The Tribulation does
not necessarily begin the day the church is taken to meet the Lord in the air. Though
I believe that the Rapture precedes the beginning of the Tribulation, actually nothing
is said in the Scriptures as to whether or not some time (or how much time) may elapse
between the Rapture and the beginning of the Tribulation.
The Tribulation
actually begins with the signing of a covenant between the leader of the “Federated
States of Europe” and the Jewish people. This treaty will set in motion the events
of the seventieth week (or seven years) of Daniel’s prophecy. There is an interval
of undetermined length between the first sixty-nine weeks of seven years each and
the last or seventieth week of seven years.
We are living in that interval.
It is the time in which God is forming the church, the body of Christ, by saving
Jews and Gentiles alike. Since God has not yet finished this present program, the
last week of the seventy has not yet begun. When it does, God will once again turn
His attention in a special way to His people the Jews and to His holy city Jerusalem,
as outlined in Daniel 9:24.
When this last period of seven years begins, “He
will make a firm covenant with the many for one week” (v. 27). Who does the “he”
refer to? Grammatically it could refer either to Messiah (v. 26) or to “the prince
who shall come,” who will probably be related to the people who destroyed Jerusalem
in A. D. 70. The latter view is better, because usually the antecedent nearer to
a pronoun is preferred and in this case it is the prince, not Messiah. Then too nothing
in the record of Christ’s life in any way connects Him with the making (and later
breaking) of a seven-year covenant with the Jewish people.
This man is the
“little horn” (7:24-25) who heads the coalition of Western nations in the Tribulation
days. He is also called the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thes. 2:3), and is referred to
as the beast (Rev. 11:7; 13:1; 17:11; 19:20). At the beginning of the Tribulation
he will make a covenant, or enter a league, with Israel. This treaty will align the
West with the Jewish nation and will guarantee protection to Israel so that she may
reestablish the ancient rituals of Judaism. It appears that this provision will also
assure protection while Israel rebuilds the temple in Jerusalem as the center of
her religious observances. Since we know that the covenant will be broken and the
man of sin will be worshiped in the temple of God, obviously a temple will have been
already built during the first part of the Tribulation (2 Thes. 2:4).
The
alignment of western Europe with Israel is interesting in the light of current events.
It seems to indicate that Israel will not of herself be sufficiently strong to feel
secure in the face of the hostile states around her. She will not be able to “go
it alone” at this point, and so will form an alliance with the Western nations. Then
the outlook for Israel will seem bright. She will feel secure in her land; she will
be worshiping according to the Old Testament pattern; she will have a temple again
in Jerusalem; and she will be important among the nations of the world. But this
is only the beginning.
III. THE JUDGMENTS OF THE SEALS, TRUMPETS, AND
BOWLS
A. The Sequence
Revelation 6-19 describes the Tribulation
in detail. We read here about three series of judgments. The first series is related
to the opening of the seven seals of a scroll, the second to the blowing of seven
trumpets, and the third to the pouring out of the contents of seven bowls.
Do
these three series of judgments follow each other in succession, or do the trumpets
and the bowls recapitulate the judgments of the seals with greater intensity? In
other words, do the trumpet and bowl judgments follow the seals as different and
distinct judgments, or do they picture the same judgments?
I believe the three
series follow one another in chronological sequence and that there is no recapitulation.
Either way, however, the seal judgments are the first judgments of the Tribulation
days, and will probably occur during the first year of that period.
B.
The Seals
1. The first seal judgment (Rev. 6:1-2). The opening of
the first seal revealed to John a white horse ridden by one who went forth conquering.
In interpreting the Revelation, always begin with what is the clearest. Here, it
is quite obvious that the opening months of the Tribulation will see nations conquered
by the rider on the horse. Some think this rider is the man of sin, the head of the
Western coalition of nations. His method of conquest, however, we would call “cold”
war. Clearly, this description coincides exactly with the picture of the beginning
of the Tribulation given in 1 Thessalonians 5:3—it will be a day when men are talking
about peace and safety. This may indicate that we are living in the days immediately
preceding the Tribulation-but, on the other hand, there is nothing in the Word of
God which would indicate that there could not be another world war in this present
age, then another time of peace before the Lord comes. Other evangelical scholars
agree that the first rider simply represents the spirit of conquest-an attitude that
has characterized the nations throughout human history. Doubtless this spirit will
be intensified as the end approaches.
2. The second seal judgment (Rev. 6:3-4).
In the judgment of the second seal, peace will be removed from the earth and men
will war with each other. The phrase, “a great sword was given unto him,” confirms
this interpretation. The red color of the second horse suggests bloodshed. War has
always followed the spirit of conquest.
3. The third seal judgment (Rev. 6:5-6).
The third judgment (still probably in the first year of the Tribulation) brings famine
to the world. A black horse pictures this event, and the pair of scales carried by
his rider bespeaks a careful rationing of food. The Roman denarius (v. 6), was a
day’s wages in Palestine in Jesus’ day (Matt. 20:2). Normally it would buy ten quarts
of wheat or thirty of barley. Under the famine conditions of these coming days, a
day’s wage will buy only one measure of wheat or three of barley—one tenth the normal
supply of food. However, there is an ironic twist to this famine. Oil and wine, the
very things a majority of people cannot afford, will not be in short supply. The
scarcity of basic foods and the availability of luxury items will taunt the common
people in their impoverished state.
4. The fourth seal judgment (Rev. 6:7-8).
This horse will be, literally, a yellowish green. He is the only horseman who is
named, and he is called Death. Death, of course, claims the physical part of man,
and it is accompanied by hades, the place of the dead (v. 8), which claims the immaterial
part. The effect of this judgment will be devastating—one fourth of earth’s population
will be killed by the sword (war), by hunger (the famine that often accompanies war),
by death (perhaps by the plagues and diseases that follow war), and by wild beasts
of the earth, which apparently will be unrestrained at this time and will roam about
freely, killing men. Man’s cleverly devised schemes for bringing in peace, plenty,
and longevity will be overturned in the short space of time this judgment will take.
5.
The fifth seal judgment (Rev. 6:9-11). Though the action of the fifth seal is in
heaven, it presupposes that certain events have happened on earth. The group of martyrs
in heaven (v. 9) implies that these people have already been killed on earth, early
in the Tribulation. These people will be witnessing for Christ early in the Tribulation.
They will be slain because of their testimony.
6. The sixth seal judgment
(Rev. 6:12-17). This judgment unleashes universal havoc on the earth. It will include
six catastrophic events: (1) A single great earthquake will take place. (2) The sun
will be darkened so that it becomes black as sackcloth. The text does not say that
the sun will be turned into sackcloth, but that it will be blackened as sackcloth.
(3) The moon will become as red as blood. (4) There will be a meteor shower, with
all the natural devastating consequences that follow. (5) Apparently heaven will
be opened for a moment so that the men on earth can have a glimpse of that awesome
scene, with God on His throne. (6) Every mountain and island will be moved.
These
judgments will produce terror in the hearts of all living men. Their hearts will
be filled with fear—not primarily because of the physical disturbances or the awful
wars and pestilences, but because they will see God on His throne. Men will plead
to be hidden “from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath
of the Lamb.” They will go to any length to avoid facing their Creator and Judge,
even to seeking death under the rocks and mountains in which they will try to hide.
All classes of people (v. 15) will be affected. As has been true throughout history,
there will be no general or mass turning to God in repentance, but only a turning
from God’s face.
These will be the first judgments of the Tribulation. But
these will be only the beginning—the worst is yet to come.
IV. THE REDEEMED
OF THE TRIBULATION
By the time of the fifth seal a number of true
believers will have been martyred. In other words, during the first years of the
Tribulation there will be a true witness to the Gospel, and this will be opposed
by the ecumenical church, which will be “drunk with the blood of the saints, and
with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus” (17:6). In the name of religion, the organized
church of the first part of the Tribulation will kill true believers for their faith.
How
will these true believers have been converted in the first place? With the Rapture
of the church, all Christians will have been removed from earth, so that none will
be alive immediately after the Rapture. If there are to be martyrs, there must first
be believers. How will men be saved? In Revelation 7:1-8, we are introduced to a
sort of parenthesis in judgment. Even the wind does not blow. (Incidentally, can
you imagine the effect on climate of the cessation of the wind even for a short time?
Add the disturbance in the topography of the earth, with the shifting of islands
and mountains, and you can begin to grasp the increased chaos during these early
years of the Tribulation.)
The purpose of this suspension of judgment is that
a certain group of people may be “sealed” (v. 3). These people are called “the bond-servants
of our God.” Who they are is described in detail in verses 4-8. They are Jews from
each of the twelve tribes, and they do some particular service for God. Whether the
seal placed on them is a visible mark or characteristic of some kind is neither stated
nor implied in the text. A seal need not be visible to be real (Eph. 4:30). It is
principally a guarantee of ownership and security. Both these ideas are involved
in the sealing of this group. These people are owned by God, which means that they
are redeemed. They are kept secure by God, which may mean He protects them from their
enemies on earth while they complete their service for Him.
But how were these
people saved? Even though there will be no Christians on earth immediately after
the Rapture, there will be Bibles, and books about the Christian faith. In other
words, information will be available to give men the facts on which to find saving
faith.
What will be the important work for which God will protect these people
supernaturally? Actually, this passage does not specify, but we have hints as to
the answer in Revelation 14, where the same group is described as in heaven after
their work has been completed. They are said to be the redeemed followers of the
Lamb, which may indicate that they are a group of special witnesses to the Gospel
in the Tribulation days. They will not be the only ones witnessing, but they will
be the only group given special protection from their enemies.
The first judgments
of the Tribulation, and the religious situation in the first part of that period,
are repeated, in summary form, in the Lord’s Olivet discourse (Matt. 24). Verses
4-14 cover the events of the first half of the Tribulation, for at verse 15 we read
about an event that occurs exactly halfway through the seven-year period. Notice
how the seal judgments are summarized: “And you will be hearing of wars and rumors
of wars . . . for nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and
in various places there will be famines, and earthquakes” (vv. 6-7). Notice the reference
to the martyrs of the fifth seal: “Then will they deliver you up to tribulation and
will kill you” (v. 9). Look at the false religion: “And many false prophets will
rise and will mislead many” (v. 11). The ministry of the 144,000 sealed ones, and
other witnesses, will account for the fact that “this Gospel of the kingdom shall
be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations” (v. 14). Here are
all the major events of the first half of the Tribulation, in capsule form, from
Christ’s lips before the Crucifixion.
V. EGYPT AND RUSSIA IN THE TRIBULATION
So
far we have focused our attention chiefly on the Western federation of nations, headed
by the man of sin. But during the first part of the Tribulation other powerful alliances
will exist or be in the making. Egypt, to the south of Palestine, will continue to
be a strong and threatening nation until the man of sin conquers her. This defeat
is predicted in Daniel 11:40-43, and though scholars do not agree as to when this
will occur, it seems to be no later than the middle of the Tribulation.
So
we can expect to see Egypt remain a power to be reckoned with until about three years
of the Tribulation have elapsed. Then, she will be defeated and looted by the “Federated
States of Europe.” Egypt does not figure in any of the power blocs or wars of the
last half of the Tribulation.
The nations of the East will be forming some
sort of coalition and will not actively take part in any of the events involving
Palestine until the very end of the Tribulation. All trends among Eastern nations
toward independence and detachment from Western influence are significant. They may
be preparatory to the alliance that those nations will form.
By far the most
important bloc, besides the Western confederation of nations, is that of Gog and
Magog. The names listed in Ezekiel 38-39 are identified in Genesis 10:2 as sons of
Japheth. The Japhethites migrated, after the Flood, from Asia Minor to the north,
beyond the Caspian and Black Seas. They settled in the area we know today as modern
Russia. “Gog” and “Magog,” therefore, may refer to the people who live north of Palestine
in Russia. She will have with her as allies Persia (modern Iran), Ethiopia (northern
Sudan), Put (Libya), Gomer (probably the eastern part of Turkey and the Ukraine),
and Togarmah (the part of Turkey near the Syrian border) (Ezek. 38:5-6).
The West will lodge a protest (v. 13), but to no avail, and this invading army from
the north will cover Israel like a cloud (v. 16). These soldiers will go to rob and
plunder the land which thought it was safe under the protection of the West.
At
this point God will step in and utterly destroy the forces of Russia and her allies
(v. 21-39:7). The seemingly invincible troops will be supernaturally defeated and
completely routed. The Russian army will be buried in Israel (v. 11), and only then
will Russian influence in the Middle East be ended—by the direct intervention of
God.
VI. THE PROGRAM OF ANTICHRIST
The Scriptures often
divide the seven years of the Tribulation into two equal parts. The last of Daniel’s
seventy “weeks” of seven years is divided in the middle by a significant event (Dan.
9:27). In Revelation the two halves of the Tribulation are designated either by “time,
times, and half a time” (Rev. 12:14), or “forty-two months” (11:2; 13:5), or “1,260
days” (11:3; 12:6), each of which works out to three and one half years.
With
the invasion of Palestine from the north by Gog and Magog, it may seem for a time
that the plans of the man of sin (Antichrist) are almost crushed. But supernatural
intervention by God and the destruction of the Russian hordes will clear the way
for the beast to resume his scheming.
A. Slaying The Two Witnesses
First,
Antichrist must eliminate opposition from two individuals (11:3-13) who have been
plaguing him. The killing of these “two witnesses” will be the beast’s first great
feat at the middle of the Tribulation.
The two witnesses will have a spectacular
ministry during the first part of the Tribulation. They will have power to kill their
enemies with fire, to prevent rain, to turn water to blood, and to bring plagues
on the earth as often as they wish. Their frequent use of these powers will add to
the general devastation. Think, for instance, what will happen when they use their
power to prevent rain. Along with the climatic and topographical changes that will
occur on earth, unimaginable disaster will result.
Though the witnesses will
be invincible for three and a half years, God will permit the beast to kill them
after they have finished their work (v. 7). Making martyrs of the witnesses will
win Antichrist wide support among the people of the world. But he will not be satisfied
with merely killing them; he will display their bodies in the streets of Jerusalem.
People, seeing the witnesses dead, will rejoice that they will no longer have to
hear their warnings.
Merely to look on the decaying bodies of these two men
will not satisfy people. They will make a great holiday of the occasion, and will
send gifts to each other. Interestingly enough, this is the only occasion, during
the entire Tribulation period, in which rejoicing is mentioned. People will be so
overjoyed that the witnesses are dead that this will be a happy holiday for them.
If they had believed the witnesses’ preaching, their deaths would have been a sad
occasion instead of a holiday.
But God will intervene. After three and a half
days, the bodies of the two witnesses will be resurrected and translated into heaven
in a cloud of glory. Imagine the scene. Long lines will be waiting to view the corpses.
Perhaps the cameras will be focusing on them at the very moment of their resurrection.
People in Europe and America will be watching via satellite transmission. The calm,
matter-of-fact announcer will suddenly become nearly hysterical as he sees a resurrection
in process and realizes that millions of people are depending on him for an explanation.
How will the interpreters of the news manage this one? Even the voice from heaven
(v. 12) will be heard in millions of homes.
But even before the newspapers
can report the story or the commentators write their analyses, there will be another
great event for them to cover, an earthquake which will center in Jerusalem and which
will destroy a tenth part of the city, killing 7,000 people.
At this time
too, apparently, the 144,000 witnesses (chap. 7) will also be killed, and the beast
will destroy the ecumenical church (17:16) to clear away opposition to his next great
act.
B. Demanding Worship
Having rid himself of all religious opposition,
the beast will issue an edict: “Worship me.” To enforce his command he will have
to break his treaty with the Jews which allowed them to restore Jewish worship in
their rebuilt temple at Jerusalem. This he will do (Dan. 9:27), demanding that he
be the object of all worship (Matt. 24:15; 2 Thes. 2:4).
How will he accomplish
this?
First of all, he will have superhuman help. Satan, we are told, will
give him his power and throne and great authority (Rev. 13:2). The devil will work
furiously, from this point on, to do everything in his power to thwart God’s plans.
He will make war with Michael and his angels-and lose. This will result in his being
cast out of heaven. Then God will warn the inhabitants of the earth, “Woe . . . because
the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short
time” (12:12). The power of Satan will be behind the acts of the beast, Antichrist,
and he will use him to the full.
Another reason for the beast’s greatness
involves his being wounded unto death. His deadly wound will be healed (13:3), so
that all the world will wonder. The phrase, “wounded to death” (KJV), literally means,
“as having been slain to death,” and it is exactly the same phrase as is used in
5:6 in reference to the death of Christ.
Since Christ actually died, perhaps
the beast also will actually die and then be restored to life. He is said to rise
out of the abyss (11:7), which seems to confirm the idea that he experiences a resurrection.
If not, the text at least means he will have some kind of spectacular restoration
so that the world will wonder after him. His miraculous resurrection or restoration
will make all men acknowledge his uniqueness (“Who is like the beast?”) and his might
(“Who is able to wage war with him?”)
The beast’s program will include blasphemy
and war (13:5-7). He will speak insolently against God (Dan. 7:25). Objects of his
blasphemy will include the name of God, the dwelling place of God, and those who
dwell in heaven. He will be allowed (notice that God is still in control) to make
war with the saints (Rev. 12:17), and to kill them. But his power will be limited
by God to forty-two months.
Here is an example of the interweaving of the
many forces behind events: God will control all, but Satan will empower the beast,
who in turn will act on his own in blaspheming God. Men who join his army and fight
for him will do so voluntarily, and they in turn will make martyrs of God’s people
who, though they are killed, will still be within God’s protecting care!
In
order to promote his program more efficiently, Antichrist will have an important
lieutenant. He is the “second beast” (Rev. 13:11-18), and his sole duty is to promote
the purposes and expedite the worship of the first beast, the man of sin. At no time
in his career does the second beast promote himself, but his concerns are always
centered in the first beast. His power will be as great as that of the man of sin,
but he will use it in the interests of his superior, not for himself (v. 12).
This
lieutenant will be able to make fire come down on the earth, duplicating the power
of the two witnesses in order to show the world that he is as great as they were
(v. 13). He will be able to work other miracles (vv. 13-14). He will order men to
make an image of the first beast (v. 14), and apparently they will do it willingly
and quickly. His next step will be to give life to the image they have made. The
word for “breath” (v. 15) is pneuma, and this could indicate a supernatural miracle
(empowered by Satan) which will actually give life to the image. Of course, the word
may be translated “wind,” which may indicate some magical sleight of hand, on the
part of the lieutenant, to give the image the appearance of real life. The speech
and movement of an image could easily be artificial, but they could with equal ease
be the work of Satan.
C. Controlling Commerce
However, the greatest
feat of the second beast, who is sometimes called “the false prophet” (Rev. 16:13;
19:20; 20:10), will be a squeeze play on men to force them to worship the man of
sin. It will be a simple scheme, cleverly devised: “And he causes all, the small
and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be
given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead, and he provides that no one
should be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name
or the number” (13:16-17). In other words: bow or starve.
A “mark” is an impression
made by a stamp, such as a brand used on slaves and animals. Men will become slaves
of the man of sin and will have to bear the identifying mark of their slavery. Perhaps
timid slaves will have the mark placed in their right hands. To avoid embarrassment,
they may try to avoid shaking hands with people in order to conceal the mark. Bold
followers of Antichrist may have the mark placed in the middle of their foreheads.
What
will this mark be like? Verse 17 indicates that it will be either the name of the
beast or his number, and the number is further explained as 666, the number of the
man of sin, not of his lieutenant. This number has been linked to so many personages
as to make them all unreliable coincidences. When this great ruler comes to power,
however, there will be no mistake as to who he is. In some way unknown to us now,
the number 666 will play a principal part in his identification (16:13; 19:20; 20:10).
This
will be a grim time in the history of the world. I suppose that Antichrist would
succeed completely in bringing the entire world to his feet were it not for the presence
of the godly remnant, who will refuse to bow, and for the shortness of the time available
to him.
VII. THE TRUMPET AND BOWL JUDGMENTS
A. The Trumpets
In
the meantime, God will continue to pour out the judgments of His wrath on the earth.
The first series of judgments will be unleashed as the seals of a book are opened.
We have already seen what will happen as the first six seals are broken. With the
opening of the seventh seal (8:1) one would expect a holocaust to let loose. Instead,
there is silence-the still silence of expectancy and foreboding. The silence will
last for half an hour and will be awesome. The opening of this seventh seal introduces
another series of judgments which are announced by the blowing of seven trumpets
(8:7-9:21; 11:15-19). The last three of the seven trumpet judgments are distinguished
from the first four by being specially designated as “woes” which seems to imply
that they are of harsher character.
Where is the middle (three-and-a-half-year)
point of the Tribulation in relation to these judgments? The Scriptures do not specifically
say, but many feel that the middle point comes either with the first trumpet judgment
or with the first woe judgment (which is the fifth trumpet judgment). If this is
so, the first trumpet judgment comes when Antichrist kills the two witnesses and
sets himself up to be worshiped. The trumpet judgments seem to continue on into the
last year of the period. They are followed by a final rapid series of further judgments
in the last months of the seventh year.
1. The first trumpet judgment (Rev.
8:7). There will be hail and fire, mingled with blood, on the earth so that a third
part of the earth, trees, and grass will be burned. Fire and blood, here, are not
symbols of something else. We are to take them literally. They will devastate vegetation
on the earth and further add to the climatic disruptions.
2. The second trumpet
judgment (Rev. 8:8-9). This is explained with a figure of speech— “something like
a great mountain burning with fire.” Probably nothing in the realm of our present
experience corresponds to this. It will likely be something about which we do not
yet know anything, but its effect is clear—a third part of the sea will become blood,
and a third part of the world’s shipping will be destroyed. Think of how this judgment
will affect the headlines in the papers and the hearts of the people.
3. The
third trumpet judgment (Rev. 8:10-11). This judgment will affect the supply of fresh
water making it bitter to the taste and polluting to the system. As a result, many
will die from the contamination and pollution.
4. The fourth trumpet judgment
(Rev. 8:12-13). This judgment will affect the sun, moon, stars, and the uniformity
of the day-night cycle. Since one third of the heavenly bodies will be smitten, perhaps
the twenty-four hour cycle of day and night will be shortened to sixteen hours. The
Lord Jesus predicted, in His Olivet discourse, “signs in the sun and moon and stars”
(Luke 21:25).
5. The first woe—the fifth trumpet judgment (Rev. 9:1-12). Like
arrows from a bow, the locusts of this first woe judgment will be discharged on the
earth. They originate from the bottomless pit-literally, from the “shaft of the abyss.”
This pit, entered by a shaft, is under lock and key. Incidentally, chapter 9 contains
more occurrences of the words “as” and “like” than any other chapter in the Bible.
It was difficult for John to describe what he saw in the vision. Nevertheless, the
horror of the judgment is clear.
From the shaft will come “locusts” (vv. 3-11)
that are no ordinary insects. They will come straight from Satan’s domain. They seem
to be animal creatures like locusts, but they are demonic in nature. Perhaps they
are demons who take on the form of these unique locusts, and who are directed by
the king of the shaft of the abyss (v. 11).
These locusts inflict a bite like
a scorpion’s. “The pain from the sting of a scorpion, though not generally fatal,
is perhaps, the most intense that any animal can inflict upon the human body. The
insect itself is the most irascible and malignant that lives, and its poison is like
itself. . . . It is also difficult to guard against them, if they can be warded off
at all, because they fly where they please, dart through the air, and dwell in darkness”
(J. A. Seiss, The Apocalypse [New York: Cook, 1865J, p.83). Unlike ordinary locusts,
these creatures will not attack vegetation, but only men. They will be released for
five months, during which time men will be unable to commit suicide. This seems impossible,
but somehow it will be so.
It is difficult for us to imagine such creatures,
but this is no reason for thinking they are mere symbols. Remember that the power
of Satan and his demons is great—and these ferocious locusts are demonic. Little
wonder that this is called the first woe. Since men do not believe in or accept the
existence and activity of demons, people then alive will probably try to give some
natural explanation for these creatures, and will try to destroy them with a hastily
concocted pesticide. But they will find no explanation, and their antidotes will
not work.
6. The second woe—the sixth trumpet judgment (Rev. 9:13-21). Under
the fourth seal judgment, one fourth of the earth’s population will be killed; under
the sixth trumpet judgment, an additional one third will die. This means that these
two judgments alone will reduce the population of the earth by one half. Add to this
all those who will be killed through war, famine, and disease, and it is not difficult
to see how common death will be during this awful time.
The means of this
judgment will be an army of horsemen numbering 200 million. Many understand these
troops to be the armies of the Orient as they march to invade Palestine. Others see
them as a horde of demons, for Scriptures give other examples of supernatural armies
(2 Kings 2:11; 6:13-17; Rev. 19:14). The weapons of destruction here will be fire,
smoke, and brimstone (9:17). Since these are weapons of hell, they perhaps indicate
that this army is made up of demons, the inhabitants of hell.
One would think
that the long obituary columns in the newspapers would startle men into facing their
responsibility toward God. Instead of repenting and turning to Him for mercy, however,
those who are not killed by this army will harden their hearts. The religion of unsaved
men during the Tribulation will be the worship of demons and idols, and murder, sorcery,
fornication, and stealing will be common (vv. 20-21). Sorcery may include the misuse
of drugs, for we derive the word pharmacy from the Greek term. It is interesting
to notice that three of these four practices are direct violations of the Ten Commandments.
Man’s ethics will be a reflection of his religion, and during those days vice, rather
than virtue, will reign triumphant.
7. The third woe—the seventh trumpet judgment
(Rev. 11:15-19). With the sounding of the seventh trumpet will come the announcement
that the end is at hand, though seven other judgments must be poured on the earth
before all will be finished. These judgments will be the bowls of the wrath of God
(16:1-21). These last plagues will come in the closing months, or possibly even weeks,
of the last year of the Tribulation, without interruption or pause. The seven angels
that have to do with these last judgments will all be told to pour out their judgments
at one time. All this will be happening at the same time that Antichrist demands
that men worship him. Men will be pressured from every side. Most will decide to
cast their lot with Antichrist.
B. The Bowls
1. The first
bowl judgment (Rev. 16:2). This will bring on men a grievous sore described as “bad
and evil.” These words could mean malignant and indicate some sort of cancer. This
affliction will come only on those who worship the beast, believers being exempt.
But apparently the beast will be able to do nothing for his followers, for they will
continue to curse God for these sores even after the fifth bowl has been poured out
(v. 11).
2. The second bow/ judgment (Rev. 16:3). The waters will turn into
blood during this judgment. Every living thing in the sea will die. The rather vivid
phrase pictures ships wallowing in blood. Under the second trumpet judgment, a third
of the sea creatures die (8:9); now the destruction of marine life will be total.
Can you imagine the stench and disease this will bring to people who live along the
seashores of the world? Seventy-two percent of earth’s surface is water.
3.
The third bow/judgment (Rev. 16:4-7). At this time, as in the third trumpet judgment,
the fresh-water supply is affected. Now, instead of wormwood, it turns to blood.
The victims of this plague will experience inexorable retribution. They will have
shed the blood of the saints and prophets, so now they will have to drink blood.
They will deserve what they receive. It is not easy for us to conceive of God dealing
with people in this manner. For thousands of years He has been long-suffering and
gracious, not dispensing the kind of judgment the world deserves.
4. The fourth
bow/judgment (Rev. 16:8-9). During this time the strength of the sun will be so heightened
that it will scorch men with intense heat. Once again, men will harden their hearts
instead of turning to God in repentance.
5. The fifth bow/judgment (Rev. 16:10-11).
The throne of the beast will be affected, and his capital will be darkened. This
will likely slow down his attempt to force all men to worship him. The result will
be that men will gnaw their tongues and blaspheme God for their pains and sores,
for pain always seems worse in darkness than in the light.
6. The sixth bowl
judgment (Rev. 16:12-16). The Euphrates River will dry up (it was previously turned
into blood). This will facilitate the crossing of the river by the armies of the
kings of the East (Dan. 11:44) as they rush to the war of Armageddon.
7. The
seventh bowl judgment (Rev. 16:17-21). Widespread destruction and havoc will occur,
and with it will be heard the cry, “It is done!” Many physical disturbances will
follow. An earthquake will divide Jerusalem and cause other cities to fall. Islands
and mountains will disappear, and there will be an unheard-of storm in which single
hailstones will weigh 100 pounds. But in spite of the severity and universality of
these last judgments, men who survive them will persist in blaspheming God rather
than turning to Him for mercy. Everything that man has built in this world will literally
collapse before his very eyes, yet he will think he is still the master of his fate
and that he has no need for God.
The conclusion of this judgment will bring
men to the end of the Tribulation and to the second coming of Christ to begin His
reign over earth. Only one more part of the picture remains to be completed.
VIII.
ARMAGEDDON
To review: Before the middle of the Tribulation, the Western
ruler, Antichrist (the man of sin), keeping his treaty with Israel, will invade and
conquer Egypt. At that point the Russian armies from the north will invade and overrun
Palestine, and when all appears hopeless for both Antichrist and Israel, God will
step in and supernaturally destroy Russia’s northern armies. This will give the man
of sin a free hand to break his covenant with Israel, set himself up to be worshiped,
and try to conquer the world.
As he proceeds with his program, however, the
nations of the Orient will unite and attempt to stop him. To do this, they will march
west into Palestine. The sixth bowl judgment will dry up the Euphrates River, speeding
their entry into the Promised Land. In the meantime, Antichrist will have planted
himself firmly in Palestine as a religious and political ruler.
The battlefield
in which the armies from East and West will meet will be the plain of Esdraelon,
the area around the mountains of Megiddo. That’s why the battle is called Armageddon—Ar
meaning mountain. This plain is about twenty miles south-southeast of Haifa, and
the valley today is about twenty miles by fourteen. By the end of the Tribulation,
much of earth’s topography will have been changed, and though the battle will center
in Megiddo, it will extend some fifty miles to Jerusalem (14:20; Zech. 14:2).
In
the midst of the battle, the Lord Jesus Christ will return, and the armies of heaven
will conquer the armies of earth (Rev. 19:11-21). The carnage will be unbelievable
(14:20; 19:17-18).
But the outcome is certain—the beast will be defeated and
his armies captured. He and his false prophet-lieutenant will be thrown into the
lake of fire to be tormented forever. Thus the Tribulation will close.
Why
must there be such a time as this? There are at least two reasons: First, the wickedness
of man must be punished. God may seem to be doing nothing about evil now, but someday
He will act. A second reason is that man must, by one means or another, be prostrated
before the King of kings and Lord of lords. He may do so voluntarily now by coming
to Christ in faith and receiving salvation. Later he will have to do so, receiving
only condemnation.
THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH
I. DEFINITION AND
DESCRIPTION OF THE RAPTURE
The word “rapture” comes from the Latin
translation of the Greek for “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Strictly speaking,
in this text it relates only to the change in living believers at the time of Christ’s
return. However, the label, Rapture, usually refers both to the translation of living
believers from earthly mortality to heavenly immortality and to the resurrection
of the corrupted bodies of believers to heavenly incorruption.
Three passages
describe the Rapture: John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
II.
VARIOUS VIEWS
In the nineteenth century, teaching concerning the Rapture
of the church began to be widely disseminated. This raised such questions as whether
the second coming of Christ involves several stages, the relation of those stages
to the Tribulation period, and the distinctiveness of the church from Israel in God’s
program. In the twentieth century one of the most debated questions in eschatology
concerns the time of the Rapture.
To that question premillennialists have
given four answers. (Amillennialists regard the coming of Christ as a single event
to be followed by the general resurrection and judgment. For postmillennialists there
is also no distinct Rapture.)
The four premillennial views of the Rapture
are: partial Rapture (that is, only certain believers will be raptured), pretribulational
Rapture, midtribulational Rapture, and posttribulational Rapture. Partial Rapture
concerns the extent of the Rapture, while the other three views focus on the time
of the Rapture.
