Parousia Second Coming of Jesus Christ: Seven Last Plagues

Parousia Second Coming of Jesus Christ: Seven Last Plagues

“ ‘Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested’ ” (Revelation 15:4, NKJV).

Can our God of the Bible be just and there be no consequences for sin?    Did mercy and truth meet at the cross?  10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Ps. 85:10 KJV) 

Does vengeance belong only to God?    Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. (Rom. 12:19 KJV) In God’s government in the universe can good and evil exist side by side?   For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Rom. 6:23-7:1 KJV) 

Big questions which should be answered by you and the Scriptures, but they form a foundation for what comes next in Revelation. Remember we learned about fear in Ch. 14:6, 7.  The Wicked have “no fear” of God because they don’t care what they do or that he sees them.  The Righteous “fear” God because they know He sees them and they follow Him. As the Scripture points out, there is an end to sin and suffering coming.  Does anyone believe it?  What is the point of the judgment that has been going on since Oct. 22, 1844 if it is not to reward those good and bad for their works on this earth?  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Rev. 22:12 KJV)  Rev. 15 & 16 point out what is going to happen in response to the question asked by the souls under the altar in the 5th seal.  “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, how long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Rev. 6:10 KJV)

  1. What is the Close of Probation?  When is the Close of Probation? 

The phrase close of probation is not found in the Bible. Is the use of the term supported by the Bible? The idea is found in Genesis as well as other places. “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:15–17).” They were put on probation. When Adam and Eve had shown their loyalty to God by avoiding the tree and not touching or eating from it, He would have removed it. In Genesis 3, we find the story of the fall of Adam and Eve after they had touched and eaten of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They did finally die. Thank God and Jesus for the story of the serpent and Jesus in Gen. 3:15.  Adam and Eve did not die without any hope.  On the contrary, they were faithful once more to Jesus and will be raised in the resurrection at the end of time.  So can everyone else who loves his appearing. 

One of the major themes of Revelation has to do with this probationary time. The angel describes for John the close of this probationary time at the very end, in chapter 22. “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be (22:11, 12).” This close of probation takes place at the end of the sounding of the seventh trumpet and the beginning of the falling of the seven last plagues. Recall that no one could go into the sanctuary till the seven last plagues were fulfilled. (Rev. 15:8) In other words, there was no intercession any more, Jesus had left the Most Holy Place.   That probation closes when you die is also true, for “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27).” We only have one lifetime in which to get ready, one more breath in which to praise or rebel against God.

So, there was a time when God’s mercy no longer strived with men, in Genesis 6:3, when he gave the antediluvians 120 years of probation before destroying the earth with a worldwide flood.  That time is coming soon, when his mercy no longer pleads in the Most Holy Place, and the Seven Last Plagues fall and there is no more mercy, only justice. 

Let us review the four heptads (the four “sevens” in the book) and see where they lead us.  When are the seven last plagues poured out on the earth? 

The Seven Churches time periods begin at Pentecost AD 31 and end at the close of the Laodicean period, which would be the Second Coming. 

The Seven Seals time periods begin when Jesus takes the scroll and begins His reign at Pentecost, AD 31, when the Holy Spirit is poured out on the earth upon the waiting disciples. The sixth seal ends with the Second Coming and the seventh seal the short period of silence in the heavens. 

The Seven Trumpets time periods begin with the Mediatorial work of Jesus at the golden altar in the Holy Place.  AD 31.  The seventh trumpet ends when the mystery of God is finished on the earth; (10:7), the Seal of God having been placed on all those that love Jesus and the Mark of the Beast having been placed on all those who despise Jesus and worship Satan.

Remember that the trumpet judgments fall on 1/3 of the people of the earth, so they are not universal like the seven last plagues.  Some bible students think the trumpets and plagues occur simultaneously but the fact of their two entirely different purposes is one major reason against such an occurrence. And, in 11:15-19, we find that the nations are now angry, AND THEN AFTER THIS, thy “wrath” is come, this wrath of God, this judgment of God on evil, the Seven Last Plagues

The saints under the altar in the 5th seal (5:9) are asking when God is going to “avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth”?  The psalmist provides the answer: “O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud. LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things? And all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless (Psalm 94:1–6).” See also Isaiah 63:1–6; Psalm 149:1–9; Jeremiah 51:6; Romans 12:19; and Hebrews 10:30.

These various passages speak of the right of vengeance that belongs to the sovereign Lord. His is the right to subdue and punish rebellious people and nations. Some texts refer to the final judgment of the wicked. God has given Satan this incredibly long time, by human standards (6000+ years), to show himself and his methods. But God will take vengeance upon those who have killed His people. Rev. 18:6 reveals that Babylon will be rewarded doubly for what she did to those who stood true for God.

When is this?  Is this avenging by God described here in 15:1, when we see seven angels, “having the seven last plagues, for in them is filled up the wrath of God”?  Here is the time when Asaph, in Psalm 73:3-17, says he was envious at the prosperity of the wicked. Then he “…went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.”  He saw the seven angels with the seven vials of the wrath of God in the sanctuary.  Notice in vs. 6, that the seven angels came OUT of the temple just before they began to pour out the vials. 

We see here the full character of God, His mercy and His justice.  We see his full character on display as He guides the universe and the events on this earth.  Despite the continual offer of mercy and salvation, it has been spurned to the point everyone has decided one way or another whom they are loyal to, and whom they worship.  This is the point of time when in 22:11 when it is pronounced, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” 

Here is another biblical example of the Close of Probation.  At the time of the flood, Noah made one last appeal for everyone who would, to come into the ark.  Noah went into the ark with his family, and one week later, the Deluge came on the world.  The Three Angels, that would be every one of you, are sounding the last message of mercy to the people who live on the earth. When everyone has received the Seal of God or the Mark of the Beast, Jesus will declare, “it is done.” (21:6). It is then that the seven angels come out of the temple and begin pouring out their vials upon the earth. 

There is much discussion in the theological world over the reality of trumpet judgments and plagues judgments.  For example, when it says a third part of the sun, moon and stars were darkened in (8:12) was that a literal darkening of the heavenly bodies, was it a symbolic reference to the leadership of the Roman Empire, or was it a “darkening” of the Word of God and the truths of Scripture?  A review of judgments in the Bible might be useful here.  Does God offer safety in obedience and judgments as a result of disobedience?  Are they real Judgments?

  1. God told Noah (Gen. 6:3) that He would give the antediluvian world 120 years to repent and return to Him, after that a Universal Flood.  While the world scoffs at the lack of evidence for a flood, the Bible records such an event.  Jesus himself records in the Gospels that as the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.  The flood carried them all away.  The Second Coming will destroy all sinners. 
  2. When Pharaoh refused to let Israel go, ten literal disaster plagues fell upon the land of Egypt. Real frogs, flies, lightning, etc., gripped the land till the death of the first-born children of the land forced Pharaoh to let Israel go. 
  3. When Israel turned its back on God and worshipped idols, literal pagan countries destroyed them. 
  4. When Israel and Judah no longer followed the God of their fathers, Assyria and Babylon destroyed Israel and led them into literal and physical captivity for seventy years.
  5. When Israel’s time of probation—70 weeks of years, or 490 years—was given them to function as the chosen people of God, they rejected Jesus and His messengers, and they were literally destroyed as a nation in A.D. 70 by Titus, in the siege of Jerusalem.
  6. When the Christian church left the apostolic teachings of Jesus and the disciples, cast down the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus in favor of the mass, and reinstituted the Aaronic priesthood in place of the high priestly ministry of Jesus (Judges 5:8), then was there war in the gates. The barbarian invasions of the Western Christian Roman Empire and the Muslim invasions on the Eastern Christian Roman Empire were as harsh as they were literal.
  7. One can conclude that those who reject the seal of God and worship the beast and the image of the beast could receive a literal punishment (Seven Last Plagues). The physical torture, pain, and death visited upon Christians throughout the Christian era returns to the persecutors in the same fashion as they persecuted and brings “double unto her.”  (18:6). Theologians call it the lex talionis. (Revelation Reveals Jesus Vol. 1, pg. 858.)

The trumpet plagues and the bowl plagues are not the same. The trumpet plagues warn of the future visitation of God’s wrath on unrepentant sinners in the seven last plagues. Repent now while there is yet time, for there will be no more chances to repent, when God rewards all according to their works. (22:12)

Rev. 15:1-8 The Preamble to the Seven Last Plagues of chapter 16.  Verse one tells us that John sees the seven angels with their plagues ready to pour them out on the earth.  Then, in a “flash forward,” (prophetic perfect, “already but not yet,”) he sees the saints on the sea of glass, as it were mingled with fire, and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. (Rev. 15:2 KJV)  They are singing two songs of experience, 1) the Song of Moses and 2) the Song of the Lamb.  John is given this view of what will happen to encourage him just before these awful plagues are poured out.  Rev. 14:1-5 comes to mind where John sees the 144,000 on Mt. Zion, as if they were already there.  This would encourage him that all was not to be lost as the dragon began his wrathful depredations on the end time saints.  Consider also the Mt. of Transfiguration where Jesus is encouraging his disciples for what is about to transpire. 

Rev. 15:5-8 describe the events leading to the outpouring of the plagues. The temple is open again, the third time we are called to observe the opening of the temple, Ch. 4:1, John is called through the open door into the Holy Place, he sees through the veil as it is pulled aside in 11:19, to look into the Most Holy Place, and now this opening of the temple.  As we mentioned above, the angels and the plagues reside and are stored in the temple, they are now brought out.  In verse 8, the temple is filled with smoke and no man can go in (have access to the ministry of Jesus in the temple, till the seven last plagues are complete.  The Mediation of Christ on behalf of the people on this earth is over.  Probation has closed and Rev. 22:11 is spoken.  Let everyone stay the way they have chosen; righteous, holy, wicked, and filthy. 

The story of the flood provides a typology here.  Noah preached 120 years as a preacher of righteousness.  He then bade those who listened to enter the ark with him, his family and the animals.  Despite the miraculous assembling of these animals and Noah’s earnest preaching not a single other person outside his family entered into the ark.  The door was then closed by an angel from heaven and it sat there for 7 days before the flood came.  What did Jesus say about this time?  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,  39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  (Matt. 24:38-39 KJV)

The judgments of the Lord on the land of Egypt are but pale anticipations of the greater judgments which are to fall on the kingdom of the beast, and the emancipation from Egypt is far surpassed by the redemption of the Lamb, as the saints rejoice in the resurrection glory and sing of the turning of the nations to God. The duality of exodus as judgment and redemption is maintained in chapters 15-16, and to ensure that this is understood by the reader, the positive element of redemption is placed first.

The Seven Last Plagues are called the Wrath of God. (16:1). We heard John use this phrase in 11:18.  John is giving a quick synopsis of the chronology of events at the end time.  Jesus mentions to those weeping for him as he goes to Golgotha, that “wrath will come upon this people,” (Luke 22:21-24) referring to the upcoming destruction of Jerusalem.  Paul states: But “after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; (Rom. 2:5 KJV)” 

There is a typology here.  Did plagues fall on a nation in the Old Testament?  Yes, Egypt.  What happened after the 10th plague?  The Israelites were delivered.  What will happen after the seven last plagues?  God’s people will be delivered.  There is a day of reckoning that is coming upon all people.  The bible declares it over and over again. 

Rev. 14:9-12 mentions some awful things that are going to happen to people that receive the mark of the beast.  These awful judgments are contained in the Three Angel’s Messages.  Who are supposed to give these messages of warning?  We are!  The wrath of God will be poured out without mixture, or undiluted.  They will be tormented with fire and brimstone.  We are to give this Judgment Hour message to all who will listen. 

Three things will happened prior to the seven last plagues. (See 1-3)

  1. World-wide preaching of the gospel Rev. 14:6-12
  2. All humanity makes a final and eternal choice. Rev. 22:11
  3. The mark of the beast is enforced in a final conflict over worship. Rev. 13:12, 16
  4. God’s people lovingly obey Him
  5. The Seven Last Plagues are poured out
  6. Christ delivers His people.

God’s wrath is not his anger at sinners, but it is His judgment upon sin!

The Seven Last Plagues are the awesome result

Of a world separated from God and a planet in rebellion!

Who escapes the Seven Last Plagues?  Rev. 15:2

“…them that had gotten the victory over the beast,

and over his image,

and over his mark,

and over the number of his name,”

In summary, those who escape the Seven Last Plagues have gotten victory over the devil.

Those who have the Spirit of God end up having the Seal of God.

Are the Seven Last Plagues the Great Tribulation? 

Will the saints be on this earth during the Great Tribulation or will they be raptured to heaven?

  1. Psalm 91:5-8 comes to mind again, you shall see the destruction of the wicked with your eyes, etc.
  2. The Children of Israel were IN Egypt and WERE PROTECTED during the last seven plagues.
  3. God saved Noah in the ark in the storm, and he made it THROUGH the storm.
  4. God saved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego THROUGH their furnace experience
  5. God saved Daniel THROUGH the Lion’s Den experience.
  6. God saved Joseph THROUGH his trials.
  7. God saved Job THROUGH his trials.

God saves us THROUGH the tribulations we go through, not FROM them. 

Should we be afraid of this time?

Psalms 91:7 A thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come nigh unto thee. Only with your eyes shall you look and see the reward of the wicked.

  1. First four plagues

The first bowl plague is poured out on the earth and a “grievous sore” (draining boils) come upon those who “have the mark of the beast and worship his image.” The Greek word here means “draining boils”, the same word used in Exodus 9:10, 11 to describe the boils that came upon the Egyptians.  Job experienced these same “boils,” as did Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31.  See Exodus 9:10 where Moses threw ashes in the air in front of Pharaoh and sores broke out on man and beast.  Look at Deuteronomy 28:35 where the Lord would smite them with sores from the head to the foot because of their apostasy.  This also happened to Job. 

The second bowl plague is poured out on the sea and it turns to blood.  Without oxygen in the water, everything in the sea died; a stinking, putrefying mess. The sea is no longer useful for commercial travel and no longer useful for food.  The loss of the oceans in their natural cycle of watering the earth creates havoc with the ecosystem. 

The third bowl plague is poured out on the rivers and fountains of waters and they become blood. People will hike to the mountains and streams looking for fresh water.  They can dig where they will, go where they will, they will find nothing but blood to drink. 

Notice what the angel says here, who has seen the entire history of the world and the misery Satan, his former friend, has caused.   “And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.  6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.”   Rev. 16:5-6

The fourth bowl plague is poured out on the sun.  This life-sustaining sun, necessary for all plant and animal life, becomes hotter than it ever has before.  Is this global warming?  No.  God gives power to the sun to scorch men with fire. 

These acts of punishment identified as the seven last plagues are described as “righteous”by the angel (16:5). This “strange act” of God (Isaiah 28:21) is described as righteous. In defining di,kaioj—dikaios (dik’-ah-yos) in its narrower sense, it suggests a rendering to each his due and in a judicial sense, passing just judgment on others, whether expressed in words or shown by the manner of dealing with them.  Who else, but the angels, has witnessed the deeds of the earth-dwellers and know that they deserve these judgments?

The first plague of boils attacks the earth-dwellers themselves. When Satan attacked Job, he could not think of anything more personally painful than to afflict him with boils. The second and third plagues poison the life-giving water supply. Equally life-sustaining is the light and energy from the sun. The sun is given the power to scorch men with fire. Life-giving sunlight and water become almost unbearable to the earth-dwellers. No relief from the sun is available by finding some shade—no slaking of thirst by cool, clear water.

       One should ask themselves, are these plagues universal and do they kill everybody?  Good question.  Rev. 6:15, 16 tells us that there are those still alive who hate the coming of Jesus and will call the rocks and mountains to fall on them.  Those who pierced him (1:7), will see Jesus come.  There is evidence biblically that not all die of the plagues.  Notice this excellent statement from the Pen of Inspiration.

“These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals. All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy. In that day, multitudes will desire the shelter of God’s mercy which they have so long despised. ‘Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.’ Amos 8:11, 12.”[1]

The fifth bowl plague is poured out on the “seat (throne) of the beast.  The plagues have been literal thus far. The darkness that falls on the seat of the beast and his kingdom is literal. The throne is where the pontiff reigns. The “bishop’s seat” or throne is where the authority reigns in the church. This appears to be a world-wide phenomenon, darkness coming over the leadership of the world-wide and end time church/state kingdom.  This is an event very close to the Second Coming of Jesus.  The pains of the earth-dwellers, as brought on by their boils, lack of water, withering heat, and now darkness, make them gnaw their tongues for the pain. The terror of the plagues brings complete chaos to the kingdom of Babylon.

Babylon has claimed great spiritual light for the world.  Now a physical darkness covers them, mocking their great spiritual light.  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. Isa. 60:2. You reject the lamp that is a light unto your feet, you are left in the darkness.  Psalm 119:105.

A significant statement is made in 16:11 that those suffering the seven last plagues “repent not of their deeds.”  This is nearly identical to the statement in 9:20, where it is they “yet repented not of the works of their hands.” Despite every possible evidence of the power of God in the universe, they refuse to repent and give glory to God.  They have already made up their minds to serve the “beast” and not the God of heaven. 

This darkness of the Fifth Plague is evidently very near the end of time, being the Fifth Plague. Notice this statement from Great Controversy in its context.  This appears to be the description in the Spirit of Prophecy of the time of the fifth plague and the darkness.  She pulls together what is happening as a result of the darkness as well as what is happening to God’s people.  This entire chapter has to do with the plagues and their effects on the wicked and what is happening to the righteous just before Jesus comes. She is speaking directly about the death decree mentioned in 13:15. 

EGW—“When the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from those who honor the law of God, there will be, in different lands, a simultaneous movement for their destruction. As the time appointed in the decree draws near, the people will conspire to root out the hated sect. It will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow, which shall utterly silence the voice of dissent and reproof.”  {GC 635.1} 

“The people of God–some in prison cells, some hidden in solitary retreats in the forests and the mountains–still plead for divine protection, while in every quarter companies of armed men, urged on by hosts of evil angels, are preparing for the work of death. It is now, in the hour of utmost extremity that the God of Israel will interpose for the deliverance of His chosen. Saith the Lord; “Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth . . . to come into the mountain of the Lord, to the Mighty One of Israel. And the Lord shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lighting down of His arm, with the indignation of His anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones.” Isaiah 30:29, 30.”  {GC 635.2} 

“With shouts of triumph, jeering, and imprecation, throngs of evil men are about to rush upon their prey, when, lo, a dense blackness, deeper than the darkness of the night, falls upon the earth. Then a rainbow, shining with the glory from the throne of God, spans the heavens and seems to encircle each praying company. The angry multitudes are suddenly arrested. Their mocking cries die away. The objects of their murderous rage are forgotten. With fearful forebodings they gaze upon the symbol of God’s covenant and long to be shielded from its overpowering brightness.”  {GC 635.3}

“By the people of God a voice, clear and melodious, is heard, saying, “Look up,” and lifting their eyes to the heavens, they behold the bow of promise. The black, angry clouds that covered the firmament are parted, and like Stephen they look up steadfastly into heaven and see the glory of God and the Son of man seated upon His throne. In His divine form they discern the marks of His humiliation; and from His lips they hear the request presented before His Father and the holy angels: “I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.” John 17:24. Again a voice, musical and triumphant, is heard, saying: “They come! They come! Holy, harmless, and undefiled. They have kept the word of My patience; they shall walk among the angels;” and the pale, quivering lips of those who have held fast their faith utter a shout of victory.”  {GC 636.1} 

“It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverance of His people. The sun appears, shining in its strength. Signs and wonders follow in quick succession. The wicked look with terror and amazement upon the scene, while the righteous behold with solemn joy the tokens of their deliverance. Everything in nature seems turned out of its course. The streams cease to flow. Dark, heavy clouds come up and clash against each other. In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying: “It is done.” Revelation 16:17.”  {GC 636.2} 

The Sixth Bowl Plague   The earth-dwellers are the “River Euphrates,” who support the harlot woman of 17:3. The dragon (Satan 12:7-9) and the papacy (harlot of 17:5), supported by the earth beast (United States—apostate Protestantism—in 13:11-18; 16:13; 19:20; 20:10), form the false trinity in the end time. People on the earth (the Euphrates River), who have all supported this monolithic organization except the saints of God (the 144,000), worship the beast and his image and receive his mark. The “ten horns” (17:13) or kingdoms and rulers of this world, form a league with the beast and attempt to destroy the Lamb, but the Lamb is coming to destroy them. When these world powers see that they have been horribly deceived, they will hate the harlot, or Babylon, who sits on the scarlet colored beast and will rise up and destroy her (17:16).

The “drying up of the river Euphrates” symbolizes the withdrawing of the earth-dwellers’ support from Babylon, the mother of harlots, who is sitting on the beast. This withdrawal of support, described in Chapters 17 and 18 as the destruction of Babylon by the world powers (10 horns) , prepares the way for the coming of Jesus and His fellow kings—“the kings of the east.” Called the Battle of Armageddon, it isn’t much of a battle. Jesus is the victor.

There is another effect of the pouring out of the sixth plague.  The waters are dried up that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.”  (16:12)

2 “Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? He gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.” (Isa. 41:2 KJV)   This sounds like a description of Jesus by Isaiah.  Rev. 19:11-15 describes this coming by the “righteous man from the east.”  He is coming with the saints (who lived and reigned with Christ 1000 years; 20:4) and the angels, His armies, to claim His kingdom and deliver his saints. 

The three “unclean spirits,” under the control of the “messenger from heaven,” Satan, the impersonation of Jesus, makes one last attempt to deceive those who have been deceived by this monolithic scarlet-colored beast.  The purpose of these evil spirits is to go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Rev. 16:14 KJV)

EGW—-Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. The foundation of his work was laid by the assurance given to Eve in Eden: “Ye shall not surely die.” “In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4, 5. Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time. Says the prophet: “I saw three unclean spirits like frogs….They are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Revelation 16:13, 14. Except those who are kept by the power of God, through faith in His word, the whole world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion. The people are fast being lulled to a fatal security, to be awakened only by the outpouring of the wrath of God.  {Mar 166.4}

The battle of the great day of God Almighty is nothing less than the Second Coming of Christ. The last battle carries the name of Armageddon. This is Satan’s last chance to defeat Christ, and he marshals everyone on the planet to the fight, save those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The papacy (beast) and the United States (false prophet) unite with Satan (dragon) (16:13) to form a false trinity. These demonic spirits of the false trinity will go forth to the earth-dwellers to deceive them and bring them together to this battle of the great day of God Almighty.

If the first six of the seven last plagues are literal, why would the seventh plague be any different? When the Old Testament prophets mentioned the Day of the Lord, (Isaiah 13:6-14 is just one place) they understood it as destruction and devastation. 

Looking at 19:11–19, we can view the protagonists of this final cosmic Armageddon. Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, comes to this earth to judge and to make war. The armies of heaven follow Him to this earth. In 19:19, John sees the other army. “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.”  Armageddon is not some earthly conflict with earthly opponents. Armageddon is that battle of the great day of God Almighty, between the “kings of the earth” (16:14) and the “kings of the east.” (16:12) Satan attempts to gather his earth-dwellers together for this last great battle, when Jesus comes to reclaim the earth.

The following verses describe the events surrounding the actual battle and the Second Coming of Jesus, as mentioned in 19:11–20. As one commentator describes it, on this great day, God Almighty will show His sovereignty and bring this age to an end.

Satan will fight this last battle against the on-coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords with the only weapons he knows, tanks, planes, guns, etc.  The on-coming King of Kings fights with the weapons He has stored up. The Lord is opening nature’s armory for the fall of spiritual Babylon. What is this armory of weapons? God asks Job if he has seen nature’s weapons. “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war (Job 38:22, 23)?” Isaiah pictures this moment on earth, in Isaiah 24:1–20. Here are but two verses: “The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, and the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.”  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (2 Thess. 2:8 KJV)

This is the Battle of Armageddon.  Armageddon is an event, not a process! The hailstones of the seventh plague weighing from between 60-100 lbs. alone will be devastating.  The earthquakes, the islands fleeing away into the sea, etc., all the earth in convulsion as its Creator nears.  These are the weapons of the King of Kings which will destroy the wicked at His Second Coming.

What protects God’s people?  Psalm 91:1-10 is worth reviewing here.  7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.  8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.  9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;   10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

In end-time terms, the saints of God (spiritual Israel) are about to be delivered from this earth. Satan is orchestrating his human subordinates to prepare for fighting Jesus and His armies at His return to this earth—otherwise known as the Battle of Armageddon. As typified by Cyrus in the Old Testament, Jesus comes as the King of kings and Lord of lords to save His people from the death decree (13:15). John takes Cyrus’ capture of Babylon and subsequent liberation of Israel as a guarantee of what Christ and His armies will do in overthrowing end time Babylon and rescuing His people.

Many commentators see Armageddon as some spiritual battle between who-knows-whom on the earth, or symbolizes the on-going conflict between good and evil.  Some of this has crept into the church teachings as well.  From the text, it is clear that the unclean spirits or three frogs are a very end-time phenomenon that comes from Satan during the 6th plague to deceive those that dwell on the earth and gather them together for the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty.  They are gathered together and then Jesus comes.  Armageddon is NOT some spiritual battle at the end time between right and wrong, good and evil, or between God’s people and Satan’s people, but an actual battle by the “kings of the east,” against the “kings of the earth.”  We described the armaments of both antagonists above.  It is really a one-sided affair from the outset.  The forces of nature render any fight by “the kings of the earth” as impotent. 

Defining every moment in physical time may not be as important as seeking earnestly to God to prepare us for this great earthly disaster and be ready for the Second Coming of Jesus!! Even So, Come Lord Jesus!

[1] Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Battle Creek, MI: Review and Herald Publishing Company, 1888), 629.

Special thanks to Ken Mathews, MD

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