Things Hereafter (on Earth)

From: Outline Of Prophetic Events: Chronologically Arranged From The Rapture To The Eternal State

Narrator: Chris Genthree

Duration: 42min

• 37 min. read • grade level: 9

• When the Lord’s coming occurs, all who do not know Him as their Saviour will be left behind on earth to enter the Tribulation period (Matt. 25:10-12¹⁰And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. ¹¹Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. ¹²But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. (Matthew 25:10‑12)).

• The “gospel of the grace of God” (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)) which promises justification from all things and membership in Christ’s body (the Church) for all who believe will no longer be preached, because those who do the preaching will have been taken to heaven at the Rapture. Those who have consciously rejected this great salvation will never have another opportunity to be saved. This is a very solemn thing, and shows that the grace of God as presented in the gospel cannot be trifled with; God will not be mocked (Acts 13:38-41³⁸Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: ³⁹And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. ⁴⁰Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; ⁴¹Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. (Acts 13:38‑41); Gal. 6:7⁷Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7)).

The Two Restrainers Removed

• There are two forces that God has placed in this world to restrain the course of evil. In the seven-year Tribulation period, these will be removed. The first will be removed gradually, and the second will be removed in a moment of time; the result of which will allow men to have the earth as they have wanted—without God’s moral standards. Consequently, they will taste the fruit of their evil doings.

• Firstly, there is “that which restrains” (2 Thess. 2:6⁶And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. (2 Thessalonians 2:6)). This is a reference to the governments in various lands being conferred with authority from God, and thus, are responsible to check evil (Gen. 9:5-6⁵And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. ⁶Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. (Genesis 9:5‑6); John 19:11¹¹Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. (John 19:11); Dan. 2:37³⁷Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. (Daniel 2:37); Rom. 13:1-6¹Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. ²Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. ³For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: ⁴For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. ⁵Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. ⁶For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. (Romans 13:1‑6)). As the Tribulation progresses, the governments in the hands of men will apostatize, and all semblance of uprightness will be abandoned. This will be seen particularly in the West, which has professedly built its principles of government on the moral standards of the Bible. During the Tribulation period, the government in the West will restrain evil in declining degrees until “the man of sin” (the Antichrist) is “revealed in his time”—which will be the middle of the prophetic week. “The mystery of lawlessness already works” today, and is on a steady increase; it will reach its climax in the corruption the Antichrist will bring in.

• There is also “He who restrains” who will be “taken out of the way” (2 Thess. 2:7⁷For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:7)). This is a reference to the Person of the Holy Spirit leaving the earth as a place of residence. Presently, the Spirit dwells in the Church as His habitation (John 14:17¹⁷Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:17); 1 Cor. 3:16¹⁶Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16); Eph. 2:22²²In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22)), but when the Church is called to heaven at the Rapture, the Spirit of God will be “gone” from the earth in this capacity. The presence of the Spirit on earth is bridling the passions of men, somewhat,1 but when the Lord comes, He will be removed. (This does not mean that the Spirit of God will cease to work on earth. He will continue to strive with men, etc., but He will work with them from heaven by quickening souls, etc.—as He did in Old Testament times.)

• Corruption and violence will set in at an accelerated pace. Life on earth, morally, will resemble the days of Noah and Lot (Luke 17:26-29²⁶And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. ²⁷They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. ²⁸Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; ²⁹But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:26‑29)). As things progress during the Tribulation period “iniquity shall abound.” (Matt. 24:12¹²And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12))

The Revival of the Roman Empire

• After the true Church has been called away to heaven, the Roman Catholic system will gather together many sects in Christendom (referred to as “her children”–Rev. 2:23²³And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:23)) into one corrupt religious system called, “the great whore–Mystery” (religious) Babylon.” This is the false Church (Rev. 17:1-2¹And 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. (Revelation 17:1‑2)).2

• As the Church of Rome has sought in the past to influence government, she will again enter the political arena in a campaign to unite the nations of western Europe and perhaps some of North America.3 Countries such as Italy, Britain, France, Spain and others which have had the light and privileges of Christianity (the gospel), being nominally Christian, will be involved in her coalition. The Church of Rome’s power, money, and influence will help unite these nations into a ten nation confederacy called “the Beast” (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)–1St seal).

• The forming of this Western confederacy of nations is the revival of the old Roman Empire predicted in the Scriptures. It may also be referred to as the Beast (Rev. 13:3³And 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); Dan. 2:41-43; 7:7-8, 19-27⁴¹And 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. (Daniel 2:41‑43)
⁷After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. ⁸I 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 7:7‑8)
¹⁹Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; ²⁰And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. ²¹I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; ²²Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. ²³Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. ²⁴And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. ²⁵And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. ²⁶But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. ²⁷And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel 7:19‑27)).

• The Church of Rome (the religious system of Babylon) will control the revived empire (the political system) for a time—the first 3½ years of Daniel’s seventieth week. This is what is referred to as the woman (“the great whore”) riding the Beast (Rev. 17:1-13¹And 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. ⁷And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. ⁸The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 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. ¹²And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. ¹³These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. (Revelation 17:1‑13)). This will be its seventh form of government in the history of the Roman Empire (Rev. 17:10-11¹⁰And 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 government under this woman will only “continue a short space”—3½ years.

• The city of Rome will be the capital of the newly revived empire. It will be the imperial seat of government (Rev. 17:9-13⁹And 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. ¹²And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. ¹³These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. (Revelation 17:9‑13)).

The Return of the Jews to Their Homeland

• At the same time the Jews (the two tribes—Judah and Benjamin) will return “en masse” to the land of Israel from all parts of the earth4 (Gen. 31:3³And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. (Genesis 31:3);* Isa. 18:1-4¹Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: ²That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled! ³All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. ⁴For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. (Isaiah 18:1‑4)). This will be a world-wide movement.

• A sea-faring power will assist the Jews in their purpose to return to the land of Israel. This will probably be the newly revived Roman Empire—the Beast. Over the last 100 years the Western nations have had a favorable interest in the Jews, and this will continue into prophetic times. This maritime power will effect (aid) a national return of the Jews (the two tribes).

• Approximately 12 to 14 million Jews will return from all parts of the earth for political, commercial, religious, and cultural reasons. Some 3 to 4 million Jews have returned to their homeland already, but in that day, the mass of the Jews will return (Isa. 18; Psa. 73:10¹⁰Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. (Psalm 73:10)).

• The majority of the Jews who return will do so in unbelief, not having real faith in God. They will be apostate, having given up the knowledge of God and the Scriptures (Psa. 73:8-12⁸They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. ⁹They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. ¹⁰Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. ¹¹And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? ¹²Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. (Psalm 73:8‑12); Psa. 1:4-6⁴The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. ⁵Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. ⁶For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. (Psalm 1:4‑6); Isa. 17:10¹⁰Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: (Isaiah 17:10)).

The Believing Jewish Remnant

• A God-fearing remnant amongst the returning mass of Jews will be distinguished among the apostates as having true faith in God. They will fear God and tremble at His Word (Psa. 1:1-3¹Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. ²But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. ³And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1‑3); Isa. 17:6-7; 66:2⁶Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the Lord God of Israel. ⁷At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 17:6‑7)
²For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. (Isaiah 66:2); Mal. 3:16-18¹⁶Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. ¹⁷And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. ¹⁸Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. (Malachi 3:16‑18)).

• The godly Jewish remnant’s hope will be the coming of their long waited for Messiah to bring in the kingdom according to their Old Testament Scriptures (Psa. 2).

• Some among the believing godly remnant, called “the Maschilim” (“the wise, or instructed ones”–see J. N. Darby Translation footnote on Daniel 11:33³³And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. (Daniel 11:33)), will instruct the others in the way of the Lord. A testimony for God will result around Jerusalem (Dan. 12:3, 10³And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)
¹⁰Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:10)). See the “Maschil” Psalms (Psa. 32; 42; 44; 45; 52; 53; 54; 55; 74; 78; 88; 89; 142).

The Seventieth Week of Daniel—The Seven-Year Tribulation Period Begins

• The Jews, nationally (“the many”–Dan. 9:27²⁷And 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 9:27)), will enter into a “covenant” with the revived Roman Empire to provide what they think will be protection from the surrounding Arab nations and the rising political pressures in the Middle East. They will rely on Rome’s military power (the Beast) instead of the Lord (Dan. 9:27; 11:38²⁷And 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 9:27)
³⁸But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. (Daniel 11:38); Isa. 28:14-19¹⁴Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. ¹⁵Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: ¹⁶Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. ¹⁷Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. ¹⁸And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. ¹⁹From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. (Isaiah 28:14‑19); Isa. 8:9⁹Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. (Isaiah 8:9); 1 Thess. 5:3³For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3); Psa. 20:7⁷Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. (Psalm 20:7); Rev. 13:4⁴And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? (Revelation 13:4)). The establishment of this pact will begin the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:27²⁷And 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 9:27)). The “one week” (of years) marks the final period in Israel’s history, after which the promises of God to bless Israel in the kingdom reign of Christ will be realized (Dan. 9:24²⁴Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. (Daniel 9:24)).5

• The “covenant” will be enacted by the political leader (“he”) of the newly revived Roman Empire under the government of the Roman Catholic Church (Dan. 9:27²⁷And 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 9:27)).6 It is not known who this person will be. He will only continue in office “a short space”—the first 3½ years (Rev. 17:1-11¹And 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. ⁷And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. ⁸The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 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 17:1‑11)).

• The God-fearing remnant of Jews will be counseled (through the voices of prophets among them—“the Maschilim”) to have nothing to do with the covenant, but to sanctify the Lord of Hosts in their hearts and to lean upon Him alone (Isa. 8:11-13¹¹For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, ¹²Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. ¹³Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. (Isaiah 8:11‑13); Psa. 20:7⁷Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. (Psalm 20:7)).

• The signing of this “covenant with death” and “agreement with hell,” between the Jews and the Roman Beast, seals the nation’s doom. It will have its end with a “consumption” of the land (a terrible destruction of lives) by the King of the North and his Arab confederacy invading from the north (Isa. 28:15¹⁵Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: (Isaiah 28:15); Dan 9:27²⁷And 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 9:27)).

• There will be a time of Tribulation for seven years (the “one week”) that will come upon the whole world, called “the hour of temptation [trial]” (Rev. 3:10¹⁰Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10)). This will be felt especially by the Jews who will have returned to the land of Israel. In connection with them, it is called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7⁷Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:7)). During this period, God will deal with the Jews, and will bring those who have faith among them (the remnant) into the blessings of the kingdom when the Millennium begins. The Tribulation woes will be used of God to produce repentance in the faithful Jews and to prepare them to receive their Messiah (the Lord Jesus Christ) when He comes at His Appearing.

The Beginning of Sorrows

• The first 3½ years of the prophetic week is called “the beginning of sorrows” (Matt. 24:8⁸All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:8)).

• The Jews returning to their homeland will bring the wealth that they have gathered through their commercial success with them. The land of Israel will be filled with gold, silver, and treasures (Gen. 31:17-18¹⁷Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; ¹⁸And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. (Genesis 31:17‑18);* Isa. 2:7-8⁷Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: ⁸Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: (Isaiah 2:7‑8); Psa. 73:3-12³For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ⁴For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. ⁵They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. ⁶Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. ⁷Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. ⁸They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. ⁹They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. ¹⁰Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. ¹¹And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? ¹²Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. (Psalm 73:3‑12)).

• The apostate Jews will have a temple in the land of Israel. They will offer sacrifices and will observe feasts and Sabbaths in a traditional way only (Matt. 24:15¹⁵When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matthew 24:15); 2 Thess. 2:4⁴Who 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 2:4); Psa. 42:4⁴When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. (Psalm 42:4); Dan. 9:27; 12:11²⁷And 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 9:27)
¹¹And 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); Isa. 1:10-15¹⁰Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. ¹¹To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. ¹²When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? ¹³Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. ¹⁴Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. ¹⁵And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. (Isaiah 1:10‑15); Psa. 1-42–1st Book of Psalms7).

• The apostate mass of Jews will pass through the motions of worship without any thought toward God. “He that sacrificeth a lamb will be as if he cut off a dog’s neck.” Their ways before the Lord will be an abomination (Isa. 1:10-15; 66:3-4¹⁰Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. ¹¹To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. ¹²When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? ¹³Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. ¹⁴Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. ¹⁵And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. (Isaiah 1:10‑15)
³He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. ⁴I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. (Isaiah 66:3‑4)).

The Seal-Judgments

• The Lord’s first dealings with the earth in the Tribulation period will be providential—i.e. earthquakes, famines, pestilence (disease), etc. These dealings are called “seal” judgments (Rev. 6:1-17¹And 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. ³And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. ⁴And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. ⁵And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. ⁶And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. ⁷And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. ⁸And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. ⁹And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: ¹⁰And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? ¹¹And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. ¹²And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; ¹³And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. ¹⁴And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. ¹⁵And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; ¹⁶And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: ¹⁷For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Revelation 6:1‑17); Matt. 24:6-7⁶And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:6‑7)). The first seal has been mentioned already. It has to do with the Church of Rome’s false purity and great wealth being used to influence the governments in Western Europe, and perhaps America, to form a super-confederacy. This is the revival of the Roman Empire.

• The conditions in the Middle East, Western Europe (and probably America)—known as the prophetic earth—will turn to unrest. Strife will arise in every aspect of life. Violence and bloodshed will abound. Civil peace will be taken from the earth (Rev. 6:3-4³And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. ⁴And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. (Revelation 6:3‑4)–2nd seal).

• Wars and rumors of wars will be in the air (Matt. 24:6-7⁶And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:6‑7)).

• As things progress during the first 3½ years of the Tribulation, agriculture will begin to fail and widespread famine will follow. Grief and sorrow will be multiplied (Rev. 6:5-6⁵And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. ⁶And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. (Revelation 6:5‑6)–3rd seal; Matt. 24:7⁷For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)).

• Initially, the wealthy class in society who love the finer things of life (“the oil and the wine”–Prov. 21:17¹⁷He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. (Proverbs 21:17)) will not be affected by the dearth. Many of these will be Jews who have amassed great riches to themselves. The labouring classes, however, will suffer severely (Rev. 6:6⁶And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. (Revelation 6:6)).

• Pestilence (disease) will sweep over Western Europe (“fourth part of the earth”). Death through these pestilences will follow (Rev. 6:7-8⁷And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. ⁸And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:7‑8)–4th seal; Matt. 24:7⁷For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)).

• As things on earth continue to darken, the corrupt religious system of Rome that rules over the newly united nations of Western Europe will begin to martyr the Jewish witnesses that have been preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom. Rome will see these witnesses as revolutionists who are trying to undermine its control of the newly formed empire, by propagating doctrines of another government or power that will overthrow it. As we mentioned earlier, the Gospel of the Kingdom concerns the coming of Israel’s Messiah to put down every dominion, power, and nation to establish His throne of universal government over the whole world. As a result of Rome’s anger, many godly Jewish witnesses will be put to death for the Word of God and the testimony they will hold (Rev. 6:9-11⁹And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: ¹⁰And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? ¹¹And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:9‑11)–5th seal; Matt. 24:9⁹Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. (Matthew 24:9); 1 Kings 19:1-3¹And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. ²Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. ³And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. (1 Kings 19:1‑3)*).

Satan Cast to the Earth

• Of all the wars that are about to occur in the coming day, the first victory of God in “war” will occur “in the heavens.” There has been conflict in those realms for thousands of years (Eph. 2:2; 6:10-12²Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:2)
¹⁰Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:10‑12)), but as things near the middle of Daniel’s seventieth week “Michael and his angels” will overcome Satan (“the dragon” and “his angels”), and will cast them out of heaven onto the earth (Rev. 12:7-12⁷And 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. ¹⁰And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. ¹¹And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. ¹²Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (Revelation 12:7‑12)). From this time forward, Satan’s sphere of operation will be restricted to the earth.

• The heavens will rejoice when Satan is cast out (Rev. 12:12¹²Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (Revelation 12:12)). As a result of the expulsion of those wicked spirits, the heavens will be cleansed of the presence of evil (Compare Job 15:15¹⁵Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. (Job 15:15); Heb. 9:23²³It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. (Hebrews 9:23)).

• Being cast out of heaven, Satan will concentrate his energy in an all-out attempt to lead the world after himself and away from God. He will first cause a great convulsion in the western part of the earth. Then he will enter the political arena, causing a general upheaval. There will be a collapse of the whole order of civil and governmental authority in the west. The government under the leadership of “the great whore” (the false church—Rome) will become chaotic; disorder and anarchy will result (Rev. 6:12-17¹²And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; ¹³And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. ¹⁴And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. ¹⁵And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; ¹⁶And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: ¹⁷For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Revelation 6:12‑17)–6th seal).

• This will strike terror into the hearts of the earth-dwellers as they see the breaking up of the establishment—i.e. the government offices, businesses, organizations, etc. There will be “distress of nations with perplexity, and men’s hearts failing them for fear,” as they sense the rumblings of judgment to come (Rev. 6:15-17¹⁵And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; ¹⁶And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: ¹⁷For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Revelation 6:15‑17); Luke 21:25-26²⁵And 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. (Luke 21:25‑26)).

The Middle of the Prophetic Week

• The middle of Daniel’s seventieth week marks a very significant time in the scheme of prophetic events. It is from this point that many of the prophetic calculations are based. The last half of the week (three and a half years) is referred to as 1260 days, or 42 months, or “time, times, and the dividing of time” (Dan. 7:25²⁵And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:25); Rev. 11:3; 12:6, 14; 13:5³And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. (Revelation 11:3)
⁶And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. (Revelation 12:6)
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. (Revelation 12:14)
⁵And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. (Revelation 13:5)). Additional extensions to this period are also calculated from the middle of the week, such as 1290 days and 1335 days (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)). Essentially, these dates mark three stages of Israel’s deliverance, and show that their deliverance will not take place in one day.

• At 1260 days or “time, times, and a half” (Dan. 12:7⁷And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. (Daniel 12:7); Rev. 11:3; 12:6, 14; 13:5³And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. (Revelation 11:3)
⁶And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. (Revelation 12:6)
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. (Revelation 12:14)
⁵And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. (Revelation 13:5)) the remnant of the Jews are delivered from the Antichrist.

• At 1290 days (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)) the remnant of the Jews are delivered from the King of the North.

• At 1335 days (Dan. 12:12¹²Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. (Daniel 12:12))—The remnant of all twelve tribes of Israel are delivered from Gog.

The (Personal) Beast

• Needing agents to accomplish his end, Satan will bring forth a man out of the confused state of things that he has created in the west. This man is “the little horn” (Dan. 7:8, 20, 24-25⁸I 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)
²⁰And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. (Daniel 7:20)
²⁴And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. ²⁵And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:24‑25))—He is also called “the (personal) Beast” (Rev. 13:1-8; 17:10-18; 19:20¹And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. ²And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. ³And 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. ⁴And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? ⁵And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. ⁶And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 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. ⁸And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:1‑8)
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. ¹²And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. ¹³These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. ¹⁴These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. ¹⁵And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. ¹⁶And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. ¹⁷For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. ¹⁸And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. (Revelation 17:10‑18)
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)) and “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)*). He will be a Gentile. This is deducted by the fact that he comes out of “the sea” (Rev. 13:1; 17:15¹And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1)
¹⁵And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. (Revelation 17:15)—the restless state of the Gentile peoples), and up from among the “ten horns,” which are the Gentile nations of Western Europe (Dan. 7:8, 20, 24-25⁸I 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)
²⁰And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. (Daniel 7:20)
²⁴And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. ²⁵And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:24‑25)).

• Satan will energize this man (“the little horn”—”the Beast”) with extraordinary power, and he will be totally given over to doing Satan’s bidding (Rev. 13:4⁴And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? (Revelation 13:4)).

• “The Beast,” with the aid of Satan’s power, will quickly take over the revived Roman Empire which will be in a state of anarchy. He will become its new leader, and will rule as a dictator. He will gain control of the empire through intimidation and force. It appears that after subduing three (perhaps the strongest) of the ten horns (the ten nations), that the others will capitulate and submit to him, giving him their power (Dan. 7:8, 20, 24-25⁸I 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)
²⁰And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. (Daniel 7:20)
²⁴And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. ²⁵And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:24‑25); Rev. 17:13, 17¹³These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. (Revelation 17:13)
¹⁷For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. (Revelation 17:17)).

• Satan will also control other government leaders in the empire (Rev. 12:4⁴And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. (Revelation 12:4)—the “stars” are drawn by the “tail” of the dragon).

• At that time, the political side of the empire (the ten nation confederacy) with the Beast at its head, will throw off and destroy “the whore” (the false church) that has been riding (controlling) the empire for the first three and a half years (Rev. 17:16-18¹⁶And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. ¹⁷For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. ¹⁸And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. (Revelation 17:16‑18)). This is what is referred to, in the book of Revelation, as “Babylon is fallen” (Rev. 14:8; 18:1-20⁸And 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)
¹And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. ²And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. ³For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. ⁴And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. ⁵For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. ⁶Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. ⁷How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. ⁸Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. ⁹And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, ¹⁰Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. ¹¹And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: ¹²The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, ¹³And cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. ¹⁴And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. ¹⁵The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, ¹⁶And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! ¹⁷For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, ¹⁸And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! ¹⁹And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. ²⁰Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. (Revelation 18:1‑20)). It refers to the religious side of the empire under the Roman Catholic Church becoming defunct. Hence, the political side of Babylon, with the “little horn” (the personal Beast) at its helm, will overthrow the religious leadership of the empire so that it can have unrivalled control.

• Having thrown off the religious system, the empire will take on a new and different form by becoming Satanically controlled8 by the Beast. The empire, with the personal Beast ruling, will continue in this form for forty-two months—for the last 3½ years of the 70th week of Daniel (Rev. 13:2-8²And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. ³And 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. ⁴And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? ⁵And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. ⁶And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 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. ⁸And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:2‑8)).

• All of the world will wonder at the Beast (the ten nation western confederacy) in its new form (Rev. 13:3; 17:8³And 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)
⁸The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Revelation 17:8)).

The Antichrist

• At about this time, another man will rise up in the land of Israel; he will also be energized by Satan (2 Thess. 2:9⁹Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (2 Thessalonians 2:9)). He will be an Israelite, perhaps from the tribe of Dan (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); Gen. 49:16-17¹⁶Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. ¹⁷Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. (Genesis 49:16‑17)) (Note: the tribe of Dan is omitted in Revelation 7.) He will work conjunctively with the first Beast, the “little horn,” and will be his spiritual advisor. This man is 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 known as “the King” (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); 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)), “the Man of Sin” (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)), “the Son of Perdition” (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)), “the Wicked or Lawless One” (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)–J. N. Darby Trans.), “the Fallen Star” (Rev. 9:1¹And 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. (Revelation 9:1)), “the 2nd Beast” (Rev. 13:11-18¹¹And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. ¹²And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, ¹⁴And 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. ¹⁶And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: ¹⁷And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ¹⁸Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. (Revelation 13:11‑18)), “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)), “the Foolish and Idol Shepherd” (Zech. 11:15-17¹⁵And the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. ¹⁶For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. ¹⁷Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened. (Zechariah 11:15‑17); Psa. 14:1¹<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 14:1); Psa. 53:1¹<<To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 53:1)), “the Bloody and Deceitful Man” (Psa. 5:6,⁶Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. (Psalm 5:6) etc.), “the Profane Wicked Prince of Israel” (Ezek. 21:25²⁵And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, (Ezekiel 21:25)), and “the Prince of Tyrus” (Ezek. 28:2²Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: (Ezekiel 28:2)). Psalm 10 gives us a moral description of the character of this man.9

• The Man of Sin (the Antichrist) will present himself to the Jews as their Messiah, and the mass of them will receive him without credentials, and will make him their king. He will reign over the Jews in the land of Israel (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); Dan. 11:36-39³⁶And 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. ³⁷Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. ³⁸But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. ³⁹Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. (Daniel 11:36‑39); 2 Sam. 15:2-6, 11²And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. ³And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. ⁴Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! ⁵And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. ⁶And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. (2 Samuel 15:2‑6)
¹¹And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing. (2 Samuel 15:11)*).

• Antichrist will establish his seat of government in Jerusalem, and will promote his partisans and devotees to positions of prominence in the land of Israel. Jerusalem will be thoroughly given over to his wickedness (Isa. 1:21-23²¹How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. ²²Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: ²³Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. (Isaiah 1:21‑23); Dan. 11:39³⁹Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. (Daniel 11:39); Isa. 28:14¹⁴Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 28:14); 1 Sam. 22:7-8⁷Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds; ⁸That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that showeth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or showeth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? (1 Samuel 22:7‑8)*).

• The moral description of the apostate Jews who will follow Antichrist can be seen in the following Scriptures: Psalm 14; Psalms 35-36; Psalm 73:3-12³For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ⁴For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. ⁵They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. ⁶Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. ⁷Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. ⁸They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. ⁹They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. ¹⁰Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. ¹¹And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? ¹²Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. (Psalm 73:3‑12); Isaiah 58-59.

The Covenant Broken

• The Beast, with the help of the Antichrist, will then breach the terms of the “covenant” that the empire will have with the Jews. They will abolish all religious activity in their realm (the western part of the earth including the land of Israel), causing the false worship in both corrupt Christendom and Judaism to cease. They will do this to make way for their plan to enforce the worship of the Beast and his image (Dan. 9:27²⁷And 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 9:27); Rev. 17:16¹⁶And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. (Revelation 17:16); Psa. 55:20²⁰He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. (Psalm 55:20)–“he hath broken his covenant”).

The Abomination of Desolation

• An idolatrous image of the Beast will be set up in the temple at Jerusalem by Antichrist. This is “the abomination of desolation” (Dan. 3:1-7¹Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. ²Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ³Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ⁴Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, ⁵That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: ⁶And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ⁷Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. (Daniel 3:1‑7);* 9:27; 12:11; Matt. 24:15¹⁵When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matthew 24:15); Rev. 13:12-15¹²And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, ¹⁴And 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 13:12‑15); 2 Kings 16:10-18¹⁰And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof. ¹¹And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus. ¹²And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon. ¹³And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar. ¹⁴And he brought also the brazen altar, which was before the Lord, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the Lord, and put it on the north side of the altar. ¹⁵And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brazen altar shall be for me to inquire by. ¹⁶Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded. ¹⁷And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brazen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones. ¹⁸And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the Lord for the king of Assyria. (2 Kings 16:10‑18)*). He will then issue a command throughout the empire for all to worship the image. Idolatry will be forced on the Jews in Israel, and on all people in Western Europe. This might include America as well.

• Those under this totalitarian enforcement are the earth- dwellers of apostate Christendom. These earth-dwellers (“them that dwell upon the earth”—mentioned ten times in the book of Revelation—chap. 3:10; 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 14:6; 17:2, 8) are a special class of persons who have heard and rejected the Gospel of the Grace of God preached in this present Christian era. The present gospel call promises eternal life with Christ in heaven in the Father’s house, but these rejecters have, essentially, said “no” to Christ and to heaven, and would rather have the earth. In choosing the earth, they will get it with all of its sorrows and troubles and judgments.

• As retribution for rejecting the Gospel of the Grace of God, God will send “a strong delusion” to deceive the earth-dwellers. They will not believe the gospel, but they will believe the delusions of Antichrist! Through “signs and lying wonders,” the Antichrist will deceive the mass of the earth-dwellers in the west. They will believe his lie and worship the Beast and his image, thus sealing their doom (Rev. 13:11-15¹¹And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. ¹²And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, ¹⁴And 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 13:11‑15); 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)).

• The Antichrist, with the aid of the Beast, will force all in the Western earth—including the Jews in the land of Israel—to receive “the mark” of the Beast (Rev. 13:16-18¹⁶And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: ¹⁷And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ¹⁸Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. (Revelation 13:16‑18)).

• The mark will be put on their foreheads, or on their right hands. Without this mark, people will not be able to buy or sell—in other words, to carry on normal life. Hence, life in the empire, under the Beast, will be subjected to incredible scrutiny and control. This will probably be “sold” to the public as being necessary for their security in view of the mounting terrorist threats, etc. The people will gladly accept the mark, and thus, seal their doom!

The Trumpet-Judgments

• As the latter half of the prophetic week begins, there will be another series of judgments that will fall on the Western nations that have rejected the Gospel of the Grace of God. These are the “trumpet-judgments” (Rev. 8-9). These judgments, though still providential in character, are more direct, coming from the hand of the great Angel-Priest Himself—the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 8:3-5³And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. ⁴And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. ⁵And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:3‑5)).

• The sphere in which these trumpet-judgments fall is on “the third part” of the world. This term is used twelve times in Revelation 8. It refers to a specific sphere on earth—i.e. the Roman earth, or the Western world—where the Beast and the Antichrist exercise their authority. This will include Israel, Western Europe, and perhaps America. (Students of prophecy call this area “the prophetic earth.”10)

Collapse of the Western Economy

• The first of these judgments will be upon the prosperity of the western world. The wealth and prosperity (“the green grass”) that the west has known will dry up. The wealthy, who were not affected by the dearth in the first 3½ years, will now feel the famine conditions that will have spread throughout the western world (Rev. 8:7⁷The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. (Revelation 8:7)—1St trumpet).

The Great Apostasy in the West

• At about this time, a great political power in the west (a “mountain,” in Scripture, is emblematic of a long established governmental power—Jer. 51:25,²⁵Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain. (Jeremiah 51:25) etc.) will give up its professed knowledge of God. This could perhaps be the United States of America, or some other leading government in the west. As a result, many more will be led into apostasy (Rev. 8:8⁸And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; (Revelation 8:8)—2nd trumpet). (Apostasy is the giving up of the professed knowledge of God; it is spiritual death—“twice dead”—Jude 12¹²These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; (Jude 12)).

• Also at this time, commerce in the west will be virtually destroyed (Rev. 8:9⁹And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8:9)—“the ships were destroyed”).

• Then, a renowned person (a “great star” called “Wormwood”) in a high position of influence in society or government will fall away from his professed knowledge of God, and will lead the masses in the west into apostasy—”many men died.” It is not known who this person will be (Rev. 8:10-11¹⁰And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; ¹¹And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. (Revelation 8:10‑11)—3rd trumpet).

• As a result of the apostasy that will flood in, people in the West, generally, will lose all moral and spiritual discernment, and will become devoid of the knowledge of God. The “sun,” “moon,” and “the stars”—sources of spiritual light—will be darkened to them. God will take it away from them because they have rejected the message of His grace when it was preached while the Church was on earth (Rev. 8:12¹²And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. (Revelation 8:12)–4th trumpet).

• The Antichrist (“the fallen star”), the Jews’ false Messiah, will come forward in the latter half of the prophetic week in his full satanic character. His mission will be to lead unbelieving Jews and the unbelieving earth-dwellers in the west into apostasy. He will be allowed of God to release the forces of satanic evil that heretofore have been confined to “the abyss.” “The smoke of a great furnace” (figuratively speaking), will come forth from the “pit” and thoroughly “darken” the minds of men. This is the “strong delusion” (mentioned earlier) which will come over those who have rejected the Gospel of the Grace of God. People in the west will believe the Antichrist’s “lie” and will be “damned” as a result. The torment of a guilty conscience (the scorpion’s bite) will be the affliction of all who apostatize (Rev. 9:1-12¹And 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. ¹²One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. (Revelation 9:1‑12)—5th trumpet; 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)).

• The Antichrist will “exalt himself and magnify himself” above all that is of God. He will sit in the temple and proclaim to be God—making himself an object of worship (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); 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)).

• Open idolatry and worship of the Beast (Dan. 6:7⁷All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. (Daniel 6:7); Rev. 13:4⁴And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? (Revelation 13:4)) and of Antichrist (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)) will be practiced. The once enlightened lands of Christendom and Israel will be given over to demon worship. The last state of the Jews engaged in this idolatrous worship will be seven times worse than when they embraced idolatry in the days of their Old Testament kings (Matt. 12:43-45⁴³When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. ⁴⁴Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. ⁴⁵Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. (Matthew 12:43‑45); Dan. 6:7⁷All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. (Daniel 6:7)*).

• False Christs and false prophets will arise in the land of Israel showing signs and wonders that will lead many away from the truth (Matt. 24:23-26²³Then 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 24:23‑26)).

The Great Tribulation

• The Jewish remnant, and the Gentiles who believe the Gospel of the Kingdom that will be preached in that day, will for conscience sake refuse to worship the image of the Beast or receive its mark. This will draw out the bitter hatred of the Beast and the Antichrist, who will unleash the most terrible persecution that the world has ever known against those who refuse their system of control. They will “make war with the saints” in the prophetic earth, and will “overcome” many by martyrdom (Rev. 12:6, 13-17; 13:7, 13⁶And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. (Revelation 12:6)
¹³And 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)
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)
¹³And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, (Revelation 13:13); Dan. 3:1-25¹Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. ²Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ³Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ⁴Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, ⁵That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: ⁶And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ⁷Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ⁸Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. ⁹They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. ¹⁰Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image: ¹¹And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ¹²There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. ¹³Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king. ¹⁴Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? ¹⁵Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? ¹⁶Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. ¹⁷If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. ¹⁸But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. ¹⁹Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. ²⁰And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. ²¹Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. ²²Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. ²³And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. ²⁴Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. ²⁵He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (Daniel 3:1‑25);* 7:21; Matt. 10:16-23; 24:21-22¹⁶Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. ¹⁷But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; ¹⁸And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. ²⁰For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. ²¹And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. ²²And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. ²³But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. (Matthew 10:16‑23)
²¹For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. ²²And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:21‑22); Mark 13:19¹⁹For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. (Mark 13:19); Mic. 7:2²The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. (Micah 7:2)). However, those who refuse the mark of the Beast and die as martyrs for their faith are the real victors (Rev. 15:2²And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. (Revelation 15:2)).

• The terrible persecution unleashed by the Beast and Antichrist will precipitate “the great tribulation,” which will continue for 1260 days, measured from the middle of the prophetic week. These days will end 18 days short of the last 3½ years11—which is 1278 days). It is also called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Matt. 24:21-22²¹For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. ²²And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:21‑22); Jer. 30:7⁷Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:7); Dan. 12:1¹And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1); Rev. 12:6⁶And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. (Revelation 12:6); Jam. 5:17; Rev. 8-11:18—7th seal).

• The Beast, with the Antichrist, will take full control of the land of Israel. They will hold it for the last 3½ years as belonging to their empire. All who are in the land will be under their subjection12 (Rev. 11:2²But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. (Revelation 11:2); Luke 21:24²⁴And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24); Ex. 3-12*).

• As the true knowledge of God is abolished in the realm of the Beast and the Antichrist (the revived Roman Empire), there will be a famine for the Word of God. People will seek for “the Word of the LORD” and will not find it (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)).

• The persecution during the Great Tribulation will be so severe that people will hesitate to tell their thoughts to their spouses or members of their family for fear of being turned over to the authorities. A dearest friend will not be trusted (Jer. 9:4-5⁴Take ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will walk with slanders. ⁵And they will deceive every one his neighbor, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. (Jeremiah 9:4‑5); Mic. 7:2, 5-6²The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. (Micah 7:2)
⁵Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. ⁶For the son dishonoreth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house. (Micah 7:5‑6); Matt. 10:21-23²¹And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. ²²And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. ²³But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. (Matthew 10:21‑23)).

• On account of the city of Jerusalem and the land of Israel being given up to the wickedness of idolatry that the Antichrist will bring in, and the persecution that will arise, the Jewish remnant will be forced to flee to the mountains, the caves, and the dens of the earth for safety. They will be hunted beyond measure (Isa. 66:5⁵Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. (Isaiah 66:5); Psa. 42-72—2nd book of the Psalms; Matt. 24:16-21¹⁶Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: ¹⁷Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: ¹⁸Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. ¹⁹And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! ²⁰But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: ²¹For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:16‑21); 1 Sam. 19-27;* 2 Sam. 15:13-17:29¹³And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. ¹⁴And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. ¹⁵And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint. ¹⁶And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house. ¹⁷And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off. ¹⁸And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king. ¹⁹Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile. ²⁰Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee. ²¹And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be. ²²And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him. ²³And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness. ²⁴And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city. ²⁵And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation: ²⁶But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. ²⁷The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. ²⁸See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me. ²⁹Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there. ³⁰And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. ³¹And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. ³²And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head: ³³Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me: ³⁴But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. ³⁵And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. ³⁶Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear. ³⁷So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem. ¹And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. ²And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. ³And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. ⁴Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king. ⁵And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. ⁶And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. ⁷And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: ⁸The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. ⁹Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. ¹⁰And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? ¹¹And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him. ¹²It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day. ¹³And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. ¹⁴And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there. ¹⁵And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. ¹⁶And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king. ¹⁷And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? ¹⁸And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. ¹⁹And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence. ²⁰Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. ²¹And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong. ²²So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. ²³And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom. ¹Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: ²And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: ³And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace. ⁴And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel. ⁵Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith. ⁶And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou. ⁷And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time. ⁸For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. ⁹Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom. ¹⁰And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men. ¹¹Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person. ¹²So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one. ¹³Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there. ¹⁴And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom. ¹⁵Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. ¹⁶Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him. ¹⁷Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David. ¹⁸Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down. ¹⁹And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known. ²⁰And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. ²¹And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you. ²²Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan. ²³And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. ²⁴Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. ²⁵And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother. ²⁶So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead. ²⁷And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, ²⁸Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, ²⁹And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness. (2 Samuel 15:13‑17:29);* Jer. 36:26²⁶But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the Lord hid them. (Jeremiah 36:26);* Rev. 12:6, 14-15⁶And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. (Revelation 12:6)
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. (Revelation 12:14‑15)).

• Some of the Jewish remnant will flee into the mountains of Judea for shelter (Matt. 24:16¹⁶Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: (Matthew 24:16)).

• Some of the remnant will flee eastward into the land of Moab—Jordan today (Isa 16:3-4³Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth. ⁴Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land. (Isaiah 16:3‑4); 1 Sam. 22:34; Psa. 44:11¹¹Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen. (Psalm 44:11); Psa. 61:2²From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (Psalm 61:2)).

• Others will go north to the Hermon mountain range in southern Lebanon (Psa. 42:6⁶O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. (Psalm 42:6)).

• Others of the remnant will go over the various cities of Israel preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom13 (Matt. 10:23²³But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. (Matthew 10:23)).

• Although most of the remnant will flee, some will remain behind in Jerusalem. God will use them to maintain an adequate testimony there for Himself (signified by “the two witnesses”) in the face of the idolatry. They will be miraculously protected by God for the full duration of their testimony of 1260 days (Rev. 11:3-13³And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. ⁴These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. ⁵And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. ⁶These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. ⁷And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. ⁸And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. ⁹And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. ¹⁰And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. ¹¹And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. ¹²And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. ¹³And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:3‑13)).

• Although many of the faithful Jewish remnant will be divinely protected, some of them will suffer martyrdom14 (Psa. 12; John 16:2²They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. (John 16:2); Rev. 13:7⁷And 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); Dan. 7:21²¹I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; (Daniel 7:21); 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); Mic. 7:2²The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. (Micah 7:2)).

• Apparently, it will not rain in the land of Israel during the Great Tribulation—the last 3½ years (Rev. 11:6⁶These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. (Revelation 11:6); 1 Kings 17:1¹And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. (1 Kings 17:1); *James 5:17¹⁷Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. (James 5:17); Deut. 11:16-17¹⁶Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; ¹⁷And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you. (Deuteronomy 11:16‑17)).

The Seven Last Plagues—The Bowl-Judgments

• During the Great Tribulation, God will pour out another series of judgments on the Western earth—”the seven last plagues” (“vials” or “bowls”). The effects of these judgments will not be confined to the Western earth, but will be felt in the outlying countries of the world too—the Third World nations outside the prophetic earth. Hence, these judgments are wider reaching than the trumpet-judgments in Revelation 8-9, which are confined to the Western earth.15 Apparently, they will be poured out during the time when the trumpet-judgments fall. It appears that these last plagues will harden men who have rejected God and prepare them to be willing agents of Satan’s bidding in the coming conflict (Rev. 15-16; Psa. 79:6, 12⁶Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. (Psalm 79:6)
¹²And render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord. (Psalm 79:12)).

• The followers of the Beast in the Western earth, and those in the outlying nations who have received his mark and worshipped his image, will be smitten with a “grievous sore.” Apparently, it will be the terrible affliction of a guilty conscience. Misery and a fearful fretting of mind will result (Rev. 16:2²And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. (Revelation 16:2)—1St vial).

• Any who remain in the Western earth who have not believed the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matt. 24:14¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14)), and those who have rejected that gospel in the outlying nations, will apostatize from what light they have had from God. They may do this in an attempt to escape the torment of their consciences (Rev. 16:3³And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. (Revelation 16:3)—2nd vial).

• The natural joys and well-being of life will be taken away from those in the Western earth, and from those in the outlying nations. This will be God’s retribution for persecuting His saints who have gone into all the world preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matt. 24:14¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14)). They will be made to drink of the bitterness of their own apostasy. Life in these regions will be marked by misery and frustration (Rev. 16:4-7⁴And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. ⁵And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. ⁶For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. ⁷And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. (Revelation 16:4‑7)—3rd vial).

• A great governing authority (under the symbol of the “sun”) will become the cause of a frightful oppression over men. This is, perhaps, the workings of some governmental ploy to tighten its grip over its subjects. Men will be further hardened against God as a result (Rev. 16:8-9⁸And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. ⁹And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. (Revelation 16:8‑9)—4th vial).

• Moral and spiritual darkness will sweep over the subjects in the kingdom of the Beast (the Western world). This probably refers to an awful sense of the abandonment of God that will come over them. They will be thoroughly hardened against God (Rev. 16:10-11¹⁰And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, ¹¹And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. (Revelation 16:10‑11)—5th vial).

• With men and women of both the outlying nations (4th vial) and the Western world (5th vial) thoroughly hardened against God, the stage will be set for men to be used as willing instruments of Satan in the Armageddon to come—when he will lead them in battle against their own Maker (Rev. 16:13-14; 19:19¹³And 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. ¹⁴For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Revelation 16:13‑14)
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. (Revelation 19:19)).

• Although the masses in both the West and in the outlying nations will harden themselves against God, there will be a great multitude of persons who will turn to God and believe the Gospel of the Kingdom (Rev. 7:9-17⁹After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; ¹⁰And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. ¹¹And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, ¹²Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. ¹³And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? ¹⁴And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. ¹⁶They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. ¹⁷For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7:9‑17)). This gospel will be preached as a last call to Israel (Psa. 95) and to the Gentile nations (Psa. 96) before the Lord appears out of heaven in judgment (Psa. 97).

• As the Tribulation period draws to a close, the “two witnesses” (a figurative number) who will hold a testimony for God in Jerusalem, in the midst of the apostasy there, will be slain by the Beast. Their bodies will lie in the streets of the city of Jerusalem for 3½ literal days (Rev. 11:7⁷And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. (Revelation 11:7)). But “the triumphing of the wicked is short” (Job. 20:5). After lying in the streets of Jerusalem 3½ literal days, the two witnesses will be resurrected and called up into heaven. As a result, an exceeding great fear will fall on all (Rev. 11:11-12¹¹And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. ¹²And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. (Revelation 11:11‑12)).

• At about this time, the completion of the first resurrection will take place. All who have believed the Gospel of the Kingdom preached during the seven years of Tribulation, and have died through martyrdom16 will be raised to join the heavenly saints. There will be two classes of martyred saints raised: those who have been killed under the reign of the false church (“the great whore”) in the first 3½ years (Rev. 6:9-11⁹And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: ¹⁰And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? ¹¹And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:9‑11)), and those killed under the reign of the Beast and the Antichrist in the last 3½ years (Rev. 15:2-4²And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. ³And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. ⁴Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. (Revelation 15:2‑4)). Both will share in heavenly blessing and will reign with Christ over the earth when He establishes His kingdom on earth (Rev. 14:13; 20:4-5¹³And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. (Revelation 14:13)
⁴And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. ⁵But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:4‑5)).

1. God’s people are viewed as both “salt” and “light” in the earth. When the salt (used as a preservative before the times of refrigeration) is removed, corruption sets in; when the light is gone, darkness floods in (Matt. 5:13-16¹³Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. ¹⁴Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13‑16)).

2. Historically, Babylon and Assyria were the two great enemy powers against Israel, and thus, they have a significant part in prophecy. These powers will not be revived literally, but rather, are symbolic of the future enemy powers that will be arrayed against Israel. Babylon symbolically represents the Western powers under the revived Roman empire (the Beast), and the Assyrian represents the great north-eastern confederacy of the King of the North and his Arab confederacy in their connection with Gog (the Russian confederacy).

3. Many have wondered how America fits into prophecy. Daniel 2:43⁴³And 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. (Daniel 2:43) shows that the Roman Empire, whose roots are in Western Europe, will mingle itself with the “seed of men.” This, apparently, refers to the immigration of people from Western Europe to North, Central, and South America. The Americas have been largely populated [at least originally] by those from Europe. Canada has French and British peoples. The United States has British and a mixture of all other European nationalities. Mexico and other Central American countries are mostly Spanish. The South American countries are also mostly Spanish, except Brazil, which is mainly Portuguese, and French Guiana, which is French. All of these nationalities are European in origin. This is why many prophetic students believe that America will have some part in this revived Roman Empire. To what extent we do not know.

4. An illustration might help us to understand the condition of the Jews when they will return to the land of Israel. Suppose a child, for some wrong done, is disciplined by his father and is sent from the living room (where the family is) to his room. Under the discipline of his father he remains there for some time, and then is allowed to return. But to his parents sorrow, there is no acknowledgement of his wrong, nor is there grief over what he has done. Instead he just resumes playing with his toys as if nothing has ever happened—trying to enjoy the family as at other times. The Jews are something like this child. For their rejection and crucifixion of Christ, God has temporarily set them aside as a nation during this present dispensation (Rom. 11). During this time He is sending out the gospel of His grace to the Gentiles to take a people out of them for His Name (Acts 15:14¹⁴Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. (Acts 15:14)). In His governmental ways, the Jews have been dispersed among the nations of the earth and are no longer able to enjoy (at least until recently) their promised land. When the Jews return to their land in the early part of the Tribulation, they will attempt to go on with their sacrifices and offerings as in former times as if nothing has changed; the question of their blood-guiltiness in the crucifixion of Christ is not acknowledged nor repented of. Having a controversy with His earthly people concerning their guilt in the death of His Son, God will use the Tribulation pressures and sorrows, and the rise of the Antichrist, to bring about a great searching in the hearts of the remnant. And when Christ appears at the last, the light will break in. They will see Jesus Whom they have crucified, visibly, as their Messiah, at which time they will mourn in repentance and be restored to Him (Zech. 12:10-14¹⁰And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. ¹¹In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. ¹²And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; ¹³The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; ¹⁴All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. (Zechariah 12:10‑14); Psa. 51:14¹⁴Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. (Psalm 51:14)). During the process of the Tribulation, until the remnant are brought to repentance, they will not know Christ as Saviour; nor will they understand His finished work on the cross. They will, however, have faith in Jehovah and live according to the measure of light that they have.

5. It is to be noted that this seven year-period of prophecy does not begin with the calling away of the Church to heaven (the Rapture), but with the covenant being made. There will be a short period of time between the Church being raptured and the covenant being made; perhaps a period of days or weeks. It is clear that the new Roman Empire cannot make a covenant with the Jews before it has come into existence. It necessitates the empire being revived first.

6. The “prince” appears to be the office of the political leadership of the Roman Empire which different men will hold. Therefore, the first “he” in Daniel 9:27,²⁷And 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 9:27) and the second “he,” are not likely the same person. Some have thought that the man who makes the seven-year covenant with the Jews is the personal Beast in Revelation 13:1-10¹And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. ²And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. ³And 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. ⁴And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? ⁵And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. ⁶And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 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. ⁸And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. ⁹If any man have an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:1‑10) (the “little horn”–Dan. 7:8, 20-21, 24-25⁸I 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)
²⁰And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. ²¹I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; (Daniel 7:20‑21)
²⁴And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. ²⁵And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:24‑25)), but he rises to power in the empire at the middle of the prophetic week and continues in that role for 42 months to the end of the week (Rev. 13:1-10¹And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. ²And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. ³And 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. ⁴And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? ⁵And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. ⁶And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 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. ⁸And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. ⁹If any man have an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:1‑10); Dan. 7:25²⁵And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:25)) and is then destroyed by the Lord at His Appearing (Rev. 19:19-21¹⁹And 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 19:19‑21)). The personal Beast will seize the office of the “prince” at the middle of the week and will act in that role (Dan. 7:8, 20⁸I 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)
²⁰And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. (Daniel 7:20)).

7. See J. N. Darby, “Notes and Jottings,” p. 132; “Collected Writings,” vol. 30, p. 126; “Notes and Comments,” vol. 3, p. 65; “Christian Truth,” vol. 7, p. 104.

8. Previously, the Beast (the ten nation confederacy) was seen rising out of “the sea” (Rev. 13:1¹And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1)), but now it is viewed as rising out of “the bottomless pit” (Rev. 17:8⁸The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Revelation 17:8)) which implies Satanic control.

9. Antichrist is also seen typically in the following persons: Abimelech (Judg. 9), Saul (1 Sam. 8-31), Absalom (2 Sam. 15-19), Ahab (1 Kings 16-18), Ahaz (2 Kings 16), Shebna (Isa. 22), Zedekiah (Jer. 39 & 52), Haman (Est. 3-7), Herod (Matt. 2), and the hireling (John 10:10-13¹⁰The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ¹¹I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. ¹²But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. ¹³The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. (John 10:10‑13)).

10. Scripture speaks of three spheres on the globe in connection with prophecy—each being larger in size. They are: “the land,” “the earth,” and “the world” (Isa. 18:2-3; 26:9-10²That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled! ³All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. (Isaiah 18:2‑3)
⁹With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. ¹⁰Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord. (Isaiah 26:9‑10)). The land refers to the area that God gave to Israel for an inheritance. It is not merely the land of Israel as we know it today, but all of the land that was promised to Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 15:18¹⁸In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: (Genesis 15:18); Josh. 1:4⁴From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. (Joshua 1:4)). The earth is the land of Israel, Western Europe, and perhaps the Americas. The world is larger yet, taking in the rest of the globe.

11. See W. Scott, “Exposition of Revelation,” p. 230; C.E. Lunden, “Time Chart,” p. 11.

12. Babylon of old had the Jews in captivity long ago, but the Jews will once more be captive to Babylon (the Western powers) through the Beast and Antichrist; and will again be in need of deliverance. Deliverance came for the Jews in old time by the coming in of Cyrus (meaning “the Lord’s anointed”), the King of Persia, who defeated the Babylonians and liberated the Jews (Isa. 45 to 48:20). Cyrus is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ who will appear at the end of the seven-year Tribulation to destroy the Beast and Antichrist, thereby giving the godly remnant a release. After Cyrus delivered the Jews, He gave a commandment for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem and the worship of God therein (Ezra 1:1-11¹Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, ²Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. ³Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. ⁴And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. ⁵Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. ⁶And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered. ⁷Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods; ⁸Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. ⁹And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives, ¹⁰Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand. ¹¹All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:1‑11); Isa. 45:13¹³I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 45:13)); which is what the Lord Jesus will do in that coming day (Ezek. 40-48).

13. They will not necessarily wait until the rise of the Antichrist to do this; some will be preaching it in the first half of the week too—and will be killed for doing so (Rev. 6:9-11⁹And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: ¹⁰And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? ¹¹And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:9‑11)).

15. Note: these vials, or bowls, are poured out upon “the earth,” “men,” “the sea,” “the rivers,” “the sun,” etc., not “the third part of the earth,” “the third part of men,” “the third part of the seas,” “the third part of the rivers,” “the third part of the sun,” as in the trumpet-judgments. This shows that the sphere where the bowls are poured out is much wider and is not restricted to the Western earth.

16. Apparently, no believer during the seven years of Tribulation will die from natural causes. See Revelation 20:4⁴And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4); those raised at the end of the Great Tribulation will die either by the false church martyring them, or by the Beast and his emissaries martyring them. W. Scott, “Revelation of Jesus Christ,” p. 304.

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Outline Of Prophetic Events: Chronologically Arranged From The Rapture To The Eternal State

• Outline of Prophetic Events, An

• Rapture (The Blessed Hope of the Church), The

• Things Hereafter (in Heaven)

• Things Hereafter (on Earth)

• Indignation (75 Days), The

• Millennium (The 1000 Year Reign of Christ), The

• The Eternal State

• Appendix A — The Indignation

• Appendix B — Indications of the Lord's Coming

• Appendix C

Things Hereafter (on Earth)

Outline of Prophetic Events: Fourth Edition [Paperback]