horns represent ten kings who will reign at the very end for a short time as vassals to the Antichrist (Rev 17:12-13). Because the Promised Land is ruled by the fourth empire, these horns likely represent the leaders for the rest of the world who will, in alliance with Satan's Antichrist, assemble at Armageddon to defend against Jesus who is coming to claim His kingdom (Rev 19:19).

Although the Scarlet Beast has "ten horns," they do not correlate with the ten horns of Daniel's prophecy. In Daniel's prophecy, the "little horn" supplants three horns (Dan 7:20-21), and the resulting horn is "larger in appearance than its associates (Dan 7:20) with "eyes and a mouth speaking great boasts" is very likely describing the Antichrist.

While the ten horns follow the seventh king, the Scarlet Beast and Antichrist, they resist the dominion of the Great Harlot, which is likely the world's seductive lifestyle and culture, in the pursuit of their own worldview and lusts.

16) And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will lay waste to her and make her naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. 17) For God gave it in their hearts to do His purpose both by doing their own common purpose and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be finished. (Rev 17:16-17, LSB)

In Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Daniel describes the fourth empire "as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things" (Dan 2:40) which alludes to a militarily strong nation. However, Daniel's description of the feet and toes of Nebuchadnezzar's statue as being "partly of iron and partly of pottery" symbolized a "divided kingdom" and one that was not uniformly united (Dan 2:41-43).

40) Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. 41) Now in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron; it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42) And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43) And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay; they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not cling to one another, even as iron does not combine with clay. 44) And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will cause a kingdom to rise up which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself stand forever. (Dan 2:40-44, LSB)

Whether it is Babylon or the "common purpose" of each of the ten kings (horns), they all represent a secular worldview that extinguished any perspective of God and compelled people to rise up and fight in Armageddon.

It is important to recognize important details, because God is clear, consistent, and without contradiction.

Just before making the Mosaic Covenant, God reveals how the nation of Israel can be His people:

4) 'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I lifted you up on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 5) So now then, if you will indeed listen to My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6) and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel." (Ex 19:4-6, LSB)

When Jesus prays the High Priestly Prayer for His disciples on the night He is arrested, He indicates that, what was formerly God's people, was given to Him.

6) "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7) Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; 8) for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. 9) I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; 10) and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. (John 17:6-10, LSB)

Babylon represents the world, a secular culture that denies the existence of God and sin. In lieu of God and His imperative to be holy (Lev 20:26), it is a life in motivated by pride and power derived by human achievement.

To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning, for she says in her heart, 'I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.' (Rev 18:7, LSB)

And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, (Rev 18:9, LSB)

And the merchants of the earth cry and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore - cargo of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from precious wood and bronze and iron and marble, and cinnamon and amomum and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargo of horses and carriages and human beings and human lives. (Rev 18:11-13, LSB)

Throughout this passage, the motif of drinking wine and getting drunk illustrates the sin and deceit of Babylon. The death of Believers who testify of Jesus Christ and the glory of God was celebrated. The blood of the saints serves as the wine that inebriates Babylon; the more blood, the better.

Then I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly. (Rev 17:6, LSB)

Pay her back even as she has paid, and give her back double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, "I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning." (Rev 18:6-7, LSB)

And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth. (Rev 18:24, LSB)

The message of the saints is silenced, because mankind finds the deceit of the immoral worldview pleasing, beneficial and addicting.

Then one of the seven angels who have the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality." (Rev 17:1-2, LSB)

For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the power of her sensuality. (Rev 18:3, LSB)

The people who speak of woes for Babylon (Rev 18:9-20) are selfishly lamenting of their losses in wealth and hedonistic lifestyle.

This stands in stark contrast to the eagle's three woes (Rev 8:13) which were expressed in sympathy for those on earth reminiscent of Daniel's lament for Nebuchadnezzar who did not recognize that God "is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes" (Dan 4:19-37).

In contrast to Nebuchadnezzar who came to recognize God, Babylon is a culture whose values denies the existence of the one true God; its wanton evil influence and unrepentant depravity renders God's wrathful judgment.

Two heavy circular millstones are used for grinding grain: one lying flat as a base and the other standing up rolling on an axle atop of the flat circular base.

When speaking of deceit and causing others to go astray, Jesus mentions the use of a millstone in the figurative sense to warn against and emphasize the seriousness of the offense. And this is what Babylon was precisely guilty of.

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. (Mark 9:42, LSB)

John is informed that the action of the strong angel tossing a stone resembling a great millstone as judgment against Babylon (Rev 18:21).

Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer." (Rev 18:21, LSB)

When the Seventh Bowl is poured, Babylon is destroyed.

17) Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the sanctuary from the throne, saying, "It is done." 18) And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. 19) And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the wrath of His rage. (Rev 16:17-19, LSB)

Consider this method of observing the biblical text to look for patterns, a sequence, or progression.

Voices in Heaven

At the sound of the Seventh Trumpet

15) Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever." (Rev 11:15, LSB)

Before the bowls of God's wrath and plagues are dispensed

2) Then I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who have overcome the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3) And they sang the song of Moses, the slave of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! 4) Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed." (Rev 15:2-4, LSB)

After the Seventh Bowl

1) After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 2) because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her sexual immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His slaves shed by her hand." 3) And a second time they said, "Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever." (Rev 19:1-3, LSB)

Twenty-Four Elders

At the sound of the Seventh Trumpet

16) And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17) saying, "We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. 18) And the nations were enraged, and Your rage came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and to give reward to Your slaves—the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great—and to destroy those who destroy the earth." (Rev 11:16-18, LSB)

After the Seventh Bowl

4) And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" (Rev 19:4, LSB)

Voice from the Throne

After the Seventh Bowl

5) And a voice came from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all you His slaves, you who fear Him, the small and the great." (Rev 19:5, LSB)

Voices in Heaven (conclusion)

After the Seventh Bowl

6) Then I heard something like the voice of a great crowd and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. (Rev 19:6, LSB)

In this passage, hallelujah is associated with:

"Salvation and glory and power belong to our God because His judgments are true and righteous."

Of the Great Harlot, God "has avenged the blood of His slaves shed by her hand" and "Her smoke rises up forever and ever."

The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God when they said, "hallelujah!"

A voice from the throne commanded, "give praise to our God, all you His slaves, you who fear Him, the small and the great."

"For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready."

Hallelujah is a joyful warm approval or admiration of God's character or acts.

But it's not like a joyful "high five," back slapping or celebratory embrace, that you might do with a peer.

It is a praise of deep solemn respect of a God whom you should fear to disobey and worthy of honor and adoration.

With the last of God's wrath discharged, John learns that the time of the marriage of the Lamb has come (Rev 19:7-9).

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is portrayed as the bridegroom (Matt 25:1; Mark 2:19; John 3:29) and the church as His bride (Eph 5:22-32; 2 Cor 11:2).

Because of the above, the marriage of the Lamb is best understood through the metaphor of an ancient Jewish wedding custom.

At the start of the process, an arrangement is made between the fathers of the bridegroom and the bride, and the father of the groom pays a "ransom" for the bride. The payment is either to the bride herself (Gen 24:22, 47, 53) or to the father of the bride (Gen 29:18-20, 26-29; Ex 22:16).

Consistent with this metaphor, God the Father has His Son Jesus Christ pay the ransom price for the bride.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16, LSB)

Following this agreement between the two parties, the betrothal ceremony takes place where a commitment between the groom and bride is made to make the marriage legal. However, the groom and bride do not live together and consummate their marriage; instead, each returns to their respective fathers' home.

With regard to an agreement, God made the New Covenant which Jesus is fully aware of and what He's committed to.

And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood." (Luke 22:20, LSB)

During this betrothal period, which lasts at least a year, both groom and bride prepare for the marriage. The groom prepares his home typically by adding a room to his father's home. Meanwhile the bride sets herself apart to prove that she is a virgin, and by examining and changing any personal behaviors that might lead her astray from her covenant of marriage.

In like fashion, Jesus returned home to make similar preparations:

2) In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:2-3, LSB)

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. (Rev 21:2, LSB)

Similarly, the church was sanctified in preparation for the return of Jesus Christ:

25) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26) so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27) that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. (Eph 5:25-27, LSB)

Determined by the groom's father, the day of the wedding was unknown to both the groom and bride. When the day is approved, the groom would leave with his wedding party to fetch his bride. Expectant of the wedding but uncertain of the day, the bride would be waiting for her groom's arrival.

Jesus teaches His disciples of being ready for His return in parables (Matt 25:1-13) and metaphor:

36) But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37) For just as the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. (Matt 24:36-37, LSB)

42) Therefore stay awake, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43) But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44) For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. (Matt 24:42-44, LSB)

Jesus' return would be visible and triumphant:

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thes 4:16)

The festive wedding ceremony presents the beautiful bride in all her adornments:

At the end of human history, the marriage of the Lamb occurs in heaven:

7) Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." 8) And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Rev 19:7-8, LSB)

The Marriage Feast is mentioned only once in conjunction with the Marriage of the Lamb:

9) Then he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." 10) Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the witness of Jesus. Worship God! For the witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Rev 19:9-10, LSB)

In one of His many parables about the kingdom of heaven, Jesus presents the Parable of the Wedding Feast:

1) And Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2) "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.
3) And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been called to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. 4) Again he sent out other slaves saying, 'Tell those who have been called, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast."'
5) But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, 6) and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. 7) But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire.
8) Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were called were not worthy. 9) Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, call to the wedding feast.' 10) And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.
11) "But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, 12) and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And the man was speechless. 13) Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14) For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matt 22:1-14, LSB)

As you read the Parable of the Wedding Feast, notice the king's requirement for the proper wedding clothes. Is this narrative a parable or what will really happen?

After the marriage of the Lamb, the apostle John presents the opening of heaven and another separate appearance of Jesus Christ who, this time, is upon a white horse.

Jesus Christ arrives with several majestic superlatives:

I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sits on it is called Faithful and True (Rev 19:11, LSB)

having a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself (Rev 19:12, LSB)

His name is also called The Word of God (Rev 19:13, LSB)

He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev 19:16, LSB)

Jesus Christ is described with a fearful physical appearance which emphasized His divine purpose of carrying out His Father's judgment:

His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems (Rev 19:12, LSB)

being clothed with a garment dipped in blood (Rev 19:13, LSB)

This appears to represent His judgment "trodding the ripe grapes in the great wine press of the wrath of God."

18) Then another angel, the one who has authority over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe." 19) So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. 20) And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of 1,600 stadia. (Rev 14:18-20, LSB)

And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the wrath of the rage of God, the Almighty. (Rev 19:15, LSB)

Assisting Jesus Christ, in carrying out God's judgment, are the unfallen angels in heaven (Matt 13:41-42):

And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. (Rev 19:14, LSB)

An angel, silhouetted in the sun, calls on birds to join them at Armageddon.

17) Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, "Come, assemble for the great supper of God, 18) so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of strong men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great." (Rev 19:17-18, LSB)

Instructed to start reaping after the Seventh Trumpet (Rev 14:18-20), unfallen angels finish their reaping at the conclusion of Armageddon.

Against the background that God's people do not possess their promised land (Dan 2:33, 40-43; 7:7-8, 11, 19-26), Satan, with the intent of denying Jesus Christ Jerusalem, the city of God (Dan 9:19), arrays a huge army at Armageddon (Rev 17:7-13; 19:19).

There is no description of the battle of Armageddon; but, John implies that the battle is quick and complete. So decisive was the military victory that the Antichrist and False Prophet were seized without having any time to escape and were justly destroyed.

20) And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who did the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. 21) And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sits on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. (Rev 19:20-21, LSB)

Observe carefully that the Antichrist and False Prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire as mortal human beings!

Satan himself does not escape, and is sealed and imprisoned in the abyss for one thousand years:

1) Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2) And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3) and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were finished. After these things he must be released for a short time. (Rev 20:1-3, LSB)

The saints who reigned with Jesus Christ on earth during the one thousand years were those of the "first resurrection" (Rev 20:4-5). John saw these saints as "the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their witness of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who also had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand."

It is only martyrs, who died for their faith before and during the Great Tribulation, who reign during this Millennial Kingdom on earth with Jesus Christ. This does not include Believers who died from other causes.

Who do they reign over? Were there any human beings who survived Armageddon? There are several pieces of evidence to suggest that all of humanity has died.

With the dispensation of the seven bowls containing seven plagues and the wrath of God, the wrath of God is finished.

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who have seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. (Rev 15:1, LSB)

Of the seven bowls of plagues and God's wrath:

Bowl 2: The sea became blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died (Rev 16:3).

Bowl 3: The rivers and the springs of waters became blood rendering only blood to drink (Rev 16:4-7).

Bowl 4: The sun scorched people with fierce intolerable heat (Rev 16:8-9).

Bowl 7: Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the sanctuary from the throne, saying, "It is done." And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the wrath of His rage. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And huge hailstones, about one talent each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe. (Rev 16:17-21, LSB)

At Armageddon, an angel standing in the sun calls on birds to to feast on the "flesh of all men."

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, "Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of strong men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great." (Rev 19:17-18, LSB)

The death of all humanity completes and fulfills Daniel's prophecy of 70 weeks.

Seventy weeks have been determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Holy of Holies. (Dan 9:24, LSB)

Lastly, there is no biblical evidence of glorified resurrected human beings reigning over mortal human beings; but there is biblical evidence for glorified resurrected human beings reigning over angels.

The author of Hebrews indicates that when Jesus was incarnate God, He was lower in hierarchical status than angels.

5) For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. 6) But one has testified somewhere, saying, "What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? 7) You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; 8) You have put all things in subjection under his feet." (Heb 2:5-8, LSB)

The apostle Paul informs the church of Corinth that in the future, when Believers inherit the kingdom of God, they will be higher in hierarchical status than angels.

1) Does any one of you, when he has a case against another, dare to be tried before the unrighteous and not before the saints? 2) Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not worthy to constitute the smallest law courts? 3) Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? (1 Cor 6:1-4, LSB)

Thus, if there no longer anymore human beings left on earth, that leaves fallen angels who will be ruled during the Millennial Kingdom. And Jesus Christ bestowed the authority to rule to those "who overcomes in the end."

26) And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 27) and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28) and I will give him the morning star. (Rev 2:26-28, LSB)

Gog from the land of Magog, north of Israel, is an adversarial leader that God instructs the prophet Ezekiel to speak about (Ezek 38 - 39). Historians have had difficulty identifying this individual in ancient history.

1) And the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 2) "Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him 3) and say, 'Thus says Lord Yahweh, "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4) I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your military force, horses and horsemen, all of them magnificently dressed, a great assembly with large shield and shield, all of them wielding swords; 5) Persia, Ethiopia, and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6) Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops—many peoples with you. (Ezek 38:1-5, LSB)

14) "Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, 'Thus says Lord Yahweh, "On that day when My people Israel are living securely, will you not know it? 15) You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and numerous peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a numerous military force; 16) and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It will be in the last days that I will bring you against My land so that the nations may know Me when I prove Myself holy through you before their eyes, O Gog." (Ezek 38:14-16, LSB)

1) "Now as for you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, 'Thus says Lord Yahweh, "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; 2) and I will turn you around, drive you on, take you up from the remotest parts of the north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel. 3) And I will strike your bow from your left hand and cause your arrows from your right hand to fall. 4) You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and beast of the field. 5) You will fall on the open field; for it is I who have spoken," declares Lord Yahweh. 6) "And I will send fire upon Magog and those who inhabit the coastlands securely; and they will know that I am Yahweh. (Ezek 39:1-6, LSB)

Gog and his people of Magog symbolized a powerful and feared enemy and this imagery is carried over to Revelation much like Babylon and its representations. Because human history has ended had ended a thousand years earlier, Gog and Magog represented the numerous evil fallen angels gathered and led by Satan.

The final conflict is resolved with supernatural fire from heaven which appears to consume all personal spirit beings of Gog and Magog except Satan who is "thrown into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone to be tormented day and night forever and ever."

Did God intend the Millennial Kingdom for fallen angels to reconcile with Him? Nothing is said about the consequences for these fallen angels.

Who is sitting on the Great White Throne "from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them?" There is evidence that Jesus Christ is the One sitting on the Great White Throne.

To Jews who sought to kill Him, Jesus states that all judgment, in the context of eschatological judgment, was given to Him by His Father:

20) For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. 21) For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22) For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, 23) so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.24) Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:20-24, LSB)

To His disciples, Jesus tells them that He will sit on His glorious throne, which sounds like the Great White Throne, actively judging the twelve tribes of Israel and all the nations gathered before Him:

And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matt 19:28, LSB)

31) But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32) And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33) and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. (Matt 25:31-33, LSB)

To the public, Jesus tells them what judgment is based on and how He is involved:

21) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22) Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, in Your name did we not prophesy, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many miracles?' 23) And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.' (Matt 7:21-23, LSB)

However, has all the evidence surrounding this event been considered? When writing in the context of the eschatological judgment of Believers, the apostle Paul speaks of the judgment seat of God synonymously as the judgment seat of Christ:

10) But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you view your brother with contempt? For we will all appear before the judgment seat of God. 11) For it is written:
"As I live, says the Lord, to Me every knee will bow,
And every tongue shall confess to God."
12) So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. (Rom 14:10-12, LSB)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Cor 5:10, LSB)

Paul leaves the impression that the eschatological judgment of everyone involves both God and His Son Jesus. John records only one moment in which eschatological judgment occurs (Rev 20:11-13), which suggests Paul's judgment seat of God / Christ is associated with John's Great White Throne.

Investigating this further, who has the cosmic power and presence that would cause earth and heaven to flee?

God. Although Jesus was involved, God is attributed as the Creator:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1). This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven (Gen 2:4).

Jesus Christ. Jesus indicates that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him:

17) And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubtfed. 18) And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19) Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, (Matt 28:17-19, LSB)

Both God and His Son.

The apostle Peter speaks of the Day of the Lord and the Day of God as synonyms in which heaven and earth are destroyed:

10) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be found out. 11) Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12) looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens burning will be destroyed, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, in which righteousness dwells. (2 Pet 3:10-13, LSB)

The biblical evidence appears to support the view that God is present during the judgment of all the nations gathered before Him presided by His Son Jesus Christ. While both are associated with the Great White Throne, John sees only one Person sitting on the throne. Despite the difficulty of understanding this, just as the concept of a triune God, there is an illustration of something similar revealed in New Jerusalem.

As John witnesses a new heaven and a new earth, he sees the holy city New Jerusalem coming out of heaven from God. Within it, he observes that the temple in New Jerusalem is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

22) I saw no sanctuary in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its sanctuary. 23) And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. (Rev 21:22-23, LSB)

It seems plausible that, in similar fashion, there is some sort of dual occupancy of the Great White Throne.

Having both God and His Son present at the Great White Throne would certainly cause earth and heaven to flee and be destroyed.

While this is simply a hypothesis, it does provide a reasonable concept, coherent within the context of the whole Bible, that helps one understand all the available biblical data.

Believers, whose souls in heaven join with their glorified bodies and clothed in the white robe of righteousness, complete their process of resurrection and come to life (Rev 20:12).

Believers, evaluated in accordance to their deeds, are rewarded for their faithful service (Matt 19:28; Luke 22:28-30; Rev 22:12). The apostle Paul refers to this in his exhortation to Believers in Rome and Corinth:

10) But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you view your brother with contempt? For we will all appear before the judgment seat of God. 11) For it is written:
"As I live, says the Lord, to Me every knee will bow,
And every tongue shall confess to God."
12) So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. (Rom 14:10-12, LSB)

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Cor 5:9-10, LSB)

Non-Believers, whose souls are in Hades, join with their bodies and come to life (Rev 20:13). Their resurrection is a singular event.

Non-Believers, after being judged for their deeds, discover their names missing in the Book of Life, and were thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:15).

It is difficult to know where the lake of fire and brimstone is. There is an impression that it might be a heavenly location; however, the unknown location of the Great White Throne allows for a view towards earth or heaven as "throwing," if taken literally, requires a physical presence of Jesus Christ or His angels.

9) Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10) and he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His rage; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11) And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." (Rev 14:9-11, LSB)

Joining the Antichrist, False Prophet, and Satan into the Lake of Fire, non-Believers enter this second death with finality and eternity; it is a place of torment and without any rest.

In the very end, death and Hades are also thrown into the lake of fire (Rev 20:14).

God is on the throne, because He made the covenant commitment to Abraham to be God to him and his descendants. Why isn't Jesus Christ?

Note carefully that Jesus was given all things by His Father.

All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. (Matt 11:27, LSB; Luke 10:22)

34) For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. 35) The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. (John 3:34-35, LSB)

21) For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22) For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, 23) so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. (John 5:21-23, LSB)

37) All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out. 38) For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39) Now this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40) For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:37-40, LSB)

Note carefully that the Kingdom of God that Jesus presented was intimately associated with Jesus Himself; the Kingdom of God is exclusively associated with salvation through Jesus Christ.

1) Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2) "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 3) For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet, saying,
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
'Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!'" (Matt 3:14-15, LSB; 4:17; Mark 1:14-15)

16) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17) For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17, LSB)

25) And knowing their thoughts He said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26) And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27) And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28) But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matt 12:25-28, LSB; Luke 11:14-20)

For this you know with certainty, that no one sexually immoral or impure or greedy, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Eph 5:5, LSB)

At the end of time, when all enemies are under His feet, Jesus Christ hands back to the Father the Kingdom that He received from Him (1 Cor 15:24-28).

22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23) But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming. 24) Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25) For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26) The last enemy to be abolished is death. 27) For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, "All things are put in subjection," it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28) And when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. (1 Cor 15:22-28, LSB)

The rule of Christ and the rule of God are not two kingdoms that follow one another in succession; the Kingdom of Christ is seen as identical to the Kingdom of God (Rev 11:15; 22:1-5).

Understanding Jesus Christ's role in judgment is fundamental in understanding His role as King. The purpose of Jesus Christ's reign is to abolish all rule, authority, and power; He must put all enemies under His feet and abolish death itself (Rev 20:14-15). When all things are subjugated, then Jesus Christ Himself subjects Himself under the authority of His Father by handing back the kingdom.

With this statement (Rev 21:7), God refers to His covenant promise to Abraham:

7) And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your seed after you. 8) And I will give to you and to your seed after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." (Gen 17:7-8, LSB)

With the Abrahamic Covenant in mind, God's preceding statements take on a deeper meaning.

"Behold, I am making all things new." (Rev 21:5)

In the complete fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, there is a new creation of heaven, earth, and the image of God.

"Write, for these words are faithful and true." (Rev 21:5)

That God's promises to Abraham (Abrahamic Covenant), encompassing the promise of who enters the Promised Land (Mosaic Covenant), expanding the promise of land (Land Covenant), the promise of the King from the line of David (Davidic Covenant), and the provision of a New Covenant to restore the holiness of the name Yahweh, all came true, because God is faithful to His word.

This was important for John to record and emphasize when he was told to "write" (Rev 21:5).

"They are done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost." (Rev 21:6)

The complete fulfillment of His promises demonstrates that God is the beginning and end of humanity, and the Alpha and Omega of His word from Genesis to Revelation. And it culminates in eternal life for those who have faith in the One who bore the cost of their atonement.

"He who overcomes will inherit these things." (Rev 21:7)

Those who overcome the temptation of sin to disobey God will become a son of God and entitled to the inheritance He has for His "treasured possession among all the peoples, kingdom of priests, and holy nation."

God's plan of reclaiming His rule over His Creation, which began with His Divine Covenants with man, is finally fulfilled with the return of the King, Jesus son of David, Messiah Son of Man who restores the image of God and makes human beings righteous through His sacrifice in atonement. With His Son Jesus Christ, Yahweh is the Lord God of the new heaven and earth and whose rule will last forever.

The description of the New Jerusalem is breathtaking.

The city itself is laid out as a square cube; its width, length, and height measures about 1400 - 1500 miles (Rev 21:15). It was made of pure gold like clear glass (Rev 21:18), and its streets were pure gold like transparent glass (Rev 21:21).

The walls surrounding the square city are about 200 feet thick (Rev 21:17) and made of the precious stone jasper that was crystal clear (Rev 21:11, 18).

Each wall running along the length of the city east, north, south, and west, had three gates (Rev 21:13). Each gate represented a tribe of Israel, and at each gate stood an angel (Rev 21:12). Adorned with a single pearl, each gate was forever open (Rev 21:21, 25).

Supporting the city wall were twelve foundation stones each representing one of the twelve apostles (Rev 21:14), and each stone was composed of a precious stone: 1) jasper, 2) sapphire, 3) chalcedony, 4) emerald, 5) sardonyx, 6) sardius, 7) chrysolite, 8) beryl, 9) topaz, 10) chrysoprase, 11) jacinth and 12) amethyst (Rev 21:19-20).

The square dimensions reflect a heavenly Holy of Holies. New Jerusalem descends from heaven with the glory of God (Rev 21:11) and Believers, completing the process of salvation, are raised and resurrected in glory (1 Cor 15:42-44).

It is in this context of God's glory adorning both New Jerusalem and the Believer that John introduces the "New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev 21:2).

In the same context, one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues presents to the apostle New Jerusalem as "the bride, the wife of the Lamb" (Rev 21:9).

Just as the church represented the body of Believers betrothed to Christ (Eph 5:23), New Jerusalem represented the body of glorified Believers (John 14:2-3) now in the presence of God and His Son.

This marriage motif, symbolizing divine agape love, is complete and fulfilled.

With the creation of a new heaven and new earth, God restores Creation as it was originally intended and fulfills His covenant with Abraham. Third heaven and the new earth are now united as the abode of God.

Previously corrupted, the created image of God is recovered and his relationship with God restored (Rev 21:3-7; 22:3-5; Gen 1:26-27; Rom 8:28-30).

Glorified saints have access to the Tree of Life (Rev 22:2; Gen 3:22-24) and something never mentioned before, the Water of Life (Rev 21:6; 22:1, 17).

All of the promises to Abraham were fulfilled:

"You shall be a blessing" (Gen 12:2), and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." (Gen 12:3)

Through Abraham and his descendants, specifically through Jesus Christ, the world will be blessed.

Through David, this promise is elaborated to include a King from his royal lineage, who will have a kingdom that will endure forever (2 Sam 7:16; Ps 89:3-4; Luke 1:31-33), and from the line of David was Jesus Christ.

Despite the failure of the nation of Israel to keep their promise of the Mosaic Covenant, God unilaterally makes a New Covenant, mediated through Jesus Christ (Jer 31:31-34; Ezek 36:25-28; Luke 22:20), and bestows the Holy Spirit.

"To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite." (Gen 15:18-20)

Abraham's descendants are promised land that extended from Egypt to include Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, western parts of Iraq and northern parts of Saudi Arabia (Gen 12:1, 7; 13:14-15, 17; 15:17-21; 17:8).

God fulfills this promise of land with New Jerusalem. Although, New Jerusalem is a square (approximately 1400 - 1500 miles on each side), its area encompasses the entire land promised by God!

There is no temple in the New Jerusalem!

God and His Son are effectively the temple (Rev 21:22).

The glory of God powers the lamp of His Son and illuminates the city (Rev 21:23; 22:5).

It is significant that there is no temple in the New Jerusalem; the heavenly Holy of Holies.

It is shaped as a cube.

It is constructed with the finest materials and craftsmanship.

It is the place where Believers are in God's presence, and as glorified Believers, see His face (Rev 22:4). Glorified Believers, with God's name written on their foreheads (Rev 22:4), bear a similarity to the sealed bond servants of God (Rev 7:1-8; 14:1-5).

While instructing Moses on the construction of the tabernacle, God emphasizes the importance of being precise, because it was a "copy and shadow" of the heavenly tabernacle:

1) Now the main point in what is being said is this: we have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2) a minister in the holy places and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. 3) For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 4) Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; 5) who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, "See," He says, "that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain." (Heb 8:1-5, LSB)