End-Time Insights

At the end of the age, Satan and his minions will launch an all-out cosmic war against the saints, the followers of the Lamb . Several passages in the  Book of Revelation  describe the ongoing cosmic war between the “ Dragon ” and the “ Lamb ,” a process that will culminate in a final battle on the “ great day of God Almighty .” This battle will be waged on the Earth as the servants of Satan seek to destroy Christ’s people, the “ saints .” But the consequences of its results will be felt throughout the Cosmos. All life will be changed forever.

Revelation identifies Gog and Magog as the nations from the four corners of the Earth that attack the saints .  The prophet Ezekiel received a vision of an invading army composed of regional nations that attacked Israel from the north. The force was led by “ Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal ” - ( KJV ). But before it succeeded, this army was destroyed by Yahweh “ on the mountains of Israel .”

Following the defeat of the “Dragon,” the final judgment unfolds at least before a Great White Throne  –  Revelation 20:11-15 .  Now, the “ Dragon ,” the “ False Prophet ,” the “ Beast from the Sea ,” and “ Babylon ” have all been judged. Their conspiracy against the “ Lamb ” and his followers only ended in their own demise. What they intended for evil the “ One Who Sits on the Throne ” employed to achieve His purposes.

Satan is released from the Abyss and launches his final attack on the saints, but he is the one who is defeated and judged . The time has come for his final demise. The book’s second literary division introduced the enemies of the “ Lamb ” - The “ Dragon ,”  “ Beast ,” “ False Prophet ,” and “ Babylon .” In the third division, their destruction occurs in reverse order – “ Babylon ,” the “ Beast ” and the “ False Prophet ” together, and now, the “ Dragon .”

During the “ thousand years ,” Satan is imprisoned, and the victorious saints reign as priests. Ironically, the “ rest of the dead ” do not live until the “ second death ” at the “ Great White Throne of Judgment .” Behind this image is Daniel’s vision of “ one like a Son of Man ” who receives the kingdom from the “ Ancient of Days .”

The Book of  Revelation  describes how Satan is bound in the “ Abyss ” for the “ thousand years ” until his release at the end of the period. During his imprisonment, he is prevented from “ deceiving the nations .” Only after he is released is he free to mislead the nations of the earth and to wage war without restraint on the church – in modern parlance,  Full-Spectrum Dominance .

The Rider on the White Horse destroys the beasts from the sea and the earth at the last battle, Armageddon  – Revelation 19:17-21.  In chapter 19 of  Revelation , John sees the destruction of the “ Beast from the sea ” and the “ false prophet ” at the final battle when the “ rider on the white horse ” overthrows the forces of “ Gog and Magog .” The passage does not state where this occurs other than on planet earth. The focus is on the destruction of the two beasts and their consignment to the “ Lake of Fire. ”

The Messiah “shepherds” the nations by the “word” that proceeds out of his mouth in preparation for the final battle  -  Revelation 19:11-16 .  The vision now anticipates the destruction of the “ beast ” and the “ False Prophet ” by introducing the warrior figure riding a “ white horse .” The groundwork for the coming “battle” was laid with the announcement of the victory of the “ Lamb ” over the “ beast ” and the “ kings of the earth ” in chapter 17 (For he is “ Lord of lords and King of kings ”).

The celebration of heaven over the “wedding” of the “Lamb” follows the destruction of “Babylon, the Great Harlot”  –  Revelation 19:1-10 .  Next,  Revelation  presents the celebration of “ heaven ” over the demise of the “ Great City, Babylon .” A “ great voice ” of many people rings out in praise to God because He judged the “ Great Harlot ” that had seduced the “ nations ” and persecuted the “ saints ,” the “ servants ” of God. It is also the hour for the “ marriage ” of the “ Lamb ” to his bride, “ New Jerusalem. ”

Next, the  Book of Revelation  presents a detailed description of the destruction of the “ Great City, ” and the justification for it. Her demise is caused, in part, by the hatred of the “ Ten Kings ” who are allied with the “ Beast from the Sea .” They are driven by God to desolate and “ burn her utterly with fire ” for her dominance of world commerce, “ sorcery ,” and especially her persecution of the “ saints .”

The fall of mystery Babylon is pronounced, and her ritual impurity is exposed and denounced by an angel  –  Revelation 18:1-8 .  Next, John saw an angel descending from heaven, one who had “ great authority ” with which he pronounced the “ fall of Babylon ” and described her ritual pollution by demonic spirits. This was followed by a voice summoning the saints to separate themselves from the “ Harlot ,” otherwise, they would participate in her “ plagues. ”

John saw a vision of a female figure identified as “ Babylon, the Great Harlot .” She was carried by the “ Beast with Ten Horns and Seven Heads .” She deceived the “ Kings of the Earth ” along with its “ Inhabitants ” with her “ fornications ,” and she was “ drunk with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus .” She was (and remains) the “ Mother of the Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth .” Her powers of seduction were so great that even John found himself momentarily “ marveling ” after her.

Babylon is revealed as a bejeweled harlot dripping with the shed blood of martyred saints  –  Revelation 17:1-6 .  In chapter 17,  Revelation  presents the impressive figure of “ Babylon .” She is labeled “ harlot ” and identified as the “ great city ,” and she is responsible for the deaths of the martyrs. “ Babylon ” is also closely associated with the deceptions and economic power of the “ Beast .” In her, the book’s first audience would see the city of Rome.

The “ sixth bowl of wrath ” presents an army led by the “ kings from the east ” from beyond the Euphrates River, a picture derived from prophecies of Babylon's overthrow by the “ Medes and Persians .” At the end of the age, God will use a “pagan” force once again to destroy “ Babylon ,” only this time, “ Mystery Babylon ” of the last days.

The seventh “ bowl of wrath ” anticipates the fuller description of the destruction of “ Babylon ” in chapters 17 and 18. It echoes the Old Testament story of the plague of hail inflicted on Egypt at the word of Moses. Emptying the bowl “ on the air ” prepares for the “ great hail ” that will conclude this last “ plague ” and seal Babylon’s doom.

The first four “ bowls ” targeted the economy of the  World Empire , and the fifth destroyed its political power. Now, the sixth “ bowl ” unleashes demonic forces that gather the “ kings of the earth ” to the final battle of the “ Great Day of God the Almighty ,” namely, “ Armageddon .”

The first “ four bowls ” destroyed the economic infrastructure used by the  World Empire  to dominate the “ inhabitants of the earth ” and wage war on the “ saints .” This undermined the very global commerce on which the “ Beast ” system depends for wealth and power. Now, the “ fifth bowl ” targets its political power and prestige.

The first four bowls target the economic infrastructure necessary for commerce and the economic health of the  World Empire . Since the “ Beast from the sea ” caused the followers of the “ Lamb ” economic deprivation, so, now, the “ Beast ” and the “ inhabitants of the earth ” suffer economic loss.

The destructive forces unleashed by the last plagues echo the destruction of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea  – Revelation 15:5-8.  Having seen the saints standing victorious on the “ sea of glass ,” John now sees the “ sanctuary ” and the “ Tent of Testimony ” opened fully in “ heaven .” From it, the seven angels with the “ bowls of fury ” are dispatched to deliver their deadly cargoes to the inhabitants of the earth.

The fifteenth chapter introduces the seven angels who empty the contents of the “ seven bowls of wrath .” But first, the “ overcoming ” saints are found standing on the “ sea of glass mingled with fire ” where they “ sing the song of Moses and the Lamb .” They have overcome the “ Beast, its image, mark, and number .”

Revelation moves inexorably from the death of Jesus to the final day when God judges the wicked and vindicates the righteous . At the conclusion of his ‘ Olivet Discourse ,’ Jesus gave his parable of the Sheep and the Goats. On the day when the “ Son of Man arrives in glory ,” his angels will gather all nations before him for judgment, and he will divide them into two groups. One will receive “ everlasting destruction ,” and the other, “ everlasting life .”

The ingathering of the fruit of the vine represents the wrath of God on all men who take the mark of the Beast  – Revelation 14:17-20.  Next,  Revelation  presents the ingathering of the “ fruit of the vine , which is then pressed in the “ winepress of God's wrath .” This is the fate of all men who swear fealty to the “ Beast ” and take its “ mark. ” The “ saints ” are gathered to the “ sanctuary of God ,” but the “ inhabitants of the earth ” are “ tread underfoot ” in His winepress.

Two different harvests occur at the end of the age – The reaping of the grain and the ingathering of the fruit of the vine .  In chapter 14,  Revelation  contrasts two distinct groups: Those who follow the “ Lamb ,” and the men who render homage to the “ Beast ,” the “ inhabitants of the earth .” Two different fates await each group presented here as two harvests: the “ grain ” harvest, and the “ fruit of the vine .” Both occur at the final judgment.

The inhabitants of the earth willingly venerate the Beast and take its mark, although believers are not immune from its allurements . And discussions about the “ Mark of the Beast ” invariably focus on questions about what it is - a medical implant, a barcode, or a tattoo – as well as the significance of its “ number ,” ‘ 666 .’ As important as these questions are, far more critical is the issue of how the believer can avoid taking the Beast’s mark or its “ number .”