A Concise Outline Of The Sequence Of Events Of The End Times
The Seventy Sevens Of Daniel’s
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” ( Dan.9:24-27 ).
The 70 sevens ( 70 x 7 = 490 ) of Daniel are divided into 7 sevens ( 7 x 7 = 49 ) which is 49 years, sixty and two sevens ( 62 x 7 = 434 ) which is 434 years and one seven ( 1 x 7 = 7 ) which is 7 years. The first 7 sevens and the second sixty-two sevens which are continuous equal 69 sevens ( 69 x 7 = 483 ) which are 483 years. The terminus-a-quo ( starting point ) of the 70 sevens ( 70 x 7 = 490 ) is the going forth of the commandment to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem given by the Persian king Artaxerxes Longimanus ( Neh.2:5 ). This commandment was given in 445 BC as conclusively proven by Sir Robert Anderson. The first 7 sevens and the second sixty and two sevens are history. After the second sixty-two sevens or weeks, that is, after 483 years from the commencement of the 70 weeks, the Messiah Jesus was crucified on the Roman execution stake ( Cross of Calvary), outside the wall of the Old City of Jerusalem in 32 AD. After that the Second Temple built by the returning exiles from Babylonian and Assyrian captivity, finished about 515 BC, and extensively and lavishly refurbished by Herod the Great, a puppet of Rome, was destroyed in 70 AD by the Roman general Titus following the rebellion of Jews under Roman domination ( 66-74 AD ). From this prophecy by Daniel, we understand that the Messiah was to come before the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD. Therefore any Messiah that appears for the first time after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD is a pseudoMessiah. This prophecy conclusively proves that Jesus is the only true Messiah.
There is no gap between the first 7 sevens and the second sixty and two sevens. In other words, the first 7 sevens and the second sixty and two sevens are continuous. But there is a gap of time between the second sixty-two sevens and the last one seven or the 70th seven. This gap occurs at the end of the 69th week. This gap of time is variously named by biblical scholars as the Timeless Period, the Church Age, the Gentile Interlude, the Mysterion or simply the Gap, each of which reflects and is descriptive of some of its aspects.
A whole lot of events have transpired in this gap of time. Within this period the New Covenant was established on the day of Passover, the Last Super, in the upper Room on Mount Zion, and the Church was instituted on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. As we have mentioned, the Second Jewish Temple on Mount Moriah was destroyed in 70 AD, and the Jews scattered all over the world, the so called Diaspora. Within this period, the Bar Kochba rebellion( 132-136 AD) occurred. It was lead by the Jewish false Messiah Ben Kosiva whom the revered Rabbi Akiva renamed Bar Kochba, Son Of The Star, a reference to the Star Of David. Emperor Hadrian provoked the Jews to revolt by renaming Jerusalem Aelia Capitolina. After the defeat of the Jews in the Bar Kochba Revolt, Jerusalem was ploughed with yokes of oxen, and Jews barred from it on the pain of death.
Within this period also, the First World War occurred ( 1914-1918 ). Within this period also, Adolf Hitler of cursed memory arose and established the Third Reich. This kingdom is the 7th Beast Empire of Satan that persecuted Israel in exile. It lasted for a short time, a mere twelve years ( 1933-1945 ), according to the prophecy of John the revelator. “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” ( Rev.17:9-10 ).
Adolf Hitler led the whole world into the Second World War in which an estimated 45-60 million people perished. During the Second World War, Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler exterminated 6 million Jews in gas chambers and crematoria he built all over Eastern and parts of Western Europe, 2 millions of whom were Jewish children whose lives were snuffed out in the embryo. Within this gap also Israel arose from the ashes of the Holocaust like the proverbial Phoenix and reconstituted itself as an independent nation on 14th May, 1948, following the end of the British Mandate over Palestine. We are now in this gap of time which shall be abruptly brought to an end by the covenant of peace between the antiMessiah and the many from within Israel. “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” ( Dan.9:27 ). The prophet Isaiah calls it the “covenant with death,” agreement with Sheol ( Hell )”, “refuge in lies,” and “hiding under falsehood.” “Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:” ( Is.28:14-15 ).
Daniel goes on to inform us that the antiChrist shall break this peace agreement with the many from within Israel at the midpoint of the 70th week. “And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” This division of the 70th week into two equal halves is affirmed by John the revelator in the Scroll Of Revelation. “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.” ( Rev.11:1-3 ). The treading of the outer court under foot for forty and two months is concurrent with the ministry of the two witnesses, and the allotted time of the antiChrist to reign over the Holy City and the people of God. During this period, the woman hides in the wilderness. “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” ( Rev.12:13-14 ). Since the Scriptures have given us these two divisions of the 70 week of Daniel, it will be inappropriate, and indeed biblically indefensible for us to create a third division or fourth division in order to accommodate our own preconceived notions of the sequence, time, and timing of End Time events. Without these two divisions of the 70th week of Daniel, it would be difficult to understand the sequential chronology of events in the Olivet Discourse. The second half of the 70th week is further divided into two parts of unknown durations: the Great Tribulation, and the Day Of The Lord.
The extra 75 days in two interims of 30 days and 45 days are found in Daniel 12. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” ( Dan.12:11-12 ). The 1,260 days, the 1,290 days, and the 1,335 days have the same terminus-a-quo ( starting point ) from the setting up of the abomination that makes desolate at the midpoint of the 70th week of Daniel. In other words, the 1, 260 days and the 1, 290 days are all comprehended in the 1,335 days. It will be difficult to understand the sequential chronology of the Scroll Of Revelation without these two extra periods of time. Certain events occur within these two extra periods of time without which the Scroll Of Revelation may appear fuzzy.
The other period is the Millennium which is the 1,000-year reign of Christ. “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.” ( Rev.20:4 ). The Millennium is synonymous with the New Heaven And The New Earth ( Isa.65:17-25; Rev.21:1 for ). There are some biblical scholars of prophecy that separate the two. This need not be so because what the prophet Isaiah described as the New Heaven And The New Earth is life in the Millennium. After the Millennium will be Eternity future, or what is referred to by some biblical scholars as the Eternal State.
For further reading, see my article, “The Seventy Sevens Of Daniel.” Link:https://mtzionheritage.com/the-70-sevens-of-daniel/.
The 70th Week Of Daniel
The 70th week of Daniel begins when the antiChrist signs a 7-year peace treaty with Israel. This 7-year period is divided into two equal halves of three and one-half years each. The seven seals of the seven-sealed Scroll of Revelation are broken during this period in order to unveil the content of the Scroll. The seals are on the exterior of the scroll. The seals must be broken before the content of the scroll can be accessed and viewed. The first three seals are broken during the first three and one-half years.
The First Half Of The 70th Week: The First Three And One-Half Years
First Seal
The emergence of false christs and the ultimate antiChrist, the man of lawlessness ( Da.9:27a; Matt.24:4,5; Mk.13:5,6; Luk.21:8; Rev.6:1,2 ). Deception will occur both in the religious and political arena. The antiChrist will attempt to win nations to his course of world domination by intrigue and subtle peace diplomacy.
Second Seal
When political intrigue and subtle peace diplomacy fail, the antiChrist will resort to wars, commotions, rumours and threats of wars ( Matt.24:6,7a; Mk.13:7, 8a; Luk.21:9,10; Rev.6:3,4 ). Peace will be taken away from the Earth in order that men might kill one another. There will be utter chaotic confusion.
Third Seal
Famines, pestilences, and earthquakes ( Matt.24:7a; Mk.13:8b; Luk.21:11; Rev.6:5,6 ). These are the natural consequences of wars. The third seal brings to an end the first three and one-half years. During the first three and one-half years, Israel enjoys relative peace being offered protection, on grounds of the Covenant of peace, by the antiChrist, the leader of the most powerful empire in history.
For more details see my article on “The 70th Week Of Daniel: The First Three And One-Half Years.” Link: https://mtzionheritage.com/?s=The+first+three+and-one-half+years.
The Midpoint Of The 70th Week:
At the midpoint of the 70th week certain events unfold. There are 18 events that will occur at the middle of the 70th week. We shall not enumerate all of them here. We shall mention some of the key events like war in the heavenlies ( Rev.12:7,8 ), the expulsion of Satan and his hordes of evil angels from the starry heavens and Dark void to the Earth ( Rev.12:9 ), the removal of the restrainer ( 2 Thess.2:6-8 ), increase in demonic posssession and escalation in evil ( Rev.12:12 ), the possession of the antiChrist by Satan ( Rev.13:2b ), his self-deification ( 2 Thess.2:4 ), the relocation of the headquarters of the antiChrist to the rebuilt Third Jewish Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem ( Dan.11:45 ), and the abomination of desolation ( Dan.9:27b; Matt.24:15; Mk.13:14; 2 Thess2:4 ), and The Jerusalem campaign by the antiChrist ( Luk.21:20 ). When the antiChrist desecrates the Third Temple, he demands worship of all mortals, and institutes his compulsory mark of allegiance without which no one can buy or sell ( Rev.13:8,12,14,15,16-18 ). The ministry of two witnesses begins also at the midpoint of the 70th week.
There will be a confluence of events at the midpoint of the 70th week that will make the Great Tribulation possible. These are advances in drone technology and robotics, artificial intelligence, hybridization of the human race by incorporation of animal and human genes into the human genome and man-machine meld, and cohabitation of fallen evil angels and human females ( transhumanism, humanoids, nephilim ), cyborgs, cashlessness, biometric implants, and internet of everything ( EOE ) or internet of things ( EOT ). For example the antiChrist and his gang might be able to fish out those without the mark of the Beast using swarming drone technology and facial recognition. With this sort of weapon in place the antiMessiah may be able to wipe all those who do not have his mark of allegiance unless those days are cut short.
For a detailed treatment, see my article: “The Middle Of The 70th Seven.” Link:https://mtzionheritage.com/the-middle-of-the-70th-seven/.
The Second Half Of The 70th Week: The Second Three And One-Half Years
The following events occur in the second half of the 70th week of Daniel:
Fourth Seal
The Great Tribulation begins ( Matt.24:9-26; Mk.13:9-23; Luk.21:12-24; Rev.6:7,8 ). It will be virtually impossible to obtain food and other supplies without the mark of the Beast unless one has stored them away beforehand. Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Men shall betray one another. A man’s foes shall those of his own household.
Fifth Seal
The souls of the martyred saints are arriving in heaven ( Rev.6:9-11 ). The fifth seal being a heavenly scene is not mentioned in the Olivet Discourse. It is a heavenly reflection of the killings going here on Earth under the fourth seal. It does not advance the chronology of the Scroll Of Revelation. As soon as the saints are killed here on Earth, their disembodied spirits and souls arrive in heaven. There is no distance in the realm of the spirit.
Sixth Seal
The Cosmic and celestial disturbances amputate the Great Tribulation ( Isa.24:23; Joe 2:30,31; Matt.24:22,29; Mk.13:20,24,25; Luk.21:25,26; Rev.6:12-17 ). This is the sign of the end of the ages which occurs back-to-back with the sign of His Coming, the Shekinah in the heavens ( Matt.24:3;30b ). This occurs when the number of saints to be martyred is complete ( Rev.13:10 ).
Interlude Between The End Of The Sixth Seal And The Breaking Of The Seventh Seal.
( 1 ) In this interlude, the Sign Of The Coming Of The Son Of Man is given in the heavens ( Matt.24:30b; Mk.13:26; Luk.21:27 ). This sign is the Shekinah in the heavens. Two other events occur in this interlude, vix:
( 2 ) The Sealing Of The 144,000
This event is not revealed in the Olivet Discourse but in the Scroll Of Revelation only ( Rev.7:1-8 )
( 3 ) The Rapture Of The Saints
The innumerable multitude which no man could number. This event is revealed in the Olivet Discourse ( Matt24:31; Mk.13:27; Luk.21:28 ), the Scroll Of Revelation ( Rev.7:9-17; 14:14-16 ), and in other passages of the Scriptures ( Gen.49:10b; 1 Cor.15:50-52; 1 Thess.4:15-18 ).
The Seventh Seal Is Broken: The Day Of The Lord Begins
The same day the saints are raptured, the seventh seal is broken, and the wrath of God begins in the Day Of The Lord. The prophets of old were unequivocal in their proclamation that the Day Of The Lord is preceded by cosmic and celestial disturbances. This singular fact alone invalidates the pretribulational rapture position which teaches that the wrath of God in the day of the Lord begins at the commencement of the 70th week of Daniel after the rapture of the Church which is not preceded by any prophesied event. It invalidates the doctrine of imminence which is the the fundamental pillar of pretribulationism. The wrath of God is contained in the seventh seal. The seventh seal has no judgment of its own but opens into the seven trumpets. The seventh trumpet does not contain any judgments of its own but opens into the seven bowls. Therefore the wrath of God which is poured out in the Day Of The Lord consists of the seven bowls and seven trumpets which are contained in the seventh seal. So, the seventh seal is the wrath of God.
The Relationship Of The Seals To The Wrath Of God
The Fifth Seal: This seal promises the wrath of God.
The Sixth Seal: This seal portends the wrath of God.
Interlude Between The End Of The Sixth Seal And The breaking Of The Seventh Sea:
This interlude protects from the wrath of God. During this interlude, the 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel are sealed with the seal of God, and the saints are raptured to heaven- in order to remove them from the scene of persecution by the antiMessiah- and to protect them from the wrath of God.
The Seventh Seal: This seal pronounces the wrath of God. With the breaking of the seventh seal, the wrath of in the Day Of the Lord begins.
The sounding of the seven trumpets begins in the later part of the second half of the 70th week of Daniel ( Rev.8:1,2 ).
The First Trumpet
“The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.” ( Revelation 8:7 ).
The first trumpet which consists of hail and fire mingled with blood resulted in the destruction of all green grasses and one-third of the trees.
The Second Trumpet
“And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.” ( Revelation 8:8-9 ).
This is probably a meteorite which pollutes one-third of the salt water sources killing all forms of life in a third of the oceans, seas and salt water lakes.
The Third Trumpet
“And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.” ( Revelation 8:10-11 ).
This is not a literal star. A literal star falling upon the Earth will
Pulverize it. It is probably a comet, an asteroid or meteorite. It is called wormwood. It targeted a third part of the fresh water sources and polluted it, killing all men who were in these waters or drank of these waters.
The Fourth Trumpet
“And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.” ( Revelation 8:12 ).
The fourth trumpet targeted a third of the Sun, Moon, and Stars and darkened them. The sun did not shine for a third of the day, and the moon and the stars did not shine for a third of the night. What could be the effect of this cosmic phenomenon on human life, and plant and animals?
The Three Woes
“And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!” ( Revelation 8:13 ).
The last three trumpets are the most severe. They are called the three woes or culminate in the three woes. They are heralded by the horizontal flying angel.
The Fifth Trumpet: The First Woe
“And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.” ( Revelation 9:1-12 ).
The sounding of the fifth trumpet resulted in the release of demonic locusts incarcerated in the bottomless pit. These are fallen evil angels who kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation to cohabit with human females ( Gen.6; Jude 6 ). Their offspring were hybrid humans or transhumans or humanoids named nephilim which in Hebrew means fallen ones. The Hebrew cognate verb is naphal which means to fall. These evil angels and their humanoid offspring are imprisoned ( kept in chain ) under darkness in the abyss, to be used of God in the Great Day of His wrath. Their king is the angel of the bottomless pit named Abaddon in Hebrew or Apollyon in Greek. Both names mean the same thing, destruction or destroyer. These demons with the sting of scorpions will afflict anyone who has not the seal of God in his forehead repeatedly for five months. These will include those who have the mark of the Beast, the remnant of Israel who do not have the mark of the Beast, and the remnant of the Gentiles who do not have the mark of the Beast. Only the 144,000 who have the seal of God in the foreheads are exempt.
The Sixth Trumpet: The Second Woe
“And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” ( Revelation 9:13-21 ).
At the blowing of the sixth trumpet, four evil angels incarcerated in the Euphrates River for a day, a month, and a year were released. These demons mobilized 2,000,000 soldiers. These are armored divisions mounted on tanks, the kind of which have not been fielded by any armies in the world. These tanks could fire from both the front and rear end. They wasted away a third of humanity.
The sixth trumpet brings the 70th week to a close. However, the sixth trumpet does not end until the 4th day of the 30-day Reclamation period after the resurrection of the two witnesses from the dead. We know that the 70th week has ended by the death of the two witnesses. They are killed on the last day of the 70th week or early on the first day of the 30-day Reclamation Period.
“And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” ( Revelation 11:7-14 ).
At this juncture we can hazard a guess as to the length of the Great Tribulation by the antiChrist. Both the Great Tribulation and the first six trumpets occur in the second half of the 70th week which is three and one-half years in duration. Of the first six trumpets, the one with known duration is the fifth trumpet which is five months. The sixth trumpet is probably longer and may last up to a year. If the first four trumpets which are probably shorter in duration last about a year, it therefore follows that the Great Tribulation is about a year in duration with a margin of error of about a month. This is an estimate based on the paucity of information we have in the Scriptures. It is not an explicit teaching of the Scriptures. Therefore, one should not be dogmatic about it.
At the end of the 70th week, three of the six promises of God to Israel dealing with sin are over, namely: to finish the transgression, made an end sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity. The remnant of Israel who have survived the 70th without taking the mark of allegiance to Beast can now be saved. The other three promises of God to Israel, dealing with righteousness shall be accomplished in the Millennium, namely; to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint The Most Holy.
For further clarification, see my article, “The 70th Week Of Daniel: The Second Three And One-Half Years.” Link:https://mtzionheritage.com/?s=The+Second+three+and+one-half+years.
The Extra 30-Day Reclamation Period
There are extra 30 days at the end of the 70th week spoken of by Daniel the prophet. The 1,260 days and the 1,290 days have the same terminus-a-quo from the midpoint of the 70th week.
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” ( Daniel 12:11 ).
Events In The 30-Day Reclamation Period
Just as there is an interlude between the end of the sixth seal and the breaking of the seventh seal, there is an interlude between the end of the sixth trumpet and the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Unlike the interlude between the end of the sixth seal and the breaking of the seventh seal which is of unknown duration, the duration of the interlude between the end of the sixth trumpet and the sounding of the seventh trumpet is about seven days.
Day One: The Death Of The Two Witnesses
When the two witnesses have finished their ministry, the anointing of God that protects them is withdrawn. They become as vulnerable as any other mortal. It would be like Sampson losing the seven locks of his hair(Judg.16:16-22). The location of their ministry is right under the nose of the antiChrist at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. He overpowers them and kills them. The demise of the two witnesses occurs either on the last day of the 70th week or the first day of the 30-day Reclamation Period.
“And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.” ( Rev.11:7-10 ).
Therefore the death of the two witnesses marks the terminus-ad-quem ( end ) of the 70th week.
Day One – Two: From Edom To Mount Zion
At the rapture Christ appears and stays in the air. He dispatches His angels to gather His elect from the four winds. We meet Him in the air: so, shall we ever be with Lord. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” ( 1 Thess.4:16-17 ). Now Christ touches down on the Earth physically. He comes from the heavenly Mount Zion ( Isa.59:20 ) to the earthy Mount Zion ( Rom.11:26 ). He touches down first in Petra in the Edomite wilderness where the 144,000 are hiding during the outpouring of the first six trumpet judgments. He rescues them and other Jews hiding in that area, and matches on with them on foot to the earthly Mount Zion in Jerusalem ( Isa.63:1-4 ). He is the breaker that removes every obstacle on the way ( Mic.2:12,13 ). This is The fulfillment of Habakkuk’s prophecy, “God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah.” ( Hab.3:-6, 12 ). He is with an innumerable company of angels ( Heb.12:22 ), but they are invisible. Unlike Him, they do not have physical bodies. The 144, 000 who are the firsfruits from the house of Israel that shall enter the Millennium(Rev.14:3). They are the core of His human entourage. Every king moves with a retinue. Christ is the King of the Earth.
Day Three: The Mystery Of God Is Finished
Shortly before the blowing of the seventh trumpet, the mystery of God shall be finished as God completes His spiritual kingdom by bringing in the remnant of Israel who survive the 70th week without the mark of the Beast. “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” (Rev.10:7 ).
Their repentance and salvation is somewhat automatic ( Rom.11:26 ). On day 3 Christ arrives on Mount Zion with the 144,000 and other Jews who survived the first six trumpet judgments whom He rescued from the Edomite wilderness, the Judaean wilderness, Jerusalem and its environs, the remnants from Egypt and Assyria. On the way to Jerusalem, perhaps in the Judean hills, this ever-increasing number of remnants will swell again as they are joined by the remnant from Egypt and Assyria. These Jews like the clans of Judah are on their way to Jerusalem from the lands of Egypt and Assyria where they have been hiding, having heard that the Messiah has come. According to the prophet Hosea, ” They will walk after the Lord: he shall roar like a lion: when He shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west. They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses saith the LORD” ( Hos.11:10,11 ). They are surprised their Messiah has nail-pierced hands. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only begotten son.
“Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.” ( Hos.6:1-2 ).
It will be like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo.
“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo. And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.”( Zech.12:10-14 ).
Day Four: The Resurrection Of The Two Witnesses
There is no question as to the day of the resurrection of the two witnesses. The Scripture is clearly explicit on that. They are killed either on the last day of the 70th week or early on the first day of the 30-day Reclamation Period. They are resurrected after three and one-half days or 84 hours after their demise which will be the late afternoon or early evening of the fourth day of the 30-day Reclamation Period.
“And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” ( Rev.11:13-14 ).
A voice was heard from heaven saying, “come up hither.”
“And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.” ( Rev.11:11-12 ).
They ascended up into heaven and their enemies beheld them. At the same hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and there were seven thousand fatalities. They remnant were frightened, and gave glory to the God of heaven. Their acknowledgement of God at this time was out of fear not reverential awe and therefore did not bring salvation. This is the second woe which marked the end of the sixth trumpet.
Day Five: The Seventh Trumpet Is Blown And God Almighty Reclaims His Rule Over The Earth.
The 70th week has ended. The sixth millennium is over. The seventh millennium the shabbat of the Lord is about to begin. The seventh trumpet is blown, and God Almighty reclaims His rule over the Earth usurped by Satan at the fall of Adam.
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” ( Rev.11:15-19 ).
This event takes place on the summit of Mount Zion in the presence of the 144,000 and the newly saved remnant of Israel who survived the 70th week of Daniel.
The nations will react angrily, and God responds by pouring out the final seven Bowl judgments on the Earth.
Day Six: The Jewish Remnant Sent To Azal
From the summit of Mount Zion, Christ hops over to the Mount of Olives. The Mount Of Olive cleaves in two from the East to the West. The one part moves up North and the other part moves down South creating a roadway that reaches up to Azal.
“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.” ( Zech.14:4-5 ).
Azal is an unknown location in biblical history and geography. There He shall hide the 144,000 and the newly saved remnant of Israel who are still in their natural bodies to shield them from the wrath of God contained in the last seven Bowl judgments. “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” ( Isa.26:20,21 ).
This event shall fulfill the promise of God to the disciples of Jesus that He shall come in like manner as they saw go into heaven.
“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” ( Acts 1:9-11 ).
Day Seven: The Final Bowl Judgments Begin ( Rev.16-20 ).
Day 7 – Day 30
The last seven bowls are emptied rapidly upon the Earth within the remaining 3 weeks culminating in the Armageddon campaign on day 30. Whilst the final seven Bowl judgments are being poured out, Christ returns to heaven, and conducts the Bema Seat Judgment and the Marriage Of The Lamb in readiness three weeks later for the Battle Of Armageddon where Christ together with the heavenly hosts shall vanquish the armies of the kingdoms of this age.
Bowls 1-4: General
The first four bowls are general. They occur all over the Earth.
Fist Bowl ( Rev.16:1 )
“And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.”
At the outpouring of the fist Bowl Judgment, suppurative cutaneous eruptions breaking out into open sores appeared on those who have the mark of Beast and worshipped him and the dragon.
Second Bowl ( Rev.16:3 )
“And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.”
The second Bowl Judgment targets the salt water sources: the oceans, the seas, and the salt water lakes turning into blood, wiping out all forms of life in these bodies of waters.
Third Bowl ( Rev.16:4 )
“And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.”
The third Bowl Judgment targets the fresh sources: the rivers and fountains of waters, and the fresh lakes, and turned them into blood, thus wiping out all forms of waters in these bodies of waters.
Interlude: Doxology By The Angel Of Waters ( Rev.16:5-7 )
“And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.”
There is a brief interlude between the end of Bowl three and the outpouring of Bowl four. During this brief interlude, the angel of the waters who is not identified, neither his rank nor regalia gives praise to God for His righteous judgments of the unrighteousness wicked.
Fourth Bowl ( Rev.16:8,9 )
“And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.”
This is like adding fuel to fire. Ambient temperatures will be increased resulting in heat stroke, dehydration, exhaustion, and death. In spite of this severe punishment, the beast marked unrighteous wicked are unwilling to repent. But instead, they will blaspheme the name of God.
Bowls 5-7: Specific
The last three bowls are specific. They target the seats of government of the antiChrist and the others kings of the Earth, and his religious institution
Fifth Bowl ( Rev.16:10,11 )
“And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.”
The light and heat of the Sun are withdrawn over the seat of government of the antiChrist and the borders of the his empire resulting in utter darkness and low temperatures. This will lead to vein thromboses, chilblains, painful frostbites and sores, and auto-amputation of the digits. This situation will be worse than when one suddenly finds oneself in the poles without adequate preparations. No warm clothings, and no source of heat.
Sixth Bowl: Preparation For Armageddon ( Rev.16:12-16 )
“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”
When the sixth bowl is poured out upon the Earth, two things happen. First, the waters of the Euphrates River dry up to make way for the kings of the East. In the end times, other regions of world have one king each. There is the king of the North, the king of the South, and the king of the West who is the antiChrist ( Dan.11:36-45 ). But the East has many kings because of ideological and religious differences. These are are China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan, etc. Second, the unclean spirits like frogs from the mouths of the satanic trinity will possess the commanders of the armies of the nations to compel them to gather their forces to the Mid East for the Armageddon Campaign.
Seventh Bowl: The Final Wrath Of God ( Rev.16:17- 21, 17, 18, 19, 20:1-10 )
“And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.”
When the seventh bowl is poured out into the air, there came a great voice out of the temple of God in heaven saying, “it is done.” This is reminiscent of the final of Christ’s seven words on the Cross of Calvary, the Execution Stake, “it is finished.” ( Jon.19:30 ). It was finished because the vail of separation was torn from top to bottom, the mosaic law abrogated and grace ushered in. Here it is done because the wrath of God is over, Satan is vanquished eternally, and God Almighty is about to reclaim physical possession of the Earth. It is most probable Christ uttered these words inasmuch as He is in heaven at this time, and God the Father has committed all Judgment to Him. This voice was followed by voices, thunders, and lightnings, the mightiest earthquake that has never been recorded on the Richter’s Scale before. Jerusalem, the international headquarters of the antiChrist shall be divided in three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. These cities are the seats of governments of the kingdoms of the Earth.
The mountains will be leveled by the horrible earthquake, and the islands of the seas shall vanish. As the armies of the kingdoms of the Earth gather for the final Armageddon Campaign, God rains on them hailstones from heaven. Each of these hailstones weigh about 100 lb. These 33.333’ kg hailstones will crush anything that has life they hit. Many of these soldiers of the armies of the nations will perish on their way to the final battle in the Middle East. Lots of their equipments will be damaged beyond repair and lost.
The seventh bowl Judgment is the largest of the seven bowls and probably lasts longer than the others. Rev.17 is the description of the Judgment of the Beast-antiChrist and the harlot city which is the false humanistic religion of the antiChrist headquartered in Babylon. Babylon apart from being a city is a global ideal that teaches that man is God. Rev.18 is the actual judgment of the false humanistic religion called Babylon. Rev.19 is the destruction of the Beast and the armies of the nation at Armageddon where Christ reclaimed physical possession of the Earth.
Satan usurped God’s rule over the Earth at the fall of Adam, and became the God of this age ( Ge.3; Jon.12:31, 14:30, 16:11; Eph.2:2 ). At the sounding of the seventh trumpet, God Almighty reclaimed His rule of the Earth ( Rev.11:15 ). Now, at Armageddon, God reclaims physical possession of the Earth. It is therefore pertinent that Satan, the usurper of God’s rule over the Earth must be evicted from the Earth’s premises. In Rev.20, Satan and all his fallen demons that were cast down from the dark void and starry heavens unto the Earth are now herded in into and incarcerated in the bottomless pit for a thousand years ( 1-6 ).
For more details, consult my article, “Events In The 30-Day Reclamation Period.” Link:https://mtzionheritage.com/events-in-the-30-day-reclamation-period/.
Two Events That Occur In Heaven During The 30-Day Reclamation Period
( a ) The Bema Seat Judgments
The Bema Seat judgment is the trial by fire of the works of the saints. It is not the trial of the saints. It is for the purpose of reward, and to determine our positions in the millennial reign of Christ.
However, it in the book of 1 Corinthians that Paul gives a vivid and
somber picture of what the Bema-Seat judgment will be like. “… I
have planted , Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then
neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but
God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that
watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according
to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are
God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God
given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have led the foundation, and
another buildeth therein. But let every man take heed how he buildeth
thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be
made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be
revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort
it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall
receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer
loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet as by fire” ( I Cor.3:6-15).
The scripture is very clear as to the timing of the Bema-Seat
judgment. It is pinpointed as occurring after the blowing of the
seventh trumpet, during the 30-day Reclamation Period following the
close of the seventieth week of Daniel. Because the seventh trumpet is
sounded on day 5/6 of the 30-day Reclamation Period, the Bema-Seat
judgment must occur within the 25-26 days between the blowing of the
seventh trumpet and the battle of Armageddon; for Christ must of
necessity come back to the Earth for the final showdown at Armageddon.
” and the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in
heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this World are become the kingdoms of
our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign for ever and ever. And
the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell
upon their faces, and worshipped God, saying, we give thee thanks, O
Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou
hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations
were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they
should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servant
the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small
and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the Earth” (
Rev.11:15-18).
When the seventh trumpet sounds, rule of the Earth is returned to
Almighty God. The rulers of the kingdoms of this World would get
angry. God responds to their anger by pouring the remaining wrath of
God, the seven bowls on the living wicked earth-dwellers, and
desroying those who destroy the Earth. At this time also He rewards
His servants the prophets and the saints, and all those who fear His
name, in preparation for his retaking physical possession of the
Earth and the millennial reign of Christ and the saints. Whilst the Bema-Seat judgment is taking place in heaven, God will begin the destruction of those who destroy the Earth in final
seven bowl judgments.
( b ) The Marriage Of The Lamb
The Scripture is clear as to the timing of the marriage of the Lamb In Heaven.
” and I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the
voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thundering, saying,
Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and
rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come,
and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she
should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen
is the righteousness of the saints” ( Rev.19:6-8).
The saints must appear with Christ at Armageddon. Therefore, the marriage of the Lamb must occur in Heaven before the Armageddon Campaign.
For detailed treatment, see article, “Two Critical Events That Occur In Heaven During The Remaining 24-25 Days Of The 30-Day Reclamation Period.” Link:https://mtzionheritage.com/555-2/.
The Extra 45-Day Restoration Period ( Dan.12:11,12 )
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”
We know that the abomination of desolation will be set up and the midpoint of the 70th week. So also, the abolition of the daily sacrifice resumed at the beginning of the 70th week when the antiMessiah signed a 7-year treaty with Israel. But blessed is he that waits and comes to the 1, 335 days. So, the 1,260, and the 1,290 days are comprehended in the 1, 335 days. So there is extra 45 days beyond the extra 30 days. This extra 45 days is labeled the Restoration Period by Robert Van Kampen of blessed memory.
After the battle of Armageddon, the Earth devastated by the events of the 70th and the final wrath of God would need to be renovated and restored before the commencement of the Millennial Reign Of Christ. For example, it will take seven months to bury all those who died at the battle of Armageddon in the land of Israel, and seven years to burn all the wreckages of warfare ( Ezek.39: 9-16 ). So the cleansing of the land shall continue into the Millennium.
The following events shall occur during the 45-day Restoration Period.
( a ) The Restoration Of Mount Zion.
At the seventh bowl judgment, “the mountains were not found” and the great city Jerusalem was split into three parts” ( Rev.16:19,20 ). In the original Greek manuscript, the definite article the does not occur. It simply reads ” mountains were not found.” It therefore follows that not all the mountains were leveled by the seventh bowl judgment. Besides, after the outpouring of the seventh bowl judgment, the Battle of Armageddon will be fought on the mountains of Israel. antiChrist and his forces will “fall on the mountains of Israel” ( Ezek.39:4 ). It therefore follows that whatever mountains were destroyed by the seventh bowl judgment, it did not include the mountains surrounding the plain of Esdraelon where the Final Battle Of Armageddon will be fought, about 96km north of Jerusaem.
We have shown that not all the mountains on Earth were leveled by the final seventh bowl judgment. Certainly Mount Zion was one of those destroyed by the Final Bowl Judgment. Hence, the need for Christ to restore Mount Zion before the remnant of Israel can return to Mount Zion to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, and Christ can rebuild the Fourth And Millennial Temple on Mount Zion. Concerning the restoration of Mount Zion, the prophet Zechariah wrote:
” And all the land shall be turned as plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepress” ( Zech.14:10 ).
Mount Zion on which Jerusalem shall sit shall rise and be elevated above all other mountains, at least, in the immediate vicinity of Jerusalem. It may perhaps rise above all other mountains on Earth.
” And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the “top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it” ( Is.2:2; cf. Mic.4:1 ).
The newly elevated Mount Zion shall become a very high mountain ( Ezek.40:2 ). ” For God’s holy mountain, on the mountains of Israel, declares the Lord God, there the whole house of Israel, all of them , shall serve Me in the land” ( Ezek.20:40).
The Layout Of Mount Zion.
The book of the prophet Ezekiel, more than any other book in the entire Bible, gives us a very detailed description of the layout of the summit of the renovated Mount Zion, the Temple and the new and earthly city of Jerusalem, and the tribal allotment of the twelve tribes of Israel ( Ezek.40-48). Here we present a general outline of the layout of Mount Zion.
1) In all its entirety, the top of Mount Zion will be holy ( 43:12 ).
2) In the middle of this holy area will be located the sanctuary, the most holy place ( 45:2,3 ).
3) South of the summit of Mount Zion, a short distance down the summit, will be the new city of Jerusalem. It shall be located on a very high mountain ( 40:2; cf.48:25 ). This city shall be built by ” My people of Israel” who are restored from captivity ( Amos 9:14; cf. Is.58:12; 61:4 ).
4) On both sides of this holy allotment and the property for the city shall be a portion for the prince ( 48:21 ).
” And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the lands that I gave unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children , and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever” ( 37:24,25).
The identity of the prince is debated amongst biblical scholars. Is it David himself or his greater son, Jesus , the Messiah. Am not dogmatic about any of the positions. There is no need for hair splitting arguments. In the Millennium, we shall know who he is.
( b ) The Restoration Of The Temple
Every period of the kingdom of Israel is associated with a temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Therefore each period of the kingdom is named after the temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. We have the First Temple Period or simply the First Temple. The First Temple was built by King Solomon, the successor and son of King David. This temple was destroyed by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 586 BC. This kingdom period began when Israel entered the promised land under the leadership of Joshua, though there was no temple until the reign of Solomon which began in 930 BC.
The Second Temple Period, or simply the Second Temple also had a temple built by the returning exiles on the same exact spot as the First Temple on the Temple Mount. This Temple was completed in 515 BC. It was extensively and lavishly refurbished by Herod the Great. This was the Temple in which Jesus, The Messiah ministered. It was destroyed by the Roman general Titus in 70 AD.
Although the Third Temple Period or simply the Third Temple began in 1948, with the creation of an independent Jewish state in the ancient land grant which God gave the children of Israel, up to now there is no Third Temple. However, before the midpoint of the 70th Seven of Daniel, the Third Temple shall be erected on the same spot as the two previous ones on Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Adequate preparations have been made by the Temple Mount Faithful for the building of the Third Temple. All materials necessary for the building of the temple have been garnered, and over $100 million raised in cash for the rebuilding of the Jewish temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. Members of the High Priestly family of Aaron, and the priestly tribe of Levi have been identified by DNA tests, trained and are practicing and doing test runs in preparation for the resumption of temple worship and daily animal sacrifices and grain offerings when the Third Temple is erected. Recently a complete Golden Altar Of Incense was built. A completely red heifer( Para Aduma) has been identified and is being multiplied by cloning. With modern technology, The Temple could be erected literally overnight at a moment notice as it were. Though a plan of the Third Temple has been drawn based on the dimensions in Ezek.40-43, it is improbable that a temple of this magnitude shall erected in this age. The dimensions of the temple described by prophet Ezekiel are those of the Millennial Temple to be built by Christ Himself.
Following this trend, a Fourth Temple shall also be erected on Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during the Fourth Temple Period, or simple the Fourth Temple. The Fourth Temple Period shall be the millennial reign of Christ. Unlike all the previous three temples, which were built through the feeble efforts of man, the Fourth Temple shall be built by Jesus, the Messiah Himself. This Temple shall be built on the summit of Mount Zion which has just been restored by Christ Himself.
” And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is THE BRANCH; and he shall grow up, out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both” ( Zech.6:12,13).
The BRANCH is no other person than Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David. The prophet Isaiah also referred to Christ as the BRANCH when he described the redeemed remnant of Israel.
” In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that all he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy, even every one that is written amongst the living in Jerusalem” ( Is.4:2,3 ).
His building the Fourth Temple shall be the crowning event during the 45-day Restoration Period. This temple was extensively and exhaustively described by the prophet Ezekiel ( Ezek.40-43 ). The prophet was brought to the nave of them, where he was told by the Lord:
” Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. After he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looked toward the east. And he said unto me, son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever; and my holy name , shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places” ( Ezek.41:1; 43:1,7 ).
The Fourth Temple, the millennial temple will be the Throne of Christ here on Earth where He will dwell amongst the children of Israel, and from where He will rule over them and the nations of the Earth. After the Sheep and Goat judgment on the First day of the Millennium, the majority of the surviving Gentile remnants who are justified at the Sheep and Goat Judgment shall return to their own lands to repopulate the Earth. Only a handful shall be retained in Jerusalem, and in the land of Israel in direct service to the Messiah and the children of Israel.
The Third temple which the antiChrist shall desecrate shall also be destroyed during the final seventh bowl judgment when the cities of the nations shall fall, and Jerusalem itself split into three parts. The millennial temple shall far exceed the Solomonic temple in glory. Considering the paucity of time between the Final Battle of Armageddon and the commencement of the millennial reign of Christ, this work shall be done rather very quickly. As a supernatural act of the Messiah who created the heavens and the Earth in six days, building the temple described by the prophet Ezekiel shall pose no difficulty.
( c ) The Renovation Of The whole Earth
After the Armageddon campaign, the whole Earth will be devastated from both the wicked rule of the antiChrist and the kings of the other nations and kingdoms and the fires of the wrath of God. This devastation involves the atmospheric and starry heavens, and the Dark Void, the habitation of the Dragon and his evil angels for millions of years after they were driven out from the heaven of heavens following the Satanic revolt in eternity past. They must be cleansed from the defilement of sin. So, the whole Earth, the atmospheric and starry heavens, and the Dark Void must be renovated. The resultant heavens and Earth are the New Heavens And The New Earth. The prophet Isaiah spoke: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” ( Isa.65:17 ). Apostle John the revelator saw: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” ( Rev.21:1 ). The Greek word rendered new here is “kainos” which is best rendered restored or renewed. It is the same old heavens and Earth which are restored after been cleansed from the defilement sin by fire. It is not new in time. If it were new in time, a different Greek word “naos” would have been used. In this restored heavens and Earth, Christ will reign for a thousand years. This is the Millennium. Therefore, the Millennium is the same as the New Heavens And New Earth.
( d ) The Final Ingathering Of The Jewish Survivors
During the devastating Bowl judgments, the oceans and major seas of the world shall dry up. So also the tongue of the Egyptian sea, that is, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, shall dry up. This is to facilitate the final ingathering of the Jewish remnants from Africa, Europe, and Asia as well as the gathering of the surviving Gentiles who did not take the mark of allegiance to the Beast for the Sheep And Goat Judgment Of The Gentile Survivors to determine eligibility for entry into the Millennium.
“Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.” ( Jeremiah 16:14-15 ).
“Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.” ( Jeremiah 23:7-8 ).
We can see that the Jews will return from all over the world. The gathering will include those Jews who were with the Lord on Zion in Jerusalem when the seventh trumpet sounded, who were subsequently secreted to Azal, and safely hidden, as God Almighty pours out His wrath in the devastating final seven bowl judgments and the battle of Armageddon. They will return to the holy land, and to the heights of Zion, with shouts of joy. The others will be the surviving remnants of Israel from the gentile nations, who were protected by the righteous Gentiles.
The occasion will be one of mixed joy and somber reflection, as they make their way through the horrible destruction left behind by the final bowl judgments. They will be brought to the heights of Zion by the gentile survivors of the wrath of God who had been their protectors in the land of their sojourning. They will trust in the Lord, and will no longer put their trust in man, as they did in the antiMessiah who subverted them.
” And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more stay upon him that smothe them ( i.e., the antiChrist ); but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. And the remnant of Israel shall return, even the remnant of Jacob unto the Mighty God” ( Is.10:20,21 ).
As we have pointed out, there will be Jews whom God will sovereignly protect from the fierce persecution of the antiMessiah, those who were graciously hidden and given protection in the Judaean wilderness, and in the foreign Gentile nations where they resided, Jews in Diaspora. They would have been purged, purified, by the fires of the fierce persecution of the antiChrist as well as the six trumpet judgments. They would have repented of their sins and placed their faith in Jesus the Messiah of Israel and of all mankind. The tragic side of the story is that only a small remnant of Jews who enter the 70th week of Daniel will survive the fierce persecution of the antiChrist and the wrath of God.
” For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined in the midst of all the land” ( Is.10:22,23).
Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant shall be saved. They shall return from all nations wither the Lord had driven them, to the mountains of Zion, with joy and gladness of heart, unto the Mighty God of Jacob.
” But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel. Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by my name; thou art mine. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west. And I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” ( Is.43:1-7 ).
So, we see that a remnant shall return to enter into the millennial reign of Christ. They shall return, and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. “Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” ( Isaiah 51:11 ).
( e ) The Surviving Gentiles To Mount Zion.
As incredible as it may seem, there will also be some Gentiles who survive the Day Of The Lord’s Wrath. Concurrent with the regathering of surviving Jewish remnants to Jerusalem, the surviving Gentiles shall also gather to Jerusalem for the Sheep and Goat Judgment. There are some who believe that some of these surviving Gentiles shall bear the mark of the beast. I do not share this view. There are no Scriptures that support this view. Anyone with the mark of the beast shall be executed instantly. What will be the reason for such a person appearing for trial when the verdict is so obvious. Those who appear at the Sheep and Goat Judgment bear no mark of the antiMessiah. The wrath of God abides on any one with the mark of the Beast; he shall be executed at Armageddon.
The basis for the Sheep and Goat Judgment is their treatment of the brethren of the Lord, which may be the reason why they arrive in Jerusalem concurrently with the surviving Jewish remnants. These surviving Jewish remnants will be their witnesses who will testify that they are indeed righteous or unrighteous Gentiles though Jesus Christ our Lord who is the judge knows everything. These surviving Gentiles will be brought to Mount Zion for the Sheep and Goat Judgment ( Matt.25:31-45 ) which will take place on the first day of the Millennium or thereabouts. The prophet Isaiah clearly describes the gathering of Gentile survivors to God’s Holy Mountain.
” For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory” ( Is.66:18).
These surviving Gentiles like their Jewish counterparts would have survived the Great Persecution by the antiChrist, the wrath of God, contained in the seven trumpets and seven bowls as well as the final battle of Armageddon. The final seventh bowl judgment would result in a horrible universal earthquake that levels the mountains and the islands of the seas and destroys the cities of the nations. It is incredible how human beings could survive all these horrific devastations.
” The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hands upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf. They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee” ( Mic.7:16,17).
These peoples who survive shall be afraid before the Lord. There will also be a few Gentiles who survive these terrible destruction from the land of Egypt and Assyria who make the trip to Mount Zion to join Israel in their worship of Jehovah. These are Gentile children of God. It does seem however that this shall be after the Sheep and Goat Judgment. The prophet Isaiah spoke of these Gentile remnants.
” In that day shall Israel be third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom the LORD of hosts will bless, saying, blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of hands, and Israel mine inheritance” ( Is.19:24,25).
It does appear though some of these surviving Gentiles who are justified at the Sheep and Goat Judgment shall decide to dwell amongst their Jewish brethren in the land of Israel and serve the Lord amidst His people.
” Also the sons of the strangers that join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful, in my house of prayer: and their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon my alter; for my house shall be called the house of prayer for all people. The LORD GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered to him” ( Is.55:6-8).
So, in the millennium, there will be quite a number of Gentiles believers who have made the choice to dwell in Jerusalem, and in the other cities in the land of Israel in order that they mighty serve the Lord and minister to His people.
The Restoration Of Adam’s Rule On Earth: The Coronation Of The Of King
Man was not created to dwell in heaven, else he would not need a physical body. “The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s: but the Earth has he given to the children of men” ( Ps.115:16 ). When God created Adam and Eve, he put them in the garden of Eden, and gave them dominion over the earthly realm of His Universal Kingdom. Satan usurped that rule, and became the god of this Age. Adam’s rule over the Earth was to last for six days, the seventh day being the Shabbat of the Lord. Adam never had the title deed of the Earth. It was a lease not a sale.
Satan’s rule would expire at the end of the sixth millennium, the period of the lease to Adam. Thereafter, God Almighty will reclaim his rule over the earthly domain of his Universal Kingdom. Satan, his fallen evil angels and his minions the antiChrist and the living wicked dwellers of the Earth shall be evicted from the Earth’s premises. God will retake physical possession of the Earth, appoint a new human representative, an Adam to rule over the earthly domain of his Universal Kingdom. Neither God the Father nor the Holy Spirit has a physical form with which to relate with the external physical environment. Therefore, God the Father must rule the Earth by proxy.
God unconditionally covenanted to give the rulership of the throne of Israel and the whole Earth to David and his descendants for ever. And we have proven that Jesus is the rightful heir to the throne of David.
At this point in our narrative of the last days of this Age’s history, Jesus the Messiah has reclaimed God’s rule over the Earth at the blowing of the seventh trumpet. Satan and his fallen evil angels, his minions, the antiMessiah, the False Prophet and the living wicked dwellers of the Earth have been defeated at Armageddon and evicted from the Earth’s premises. Christ has retaken physical possession of the Earth at Armageddon. Mount Zion has been restored and elevated above all other mountains. Israel has finally been regathered from the Diaspora to the land God deeded to his friend, Abraham, the Hebrew. The surviving Gentile remnants have been gathered to Jerusalem for the Sheep and Goat Judgment on the first day of the Millennium or thereabouts. The Fourth and Millennial temple has been built by Christ supernaturally. God is now ready to restore his rule over the Earth by proxy, through a human representative, an Adam.
This is a very momentous point in the history of man on Earth. It is an event of tremendous significance. Incidentally, this glorious event does not take place on Earth but in heaven. On this occasion, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the last Adam, the Second Man, who is the Lord from the heavens shall be given everlasting dominion over ” all peoples, nations and tongues,” by God Almighty. This is the time for God Almighty to restore His rule over the earthly domain of His Universal Kingdom to its rightful king, Jesus the Christ.
After receiving the right to rule over the Earth from God the Father, Christ will return to the Earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. Then “His kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him” ( Dan.7:27 ). When the archangel Gabriel appeared unto Mary, he foretold the kingship of Jesus over the Earth. ” He will be great, and will be called the Son Of The Most High; and the Lord will give Him the throne of His father David” ( Luk.1:32 ). This prophecy was not fulfilled during Christ’s First Advent. But it will be fulfilled during His Second Advent, when God’s rule over the Earth will be restored at the blowing of the seventh trumpet, after the victory of Christ at the Battle of Armageddon, at which point he retakes physical possession of the Earth for the Lord God Almighty, and delivers the physical kingdom of Earth to God the Father, just prior to the beginning of the Millennium. Then God the Father will turn about and ” give Him the throne of His father David, when the time has come “to anoint the Most Holy” ( Dan.9:24 ).
About seven hundred years before the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Mary, the prophet Daniel saw in a vision the coronation of the Christ as King over the Earth after the destruction of the antiChrist.
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the son of man came with clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” ( Dan.7:11-14 ).
The Apostle Paul also spoke of this stupendously magnificent scene:
” Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father: when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” ( 1Cor.15:24-26 ). We must note however, that Christ will not put all enemies under His feet, and abolish the last enemy, death until after the end of the Millennium. This Majestic Scene gives us a glimpse into one of the most profound and significant moments in God’s eternal plan. With this, the work of Christ is complete, ” vision and prophecy” will be sealed, “everlasting righteousness brought in” and God the Father will ” anoint the Most Holy” ( Dan.9:24 ). Christ’s kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominion will serve and obey Him ( Dan.7:27 ).
For further details see my article, “The Restoration Period.” Link:https://mtzionheritage.com/the-restoration-period/.
The Millennium: The New Heaven And The New Earth
” And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom as of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord , and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever” ( Rev.11:15).
The celebration of the marriage supper of the Lamb marks the completion of the defeat of Satan and his fallen evil angels. Satan, the supreme personality of evil, the corrupter of the Earth and all mankind has been defeated, evicted from the Earth’s premises and incarcerated in the shaft of the abyss. The antiMessiah and the false prophet have been cast into the Lake Of Fire And Brimstone. All those who gave allegiance to Satan by capitulating to the authority of the antiMessiah have been destroyed. God Almighty has reclaimed His rule over the the Earth usurped by Satan. Christ has regained physical possession of the Earth at Armageddon. He has received the Kingdom from the Father, and crowned King of kings, and Lord of lords. He has re-established the Kingdom Of God on Earth over which He, Christ would rule for ever.
” And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth ” ( Rev19:6).
The Jewish survivors of the Great Tribulation and the Day Of The LORD have come to the saving knowledge of Christ. The gentile survivors of the Great Tribulation, the wrath of God, and the Sheep And Goat Judgment have been brought to the saving knowledge of Christ. They have entered into the Millennium to repopulate the Earth alongside the remnants of Israel. All nations, kindreds, peoples and tongues are represented. The church has been raptured, The Bema Seat Judgment at which the saints of all ages are rewarded have been held. The decorated bride of Christ is married to Him. The heaven and the Earth have been cleansed from the defilement of sin.
“The new heavens and earth earth have been created. Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered nor come to mind” ( Is.65:17). The whole earth is restored and renovated. The new and earthly Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel and of the whole Earth has been rebuilt. The fourth and millennial Temple have been built on the summit of Mount Zion, the highest point on the new Earth. The new and heavenly Jerusalem, the abode of the bride of Christ, all resurrected saints and the angels of God has come down from God out of heaven to merge with the the millennial temple at its base on Mount Zion. Christ is reunited with His bride never to party again.
” And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, he tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” ( Rev.21:3,4).
From the Throne Room of God and of Christ, livings waters flow downwards towards Jerusalem and the rest of the Earth, bring healing to the Earth and the seas. The waters team with fish, and there are lots of fishing activities. The tree by the banks of the river yields fruits which are food, and the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations of them who dwell on Earth in their mortal bodies of bruises and minor ailments.
From the Throne Room also the rivers flows upwards as it were to the boardway of the new and heavenly Jerusalem. The tree which grows by the banks of the river and in the midst of it yields twelve manner of fruits. The fruits are food for the dwellers of the new and heavenly Jerusalem, some of whom are angels, and others resurrected saints in their glorified eternal immortal resurrection bodies. The leaves of the tree also are for the sustenance of health.
From the Throne Room, Christ shall rule over the Earth with rod of iron. David or his greater son is king over Israel. The twelve apostles judge Israel. The saints reign with Christ over the nations of the Earth, and are priests of Christ, and of God. The glories and wealth of the nation are brought into the new and heavenly Jerusalem in which there is no night. It is always day. Man, angel, and God are in holy communion. The Heavens and Earth are in holy embrace. From year to year, all nations come to worship God in Jerusalem and to observe the yearly feast of tabernacles(Sukkot). Jerusalem and its Holy Temple are the focal point in the Millennium. The Jews are revered all over he world, and there is no more antisemism ( Zech.8:23).
With this, the Earth has been restored more or less to its pristine state before the fall of Adam.
The White Throne Judgment ( Rev.20:11-15 )
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” ( Rev.20:11-15 ).
There is a great White Throne and an Occupier, from whose face the Heavens and the Earth fled away and there was no place for them. Who is this personage? Am persuaded He is Jesus in His glory. The reason is that God has committed all judgement to Him ( Acts 10:42; 17:41 ). This is the final resurrection. It is the resurrection of those who lived and died in the millennium. I also believe implicitly that those who did not die during the millennium but lived to the end of it, shall be translated to appear before the White Throne Judgement. No man in his natural mortal body shall be able to appear in the presence of so much glory which neither the Heavens nor the Earth can withstand. In this heavenly court, there were no advocates. The scrolls of records were opened, and every man, small and great, were judged according what is recorded in the scrolls concerning them. There was no partiality ( James 3:17 ). God is no respecter of persons ( Acts 10:34 ). God does not have one law for the rich, great and famous and another for the poor, downtrodden and underprivileged. Every man is judged according to his works.
All the dead were raised: the sea delivered up those who were in it, and so also death and Hell and all were judged according to their works recorded in the scrolls. The scrolls here are different from the one in Rev.6. There were two scrolls, the scroll of works and the scroll of life. Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire: this is the second death. The first death is the severance of the spirit and soul, the immaterial part of man from the body, the material part of man. This is based on the dichotomous view of man- the basar and the nefesh. The second death therefore is the consignment of the spirit and soul ( nefesh ), the immaterial part of man into the lake of fire. This is the real man . The body is disposable, but the spirit and the soul are not. The sipirit and the soul are inseparable and indivisible. It is only the word of God that divides between the two ( Heb. 4:12 ). There is no spirit without a soul. The soul is the constellation of the will, intellect, and emotions.
In Verse 15, the judgement is very simple and open. There were two scrolls, the scroll of works and the scroll life. Any man whose name was not found in the scroll of life shall be cast in the lake of fire. There are some who believe that no man who appears at The White Throne judgement shall be justified. I do not share that view. I believe there would be some whose names are found in the scroll of life. If those whose names were not found in the scroll of life were condemned and consigned to the lake of fire, this implies there were some whose names were found who shall be justified and enter the eternal state. Would all those who,lived in the Millennium unrepentant sinners? After this judgement shall be the eternal state. So, chronologically, the Scroll Of Revelation ends with the White Throne judgment. Revelation 21,22 record events in the early part of the millennial reign of Christ.
For more in-depth treatment, see my article, “The Millennium.” Link:https://mtzionheritage.com/The-millennium/.
The Eternal State: Eternities Future
After the White Throne Judgment is life in which God, redeemed humanity, and the holy angels are in holy communion and embrace in eternal bliss, whilst Satan, his fallen angels and condemned humanity burn in the Lake of Fire and Sulphur for ever and ever.
Abraham Shallom.
Dr. Jeminusi is preparing a PowerPoint presentation based on this concise outline. When ready, it will be posted on this blog site. I encourage our readers to make their own PowerPoint presentation from this outline. It will be suitable for home Bible Study, group Bible Study or quick discussion with friends over popcorn and ice cream. A section of it it can be taken and quickly trashed out in brief during a break. Be sure to download or reproduce the featured graphic to provide visuals. From laptop, tablet, or smart phone, the featured image can be projected on TV in the living room. There would be no need for projector and screen. We must all work together to get this message to the body of Christ before it is too late. Time cometh when no man shall work. When the night is come, the time of work will be done away. Therefore, let us do the work of Him that called us while it is day( Jon.9:4).