Sequence of Last Day Events
Note: This sequence represents my current understanding.
Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
Joel 2 (28) And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
(29) And also upon the menservants and upon the maidservants in those days will I pour out my spirit.
As the decree not to buy and sell is agitated, God’s people leave the cities as they are able, and raise their own food.
Decree not to buy and sell
Revelation 13 (16) And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
(17) And that no one might buy or sell, except he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
The Loud Cry
Revelation (18:1) And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
(2) And he cried out mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
(3) For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, …
(4) And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that you be not sharers in her sins, and that you do not receive of her plagues.
There are many martyrs.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them: and I saw the souls of those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Christ leaves the sanctuary.
Revelation 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no one was able to enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
Daniel (12:1) And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who shall be found written in the book.
Close of probation
Revelation 22 (11) He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
(12) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every person according as his work shall be.
God’s spirit is withdrawn from the wicked.
Isaiah 24 (8) The gladness of tabrets ceases, the sound of those who rejoice ends, the joy of the harp ceases.
(9) They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to those who drink it. …
(11) There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the gladness of the land is gone. …
(13) When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.
Plagues begin to fall and continue for about a year. Only those who have the mark of the beast receive the plagues.
Revelation 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be completely burned up with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
Revelation 15 (8) And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no one was able to enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
Revelation (16:1) And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
(2) And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a foul and painful sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshiped his image.
Economic troubles come on Babylon as Babylon has persecuted God’s people by economic measures in the decree not to buy or sell.
Revelation 18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no one buys their merchandise any more:
As the plagues fall, the unsaved become dissatisfied. Babylon is beginning to break up. The ten kings eventually break up, and perhaps the USA begins to break up as well.
Revelation 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
To rally his troops Satan appears as Christ in the sixth plague and convinces his followers that God’s people are responsible for the plagues.
Revelation 16 (13) And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
(14) For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
2 Thessalonians 2 (7) For the mystery of iniquity already works: only he who now restrains will restrain, until he is taken out of the way.
(8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
(9) Even him, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
Luke 13 (25) When once the master of the house has risen up, and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say to you, I do not know where you are from:
(26) Then shall you begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in your presence, and you have taught in our streets.
(27) But he shall say, I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.
Discussion: The next items to consider are the union of the ten kings for an hour (two weeks), the death decree, and the judgment on Babylon. When Babylon breaks up into three parts, the union of the ten kings is over. Babylon breaking up is part of the judgment on Babylon recorded in Revelation 16:19. This judgment also lasts for an hour (two weeks) according to Revelation 18:10, so this hour must extend beyond the hour in which the ten kings unite. The worldwide death decree must occur while Babylon is still united. The death decree has to be interrupted, else none of God’s people would survive until Christ returns. It is logical that God would wait until the people were about to execute the death decree before judging Babylon, just to see for sure if they are going to do it. When God delivers His people and cancels the death decree, Babylon has lost its scapegoat, so the union breaks up. The ten kings burn Babylon with fire (Revelation 17:16). This is the beginning of the judgment on Babylon (Revelation 18:9, 10) and the beginning of the second two week period.
The ten kings unite for an hour (two weeks), then burn Babylon with fire.
Revelation 17 (12) And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
(13) These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength to the beast. …
(16) And the ten horns which you saw upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
The worldwide death decree.
Revelation 13:15 And he had power to give life to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast would be killed.
God’s people flee to the mountains.
Isaiah 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the fortresses of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
God delivers His people.
Luke 18 (7) And shall not God avenge his own elect, who cry day and night to him, though he bears long with them?
(8) I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?
The ten kings turn on Babylon and burn it with fire. (Revelation 17:16)
The people who have been deceived turn on their false ministers.
God’s judgments on Babylon continue.
Revelation 18 (9) And the kings of the earth who have committed fornication and lived in indulgence with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
(10) Standing afar off for fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour has your judgment come.
The merchants of the world see Babylon burning with the fire set by the ten kings (Revelation 18:9).
As Babylon has attempted to destroy God’s people by the death decree, Babylon is destroyed.
Revelation 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
God’s people are therefore out of the cities now, else God could not destroy them. God’s people are in the mountains (Isaiah 33:16).
The second “hour” ends. Christ returns and delivers His people.