The overlapping of the Great Tribulation with the
Day of the Lord.
The Messianic Kingdom of Peace.
The Battle of Armageddon is after the return of the Lord with the plagues of the
trumpets and the raising from the dead and the Rapture, in the first part of the period of the
"Day of the Lord", an event in the second part, the "day of the wrath of God".
After the judgment of the bowls 1 – 6 and the decline of Babylon – the destruction of the great
city by the antichristian armies – they meet the Lord and his army of heaven in Armageddon.
The Battle of Armageddon is followed by the seventh bowl of wrath which brings about a
reorganization of heaven and earth as preparation for the "Millennium", the next period of
the last days, in the Judgment of God upon heaven and earth by worldwide earthquakes and other
catastrophes.
(See also Chapter 05: "The Day of the Lord.")
|
Postscript: (See also Discourse 05: "The
parallel course of events of Mt 24 and Rev 6 and 7") In this connection we also come to realize, on the
basis of 2The 2,1-4 and Rev 13,1-11, that there cannot be just one
Antichrist who will dominate in the Last Days, but two: a human
dictator (the rider on the white horse, Rev 6,1-2) in the Great
Tribulation (Rev 6,1-8; Mt 24,1-25) and a demonic spiritual being
(the beast from the sea, Rev 13) on the Day of the Wrath of God. (See also Discourse 86: "The
first and second Antichrist.") In view of the fact, however, that this new point of
view in principle only results in transpositions in the temporal
sequence of events, while the content – apart from a few
exceptions – essentially remains the same, the documents based on
the old interpretation (taking these indications into account)
remain fully valid and so have been retained here. A summary of the
changes may be found in Discourse 48. (See also Discourse 48: "An
alternative view on the sequence of events in the Last Days.") |
Although the battle itself is an event on the "Day of the Lord", the
gathering of the antichristian armies seems to take place still in the period before that, namely in
the period of the "Great Tribulation". This concentration of worldly power is the cause
for the appearance of the Lord Jesus on the Day of the Lord, who will fight with his heavenly army
and his saints against this diabolic power and destroy it.
The event which links these two periods of time, the "Great Tribulation" and the "Day
of the Lord", together is the great darkness. Here below, in Joel 3,14-21, we find out that the
antichristian armies already gathered in the "valley of decision" and that the darkening
of the celestial bodies, that is to say the great darkness, is near.
(See also Chapter 04: "The Great Darkness.")
The day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
Joel 3,14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the
day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 3,15 The sun and moon grow dark And the
stars lose their brightness. 3,16 The LORD roars from Zion And utters His voice from Jerusalem, And
the heavens and the earth tremble. But the LORD is a refuge for His people And a stronghold to
the sons of Israel. Joel 3,14-16;
When these things begin to take place, your redemption is drawing near.
Lk 21,25 "There will be signs in sun and moon and stars,
and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 21,26
men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the
powers of the heavens will be shaken.
21,27 "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
21,28 "But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads,
because your redemption is drawing near." Lk 21,25-28;
They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky.
Mt 24,29 "But 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 the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 21,30 "And then the sign of the Son
of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see
the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 21,31 "And He
will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect
from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Mt 24,29-31;
And also from the text above in Lk 21,25-28 and Mt 24,29-31 we find out that after
the tribulation of that time and before the appearance of the sign of the Son of Man in the sky, the
celestial bodies will be darkened.
The great darkness is the last event in the period of the "Great Tribulation", which,
however, naturally, extends far into the time of the Day of the Lord. The darkening of the celestial
bodies is on the one hand the sign of the coming of the Lord and, as Lk 21,28 tells us, also the
sign of the forthcoming salvation of the elect.
Then we learn that the Son of Man will come on the clouds of heaven and his angels will gather the
elect who are among others those elect whom we meet – after their raising from the dead and their
Rapture – with John in the Revelation, in the army of heaven who will fight with the Lamb against
the kings of the Antichrist.
(See also Chapter 06: "The Return of the Lord – Part 1: The Return and the Rapture.")
These kings give their power and authority to the beast and will wage war against the Lamb.
Rev 17,12 "The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not
yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 17,13
"These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. 17,14
"These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is
Lord of lords and king of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and
faithful." Rev 17,12-14;
Although one can assume therefore that the gathering of the antichristian armies for
battle will take place already before the Day of the Lord and the great darkness, the most important
statements of the Scriptures concerning this event shall be repeated here for the sake of
completeness.
(See also Chapter 01: "The 70th week of
seven years.")
From the subsequent text in Rev 16,13-16 emerges that the threesome Satan,
Antichrist, and false prophet will send out "messages" that seem to contain signs to the
kings of the Gentiles in order to gather them and their armies for the great battle against God.
Although it seems here as if the diabolic threeness acted by itself and if it held the initiative in
its hand, we learn below, in Eze 39,2-3 that it is in reality God who "allures"
"Gog", the Satan, with all his adherents and "turns" him "around" to the
mountains of Israel – to Armageddon.
And so Satan and the Antichrist gather a huge army and take it to Armageddon. This name is a direct
transcription of the Hebrew Har= mountain and Megiddo= the name of a city in the plain
of Jesreel. The city of Megiddo (Jos 17,11; Zech 12,11, and others) was situated strategically
favorably in the plain of Esdrelom or Jesreel, on the Via Maris, the road that led from Egypt to
Damascus and farther to Mesopotamia.
This plain has belonged to the greatest theaters of combat of the world since the oldest times up to
the time of Napoleon. Here Barak defeated Debora Sisera and his chariots (Jude 5,19-29); here Ahaziah,
the king of Judah, died who was hit by the arrows of Jehu (2Ki 9,27); there the good Josiah lost his
life in the fight against Pharao Neco (2Chr 35,22; 2Ki 23,29-30).
As far as the prefix "Har" – that is to say mountain – concerns one has to bear in
mind the topographic conditions in Israel. The land is relatively flat and there are hardly really
high mountains. What is called a "mountain" there is with us in Central Europe a hill at
best. We find here a confirmation in the events in Israel at our time, where on the outskirts of
Jerusalem, in Harhoma, that is to say on the "mountain" Homa, Jewish development houses
shall be built, although this is Palestinian territory. If we take a closer look at this area, we
will see that this "mountain" is unmistakably a hill. And just on such a hill also the city of
Megiddo is reported to have been situated.
Nevertheless, "Armageddon" is probably rather a symbolic name. As we can see below, in
Joel 3,1-3, also the valley "Jehoshaphat" is a symbol of this last battle before the
Millennium.
The kings of the whole world will be gathered together for the war of the great day of God.
Rev 16,13 And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of
the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs;
16,14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole
world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.
16,15 ("Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his
clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.") 16,16 And
they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon. Rev 16,13-16;
I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat.
Joel 3,1 "For behold, in those days and at that time, When I
restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 3,2 I will gather all the nations And bring them
down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there On behalf of My
people and My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And they have
divided up My land. 3,3 "They have also cast lots for My people, Traded a boy for a harlot And
sold a girl for wine that they may drink. Joel 3, 1- 3;
The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed.
Ps 2,1 Why are the nations in an uproar And the
peoples devising a vain thing? 2,2 The kings of the earth take their
stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His
Anointed, saying, 2,3 "Let us tear their fetters apart And cast
away their cords from us!" 2,4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The
Lord scoffs at them. 2,5 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify
them in His fury, saying, 2,6 "But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon
Zion, My holy mountain." 2,7 "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He
said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’ 2,8
Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very
ends of the earth as Your possession. 2,9 You shall break them with a
rod of iron, You shall hatter them like earthenware." 2,10 Now
therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, 2,11 Worship the LORD with
reverence And rejoice with trembling. 2,12 Do homage to the Son, that He not
become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How
blessed are all who take refuge in Him! Ps 2,1-12;
Here above, in Joel 3,1-3, we also have the reasons why God gathers these Gentiles
and will destroy them in the battle. He will enter into judgment with them on behalf of his people
and his inheritance, Israel. Because they have occupied the land and sold and scattered his people
among the nations.
So, this is the retaliation for the conquest and dispersion of Jerusalem by the Antichrist at the
time of the Great Tribulation, which is described in Zech 14,1-2. At that time the Lord also
gathered the Gentiles, namely for the fight against Jerusalem. And Jerusalem was then also actually
given into their hands – in contrast to this situation here, in the valley of Jehoshaphat.
For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle.
Zech 14,1 Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken
from you will be divided among you. 14,2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to
battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the
city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Zech 14, 1- 2;
Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Lk 21,20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then
recognize that her desolation is near. 21,21 "Then those who are in Judea must flee to the
mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country
must not enter the city; 21,22 because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are
written will be fulfilled. 21,23 "Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing
babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people; 21,24
and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and
Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Lk 21,20-24;
(See also Chapter 02: "The conquest and the
dispersion of Jerusalem.")
This is now the day of vengeance and retaliation of the Lord. The time has come to
redeem his people. Also and in particular the statements from Isaiah, chapters 51-56, describe that
time here. The yoke is finally taken from the shoulder of the people of Israel. Soon the Lord will
be king in Zion and will let his people return home.
I have taken out of your hand the cup of reeling, you will never drink it again.
Isa 51,22 Thus says your Lord, the LORD, even your God Who contends for
His people, " Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of reeling, The chalice of My
anger; You will never drink it again. 51,23 "I will put it into the hand of your
tormentors, Who have said to you, ‘Lie down that we may walk over you.’ You have even made your
back like the ground And like the street for those who walk over it." Isa 51,22-23;
For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and My year of redemption has come.
Isa 63,1 Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of glowing
colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His
strength? "It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save." 63,2 Why is Your apparel
red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? 63,3 "I have trodden the wine
trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And
trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My
raiment. 63,4 "For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come.
63,5 "I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to
uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me. 63,6 "I trod down the
peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the
earth." Isa 63, 1- 6;
Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare a war; rouse the mighty men.
Joel 3,9 Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare a war; rouse the
mighty men! Let all the soldiers draw near, let them come up! 3,10 Beat your plowshares into
swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, "I am a mighty man."
3,11 Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations, And gather yourselves there. Bring down, O LORD,
Your mighty ones. 3,12 Let the nations be aroused And come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, For
there I will sit to judge All the surrounding nations. Joel 3, 9-12;
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision, for the day of the LORD is near.
Joel 3,13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come,
tread, for the wine press is full; The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great. 3,14 Multitudes,
multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
Joel 3,13-14;
The sun and moon grow dark and the stars lose their brightness.
Joel 3,15 The sun and moon grow dark And the stars lose their
brightness. 3,16 The LORD roars from Zion And utters His voice from Jerusalem, And the heavens
and the earth tremble. But the LORD is a refuge for His people And a stronghold to the sons of
Israel. Joel 3,15-16;
Therefore also the outcome of this battle has been decided for thousands of years
(Rev 17,14). In the interpretation it can never be clarified quite definitely if the satanic powers
do not know God’s plan or do not want to know it. According to the laws of logic it should be the
latter one.
For also if Satan should not be able to recognize the will of God directly, one should at least
proceed from the assumption that he can read the Bible. And here, he could, if he only wanted to,
learn the outcome of each single step of himself. But obviously he does not want to admit it to
himself. He believes up to the very last second that he will succeed in seizing power.
After this review of the gathering of the worldly, antichristian armies, we come now
back to the period of the "Day of the Lord" and to the Battle of Armageddon. Also the Lord
Jesus has now, after his appearance and the raising of the dead in Christ and their Rapture with the
living faithful, gathered his army. He comes down from heaven with all his saints and fights against
the armies of the nations that are with the Antichrist.
And behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True.
Rev 19,11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He
who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 19,12
His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him
which no one knows except Himself. 19,13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His
name is called The Word of God. Rev 19,11-13;
The LORD of hosts is mustering the army for battle.
Isa 13,2 Lift up a standard on the bare hill, Raise your voice to them,
Wave the hand that they may enter the doors of the nobles. 13,3 I have commanded My consecrated
ones, I have even called My mighty warriors, My proudly exulting ones, To execute My
anger.
13,4 A sound of tumult on the mountains, Like that of many people! A sound of the uproar of
kingdoms, Of nations gathered together! The LORD of hosts is mustering the army for battle.
13,5 They are coming from a far country, From the farthest horizons, The LORD and His instruments of
indignation, To destroy the whole land. 13,6 Wail, for the day of the LORD is near! It will
come as destruction from the Almighty. 13,7 Therefore all hands will fall limp, And every man’s
heart will melt.
13,8 They will be terrified, Pains and anguish will take hold of them; They will writhe like a woman
in labor, They will look at one another in astonishment, Their faces aflame.
13,9 Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make
the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it.
13,10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun
will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light. Isa 13, 2-10;
Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations.
Zech 14,3 Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those
nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.
14,4 In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the
east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley,
so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.
14,5 You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel;
yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then
the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him! 14,6 In that day there will be
no light; the luminaries will dwindle.
4,7 For it will be a unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come
about that at evening time there will be light. Zech 14, 3- 7;
And He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.
Rev 19,14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 19,15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so
that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads
the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 19,16 And on His robe and on His thigh
He has a name written, "King of kings, and Lord of lords." Rev 19,14-16;
Come, tread, for the wine press is full; The vats overflow.
Joel 3,13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread,
for the wine press is full; The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great. 3,14 Multitudes,
multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
Joel 3,13-14;
As we read above, the Battle of Armageddon and the destruction of the antichristian
army is in the first place a retaliation for the conquest and desecration of Jerusalem and the
murder of the two witnesses at the beginning of the second antichristian rule. But at the same time it is
the time of the turning point in the fate of Israel which has been awaited for so long. From now on
the people of Israel will gradually take the place which has been prophesied to them for thousands
of years, but which it has again and again failed to obtain through its own fault.
(See also Discourse 86: "The first and the second Antichrist.")
These ten kings will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them.
Rev 17,12 "The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not
yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 17,13
"These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. 17,14 "These
will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and
King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." Rev
17,12-14;
The beast and the kings of the earth make war against Him who sat on the horse.
Rev 19,19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their
armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Rev 19,19;
I trod down the peoples in My anger, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.
Isa 63,1 Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of glowing
colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His
strength? "It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save." 63,2 Why is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? 63,3 "I have trodden the
wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My
anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I
stained all My raiment. 63,4 "For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year
of redemption has come.
63,5 "I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to
uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me.
63,6 "I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I poured out
their lifeblood on the earth." Isa 63, 1- 6;
Apart from the texts of the Old Testament from Isaiah, Joel, and Zechariah, also in
Eze 39 we have an entire chapter, which deals with this event. Just as chapter Eze 38 describes the
Last Fight at the end of the world, in Eze 39 the Battle of Armageddon is prophetically described.
It is in both cases "Gog", the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal – a designation for Satan
- who comes to Israel in order to fight against God. And he will lose his fight both here and there.
(See also Chapter 11: "The end of the world – the
last fight.")
I will turn you around, drive you on, take you up from the remotest parts of the north.
Ezk 39,1 "And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, ‘Thus
says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal;
39,2 and I will turn you around, drive you on, take you up from the remotest parts of the north
and bring you against the mountains of Israel. 39,3 "I will strike your bow from your left
hand and dash down your arrows from your right hand. Eze 39, 1- 3;
I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws.
Ezk 38,1 And the word of the LORD came to me saying, 38,2 "Son of
man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal,
and prophesy against him 38,3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, O
Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. 38,4 "I will turn you about and put hooks into your
jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly
attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; Eze 38, 1- 4;
As we see both prophecies are directed against Gog, the prince of Rosh (or chief
prince of) Meshech and Tubal. So, it is in both cases the same addressee, namely Satan, who will go
to war against Israel with his armies in order to fight against God both in Armageddon, before the
Millennium (Eze 39), and in the Last Fight, after the one thousand years (Eze 38).
But already the subsequent verses from Eze 38 show quite clearly that here a battle at the "end
of times", at the end of the world, after the Millennium, is meant.
After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years.
Ezk 38,5 Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield
and helmet; 38,6 Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with
all its troops—many peoples with you. 38,7 "Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all
your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. 38,8 After many days you
will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the
sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which
had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living
securely, all of them. Eze 38, 5- 8;
This is also confirmed by the statement "the land that is restored from the
sword". Israel was not, is not and will not be "restored from the sword" up to the
Millennium – and even extending into the beginnings of this kingdom that will last for a thousand
years. This land will not find its quiet and peace before the Kingdom of Peace of the Lord Jesus.
Only then when Israel is blessed with the Spirit of God and has become the head among the nations,
it will be possible to live in this country without fear, and henceforth they will not learn any
more to wage war.
They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Isa 2,2 Now it will come about that In the last days The mountain of
the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above
the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. 2,3 And many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may
teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go forth from
Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
2,4 And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they
will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift
up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.
2,5 Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. Isa 2, 2- 5;
(See also Chapter 11: "The end of the world.")
But all of this, as already mentioned, only in the Millennium and not here, at the
return of the Lord before the Millennium. With that it is got straight that we do not have to take
into account Eze 38 here, at the Battle of Armageddon, and we can concentrate on Eze 39.
Right in the next verse, Eze 39,4, a subject is brought forward and then further explained in the
verses Eze 39,17-.20, which forms an unmistakable parallel to the description of this battle in Rev
19,17-18.
I will give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and beast of the field.
Ezk 39,4 "You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all
your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you as food to every kind of predatory
bird and beast of the field. Eze 39, 4;
Speak to the birds: Assemble and come to my sacrifice.
Ezk 39,17 "As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Speak
to every kind of bird and to every beast of the field, "Assemble and come, gather from
every side to My sacrifice which I am going to sacrifice for you, as a great sacrifice on the
mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood.
39,18 "You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth,
as though they were rams, lambs, goats and bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
39,19 "So you will eat fat until you are glutted, and drink blood until you are drunk, from My
sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. 39,20 "You will be glutted at My table with horses
and charioteers, with mighty men and all the men of war," declares the Lord GOD.
39,21 "And I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgment
which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them. Eze 39,17-21;
He cried out with a loud voice: Come, assemble for the great supper of God.
Rev 19,17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out
with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, "Come, assemble for the
great supper of God, 19,18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders
and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh
of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great." Rev 19,17-18;
Also the call in both texts to "eat the flesh of the mighty men and kings
(princes)" is identical in both passages from the Scriptures and confirms once again that Eze 39
belongs to the Battle of Armageddon.
In Eze 39,5 we then find a statement which is in direct contrast to Eze 38. Just as we could
recognize there the situation of Israel in the Millennium from the statement "the land that is
restored from the sword", we find here, in the statement of Eze 39,5: "…those who
inhabit the coastlands in safety" a hint at the situation of the peoples at this time here,
before the Millennium. The "coastlands" stand in the Old Testament for the peoples and
nations without Israel. And it is these peoples and nations of the whole world who will inhabit the
lands in safety at that time – obviously in contrast to Israel.
And I will send fire upon Magog and those who inhabit the coastlands in safety.
Ezk 39,5 "You will fall on the open field; for it is I who have
spoken," declares the Lord GOD. 39,6 "And I will send fire upon Magog and those who
inhabit the coastlands in safety; and they will know that I am the LORD. 39,7 "My holy name
I will make known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not let My holy name be profaned
anymore. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
39,8 "Behold, it is coming and it shall be done," declares the Lord GOD. " That is
the day of which I have spoken.
39,9 "Then those who inhabit the cities of Israel will go out and make fires with the weapons
and burn them, both shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears, and for seven years
they will make fires of them. 39,10 "They will not take wood from the field or gather firewood
from the forests, for they will make fires with the weapons; and they will take the spoil of those
who despoiled them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them," declares the Lord GOD.
39,11 "On that day I will give Gog a burial ground there in Israel, the valley of those who
pass by east of the sea, and it will block off those who would pass by. So they will bury Gog there
with all his horde, and they will call it the valley of Hamon-gog.
39,12 "For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land.
39,13 "Even all the people of the land will bury them; and it will be to their renown on the
day that I glorify Myself," declares the Lord GOD.
39,14 "They will set apart men who will constantly pass through the land, burying those who
were passing through, even those left on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the
end of seven months they will make a search. 39,15 "As those who pass through the land pass
through and anyone sees a man’s bone, then he will set up a marker by it until the buriers have
buried it in the valley of Hamon-gog.
39,16 "And even the name of the city will be Hamonah. So they will cleanse the land."‘ .
Eze 39, 5-16;
Another difference from the Last Fight at the end of the world emerges from the text
in verse Eze 39,9. There it says that the Israelites will make fire with the war material of Gog’s
armies for seven years. If this event concerned the Last Fight, there would not be seven years left,
for there the armies of the Gentiles will be destroyed under the command of Satan in no time by fire
from heaven and then heaven and earth will pass away.
As we have seen above, also Zechariah describes this battle in chapter 14. While he prophesies at
the beginning – Zech 14,1-2 – the raid of the Antichrist upon Jerusalem, he subsequently
describes the Battle of Armageddon and also expressly points out in Zech 14,12 (in a similar way as
Joel 3,2) that this battle is the retaliation for the fact that these peoples went to war against
Jerusalem.
This will be the plague for all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem.
Zech 14,12 Now this will be the plague with which the LORD will
strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem; their flesh will rot while they
stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their
mouth.
14,13 It will come about in that day that a great panic from the LORD will fall on them; and they
will seize one another’s hand, and the hand of one will be lifted against the hand of another.
14,14 Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will
be gathered, gold and silver and garments in great abundance.
14,15 So also like this plague will be the plague on the horse, the mule, the camel, the donkey and
all the cattle that will be in those camps. Zech 14,12-15;
In this battle the entire army of the Antichrist is destroyed by the army of heaven
under the command of the Son of God. The Antichrist himself and his false prophet are thrown alive
into the lake of fire and Satan is bound in the abyss for a thousand years. Thus, Antichrist and
false prophet are the first creatures who fall into perdition, whereas Satan will lose his fight
only after the thousand years and will follow the two into the lake of fire.
The beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire.
Rev 19,20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who
performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the
beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which
burns with brimstone. 19,21 And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth
of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. Rev 19,20-21;
And he laid hold of the dragon and threw him into the abyss.
Rev 20,1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key
of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 20,2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old,
who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 20,3 and he threw him into the
abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer,
until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short
time. Rev 20, 1- 3;
But this battle is also the prelude to a worldwide Judgment of God, in which also
those people who did not take part in the battle – that is to say the civilian population – is
struck by global catastrophes. It is the reorganization of heaven and earth, as preparation for the
Millennium, which will change the whole surface of the earth by tremendous, global earthquakes.
All the land Israel will be changed into a plain, but Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site.
Zech 14,10 All the land will be changed into a plain from Geba
to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; but Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site from Benjamin’s
Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the
king’s wine presses. 14,11 People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for
Jerusalem will dwell in security. Zech 14,10-11;
(See also Chapter 08: "The reorganization of
heaven and earth.")
In Eze 39,22-29 we can also find out then that after these events the fate of Israel
will be turned. Up to that time the Lord gave the Israelites into the hand of their adversaries, so
that they had to fall by the sword. But now he will restore the fortunes of Israel and have mercy on
them.
I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, and bring them back from the peoples.
Ezk 39,22 "And the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD
their God from that day onward. 39,23 "The nations will know that the house of Israel went into
exile for their iniquity because they acted treacherously against Me, and I hid My face from
them; so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and all of them fell by the sword.
39,24 "According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I dealt with them,
and I hid My face from them."‘"
39,25 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have
mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name.
39,26 "They will forget their disgrace and all their treachery which they perpetrated
against Me, when they live securely on their own land with no one to make them afraid. 39,27
"When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their
enemies, then I shall be sanctified through them in the sight of the many nations.
39,28 "Then they will know that I am the LORD their God because I made them go into exile among
the nations, and then gathered them again to their own land; and I will leave none of them
there any longer.
39,29 "I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I will have poured out My Spirit on
the house of Israel," declares the Lord GOD. Eze 39,22-29;
And now the time has also come where the Lord gathers the people of Israel again
from all nations. They are brought to their land and God will pour out his Spirit upon the house of
Israel. And with that we are already in the Millennium, in the kingdom that will last for a thousand
years, where Israel will be the head among the nations.
Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations.
Jer 31,7 For thus says the LORD, "Sing aloud with gladness for
Jacob, And shout among the chief of the nations; Proclaim, give praise and say, ‘O LORD, save
Your people, The remnant of Israel.’ 31,8 "Behold, I am bringing them from the north country,
And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth, Among them the blind and the lame, The
woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together; A great company, they will return
here. Jer 31, 7- 8;
(See also Chapter 09: "The return of the redeemed.")
Besides, the text above, in Eze 39,25-29, is one of the many passages from the
Scriptures, which give the assertion of the Zionists the lie that the time of the gathering of
Israel would already have set in since the foundation of the present state of Israel in 1948. Today
neither the glory of the Lord has been brought among the Gentiles, nor has there been any judgment
pronounced upon the Gentiles, the Israelites live – as everyone knows – not safely in their country,
and the assertion that the Spirit of God would have been poured out upon this people of Israel of
today, will probably not even be maintained by the Jews themselves. The present people of Israel
hardly differs from the peoples of the Gentiles. The Lord Jesus tells us of these Jews
Who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie.
Rev 3,9 ‘Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who
say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet,
and make them know that I have loved you. Rev 3, 9;
By the way, the ultra orthodox in Israel are quite aware of this fact and therefore
reject themselves the present state of Israel, because it did not come into being by the coming of
the Messiah.
Accordingly, the "gathering" of the Israelites since the year 1948 is not the gathering,
which was predicted by the prophets of the Old Testament. The fortunes of Jacob are –
unfortunately – not yet restored. The Israelites have to be dispersed once more, and this time for
the last time. And only then a part of those who remain will convert to their God and he will be
their God and they will be then his people.
After the Lord has reorganized heaven and earth, he takes over his reign as king
over the whole world. He will live in Jerusalem, on his holy mountain, and Jerusalem will be holy.
(On account of the scope of this subject a separate chapter was devoted to it
[Chapter 10: "The Millennium."]. Here, only the most
important points are summarized.)
The LORD will be king over all the earth.
Zech 14,9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that
day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one. Zech 14, 9;
I am the LORD your God, Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain.
Joel 3,17 Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, Dwelling
in Zion, My holy mountain. So Jerusalem will be holy, And strangers will pass through it no
more. Joel 3,17;
And a spring will go out from the temple. Half of this spring of "living
water" from Jerusalem will flow into the sea in the west, the Mediterranean Sea, and the other
half will flow into the "eastern region", that is to say into the valley of Kidron, then
it will flow farther into the valley of Jordan and finally it will flow into the "sea in the
east", that is to say into the Dead Sea. As described in Eze 47,8-9, the waters of the Dead Sea
will become "fresh" and, wherever the river comes, life shall blossom in the desert.
A spring will go out from the house of the LORD.
Joel 3,18 And in that day The mountains will drip with sweet wine, And
the hills will flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah will flow with water; And a spring
will go out from the house of the LORD To water the valley of Shittim. 3,19 Egypt will become a
waste, And Edom will become a desolate wilderness, Because of the violence done to the sons of
Judah, In whose land they have shed innocent blood. 3,20 But Judah will be inhabited forever And
Jerusalem for all generations. 3,21 And I will avenge their blood which I have not avenged, For
the LORD dwells in Zion. Joel 3,18-21;
Living waters will flow out of Jerusalem.
Zech 14,8 And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem,
half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer
as well as in winter. Zech 14, 8;
Water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east
Ezk 47,1 Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and
behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house
faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south
of the altar.
47,2 He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate
by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side. 47,3 When
the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led
me through the water, water reaching the ankles.
47,4 Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he
measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins.
47,5 Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had
risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded. 47,6 He said to me, "Son of
man, have you seen this?" Then he brought me back to the bank of the river.
47,7 Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees on the one
side and on the other.
47,8 Then he said to me, "These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the
Arabah; then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea
become fresh. 47,9 "It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place
where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and
the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.
47,10 "And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim
there will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like
the fish of the Great Sea, very many. 47,11 "But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh;
they will be left for salt.
47,12 "By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees
for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month
because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for
healing." Eze 47, 1-12;
By the way, here, in Eze 47,1-12 it can be seen very clearly that the Kingdom of
Peace of the Lord Jesus that will last for a thousand years is a prefulfillment of the eternal
kingdom of God, as it is described to us in Rev 22,1-2.
(See also Table 12: "The earthly and the heavenly
Jerusalem.")
And finally also those who are left of all the nations that once went against
Jerusalem and who survived the subsequent Judgment of God, will go up to the temple every year in
order to worship the Lord and in order to celebrate with the people of God the Feast of Booths.
Any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go to worship the LORD.
Zech 14,16 Then it will come about that any who are left of all the
nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of
hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. 14,17 And it will be that whichever of the families
of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no
rain on them.
14,18 If the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the
plague with which the LORD smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.
14,19 This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations who do not go up
to celebrate the Feast of Booths.
14,20 In that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, "HOLY TO THE LORD."
And the cooking pots in the LORD’S house will be like the bowls before the altar. 14,21 Every
cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of hosts; and all who sacrifice will
come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the
LORD of hosts in that day. Zech 14,16-21;
(See also Chapter 10: "The Millennium.")
So we can see also here a certain chronological order:
- The Lord comes to the gathering of the elect. (Mt 24:30-31; 43-44;
Rev 16:15; 1Thes 5:1-4;) - This is at the same time the "Day of the Lord". (1Thes
5:2, 4; 2Pet 3:10;) - The Antichrist gathers his armies in Armageddon. (Rev 16:13-14; 16;) - The Lord comes with the army of heaven to fight against the
Antichrist. (Rev 19:11-16;) - The Battle of Armageddon. (Rev 17:12-14;) - The army of the Antichrist is defeated. (Rev 19:17-18; 21; Rev
17:14;) - The Antichrist and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of
fire. (Rev 19:20;) - Satan is bound in the abyss for a thousand years. (Rev 20:1-3;) - The Judgment of God: the reorganization of heaven and earth. (Lk
21:25-26;) - The Millennium. (Rev 20:4-6; Eze 39:25-29; Zech 14:16-21;) |