Disciples Global Network

Revelation moves inexorably from the death of Jesus to the final day when God judges the wicked and vindicates the righteous .  At the conclusion of his ‘ Olivet Discourse ,’ Jesus gave his parable of the Sheep and the Goats. On the day when the “ Son of Man arrives in glory ,” his angels will gather all nations before him for judgment, and he will divide them into two groups. One will receive “everlasting destruction,” and the other, “ everlasting life .”

The “ Abyss ” was introduced when the “ fifth trumpet ” sounded and demonic hordes “ ascended ” from it. It is referred to next after the “ Two Witnesses ” complete their “ testimony .” On cue, the “ Beast ascends from the Abyss ” to attack and slay them, but only after they finish their prophetic mission.

The “ second woe ” does not end until the “ Two Witnesses ” have completed their “ testimony ” and their “ corpse ,” singular, lies on the streets of “ Babylon .” Only then will the final trumpet be heard as its ushers in the hour of the judgment. The martyrdom of the “ Two Witnesses ” puts the end into motion and seals the doom of the “ Dragon .”

The climax of the ‘Seventy Weeks’ prophecy is the appearance of the “ abomination that desolates .” But what is it? The reference to it in chapter 9 is neither the first nor the last word on the matter. Interpreting the “ abomination ” in isolation from the larger literary context produces incomplete and even false answers to the question.

The introduction to the final vision in chapter 10 did more than just portray an impressive angelic visitation. It provided verbal links to the vision of the “ Ram and the Goat ” and its interpretation. Now, additional details are presented concerning the demise of Persia, the rise of Greece and its first great king, and its division into four lesser realms.