The second half of the Tribulation Period is known as the Period of Great Tribulation. The Antichrist sets himself up as the one who should be worshipped by all (Rv 13:8). He has a death, or near-death, experience and recovers which only drives more loyalty to him by those on earth (Rv 13:14). He even sets himself up in Israel’s temple as the one to worship (Dn 9:27; Mt 24:15). He puts a mark on those who show their allegiance to him and only they can buy or sell (Rv 13:16-17). Without the mark, no one can buy anything and anyone without the mark is immediately sentenced to die.
Many Jews flee to a more southern region (Mt 24:16; Rv 12:14) which many believe will be Petra, which is located south of the Dead Sea and in today’s country of Jordan. Many Christians and Jews who have converted based upon the evangelistic campaign by the one hundred and forty-four thousand will likely be there to greet these refuges as they would have already searched the scriptures and know that Daniel and John prophesied God’s protection of this area (Dn 11:41; Rv 12:14) and that Isaiah had prophesied of Christ’s triumph in this region (Is 34, 63). The Antichrist is now also against the Jews and is determined to wipe them out. Satan, through the Antichrist, had to first gain the confidence and loyalty of all. Once he has that, and has gained sufficient power, he then follows through with this original plan. If he can wipe out the Jewish nation, then Christ cannot fulfill His final mission of ruling over His chosen people. Therefore, total Jewish annihilation is the only goal he will accept.
The Antichrist, however, is determined. He is able to muster most of the world’s military to the Middle East and sets up to go against both Jerusalem and, likely, Petra (Rv 16:14-16) for what has been termed the Battle of Armageddon (Rv 16:16). The reason is that many Jews fled to this area south of the Dead Sea and the Antichrist is very determined to annihilate all Jews. The Antichrist’s armies are therefore placed from Jerusalem down to Petra. Jerusalem is attacked, ransacked, and brought to the verge of annihilation (Zc 14:2). Petra is surrounded (Is 34:1-6, 63:1-6).
Then the long-awaited promise occurs. Those in Jerusalem finally say the very words Christ stated must be spoken before he would return: blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord (Mt 23:39). This is important because the context of these words is from one of the psalms (Ps 118:26), a psalm of deliverance. By saying these words, they are agreeing with the psalmist in asking for deliverance, a deliverance that results in their salvation and ushers in their Messiah’s reign. Jesus does not disappoint them. Descending from Heaven, He comes with all of those who had previously put their faith in him (Rv 19:11-14).
Just as Christ touches down on the Mount of Olives just east of Jerusalem, the biggest earthquake that mankind and the world have ever experienced occurs (Rv 16:18-20). This is likely the fourth earthquake mentioned in the previous post. It topples cities, moves mountains and islands from their places, and changes landscapes. The whole earth convulses and responds to the King’s touch. It causes all the faults in the area to separate. It has been found that the Arabian fault extends from the Afar Triangle (where the Arabian, African, and Somalian plates meet) up through the Gulf of Aqaba and through the Jordan River basin (called the Great Rift Valley) northward. In addition, there is a fault zone, called the Palmyra Belt of Faults and Folds extending from the Jordan River north of the Sea of Galilee to the Euphrates River. All throughout this area are subterranean riverbeds. A fault scarp (when land at the fault zone is thrown upward forming a cliff face on one side of the fault and a more level area on the other side of the fault) between Geba (about five miles north of Jerusalem) to Rimmon (about thirty-five miles south of Jerusalem) is formed which causes the area east to become a plain (Zc 14:10). The rift in the Mount of Olives will go westward to the Tyropoean Valley in Jerusalem (Zc 14:10-11) as well as eastward forming a scarp face which allows a subterranean river to flow from beneath the temple mount in Jerusalem toward the Dead Sea (Zc 14:8; Ek 47:1-12). Also, the Palmyra Belt of Faults will separate forcing the Euphrates River to flow into the Jordan River causing the remainder of the Euphrates River to dry up (Rv 16:12). Water from the Euphrates will then flow into the Jordan River as well as from other subterranean rivers now exposed from the scarp face. These fresh waters will flow into the Dead Sea making it vibrant for fish and vegetation (Ek 47:9-10); water will then flow out of the Dead Sea to the sea of Aqaba while another part of the Jordan will flow along the newly developed scarp face into the Mediterranean Sea (Zc 14:8). While all these events are to bring judgment, it seems they are also preparing the earth for the coming Millennial Kingdom.
Jesus first touches down on the Mount of Olives as was stated and then goes immediately to Bozra where the Antichrist’s armies were set against Petra and defeats the foes there. Defeating the enemy is not a hard task for him. It is, though, a very bloody task. A single word from Christ and the enemies’ flesh begins to disintegrate; there is panic and confusion and the army that the Adversary has brought starts fighting each other (Zc 14:12-15). The number of the enemy who fall is so great that blood spatters all the way up to a horse’s bridle (Rv 14:20). Jesus then heads up to Jerusalem in his blood-stained garments (Is 63:1) where he defeats all of his foes along the way and comes to Jerusalem victorious and enters Jerusalem through the Eastern Gate (Ek 43:1-5). This gate has long been closed (since 1541 AD by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent) representing the hopelessness of the Jews and their lost promises. Yet, such a closure is no barrier for the King of kings.
Christ will fulfill everything he has promised. Time is immaterial. What is a long time to use is not for him. All will work out as he has ordained. We can bank on that. Don’t you want a sure thing? Who doesn’t? This is a sure thing. Trust him. You’ll be glad you did.
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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens
