ARMAGEDDON
Before you begin your Bible study, as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, be
sure you have named your sins privately to God the Father.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(Known, Unknown and Forgotten sins) (1Jn 1:9)
You will then be in fellowship with God, Filled with the Holy Spirit and ready to
learn Truth from the Word of God.
"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and Truth,"
(John 4:24)
The strategic importance of Palestine
Any serious student of the Word of God is interested in that small area of
the world which today is called Israel. Since Palestine is a piece of real estate
that God has promised to the Jews, (Gen 15:18) we know there is a time in the
future when they will possess this Land. Since A.D. 70, when the legions of
Titus destroyed Jerusalem, the Jews have been scattered all over the earth
and will continue to be dispersed until after the Second Advent when Jesus
Christ Himself re-gathers them nationally as believers in the Land. The present
dispersion is the result of their persistent negative volition to Truth and their
failure to disseminate the Gospel. (Hos 4:6; Matt 23:3) Although the Jewish
people throughout the world are conscious of their national home in Palestine,
they are entering the Land as unbelievers and, therefore, modern Israel does
not constitute the prophesied nation under God.
Down through the centuries, armies of all nations have pushed across this
strategically vital territory. Today waves of Zionistic immigration have caused
uneasiness in the Arab world. The Arab states, which have been engaged in a
bid for power and political solidarity, must keep face in the Near East by
seeking to seize this strip of land from the Jews.
It has been said that the nation which controls the Bosporus and the Suez
Canal commands three continents -- Europe, Asia and Africa. The Bosporus
technically is the twenty-mile strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of
Marmara; but the strategic area actually includes the entire body of water from
the Mediterranean to the Black Sea and forms part of the boundary between
Europe and Asia. It becomes more apparent with the advance of time that
Palestine, located between the Bosporus and the Suez Canal, is a focal point
for military and economic strategy throughout the world.
For hundreds of years, different views concerning Israel’s future, as
defined in the last book of Scripture, have produced a multitude of opinions and
theories of interpretation. Attempts to associate Biblical passages with
contemporary events always lead to confusion when the dispensational aspect
of God’s Plan is ignored. Since “God is not the author of confusion,”
(1Co 14:33) He has given us a timetable which the Bible calls “administration;
KJV, dispensation,” (Eph 1:10) this is the key to understanding prophecy, as it
establishes chronologically certain events pertinent to Israel.
Note that the Age of the Jews is interrupted by Christ; leading them out
Judaism into the new Covenant Age of the Church. (John 10:3) It is not until the
personal reign of Christ in the Millennium the last thousand years of history, that
Israel will once again be a theocracy. (The Lord will be King!) But during the
seven years prior to that period, which is the completion of "Jacob’s distress,"
God will unleash upon the world a series of judgments unequaled in history
(Rev 16:1) thru (Rev 16:21)
The time of the tribulation
"For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since
the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. "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) (7 yrs, instead of the 70 yrs that it
should be) (Divine judgment in Babylon was for 70 yrs; Jer 25:11-12;
Dan 9:2; From Nehemiah to the beginning of the Millennium; Dan 9:24-27) the
Jews owe 70 yrs for the same reason; for not letting the land rest from
Nehemiah until Christ.
Speaking to His disciples, Jesus Christ prophesied concerning the
Tribulation in His Olivet Discourse. The information should not have come as a
shock to the disciples, as the Old Testament contains many references to this
fact. (Jer 30:4-7) speaks of “the time of Jacob’s distress” and compares it to
the “birth-pangs” of a woman. (Eze 20:34-38) refers to a time when Israel shall
“pass under the rod.” (Discipline) The Tribulation is also represented as God’s
“melting pot,” where Israel will be refined as gold and the impurities removed.
(Eze 22:19-22; Zec 13:9; Mal 3:1-3) This time of trouble is known as “the
indignation” in, (Isa 10:5; Isa 13:5; Isa 26:20; Dan 8:19).
Perhaps the most familiar term of all is Daniel’s “Seventieth Week,”
recorded in, (Dan 9:20-27). In his vision, the Prophet Daniel was told of a
seventy-week period.
"Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to
finish the transgression, (End the fifth cycle of discipline) to make an end of sin,
(Judgment on negative volition, evil: Satan’s thinking, moral and immoral
degeneracy, religion, and anti-Semitism, etc.) to make atonement for iniquity,
(Baptism of Fire, to cleanse the earth) to bring in everlasting righteousness,
(Start the Millennial rein of Christ) to seal up vision and prophecy (Fulfill the Old
Testament Covenants to Israel) and to anoint the most holy place. (The
inauguration of the new Temple) (Dan 9:24)
These were prophetic weeks (Seventy sevens) in which each week stood
for seven literal years. This 490-year period was reckoned from the “going forth
of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem” the decree of
Artaxerxes I (Artaxerxes Longimanus) of Persia in 445 B.C. (cf. Neh 2:1-6). It
was exactly 483 years (Sixty-nine “weeks”) from that time that Jesus Christ
rode into Jerusalem and was hailed by some as the promised Son of David,
(Matt 21:8-9; Luk 19:44) but ridiculed by others. This is known in Christendom
today as “Palm Sunday.”
The crucifixion of Christ was the beginning of the interruption of the
prophecy and left one remaining “week” (Seven years) to be fulfilled. Added
between the sixty-ninth and seventieth “week” of Daniel is the present Church
Age, during which Israel is temporarily set aside as a missionary agency. This
same passage in, (Dan 9:26) demonstrates the silence of the Old Testament
prophets with regard to the “Doctrine of the mystery;’ (Eph 3:3) or the Spiritual
Thinking of the New Covenant Church Age believer. (1Co 2:13-16) When any
prophecy dealt with events chronologically, the Age of the Church was omitted,
and information concerning the Tribulation, Millennium and or eternal future
followed sequentially.
Although Daniel received communication regarding the Tribulation, he
understood only that it referred to a time of great trouble for his people. What
were unknown and unrelated facts to Daniel were clearly revealed to John later
on, on the Island of Patmos, where he was commanded to record all the details
in the Book of Revelation!
The character of the Tribulation
Through the study of the Word of God, we are brought to the realization
that from the beginning Satan has attempted to prevent God’s Plan for man. As
the result of the devil’s cunning and man’s subsequent negative volition, both
physical and Spiritual death became the heritage of Adam and Eve and their
progeny. (Gen 2:17; Gen 3:4; Rom 5:12) (Gen 3:15) not only promised a
personal Redeemer who would overcome Satan, but also implied a perpetual
warfare between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil. Underlying
this conflict is Satan’s constant attempt to challenge the character of God.
Since God has given four unconditional Covenants to "believing" Israel and
guaranteed their fulfillment, Satan has sponsored antagonism toward the Jews
throughout history. During the Tribulation, in an effort to prevent the Jews from
occupying the Land, he will foster a period of unparalleled anti-Semitism and
launch a concentrated attack against Israel aimed at the destruction of all
Jews. If no Jews survive, Christ cannot fulfill His promises to them! (So some
will survive!)
RELIGION — Satan’s ace trump will be free as never before to delude,
deceive and destroy.
The Tribulation will be divided into two periods of approximately three and
one half years each. The first three and one half years will be characterized by
power politics in which four major spheres of influence will struggle for world
domination. Lawlessness and anti-Semitism will drastically increase, and the
end of the Tribulation will culminate in a satanic attempt to annihilate the Jews
by the gathering of the armies of the world against Palestine. So intense is the
severity of the second half that it is known as the,
“Great Tribulation.”(Matt 24:21-22)
As the Tribulation begins, a treaty will be made between the Beast of the
Revived Roman Empire and the False Prophet of Israel. Three and one half
years later the Beast dictator will violate his word and betray those with whom
he had entered into an agreement. Following his betrayal of the covenant, he
will turn against Israel with implacable fury and hatred. The age will close with
the total collapse and defeat of Satan’s forces at the Battle of Armageddon.
God will demonstrate before angels, demons and men that the Lord Jesus
Christ can, singlehandedly, overcome the combined forces of Satan’s entire
kingdom of darkness and sin. He will need the help of no man, and His victory
over the powers of evil will be unquestionably decisive.
Grace before judgment
Before every Divine judgment throughout Scripture, God has given man a
period of grace in which to be saved. Prior to the Flood, God granted the
human race one hundred and twenty years. (Gen 6:3) That civilization had the
object lesson of the building of the ark as well as the faithful declaration of the
Gospel by Noah. (2Pe 2:5) Throughout the Tribulation, the Gospel will be
proclaimed as never before in history, (Matt 24:14) so that the all people will be
without an excuse! (Rom 1:18-20) The world will be evangelized four times: by
the 144,000 Jewish evangelists. (Rev 7:4) By the testimony of the Tribulational
saints and martyrs. (Rev 6:9; Rev 7:9; Rev 20:4) By the two witnesses, Moses
and Elijah; (Rev 11:3) and by angels. (Rev 14:6-7)
In, (Rev 16:1) we are introduced to the seven vials or bowls, literally seven
cataclysmic pressures which represent a final great evangelistic thrust designed
to bring people to a realization of their need for Christ. Although He freely offers
grace, God never forces human volition. But instead of repenting, (Changing
their minds about Christ) these unbelievers and carnal believers “blasphemed
the name of God.’ (Rev 16:9) This chapter demonstrates that those who are
blinded by religion will neither change their mental attitude toward Christ under
the most tender and gracious approach nor under maximum disaster.
The first bowl of God’s wrath will be loss of health; (Rev 16:2) the second
and third are food and water crises; (Rev 16:3-7) the fourth, a heat wave;
(Rev 16:8-9) the fifth, an epidemic. (Rev 16:10-11) The sixth bowl, which
provides the background for Armageddon, is military disaster; (Rev 16:12-16)
and the seventh, disasters of nature. (Rev 16:17-21) Although all these
judgments result in great pain and impoverishment, they are not designed to
annihilate the population only to bring people to a saving knowledge of Christ
before the Second Advent and the Baptism of Fire. (Matt 3:11)
We must remember today, as believers will need too in the Tribulation, that
no matter how dark and grim the situation, God is ever on His throne directing
the affairs of men and working out His Plan in the lives of His own.
(Psa 33:1) thru (Psa 33:22) All hell cannot remove believers from the earth as
long as the Lord wants them here. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are
a member of the Royal Family, and God has a purpose for your life. God’s
Word gives strength in the face of hopeless disaster or tragedy. He can deliver
a believer through or from any difficult situation regardless of the dispensation in
which he lives! But understanding this comforting principle depends on the Bible:
the Word of Truth in the soul. Truth makes all the difference!
What is Armageddon?
(Rev 16:12-16) is the only passage in which the word “Armageddon’ is
mentioned. The context of these verses specifies certain events, personalities,
nations and geographical localities which are identified with “the battle
[POLEMOS] of the great day of God Almighty.” The presence of POLEMOS in
(Rev 16:14) instead of MACHE, which usually denotes “battle” or “individual
combat,” indicates that the events described are a part of a war or campaign.
A campaign involves a military invasion into unfriendly territory in an effort to
locate enemy forces and peoples for the purpose of annihilation, subjugation or
enslavement; therefore, a campaign is composed of a series of battles in a
specific geographical location, fought in chronological succession or
simultaneously. Inasmuch as this titanic struggle occurs in one country,
Palestine, the translation of POLEMOS as “campaign” is preferred to “war” or
“battle.”
The tenor of Scripture describing the location of the campaign leads to the
conclusion that the Campaign of the Great Day of God Almighty is fought in at
least four specific geographical areas: (1) Jerusalem; (Zec 12:2-11; Zec 14:2)
(2) Armageddon; (Rev 16:16) (3) Jehoshaphat Valley, east of Jerusalem;
(Joel 3:2; Joel 3:12) and (4) Edom. (Isa 34:1-8)
The Greek word ARMAGEDDON is derived from the Hebrew HAR
MEGIDDO, meaning the hill or city of Megiddo, which occupied a prominent
position on the southern rim of the Plain of Esdraelon. It was famous for two
great victories: of Barak and Deborah over the Canaanites (Jdg 4:15) and of
Gideon over the Midianites. (Jdg 7:1) Here, too, occurred the death of Saul in
the battle of Gilboa against the Philistines, (1Sa 31:8) and that of Josiah at the
hands of Pharaoh Necho’s Egyptian army. (2Ki 23:29-30) (2Ch 35:22)
So vast is this plain that Napolean Bonaparte, upon reviewing it, remarked
that all the armies in the world could maneuver in such a place! While
(Rev 16:1) lacks details of the campaign, it verifies the fact that a mighty
conflict involving all the nations in the world will take place in Palestine. These
will be satanically inspired forces assembled in defiance against God for the
purpose of destroying His people, Israel. However, those elements and
personalities under the domination of Satan and in opposition to God will
themselves be destroyed at the climax of this final warfare, the Second Advent
of the Lord Jesus Christ! Armageddon is not just the decisive defeat of vast
military forces representing mighty international empires, but is an integral part
of both the closing campaign of the Tribulation and the predicted Plan of God!
Four spheres of influence
During this Biblical “week,” Palestine will emerge in economic importance.
For such a small area, it contains tremendous natural resources: the Dead Sea
is the site of some of the most valuable chemical deposits known today. In
addition, Palestine’s strategic location will be even more crucial than ever
before. Four great spheres of influence will engage in a power grab for the
wealth and control of the Tribulational world. They are designated in Scripture
as the “King of the West,” the “King of the North,” the “King of the South” and
the “Kings of the East” Their identities are derived from their directional relation
to Palestine. Each entity is a group of nationalities united by a common purpose
designed either for survival or for the control of the earth’s surface. In
identifying the spheres geographically, we can only relate them to conditions at
the present time; even a few years from now the picture could be entirely
different.
Among the kings gathered for battle in the Great Day of God Almighty is
the one whom Daniel variously called the “King of the north” in, (Dan 11:40) and
the “king insolent and skilled in intrigue” in. (Dan 8:23) Isaiah refers to this same
person as the “Assyrian” (Isa 10:24) and “overflowing scourge.’ (Isa 28:15-18)
This king is not to be confused with “Gog and Magog” of (Rev 20:8) which is an
inclusive term for all Gentile adherents to Satan after his release at the close of
the Millennium and subsequent rebellion against God.
Since Russia has recognized the enormous value of the resources in the
Middle East, the Communists have contributed greatly to the consolidation of
Egypt and the Arabic nations — the pan-Arabic bloc or the King of the South.
The Kings of the East (Dan 11:44) and the “kings of the sun-rising” (Literal
rendition from, Rev 16:12) are considered synonymous. These Oriental hordes
will cross the Euphrates and invade Palestine in the second half of the
Tribulation. Today this confederation of Oriental powers would be analogous to
the Chinese Communists. Before World War II, many would have said it was
the Japanese Empire; but in the future all major Asiatic powers may be linked
as a pan-Oriental bloc.
The King of the West always refers to the Dictator of the Revived Roman
Empire -- the future confederation of Western Europe. In the rise of nationalism
during the last century, the balance of power resided in European nations, as
seen in the various alliances of World Wars I and II. These are no longer
significant, since the pan-Oriental bloc has upset this balance. Although the
aims of the Russian and Chinese Communists are divergent, together they form
a fantastic Communist bloc that
comprises over a third of the world’s population. Therefore, Western Europe
must merge into a strong union in order to meet the threat of domination.
NATO, Winston Churchill’s United States of Western Europe, and other similar
international concepts seem to point to a consolidated Western Europe.
The only nation preventing the balance of power from land-sliding into
Communist hands at present is the United States of America, which is still
reckoned a major force in the world. In reality, however, we are no longer a
giant except in industrial power and even that is being destroyed by
governmental interference. As far as we can apply prophecy to the United
States at the present time, it would appear that we will be a subsidiary or
satellite nation of the Revived Roman Empire.
It is obvious that many Americans are already mentally prepared for
surrender: our educational systems, fashions, lifestyles and many philosophical
concepts are influenced by European culture. We have weakened our own
economy by sending money, arms, food and industrial know-how to foreign
nations. It is a bitter fact that a part of every dollar which the American worker
earns is sent to other nations. Politically, we have already taken a gigantic step
in that direction: we now have an ambassador to the Vatican!
The unholy trinity
And 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; (Rev 16:13)
There are many passages which describe the maneuvers of the various
kings of the Tribulation; this passage explains the evil force that motivates them.
The three unclean spirits are ruling demons’ (KOSMOKRATORAS), to whom
Satan delegated the responsibility of indwelling world rulers or their advisers in
order to influence them to execute his will. (Dan 10:13)
The Dragon
The first member of this villainous trio is the dragon, or Satan himself.
Satan is a genius, and as in the Garden of Eden, so in the Tribulation he will
direct worship away from God. His secret obsession has ever been to be “like
the Most High.” (Isa 14:14) While God has permitted Satan to become the ruler
of this world, (2Co 4:4; Eph 2:2) this has never satisfied his insatiable power
lust. When the devil took Christ (Whom he knew to be God) into a high
mountain and showed Him the kingdoms of the world, he said, “ "All these
things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." (Matt 4:9) The
culmination of Satan’s attempts to be worshipped as God is revealed by the
power he gives the “Man of Sin;” it is written that the King of the West, as
Satan’s man, “takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being
God. (2Th 2:4)
And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the
dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong
enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the
great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and
Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and
his angels were thrown down with him. (Rev 12:7-9)
The seed of rebellion planted in the Garden will bear bitter fruit, for in the
Tribulation both Satan and “the beast” will be worshiped instead of God.
(Rev 13:4-12) From the first subtle innuendo of the Garden until this very hour
Satan has denied the fact that a just and righteous God has pronounced a
penalty on sin. (Gen 2:17; Rom 6:23) The devil has greatly succeeded; in
whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so
that they might not see “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the
image of God” (2Co 4:4) The simplicity of “"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you
will be saved,” (Acts 16:31) has been obscured by the endless systems of
works through which man seeks to be saved.
The Beast
And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. (Satan thrown down to
earth) Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, (The great sea of God’s
omniscience, Dan 7:2-3) having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns
were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. (Names of
Christ and false gods) 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. I saw one of his
heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. (He is the one
and the same head that is healed) And the whole earth was amazed and
followed after the beast; 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?" There was given to him a mouth
speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two
months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against
God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in
heaven. 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. (Rev 13:1-7) Restated from. (Dan 7:1-8)
The man of lawlessness, (2Th 2:3-4) is the “beast out of the sea.” (The
Abyss) Other passages refer to him as the “feet of the image,” (Dan 2:31-45)
the “little horn,” (Dan 7:8) the “prince that shall come,” (Dan 9:26-27) the “god
of fortresses,” (Dan 11:38) and the “scarlet beast” (Rev 17:3) As the Dictator
of the Revived Roman Empire, (The King of the West) he is said to have “ten
horns,” signifying a ten-king confederacy which he rules. (Dan 7:7-8;
Dan 7:23-24) He is depicted as rising out of the Abyss. (Rev 11:7)
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken
from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit (Demon) or a message
(False teaching) or a letter as if from us, (Not written in one of the books of the
Bible) to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way
deceive you, for it will 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 temple of God, displaying himself as being God. (Dan 11:37) and
(Rev 13:16-17) Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was
telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now,
(The Abyss; Rev 9:1-11) so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery
of lawlessness is already at work; (Living apart from fellowship with God:
Spiritual death and carnality) only He who now restrains (God) will do so until
he is taken out of the way. (Satan; Luk 10:18; Rev 9:1; Rev 12:7-13) Then that
lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His
mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; (The Second
Advent) that is, the one (The beast; Rev 13:14-15) whose coming is in accord
with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with
all the deception of wickedness (Satan’s false thinking) for those who perish,
because they did not receive the love of the Truth (God’s Thinking) so as to be
saved. (Delivered for judgment) For this reason God will send upon them a
deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all
may be judged who did not believe the Truth, (God’s Word) but took pleasure in
wickedness. (Satanic and human thinking) (2Th 2:1-12)
"The beast that you saw was, (A demon ruler in the past) and is not, (He is
in prison) (2Th 2:3-6; Rev 9:1-11) 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. "Here is the mind
which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman
sits, (Seven continents: the whole world!) and they are seven kings; (Demon
rulers under Satan) five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and
when he comes, he must remain a little while.
(Satan himself, the dragon; Rev 12:12) "The beast which was and is not, is
himself also an eighth ("Human king") and is one of the seven, (Past demon
ruler) and he goes to destruction. "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. "These have one purpose, and they give their power
and authority to the beast. "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 (Thirty) and chosen (Sixty) and faithful."
(Full maturity) And he said to me, "The waters which you saw where the harlot
sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. "And the ten horns
which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her
desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire.
(Destroy religion, kill all the members, and proclaim that he is "God") "For God
has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose,
and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled.
"The woman whom you saw is the great city, (http:/~/www.mustseethisone.
com~/2rulers.html) which reigns over the kings of the earth." (Rev 17:8-18)
“Horns” in Scripture denote power, which is given to him by the dragon,
(Satan) and reveals that this dominating personality of the Tribulation is the
agent of Satan; as such, he is also the half man half demon religious leader of
the future “World Council of Churches.” Until the middle of the Tribulation; when
he announces that he is "God!" Since Satan is a spirit, he needs earthly agents
to accomplish his will; he therefore operates through the minds and activities of
men to affect the affairs of the world.
His empire is discussed in more detail in. (Rev 17:2-12) The “seven heads”
or mountains in, (Rev 17:9) of this passage are seven continents. The seventh
demon king is Satan. The beast or little horn of, (Dan 7:8; Dan 7:24) will subdue
three horns of the ten-horn alliance and thereby assumes control of the Revived
Roman Empire. He will be given power to persecute the saints and to overcome
them. (Rev 13:7) Then, according to, (Rev 17:14) the confederation of kings
under the beast will make war with the Lamb Jesus Christ; who in turn
overpowers them! His victory is the culmination of the Campaign of the Great
Day of God Almighty.
The false prophet
Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two
horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. (Rev 13:11)
The third member of the infamous unholy trinity, the “false prophet,”
(Rev 19:20; Rev 20:10) He is also known as the “idol shepherd” (Zec 11:15-17)
While the first beast of, (Rev 11:7) comes out of the Abyss — the second
comes up out of the Land — Palestine; a man who is a Jew. (Rev 13:11) The
fierceness of false teacher dictator is hidden under the disguise of a lamb,
which dupes people into believing he is the Messiah that leads them to "God".
Although this prophet has no great army or military force, his influence is
enormous. He is empowered by Satan and exercises all the might of the first
beast.
He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he
makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose
fatal wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire
come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives
those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to
perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to
make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to
life. And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the
image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the
image of the beast to be killed. And he causes all, the small and the great, and
the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on
their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides 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. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding
calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his
number is six hundred and sixty-six. (Rev 13:12-18)
By producing these great signs and or miracles, he is able to sustain the
claims of deity made by the first beast (King of the West) and direct worship
toward him. For this reason, the second beast is called the “false prophet.”
Thus these rulers, together with unprecedented demon activity, wars,
cataclysms and pestilences, will precipitate the greatest suffering the world has
ever known. It is no wonder that this period is referred to in Scripture as “the
Great Tribulation”!
The frog demons
And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon (A demon) and out of
the mouth of the beast (Half demon half man) and out of the mouth of the false
prophet, (A man) three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons,
performing 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)
This shows the Satanic appeal trial, the human race and, (Gen 6:1-4) are
all a part of God’s plan of grace; and to show; that free will is truly free; and
that rejection of God’s plan has eternal consequences no matter who or what
we are!
For centuries, demons have operated “under cover;” in the Tribulation, they
will assume major roles and come out into the open. These demons are said to
be “like frogs.” The croaking noise of the frog is often used as an analogy to the
boisterous promises of politicians. The talks which precede the alliance
between the beast and the false prophet are actually the mouthing of the
demons. Hence, while demon possession and or influence is involved, the
“noises’ will emanate from the mouths of the politicians. Demon possession has
been the basis for the activities of many rulers in history, such as Adolf Hitler. In
the Tribulation demons will be visible and provide the power for the dictators to
perform miracles, which are designed to impress the people. (Rev 9:7) The
less people think, the more they are deluded by the supernatural! So we see
Satan utilizing every means possible to assemble the entire inhabited earth to
do battle against God!
The abomination of desolation
For a time the covenant between the nations will provide Israel with a
sense of security. But in the middle of the “week,” the Dictator of Rome,
Abaddon / Apollyon, (Rev 9:11; Rev 11:7) will break his treaty, eliminate the
Lord’s Table sacrifice, and every form of religious worship,
(Dan 9:27; Dan 12:11) and demand that he be worshipped as God. At this
point, the “abomination of desolation,” a statue of the King of the West (Revived
Roman Empire) will be set up in the holy place of worship. All who fail to
worship the image will be put to death. (Rev 13:15)
To believers who know the Word of God, the establishing of the
abomination of desolation is the signal to flee to the mountains, where they are
to remain for the next three and one half years.
"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) (Matt 24:15-16)
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. (Rev 12:14)
There will be many attempts to lure these believing Jews from their
mountain hideouts in order to kill them. False propaganda will be disseminated
to give them the impression that Christ has returned. (Matt 24:23-26) The
question then, as now, is — will they believe the word of man; or the Word of
God? When the false reports of the return of Christ fail to induce the believers
to come out of hiding, Satan will promote great “signs and lying wonders,”
(2Th 2:9) in an attempt to deceive. The ones who succumb to these will be
martyred; but those who know Truth will survive and be delivered by Jesus
Christ at the appointed time.
Preparation for battle
Just as in the past God has used invading armies to punish disobedient
Israel, so will the King of the North appear during the Tribulation to ravage the
Land and destroy its people. This time, however, his coming will assure his own
destruction!
"At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of
the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many
ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through. (Dan 11:40)
The pan-Arabic bloc, (King of the South) probably headed by the United
Arabs; will also invade Palestine in another of its many attempts to seize that
country. About the same time, the King of the North advances toward Palestine.
There is only one land bridge between Russia and Africa, and that is the Middle
East. Therefore, to make a strategic penetration of Africa by land, which is his
main objective, the King of the North must move his army through Israel.
By interpreting the Bible in the context of the time in which it was written,
“chariots’ would be highly mechanized armored forces; “horsemen,” mobility of
troops; “many ships” — a mammoth navy. This verse indicates a strategic
double envelopment. One arm of the envelopment is the army; the other, the
navy — by land and by sea — with Palestine caught in the middle. The Russian
fleet sails out of the Black Sea through the Bosporus and into the
Mediterranean. The land forces cross the western end of either Iran or Turkey
and continue on into Lebanon, Syria, Israel, the Negev (The V-section between
Egypt and Jordan) and Sinai toward Egypt. The area from Syria down through
the Sinai Peninsula is called the “Slot,” and from the standpoint of logistics, it
becomes vitally important The King of the North makes a swift conquest of
these countries as he passes through.
“Overflow” is the rapid attack of armored forces designed to control the
main arteries of travel and “to pass through.” The King of the North does not
take the time to consolidate his gains but merely establishes control of the key
points in order to set up his logistical system. His conquests follow the concept
of lightning or blitzkrieg warfare, first developed by General Heinz Guderian.
This sudden overwhelming attack consists of armored forces moving with great
rapidity on the main arteries of travel. Motorized infantry then secures and holds
the checkpoints a crossing or a town. These are followed by a mop-up army
equipped to wipe out any remaining pockets of resistance, and, if necessary, to
move inland in order to remove any possible threat to the line of logistics.
He [The King of the North] shall also enter [Invade] into the Beautiful land
{Palestine] and many countries [The many Jews] shall be overthrown: but these
[Jewish believers] will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the
foremost of the sons of Ammon. (Dan 11:41)
Since the-first objective of the King of the North is the invasion of Egypt, he
does not seek to control the entire Land of Palestine. Therefore, the regenerate
Jews who have been hiding in the hills, (Matt 24:16) will continue to remain
there in safety.
"Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of
Egypt will not escape. (Dan 11:42)
The penetration of North Africa by land forces is next on the agenda of the
King of the North. Even today, the Russians have constructed roads between
the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. They are also developing other areas with
a view to moving into the Middle East. It just means that a comparable situation
exists today that makes this passage very easy for us to visualize.
Once the King of the North invades Egypt, he will be joined by his fleet so
that he now has both water and land bases in which to organize his conquest of
Africa. His plan of attack is twofold: one, a strategic penetration toward
Ethiopia, the heart of Africa; the other, a strategic envelopment along the
Mediterranean coast of Africa.
"But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and
over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans [Western advance] and
Ethiopians [Southern advance] will follow at his heels. (Dan 11:43)
He will gain possession of the valuable treasure of Egypt; this, along with
supplies from conquered countries along the way, will form the basis for his
further conquest of the continent of Africa. Just as he is about to launch his
massive drive into Africa, an unforeseen event takes place:
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and
its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from
the east. (Rev 16:12)
How the angel dries up the river has been a source of speculation; but it is
clear that the way is now prepared for the Kings of the East to invade the Land.
Isn’t it interesting that these Asiastics suddenly move in this direction? They
have not shown any interest in Palestine since the days of Genghis Khan. In
maneuvering his chosen men into position to destroy the Jews, Satan has
overlooked one major pawn the Kings of the East. God checkmates or counters
Satan’s move, and the situation intensifies for the Jews. At this point, the King
of the North receives disturbing military reports:
"But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will
go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many. (Many Jews)
(Dan 11:44)
The armies of the pan-Oriental bloc will have crossed the Euphrates River
and penetrated as far as ldumea, forcing the Arabs back, as the Kings of the
East advance toward Jerusalem. To the north, in the great Valley of Esdraelon,
the army of the King of the West is concentrated. This would indicate a double
envelopment, which cuts off the Communist land supply route from the east.
The predicament of the King of the North is further complicated by news of
the decisive defeat of his navy in the Mediterranean by the King of the West,
which separates him from his base of supply by sea. Napolean found himself in
a similar plight in Egypt when Nelson defeated the French navy at the Battle of
Aboukir Bay in 1798.
The logistical problems for a large army are astronomical, even when the
supply lanes are open. With his navy wiped out and his arteries of supplies
severed, the King of the North is understandably agitated. Desperate to reopen
his supply lines, he can only return by land; so he turns his army back “with
great fury” and heads for Jerusalem. His rage is against the King of the West,
whose alliance with Palestine had dealt him such a devastating blow. In his
frustration, his first objective is to take vengeance on the Jews in Jerusalem.
Apart from a few pockets of resistance, he meets with little opposition.
"He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the
beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
(Dan 11:45)
The headquarters of the King of the North are described as “his royal
pavilion,” a command post which befits the commander of a great army. The
navigational fix of his headquarters is established “between the seas” — the
eastern Mediterranean, the Dead Sea and Mount Zion, the western escarpment
of Jerusalem. If you draw a line between these three points, you will see that
the headquarters are located just outside Jerusalem. However, Jerusalem
becomes his “Waterloo.” (Eze 38:1-39)
Visible demon armies in the Tribulation period.
Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had
fallen to the earth; (Satan; Rev 12:10) and the key of the bottomless pit was
given to him. He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit,
like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by
the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and
power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 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. 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. And in those
days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death
flees from them. 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. They had hair like the hair of women, and their
teeth were like the teeth of lions. They had breastplates like breastplates of
iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many
horses rushing to battle. They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their
tails is their power to hurt men for five months. They have as king over them,
the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he
has the name Apollyon. (The beast; Rev 17:8) The first woe is past; behold,
two woes are still coming after these things. Then the sixth angel sounded, and
I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, one
saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who
are bound at the great river Euphrates." And the four angels, who had been
prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they
would kill a third of mankind. The number of the armies of the horsemen was
two hundred million; I heard the number of them. And this is how I saw in the
vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the
color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are
like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and
brimstone. A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and
the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. For the
power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like
serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm. 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, (Living out of fellowship with God is to
worship demons; 1Sa 15:23) 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; and they
did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor
of their thefts. (Rev 9:1-21) cf. (Joe 2:1-9)
(Zec 12:1-11) discusses the human Siege of Jerusalem from the
standpoint of the believers in Jerusalem. Here the frog demons of (Rev 16:14)
have accomplished their task of gathering all nations in Palestine to make war
against the saints and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rev 19:19) Whatever their
original purpose for being present in Palestine, Satan intends to use their forces
for the annihilation of God’s people. Truly this is the “time of Jacob’s trouble!”
Never was the night as black for Israel as will be those closing moments of the
Tribulation. Yet the mighty Gentile alliances which attack Judah in that day will
besiege Jerusalem in vain, for Jesus Christ will make Jerusalem a “cup of
reeling” to these national groups.
"Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the
peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against
Judah. (Zec 12:2)
Jesus Christ, who is omnipotent in heaven, on earth and among men,
(Zec 12:1) will bring to pass these events on the scene of time. Jerusalem is
pictured as a cup filled with a strong intoxicant. The kings will drain its contents
and will reel as drunken men. The intoxicant is Divine wrath poured out on the
armies which are besieging Jerusalem in that day.
"It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for
all the peoples; [The armies] all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the
nations of the earth will be gathered against it. (Zec 12:3)
Even at the present time, Jerusalem and Judah are a burdensome weight which
the nations attempt to carry but cannot — a problem they cannot solve!
Whether it is mistakenly conceived international declarations of the United
Nations or individual nations attempting to lift the weight, Israel is the center of
world conflict. Twice in recent years 1967 and 1973 the issue has flared up,
threatening to engulf all nations in World War III! This burden will be intensified
in the Tribulation, as Palestine will again become the focal point for world
conflict. He who conquers Palestine rules the world! Three great confederations
will attempt that conquest, but even their greatest efforts will be nullified by the
Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Israel itself shall be conquered when they “look upon
{Him] whom they have pierced,” (Zec 12:10) and the One who conquers them,
Jesus Christ, will rule the world!
Two other verses in Zechariah give a résumé of the Siege of Jerusalem,
which will plunge the Land into a blood bath and a scramble for plunder.
Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will
be divided among you. (Zec 14:1)
The word “day” in the Bible has three connotations: (1) a twenty-four hour
period. (Gen 1:5) (2) Less than twenty-four hours, such as the “day of
salvation,” (2Co 6:2) which refers to the instant of time when an individual
believes in Jesus Christ. (3) More than twenty-four hour period, the most
common instance being the “day of the Lord and or Christ” (Isa 13:6; Php 1:10)
this period begins with the peace treaty, (Dan 9:27) and covers the Tribulation,
the Second Advent and the Millennial reign of Christ, a combined period of
approximately 1007 years. Sometimes the “day of the Lord and or Christ and
sometimes the great day of God” refers to only one of these events, as in,
(Zec 14:6-9) and (Rev 16:14) these will be fulfilled at the Second Advent.
For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city
will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city
exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. (Zec 14:2)
This verse summarizes the events of (Dan 11:40-45) and (Rev 16:12-16)
and presents the Divine explanation: God will PERMIT Israel’s enemies to
gather against her. As the armies sweep through Jerusalem, two thirds of the
city’s population capitulate. (Zec 13:8) This group of people will be lulled into
false security by treaties, promises framed in smooth words and religious
phrases — just as many are being duped today. People who are ignorant of the
Word of God are easily led down the “primrose path.” When the Chinese
Communists took over China, they instituted immediate reforms, and even many
of our Christian missionaries were completely deceived. They discovered too
late the ruthlessness hidden behind the whitewash of closing down houses of
prostitution, opium dens and gambling establishments.
Not only will the wealth of the people who surrender be plundered, but they
will become the victims of violence and rape. It is better to die fighting for
freedom then surrender to those who live by violence. Don’t ever buy the
concept, “It’s better to be Red than dead!” The alternative is not only better; it
is BEST! Violence can only be stopped by greater violence. It is respect for the
laws of Divine establishment which preserves all those who function under
them. The born-again believers of the Tribulation are no exception; therefore,
“the residue of the people [The believing remnant] shall not be cut off
[Destroyed] from the city.” Believers are still resisting, (Zec 13:9) Why? For the
answer we must go back to Zechariah 12.
"Then the clans (Governors) say in their hearts, ’A strong support for us
are the inhabitants of Jerusalem through the LORD of hosts, their God.’
(Zec 12:5)
God always has men who are prepared to stand in the gap because they
know Truth. “Governors” (ALUPH) is literally “general officers” and is so
translated in the Septuagint. These generals make a decision to organize a
defense and make a last stand. As we have seen, the unbelievers do not join
them. They say in effect, “Why should we fight against our BROTHERS? We
belong to the World Council of Churches; they treat us well!” So they go out
and surrender and what happens? They are robbed, raped, tortured, taken into
captivity or killed!
Although the generals are aware of the lack of training of the remnant and
their inferior weapons, they know these believers can be depended upon
because they are motivated by the faith-rest technique which is undergirded by
an understanding of the Truth of eschatology. (Joe 2:18-21) They have Divine
Thoughts; from the Word of God in their frontal lobes, so they continue to resist.
How applicable this is to us today in every area of life! It is great to see
high school young people who know exactly what they are doing because they
understand Truth: they know better than to date just anyone in order to have a
social life or to enter into the activities that others succumb to for kicks; or to
swallow the distortions of satanically inspired human reality they are being
taught. They are willing to “buck the tiger” and stick to their standards on the
basis of the Word of God. It is refreshing to find college young people who
neither depend on friends, fraternities or athletics for sustenance, nor need
alcohol, drugs or sex to make them happy. They have the courage to be “Daniel’
s’ to be different and to resist the pull of their peers.
Even in the face of ridicule, many young men in the barracks refuse to join
in the traditional weekend drunken brawls or the “pot” parties; they refuse to
conform or to lick the boots of someone above them in order to be promoted,
and they too stand on the basis of Truth rather than compromise their
principles. There are courageous men in the business world who apply Truth
and depend on God’s grace rather than on shady business practices to make a
profit! No one has ever lost or will ever lose by taking a stand; believing and
Thinking with Truth! (1Co 2:16)
"In that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of
wood and a flaming torch among sheaves, so they will consume on the right
hand and on the left all the surrounding peoples, while the inhabitants of
Jerusalem again dwell on their own sites in Jerusalem. (Zec 12:6)
The generals have such a tremendous mental attitude they are like torches
setting dry grass aflame! Their stalwart zeal ignites the people with inspired
courage. They barricade what is left of the City, and with valiant determination,
they are prepared to shoot to kill. (“Consume’’) These who resist are alive when
Christ returns and will live on in their physical bodies for another thousand
years! They as well as other surviving believers will be the basis for the
repopulation of the earth during the Millennium, as they reside permanently in
Jerusalem in perfect blessing. (Isa 66:18-21; Zec 2:4-5) Yet much has to
transpire before that glorious era!
Darkness precedes the light
Meanwhile, the King of the North has established his command post
between Mount Zion and the Mediterranean Sea, from which he has besieged
Jerusalem. The King of the West — the ten-nation confederation of the Revived
Roman Empire is operating out of the Valley of Megiddo in the Plain of
Esdraelon. The Kings of the East — the pan-Oriental bloc are moving up into
Jehoshaphat’s Valley; and although the Bible does not specifically state were
the Arabs are, they are undoubtedly still very much in the picture.
With the greatest concentration of armies in the history of the world
encompassing one small section of the City of Jerusalem, the situation is bleak
and hopeless for the Jews. Yet these hostile armies will suffer the most
decisive and devastating defeat ever known in military history. Before the
complete annihilation of the enemy by the intervention of Jesus Christ; there is a
supernatural darkness on both sides of the world simultaneously.
"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. (Matt
24:29)
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the
people ... (Isa 60:2)
This is not the darkness of night, which contains light, but a total blackout
on the earth. No artificial light can penetrate this utter blackness. It will be
exactly like that total darkness which shrouded Jesus Christ while He was
bearing our sins on the Cross. (Matt 27:45) No one was permitted to see God’s
judgment of sin!
"In that day," declares the LORD, "I will strike every horse with
bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of
Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. (Zec 12:4)
Although horses can be so frightened that they become hysterical and
scream, these are not literal “horses” but refer to the enemy military
organization. Traditionally, the Jews have never employed cavalry as part of
their military system but instead have maintained a fantastic reputation as foot
soldiers. Therefore, any battle description where horses are mentioned always
indicates enemy forces opposing Jewish infantry. The darkness will immobilize
the enemy and cause such disorientation and terror that the men will lose all
formation in the attack, and in their confusion, they will even kill each other. It is
impossible to maneuver armored divisions, men and material in total darkness.
As a result of the confusion, the warfare comes to a standstill. Isaiah describes
the personal fear of those involved:
Wail, for the day of the LORD is near! It will come as destruction from the
Almighty. Therefore all hands will fall limp, And every man’s heart will melt.
They will be terrified, Pains and anguish will take hold of them; They will writhe
like a woman in labor, (1Th 5:3) They will look at one another in astonishment,
Their faces aflame. Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury
and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its
sinners from it. (Isa 13:6-9; cf. Luk 21:25-26)
Another purpose of the dense darkness is to protect and preserve those
believers still alive, just as the darkness of the Cross was designed to save
believers for all eternity.
The deliverance of the saints
In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. For it will be a
unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come
about that at evening time there will be light. (Zec 14:6-7)
Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are
the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him And burns up His
adversaries round about. His lightnings lit up the world; The earth saw and
trembled. The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the
presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare His
righteousness, And all the peoples have seen His glory. (Psa 97:2-6)
BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see
Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over
Him. So it is to be. Amen. (Rev 1:7)
Everyone will be able to see Jesus Christ as He comes out of heaven, for His
Divine essence is the Light of the world the only Light which can penetrate the
abysmal darkness; even as He is the only Light who can penetrate the
darkness of the human soul lost in sin. (Acts 26:18)
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who
follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." (Jn 8:12)
Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He
fights on a day of battle. (Zec 14:3)
The Lord shall FIGHT! The cul-de-sac at the Red Sea is the pattern of
deliverance. (Exo 14:10-14) The Jews of the Exodus generation were also
hopelessly trapped, with the Red Sea in front of them, the mountains to the side
and the Egyptian army in rapid pursuit. The Israelites were on the “panic
button,” when Moses shouted, But Moses said to the people. ..."Do not fear!
Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you
today..."The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent." (Exo 14:13-14) As
they quieted down, they beheld the miracle of the sea opening up before them
to let them pass through dry-shod; then they watched the waters return and
drown the Egyptians, The principle behind the deliverance then and in the future
is grace; it depends entirely on who and what the Lord is! As supernatural
intervention won the day for the Jews in the past, so it will win the day in that
future siege.
In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of
Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from
east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move
toward the north and the other half toward the south. You will flee by the valley
of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will
flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah.
Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!
(Zec 14:4-5) cf. (1Th 3:13)
As the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth in glory, the first place His
feet will touch is the very hill which has been designated as a target by the
artillery of the armies of the King of the North! The Mount of Olives has always
been an obstacle for people fleeing from Jerusalem, as in the case of David.
(2Sa 15:30) The personal presence of the Lord on the Mount of Olives will
convert this obstacle into a portal of refuge. He will split the mount and through
the valley will move the believing remnant of Israel to safety, while the Lord
destroys their enemies. As the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea to
safety, so the future generation will pass through the valley made by the Savior.
The destruction of the enemy
The Second Advent of Jesus Christ our Lord the Ancient of Days, David’s
Greater Son, the Stone cut out without hands turns the tide of the campaign,
saves the Jewish remnant from annihilation and causes a devastation of the
Gentile forces unparalleled in all the bloody wars and campaigns of history.
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. 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 fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on
His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
(Rev 19:11-16)
The white horse is the symbol of conquest. Although Christ has all the
essence of Deity. He is called here “Faithful and True.” He is faithful to deliver
His own, especially the believing Jews who are bottled up in Jerusalem. He is
true to His Word, and at His return He will accomplish two things warfare and
judgment. In both of these activities the Lord is absolutely fair and righteous,
even though violence and death are involved.
In a recent speech, the Attorney General of this government said that
there should be no capital punishment and that no one should be killed everyone
has a right to live. Yet throughout Scripture we discover that Divine viewpoint
designates that certain people have forfeited the right to live. God is omniscient
and sees inside every soul; that is why He instituted capital punishment.
(Gen 9:6) MURDERERS must be permanently removed from society in order to
preserve society. Nations also occasionally need purging in order to preserve
other nations. When a group of people become totally degenerate, they must
be eliminated even as rabid dogs must be destroyed. The Canaanites were in
this category, and God had them removed.
The recipients of His wrath in that future day are unbelievers who will have
had every possible opportunity to be saved but have persisted in their rejection
of the only Savior. (Acts 4:12) Therefore, His judgments are just and righteous!
While the blood of Christ speaks of His Spiritual death on the Cross; the
bearing of our sins in His own body. (1Pe 2:24) It also indicates here that He
alone will fight and kill. The armies in heaven include the angelic army, mature
Old Testament saints, along with martyred Tribulational saints, and mature
believers of the Church Age. (Jud 1:14; Rev 17:14) The Lord is the
Commanding General, and this will be the only army in history where the
Commander in Chief does all the fighting while the troops stand by and watch!
The “sharp sword” of, (Rev 19:15) is the greatest weapon of all time. Our
Lord slays the armies of Armageddon with the Words of His mouth! The “great
supper of God” is the massive slaughter which terminates the Armageddon
Campaign. (Rev 19:17-21) Notice that Christ Himself demonstrates how to win
a war: slaughter the enemy!
Jesus Christ does not come back to sit around a peace table and
negotiate a settlement. He returns to annihilate the enemy. There will be no
more warfare for a thousand years because the enemy is DEAD! It is no
wonder our Savior bears the rank and title of KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF
LORDS!”
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 mighty 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." And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies
assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His
army. (Rev 19:18-19)
The armies are spread throughout the Land, from Megiddo to Edom,
(Isa 34:2-10) cf. (Rev 19:1-3) and their destruction is complete from the lowest
buck private to the leaders and instigators!
And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed
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. And the rest were killed
with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all
the birds were filled with their flesh. (Rev 19:20-21) cf. (Eze 39:17-20)
Summary of the campaign
The Campaign of the Great Day of God Almighty occurs in the closing
days of the Tribulation prior to the premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ
to the earth to establish His kingdom; in fulfillment of the promises of the
Abrahamic Palestinian and Davidic covenants. (Rev 16:14)
The geographical location for the final conflict is Palestine, with specific
reference to such sections as Armageddon (Valley of Megiddo), Jehosphaphat
Valley, Edom (ldumea) and Jerusalem.
At the instigation of Satan, the Land is invaded by four separate forces,
representing all the nations of the world: Western Union, (Revived Roman
Empire) King of the North, the King of the South and Kings of the East. The
campaign will begin sometime during the latter half of Daniel’s seventieth week,
known as the “time of Jacob’s trouble” or the “Great Tribulation.” It will
terminate with the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ, who destroys the
personnel of the invading armies together with their leaders, casts the two
beasts into the Lake of Fire, binds Satan, the instigator, for one thousand
years, judges the believing Jews and Gentiles to determine whether they will
enter the kingdom and eternal life or depart into endless darkness.
(Matt 7:21-27; Matt 8:11-12; Matt 22:2-14; Matt 25:1-30; Luk 13:24-30) Upon
the incarceration of Satan and the judgment of the believing Jews and Gentiles,
peace is restored and the Lord Jesus reigns supreme on the earth for one
thousand years!
What is the answer today?
How close is the Tribulation? According to the Scripture, there is no
prophecy yet to be fulfilled before the Tribulation can take place. But these
conditions have existed since the first century. Since no one can know the day
or the hour, it could occur today, tonight, next week or years from now! Never
be deceived by elaborate claims that it is an absolute certainty for the
immediate future.
Are we on the verge of Armageddon today? Some occasions and conflicts
can become so desperate that they could erupt into World War III. This is the
age of wars and rumors of wars, (Matt 24:6) hot wars and cold wars! Many of
these conflicts can be as nationally or personally disastrous to some of you as
the siege of Jerusalem will be to the Jews of the future.
Is there a solution? First of all, nations must be prepared by a strong
military establishment. A nation cannot be strong industrially without military
protection. This was demonstrated in the past by the rise of the Assyrian
Empire. When the Assyrians gained the iron monopoly at the beginning of the
Iron Age, they developed the greatest military organization in the world at that
time in order to protect their tremendous industry. For two hundred years they
never lost a war!
Secondly, for the individual, preparation begins with salvation:
"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the
Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (Jn 3:36)
The wrath of God will be as certain and as swift on the unbeliever who
rejects Jesus Christ today as in that future day!
For the one who has received Jesus Christ as Savior, Truth has an answer
for every emergency of life. If you know Truth, as will the Jewish generals of
the future, you will not faint in the day of adversity. (Prov 24:10) No matter what
happens, the Lord has a Plan and a purpose for your life. Your first
responsibility is to take in Truth through the function of the “grace apparatus for
perception;” Operation Z, and to move on to the mature Christian life! As a
mature believer, God will use you in prosperity as well as in disaster. You will
do credit to your Lord and Savior; your life will have meaning and purpose and
definition; you will possess life and happiness exceeding abundantly above all
you could ask or think! (Eph 3:20) There is no catastrophe, no disaster, and no
pressure too great for the Word of God and the Plan of God! And you, believer,
are an integral part of that Plan!
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