Prophecy 15 – The Day of the Lord

  • Larry W. Wilson

    • The Day of the Lord – Revelation 19:11 – 20:10

    The Beginning of the Sixth Bowl (1,315th day*)
    Ending Point in Time: The End of the 1,000 Years

    * Note:This date is not absolute. For reasons presented in Prophecy 11, reference note 105, I believe the seven bowls will occur over a period of seventy days with each plague allotted about ten days. If true, the devil’s demons will go to the ten kings of Earth (the sixth bowl) on the 1,315th day. When the kings of the Earth see their impending doom, they will have a few days to mobilize their armies in an attempt to destroy Jesus when He appears. The seventh bowl will begin on the 1,325th day of the Great Tribulation and when Jesus and His entourage are close enough to Earth, Armageddon begins. The armies of Earth will attack Jesus and His approaching entourage. Of course, the combined military might of mankind will do nothing to stop Jesus and He will continue to draw near the earth. Panic will overtake His enemies and they will run for their lives.[1] It appears that Jesus will deal with the wicked on Sabbath, the 1,334th day of the Great Tribulation. On Sunday, the 1,335th day, the saints (both the dead and the living) will rise to meet the Lord in the air. Together with Jesus, a great party of joyful saints will head for New Jerusalem.

    Summary:

    The Great Tribulation will be a culmination between forces of good and evil.  A global struggle between righteousness and evil will occur and the struggle will culminate in a horrific war.  The kings of Earth and their armies will make war against Jesus and His army as Jesus draws close to Earth.  This war will prove that sinners are willing to destroy Almighty God if it means their own survival.  In other words, Armageddon will prove that when the carnal nature is confronted with divine authority, it would rather die than yield.  What a contrast!  When divine nature was confronted with sin, the Father was willing to give His Son and Jesus was willing to die in our place so that sinners might be restored to eternal life!  Armageddon will be studied throughout eternity for it summarizes the problem with the carnal nature.  Armageddon will bring 6,000 years of sin to a close.  Jesus will justifiably annihilate the wicked and take the saints to Heaven on the 1,335th day.[2]

    Introduction

    This prophecy begins with scenes of preparation in Heaven for the Second Coming.  During the sixth bowl, the devil will entice the kings of the Earth and their armies to gather together and make war against Jesus.[3]  At the appointed time, the Father, Jesus, their entourage of angels, and the 144,000 will leave Heaven and travel to Earth.  During the final ten days of the Great Tribulation (the seventh bowl), the kings of the Earth will be anxiously watching as Jesus draws near.  They will be armed and prepared to destroy Jesus the moment He draws close enough to Earth.  Ironically, Lucifer’s great government will be impotent.  His loyal officials and dedicated employees will be useless because they were blinded by the judgment poured out during the fifth bowl.  Consequently, the kings of Earth and their armies will have to make war against the Lamb on their own.  There is a reason for this.  Jesus wants the universe to see that even after Lucifer’s demonic power is neutralized, the carnal heart is rebellious through and through.  Every sinner is a miniature of Lucifer.  Stupid mortals will make war against Almighty God thinking they can save themselves.  Of course, the devil and his angels already know that inescapable doom will come.  They dread Jesus’ appearing because they know that Jesus will destroy their bodies and return them to the Abyss for 1,000 years – held there until death can be imposed upon them.

    After the seventh bowl is poured out, a “sign” of the Son of Man will appear in the sky.[4]  A small object that looks like a cloud will appear in the east and it will grow larger with each passing day until it completely spans the horizon.  As the cloud draws near, people on Earth will see flashes of lightning and hear peals of thunder coming from it.  People will tremble as this cloud fills the horizon.  The kings of Earth will fire missiles and artillery toward the threatening cloud, but man’s weapons will have no effect.  Finally, on Sabbath*, the 1,334th day of the Great Tribulation, Jesus and His mighty host will break out of the darkness in full glory and brilliance.  This glory will illuminate Earth with light brighter than the Sun.  Earth will heave and crumble from the pulsating glory of its Creator.  Sheets of lightning will blaze from east to west with peals of deafening thunder, voices will cry out, and burning hailstones will fall.  A final global earthquake will rip the whole world apart.  All of Earth’s islands and mountains will be moved out of their places.  The geological strata of Earth will convulse.  Gases and other flammable substances buried deep in the fiery core of Earth will escape from ocean floors causing the oceans to become a huge lake of fire.  Burning hail, each stone weighing about one hundred pounds,[5] will pulverize the Lord’s enemies.

    When the Great Day of God Almighty arrives, Jesus will throw the devil, his angels, his blind officials, employees, the kings of Earth, and their armies into a lake of fire.[6]  Then, Jesus will speak a command and the rest of the wicked, everyone having the mark of the beast, will drop dead.  No wicked person will escape the sword that comes out of His mouth[7] and vultures will gorge themselves on the flesh of the wicked.

    Sunday, the 1,335th day of the Great Tribulation will be the first day of the seventh millennium.  This is the day which the saints have longed for.[8]  Suddenly, Jesus will speak with a thunderous voice from the sky.[9]  He will call the righteous dead of all ages out of their tombs.  People like Abel, Noah, Abraham, King David, and Daniel will appear, rising up from out of the dust.  After a few moments, these saints will defy gravity as they ascend to meet Jesus in the air.[10]  While the righteous dead are ascending toward Jesus, He will call the righteous living to join with them so that together, the saints of all ages will meet the Lord in the air at the same time!  The Bible teaches there is only one gathering of the saints and please notice that through all of this that Jesus does not touch Earth.  He will remain in the air, hovering above Earth until all the saints are gathered to Him.  When every saint has been accounted for, He will return to Heaven with them.[11]  What an awesome day of joy that will be!  An unforgettable day in Earth’s history that will have no equal.

    The Day of the Lord

    A few words about the phrase, “the Day of the Lord” are necessary because the Second Coming will be “the great Day of the Lord.”   At the first advent, Jesus came in peace and with goodwill, to reveal the truth and love of the Father.  However, the second advent will have an entirely different character.  Jesus will come with sovereign authority and omnipotent power to execute vengeance upon His enemies.  His vengeance will be dreadful and totally destructive.  As you consider the following passages, remember that the “Day of the Lord” prophecies, whether in Plan A or Plan B, share the same theme.  When the Lord takes matters into His own hands, there is no further recourse.  His patience with sin and sinners is exhausted, His devastating actions are righteous, and His objectives are holy.  The fear of the Almighty separates the wise from the foolish.  King David wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”[12]  In today’s language, this statement would be, “When it comes to acquiring wisdom, an intelligent person will fear God first.  Everyone and everything else is secondary.”[13]

    1. Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.[14]

    The Bible does not indicate when Christ’s murderers will be resurrected.  I assume Jesus will resurrect them on or about the time of the seventh bowl (1,325th day) to observe and comprehend the majesty, authority, and power of the Holy One who they ridiculed, tortured, and called a blasphemer.  Of course, those who crucified Christ will be put to death on the 1,334th day with the rest of the wicked.  However, the righteous dead of all ages and the surviving saints (who lived through the Great Tribulation without seeing death) – will meet the Lord in the air.[15]

    1. For the day is near, the day of the Lord is near – a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.[16]
    2. The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?[17]
    3. Will not the day of the Lord be darkness, not light – pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?[18]
    4. The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.[19]
    5. The great day of the Lord is near – near and coming quickly. Listen! The cry on the day of the Lord will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there. That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,  a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers.  I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth.[20]
    6. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.  They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!  For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”[21]

    Notice the distinction between “the face of Him who sits on the throne” and “the wrath of the Lamb.”  Notice also the plural, “the great day of their wrath has come.”  Compare these facts with Matthew 26:64.  The Father will come to Earth with Jesus at the Second Coming.

    These few verses (and there are others) declare a profound truth:  Jesus’ return means the wicked will be annihilated.  No one will remain alive on Earth after the 1,335th day.[22]  Besides destroying the wicked, Jesus will gather up all of the saints in the air[23] because He intends to fulfill a promise that He made long ago.  “And if I go [to my Father’s house] and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me [in my Father’s house] that you also may be where I am.”[24]

    The Sequence

    Revelation 19:11-12

    And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
    {11} I looked toward Heaven and I saw a white horse whose rider is called Faithful and True because He fulfills every promise and never deviates from truth.  With justice He judges the thoughts and deeds of mankind[25] and when necessary, He makes war against His enemies. {12} His eyes were like blazing fire.  No one can hide from His penetrating gaze.  He had many crowns on His head (some were stephanos and some were diadema, crowns of victory and authority, respectively).  He is an experienced warrior.  He overcame every temptation to sin and He will overthrow His enemies.  He had a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself.[26]

    Revelation 19:13-14

    And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
    {13} He is acquainted with death.  He is dressed in a robe dipped in His own blood.  He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, tortured for our sakes and with His scars, we are healed![27]  His name is the Word of God.  He is the faithful and true expression of the Father and His will.[28]

    {14} The armies of Heaven followed Him.  They rode on white horses prepared for battle.  They were dressed in fine linen, clean and white.

    Revelation 19:15-16

    And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
    {15} When Jesus speaks, a sharp sword comes out of His mouth.  With this sword He strikes down the nations.  No person can escape the sovereign authority of the Creator of Life.  Everything that lives derives its life from Him.  He alone has the keys of life and death.[29]  When Jesus offered to die in man’s place, the Father promised Jesus that a day would come when, “He would rule the nations with  an iron scepter.”[30]  An iron scepter means that His rulership and authority cannot be broken or appealed.  There is no higher authority.  With justice and righteous indignation, He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.

    {16} On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS and no one will be able to diminish this claim when He appears in glory.[31]

    Revelation 19:17-18

    And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
    {17} I saw a mighty angel (Gabriel?) robed with glory as bright as the sun.  He called out in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,

    {18} so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small, for their bodies will lie in the street of the great city.”

    Revelation 19:19

    And 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.
    {19} Then I saw the beast (with seven heads and ten horns) unite with the kings of Earth and their armies to make war against Jesus and His army.

    Lucifer’s theocracy (the great whore that rides upon the composite beast) will last for approximately nine months.  When the fifth bowl (a plague of painful blindness) is poured out on Lucifer’s officials and employees, Lucifer’s theocracy will cease to function.  The wicked of Earth will then realize that Lucifer is the devil and they will revolt against him and abandon his one world church state government.  Lucifer will respond to the implosion of his government by sending miracle working demons to the kings of the Earth.  These powerful demons will inform the kings of Earth that Jesus will totally destroy them and their only hope for survival is to join with Lucifer attacking the Lamb when He appears.  The kings will be forced to join the devil and his forces.  They will prepare their armies to destroy Jesus as He draws near Earth.

    The beast mentioned in verse 19 is the composite beast, Babylon.  After the devil is exposed for who he is and his false theocracy implodes, the remnant of Babylon can be compared to a angry beast.  Because Lucifer’s officials and employees will be blinded during the fifth bowl,[32] the kings and their armies will war against the Lamb without the devil’s administrators.  God wants to demonstrate that wicked people will knowingly unite with the devil, when necessary, to save themselves, even if it means the destruction of their Creator.

    When Jesus comes close enough to Earth, the armies of Earth will fire weaponry at the magnificent host of angels in the sky, but weapons will have no effect.  The efforts of wicked men will be futile and useless.  The wicked will be filled with terror when they realize their hopeless situation.  They will cry out for the rocks and mountains to fall upon them, calling for sudden death so their terrified torment will end.[33]

    Revelation 19:20-21

    And 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. And 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.
    {20} Above the din of war, I heard a great noise, like the sound of a trumpet.[34]  Jesus spoke and many brilliant angels suddenly descended from the sky.  They captured Lucifer (the false prophet who had performed miraculous signs on behalf of the composite beast[35]) and his angels.  They also captured Lucifer’s blind officials, his employees, and the kings of the Earth with their armies and the angels threw them alive into a fiery lake of burning sulfur.

    {21} Suddenly, the rest of the wicked fell dead.  Jesus killed them with a command (the sword that came from His mouth) and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

    Lucifer is called “the false prophet” in Revelation three times[36] because he will defy and contradict the testimony of God’s true prophets (the 144,000) with outrageous blasphemy and awesome miracles.  Many people are confused about the false prophet’s identity, but the specification given in verse 20 (“. . . he performed miraculous signs on behalf of the composite beast. . . and he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image”) perfectly aligns with the lamblike beast’s actions described in Revelation 13:11-18.

    Remember that during the fourth message the Holy Spirit will give the 144,000 great power.  They will physically glow from God’s glory resting on them as did Moses when He came down from Mount Sinai and through them, the whole world will be illumined to hear the final call to come out of Babylon.  To counteract this glorious manifestation of 144,000 true prophets, Lucifer will take a bold and defiant stand.  He will call fire down out of Heaven at will to “prove” to the wicked that he is God and he will perform many counterfeit miracles.[37]

    The lake of fire that burns the beast and false prophet is not to be understood as an ongoing hell even though this fire will burn for a thousand years.[38]  God will use fire at the end of the age to destroy Babylon in the same way that He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.  Historians state that the ancient city of Jerusalem burned for months after Rome set it afire in A.D. 70, but realize that after a person is dead, the duration of the fire is immaterial.

    The burning lake of sulfur will not destroy Lucifer and his angels.  Instead, the physical bodies they occupied will be burned up.  The officials and employees of Lucifer’s government and the kings of the earth with their armies will all perish by fire, but the devil and his angels will only lose their physical bodies so they can be returned to the Abyss.

    Revelation 20:1-3

    And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
    {20:1}  I saw a mighty angel come down from the sky.  He had the key to the Abyss and a great chain in his hand.

    {2} He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

    {3} He threw the devil and his angels back into the Abyss (the spirit world).  He then locked and sealed the Abyss so there could be no escape.  Lucifer and his angels will be incarcerated for 1,000 years.  They will not deceive the nations (because no one is alive on Earth) and they will not be able to leave Earth.  The devil and his demons will be confined in solitude, to contemplate their past, their present, and their future.

    Many people believe that verse 3 indicates that people will be living on Earth during the 1,000 years.  In other words, they reason that nations must exist on Earth if Lucifer is prevented from deceiving them.  This conclusion is faulty because it does not align with other facts.  Remember, the carnal nature makes every sinner a miniature of Lucifer.  Even if sinners were alive on Earth during the 1,000 years, the curse of sin would still remain!  The devil has been invisible to mankind ever since he was cast out of Heaven.  From his prison (the Abyss), he has successfully deceived billions of people.  So, whether in the Abyss or out of the Abyss, the devil has been (and will be) able to deceive the nations.

    Please consider four points: First, Prophecy 9 teaches that all who reject the testimony of the Two Witnesses will be condemned to death.  All of the wicked who live on Earth during the Great Tribulation will receive the mark of the beast and commit the unpardonable sin, so there would be no point in allowing them to live after the Second Coming.  They cannot possibly be saved later on.  Second, Prophecy 12 teaches that Jesus will pass eternal judgment on the dead and the living prior to the Second Coming, so again, there would be no point in allowing the wicked to live after the Second Coming.  Third, Revelation 19:19,20 teaches that all of the wicked of Earth will be destroyed at the Second Coming.  Some will be destroyed in the lake of fire; others will drop dead on command and the birds will eat their flesh.  Fourth, Revelation 16 teaches that the seven bowls (the third woe) will be poured out on those having the mark of the beast.  In other words, there will only be two groups of people at the Second Coming.  The wicked will be destroyed and the saints will meet the Lord in the air and be taken to Heaven.[39]  These events leave Earth in a desolate state during the 1,000 years.  After the 1,000 years are over, the Holy City, New Jerusalem, will descend from Heaven (containing the saints) and, at that time, God will resurrect the wicked of all ages.  Only then will the devil and his angels be set free for a short time to deceive the wicked one last time.  (See verses 7 and 8 for further discussion.)

    Revelation 20:4

    And 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.
    {4}  After Jesus and the saints arrived in Heaven, I saw the redeemed sitting on thrones.  God gave the saints authority to judge the wicked.  The purpose of this judgment is to determine the amount of restitution that will be required of the wicked when they are resurrected.  I saw those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and their obedience to the Word of God.  These martyrs had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads nor on their hands.  Jesus resurrected them at the Second Coming and they reigned with Him for a thousand years so that they might judge their murderers.

    John particularly noticed the martyrs who had not worshiped the beast or received the mark.  His comment does not exclude the saints from all ages; instead, he focuses on the numberless multitude who came out of the Great Tribulation.  In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul states the saints will review the lives of their assailants and they will judge each person according to the demands of the golden rule.  Jesus, insisting that justice be served, has determined that each wicked person will suffer in direct proportion to the suffering that he inflicted on others.  Therefore, the saints will reign with Christ and judge the wicked according to this rule: “As you do unto others, the same shall be done unto you.”[40]

    Revelation 20:5-6

    But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
    {5} (The wicked killed at the Second Coming did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.)   The resurrection that occurs at the Second Coming is called the first resurrection.

    {6} Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection because the second death, which will be imposed on the wicked at the end of the 1,000 years, will have no power over them.  They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him during the thousand years.

    There is some confusion about who will be priests of God throughout eternity.  The Bible teaches that all saints will be appointed as priests of God.  In fact, the first verses of Revelation say, “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”[41]  The 144,000 will also serve as priests of God.  I believe they will be given special recognition for their faithful service.[42]

    Revelation 20:7-8

    And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
    {7} When the wicked of all ages are resurrected, Jesus will show each person why He could not save them.  After the wicked realize their fate and receive their sentences (which the saints determined during the 1,000 years), Satan will be released from the Abyss.  He will become fully visible to everyone as he really is – a huge fallen angel – once a majestic being now deformed by sin’s degenerate curse.  The comparison between Lucifer and his demons and Jesus and his angels will be stark.  The devil and his demons, knowing that only a few hours remain

    {8} will prey upon the condemned sinners.  Full of loathing for Jesus, they will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for a final battle. In number they will be like the sand on the seashore.

    The Father predetermined long ago that when the thousand years are over, He will resurrect the wicked of all ages (starting with Cain) at the end of sin’s drama.  I can think of several reasons for this.  First, the Father wants every sinner to see the reality of the Holy City and the joy of eternal life that the saints will enjoy.  Second, the Father wants every sinner to have a meeting with Jesus so that Jesus can explain why He could not grant them eternal life.  Finally, the Father wants each sinner to consider the tremendous effort He made to save the lost.  The Father wants the story of redemption to be told so that each sinner will realize what true love is, what it has accomplished, and what it must do.  Once these steps are accomplished, every wicked person will understand God did not determine that person’s eternal fate.  Instead, each sinner determined his or her own fate.  Every sinner will kneel before Jesus admitting that He has been generous and fair beyond measure.

    The phrase “Gog and Magog” is borrowed from Ezekiel 38 and 39 and it is important to understand why it is used in this context.  The end of sin under Plan A runs parallel to the end of sin under Plan B.  Under Plan A (old covenant), the end of sin and sinners would have occurred when Lucifer (Gog) and his forces (Magog: the nations aligned with him) came up against Jerusalem to destroy the holy city.  Under Plan A, God would have brought Lucifer’s conquest to an end by sending fire down from Heaven.[43]  Under Plan B (new covenant), a similar event will occur.  When the wicked discover there is no possibility of survival, the devil and his forces will be released.  They will prey on the wicked (as the devil and his demons did with ten kings prior to the Second Coming) and rally them to make war against God.

    Revelation 20:9-10

    And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And 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.
    {9} Believing the devil’s deception, the wicked marched across the breadth of Earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city He loves, but fire came down from heaven and devoured them.

    {10}  And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.  They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever (until the amount of restitution predetermined by the saints is fulfilled).

    God declares that vengeance is His to repay.  This is why He allows the victims who suffered the crime to determine the amount of suffering that is appropriate for those who committed the crime.[44]  Men who have been particularly violent will burn and suffer longer than those who were not so evil.  The Bible teaches that there is a “lingering” hell.  Justice demands that every person be treated as he treated others.  God guarantees that restitution will be made: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a wound for a wound and a bruise for a bruise.[45]

    The Rules of Interpretation

    Consider how the Rules of Interpretation (discussed in the Introduction of this book) are observed in this prophecy:

    Rule One says an apocalyptic prophecy has a beginning point and ending point in time and the events within the prophecy occur in the order given.  This prophecy conforms to Rule One because chronological order is self evident.   The chronological order in this prophecy is easy to follow:

    1. John saw a rider on a white horse, the armies of Heaven follow Him. He wears the title, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
    2. A mighty angel calls for the birds to come to the great supper of God.
    3. The composite beast and the kings of Earth make war against Jesus at the Second Coming.
    4. The beast and the false prophet are captured and thrown into a lake of fire.
    5. The rest of the wicked drop dead upon command (the sword that comes out of Jesus’ mouth).
    6. The devil and his angels are returned to the Abyss for 1,000 years.
    7. The saints are taken to Heaven where Jesus gives authority to those who suffered death and torture to determine the amount of restitution (suffering) which murderers must pay.
    8. At the end of the 1,000 years, the Holy City descends and the wicked are resurrected. When they see their impending doom, the devil preys on their hopeless situation.
    9. Inspired and deceived by Lucifer, the wicked march against the Holy City with the intent to destroy it.
    10. Fire comes down from God and burns them up.

    Rule Two says a fulfillment only occurs when all of the specifications are met, and this includes the order stated in the prophecy.  When these events occur, this prophecy will be fulfilled.

    Rule Three says that apocalyptic language can be literal, analogous, or symbolic.  To reach the intended meaning of a prophecy, the reader must consider (a) the context, (b) the use of parallel language in the Bible, and (c) if an element is thought to be symbolic, the Bible must interpret the symbol with a relevant text.  The language used in this prophecy is not symbolic because there are no relevant texts defining a symbol.  On the other hand, we do find an extensive use of analogous and literal language.   Even though all three types of language are used in this prophecy, the intended meaning is easy to discern if a person has carefully examined the previous prophecies in Revelation.  In terms of language, the only thing new in this prophecy is Gog and Magog.  These are parallel references from Ezekiel and provide the meaning to the prophecy.

    Rule Four says the presence or absence of the Jubilee Calendar determines how God measures time.  The 1,000 years are 1,000 literal years because this time period occurs after the Jubilee Calendar expired (1994).

    References:

    1. Revelation 6:16,17 Return
    2. John 14:1-3 Return
    3. Compare Revelation 19:19 with Revelation 16:12-16. Return
    4. Matthew 24:30 Return
    5. Revelation 16:21 Return
    6. Revelation 19:20 Return
    7. Revelation 2:16; 19:15 Return
    8. Daniel 12:12 Return
    9. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Return
    10. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 Return
    11. John 14:1-3 Return
    12. Psalm 111:10 Return
    13. Luke 12:5 Return
    14. Revelation 1:7, italics mine Return
    15. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 Return
    16. Ezekiel 30:3, italics mine Return
    17. Joel 2:1-11 Return
    18. Amos 5:20 Return
    19. Obadiah 1:15  Notice the declaration of restitution. Return
    20. Zephaniah 1:14-18, italics mine Return
    21. Revelation 6:14-17 Return
    22. Notice the same results in both cases.   See Zephaniah 1:14-18 for the outcome under Plan A.  See Revelation 19:19-21 for the outcome under Plan B. Return
    23. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 Return
    24. John 14:3, insertions mine Return
    25. John 5:22 Return
    26. See Revelation 2:17.  Evidently, Jesus and the saints will use new names throughout eternity.  Perhaps this is done by the Father to show specific interest in each person or reflect their personal experience while living on Earth.  Ancient kings often renamed their captives when they gave them a position of authority within their kingdom.  See Genesis 17:5, Daniel 1:7 and Luke 1:13,31,35. Return
    27. Isaiah 53:5 Return
    28. John 14:9-11 Return
    29. Revelation 1:18 Return
    30. Psalm 2:9; Revelation 2:27; 12:5 Return
    31. Malachi 1:14; John 18:37-19:3; Psalm 2:12 Return
    32. Revelation 17:12,16; 16:10-16 Return
    33. Revelation 6:14-17 Return
    34. See Revelation 1:10 for a parallel text. Return
    35. Revelation 13:13,14. Return
    36. Revelation 16:13, 19:20, 20:10 Return
    37. Revelation 13:13,14; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 Return
    38. Revelation 20:3,10 Return
    39. John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 Return
    40. Golden Rule: Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31; Mathew 5:26; 2 Peter 2:13; Revelation 2:23; 2 Timothy 4:14; Joel 3:4,7; Ezekiel 22:31; Jeremiah 23:19,20; Deuteronomy 32:35; Hebrews 10:30 Return
    41. Revelation 1:5,6 Return
    42. Revelation 14:1-5 Return
    43. Ezekiel 38:22; 39:6,7 Return
    44. 1 Corinthians 6:2,3; Matthew 19:28 Return
    45. Exodus 21:23-27 Return

    Larry W. Wilson

    Larry Wilson, founder of WUAS, became a born-again Christian in 1972. His interest in the gospel led him on a 40+ year quest to learn more about what God has revealed to Earth’s final generation. The results of his research have been shared throughout the world in books, television & radio broadcasts, media interviews, and seminars that are publicly available on all different types of media (see our Christian Bookstore).

    What is Wake Up America Seminars (WUAS)?
    Wake Up America Seminars, Inc. is a nonprofit, nondenominational organization with a focus on the study of End-Time Prophecy. WUAS is not a church, nor does it endorse any denomination. Our focus is singular: We are dedicated to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and His imminent return. We are delighted that people of all faiths are diligently using the Bible study materials produced by WUAS. All study materials are based solely on the Bible alone.

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    Categories: Bible Prophecy, Jesus' Final Victory Book
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