Intro to the End Times is a series walking through some of the key themes of the story of Jesus’ return from a historic premillennial perspective, with special focus on knowing the heart of Jesus as we partner with God through the most dramatic chapter of human history.

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In an earlier post, we looked at the figure of the Antichrist. The good news is that his time is limited and Jesus is coming as a warrior to overthrow the antichrist and establish His kingdom.

However, this event isn’t just a moment; it’s a whole process. Jesus isn’t going to snap His fingers like Thanos and change everything everywhere in an instant. He’s going to take His time in an enormous, glorious procession traveling toward Jerusalem for the final confrontation.

Seventh Trumpet

Let’s take a quick review of the judgments in Revelation. (If you want a more in-depth look, check out the end times timeline and book of Revelation outline.)

• Seven seals – rise of antichrist, world war, famine, death, martyrdom, revival.
• Seven trumpets – lots of fire, smoke, hail, blood, darkness, and demons.
• Seven bowls – if you thought the trumpets were bad… here’s even more fire, blood, demons, etc. Full and final wrath.

The seventh trumpet, just before the bowls, is the high point of the story, when Jesus returns, gathers the saints, and begins to establish His rulership on earth.

“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever…. We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.’ (Revelation 11:15-18)

Wait…. this doesn’t say anything specific about Jesus appearing. So how do we know that He comes at the seventh trumpet?

There are some key words in this passage we need to not miss: “has become the kingdom” and “begun to reign.” There’s a clear transition that happens here, when Jesus’ rulership is no longer only a spiritual reign from heaven but a physical reign over the kingdoms of the earth.

Earlier, after the sixth trumpet, the next event is foreshadowed with this statement:

“And the angel… swore… that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” (Revelation 10:5-7)

There is something climactic about the seventh trumpet in a way that nothing else is. It’s the fulfillment of God’s most ancient desire to dwell on earth with mankind, just like He did in the garden of Eden.

This trumpet is also referenced throughout the rest of the Bible in the Old and New Testaments. (Ps. 47:5; Isa. 18:3, 27:13; Zc. 9:14; Mt. 24:31; 1Co. 15:50-52; 1 Th. 4:16-17; Re. 10:7, 11:15-17) This is when Jesus descends from heaven, gathers His people (the resurrection and rapture), and gives us our new bodies. To be honest, I didn’t know the trumpet was referenced in the Old Testament until I was researching this blog, but there they are!

Appearing in the Sky

So at the seventh trumpet, after seven years of tribulation, Jesus appears in the sky on the clouds. However, these are absolutely not pretty, fluffy, white clouds with gentle sunbeams. These are STORM CLOUDS, with dramatic lightning, thunder, hail, and fire, plus an earthquake for good measure. And let’s not forget the sound of the angel’s trumpet and the shout of God!

• Clouds (Ps. 18:12, 97:2, 104:3; Da. 7:13; Ez. 30:3, 34:12; Mt. 24:30, 26:64; Mk. 13:26; Ac. 1:9-11; 1Th. 4:17; Re. 1:7)
• Lightning and thunder (Ps. 18:13-14, 97:4; Da. 10:6, Lk. 17:24, Re. 11:19)
• Hailstones (Ps. 18:12-13, Zc. 9:14, Re. 11:19)
• Fire (Ps. 18:8, 18:12-13, 97:3; Isa. 64:2, 66:15; Na. 1:6; Jo. 2:3; 2Th. 1:8)
• Earthquake (Ps 18:7; Isa. 64:1; Na. 1:5; Jo. 2:10, 3:16; Re. 11:19)
• Mountains falling/melting (Ha. 3:6, Mi. 1:4, Na. 1:5)
• Storm (Je. 23:19, 25:32, 30:23; Na. 1:3)
• Darkness (Ps. 18:9-11, 97:2; Jo 2:2)
• Shout (Ps. 18:13, 47:5; 1Th. 4:16)

This whole event will be VERY visible. Jesus’ coming is not a secret that might easily be missed. It will be the most dramatic, loud, visible thing that has ever happened in human history. Revelation 1:7 says that “every eye will see Him,” and also that “all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him”. This mourning will be either in despair and fury as they realize their doom, or, for those who haven’t committed their souls to the antichrist, repentance.

When Jesus comes, He is riding a white horse and is accompanied by an army (Re. 19:11, 14). This army includes ALL the angels and ALL the saints (Mk. 8:38; Lk. 9:26; 1Th. 3:13, 4:16-17; 2Th. 1:7-10). The saints include all those who have died and their souls in heaven are now receiving their resurrected bodies, plus saints who are alive at the seventh trumpet who meet Jesus in the air and also receive their resurrected bodies.

This is important: the saints aren’t just swept up into heaven to watch the rest of the action from the bleachers. No, we’re with Jesus, riding right behind Him, joining Him in what He’s doing, the warrior king and His warrior bride. He has a horse, so we have horses (Re. 19:11, 14). He has a sword, so we have swords (Ps. 45:3, Re. 19:15, Ps. 149:6). We are actively participating in His glorious battle for His kingdom.

Marching Through the Land

When Jesus finally touches down to the earth, He’s not done! Thus begins a whole epic procession of Jesus and His angel/resurrected saint army making their way towards Jerusalem. It’s likely that His touch-down point will be Mt. Sinai (Ps. 68:17, Ju. 1:14-15) before traveling through Edom (modern day Jordan) towards Jerusalem (Isa. 34:5-9, 63:1). Along the way, He is releasing the plagues of the bowl judgments and setting captives free, mostly Jews who have been held in prison camps by the antichrist (Isa. 42:7, 22, 49:8-12, 24-25, 61:1-3; Ps. 68:6, 79:11, 102:20, 146:7-8).

Does that sound familiar? A lot of the details of this process are very much paralleled to how God delivered Israel in the exodus from Egypt. Jesus is the greater Moses, and He’s going to do it all over again! Right now, the story of the exodus is the biggest historical/spiritual marking point for the people of Israel, but that’s going to change. During the Millennium, Israel will reference back to Jesus’ deliverance of them from the nations as a bigger miracle and marking point than the exodus itself (Mi. 7:15, Je. 23:7-8).

I have three favorite passages in Scripture that describe this scene. Look at how these details parallel to each other and paint a dramatic picture of the warrior king Jesus leading a heavenly army against the wicked nations:

“Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty! In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds! Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; the peoples fall under you.” (Psalm 45:3-5)

“Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? ‘It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.’ Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? ‘I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come.'” (Isaiah 63:1-4)

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” (Revelation 19:11-15)

If you skimmed those verses, you need to scroll back up and read them for real. This may well be the most dramatic picture of Jesus in Scripture. Not only is He burning with resurrected glory, but He is riding on a heavenly war horse, His eyeballs are burning fire, He has a sword somehow coming out of His mouth, and HIS ROBE IS SPATTERED WITH BLOOD. Whose blood? Some people say it’s His own blood, because He is the slain lamb. However, this phrase in Revelation 19 is a direct reference to Isaiah 63, in which His clothes are soaked through with the blood of His enemies. Because He’s been killing them. With a sword.

This is the Jesus in your Bible. He is love, but sometimes love comes with a sword, to spill blood “for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness.” (Ps. 45:4) This is His beauty and glory. May we love Him for all of who He is.

Battle of Jerusalem

Finally, Jesus arrived at Jerusalem. A lot of things happen, but first, my favorite: the leaders of the city finally, FINALLY recognize who He is.

“Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.” (Zechariah 2:8-11)

“Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!” (Psalm 24:7-8)

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem… For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Matthew 23:37-37)

This is the time that “all Israel will be saved” (Ro. 11:26, see also Ez. 36, Je. 32), when they see and recognize their own Messiah coming for them. Every single Jewish person alive who has not already taken the mark of the beast will be saved, and will be the foundation of the restored Israel on the earth. This is Israel’s future– Jesus will regather them from all the nations where they’ve been scattered in exile and captivity, and He will inaugurate the most glorious era of national prosperity and righteousness that they could ever imagine (see my post about God’s promises to Israel).

Rewind for a moment… as Jesus has been busy marking through the land with fire etc. releasing judgment and freeing captives, the antichrist has also been busy. He’s been assembling the nations in Israel to prepare for battle against Jesus (Re. 16:12-16). I imagine that his message to them is, “Who is this usurper in the sky? What right does He have to try to take over this planet? This is our world! Let’s show Him the power of mankind united!”

The antichrist’s army is staged at Armageddon (Re. 16:16), which we often hear used as a general term for “the end of the world” but is an actual geographic location in Northern Israel. There is a city called Megiddo with a nearby small hill (Mount Megiddo) and a broad open area (the plain of Megiddo) where many historical battles have taken place. This area is also known as the Jezreel Valley, and is the “valley of decision” that Joel 3:14 refers to.

When the antichrist’s army meets Jesus at Jerusalem, Jesus does something incredible: He stands on the Mount of Olives (a hill just to the east of the city) and actually splits it in two, creating an escape path for the Jews in the city to flee through (Zec. 14:4-5). Then Jesus and His army fight the final battle of the ages against the army of the antichrist, and all the prophecies about Him “treading the winepress” find their final fulfillment. It’s a quick but bloody battle, and all of the casualties are on one side.

“And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia [180 miles].” (Revelation 14:20)

“And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.” (Revelation 19:19-21)

Finally, the antichrist and his right hand man the false prophet are defeated and thrown into the lake of fire, and the rest of the rest of their army is killed and their bodies cover the ground. God has a rather disgusting cleanup plan– He summons a swarm of birds to eat their flesh. (It doesn’t say just carrion birds… I think this is parakeets and robins and hummingbirds right in there with vultures and crows.)

At this point, the judgments are complete and Jesus can get to work establishing His kingdom on earth! There will be a lot of new governmental infrastructure to set up, not to mention a LOT of cleanup and restoration from the devastation of the last seven years. In a future post, we’ll cover what this kingdom on earth looks like.

Read More

This is only the very, very tippy-top of the iceberg, but just for fun, here are a few passages to read and freak out over.

• Psalm 18, 45, 97
• Revelation 16, 19
• Habakkuk 3
• Isaiah 63

Also, for this blog I was very grateful for Brad Stroup’s study resources, especially his documents Concordance of End Time Themes & Topics and 100 FAQs on the End Times. More resources from Brad Stroup are here.