• 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. 25:10-12).
• 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 13:38-41; Gal. 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. 2:6). This is a reference to the governments in various lands being conferred with authority from God, and thus, are responsible to check evil (Gen. 9:5-6; John 19:11; Dan. 2:37; Rom. 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. 2:7). 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 14:17; 1 Cor. 3:16; Eph. 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, 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 17:26-29). As things progress during the Tribulation period “iniquity shall abound.” (Matt. 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. 2:23) into one corrupt religious system called, “the great whore–Mystery” (religious) Babylon.” This is the false Church (Rev. 17:1-2).
• 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. 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. 6:1-2–1St 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. 13:3; Dan. 2:41-43; 7:7-8, 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. 17:1-13). This will be its seventh form of government in the history of the Roman Empire (Rev. 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. 17:9-13).
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 earth (Gen. 31:3;* Isa. 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. 73:10).
• 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. 73:8-12; Psa. 1:4-6; Isa. 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. 1:1-3; Isa. 17:6-7; 66:2; Mal. 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 11:33), will instruct the others in the way of the Lord. A testimony for God will result around Jerusalem (Dan. 12:3, 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. 9:27), 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; 11:38; Isa. 28:14-19; Isa. 8:9; 1 Thess. 5:3; Psa. 20:7; Rev. 13:4). The establishment of this pact will begin the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy (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. 9:24).
• 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. 9:27). It is not known who this person will be. He will only continue in office “a short space”—the first 3½ years (Rev. 17:1-11).
• 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. 8:11-13; Psa. 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. 28:15; Dan 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. 3:10). 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. 30:7). 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. 24:8).
• 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. 31:17-18;* Isa. 2:7-8; Psa. 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. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:4; Psa. 42:4; Dan. 9:27; 12:11; Isa. 1:10-15; Psa. 1-42–1st Book of Psalms).
• 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; 66:3-4).
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. 6:1-17; Matt. 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. 6:3-4–2nd seal).
• Wars and rumors of wars will be in the air (Matt. 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. 6:5-6–3rd seal; Matt. 24:7).
• Initially, the wealthy class in society who love the finer things of life (“the oil and the wine”–Prov. 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. 6:6).
• Pestilence (disease) will sweep over Western Europe (“fourth part of the earth”). Death through these pestilences will follow (Rev. 6:7-8–4th seal; Matt. 24:7).
• The Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached by the faithful, believing remnant of Jews. This gospel announces the coming of the King and Messiah of Israel to establish the kingdom promised in the Old Testament Scriptures. As things progress, some of the converted Gentiles will also preach this gospel. Every nation will have some testimony of this gospel given to it (Matt. 24:14). Those who have not willfully and intelligently rejected the Gospel of the Grace of God, preached in the Christian era, will have an opportunity to believe the Gospel of the Kingdom. A great multitude of Jews and Gentiles will believe it and will be blessed on earth when Christ establishes His kingdom (Psa. 96; Rev. 7:1-7).
• 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. 6:9-11–5th seal; Matt. 24:9; 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; 6:10-12), 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. 12:7-12). 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. 12:12). As a result of the expulsion of those wicked spirits, the heavens will be cleansed of the presence of evil (Compare Job 15:15; Heb. 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. 6:12-17–6th 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. 6:15-17; 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. 7:25; Rev. 11:3; 12:6, 14; 13:5). Additional extensions to this period are also calculated from the middle of the week, such as 1290 days and 1335 days (Dan. 12:11-12). 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. 12:7; Rev. 11:3; 12:6, 14; 13:5) the remnant of the Jews are delivered from the Antichrist.
• At 1290 days (Dan. 12:11) the remnant of the Jews are delivered from the King of the North.
• At 1335 days (Dan. 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, 24-25)—He is also called “the (personal) Beast” (Rev. 13:1-8; 17:10-18; 19:20) and “the king of Babylon” (Isa. 14:4*). He will be a Gentile. This is deducted by the fact that he comes out of “the sea” (Rev. 13:1; 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, 24-25).
• 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. 13:4).
• “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, 24-25; Rev. 17:13, 17).
• Satan will also control other government leaders in the empire (Rev. 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. 17:16-18). This is what is referred to, in the book of Revelation, as “Babylon is fallen” (Rev. 14:8; 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 controlled 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. 13:2-8).
• All of the world will wonder at the Beast (the ten nation western confederacy) in its new form (Rev. 13:3; 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. 2:9). He will be an Israelite, perhaps from the tribe of Dan (Dan. 11:37; Gen. 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 2:18). He is also known as “the King” (Dan. 11:36; Isa. 8:21; 30:33; 57:9), “the Man of Sin” (2 Thess. 2:3), “the Son of Perdition” (2 Thess. 2:3), “the Wicked or Lawless One” (2 Thess. 2:8–J. N. Darby Trans.), “the Fallen Star” (Rev. 9:1), “the 2nd Beast” (Rev. 13:11-18), “the False Prophet” (Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10), “the Foolish and Idol Shepherd” (Zech. 11:15-17; Psa. 14:1; Psa. 53:1), “the Bloody and Deceitful Man” (Psa. 5:6, etc.), “the Profane Wicked Prince of Israel” (Ezek. 21:25), and “the Prince of Tyrus” (Ezek. 28:2). Psalm 10 gives us a moral description of the character of this man.
• 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 5:43; Dan. 11:36-39; 2 Sam. 15:2-6, 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. 1:21-23; Dan. 11:39; Isa. 28:14; 1 Sam. 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 73:3-12; 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. 9:27; Rev. 17:16; Psa. 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. 3:1-7;* 9:27; 12:11; Matt. 24:15; Rev. 13:12-15; 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. 13:11-15; 2 Thess. 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. 13:16-18).
• 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. 8:3-5).
• 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.”)
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. 8:7—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, 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. 8:8—2nd trumpet). (Apostasy is the giving up of the professed knowledge of God; it is spiritual death—“twice dead”—Jude 12).
• Also at this time, commerce in the west will be virtually destroyed (Rev. 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. 8:10-11—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. 8:12–4th 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. 9:1-12—5th trumpet; 2 Thess. 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. 11:36; 2 Thess. 2:3-4).
• Open idolatry and worship of the Beast (Dan. 6:7; Rev. 13:4) and of Antichrist (2 Thess. 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. 12:43-45; Dan. 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. 24:23-26).
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, 13; Dan. 3:1-25;* 7:21; Matt. 10:16-23; 24:21-22; Mark 13:19; Mic. 7:2). However, those who refuse the mark of the Beast and die as martyrs for their faith are the real victors (Rev. 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 years—which is 1278 days). It is also called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Matt. 24:21-22; Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Rev. 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 subjection (Rev. 11:2; 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 8:11-12).
• 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. 9:4-5; Mic. 7:2, 5-6; Matt. 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. 66:5; Psa. 42-72—2nd book of the Psalms; Matt. 24:16-21; 1 Sam. 19-27;* 2 Sam. 15:13-17:29;* Jer. 36:26;* Rev. 12:6, 14-15).
• Some of the Jewish remnant will flee into the mountains of Judea for shelter (Matt. 24:16).
• Some of the remnant will flee eastward into the land of Moab—Jordan today (Isa 16:3-4; 1 Sam. 22:34; Psa. 44:11; Psa. 61:2).
• Others will go north to the Hermon mountain range in southern Lebanon (Psa. 42:6).
• Others of the remnant will go over the various cities of Israel preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matt. 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. 11:3-13).
• Although many of the faithful Jewish remnant will be divinely protected, some of them will suffer martyrdom (Psa. 12; John 16:2; Rev. 13:7; Dan. 7:21; Isa. 57:1-2; Mic. 7:2).
• Apparently, it will not rain in the land of Israel during the Great Tribulation—the last 3½ years (Rev. 11:6; 1 Kings 17:1; *James 5:17; Deut. 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. 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, 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. 16:2—1St vial).
• Any who remain in the Western earth who have not believed the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matt. 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. 16:3—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. 24:14). 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. 16:4-7—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. 16:8-9—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. 16:10-11—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; 19:19).
• 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. 7:9-17). 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. 11:7). 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. 11:11-12).
• 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 martyrdom 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. 6:9-11), and those killed under the reign of the Beast and the Antichrist in the last 3½ years (Rev. 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; 20:4-5).