End Time Prophecy
What did Jesus, Daniel, Ezekiel, Paul, and John teach about the end-times?
Summary
Revelation contains seven letters that Jesus sent to seven churches in first-century provincial Asia, an area that today is part of Turkey (Revelation 2, 3). Next, the visions depicting the end of our Age begin with a scrolled document supernaturally locked with seven seals. Some theologians describe this document as being the title or deed for planet earth. Jesus reasserts ownership of earth as he breaks open each seal.
The opening of the first four seals bring the “four horsemen of the apocalypse” onto the scene—the spirits of (1) conquest, (2) war, (3) famine, and (4) death. The fifth seal is a cry from the martyrs, calling for justice, for God to avenge their deaths. Hearing the martyrs’ cry, God sees a planet (earth) covered with blood. God responds at the sixth seal by showing the murderous and life-disrespecting people of earth another planet (the moon) turned a frightening blood-red color. At the same instant, he shakes the globe with a worldwide earthquake. With the seventh seal, there is silence in heaven and seven angels are given seven trumpets.
The first of seven trumpets burns a third of the earth—a description of global, thermonuclear war. The second trumpet describes an attack on warships at sea. The next two trumpets bring contaminated drinking water, and a darkened global atmosphere. The fifth trumpet opens a bottomless pit and demonic locusts come from the pit. With the next trumpet, four angels riding horses are released from the Euphrates River, released to kill a third of the persons on earth. Then the seventh angel sounds the last trumpet, and loud voices are heard in heaven, as excitement grows.
The pouring of the seven bowls of God’s wrath upon the earth complete the destruction of God’s enemies, with judgments similar to the plagues Moses brought against Pharaoh. The first bowl brings painful sores. With the next two bowls the water in oceans, rivers, and springs become blood, just as Moses turned the water of the Nile River into blood. The fourth bowl causes the sun to flare and scorch men with fire. In contrast, the fifth bowl plunges the world into darkness. The sixth bowl dries the Euphrates River, to allow armies to cross on the way to the battle of Armageddon. The last bowl is the most severe and destroys the false church, named Babylon. This judgment brings hailstones and earthquakes that demolish the earth.
After the seventh bowl, Jesus returns to earth and defeats his enemies. Jesus then establishes a kingdom on a restored earth for one thousand years, and believers reign with Christ. This is the Millennium Age. After these thousand years, the New Jerusalem appears as the final dwelling place for God and his people.
Colorful personalities shape and define the end-time story. In the corner of righteousness are our heroes—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! Prophets, saints, and all those who revere his name serve God. (Revelation 11:18) Angels deliver the fight on God’s behalf, while millions in heaven cheer. In the opposite corner are Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. On earth, the kings (rulers of nations) and most of the earth’s inhabitants align with this evil trinity. Demons also support this massive rebellion against God. Three separate religious bodies, which scripture depicts as three women, are also central to the story. The women are the Bride (the faithful church), Babylon (the prostitute church), and God’s chosen nation, Israel.
The writer of Revelation, John, is also a participant. As events unfold, John is in the throne room of God. Most historians believe John to be the Apostle, and credit him with also writing the gospel of John, 1st John, 2nd John, and 3rd John. He was the youngest and the last of the twelve Apostles to die. John reclined next to Jesus at the Last Supper (John 13:23). John saw Jesus die on the cross; there Jesus instructed John to take care of Mary (John 19:26-27). However, John also had a fiery side to his personality; Jesus called him a Son of Thunder (Mark 3:17).
The fight is between good and evil. The battle is for the souls of men, women, and children.