If you’ve just tuned in, you are listening to a special UNIVERSAL NEWS BROADCAST. We are recapping the major past events, from Israel’s rebirth through the Tribulation and destruction of the world during the Battle of Armageddon.
Before Satan had been cast into hell and sealed, the heathen had raged, plotted, and imagined things against the Lord of heaven. They had talked among themselves. But the Lord laughed.
Afterward, terror filled the hearts of the armies. The tambourines had stopped. The harps were silent. The wine became bitter to the drinkers. The land mourned. The families had been split apart. Even every family was apart.
AS JESUS CHRIST RETURNED—Satan was bound, and a seal was put on him, so he could not deceive the nations any longer.
NOW THE REALITY OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN—GRIPPED THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD.
The people of the world had been confident they could defeat even God. Now terror grips them, and they begin to say to the mountains and to the rocks—Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that sits on the throne.
At that time, people’s hearts began to fail them for fear, as they could now clearly see what was happening.
They understood that shortly they would be dead as Christ returned, and then they would be in hell.
Behind evil was Satan. Behind wrong-thinking was Satan. But Satan could deceive no one any longer for 1000 years.
After Satan had been cast into the bottomless pit, then the Antichrist and False Prophet were next.
The Antichrist and the kings of the earth with their armies were gathered together to make war against Jesus Christ and His army.
The Antichrist stood up against Jesus but was broken by spiritual power. Jesus consumed him with the breath of His mouth.
The Antichrist was destroyed with the brightness (or splendor, or glory) of the coming of the King of kings.
The Antichrist and False Prophet were cast alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. They went into perdition.
The wicked, profane prince—his day had come.
He was slain and his body destroyed and was given to the burning flame.
Those things that have been determined were poured upon the Antichrist.
He was cut down and fell. His crown was removed. His power and dominion were destroyed.
The Assyrian’s power had been taken away and completely destroyed forever.
The burden of the Antichrist was taken away from Israel’s shoulder.
Israel was delivered.
THE COMMANDER OF THE ARMIES OF THE WORLD (WHICH WAS SATAN) COULD NO LONGER COMMUNICATE TO HIS ARMIES AND INSTRUCT THEM WHAT TO DO.
NEITHER COULD THE ANTICHRIST OR FALSE PROPHET COMMUNICATE.
They were all now being tormented—the one in the bottomless pit, and the other two in the lake of fire.
This left the armies of the world in panic and confusion. Their commanders had been silenced.
The blindness that had engulfed them was now lifted.
(After Satan Was Sealed)
Multitudes of mocking and scoffing people that didn’t believe a short time before ran for their lives.
They were terrified. They were trying to escape the wrath of Jesus as He returned.
But where could they hide?
The greatest earthquake, since man had been alive, was about to occur. The entire earth was about to be shaken.
When Jesus did return, He would shake terribly the earth.
All the authority that kings of the earth had would now do them no good.
Now that the blindness, which Satan had put in people’s minds was removed, people understood what was happening. They now believed in Christ, and they were terrified. And the great men, and the rich men, and the heads of armies, and the mighty men, plus both the free and slaves HID THEMSELVES in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains in the area of Megiddo. Others tried to hide themselves in any place they could find.
They wanted the rocks to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of Jesus Christ, as they knew He was about to appear. They said, “Who is able to stand?”
They SAID TO THE MOUNTAINS AND ROCKS, FALL ON US, AND HIDE US FROM THE FACE OF HIM THAT SITTETH ON THE THRONE (which is God the Father), AND FROM THE WRATH (or fury) OF THE LAMB (which is Jesus).
When Jesus came the first time, He came as the Lamb of God to give His life a ransom for many. His forgiveness, His mercy had been available to all that would open the door of their heart and receive it by faith. However, at Armageddon, He came as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He came with wrath and fury against those that refused His forgiveness and mercy.
The two prophets of God had been telling people what was going to happen, but nearly all of the world would not believe. As a result of the two prophets being raised from the dead and ascending to heaven, in the sight of multitudes, and because their minds afterward were cleared from Satan’s deceptions, the people now knew the things they had said were true.
That great day was the Battle of Armageddon, at which time, Jesus Christ returned with all of His saints. The people of the world knew that their future was sealed—a future that included hell and the lake of fire. For once they have taken that mark and worshipped the image, there was no forgiveness. There was no repenting. There was no hope.
Few people had time to get to the surrounding mountains. The huge valley and areas the armies were in reached from Megiddo eastward and then southward, all the way to south of the Dead Sea. It also included Jerusalem and Bozrah. These were crowded with hundreds of millions of people. The valley and occupied areas stretched about 161 miles.
God’s Word had communicated to the rich men, as it said: GO TO NOW, YE RICH MEN, WEEP AND HOWL FOR YOUR MISERIES THAT SHALL COME UPON YOU.
Some were so terrified, they now died from heart attacks. Fear gripped the earth. The power of Satan to blind the people of the world had ceased. As already said, this had never happened from the time of Adam and Eve.
(Satan Deceives)
Oh, if only that blindness that Satan had the power to put in people’s thoughts could have been broken for those before Satan was sealed—then they would surely have humbled themselves and surrendered to Jesus, Who loved them. Thus, they might have been saved and inherited eternal life. But the world never seemed to understand that LIFE IS AND WAS A TEST. No, not even the clergy understood. Satan was created to deceive people. A person’s heart had to make the decision whether to believe God’s Word or believe the thoughts they had that contradicted God’s Word, which came from Satan. Those thoughts included thoughts to not read God’s Word, or to read it only a little. Nearly everyone obeyed those thoughts in the past, because that is what their heart chose to do.
The keys to breaking Satan’s power to blind people in the past were these:
Devour God’s Word, as if it was more necessary than your necessary food, repent, fear God, obey God’s Word, tremble at His Word, humble yourself, and forsake all sin. Trust in Jesus Christ as your only hope of salvation. Afterward, be baptized by full immersion in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Heaven had opened. Jesus was on a white horse. He returned in glorious majesty. The white horse denoted victory, triumph, and purity.
When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, previously, before His death, He had entered on a donkey.
Here was the second coming of Jesus, which so many in the latter day generation had scoffed at, saying, WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING?-2 Pe 3:4.
Let us recall what had happened when Jesus departed from the earth about 2000 years ago.
Jesus had been taken up, and a cloud had received Him. While those standing by looked toward heaven, two men stood by them in white clothing, and said: YE MEN OF GALILEE, WHY STAND YE GAZING UP INTO HEAVEN? THIS SAME JESUS, WHICH IS TAKEN UP FROM YOU INTO HEAVEN, SHALL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YE HAVE SEEN HIM GO INTO HEAVEN.
Jesus did return. This Jesus was far different from the one pictured by many churches. This was He that poured out His wrath on those that rejected the forgiveness He offered them.
He is a God of love.
He is also a God of mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment. It was written, GOD IS GREATLY TO BE FEARED IN THE ASSEMBLY OF THE SAINTS-Ps 89:7.
Jesus Christ judged and made war in righteousness.
Christ had for a very long time refrained Himself. He had kept silent. He had been still, as man’s wickedness became greater and greater. At the time Jesus returned, sin was as before the flood and as the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. The people’s hearts and actions were only evil continually. Every form of evil had reached its fullness. Violence filled the earth.
Jesus returned and cried like a woman in childbirth.
He returned and destroyed instantly.
Man had forgotten such things as the terror of the Lord.
The Battle of Armageddon was a catastrophe upon the earth.
It was the war of all wars. It was the battle of evil versus good.
There were actually two parts to this battle. One was Jerusalem and Israel. The other was the rest of the world.
Armageddon, upon the earth, lasted one day. During that battle, the earth swayed back and forth like a drunkard.
When it was over, the earth was changed greatly and had moved out of her place. The face of the earth had changed. The cities had crumbled. There were only a few people left alive. Yet if Jesus had not returned, exactly when He did, no flesh would have been left alive at all.
As Jesus was about to return to this earth, the land was full of silver, gold, and idols.
There was no end of the treasures the armies possessed. The land was full of all sorts of vehicles and weapons. They worshipped the work of their hands.
The people of the world had seen many things the Lord had done during the Tribulation.
They had heard many things through the 144,000.
They had seen and heard many things from the two prophets of God.
But they paid no attention. Their ears were open, but their heart did not comprehend.
Their eyes were open, but their heart did not understand the signs from the Scriptures that were all around them.
Their unrepentant sins, the hardness of their hearts, their self-centeredness, their loving this present world, and their lack of fearing God all contributed to being totally ignorant of what was happening and what was going to happen.
So it was then, and so it has always been. Because of sin and the hardness of people’s hearts, they were deceived, yet they did not believe they were. The degree of hardness in a person’s heart and their lack of repentance and trusting in Christ hinders a person from understanding God’s Word, as it was meant to be understood.
Regarding fearing God, it was written—Acts 13:16-Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
Acts 13:26-Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
One might have asked before Jesus returned, “What day will Jesus Christ return? What day will the Battle of Armageddon happen?”
God had given through His Word, the exact day that seven feasts would take place representing seven key events that would be fulfilled.
To the Jews, these are all too familiar. However, to the non-Jew or Gentile, many know little of this information.
The first feast was Passover. On the fourteenth day of the first month, Jesus was crucified. Jesus became our Passover. (This event happened exactly on this day.)
The second was Unleavened Bread. On the fifteenth day of the first month, Jesus, our Bread of Life, was buried. During the Seder meal, the middle loaf of bread is buried or hidden. (This was fulfilled exactly on this day.)
The third was Firstfruits. This was the Sunday following Unleavened Bread. Jesus was resurrected on this day. He became the Firstfruits for us. (This was fulfilled exactly on this day.)
The fourth was Pentecost. This was also called Feast of Weeks in the Old Testament. This was the fiftieth day after Firstfruits. The Holy Spirit came in His fullness on this date. (This was fulfilled exactly on this day.)
The fifth was the feast of Trumpets. This was the first day of the seventh month. The Rapture took place on this exact day. This was usually during the month of September.
There were two major events involved here.
First, the dead in Christ rose.
Second, those which were alive and remained were caught up together with them in the clouds.
There were two trumpets. The first and the last.
The sixth is the Day of Atonement. This was the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri). The Day of Atonement is also called Yom Kippur in Hebrew.
This occurs usually in September, but sometimes in October. This would be from the evening of the ninth day till the evening of the tenth day. The Jewish day officially begins when three stars are visible.
Atonement means “to cover.” It is used in the context as a covering for sin.
The Lord said, in Lev 17:11 NIV-FOR THE LIFE OF THE CREATURE IS IN THE BLOOD, AND I HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU TO MAKE ATONEMENT FOR YOURSELVES ON THE ALTAR; IT IS THE BLOOD THAT MAKES ATONEMENT FOR ONE’S LIFE.
This represented the repentance of Israel. This was when they looked upon Him, Whom they had pierced. Israel was redeemed as Jesus returned.
This was also the time of Armageddon.
The seventh and last is Tabernacles. This began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. This represented the coming state of rest. Jesus Christ began to reign for one thousand years. Jesus reigns in the tabernacle. The tabernacle of Jesus is among men.
It was not until the people had said, BLESSED IS HE THAT COMETH IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, that they saw Jesus.
is presented in several parts.
A summary leading up to this time.
First is the part dealing with the return of Jesus with all His saints.
Then the part dealing with Judah, Jerusalem, and Israel.
Last is the part dealing with the whole earth.
The armies of the world were assembled in several areas for the war, which is called Battle of Armageddon. Their numbers were hundreds of millions.
These areas included the tel (or hill) or Megiddo, the Valley of Megiddo, and the surrounding mountains.
They also in the areas of the Jordan Valley.
They also included the areas around Jerusalem.
They also included the areas all the way to Bozrah. This was a total distance of approximately 161 miles.
This terrifying war was centered in Israel, as well as the whole world.
Planet earth had rebelled against God. The entire earth was filled with sin, rebellion, and violence from one end to the other. Much of the world had turned to women with women, and men with men.
The entire world had reached the point that they were in sin continually. The thoughts of their minds were only evil, from minute to minute. Hatred filled the earth.
The entire world had turned their back on the God of heaven.
Instead, they followed the trinity of Satan. This included Satan, the Antichrist, and False Prophet.
They took the mark of the Antichrist and had worshipped his image in which Satan occupied. They had committed an unforgivable sin. They had been deceived by the many miracles they had seen, such as the Antichrist being raised from the dead and fire being called down from heaven.
They chose to follow Satan’s trinity rather than facing the difficulties of not being able to buy or sell. They followed the Antichrist, because if they did not, they could expect to be tortured and then killed by having their head chopped off.
At this time, less than half of the world’s population was left, when compared with the beginning of the Tribulation. The number was perhaps 3 billion. This was the result of World War 3 and 4, as well as many dying from diseases, starvation, and other means.
At this time, there were about 4 million Jews that had not taken the mark and worshipped the image. They were hidden by God and could not be found.
Also there were Gentiles that had not taken the mark and worshipped the image. Their number was believed to be more than the number of Jews that followed Christ. They, by the mercy of God, had also escaped detection, but survival was difficult being that they could not buy or sell. They were being hunted by the authorities. Those that had taken the mark throughout the world were also on the watch for them.
Those that had not followed the Antichrist were being reserved by God to ultimately repopulate the earth during the Millennium, which was after Jesus returned at the time of the Battle of Armageddon.
All the others that had not submitted to the Antichrist had been beheaded, but then went to be with God in heaven. Those that had been brutally tortured and then beheaded were a very great number.
These were included in those that now returned with Christ, as part of His army in their new bodies.
The armies of the world were pouring into Israel. They were coming to the Valley of Megiddo, also known as the Valley of Jezreel. They were coming to the Carmel Mountains nearby, the Jordan Valley and Jerusalem. They stretched all the way to Bozrah, which was SE of the Dead Sea. This was the capital of ancient Edom.
The Scriptures had foretold that there would be two winepresses—one was Israel, and the other was the entire earth during the Battle of Armageddon.
Many years ago, the Rapture came. It was followed by the Tribulation, and then Armageddon. During these times, the people of the earth had walked as if they were blind.
They were totally and completely ignorant of what was taking place, even though the signs of the times, when compared with the Bible, were as clear as the sun that shines in the sky. This was because they had sinned against the Lord. The wrath of the Lord was upon all nations.
No matter how horrible the people of Israel and the world might have imagined the Tribulation and the great war would be, it was far, far worse.
All nations had gathered against Jerusalem to battle. Part of the city was captured.
The houses were ransacked.
The women were raped.
Half of the city went into captivity, but the rest was not taken.
The arrogance of the proud was about to be eradicated. Their fruit was about to be destroyed from the earth. The wicked had imagined many devices against God.
When a person took communion back before the Rapture, perhaps they had forgotten what Jesus commanded.
1 Cor 11:26-FOR AS OFTEN AS YE EAT THIS BREAD, AND DRINK THIS CUP, YE DO SHOW THE LORD'S DEATH (TILL HE COME).
Note: this command was from Christ to His church. It was in effect right up to His return, which was at the time of Armageddon.
The gathering of the armies of the world to the Battle of Armageddon had come earlier than some expected. Thus, the return of Christ and His army had also come earlier than some expected.
Jesus recompensed those that hated Him to their face. He was not slack in doing so.
He executed judgment on all those that despised Him and His people. They knew that He was the Lord in that day. The wicked became as nothing, as the fury of the Lord came forth.
Nearly everyone had taken the mark and worshipped the image. Nearly everyone had committed an unforgivable sin. They had believed that the Antichrist was the real Christ.
But as the sign that Jesus Christ was returning appeared, fear came on them.
Now they knew that what the 144,000 had taught was the truth.
Now they knew that what Moses and Elijah had taught was the truth.
The Lord Jesus was revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. He came in flaming vengeance against those that did not know Him, and against those that did not obey the Gospel.
God is a jealous God. He was furious. The day of vengeance was in His heart.
The time for Jesus to repay the wicked had come. He tread down the people in His anger.
Out of His mouth went a sharp sword. With it, He smote the nations.
He rendered vengeance to His enemies. He rewarded those that hated Him. They were slaughtered at once.
The sun was darkened, the moon no longer gave her light, the angels fell from heaven, and the powers of the heavens were shaken. Then, the sign of the Son of man appeared all over the earth. The earth then knew that Jesus was returning.
His return did not happen during the Tribulation, but soon after.
Amazingly, the people of the world saw THE SON OF MAN SITTING ON THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, AND (then) COMING IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.
This happened on the tenth day of the seventh month, according to the Jewish calendar. It was the fulfillment of the Day of Atonement.
When Jesus Christ returned, it was with fire and with clouds. He came with power and great glory.
As Jesus Christ returned, He came with thousands upon thousands of His saints.
The saints that were with Him were called, and chosen, and faithful.
Jesus, Who was called FAITHFUL AND TRUE, came with His chariots like a whirlwind.
He came with anger and with fury. He rebuked with flames of fire.
Jesus came with lightnings. They encircled and lightened the entire world. The people of the earth saw and were terrified.
As God’s Word had said it would be, it was. As the lightning came out of the east and shined even unto the west; so it was, as the Son of man returned.
Every eye did see Him. Even those that had pierced Him about 2000 years earlier saw Him return.
He returned upon a white horse, and the saints were with Him.
The Lord did fly.
He rode upon a cherub and was seen upon the wings of the wind.
He came with many chariots like a whirlwind.
From ancient times, even in the days of Enoch that was the seventh from Adam, Jesus’ coming with ten thousands of His saints had been prophesied.
It may be said that the Battle of Armageddon began with Jesus departing heaven and returning to the earth.
Jesus came to judge.
Jesus came to judge the earth.
He came to execute judgment upon all.
He came to convict all the ungodly of their sinful deeds and of all their lying and wicked words they had spoken against Him.
He came to judge the wicked people that were faultfinders, and complainers and grumblers.
He came to judge the prideful and the boastful, who followed their own evil desires.
He came to judge those that flattered others for their own advantage.
He came to judge the scoffers and those that murmured, who followed their own ungodly desires.
He came to judge those that followed their worldly, natural instincts and did not have the Spirit.
Jesus came to save Israel.
Jesus came and reckoneth with them.
Jesus came to make war.
Jesus returned to fight.
Jesus came to fight with a vengeance.
Jesus came with fire.
Jesus came in flaming vengeance.
Jesus came. A fire went before Him.
Jesus came. The hills melted like wax.
Jesus came and turned away ungodliness from Jacob.
Jesus returned and discerned between the righteous and the wicked.
Jesus came and rewarded people.
Jesus came to rule Israel.
Jesus came to rule the world as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Jesus came, and afterward sat on the throne of His glory.
Jesus came to dwell in the midst of thee.
Jesus returned to dwell in Jerusalem.
Jesus came to build the temple.
Jesus returned and built again the tabernacle of David.
Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Before the Rapture, the people of the world did not fear God.
During the Tribulation, the people of the world did not fear God.
But then, as Jesus returned, the world was so afraid that some died from overwhelming fear.
And when a person died and went to hell, then they were terrified of God—but it was too late.
Oh, that THE people would have feared God, before He returned. If they would have, many that are now being tormented continually might have spent their eternity with Christ in everlasting love and joy.
When Jesus came, did He find faith upon the earth? Among the heathen, no faith or fear of God was found. However, among the elect—that is, those that had escaped the Antichrist, and had not taken the mark, or worshipped the image—among these, there was faith and the fear of God.
A great voice out of the temple in heaven, from the throne proclaimed, “IT IS DONE.”
As already covered, Jesus and the saints had departed from heaven.
Satan and his angels had met them, as they approached the earth. Satan had been cast into the bottomless pit and sealed, so he could not deceive the people and nations any longer.
Then the Antichrist and False Prophet had been cast alive into the lake of fire.
AS A RESULT, THEIR INFLUENCE UPON PEOPLE’S THOUGHTS HAD STOPPED. The people of the earth finally understood what was happening, as their minds were no longer deceived and clouded with all sorts of deception and wrong thoughts.
No one on earth had ever experienced this since the creation.
All the kindreds, or tribes, or groups of people of the earth cried because of Him.
Jesus had waited a long time as sin and wickedness increased. Then, His patience ended. It had run out.
There was a sense of urgency. No delay was to happen. Sin was completely full, completely ripe. The time was at hand. The harvest was not to be delayed.
Consider, a person standing outside, and then suddenly a bolt of lightning strikes a nearby tree, followed by an earsplitting crack of thunder. This frightening experience would cause anyone to run for cover.
Now consider—when Jesus Christ returned, the lightnings surrounded the entire world. The noise was deafening. The entire planet shook. Many were killed instantly, as the lightning bolts struck. Others ran, but there was no where to run. Clouds were everywhere. Buildings, cars, trees—nearly everything, it seemed, was being hit in the deadly barrage of lightning. People screamed and cried.
Consider the noise, oh, the terrifying noise as lightning bolts struck all around a person! People were struck with a deep, terrifying fear.
The birth pangs were at their strongest. Israel was as a woman about to give birth. One thousand years of peace was about to be born. Jesus returned to reign as the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Was God unrighteous for taking vengeance? God forbid! For then how would God have judged the world? It was a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation (or great trouble) to those that troubled the saints. Indeed, it was written, VENGEANCE BELONGETH UNTO ME, I WILL RECOMPENSE, SAITH THE LORD.
When Jesus returned, no one was able to stand or endure it, except those that belonged to Christ and were being protected. Jesus was like a refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap that purges away uncleanness.
As the battle began, an angel cried with a loud voice. He cried, saying, TO ALL THE FOWLS THAT FLY IN midair, COME AND GATHER YOURSELVES TOGETHER TO THE (feast) OF THE GREAT GOD. The dead bodies of the armies of the world were about to become food for the birds.
The Day of the Lord had come. It was a day of destruction. People’s hands were faint. Every man’s heart melted. People were terrified. It was like a woman in travail. Their fear intensified. People’s faces were as flames.
As already mentioned, tradition associated the Valley of Jehoshaphat with the Kidron Valley.
Here, Jesus first judged the heathen at the time of Armageddon.
The harvest was ripe. The people’s wickedness was very great. There were multitudes and multitudes of people in the Valley of Decision.
Here are just a few of the many times the Bible had said Jesus would come.
THE SON OF MAN IS REVEALED,
THE SON OF MAN COMETH,
OCCUPY TILL I COME,
WHO MAY ABIDE THE DAY OF HIS COMING?,
THEN SHALL THEY SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD,
THEN SHALL YE RETURN,
THE KING OF GLORY SHALL COME IN,
FOR HE COMETH TO JUDGE THE EARTH.
Jesus determined to destroy all the nations that attacked Jerusalem.
The return of Jesus Christ for the unrepentant was terror. His return for those that followed Him was joy.
The return of Jesus Christ for the righteous had been a time of hope. A new age was about to begin.
Those of Jerusalem looked upon Him, Whom they had pierced. They cried, as a person cries for their only child. Their crying was great.
There was also great crying in Megiddo.
The land mourned. Families had been separated and split apart.
Jesus told the saints to strengthen the weak hands. Confirm the feeble knees. To those that were of a fearful heart, Jesus says—be strong.
He saved and delivered them, and they glorified Him.
Indeed, they would no longer be a prey.
Jesus knew them that trusted in Him.
The Lord saved His people in that day.
Woe to those that desired the Day of the Lord!
Yet, for those that truly sought God—He did not forsake them.
The Day of the Lord was a day of darkness and not light. It was a day of gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.
He returned with darkness under His feet and dark rain clouds were around Him.
Jesus made darkness His canopy.
The darkness covered Jerusalem, Israel, and the entire earth. As the people were in spiritual darkness, they were given gross darkness.
The weapons of Christ were His Word. As He spoke, what He had said happened.
When Jesus had come the first time, as He spoke the Word, people were healed.
Now as He returned, when He spoke the Word, people died.
No one was able to stand against the power of Christ. No, not all the powers of the earth combined could even begin to stand against Christ.
He had total power over all the forces of nature—the wind, storms, lightnings, hailstones, tidal waves, and more.
Jesus had returned. He came to judge Jerusalem, Israel, and then the earth.
Jesus returned to punish the world for their sin. He had been patient for a very long time. The wrath of the Lord was upon all nations. As already said, they were like blind men, because they had sinned against the Lord. This dreadful and terrifying battle (or Day of the Lord) lasted one day.
The Antichrist (who had already been cast into the lake of fire) and the kings of the earth with their armies, had been gathered together to make war against Jesus. The Lord went forth to fight. Jesus executed vengeance in anger with fury and wrath, such as the heathen had never imagined. Jesus Christ went forth to cleanse His land from wickedness.
The Lord told the saints through His Word, BE PATIENT THEREFORE, BRETHREN, UNTO THE COMING OF THE LORD.
God punished the world for their evil. God punished the wicked for their sin. God brought an end to people’s arrogance. He destroyed the pride of the proud and the ruthless. He silenced the speech of the wicked with their mocking. The cursing of the name of the Lord began to cease, for they that did such things were perishing.
God brought His judgment upon the world, because of their stubbornness and unrepentant hearts. The world had been storing up wrath against themselves, and now the day of God’s wrath was present.
The people of the earth were as thorns. Many were drunkards. Many were into witchcraft and fortunetelling. Many worshipped images and the work of their own hands.
The gold and silver that had belonged to Israel had been taken. God’s people had been sold to others.
The earth was filled with violence. Man’s sin had come to the full. Every perverse thing, every sin imaginable had come to its fullest.
It was a time of betrayal and suspicion.
Beatings and killings just for the fun of it was normal.
People had no conscience regarding doing wrong. Whatever evil came into a person’s heart to do, he did.
As before the flood, so it was at the time that Armageddon approached
As Sodom and Gomorrah were, so it was as the great battle approached.
Hatred was everywhere.
Homosexuality was a way of life, as was sex with everything imaginable. Rape was common.
Not only was the earth’s population decreasing because of wars and massive killings, it was decreasing as very few children were being born.
If Jesus the Messiah had not returned exactly when He did, there would have been no one left alive on the earth.
Was God unrighteous Who took vengeance? God forbid, for then how should He judge the world? It was right and just, for God to return tribulation to those that troubled His people. Vengeance belongeth to God. Vengeance was His, and He did repay. It was and is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Indeed, Jesus Christ took vengeance on those that did not know Him, and those that did not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Consider. The angels that sinned were cast down to hell—God did not spare them.
The ancient world was not spared—except Noah and his family.
Sodom and Gomorrah were not spared, but were turned to ashes—but Lot and his daughters were delivered.
These were examples to a sinful world of what would come upon them, because of sin, rebellion, and refusal to obey God’s Word.
Those that followed the corrupt desires of the sinful nature and despised authority;
those that were arrogant and self-willed,
and were not afraid to slander those in the heavens;
those that brought slanderous accusations against such beings,
and blasphemed things they did not understand—these, as brute beasts, were destroyed for the harm they had done.
Their eyes had been full of adultery. They never stopped sinning. They led the unstable astray. They were experts in greed. They loved the wages of wickedness. Swiftly, they were destroyed and perished, as Jesus returned to take vengeance.
Armageddon was the Day of Vengeance for our God.
Throughout much of the world, the people went about business as usual—until the end came. They did not understand that the day of their judgment and death was approaching. They did not understand Armageddon was about to explode upon them.
It was as in the days of Noah, and of Sodom and Gomorrah.
The people were eating, and drinking, and getting married—but then the flood came, and they were all destroyed.
In the same way in the days of Lot, the people were eating and drinking. They were buying and selling. They were planting their gardens. They were building their homes. They were making plans for tomorrow, what they would do, and where they would go. Yet the same day Lot went out of Sodom, they were all destroyed. Not one person was left alive.
Jesus had for a long time refrained Himself, as the earth immersed itself in every sinful desire. No matter how perverse and wicked man’s thoughts and actions became, Jesus had held back, bringing upon mankind far less than they deserved.
The return of Jesus was a time of destroying those that destroyed the earth.
The time of waiting was over, as the Lord had determined to destroy and devour at once.
As Armageddon approached, the earth was covered in darkness. The people of the world were in spiritual blindness or gross darkness as well. They were angry. They were enraged.
The battle had begun with Satan, the Antichrist and the False Prophet being eliminated.
Then it continued at the Mount of Olives, Mt. Zion, and Jerusalem; then Megiddo, Israel; and then the whole world. The flames of the Lord devoured the thorns and briers in one day.