Listen to this articleIntroduction
The greatest point of hope for Christians all over the world is in the coming of Christ. Before Jesus left the earth, he left his followers with a promise of his return. But there are so many questions that people have.
What are the signs of his coming? will the church see the antichrist? What happens to those people who are left behind? where will people go after rapture? And How will God judge the world?
This booklet is a summarised outline of the end times. If you desire a more detailed analysis of the topics presented here, you can request the full comprehensive book, ‘The Coming of Christ by Charles P. Mawungwa.’
Journey of The Church
Matthew 24:3 (NKJV)
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
We shall start by looking at the Journey that the church shall pass through, leading to the coming of Christ. In Mathew 24 and Luke 21, Jesus narrates a series of events leading to the coming of Christ. These seven events are seen by John in the book of Revelation chapter 6 as The Seven Seals. These seven events, lead to the revelation of Jesus as Christ to the world. They lead to the revelation of the sons of God. They lead to the end of this age.
These Seven events are revealed by Jesus Christ in two phases. The first four seals are phase 1, and the last 3 seals are phase 2.
First Four Events – First Four Seals
1) Many Christian Preachers – Much Deception
The first event is an open door that shall allow many people to arise on earth, preaching in the name of Jesus Christ, and as this happens, there shall be much deception.
Matthew 24:4 (NKJV)
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
Revelation 6:1-2 (NKJV)
1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
2) World Wars
After the rise of many preachers, peace will be taken away from the earth, and there will be a world war, where nations will be rising against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms all at once.
Matthew 24:6-7 (NKJV)
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Revelation 6:3-4 (NIV)
3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earthand to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
When Peace has been taken away from the earth, you get a world war. Whilst there has been many wars, there has been only two world wars.
3) Global Droughts And New Diseases
Matthew 24:7-8 (NKJV)
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Revelation 6:5-6 (NKJV)
5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
After the world wars, the third event that shall take place is massive food shortages and global diseases.
4) Death – A Quarter Of The Earth Is Killed
Revelation 6:7-8 (NKJV)
7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
The fourth seal, will release the spirit of death. This spirit will use the things released in the first three seals to kill a quarter of the world’s population. A quarter of the earth is about 1.2 Billion people. There will be war, hunger and unexplained deaths at the same time.
The Last Three Events, – Signs Of Jesus Coming
5.) The Great Falling Away
The great falling away is the first major sign that Christ is about to come.
Revelation 6:9-11 (NKJV)
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
The church will enter into serious persecution from the governments of the nations. As a result many people will fall away from true Christianity. The gift of prophecy shall increase in the world, and many false prophets will be scattered all over the world. However, during this period, The true gospel will actually penetrate and spread to the unreached parts of the earth.
Matthew 24:9-14 (NIV)
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death,and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faithand will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
The Antichrist Will Be Revealed
The apostle Paul shows us that during this great falling away, the antichrist is going to be revealed to the Church. He will go to Jerusalem and be crowned as king and god of Israel.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christand our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
When the Antichrist takes his place as God and king in the temple that is built in Israel. This event is known as The Abomination of desolation. This will launch the Great Tribulation in Israel.
Here are the events as narrated in different scriptures.
Jesus
Matthew 24:15-22 (KJV)
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be
22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Daniel
Daniel 11:36 (NKJV)
36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done
Daniel 12:1-2 (ESV)
1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Zechariah
Zechariah 14:1-2 (NKJV)
1 Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished.
Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
6) Darkness on Earth
When the Antichrist has taken his seat in Israel and half of the Jews in Jerusalaem go into exile spiritual darkness will fall upon the world. This shall be the signal that The Day of Christ is at the door. This is the Final Sign
Mathew 24:29-30
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moonwill not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Revelation 6:12-17 (NKJV)
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
When God is speaking of the sun and stars becoming dark, he is speaking of a time of gloom, a time of suffering.
Ezekiel 32:7-9 (ESV)
7 When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens and make their stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light.
8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over you, and put darkness on your land, declares the Lord God. 9 “I will trouble the hearts of many peoples, when I bring your destruction among the nations, into the countries that you have not known.
This time of Darkness, is also called, The Night. When it comes, no one will be able to preach the gospel or do the work of Christ.
John 9:4 (ESV)
4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
This darkness on earth is a signal that the Day of The Lord has begun.
7. Rapture
Psalms 84:11 (KJV)
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory:no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
The world gives themselves to serve the antichrist, he is going to influence the whole world to block the preaching of the light of gospel of grace. This is what it means when it says the sun shall become dark. There will be no new people getting saved at this time.
Because salvation of Christ can no longer be preached, that’s when Jesus will open the seventh seal. When Jesus opens the seventh Seal, all the angels of heaven shall come down to the earth, and there will be silence in heaven.
Revelation 8:1 (ESV)
1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
Matthew 24:29-31 (ESV)
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Matthew 25:31-32 (KJV)
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
So there is silence in heaven for half an hour because all the angels have come down with Christ. Jesus says at this time, the angels will gather the elect from one end of earth to one end of heaven.
Quick Fact:If we are using a prophetic calendar, where each prophetic day, represents a year on earth. Half an hour in heaven, would be 7 days on Earth. (Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6)
This Process of gathering the elect to Christ is called the rapture.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (ESV)
15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up togetherwith them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
The word caught-up, is the word that when taken to Latin becomes rapture. Because the world is now completely in darkness, and the work of salvation cannot be continued. Christ will come and take his elect. The dead will resurrect and the living will be transformed into immortal bodies. These elect will be gathered to meet Christ in the air.
This rapture is the first event, that shall take place on the Day of The Lord.
THE DAY OF THE LORD
Understanding the day of the Lord is key to comprehending the scriptures that speak concerning the coming of Christ. Much of eschatology is describing this day of the Lord. So what is the Day of the Lord?
1. It is the Day of the coming of Christ
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 (ESV)
1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
2 Peter 3:3-4, 9 (ESV)
3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming?For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief,
So the coming of Jesus is the coming of the day of the Lord. If we say Jesus has come, we are saying that the day of the lord has already come. The two are synonymous. This day of the Lord, is also called the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ or simply, the Day of Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:7-8 (KJV)
So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
So all the events that shall happen during this day of the Lord, are considered to be happening at his coming.
2) It is a Day of Darkness
Amos 5:18-19 (ESV)
18 Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light,
19 as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him.
3. It is The Day of Wrath
The Day of The Lord’s Coming, is the Day of His Wrath, when he shall bring judgment on the world. The prophet Zephaniah describe the events of this period of time.
Zephaniah 1:14-18 (NKJV)
14 The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out.
15 That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 A day of trumpet and alarm Against the fortified cities And against the high towers.
17 “I will bring distress upon men, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they have sinned against the Lord;Their blood shall be poured out like dust, And their flesh like refuse.”
18 Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the Lord’s wrath;But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell in the land.
4. It is a day when the wicked people are destroyed
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 (NKJV)
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
5) It is a Day when Heaven and Earth are Destroyed
Heaven and earth will be destroyed with fire, at the coming of The Lord, during his day. A new heaven and a new earth will be set up.
2 Peter 3:10 (NKJV)
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
ORDER OF EVENTS ON THE DAY OF THE LORD
When the day of Christ comes, There will be darkness, Jesus will punish the wicked, destroy his enemies and create a new heaven and a new earth. However, these things don’t all happen at once. They shall take place in stages. The day of Christ is not a 24 hour period. It’s a period of at-least 7 years, in which Christ shall accomplish these things.
The judgement of God shall come in stages.
Stage 1- Separation- Rapture
The first event that takes place when the day of the Lord Comes is that he shall separate his elect from the rest of creation through resurrection and rapture.
Matthew 25:31-33 (ESV)
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
The righteous are gathered to be with Christ, and the wicked are gathered to be with the antichrist. The Holy Spirit will gather the righteous to Christ in the cloud through resurrection and rapture, where they shall receive their rewards. The wicked will be given an evil spirit of delusion, that will gather them to the antichrist on earth, where they shall receive their judgments.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of this separation.
Isaiah 26:19-21 (ESV)
19 Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.
20 Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you;hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by.
21 For behold, the Lord is comingout from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earthfor their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain.
The secret chamber that Isaiah is being told, the resurrected saints shall enter, is the cloud where Christ is.
John 14:3 (ESV)
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself,that where I am you may be also.
Once Christ has taken his elect from the four winds, and they are with him, hidden from the world, in the cloud, he can begin to execute judgement and fury and wrath upon the wickedness of the world. Christ will not condemn the righteous together with the wicked. Sodom and Gomorrah are given as an example.
Genesis 18:25 (ESV)
25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”
The night when the two angels arrived in Sodom and Lot was persecuted, represents the Tribulation. The exit of lot from Sodom to the mountains represents the rapture. The rain of fire from heaven, is the judgment, the day of the lord.
Will Every Eye Will See him?
There are two scriptures that seem to contradict. John says every eye will see him, but the book of Hebrews says, only the saints will see him. Will everyone see Christ or will only the elect see him.
Revelation 1:7 (ESV)
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
Hebrews 12:14 (NIV)
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, He cannot be seen as he is. Only those who are resurrected and have received spiritual bodies can see Jesus as he is.
1 John 3:2 (ESV)
2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
Colossians 3:4 (ESV)
4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
When the apostle Paul met Christ, he did not see him as he is. All he saw was a bright light. And by seeing that bright light, he was considered to have seen the Lord. (Acts 9:3, 1 Cor 15:8)
In the same way, when Christ returns the world will see his coming but they will not see him as he is. They will see the cloud, and they will see the light. When they see that cloud of light in the sky, they are considered to have seen the coming of Christ.
However, only those who have been transformed and given spiritual bodies shall be caught up to him, and see him directly as he is.
Where do the raptured saints Go?
When Christ ascended, the moment he entered the cloud he disappeared from the sight of the apostles. This will also be the same with us when we are raptured. The moment the saints enter the cloud, they will disappear and the world will see them no longer.
Acts 1:9-11 (ESV)
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
That same cloud that took Jesus out of people’s sight, will also take us out of the sight of the world.
These raptured saints, will be received in heaven with great celebration and they will serve God in the heavenly temple, waiting for the time of God’s wrath to finish.
Revelation 7:9-16 (ESV)
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
Stage Two- The Seven Judgments
Jesus Christ is going to pronounce seven judgments against his enemies. These seven judgments are known as the Seven Trumpets.
Revelation 8:1-2 (ESV)
1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
Each trumpet will announce a judgment of God.
Just as the heaven and the earth were created in seven stages, They shall also be destroyed and renewed in seven stages.
Trumpet 1: Forests
The first judgment is that God shall bring fire from heaven which shall destroy a thirdof plant life.
Revelation 8:7 (ESV)
7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
Trumpet 2: The sea
After God has destroyed the plants, he shall destroy a thirdthe life that is in the seas.
Revelation 8:8-9 (ESV)
8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
Trumpet 3: Fresh Water
A thirdof fresh water destroyed
Revelation 8:10-11 (ESV)
10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter.
Trumpet 4: Light
A third of light destroyed
Revelation 8:12 (ESV)
12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.
You will notice that God’s judgment is affecting a third of God’s natural creation. I believe this is related to the fact that in Revelation 12, the devil is seen as having corrupted A THIRD of the stars of heaven. I believe as a result, Satan has therefore been able to corrupt a third of things existing in nature. This is the third that God is destroying. I believe these judgments will have both a natural, and spiritual manifestation.
For Example: when the second trumpet is sounded, something like burning mountain fell to the sea. When an asteroid enters the earth’s atmosphere it lights up on fire and looks exactly like a giant burning mountain. An asteroid that size falling from space, will easily destroy a third of the planet.
However, spiritual, the fall of a burning mountain represents the fall of the kingdom of Babylon. (Jeremiah 51:25)
Another Example: when the third trumpet is sounded, a star falls from heaven and poisons the fresh waters. The shooting stars that we see in the skies, are actually meteoroid rocks that burn up when they enter the earth’s atmosphere from space. It is possible that one of these can at that time fall and poison the waters.
However, this same event will have a spiritual significance. From revelation 1:20 we see that stars represent the angels of the churches, who are people given spiritual leadership. This great fallen star would therefore represent the rise of the False Prophet who works with the Beast. From Jeremiah 2:3, James 3:10-11, Proverbs 25:25 we learn that The foundations represent the sources of God’s word, grace and goodness. Wormwood represents a bitter message ( Jer 8:14, 9:15).
The last three trumpets are aimed at God’s last creation, which is mankind. These three trumpets are also known as The Three Woes.
Revelation 8:13 (ESV)
13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”
To understand the Three Woes, we have to understand the state of the earth during this time. When the elect go to heaven, Satan will be given total control to rule the earth and everyone in it.
Soon after the Antichrist is revealed, Israel will go into exile and Christ will take his church. Once the church is gone, The Antichrist will be made king over the whole earth, and all the earth will worship him. He will speak lies concerning those who have been raptured and are living in heaven.
The Beast
Revelation 13:4-6 (ESV)
4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven
Revelation 13:8 (ESV)
8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
Revelation 13:16-17 (ESV)
16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.
God will place a strong delusion on the gentiles who are left behind, such that they will believe that this man who is sitting in Israel, is the true Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (ESV)
9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
The 144 000 Saints
In Jerusalem, not all people are going to receive the Antichrist. There will be a remnant who will refuse to worship the Antichrist. It is these who shall run to the wilderness.
Daniel 11:31-33 (ESV)
31 Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.
33 And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.
Just after the church is gone, Jesus will select 144 000 Jews as a remnant on earth. They will be faithful, they will not bow down to the antichrist and they will not be touched by the seven judgments. This remnant was prepared by God for that time.
Revelation 7:1-4 (ESV)
1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree.
2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea,
3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
These 144000 will have to persevere during the reign of the antichrist. It will be as it was in Israel during the time of Elijah.
Romans 9:27-29 (ESV)
27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,
28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.”
Romans 11:1-5 (ESV)
1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
In the same way, during the 7 judgements, these 144 000 Israelites will be chosen and sealed by grace, and they shall not bow down to the antichrist. They will hold on to the testimony of Jesus.
The Last 3 Woes
The last three trumpets are aimed as judgements to human beings, and all of Satan’s kingdom.
During the last three trumpets, God will also be treading the winepress of his wrath. This treading of the winepress is also known as the seven plagues. All these will happen during these last three trumpets.
The Fifth trumpet will open the Abyss, and demons will be released to torture people on earth. In the sixth trumpet fallen angels, that had been bound, and deemed too dangerous for the earth, will be released and given freedom to rule on earth.
During this time, people who are left behind, will try to die, but death will flee from them.
Revelation 9:6 (ESV)
6 And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.
The Seventh Trumpet – The End of The World
The seventh Trumpet, will announce the end of God’s wrath. It will announce the Great white-throne judgment., known as the judgment of the dead.
The Seventh Trumpet announces God’s final and last judgment, which determines who goes into the lake of fire and who does not.
Revelation 11:15-18 (ESV)
15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17 saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.
18 The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”
The judgment of the dead, is the last judgment. John describes it in Rev 20
Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV)
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.
13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged,each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
How The World Will End
Just before the Seventh Angel sounds his trumpet, the mystery of God must be completed.
Revelation 10:7 (NIV)
7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
The mystery of God that has been announced by the prophets, is Christ. All things must be made subject to Christ.
Ephesians 1:9-10 King James Version (KJV)
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
In the days of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound his trumpet, Christ will fulfil all things that the prophets have spoken about him. All creation will be brought under his feet. When all of heaven, and all of earth has been brought under Christ, The kingdom of heaven will be on earth, and we shall have a New Heaven and a new Earth.
The Saints Return
After all of God’s wrath on earth is finished, Jesus and all his raptured saints are going to descend to the ground, to take back Jerusalem and rule the earth.
Zechariah 14:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst.
2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then the Lord will go forth And fight against those nations,As He fights in the day of battle. 4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.
5 Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the Lord my God will come, And all the saints with You.
The battle described above, is known as the battle of Armageddon.
Armageddon
During the days of the last seven plagues, the antichrist is going to gather an army of ten kings from around the world to a place called Mountain Israel called Megiddo in reparation to meet the saints who are about to reclaim Jerusalem.
Revelation 16:12-16 (NKJV)
12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
In the next chapter, John is shown the number of these kings who shall be gathered by the Antichrist to fight Jesus and his saints. It’s 10 Kings from ten nations who will be ruling the whole earth at that time. They are prophesied in the book of Daniel and many other scriptures.
Revelation 17:12-14 (NKJV)
12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.
14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
However, there shall be no real battle. Jesus is merely going to speak a word, and all the ten kings and all their armies will instantly die.
Revelation 19:11-16 (NIV)
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army.
20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
The Thousand years
Once Jesus and the saints have now taken over Jerusalem. The antichrist is placed in the lake of fire. The Israelites and those who had been killed for holding on to the testimony of Jesus and refusing to worship the beast shall be resurrected, and become immortal kings along with the saints. Together they will rule the earth. Satan will be bound for 1000 years.
Revelation 20:1-4 (NIV)
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Who Is Ruled in The 1000 Years.
When Jesus lands on Mt Olives with the saints, the only people who are going to die are the 10 kings and their armies. They will be millions of them. However, the rest of the people in the world who served the Beast, but had not come in this army, shall not be killed.
Christ will preserve them, and their nations, and they will live for a thousand years. The people who were unfortunate enough to live or be born during the reign of the antichrist, shall receive the grace to live under the 1000 years of Christ rule.
Let’s continue with Zechariah 14.
Zechariah 14:12-19 (NIV)
12 This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.
13 On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another. 14 Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected —great quantities of gold and silver and clothing.
15 A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps.
16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King,the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain.
18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.
Life on Earth During The Millennium
Because Satan will be bound, there will be no deception. The world will be restored to what it was like in Eden. These survivors from the nations, will serve and worship Jesus the king. They will have very long lives just as it was at the beginning. They will live in Peace.
Isaiah 65:17-25 (NIV)
17 “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. 19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.
20 “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.
21 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them.
24 Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.
The people that are being referred to here, are not the resurrected saints. The resurrected saints will be like Christ. They will be immortal. The saints will be having spiritual bodies. They will be able to operate in heaven and on earth at the same time. They will be a new race of beings. A new creation. The Manifest sons of God. They will not be classified as Jew or gentile, because they are no longer sons of Adam, but sons of God. These sons of God will be the New Jerusalem, the bride of Christ.
Revelation 21:9-10 (ESV)
9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,
However, the Israelites that shall be saved and all the rest of the people from the nations who did not accompany the ten kings shall remain to live during this time. John is told that these nations shall receive their light from the Bride of Christ.
Revelation 21:23-24 (NIV)
23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
Some of the people from these nations shall even be chosen to serve God.
Isaiah 66:16-24 (NIV)
16 For with fire and with his sword the Lord will execute judgment on all people, and many will be those slain by the Lord.
19 “I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.
20 And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels. 21 And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says the Lord.
22 “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. 23 From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. 24 “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”
After The Millennium
After The Millennium God’s justice is going to be revealed. These nations who had served the antichrist, received mercy from Jesus, and lived for 1000 years under his reign. God will release the devil once more, to test them and their children who were born in this time to see whether they will choose Satan again.
Multitudes of them will again choose Satan over Jesus, and God will then finally destroy them with fire.
Revelation 20:7-10 (NIV)
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth —Gog and Magog —and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.
9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
This is the end. While millions will follow Satan, it does not mean all will do so. But those that will, shall be destroyed forever.
1 Corinthians 15:26-28 (NIV)
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
