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Prophecy Made Simple

A Historic Premillennial Timeline

by Larry Harriman

So what is the timeline for the end times from a Historic Premillennial perspective? In this article I seek to give at least a good overview of what I believe as a Historic Premillenialist. Having said that, I am sure there will be some Historic Premillenialists who will have differing points of view on some of the finer details.

Also I want to make it clear, that I do not believe my interpretations and applications of various scriptural passages are inerrant. While I have held to the general Historic Premillennial position now for several years, I am constantly fine tuning it (and even slightly altering it) as God shows me things from his Word. That is to say that this is not the final word on the subject - but I think you will see that it is an honest interpretation of the scriptures.

Progressive revelation is how the scriptures have been revealed. The Old Testament showed us shadows of realities yet to come. While there are many references to the end times from many Prophets of the Old Testament, none give us a clearer timeline than Daniel.

But is important to note that while Daniel gives us much detail on the end times, his is not the final word on the subject, and certainly God did not give him all the details. Later in the New Testament more detail is filled in on this time line for the last days.

One other thing I would like to note, before we continue. I have updated this article since I first posted and changed a few things in it. I now believe based on further study that there will be salvation in the millennium. Previously I did not think this was the case. So in this article I will sometimes refer to "premillennial belivers" and "millennial believers". This is a distinction I am making between those who were saved before the millennium and those who are saved after Christ comes back to rule.

I will say though, that Daniel chapter 9 is perhaps the best place to start for a chronology of the last times.

Daniel 9:20-27
"20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for his holy hill- 21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision: 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. 25 "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

So what are the "Seventy sevens"?

In other translations the 'sevens' is translated as 'weeks' and while this does reflect the most literal word here it does not tell us the most literal meaning. A week is a set of seven and many times in that culture a 'week' might be understood to mean more than a literal 7 day period. It was also understood to mean a series of 7. In this case many scholars believe the "Seventy sevens" refers to Seventy seven year periods for a total of 490 years. The most important reason that many scholars believe the 'weeks' are 7 year periods is because of Daniel 9:25:

Daniel 9:25(NIV)
"25 "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble."

So if the 'weeks' in Daniel 9:25 are understood to be 7 year periods and not 7 day periods, this is saying it would be seven 7 year periods and sixty two 7 year periods for a total of 483 years from the time Jerusalem was ordered to be rebuilt (through Ezra and Nehamiah) to the coming of the "Anointed One" or Messiah(Jesus Christ). This corresponds to the actual time when Christ came.

At first glance the Angel seems to be telling Daniel that all this prophecy would be fulfilled within 490 years from the time this prophecy was given. I believe based on a broad examination of the entire Biblical witness that some of the 'realities' and all of the 'types' where fulfilled within the 490 year period from the time Jerusalem was rebuilt by Ezra and Nehamiah.

Notice I said "some of the realities", not all. Let me explain what I mean when I say 'realities' and 'types'. A 'type' biblically speaking is a person or historical event in the Bible (most of the time in the Old Testament) that represents or teaches us about a greater person or greater historical event that may have come before it or will come after it.

Here are some examples to illustrate types and realities. Lets look at Isaiah 14:

Isaiah 14:3-17
"3 On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended! 5 The LORD has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, 6 which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression. 7 All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing. 8 Even the pine trees and the cedars of Lebanon exult over you and say, "Now that you have been laid low, no woodsman comes to cut us down." 9 The grave below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you- all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones- all those who were kings over the nations. 10 They will all respond, they will say to you, "You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us." 11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. 12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." 15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit. 16 Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: "Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, 17 the man who made the world a desert, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?""

In Isaiah 14 we see a "taunt against the king of Babylon" - but as we can see from the passage it is also referring to Satan. In its historical context, this passage was speaking to the King of Babylon, but the King of Babylon was a 'type' of a greater person who had come long before him, the most evil and vile person to ever exist, Satan himself. Another example of a type can be found in the story of Boaz and Ruth. Boaz is the "kinsman-redeemer" of Ruth, but he was also a type of the greatest redeemer to come - Jesus Christ.

One other thing to note about types and realities, types never possess all the qualities of the greater realities they represent. Types only teach us some things about that greater person who has come or will come or the greater historical event that has happened previously or will happen in the future.

So back to Daniel chapter 9 and the 70 weeks of prophecy. In this case we are going to zoom in now on the last week - the 70th week. Lets take a look again at this section:

Daniel 9:26-27(NIV)
"26 After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

It appears the "the Anointed One" will be "cut off" prior to the 70th and final week. Many Biblical scholars believe this is speaking of Christ's death and resurrection and the sense that he is not physically on earth any more - though he will return in bodily form one day. It then speaks of the "ruler" - "who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary". The historical type of this prophecy was fulfilled when Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple (and desecrated it) in 70 A.D. But Titus's siege of Jerusalem was only a type of the greater siege by the one who would later be known as the "Anti-Christ".

We are told more about what this ruler (the Anti-Christ) would do in more detail as well as the first account of the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked in Daniel chapters 11 & 12:

Daniel 11:21-23 & 30-32 & 36-37 & 42-41 & 45
"...He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. 22 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. 23 After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power...Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.
31 "His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him... He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land...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.
Daniel 12:1-3 & 10-13
"1 At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people-everyone whose name is found written in the book-will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever... 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. 11 "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. 13 "As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.""

Remember that we are told in Daniel 9:27 that the Anti-Christ will "will confirm a covenant with many" at the beginning of the 70th week. He will then break that covenant and "In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.". So between Daniel 9 and 11 we can see that this ruler (the Anti-Christ) will make a peace treaty with many nations and then will break this treaty and sweep the earth with his armies - he will invade "the Beautiful Land" which is a reference to Israel and will pitch his tents "between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain" (Mount Zion). We are told that with all the power this ruler possesses he will "come to his end" and on this point Daniel is not as specific as to how he comes to his end. We are told more about this in the New Testament.

In Revelation 16 we can see the physical location of the place where the final battle of the Anti-Christ will take place:

Revelation 16:13-16
"13Then I saw three evil 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. 14They are spirits of demons performing miraculous 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. 15"Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." 16Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

Armageddon, otherwise known as the valley of Megiddo in Israel will be where the Anti-Christ assembles his vast armies for the last time. Now what about the details of this great battle - these we are given in Revelation 19:

Revelation 19:11-19(NIV)
"11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12His 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. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Out of his mouth comes 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. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

17And 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, 18so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great." 19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh."

In Revelation 19 we are given the details of this final great battle which brings the Anti-Christ to his end. Christ leads an Army from heaven "riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.". Now who makes up this Army? Well the only description we are given here is that they are clothed in "fine linen, white and clean". This has led some to believe they will be the Christians coming with Christ. The reason is that in verse 8 of Revelation 19 it speaks of the Bride of Christ wearing "Fine linen, bright and clean". But I believe two other passages seem to indicate that this army from heaven will be one made up of Angels - at least initially.

Revelation 15:6
"Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests."

So from Revelation 15:6 we see that the Angels along with Bride also wear "clean, shining linen". So this at least gives an alternative possibility to who the army is who comes with Christ, but the passage that absolutely confirms this is found in 2 Thessalonians 1:

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10(NIV)
"6God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you."

It is clear from this passage that Christ will return WITH his powerful angels to be glorified IN his holy people. The case that this army is made up of Angels is also attested to in other passages from the Gospels - here are two to illustrate:

Matthew 24:30-31(NIV)
"30"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."

Matthew 16:27(NIV)
"For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done."

Previously I said I believed the scriptures make it clear that the Army which comes with Christ will be made up entirely of Angels, then I said "at least initially." What I mean is that while they are descending the 'rapture' of the saints will occur. Christ speaks of this event in Matthew 24:

Matthew 24:15 & 21 & 29-31
"15"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand... 21For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again...29"Immediately after the distress of those days " 'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' 30"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."

This passage from Matthew 24 is also paralleled in Mark 13, and Luke 21. Christ tells us when we see the 'the abomination that causes desolation,' - or the Anti-Christ standing in the temple in the middle of the Daniel's 70 week a "great distress" or "great tribulation" as it was translated in older translations will occur. A large part of Revelation deals with plagues that will befall the earth during the "the abomination that causes desolation" for the final 3 1/2 years of Daniel's 70th week.

I want to return for a minute to this word - 'rapture'. It is never seen in the English New Testament, but our English word 'rapture' comes from the Latin word 'rapio'. This was the word used in the Latin Vulgate to translate the Greek which we translated in English as "caught up". This phrase is used in 1 Thessalonians 4:

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17(NIV)
"16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up [Greek. harpazo, Latin rapio] together with them in the clouds to meet [Greek. apantesis] the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."

In the Gospels we are never told what happens when Christ returns and sends "his angels with a loud trumpet call" and they gather "his elect from the four winds". While the timing is made crystal clear here - that this gathering or 'rapture' will occur "Immediately after the distress of those days", Christ still leaves the nature of this gathering as a mystery to later be revealed by the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 tells us what will happen when the Angel sounds the trumpet of God. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive will be "caught up" or raptured and then we will "meet the Lord in the air".

It is interesting to note here that Paul does not reveal what happens immediately after this meeting. But the Greek word "apantesis" translated as "meet" here helps us to understand what will happen. Let me first give you a clue as to what will happen from another New Testament passage:

Acts 28:14-16(NIV)
"14There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet [Greek. apantesis] At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him."

Notice from Acts 28 that Luke uses the same Greek work - "apantesis" again translated as "meet" to describe those who came from Rome to meet him and Paul. They had heard he was coming and came "as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns". What is the context here? The Romans came from Rome to greet Paul and bring him back to Rome. Many times the Greek work "apantesis" is used to speak of crowds coming out to meet military generals or Kings and return with them into their cities. So "apantesis" really means to meet and return with.

This now helps us to understand what Paul meant in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 when he says we will "meet the Lord in the air". Notice it says we will "apantesis"[meet and return with] "the Lord in the air". It is very critical that it says we (those of us alive and still on earth) will "apantesis"[meet and return with] "the Lord in the air". For if he were "apantesis"[meeting and returning with] with us then he would be coming from heaven to meet us then returning with us to heaven. But it says we will "apantesis"[meet and return with] him. We are coming from earth and meet him in the air and return with him to earth - this is what the text is saying.

But what happens at this meeting in the air, and really how can we meet the Lord in these mortal bodies? Paul gives us more detail on what will happen at the rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:

1 Corinthians 15:51-53(NIV)
"51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality."

So when the trumpet is sounded, we will be changed and given immortal and perfect bodies. Notice here that it is not the rapture itself here that occurs "in the twinkling of an eye" as some have thought, but the change from mortal to immortal. So it is clear that at the seconding coming of Christ, which occurs at the end of Daniel's 70th week and the Great Tribulation -at the battle of Armageddon we will be raptured, and thus changed and given our immortal bodies and then return with Christ to earth for his victory and the start of his millennial reign on earth. Whether we will fight with the Armies of God (the Angels) or not is not clear. There is one passage which might suggest we will, but it is not as clear:

Jude 1:14-15(NIV)
"14Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.""

In other translations the phrase "holy ones" in Jude 1:14 is translated as "saints". But "holy ones" could also be referring to the Angels. Even if it is referring to us as Christians it still does not specifically say we will fight. It says we will "judge" and this is in line with the Saints ruling with Christ. Revelation 19 gets into this aspect of the how the saints will "judge" more.

If Daniel could be seen as the starting point for any chronology of the last times, Revelation must be looked at as the finish line of Biblical Eschatology. Specifically we are going to look at the some of the last chapters 19,20 and 21 of the book of Revelation:

Revelation 19(NIV)
"1After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants." 3And again they shouted: "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever." 4The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!" 5Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!" 6Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) 9Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God." 10At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12His 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. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Out of his mouth comes 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. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

17And 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, 18so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great." 19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh."

Revelation 20(NIV)
"1And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 4I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

7When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

Revelation 21(NIV)
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." 5He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." 9One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using. 18The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass. 22I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Now that we have thrown out these three chapters, lets break them down and zoom on some sections starting with "the wedding supper of the Lamb":

Revelation 19:6-9(NIV)
"6Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) 9Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God."

The wedding of the Lamb is the final union of all premillennial saints together, when Christ returns in his glory and the saints of all ages, both dead and still alive will finally be united with their Lord - they will be perfect and holy together. What "the wedding supper of the Lamb" is we don't know for sure. No detail is given on it. But whatever it is it will take place when all the saints are united in the millennial Kingdom. It is important to note that Revelation 19 is in anticipation of what would actually happen in Revelation 20.

In verses 11-21 of Revelation 19 we see the glorious second coming of Christ and the battle of Armageddon commencing and ending with the defeat of the Anti-Christ. In Revelation 20, we see the inauguration of the millennial reign of Christ on earth.

Revelation 20:4-6(NIV)
"4I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years."

There is a truck load of theology in these 3 verses of scripture. In verse 4 we see Christians reigning and being given authority the judge. Some might think it seems like only tribulation saints who had died will rule in the millennial Kingdom. But the phrase "but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years"(vs 6) is a reference to all believers. Consider these new testament passages that support this connection:

1 Peter 2:9
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Revelation 1:6
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 5:9-11
"9And they sang a new song:
"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth."

Revelation 20:6
6Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

Clearly the reference in Revelation 20:6 is not limited to only tribulation saints, but to all believers who have come before the millennium - they will rule and reign with Christ for his 1000 year reign.

So the we know that for all who are raised in the first resurrection, the second death will have no power over them. However, for those who are raised in the second resurrection, at least some(all non-believers), the second death will have power over them. Some will be believers who were saved during the millennium, and the rest will be the wicked from all ages. The advantage of being a believer who is saved before the millennium, is that we will have the privilege of being priests and reigning with Christ in his kingdom.

It is also interesting to note that John clearly states "This is the first resurrection". Some have said this is "the first type of resurrection" but this does not do justice to the text. Those who believe in a resurrection before the tribulation need this to be the first type of resurrection and not the literal first resurrection as a literal interpretation would have it mean. If this really is the first resurrection of believers, the theory of a pre-tribulational resurrection fails. Otherwise those who believe in a pre-tribulational resurrection must look at this and call it the second resurrection, when the text clearly says it is the first.

The only literal reading of this passage is that there are two resurrections, one of the premillennial believers before the millennial reign of Christ, and another at the end of the millennial reign, the resurrection of those saved during the millennium and the wicked of all ages. This excludes the possibility of a third resurection of the righteous before the tribulation as some have taught and also excludes the possibility of one general resurrection of the righteous and wicked together as others have taught.

But now that we know that the saints will reign with Christ during his millennial kingdom, who will they reign over? The answer to this can be found in Zechariah 14:

Zechariah 14:16-17(NIV)
"16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain."

Those whom we the saints will rule over are the survivors of the nations the came against Jerusalem in the battle of Armageddon. Some see certain passages of scripture like Matthew 13 as suggesting that the millennium will start with only righteous people (specifically Jews). While I do believe many will believe at the second coming of Christ, I believe there will still be unbelievers as well. But technically, all who believe at the moment Christ returns will be resurected and given glorfied bodies. There may be some who believe a few minutes after he returns after seeing all that takes place, but those believers will still live out a mortal life in the millennium and then be resurected at the Great White Throne judgment(the second resurection).

Matthew 13:38-41(NIV)
"38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40"As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil."

Verse 41 is referring to end of Christ's millennial reign, not the beginning. How do we know this? Lets look at another passage of the New Testament which helps to interpret this passage and others like it.

1 Corinthians 15:23-25(NIV)
"23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet."

Right now Christ reigns spiritually at the right hand of the father. One day he will reign physically here on earth for 1000 years, at the end of his reign, not the beginning, he will do as Matthew 13 states and "send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil." - then he will hand the kingdom over to God the Father.

After the millennial reign of Christ is concluded we are told what will happen with Satan one last time:

Revelation 20:7-10(NIV)
"7When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

So after the millennial reign of Christ on earth Satan is released one final time and he deceives the nations and brings them against "the camp of God's people" which is most likely a reference to Jerusalem. It is interesting to note here that if the inhabitants of the millennium are only Jewish mortals as some have thought then how would there still be other nations? It is clear from Zechariah 14:16-17 that there will be survivors from the nations who enter the millennial reign and it will be some of these people's descendents who will be deceived by Satan.

It then tells us that fire comes down from heaven and devours the armies of the of the nations that Satan has deceived. It is at this point that the separating out of the wheat from the weeds as described in Matthew 13:38-41 takes place.

After his final defeat, Satan is thrown into the Lake of Fire where they "will be tormented day and night for ever and ever". Then comes the judgment as described in Revelation 20:

Revelation 20:11-15(NIV)
"11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

In this passage we see the great white throne of God and judgment being given. Is this God the Father or God the Son? We can't tell from the passage. But other passages tell us who will be judging here:

2 Timothy 4:1 & 8
"In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom...8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.""

Romans 2:16(NIV)
"16This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares."

Romans 14:10(NIV)
"10You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat."

It is clear from the New Testament that Jesus Christ will be the judge of us all - believers and non-believers alike. While I am not dogmatic at this point and could altar my position if I see evidence to the contrary, it seems to me that there is only one judgment. No timeline in scripture shows a separate judgment of the righteous and unrighteous. But I do believe that Christians will only receive rewards, while the wicked will only receive their just punishment. One clue to this that "judgment seat" in Romans 14:10 is a translation of the Greek word 'bema'. The 'bema' seat in Roman times was where the judge or official at games would present the rewards for the contestants, and it was never used as a reference to a court of judgment which would inflict punishment.

While it is clear that there are two (and only two) resurrections, one of the righteous (before the millennial reign of Christ) and one of the righteous(those who believed in the millennium) and the wicked it is not as clear if the Great White Throne judgment is one general judgment of both the righteous and the wicked. I personally believe there is only one general judgment.

Some believe the "bema" seat is different than the "Great White Throne" judgment in Revelation 20. I just don't see in any time line where a separate judgment occurs that could account for the "bema" seat being at a separate time.

Finally in Revelation 20, we see the new heaven and new earth being brought about by God.

Revelation 21:1-4(NIV)
"1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.""

It is interesting that is says "Now the dwelling of God is with men". Didn't God dwell among men when Christ walked the earth in his first advent? Didn't God dwell among men when the Holy Spirit came and indwelled men? Didn't God dwell among men when Christ ruled during the millennial Kingdom? The answer is yes. But this reference is to God the father descending to the New Earth with the New Jerusalem and now the triune God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit would make his dwelling among men.

I know I have thrown out a lot of information and we have pursued many rabbit trails in some explanations. I have not gone into as much detail on some points but I believe I have covered the main points here. Here is a summary of everything I have mentioned above:

One day in the future, Satan's power will come over a man. This person is known from the New Testament as "the Anti-Christ" or "the false prophet". At the beginning of Daniel's 70th week (a 7 year period), this ruler will make a peace treaty with the nations, including Israel.

In the middle of Daniel's 70th week(3 1/2 years) this Anti-Christ will encourage many nations to break the very treaty he brought about and they will attack Israel. He will stand in the temple at this time and proclaim himself to be God (the abomination that causes desolation). All peoples will be required to take his mark,and those faithful believers who do not he will seek to kill (and he will kill many). At this same time(3 1/2 years) the judgment of God will befall the earth, this corresponds to the Great Tribulation or Great time of Distress spoken of in the Old and New Testaments. During this great Tribulation God will raise up 144,000 Jews to specially proclaim the Gospel.

At the end of the Daniel's 70th week, and after 3 1/2 years of tribulation, he will lead one last final assault on the people of God and really will be trying to pick a fight with God himself.

At this time Christ will descend from heaven with the Armies of heaven(Angels) and Michael the Archangel will sound the trumpet, at this trumpet the dead in Christ (all of the elect from the foundations of the world) will rise and be transformed into their glorious bodies and then we who are still alive at the end of the tribulation will be transformed into our glorious bodies. We will all meet Christ and his army of Angels in the air and return with them to earth.

At the battle of Armageddon Christ and his Army will be victorious, the Anti-Christ and the beast will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, and Satan will be bound in the pit(abyss) for the 1000 year reign of Christ. We (the elect of God of all ages) will have a great victory celebration at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb - for Christ is finally, physically and eternally with his bride. At this point all of the elect saved before Christ's reign begins (now in glorious immortal bodies) will reign with Christ over the survivors of the nations that opposed God.

Will there be salvation in the millennium? I believe there has to be because there is procreation of the righteous in the millennium. I believe there are those who will witness the glorious second coming of Christ and rapture and believe. But these will still be mortals, having missed there opportunity to believe and be raptured to reign with Christ in the millennium. These righteous, will be raised at the second resurection, where they will receive the immortal bodies and enter the eternal state with the rest of the believers.

At the end of Christ's 1000 year reign on earth, Satan will be loosed one last time to deceive the unbelieving mortals that are left and will lead one last attack on the people of God. Fire will come down from heaven and destroy them all.

Then heaven and earth will pass away and all the dead (righteous and unrighteous) will stand before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment, the righteous will receive their rewards and the wicked will be cast into the Lake of Fire. The righteous will then enter the eternal state with the new heaven and new earth, there will be no more death, pain or sin. The heavenly Jerusalem will descend from heaven and be on earth. We will dwell with God forever.

Other Articles on Prophecy:

Introduction to Biblical Doctrines concerning the end times
Israel and the Church - What is the Relationship between the two?