It’s interesting here in January of 2024, the extent that most people have been blinded to what is occurring worldwide as it relates to ongoing conflicts between nations and ethnic groups. Should these conflicts be viewed in isolation or should we consider that World War 3 may have already started? I don’t believe that World War 1 and World War 2 were referred to by these names until the conflicts were mostly over. So the lack of a name for the present worldwide situation shouldn’t control our thinking as to what is actually occurring. This article is going to take a quick look at these ongoing conflicts and what the bible tells us about a future last day’s wars.
First we can make a quick review of WW1 and WW2. In both of these war’s we had fighting that started between two European countries. Then the countries of Europe chose a side. After that the American’s began sending supplies and eventually American troops. And of course during both wars the fighting spread to the Middle East, Asia and Africa. So how is that different than what is occurring today?
Presently we have the same situation. Russia attacked Ukraine, then, most of Western Europe along with Scandinavia, Canada and the United States took Ukraine’s side. Iran, North Korea, Belarus and China joined the Russians. Israel is presently fighting with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and other groups in Syrian supported by Iran. The United States and other countries, at the writing of this article, are making daily bombing runs on Yemen, Syria and Iraq. China appears to be ready to attack Taiwan and North Korea appears to be provoking a war with South Korea. North Africa is also having its problems and even Venezuela appears ready to attack one of its neighbors. So once again I will ask, should these conflicts be viewed in isolation or as a broader conflict?
While reading various bible books and various chapters concerning the end-times I believe that one can develop a theme and subthemes with regards to this. The primary theme is obviously the return of Jesus to the earth. The most prominent subtheme is World War. Jesus warned us of this.
Mat 24:6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Mat 24:7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
Nation will rise against nation in verse 7 actually means ethnic group will rise against ethnic group, also known as civil war.
When the second seal of Revelation is opened we see spiritual control of this World War condition.
Rev 6:4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
We could say that from the present conditions on the earth that these few verses are in the process of being fulfilled. Do I believe that the second seal has already been opened? Maybe. Why do many Christians believe that the opening of the second seal is not yet possible? That’s easy, the pretribulation rapture hasn’t yet occurred or a European leader hasn’t stood up at the United Nations and made a peace agreement with a group of people. If you are firmly entrenched in the pretribulation rapture and a coming peace agreement you will likely miss what is presently occurring on the earth.
I also believe that another huge problem for the Christian community is the teaching that Magog of Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 is referring to Russia. Much of the material that I have read from reputable sources place Magog in modern day Turkey. As we have seen already Israel along with her allies are being depleted of their munitions. Russia has also been worn down and reduced from its ongoing war with Ukraine. Guess what? Other than a few minor skirmishes with groups in Syria, Turkey, which is the most powerful military in the Middle East, has yet to fire a shot. Their military and resources remain fully intact and 100% operational. And the distance from Turkey to the mountains of Israel is only about 200 miles. Given the road systems in Lebanon and Syria, the Turkish army could move a vast amount of resources from their border to the mountains of Israel in about 5 hours.
It’s interesting how the third seal of Revelation relates to the second seal. What are we seeing in the third seal? It’s a lack of food and starvation.
Rev 6:5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.
Rev 6:6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”
Jesus warned us.
Mat 24:7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
A bi-product of most wars is starvation and a general lack of food. The numbers from World War 2 are quite startling and reached into the millions. The second and third seals are events that have been seen numerous times worldwide, that is war followed by a lack of food. So this will likely be a part of our future.
The wars
At the beginning of the Ukraine and Russia war I made the statement to friends that this war would likely do little more than drain supplies away from the real prize, Israel. At the start of the Ukraine war Israel was living the status quo of an uneasy peace with its neighbors. Immediately the friends of Israel began sending its supplies to Ukraine to the point they appeared to be running out of various ammunitions. Then came the invasion of Israel by Hamas which has led to a daily escalation on all fronts. So if we are in the book of Revelation what is likely coming in the way of warfare? In the rest of this article we are going to take a look at those events.
Let’s first take a look at the present situation around Israel. If you truly believe what is written in the pages of the bible then you should know what was written by the prophet Zephaniah. In his book he foretold what was going to occur to those areas generally south of Israel. Gaza as was written about by Zephaniah is still the same Gaza of today. The Kerethite people inhabited parts of southern Israel along with the Philistines. As we can see it doesn’t end well for Hamas.
Zep 2:3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.
Zep 2:4 Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon left in ruins. At midday Ashdod will be emptied and Ekron uprooted.
Zep 2:5 Woe to you who live by the sea, you Kerethite people; the word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines. He says, “I will destroy you, and none will be left.”
Zep 2:6 The land by the sea will become pastures having wells for shepherds and pens for flocks.
Zep 2:7 That land will belong to the remnant of the people of Judah; there they will find pasture. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. The LORD their God will care for them; he will restore their fortunes.
In the north of Israel which is controlled by Hezbollah, it also appears to not end very well. Tyre and Sidon are both located in southern Lebanon along the coast.
Joel 3:4 “Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.
So what we have seen so far are two battles, one to the north and one to the south of Israel. These are likely just small compared to what is coming. It might be a good idea at this point for us to remember that Jesus told us that nation would rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. However, Jesus never told us that Russia would rise against Ukraine or Chile would rise against Argentina. The information we have is what is occurring in and around Israel and the Middle East and not the world as a whole. Things are likely happening worldwide we simply are not given the information on those events.
I certainly believe that there is a reason why that in the end-times only the area in and around Israel are generally addressed. Daniel told us that it’s not about the whole world it’s about Israel. Often times as Americans we tend to believe that the world is centered on us but it’s not, it’s centered on Israel and the Jewish people.
Dan 9:24 “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.
The Old Testament Prophets described the coming wars involving Israel. The most complete description of a coming war is covered in chapters 38 and 39 of Ezekiel’s book. In these chapters Ezekiel describes a group of countries that join together to attack Israel. This is a huge battle or war that apparently takes place mostly in the mountains of northern Israel. Below at 38:21 we see “I will summon a sword”. Then 38:22 we see “I will pour down torrents of rain, hail and burning sulfur”. These events at 38:22 are what happen when a nuclear bomb is exploded in an area. Could it be that what we are we seeing here is God using man to accomplish his purpose or is this the Sodom and Gomorrah treatment? Too shorten this article I have deleted many verses.
Eze 38:1 The word of the LORD came to me:
Eze 38:8 After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety.
Eze 38:9 You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.
Eze 38:10 “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme.
Eze 38:11 You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people–all of them living without walls and without gates and bars.
Eze 38:12 I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.”
Eze 38:14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it?
Eze 38:15 You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army.
Eze 38:16 You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.
Eze 38:18 This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Eze 38:19 In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.
Eze 38:20 The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground.
Eze 38:21 I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother.
Eze 38:22 I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him.
Eze 39:1 “Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal.
Eze 39:2 I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel.
Eze 39:3 Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand.
Eze 39:4 On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals.
Eze 39:5 You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Eze 39:6 I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the LORD.
Eze 39:9 “‘Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up–the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel.
Eze 39:10 They will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut it from the forests, because they will use the weapons for fuel. And they will plunder those who plundered them and loot those who looted them, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Eze 39:11 “‘On that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, in the valley of those who travel east of the Sea. It will block the way of travelers, because Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon Gog.
Eze 39:12 “‘For seven months the Israelites will be burying them in order to cleanse the land.
There are many unknowns about this battle. The first and the biggest question to me is how long does it last? It could be days or it could be years. Who is Gog and where is Magog? Many experts frequently argue this. Many believe Russia and many others believe the country of Turkey. As stated above it’s interesting that at the writing of this article, Turkey has yet to fire a shot in anger although its president weekly spews a bit of hatred towards Israel. As Europe and the United States drains its resources defending Ukraine, Taiwan and South Korea and Israel drains its resources fighting Hezbollah, Hamas and groups in Syria, Turkey remains the largest army in Europe and untouched. I’m sure that Gog is waiting for his opportunity.
There appears to be two major battles associated with the end times. We have the Gog war of Ezekiel 38 and 39 and other chapters and we then have Revelation 16 and 19 and its associated chapters. I believe that when we carefully look at all the information available on these two events we can see that they are not the Old Testament and New Testament versions of the same war. I believe that the Gog war occurs around the opening of the 6th seal and then the last battle is fought during the bowls of wrath.
I think that the Gog war should be viewed as a traditional type of war that likely goes nuclear as we have already seen. The final battle likely goes nuclear but when we look at the chapters and verses associated with that battle we see a whole new group of players. I believe that in Daniel chapter 11, Revelation chapter 9 and Joel chapter 2 we see these new players. They are real, demonic and on the earth. They are the coming demonic army. And in this final battle we see two armies. Jesus has the armies of heaven with him and Satan has the armies of the abyss with him. The Gog war ends in a terrific defeat for the evil one so he pulls out all the stops with the final war and that’s the demonic army.
I have many times seen these next few verses as being symbolic of different things but if we take a literal view we see it for what it is. This is a demonic army that is coming to attack Israel. And the truly terrifying part is that there are 200 million of them.
It’s interesting that many will reject what the text is actually telling us and it is likely due to fear alone. Most can accept that in world history countries have went to war with other countries which have left millions dead. But when we look at this next war we see a war never before fought. One only needs to look at the descriptions of the warriors. The first few verses of Revelation chapter 9 tell us that these warriors are being released from the Abyss. Nothing in the text hints that these are symbolic of tanks and helicopters as some propose.
In verse 11 we see that this army has over it the angel of the Abyss who is Abaddon or the destroyer. Will Abaddon be visible to those on earth or perhaps appear in spirit form alone? As we will see below in Daniel chapter 11 he is visible and here on earth and assisting the anti-Christ in running things. Where does Abaddon come from? Verse 1 tells us he comes from the sky. And will we be able to see his arrival? John did and Luke wrote about it so those on earth likely will see it as well. We will explore that a little later.
In regards to the timing of the arrival of this demon army it occurs at the sounding of the fifth trumpet. I believe that the rapture will occur at the sounding of the seventh trumpet so many of us may very well see the arrival and formation of this demon army. This will truly be the black swan event of all time.
Rev 9:1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.
Rev 9:2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss.
Rev 9:3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth.
Rev 9:4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
Rev 9:5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes.
Rev 9:6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
Rev 9:7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.
Rev 9:8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.
Rev 9:9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.
Rev 9:10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.
Rev 9:11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).
Rev 9:12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
Rev 9:13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God.
Rev 9:14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
Rev 9:15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.
Rev 9:16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.
Rev 9:17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.
Rev 9:18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths.
Rev 9:19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
Rev 9:20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood–idols that cannot see or hear or walk.
Rev 9:21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
The battle we see here in Joel is likely the same final battle. Notice the wording here and the use of the word “like”. The impression is that they’re not really the type of soldiers that Joel was familiar with, just sort of “like” them. Below in verse 4 we are told that they have the appearance of horses just like above in Revelation 9:7.
We can be sure of when this war in Joel occurs from verse 11. In this verse the Lord is returning with his army just as we will see below in Revelation 19.
Joe 2:1 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand–
Joe 2:2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come.
Joe 2:3 Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste– nothing escapes them.
Joe 2:4 They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry.
Joe 2:5 With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
Joe 2:6 At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale.
Joe 2:7 They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course.
Joe 2:8 They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks.
Joe 2:9 They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows.
Joe 2:10 Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.
Joe 2:11 The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
Now we will take a look at Daniel chapter 11 and what I believe is another look at Abaddon. Some believe that Daniel chapter 11 is fulfilled through verse 35 so for the sake of argument we will start there.
This chapter also brings up information that is frequently overlooked or completely dodged. In verse 38 we see the arrival of a foreign god. In verse 39 we see the anti-Christ attacking other countries with the help of this foreign god. So who is this foreign god and what about his army? This, I believe, can be no one other than the angel of the Abyss, Abaddon, and his locust army that we saw in Revelation chapter 9 and Joel chapter 2. I believe that Abaddon has been sent to complete the job that Gog started and failed at. But at the end of the chapter we see a failure of this mission also. The anti-Christ falls along with Abaddon.
But before going to Daniel 11 lets first take a look at what I believe is describing the black swan event that I mentioned above and that is the arrival of a fallen angel.
In Revelation chapter 9 we see a star fall from the sky. This star is an angel which is given the key to the abyss. We are then given his name which is Abaddon. Luke in chapter 21 of his book spoke of what I would call this black swan event. This event is terrifying and coming from the sky. I believe that this is the arrival of Abaddon.
If we look at the end of verse 11 we see the wording “and fearful events and great signs from heaven”. These verses are from the New International Version of the bible.
Luk 21:9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
Luk 21:10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Luk 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
The Good News Translation words it like this.
Luke 21:10-12 10 He went on to say, “Countries will fight each other; kingdoms will attack one another. 11 There will be terrible earthquakes, famines, and plagues everywhere; there will be strange and terrifying things coming from the sky.
Different versions translate verse 11 differently but the Good News Translation likely says it best that “there will be strange and terrifying things coming from the sky”.
Later in the chapter we come to verse 26. It tells us that people are actually terrorized by what is coming on the world from the heavenly bodies.
Luk 21:26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
So I believe that what we are seeing in Revelation chapter 9 and above in Luke 21 is simply the arrival of Abaddon. Now in Daniel chapter 11 we see “he”, the anti-Christ, now teaming up with Abaddon, “foreign god”. Verse 39 says it all. He will attack militarily strong countries with the help of a foreign god, Abaddon.
Dan 11:36 “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place.
Dan 11:37 He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.
Dan 11:38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.
Dan 11:39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.
Dan 11:40 “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.
Dan 11:41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand.
Dan 11:42 He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape.
Dan 11:43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Cushites in submission.
Dan 11:44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many.
Dan 11:45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
In these next few verse we see a build up to the battle of Armageddon. What we see here in Revelation 16 is mostly the New Testament version of Daniel chapter 11. In verse 14 we see these demon spirits forced to go worldwide to scrounge for soldiers. After gathering what it can this demon army again apparently tries an attack on Israel. As we see at the end of chapter 16 it doesn’t end well. We see what appears to be a nuke strike or what I would call the Sodom and Gomorrah treatment.
Rev 16:10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony
Rev 16:11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
Rev 16:12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.
Rev 16:13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Rev 16:14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.
Rev 16:15 “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
Rev 16:16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
Rev 16:17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
Rev 16:18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.
Rev 16:19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.
Rev 16:20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.
Rev 16:21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Next is likely a slice of the same battle. We have Jesus returning to the earth with his followers. And notice in verse 18 we again see the word “horses”. I believe that these are likely the same “horses” we heard about back in chapter 9. These are likely demonic in nature and not the type we would see at the Kentucky derby.
Rev 19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
Rev 19:12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
Rev 19:13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
Rev 19:14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
Rev 19:15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
Rev 19:16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,
Rev 19:18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”
Rev 19:19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army.
Rev 19:20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
Rev 19:21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
So what we have seen so far are two wars that take place in the end times and their impact on the Middle East and Israel. Below are two chapters from the book of Zachariah that more specifically address what will happen to the city of Jerusalem during these wars.
Ultimately the Lord bails Jerusalem out. But before they get to that point the city will be captured, looted, the women raped and half the city apparently taken hostage. This is similar to what Hamas recently did to southern Israel.
Zec 12:1 A prophecy: The word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares:
Zec 12:2 “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem.
Zec 12:3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.
Zec 12:4 On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the LORD. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations.
Zec 12:5 Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God.’
Zec 12:6 “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place.
Zec 12:7 “The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah.
Zec 12:8 On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them.
Zec 12:9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.
Zec 14:1 A day of the LORD is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls.
Zec 14:2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.
Zec 14:3 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle.
Zec 14:4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.
Zec 14:5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
Zec 14:6 On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness.
Zec 14:7 It will be a unique day–a day known only to the LORD–with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light.
Zec 14:8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.
Zec 14:9 The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Zec 14:10 The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up high from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses, and will remain in its place.
Zec 14:11 It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.
Zec 14:12 This is the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.
Zec 14:13 On that day people will be stricken by the LORD with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another.
So in concluding this article what have we actually learned? Well, God has warned us that at some time in the future things are going to be really tough. We were given specific details on future wars that the nation of Israel will fight and we were warned of a coming demonic army that Israel will face. Will all of the world from Norway to the islands of the south Pacific be involved in these wars? Probably not, but we will examine that in the next article.
Jeff
2024