(Chapters 12-14)
This division of the book properly begins at chapter 11:19. In these chapters the Spirit of God takes us back over the same period of time that has been covered in chapters 6-11, but from a different perspective. Actually, this prophecy has its beginning long before the seventieth week of Daniel and takes the reader through one continuous prophetic outline from the birth of Christ until He appears and treads the Winepress Judgment (chap. 14:14-20).
Having given us things from the viewpoint of the Christianized nations of the West in the previous chapters, the Spirit of God now gives details from the perspective of God’s dealings with Israel. This can be seen in the fact that the symbols and language used in these chapters are distinctly Jewish. This is evident by the mention of “the ark of His covenant,” which is the sign of God’s faithfulness with His earthly people, Israel. The mention of signs (a “wonder” in KJV—vss. 1, 3) also indicate that a Jewish order of things is before us (Matt. 16:11The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. (Matthew 16:1); 1 Cor. 1:2222For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: (1 Corinthians 1:22)). The marking of “days” and “times” additionally indicate this (vss. 6, 14; Gal. 4:1010Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. (Galatians 4:10)). By these things coming into view, we see the thoughts and ways of God are toward Israel, and thus there will be a recommencement of His dealings with them nationally.
The opening of the “temple” in heaven and judgments proceeding therefrom indicate that what is about to be disclosed in this prophecy is a different line of things in the dealings of God with the earth. In chapters 6-11, we have seen judgments proceed from the “throne” of God (chap. 4:5), but now in chapters 12-14, the judgments proceed from “temple” of God. This indicates that the subject in these chapters has shifted and a new prophecy has begun.
This division in the book begins by taking us back to the birth of Christ, because much of God’s dealings with that nation in the future center around its rejection of Him. Hence, God resumes His dealings with Israel where He left off two thousand years ago.
The Believing Remnant of Jews Under Satan’s Persecution
(Chap. 12:1-17)
Vss. 1-2—The chapter begins with Israel (“a woman”) being in the place in which the promises of God and the Old Testament prophetic Scriptures place her according to the purpose of God (Gen. 37:9-119And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying. (Genesis 37:9‑11); Deut. 28:1313And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: (Deuteronomy 28:13)). Being “clothed with the sun” and having “the moon under her feet” means that God intends that Israel should have a place of supreme authority among the nations of the earth. The “twelve stars” with which she is crowned refers to the dignity that the twelve tribes of Israel will have in the day of their Messiah’s reign on earth. The woman being in labour (“travailing”) refers to the struggle that the nation was in at the time of Christ’s first coming when it suffered under Roman rule.
Vss. 3-5—Satan (“the great red dragon”) is seen having control of the Roman Empire. This is indicated in the dragon having “seven crowns” on its “seven heads.” The seven heads refer to the seven forms of government through which the Roman Empire has passed, or will pass, in consecutive order through time. It has had kings, dictators, military tribunes, consuls, decemvirs, an imperial government (which was ruling at the time of the writing of the book of Revelation), and it will also have a form of government under the whore (the Catholic Church) which is yet to come (Rev. 17:33So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3)). (This seventh form of government will morph into an “eighth,” which will be a Satanic rule under the personal Beast, when the “deadly wound” to the seventh head will be “healed” – Rev. 13:3; 17:10-113And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. (Revelation 13:3)
10And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. (Revelation 17:10‑11).) The “crowns” on the seven heads of the dragon speak of Satan’s ruling authority. The leaders in the government of the empire (“the stars”) are seen as being manipulated by the dragon (drawn by its “tail”) and used in the dragon’s plan to destroy Christ (“the Man-child”) when He was born into this world (Matt. 2). The prophecy then jumps from Christ’s birth to Christ’s ascension to glory—“her Child was caught up unto God, and to His throne” (vs. 5).
Vss. 6-17—The prophecy jumps forward again some 2000 years to the middle of Daniel’s seventieth week. This is indicated by the woman’s flight into “the wilderness” (where she is providentially protected) being “a thousand two hundred and threescore days” (1260 days). All such time periods of days in prophecy are measured from the middle of the prophetic week—when the abomination of desolation is set up—to the end of the week (Dan. 12:1111And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. (Daniel 12:11)). At that time, God will cleanse the heavens (Job 15:1515Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. (Job 15:15)) by casting Satan and his angels out of heaven onto the earth (vss. 8-9). The Great Tribulation (the last half-week) will then begin with Satan organizing an all-out attempt to destroy “the woman” and “the remnant of her seed”—the faithful Jews who will refuse to worship the beast.
A Two-fold Attack on the Remnant of Believing Jews
• A spiritual attack—A “flood [river]” of apostasy will be used by Satan in his “serpent” character in an attempt to deceive the elect remnant of Jews into believing the lie of the Antichrist (vss. 15-16; Matt. 24:22-2622And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before. 26Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. (Matthew 24:22‑26); 2 Thess. 2:1111And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (2 Thessalonians 2:11)).
• A physical attack—A “war” of persecution will be used by Satan in his “dragon” character in an attempt to kill the elect remnant of Jews (vs. 17; Psa. 10:1-111Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? 2The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. 3For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth. 4The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. 5His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. 6He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. 7His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. 8He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. 9He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. 10He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. 11He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it. (Psalm 10:1‑11); Psa. 12:11<<To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.>> Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. (Psalm 12:1); Isa. 57:1-21The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 2He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. (Isaiah 57:1‑2)).
The “earth helped the woman” (vs. 16). This means that God’s providential care will work to preserve a portion of the Jewish remnant, and they will survive the Great Tribulation and enter the Millennium.
The Trinity of Evil in the Coming Crisis
• The “great red dragon”—Satan (chap. 12).
• The “beast” out of the sea—the political leader of the nations in the West (chap. 13:1-8).
• The “beast” out of the earth—the Antichrist (chap. 13:11-18).
Satan’s Two Chief Agents
(Chap. 13:1-18)
Being confined to the earth, Satan will need human instruments to accomplish his end in destroying the woman and her seed (the remnant). Chapter 13 shows that he will have two men whom he will personally energize for this purpose.
Chapters 12-14 indicate that a number of significant events will occur at (or just after) the middle of the prophetic week. The first is Satan being cast to the earth (Rev. 12:7-97And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:7‑9)). The second is an all out persecution being launched against the Jewish remnant (Rev. 12:13-1713And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 14And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:13‑17)).
The First Beast
Vss. 1-3—The third thing that occurs around the middle of the prophetic week is that the government in the West (the newly formed ten-nation federation called “the beast” – chap. 17:3) will take on a new and different form through an evil man who will have Satanic power behind him. This man will rise to power in the empire out of a political convulsion (the “great earthquake” – chap. 6:12) that Satan will cause in the government under “the whore”—the Catholic Church (Rev. 17:1-61And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 3So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. (Revelation 17:1‑6)). This political leader is known by the same name as the empire—the “Beast” (vss. 4-8; 19:20; 20:10). He is also referred to as “the little horn” (Dan. 7:88I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (Daniel 7:8)), “the king of Babylon” (Isa. 14:44That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! (Isaiah 14:4)); “the prince” (Dan. 9:26, 2726And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:26‑27) – the second “he”).
The “beast” that rises up “out of the sea,” having “seven heads and ten horns” is the European federation of ten nations in the West—the revived Roman Empire (Dan. 2:40-4540And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 41And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 44And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. (Daniel 2:40‑45); Rev. 17:3, 9-113So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3)
9And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. (Revelation 17:9‑11)). However, its rising out of the sea, as seen here, is not referring to the revival of the empire (which happens at the beginning of the prophetic week by the Catholic Church – Rev. 6:1-21And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. (Revelation 6:1‑2)), but to its Satanic emergence out of the state of political chaos that will momentarily exist in the middle of the week, resulting from the upheaval in the government that Satan will cause. The “sea” signifies the unsettled state of things that will exist among the nations in the West at that time. The “crowns” which were on the dragon’s heads in chapter 12:3 are now seen on the “ten horns” of the beast. This signifies the conferring of Satan’s power to the empire through the evil man who will take over the chair of the Roman “prince.”
We are then told how this will happen. One of the beast’s heads will be “slain” and then miraculously “healed” (vs. 3). This refers to the demise of the governmental control that the Catholic Church will have on the empire and the rise of a new government that will replace it. This change is mentioned in chapter 17:10-11 in the 7th head (form of government) under the Catholic Church (the whore) continuing for “a short space” of time (the first 3½ years of the prophetic week), and then being overthrown. The healing of the head will become the “eighth” form of rule under the personal Beast. It will be a Satanic form of government that will continue “its career” for “forty and two months” (the last 3½ years of the week), until the Appearing of Christ, when it will be judged. Until then, “all the world” will marvel at the monster which the western confederated nations will have turned into in those days. No nation or power will dare to challenge this military super-power.
Having taken control of the empire, the Beast will accept worship from his subjects and will blaspheme God (vss. 4-6). At the same time, he will turn his attention to persecuting those (“the saints”) who will refuse to worship him (vss. 7-10).
The Second Beast
Vss. 11-18—The fourth thing that will occur around the middle of the week is the unveiling of the “Antichrist” (1 John 2:1818Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. (1 John 2:18)). He is also called the “man of sin” (2 Thess. 2:3-43Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3‑4)) and “the king” (Isa. 8:21; 30:33; 57:921And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. (Isaiah 8:21)
33For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. (Isaiah 30:33)
9And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. (Isaiah 57:9); Dan. 11:3636And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. (Daniel 11:36)), and “the false prophet” (Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:1013And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. (Revelation 16:13)
20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)
10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)). This man rises to prominence after the first beast is unveiled, and therefore, his tenure is also during the last half of the prophetic week.
This beast has “two horns” denoting the Antichrist’s double character as a “false prophet” and the Jew’s willful “king.” This is an imitation of Christ, the true Prophet (Deut. 18:15-1915The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:15‑19); Matt. 21:1111And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. (Matthew 21:11); Luke 7:1616And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. (Luke 7:16); John 6:1414Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. (John 6:14)) and the true King (Matt. 2:1-61Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. (Matthew 2:1‑6); Rev. 19:1616And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)). He is also said to be “like a lamb” because he is an impostor of Christ, the true “Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 3529The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
35Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; (John 1:35)). He will be an apostate Jew (Dan. 11:3737Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. (Daniel 11:37)) who will rise up “out of the earth” (the ordered scene of Jewish life in Israel), and will be received by the mass of Jews as their false messiah (John 5:4343I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (John 5:43)).
Satan will use this man to lead the unsealed mass of the Jews in the land of Israel (Rev. 9:44And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. (Revelation 9:4)) and the mass of apostate professing Christians in the western nations (2 Thess. 2:33Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2 Thessalonians 2:3)) to worship “an image” that he will erect of the first Beast (Rev. 13:14-1514And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. (Revelation 13:14‑15)). His mission will be to bring the great “apostasy” in the West (2 Thess. 2:33Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2 Thessalonians 2:3))—which has already begun today while the Church is on earth (1 Tim. 4:11Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (1 Timothy 4:1) – “apostatize”)—to its culmination. He will deceive the masses into believing his “lie” (2 Thess. 2:9-129Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9‑12); Rev. 9:1-111And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. (Revelation 9:1‑11)) and that they should receive the mark of the Beast and worship the image—a new form of idolatry. He will work in conjunction with the first Beast to organize and unleash a fierce persecution against the Jewish remnant and any believing Gentiles in the West who will not worship the image of the Beast (vs. 15; Psa. 10:8-108He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. 9He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. 10He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. (Psalm 10:8‑10)). As a result, many saints will be martyred in the Great Tribulation (Rev. 13:7, 15; 14:2-7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. (Revelation 13:7)
15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. (Revelation 13:15)3b; 15:2-3; Psa.12:1; Isa. 57:1-21The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 2He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. (Isaiah 57:1‑2)).
A Remnant of Jews Preserved
(Chap. 14:1-5)
The fifth thing that will become manifest at this pivotal time is that two companies of people will distinguish themselves in the Beast’s empire (the western nations, including the land of Israel):
• The followers of the Beast with his mark on their foreheads—the apostate mass (chap. 13:16-18).
• The followers of the Lamb with His mark on their foreheads—the remnant (chap. 14:1).
In spite of the efforts of Satan (chap. 12) and his two evil men (chap. 13), God will secure a remnant of believing Jews during that time, as shown in chapter 14:1-5. Those who receive the mark of the Beast will seal their doom, but the God-fearing remnant of Jews and those who believe among the Gentiles will refuse it.
This passage shows that not all of the believing remnant will be preserved through the Great Tribulation to enter the millennial kingdom of Christ on earth. Many of them will be martyred. They will be resurrected later and will have a better portion in heaven when Christ reigns in the kingdom. Therefore, among the followers of “the Lamb” there are two parts: a spared portion (vss. 1, 4-5) and a martyred portion (vss. 2-3).
During the Great Tribulation, Christ will identify Himself in spirit “with” the suffering remnant of Jews on earth under the figure of the 144,000 (vss. 1, 4-5). This is not the same as the 144,000 in chapter 7, which are a remnant of all Israel; here it is the Jews only. The Lord will feel their sufferings deeply as they pass through that hour of trial (Isa. 43:2; 63:92When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (Isaiah 43:2)
9In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. (Isaiah 63:9)). Many of the Psalms emphasize this. This spared portion will be preserved by divine providence (Psa. 91) and will reign with Christ on earth when He establishes His millennial kingdom (vss. 4-5). The martyred portion are seen in heaven in the separate or intermediate state (chap. 6:9-11) praising God with the 24 elders, until they are resurrected at the end of the Great Tribulation (vss. 2-3). Then they will reign with Christ in the heavens in a glorified state over the millennial earth (chap. 20:4-6). The spared part of the remnant on earth will understand and relate to the song of praise of the martyred portion in heaven because they both will have passed through the same terrible persecution from the Beast and the Antichrist (vs. 3).
The Proclamation of the Everlasting Gospel
(Chap. 14:6-7)
The sixth thing that will be in effect at that time is the proclamation of “the everlasting gospel.” While a proclamation will be made to the world by the Antichrist to worship the image of the Beast (chap. 13:12-15), there will also be a proclamation made by God (through the everlasting gospel) to fear the Creator and give glory to Him. This gospel is not the gospel of the grace and glory of God that is being preached today by Christians (Acts 20:2424But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24); 1 Tim. 1:1111According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. (1 Timothy 1:11)). It does not announce the good news of redemption through the blood of Christ; no angel has ever been called to carry that message. The everlasting gospel is carried by an “angel” and has to do with the message that creation itself announces, which is a limited revelation of God and man’s responsibility to Him. All who have simple faith in the Creator and give glory to Him will be accounted righteous and “accepted with Him” (Acts 10:3535But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. (Acts 10:35)). This gospel has gone forth from the beginning of time, but since things will be exceedingly dark (spiritually) in the Great Tribulation in the West, and the Word of God will be scarce to find (Amos 8:11-1211Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: 12And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. (Amos 8:11‑12)), God will use this other testimony of Himself in a more powerful way than ever before.
Religious Babylon Falls
(Chap. 14:8)
The seventh thing that occurs at the middle of the week is the fall of “Babylon.” This is the first mention of Babylon in the book of Revelation. It is used as a figure in prophecy to describe the Western powers (the federation of ten nations, the revived Roman Empire) that will be formed after the Rapture but before Daniel’s 70th week begins (chap. 6:1-2). In its initial form in the first 3½ years of the prophetic week, the empire will have the Catholic Church at its helm. This is referred to as the “woman” (the harlot) riding “a scarlet coloured beast” (chap. 17:1-6).
The announcement here in Revelation 14:88And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. (Revelation 14:8) is: “Babylon is fallen.” This refers to the government of the empire under the Catholic Church being overthrown and set aside. Thus, using the symbolic language of the book of Revelation, the harlot will be thrown off the beast and burnt with fire by those nations that she has controlled in the West (chap. 17:16-17). This will occur in the middle of the prophetic week to make way for a new administration under the diabolical man whom we have already been introduced to in chapter 13:1-8—the personal “Beast.”
As mentioned, the fall of Babylon refers to its religious side under the woman (Catholicism) becoming defunct—but the empire itself will continue to exist as a civil, political, and military power. The fall of Babylon, therefore, does not mean the end of Babylon. When the woman is removed, the empire will take on a new and different (Satanic) form under its new leader—the personal Beast. Hence, the fall of Babylon in the middle of the week (chap. 14:8; 17:16-17) must be distinguished from the destruction of Babylon, which happens at the end of the week when the Lord Appears and judges the personal Beast and his armies (chap. 16:15-21; 19:11-21; Isa. 13:1-22; 14:3-231The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. 2Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. 3I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness. 4The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. 5They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. 6Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. 7Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: 8And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. 9Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. 11And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. 13Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. 14And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. 15Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword. 16Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. 17Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. 18Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children. 19And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. 20It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. 21But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. 22And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged. (Isaiah 13:1‑22)
3And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, 4That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! 5The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. 6He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. 7The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. 8Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. 9Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. 10All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? 11Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. 12How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 16They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; 17That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? 18All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. 19But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. 20Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. 21Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. 22For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the Lord. 23I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 14:3‑23)). This is important to distinguish.
Moreover, when Babylon is spoken of using the figure of the “woman” (the whore), it is referring to the corrupt religious side of the empire under Catholicism. But when Babylon is spoken of as a “city,” it is referring to its civil, political, and military side. (What is confusing here is that Revelation 14:8,8And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. (Revelation 14:8) in the KJV, says “That great city.” However, this phrase should not be in the text. The verse is referring to the religious side under the woman, not the civil and political side.) More will be said on Babylon in a parenthesis in chapters 17–19:6, explaining its rise to power and its final destruction.
The Doom of the Worshippers of the Beast
(Chap. 14:9-12)
After the fall of Babylon there will be widespread worship of the Beast and his image throughout the western empire in the last half of the prophetic week. This will be encouraged, or rather enforced, by the Antichrist (chap. 13:15). But it will not be without warning, which the announcement in these verses indicates. This announcement will likely be through the voice of the Jewish remnant, who will cry against this wickedness. The announcement anticipates the frightful end of those who will receive its mark and worship its image. The “saints” (those who will not receive the mark) are counseled to hang on with “patience [endurance]” to the end, for the hour of the Lord’s coming (His Appearing) and their deliverance is not far off (vs. 12; Matt. 24:1313But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13); Luke 21:25-2825And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21:25‑28)).
The End of the First Resurrection
(Chap. 14:13)
As things near the end of the prophetic week, and Christ is about to appear, the third and final phase of the first resurrection will occur (John 5:28-2928Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28‑29)). The saints who will be martyred during the prophetic week will be raised to join the heavenly company as part of the 24 elders. “Henceforth” indicates the end of their condition in the separate state and a new "blessed" condition of being glorified is entered upon. These are the last guests to be brought in to attend the marriage of the Lamb in heaven (Lev. 23:2222And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 23:22); Matt. 13:3030Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:30)). These will be among the friends of the Bridegroom in heaven (John 3:2929He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. (John 3:29)). They will be with Christ when He reigns over the earth in the Millennium (chap. 20:4-6).
Three Phases of the First Resurrection
• The martyred Tribulation saints will be resurrected just prior to Christ’s Appearing (chap. 6:9-11; 14:2-3; 15:2-4).
The Harvest Judgment
(Chap. 14:14-16)
Christ will come at last (the Appearing) in fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, which portray Him as “the Son of Man” coming from heaven to judge the nations (Dan. 7:1313I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. (Daniel 7:13); John 5:2727And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. (John 5:27); Rev. 1:13-1613And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (Revelation 1:13‑16)). He will execute a discriminating judgment similar to a farmer separating wheat from the chaff in harvest time. Hence, this is called “the Harvest” judgment. At this time, the Lord will dispatch His angels who will go over the prophetic earth (the Western nations and the land of Israel), and they will take the wicked out of the earth and cast them into the lake of fire (Matt. 13:38-4338The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:38‑43); Isa. 24:1, 61Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. (Isaiah 24:1)
6Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. (Isaiah 24:6)). This is what is meant in the Lord’s words, “One shall be taken, and the other left” (Matt. 24:36-4136But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (Matthew 24:36‑41)). This begins the judgment of “the quick [living]” (2 Tim. 4:11I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2 Timothy 4:1); 1 Peter 4:55Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. (1 Peter 4:5)). Those who remain in the western earth will be left to enter the Millennium.
At the same time, the Lord will destroy the armies of the West led by the Beast (Rev. 16:15-21; 19:11-2115Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. 17And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. (Revelation 16:15‑21)
11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:11‑21)) and will cast the leaders (the Beast and the Antichrist) into the lake of fire (2 Thess. 2:88And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (2 Thessalonians 2:8); Rev. 19:2020And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)). Also, in a matter of a few days after the Lord appears, the King of the North, who will have led his armies down into Egypt, will come up out of that land and “stand up” against Him, and the Lord will destroy those armies too (Dan. 8:25; 11:42-4525And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:25)
42He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. 45And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. (Daniel 11:42‑45); Isa. 30:27-3327Behold, the name of the Lord cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire: 28And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err. 29Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the Lord, to the mighty One of Israel. 30And the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones. 31For through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod. 32And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the Lord shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it. 33For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. (Isaiah 30:27‑33)). (This is not mentioned here in Revelation 14 because the subject is the judgment of Israel, but they are things that accompany the Appearing of Christ.) As a result of the Harvest judgment, the prophetic earth will be cleansed of all who “offend” and “who practice lawlessness” in preparation for the reign of Christ (Matt. 13:4141The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:41)).
(Christ’s Appearing is described in further detail when the thread of events is resumed in chapter 19:11.)
The Vintage Judgment
(Chap. 14:17-20)
After the Harvest judgment, the Lord will effect a restoration of the nation of Israel and will begin His reign in righteousness on earth (Psa. 72:1-31<<A Psalm for Solomon.>> Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. 2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 3The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. (Psalm 72:1‑3); Isa. 32:1; 61:111Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. (Isaiah 32:1)
11For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:11)). This also is not mentioned in Revelation 14, but there is an abundance of Old Testament passages that indicate that it will happen after Christ appears (Isa. 13:9-14:39Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. 11And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. 13Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. 14And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. 15Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword. 16Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. 17Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. 18Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children. 19And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. 20It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. 21But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. 22And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged. 1For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. 2And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. 3And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, (Isaiah 13:9‑14:3); Isa. 30:27-32:2027Behold, the name of the Lord cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire: 28And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err. 29Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the Lord, to the mighty One of Israel. 30And the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones. 31For through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod. 32And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the Lord shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it. 33For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. 1Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! 2Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. 3Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together. 4For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. 5As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it. 6Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted. 7For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin. 8Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited. 9And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem. 1Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. 2And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. 3And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken. 4The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly. 5The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful. 6For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. 7The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right. 8But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand. 9Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech. 10Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come. 11Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins. 12They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. 13Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city: 14Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; 15Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. 16Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. 17And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. 18And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; 19When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place. 20Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass. (Isaiah 30:27‑32:20); Mic. 5:1-71Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. 2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 3Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. 4And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. 5And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. 6And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders. 7And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. (Micah 5:1‑7); Mal. 4:1-2,1For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4:1‑2) etc.). At that time, another group of angels will be sent out over the entire world to gather the “elect” of the 12 tribes of Israel to their land (Matt. 24:30-3130And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:30‑31)). With them will come a great number of Israelites who will not have faith, and they will be sifted out at the borders of the land by the Lord. The “rebels” will not be allowed to enter the land and will be left there at “the border” (Ezek. 11:9-11; 20:33-389And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you. 10Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. 11This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of Israel: (Ezekiel 11:9‑11)
33As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: 34And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. 35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. 36Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. 37And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: 38And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 20:33‑38); Amos 9:9-109For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. 10All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us. (Amos 9:9‑10)).
Meanwhile, another vast confederacy of armies will gather and attack the newly restored nation of Israel. These are the Russian hordes with their confederates under Gog (Ezek. 38-39; Joel 3:1-21For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 2I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. (Joel 3:1‑2)). However, just as the Harvest judgment does not mention the western armies, these armies under Gog are also not mentioned. They will come in from the east (the land of Edom, where they will congregate – Isa. 34:1-21Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. 2For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. (Isaiah 34:1‑2)) with a great train. At that time, the Lord will go forth from Jerusalem to defend Israel (that is, a remnant of all twelve tribes) and will destroy the attacking armies. In treading “the great winepress of the wrath of God,” the Lord will go out from Jerusalem and will continue all the way to the land of Edom (Isa. 26:21; 34:3-10; 63:1-621For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. (Isaiah 26:21)
3Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. 4And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. 5For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment. 6The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. 7And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. 8For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. 9And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. 10It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever. (Isaiah 34:3‑10)
1Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. 5And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. 6And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. (Isaiah 63:1‑6); Ob. 15-16). This will be about 200 hundred miles (1600 furlongs—“stadia”) of pure human carnage! The multitude of apostate Israelites left at the borders of the land will be destroyed with these armies. Thus, “the vine of the earth” (an often-used figure of Israel) will be “cast into the winepress” (vs. 19).
The Vintage (Winepress) judgment occurs slightly beyond the end of Daniel’s 70th week––1335 days from the middle of the week (Dan. 12:11-1211And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. (Daniel 12:11‑12)). Christ will have been back on earth for almost two months by the time He executes this judgment. It will not be a discriminating judgment, as was the Harvest judgment. Hence, those involved in this judgment will be destroyed unsparingly. This Winepress judgment will be a further step in the judgment of the “quick [living]”.