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WHERE DOES IT END? Judgement Over All the Earth Many contend that the judgements will only involve the area of the Middle East. Scripture shows us that, while they begin there, they will spread to the rest of the world. With all the talk of our global village, and the ever increasing, intertwining, and interconnection of social, political, and economic territories, common sense dictates that all of mankind, especially at a time further in the future, will be subject to the influence of God’s judgements.Jerusalem, Israel, and the Middle East will be the epicenter of this future tribulation, and will experience the greatest conflagration of the dominion of the Antichrist. This time of tribulation is in fulfillment of what was written long ago by the Jews and for the Jews (Luke 21:22-23). It is a scriptural principle that judgement begins at the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17). Jeremiah the prophet informs us of God’s own words: "‘See, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears my Name, and will you indeed go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword upon all who live on the earth,’ declares the Lord Almighty. Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them: ‘The LORD will roar from on high; he will thunder from his holy dwelling and roar mightily against his land. He will shout like those who tread the grapes, shout against all who live on the earth. The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth, for the Lord will bring charges against the nations; he will bring judgment on all mankind and put the wicked to the sword,’ declares the Lord" (Jer. 25:29-31). In the past, this referred to God’s judgement executed by the then world ruler of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. But as all will soon see, a future world ruler of Babylon, the Antichrist, will come, and a future judgement will encompass the earth. (Israel’s future restoration will come after this fearful future judgement.) "‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will break the yoke off their necks and will tear off their bonds; no longer will foreigners enslave them. Instead, they will serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. I will surely save you out of a distant place… Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you" (Jer. 30:8, 9, 10, 11). This worldwide judgement (among all the nations where the Jews have been scattered) is to take place on "that day." This is yet future, attested to by the fact that King David will be resurrected, as mentioned in the above portion of prophecy (Jer. 30:9). This future tribulation judgement is seen as covering a third of the earth and a third of the sea (Rev. 8:7-8). The sixth trumpet judgement kills a third of mankind (Rev. 9:15). During the seventh trumpet’s vial or bowl judgements, all of the seas are stricken, and every living thing in them dies (Rev. 16:3). Later, the sun becomes so intense that people are scorched with fire (Rev. 16:8). Thus, these judgements are worldwide.42 JUDGEMENT BEGINS AT THE FUTURE TEMPLE The prophet Ezekiel had a vision of an abominable idol in the temple of God (Ezek. 8:3). (See "The Abomination," Chapter Three, for details.) This will be the temple occupation by the Antichrist during the tribulation. After certain servants of God receive seals in their foreheads (the future 144,000 of Rev. 7:3), the Glory of the God of Israel Jesus Christ, the former Angel of the Lord begins judgement at the middle of the tribulation and at the temple sanctuary. Here are Jesus’ words for the future: "Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary. Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go!" (Ezek. 9:5-7). This is the same Jesus who warned everyone that when they saw this abominable idol they should flee (Matt. 24:15-16). This is where the end shall begin at the temple in Jerusalem. It will begin in the middle of the seven-year peace treaty, which will be broken by theone Ezekiel’s abominable idol portrays (Antichrist) the one who will probably rise from the dead in the month of Nisan, 3-1/2 years before the end at Jerusalem, on Tishri 10. This picture of Jesus a picture of one to be feared by the unsaved hardly fits the popularized version of which we hear so much today. Today, He is frequently portrayed only as the gentle, compassionate man or teacher of long ago, a man who gathered children around himself, and who didn’t even defend Himself throughout His own mock trial and crucifixion. Yet, He is and was the great I AM, "…the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb. 13:8). The unsaved would do well to take heed, and begin to plant wisdom by gaining a fear of the living Lord (Prov. 9:10)! The prophet Ezekiel saw an angel going ahead of the slaughter; the same angel of Revelation 7:2. He is placing the seal of God in their foreheads, which must take place before anything on the earth may be harmed. It appears that these 144,000 sealed ones will have an important ministry of witnessing to their fellow Jews about the Messiah, and will need special protection to do so. This new revival in the middle of the seven-year tribulation is the answer to the prophet Habakkuk who petitioned, "O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy" (Hab. 3:2, KJV). The 144,000 sealed ones are to be protected from the physical judgements that begin at the temple. The future Antichrist (who will perhaps be the one to help with the rebuilding of the temple on Mt. Moriah) will have been allowing a reinstitution of the Jews’ ancient worship, including sacrificial offerings. As a result, many Jews will have gathered at the temple. In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John was given a measuring rod with which to measure (that is to judge). John represents the redeemed in Christ.43 He prophesied before many peoples, nations, languages, and kings (Rev. 10:11), but it was at the temple that his prophesied judgements would begin, prior to being executed throughout the world. JUDGEMENT OF AND BY CHRISTIANS We who are in Christ are to judge the world (1 Cor. 6:2) after we have been judged ourselves at the judgement seat of Christ (for our works). God always judges His own people first, and then His enemies. The sacrifices at the future temple of the tribulation will be based on a confirmed covenant made by the false messiah. The sacrificial altar there will be an insult to the Lamb of God, who had offered His own blood as the perfect, final sacrifice (Heb. 10:10). The worshipers there profess to honor God, yet reject Christ. John defines them as liars: "Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the Antichrist; he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also" (1 John 2:22-23). God is going to send these liars a powerful delusion through displays of "miracles, signs, and wonders." Some will believe the Lie (Antichrist) and will be condemned because they did not believe the Truth (Jesus Christ), but delighted in wickedness (2 Thess. 2:9-12). Those who worship the beast and his abominable image, or receive his mark or number, will drink of the wine of God’s fury and be tormented for ever and ever (Rev. 14:9-11). The beginning of the end is at Jerusalem, but by the end of the tribulation 3-1/2 years later, the world will be engulfed in the wrath of God. A KING FROM IRAQ Much of Daniel 11 is hard to interpret, for it seems both historical and prophetical. This author believes that one time frame is possibly just before the middle of the seven-year peace covenant, after which time a ruler of the Southern area44 will engage the Antichrist in battle. The "king of the South" will most likely be the ruler over Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia. He will lead an assault on the Antichrist, "King of the North" who thinks he is the king of kings. "At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships" (Dan. 11:40). This "king of the North," the Antichrist, will have to leave his capital in Babylon (in present day Iraq) to subdue the king of the South. This will be the first of three kings, who will be subdued (Dan. 7:24). Parallel passage "types" in Jeremiah 46 appear to offer additional detail. GOD THE MESSIAH CRUSHES JORDAN In Daniel 11:41, we see that Edom, Moab, and Ammon (which is occupied by modern day Jordan) escape out of the Antichrist’s hand. Perhaps because the Jordanian Arabs are much like him, they join the destroyer in an alliance. "‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more.’ With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you; the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon and Amalek" (Psalm 83:4-7). In reality, the Jordanians are not spared just because it was in the destroyer’s mind to do so (for he is only a tool under God’s sovereignty), but because God Himself Jesus Christ will at His return be the sole judge of these Jordanians. Jesus Christ, who is, "the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)," will slaughter them Himself for destroying His people, the Jews; at the same time He will fulfill this prophecy: "A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong" (Num. 24:17-18). Christ, the bright Morning Star, who comes out of Jacob (or from his portion) is called The Lord Almighty: "He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the Maker of all things, including the tribe of his inheritance; the Lord Almighty is his name" (Jer. 51:19).
We saw in the first chapter, "WHO is The End?" that the Messiah is both the Alpha, or Beginning, and the Omega, or End. We know from the first verse in Genesis, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth," that the Creator is indeed the Alpha. Since the Messiah is the Beginning or Alpha, the Messiah is the Creator the Messiah is God Almighty! BABYLON Ancient Babylon will be rebuilt in modern day Iraq, and will be the location of many of the important events of the end time. The book of Revelation describes both Babylon and her king. "The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction" (Rev. 17:8). The Antichrist will rise up in tandem with the future, rebuilt city of Babylon. This passage refers to both the Emperor and his Empire. The symbolic beast has symbolic heads (Rev 17:9), which we are told represent "kings" (people) and "hills" (places). Many commentators believe the city to be revived is Rome, but Rome was present in John’s day and can therefore not be described as "now is not." In his book, The Revelation Record, Dr. Henry Morris interprets the passage below, the understanding of which requires a mind of wisdom (Rev. 17:9): "Five have fallen, one is, the other has not come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while" (Rev. 17:10). Dr. Morris identifies Babylonia, Egypt, Assyria, Persia, and Greece as the five that have fallen; and Rome as the one that is in John’s day. He adds that the seventh kingdom will be composed of a ten-kingdom alliance. This alliance will not be that of the European Union or European Economic Community, which is proposed by many, for much of it is outside the old Greco-Roman Empire. The ten-kingdom alliance will be located within the "legs" of the eastern and western division of the old Roman Empire, and under the waist of the Grecian just as the toes of Daniel’s image are located on each leg, and under his waist. (See Appendix, Fig. II for a map of the Old Roman Empire.) Morris states that the seventh kingdom, composed of the ten-kingdom alliance, will not last long, that it will probably exist for only the first 3-1/2 years of the first half of the tribulation. Thus, around the midpoint of the tribulation, the eighth king (the Antichrist) who will be of the seventh kingdom, the ten-kingdom United Nation Alliance (Rev 17:11), will receive power and strength (Rev 17:13). By this time, the city of Babylon will have been rebuilt and will host this new "United Nations" headquarters.45 Due to its being near the geographic center of the world, it will become the new world trade center the commercial capital of the globe. The prophet Zechariah informs us of this in his vision (5:5-11). In this vision, the woman represents the idolatry of mammon the love of which is the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10). The basket or ephah was the primary volumetric measure used in trading; the Land of Shinar is Babylon. Zechariah thus informs us that those who worship money and trading will move to Babylon. Babylon, with all this political power, will be the economic powerhouse of the world. Financiers, bankers, traders, and others involved in commerce, with offices in such major cities as New York, London, and Tokyo, will be well represented there. Those particularly involved in cargo shipping, such as sea captains, and administrators of port authorities will regularly trade with her (Rev. 18:17). This author, who has some limited experience in international trade and warehousing, sees Babylon becoming a Free Trade Zone where one will be able to import and export without taxation. The number of warehouses and refineries along the Euphrates will be even greater than the number of oil wells there, pumping their relentless rivers of black gold. Many will become incredibly wealthy, but their wealth will not preserve them when the entire city of Babylon sinks in the coming earthquake! ARMAGEDDON At the very end of the tribulation, the long awaited battle of Armageddon takes place. The word "Armageddon" comes from the Hebrew Har-megiddo, or "Mountain of Megiddo." Mount Megiddo is about sixty miles north of Jerusalem. It overlooks the plain of Megiddo on the west and the plain of Esdraelon (or valley of Jezreel) on the northeast. It is to these plains that multitudes will gather for an assault at Jerusalem. (Multitudes would not be necessary just to capture the Jews who will still be left there at that time.) Apparently, someone or something has to attract them. This will be accomplished by Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet (Rev. 16:12, 19:19-20; 20:1-2) displaying their supernatural powers. Also, from Revelation 14:1, it will be known that the Lamb will appear soon and with Him 144,000 saints. Surely, some will have counted down 1,260 days from the abomination of desolation and will knowingly be preparing for battle against Christ and His army! The Lord also calls the multitudes there by sending three demons ("frogs" from slime pits) to gather them (Rev. 16:13). Nevertheless, there is a great boldness at the cosmic disturbances of the sixth bowl that did not exist at the cosmic disturbances of the sixth seal. Such great destruction will occur that the Israelites, who were "like the sand by the sea" will be left with only a remnant (Isa. 10:22). God then promises that His anger will soon end, and that His wrath will be to the destruction of Israel’s enemies. But just before that time, He will have one last deed for the Antichrist to do. The course of the Antichrist and his hordes is vividly sketched. ANTICHRIST’S LAST TREK "They enter Aiath; they pass through Migron; they store supplies at Micmash. They go over the pass, and say, ‘We will camp overnight at Geba.’ Ramah trembles; Gibeah of Saul flees. Cry out, O Daughter of Gallim! Listen, O Laishah! Poor Anathoth! Madmenah is in flight; the people of Gebim take cover. This day they will halt at Nob; they will shake their fist at the mount of the Daughter of Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem" (Isa. 10:28-32). From the book, Thru the Bible With J. Vernon McGee,46 Dr. McGee comments on the above passages: "This is a remarkable section of prophecy. It gives geographical locations, all of them north of Jerusalem, and it shows the route taken by Assyria and of the future invader from the north… The invader comes from the land of Magog (see Ezek. 38:39). "Now notice the places mentioned: ‘Aiath’ is about fifteen miles north of Jerusalem. ‘Migron’ is south of Aiath and is the pass where Jonathan got a victory over the Philistines (see 1 Sam. 14). I understand that General Allenby secured a victory over Turkey in the same place. ‘Geba’ and ‘Ramah’ are about six miles north of Jerusalem. ‘Anathoth’ was about three miles north of Jerusalem. This is the home of the prophet Jeremiah. ‘Laish’ is in the extreme north of Palestine, in the tribe of Dan. ‘Madmenah’ (dunghill) is a garbage dump north of Jerusalem. ‘Gebim’ is probably north of Jerusalem. The exact site is not known. ‘Nob’ is the last place mentioned, and it is north of the city and in sight of Jerusalem. "This passage clearly charts the march of the enemy from the north, which brings a state of paralysis and defeat to Jerusalem." The part that was omitted from Dr. McGee’s commentary is that he believed this invader from the north to be Russia alone. But Isaiah, in the above chapter, speaks of this day of reckoning to be via the "King of Assyria" (v. 12) with "his thorns and his briars" (v. 17). Many writers and speakers believe that Russia alone is the invader from the North (the "Rosh" of Ezekiel 38:2 and 39:1) and see that battle occurring in the middle or just before the beginning of the tribulation. It is not, as will be shown. GOG AND MAGOG The battle of Ezekiel, in chapters 38 and 39, is the end day battle of Armageddon, for it happens, "On that day…(Ezek. 39:11)" the end day. The Antichrist (Gog) will be leading Russia and others from the North. There will be types of this battle before the end, perhaps before the seven-year peace covenant with Israel by the Antichrist, referred to in Daniel 9:27. The Antichrist will be in sheep’s clothing, and will win a marvelous victory, possibly over Russia, in order to have sufficient "power" to sign the peace covenant. He will appear to many as their deliverer even their long-awaited Messiah. The Antichrist (like many Bible commentators), will see "Gog" (Ezek. 38:2) as someone other than himself. The Antichrist will then be in a position to claim to be the one who executed the judgement of bloodshed and burning sulfur on the invading troops (Ezek. 38:22) in essence, claiming to be Israel’s deliverer!
In his book, The Rapture And The Second Coming of Christ,47 author Finis Dake discusses 12 proofs that this battle in Ezekiel will not be fulfilled in a war between Russia and Israel. He shows 38 predictions in Ezekiel which identify chapters 38 and 39 as being fulfilled at Armageddon. He shows that from the time of the battle and onward, that Israel and other nations know God (38:16; 39:6-7, 21-25, 27); profane his name no more (39:7); that God is glorified by all nations (39:13, 21); and that even the heathen will know what these chapters are about (39:23). Surely, if the heathen who are without the Holy Spirit to illuminate God’s Word will understand it, then it must be hindsight for them. Hindsight at that time will place the battle at the time of the return of the King of kings. VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT We now come to the closing scene. The following morning, the beast prepares to attack Jerusalem. Joel the prophet foretells the attack: "Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, ‘I am strong!’ Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, O Lord! ‘Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow; so great is their wickedness!’ Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision" (Joel 3:9-14). The book of Micah gives us the Lord’s plan. Many nations will be gathered against Israel, with their intent to defile Zion. "But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD; they do not understand his plan, he who gathers them like sheaves to the threshing floor" (Micah 4:12). The following is taken from the book, The Antichrist, by Arthur W. Pink:48 "Once again, though the beast appears to be successful, Jerusalem falls before his onslaught as Jehovah had foretold that it should; ‘I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city (Zech. 14:2).’ Intoxicated by their success, it is then that the heathen shall rage and the people imagine a vain thing: ‘The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. "Let us break their chains," they say, and throw off their fetters’" (Psalm 2:23). MAJOR CITIES TUMBLE DOWN When all the kings of the world are gathered at Jerusalem, the seventh angel pours out the seventh bowl of his wrath into the air (Rev. 16:17), resulting in the greatest of all earthquakes. Jerusalem splits into three parts, and all other major cities of the world tumble down (Rev. 16:19) Atlanta, Berlin, Chicago, New York, Miami, Mexico City, Moscow, Paris, Peking, Sao Paulo, San Francisco, Tokyo. Continental land slides, generating great tsunamis (seismic ocean waves) hundreds of feet high and moving at the speed of jet planes, surely will have already inundated most major coastal cities through earlier earthquakes long before this time. Babylon not only tumbles down, but even sinks beneath the earth. Because of the extent of her evil, she is to be utterly destroyed the same as Sodom and Gomorrah (Isa. 13:19; Jer. 50:40). Babylon and all her people are to sink like a stone into the Euphrates River: "So will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring upon her. And her people will fall"(Jer. 51:64). Jerusalem is the only city to be spared destruction by the mighty earthquake. In this sense, Jerusalem will indeed be like the "Rock of Ages" Jesus Christ. "They who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever" (Psalm 125:1). Jerusalem, and all those who trust in the Lord Jesus, will endure forever! tsunami MOUNTAINS CRUMBLE Earlier in the tribulation, the mountains and islands had been shaken and moved from their places, but at this immeasurable earthquake, every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. Jerusalem is split into three parts and molten rocks (100 pound hailstones) are cast into the sky (Rev. 16:19-21). At this point, God will decide that Jerusalem has paid double for all her sins, and that it is time for her to be comforted. The above passage brings us to a voice calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken" (Isa. 40:3-5). "Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him" (Zech. 14:3-5). At the revelation of Jesus Christ on the mountain, a pathway for escape will be provided for His chosen people. It will be a protected valley, extending to Azel (which is believed to be about 12 miles east of Jerusalem). But at God’s presence, the Gentiles flee out of the city and are scattered, there to join their comrades who are outside of the city for a distance of 1,600 stadia, or 180 miles (Rev. 14:20). This is done in order to spare the future throne at Jerusalem from being defiled with the river of blood that will flow through the land. FROM MEGIDDO TO BOZRAH The enemies are gathered as far south as the Edomite stronghold of Bozrah, about twenty miles southeast of the Dead Sea. The Bible speaks clearly of the Lord coming from Bozrah when His day of vengeance arises. Isaiah 61:2 shows us what will be proclaimed by the Messiah. He will proclaim, "The year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God." Christ claimed to have fulfilled the day of the Lord’s favor when He was here at His first coming. In Luke 4:18-21, the Messiah stopped reading the Isaiah passage at the word favor, sat down, and informed those there that He had fulfilled the part of the passage that He had read. He fulfills the vengeance part at His second coming, 2,000 years later: "Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? ‘It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save. I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come’" (Isa. 63:1, 3-4). Not only does Christ vent His anger in Bozrah, but as we’ll see in the next chapter, those of us who are in Christ (the believers in Jesus) will join in the Messiah’s judgement, after He first sets the example of how to carry out His day of vengeance. The center of the multitudes is concentrated in the Judean wilderness (opposite Jerusalem) where King Jehoshaphat had a victorious type of this end day battle (2 Chron. 20:20-24). They extend all the way northward through Megiddo, also the scene of an ancient type of this battle (Judges 5:19). In his book, Revelation Record, Dr. Henry Morris states that if only a small percentage of the future world’s population were drafted into an army, it would easily contain more than 200 million soldiers. This would necessitate the soldiers being only five feet apart in order to be within a territory 180 miles wide and a mile deep. This 180 mile-long stretch will run along what is presently known as the Great Rift, which extends from North Africa to the Sea of Galilee. It will most likely be supported in the north by the port of Haifa, and in the south by the Gulf of Akaba. In this great valley, the river of blood will literally reach to a horse’s bridle (Rev. 14:20). DELIVERER IN ISRAEL After the Lord’s wrath is burned on Jerusalem and Zion, He comes down and fights for her. "This is what the Lord says to me: ‘As a lion growls, a great lion over his prey; and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against him, he is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor; so the Lord Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights" (Isa. 31:4). At this time during the Day of the Lord, He will be against all the people who have been against Israel. He tells them: "As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head…on Mount Zion will be deliverance" (Obad. 15:17). "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the survivors whom the Lord calls" (Joel 2:32). Notice that those Jews who survive and exercise their faith by remaining there in the furnace of judgement, and who will call upon the Lord will be saved. By this time they will all have begged for Christ to rescue them. This deliverance for all of Israel will fulfill the Isaiah 27:9 and 59:20 passages: "And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins’" (Rom. 11:26-27).
BANNER AT JERUSALEM The deliverer is coming to Zion. "All you people of the world, you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it, and when a trumpet sounds, you will hear it" (Isa. 18:3). This banner is spoken of in a number of passages. It can mean a banner, ensign, flag, pole, sail, or standard, but generally means a type of signal. In Exodus 17:15, Jehovah is claimed by Moses to be his banner. In the second chapter of Numbers, there was a standard at each point on the compass around the tent of meeting wherein or upon, God located His presence. To the north was the camp of Dan with their standard an eagle. To the south was the camp of Reuben with their standard a man. To the east was the camp of Judah with their standard a lion. And to the west was the camp of Ephraim with their standard an ox. (The number of people in these four camps form the shape of a cross when viewed from the eastern heavens.) These standards represent what is in heaven; four living creatures surround God’s throne. Each, a composite of an eagle, a man, a lion, and an ox. This banner or ensign is associated with God’s presence. Isaiah 11:10 states that the root of Jesse (Jesus) shall stand as a banner. This banner is to cause fear and panic. "‘Their stronghold will fall because of terror; at sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic,’ declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem" (Isa. 31:9). "Like birds hovering overhead, the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it" (Isa. 31:5). The picture we have is that the presence of God (the root of Jesse) will be the deliverer. As His banner passes over Jerusalem, the Jews will be rescued. CLOUD—SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN In that day, the redeemed of the earth will fly along like clouds, like doves to their nest (Isa. 60:8). This cloud or banner over Israel could be nothing less than the sign (ensign) of the Son of Man. This is clearly spoken of in the Book of Matthew: "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory" (Matt. 24:30). The Antichrist and his hordes are gathered against Jerusalem hoping against hope that Christ and His army (the banner of clouds) will be defeated. The vultures excitedly fly overhead, ready "for the great supper of God," prepared to fulfill prophecy by eating, "…the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men,…" (Rev. 19:17-18). Then Jesus will destroy their leader, the Antichrist, "…with the breath of his mouth and the splendor of his coming" (2 Thess. 2:8). The Antichrist will be cast into the Lake of Fire, and his hordes to Hades. HADES WILL PLAY ITS PART Hades will be busier than ever. Various beings over time have come and gone, to and from Hades. In the future, most will be going there, but some will be coming out! Hades is the abode for departed spirits. This is where the spirit of Christ went after His crucifixion and before His resurrection, for He "…descended to the lower, earthly regions" (Eph. 4:9).
King David knew that a descendant of his would not be abandoned in Sheol (the grave) nor would the body of this Holy One see decay (Acts 2:31). This would fulfill Psalm 16:10 and Christ, of course, did not decay in the tomb! Before Christ’s victory on the cross (displayed by His resurrection), the earth had two compartments one of "comfort" (Paradise) and one of "torment" (Hades). These were separated by "a great gulf" (see Luke 16:23-26). It was here, deep inside the earth, where Christ descended to announce His victory to the spirits imprisoned there (1 Pet. 3:19). Rebellious "sons of God" (fallen angels) during the days of Noah (Gen. 6:2) are in the compartment known in the Greek as Tartarus (2 Pet. 2:4). This is the deepest abyss of Hades the "gloomy dungeons," according to the New International Version of the Bible. These evil spirits are headed by one named Abaddon the demon king. They are released from their abyss at the fifth trumpet of Revelation, and apparently in locust-scorpion type bodies (Rev. 9:7). Another area in Hades is under present day Iraq, under the Euphrates river, where 200 million spirits are located, captained by four fallen angels (Rev, 9:14, 16). Under the torture of the Assyrian (Isa. 8:7) who is actually the Antichrist (as is Shiloah actually Christ as seen in Isa. 8:6), they are released at the sixth trumpet, thirteen months (Rev. 9:15) before the end to promulgate war. Some of the children of Israel (Isa. 8:18) who curse the King of Israel, their God, are later thrust into utter darkness (Isa. 8:21-22). This dark prison, Hades, is compared to a dungeon (Isa. 24:22), of which it is stated that people will be punished and then released after many days. They will be released to the Lake of Fire to join the damned, 1,000 years later (Rev. 20:14). This is 1,000 years after the Antichrist and the false prophet have been cast there. Of course, Hades is not only the end destination of some Jews, but for the people of Tyre: "…then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place in the land of the living" (Eze. 26:20). Those of Assyria, who are partly composed of the present day people of Iraq, have their end destination in the pit as well: "They are all destined for death, for the earth below, among mortal men, with those who go down to the pit" (Eze. 31:14). In Ezekiel 32:18-32, those from Assyria, Edom (Jordan), Egypt, Elam (Iran), Meshech (Russia), Sidon, and Tubal, have their end at the pit. Satan, who has been such an evil servant of the Lord is to be bound not only in the pit at the end of this present age, but at the bottomless pit, the Abyss (Rev. 20:1).
Hades will be busy indeed. All humans, with the exception of Christians, go there at death. There is no such thing as reincarnation, for one dies and is then judged (Heb. 9:27). The Christian believers do not go to Hades, for as shown above, Christ went there in their place. They go straight to Paradise to be "at home with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8)."
LAKE OF FIRE The Antichrist king, known also as the Assyrian king, is sent to Topheth, a special place within the Lake of Fire (Isa. 30:33). This is where the most abominable will go. "Topheth" was a place in the valley of Hinnom where the most abominable idolatries were carried out. In this valley in southwest Jerusalem, the Israelites sacrificed their children by burning them in a fire: "The people of Israel and Judah have provoked me by all the evil they have done; They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech" (Jer. 32:32, 35). "They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire; something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind" (Jer. 7:31). It is in this same valley (before the end occurs) that God will repay the Jews for this evil practice, when He fills the valley with the dead of Israel to overflowing; where the birds and beasts will devour (Jer. 7:32, 33). The Antichrist and his false prophet are to be suddenly snatched from the midst of the people which have invaded Jerusalem and translated at unimaginable speed to the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:20). The Lake of Fire is not the same place as Sheol or Hades. This is clear from the fact that those who are not saved by accepting Christ’s work on the cross (while they were on the earth), are resurrected from Hades (the temporary pit) 1,000 years after the end of our present age, and then cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:11-15). Jesus Christ, who is to be the judge of all who have or ever will have lived (John 5:22), spoke of this fiery place on a number of occasions (Matt. 25:41; Mark 9:43-48). These passages have been properly translated as "hell" the ultimate destination for destruction of those in Hades (located within the earth) when they receive new bodies after the Millennium is over. It is in Gehenna (or the Lake of Fire) where their second death will take place, where both body and soul are destroyed (Matt. 10:28), but where their suffering never ends. SUMMARY The end will occur all around the earth. Every eye will see Him, apparently even those who saw Him 2,000 years ago will see Him from hell. The events that lead up to the end are concentrated in the Middle East. It starts at the future rebuilt temple, when the abomination of desolation is set up, which portrays the leader of the future 10-kingdom territory around the Mediterranean Sea. By the end, the wrath and woe will have spread around the world. The earthquake to end all earthquakes occurs worldwide. All major cities tumble to the ground, but Babylon sinks into the earth. Jerusalem is split into three parts, but will be the only city left standing. From the Red Sea, through Jerusalem to the Mediterranean Sea, the enemies of God and the enemies of the Jews will be slain. The Omega returns to the vicinity of Bethany, the area from which He ascended, and physically steps onto the Mt. of Olives. Christ destroys the Antichrist and has him escorted to the Lake of Fire.
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