Zech. 14:5 -- "And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee."
Zech.10:8-10
10:8 I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.
10:9 And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.
10:10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and [place] shall not be found for them.
God will remove the winners of the war with ancient methods
READ Zech. 14:12,12:4
Zech. 14:12 -- "And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.“
Zech. 14:13 -- "And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour."
Zech. 12:4. In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
Lets Read Zech. 14:14-15
Zech. 14:14 -- And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
During this conflict of the nations, the Kingdom of Judah is to be restored. She also shall fight at Jerusalem, and shall gather to herself the wealth of the heathen.
15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague.
The plague falls on both men and beast that are found in the tents of the unbelieving.
At this time the Lord protects the house of Judah
In the days of these kings [not after their days] shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people, but It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and It shall stand for ever." Dan. 2:44.
In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem." Zech. 12:6.
“ Just before the kingdom of Judah is established in Jerusalem, the city shall be besieged, the houses shall be rifled and women ravished. Not all, though, shall go into captivity. The residue are not cut off from the city, they obviously become a part of the house of Judah. At that time, when Jerusalem has fallen and the Lord has removed all obstacles and hindrances for the gathering of His people, then it is that the house of Judah is re-established. God's people shall flee to the "valley" as quickly as though they were fleeing from an earthquake. The Lord smites the armies of the nations, while at the same time He protects and exalts His own people.
“Through the prophet Zechariah, God promises to His people in our day adequate and constant spiritual light. From Jerusalem in that day shall flow forth the living Truth. Then it is that "many nations shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord." What a prospect! And what a tragedy if any of us should fail to do our part to usher in that glorious day.”
Nah. 2:6, 10, 13 -- "The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.... She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.... Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard."
“Here the prophet predicts that Assyria's capital city will be emptied, and her palace dissolved. Clearly, then, the kingdom of Judah is set up in time of war and turmoil.”
The KINGDOM WILL BE ATTACKED BY GOG
Ezek. 38:1, 2
38:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
38:2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
Gog is here said to be the chief prince, the king of Meshech and Tubal. These two cities, Meshech and Tubal were anciently situated in Asia, south of the Black Sea, where the Turkish Empire now is.”
Read Ezek. 38:8-12
38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land [that is] brought back from the sword, [and is] gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
38:9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.
38:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, [that] at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
38:11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
38:12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places [that are now] inhabited, and upon the people [that are] gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
The "many days" after which Gog is visited are the thousand years. The latter days in which Israel return to their land, and the time in which Gog shall go against them are premillennial.”
The expression, to "ascend, and come like a storm," suggests that these things are to take place in the time of the airplane.”
As the land of Israel shall have no visible human protection whatsoever, it will appear to Gog that he should have no difficulty robbing the people of the land.
38:13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?
38:14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know [it]?
38:15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:
38:16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
38:17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; [Art] thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days [many] years that I would bring thee against them?
These neighboring countries and people that ask Gog to tell them his mission, evidently (are not allied with him.
Clearly, this Kingdom of Israel is set up in the latter days, in the days before the millennium, for after the Kingdom is set up, Gog opens war against It. Indeed, this cannot be after the millennium, for then all the nations from the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog with them, shall encompass, not the mountains of Israel, but the new Jerusalem. Furthermore at that time the slain shall not be buried but burned to ashes (Rev. 20:9, 10; Mal. 4:1)”.
Ezek. 38:23 -- "Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord."
Ezek. 39:1-7
39:1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
39:2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
39:3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
39:4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that [is] with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and [to] the beasts of the field to be devoured.
39:5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken [it], saith the Lord GOD.
39:6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.
39:7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not [let them] pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I [am] the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
Zech. 12:2 -- "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem."
“From this verse we learn that the Gentile nations are to make a siege not only against Jerusalem, but against Judah also -- yes, against the entire Kingdom, church, or people. And at that time, at the time of the siege, Jerusalem will be made a cup of trembling to all people; that is, all the people shall fear Jerusalem and tremble before her.
Zech. 12:3 -- "And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it."
“This siege will not be made (only) by the nations adjacent to Jerusalem, but by (all) the people of the earth, a thing that is made possible only by the communication lines in our day. Thus will Jerusalem be a burdensome stone to all the people round about. In an endeavor to combat their fear they burden themselves by besieging the city. For this evil work they shall be cut in pieces.
Zech. 12:4 -- "In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open Mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness."
“Though the Lord shall smite with madness, with astonishment, and with blindness, those who besiege the city, yet He shall open His eyes upon the house of Judah.
Zech. 12:9, 10 -- "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn."
“When God begins to destroy the nations, He will pour upon His saints the Spirit of grace, then will they really mourn for sinning against the Lord.”
Gog, you see, shall fail to rob God's people. He will instead perish in the mountains of Israel.
THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
Rev. 16:13-16
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.
16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, [which] go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed [is] he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Two Opposing Powers.—"Two great opposing powers are revealed in the last great battle. On one side stands the Creator of heaven and earth. All on His side bear His signet. They are obedient to His commands. On the other side stands the prince of darkness, with those who have chosen apostasy and rebellion (RH May 7, 1901)”. {7BC 982.8}
Satan Mustering His Forces for Last Battle.—“The present is a solemn, fearful time for the church. The angels are already girded, awaiting the mandate of God to pour their vials of wrath upon the world. Destroying angels are taking up the work of vengeance; for the Spirit of God is gradually withdrawing from the world. Satan is also mustering his forces of evil, going forth "unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world," to gather them under his banner, to be trained for "the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Satan is to make most powerful efforts for the mastery in the last great conflict. Fundamental principles will be brought out, and decisions made in regard to them. Skepticism is prevailing everywhere. Ungodliness abounds. The faith of individual members of the church will be tested as though there were not another person in the world (MS 1a, 1890).” {7BC 983.1}
Every form of evil is to spring into intense activity. Evil angels unite their powers with evil men, and as they have been in constant conflict and attained an experience in the best modes of deception and battle, and have been strengthening for centuries, they will not yield the last great final contest without a desperate struggle. All the world will be on one side or the other of the question. The battle of Armageddon will be fought, and that day must find none of us sleeping. Wide awake we must be, as wise virgins having oil in our vessels with our lamps.” {7BC 982.6}
The power of the Holy Ghost must be upon us, and the Captain of the Lord's host will stand at the head of the angels of heaven to direct the battle. Solemn events before us are yet to transpire. Trumpet after trumpet is to be sounded, vial after vial poured out one after another upon the inhabitants of the earth. Scenes of stupendous interest are right upon us (Letter 112, 1890)”. {7BC 982.7}
Rev.17:12-14
17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
17:13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him [are] called, and chosen, and faithful.
17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest 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.
17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him [are] called, and chosen, and faithful.
“The Armageddon cannot be the anger of the nations above mentioned, for it is fought in the time of the sixth plague (Rev. 16: 12-16); that is, in the period of the wrath of God, during which, according to the vision above mentioned, "the anger of the nations" could not occur, for their "anger" and the "wrath of God" "are two separate and distinct events, one following the other." Consequently, the Armageddon is one thing and the anger of the nations another.” (2SC #2 p4)
“Then the four angels of Revelation seven, who were "holding the four winds of the earth [the nations in check], that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree," shall let the wind "blow;" and as there would remain nothing to hold the nations and peoples together and to restrain hostilities, the conflict within and without, will result in the final battle of "Armageddon." (Rev. 16:14, 16.)” (2SR p161)
“These are some of the future events that are soon to follow in quick succession in the ushering in of the kingdom. Then follows the closing of probation, and the pouring out of the seven last plagues, which shall fall upon those who figuratively stand on His left hand -- those who are outside Palestine. Then while the plagues are falling, the mightiest of all battles will be fought, "the battle of that great day of God Almighty", -- the long expected end of the world, -- the Armageddon (Rev. 16:12-16)”.(Tract 12 p52)
FINAL PREMILLENNIAL EVENTS.
Rev. 19:11, 13, 16.
19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
19:13 And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
19:16 And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Read: Rev 19:17-21
19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all [men, both] free and bond, both small and great.
19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Here Christ reveals Himself, not as a priest or as a lamb, but as the King of kings, treading "the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." Rev. 19:15. This is His Slaying of the Wicked.
Slain Just Before the Millennium.
“Since after the millennium, the wicked are not slain and their flesh is not eaten by the fowls, but rather destroyed with fire (Rev. 20:9), Revelation 19:17-21 is seen to refer to a pre-millennial destruction.
“Decisively, therefore, the King of kings is to slay, just before the millennium, all except the righteous -- except those who get "the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name." Rev. 15:2. Then shall the righteous dead be raised, whereas the wicked dead remain in their graves and, along with the wicked living, all of whom are then slain by the Lord, live "not again until the thousand years" are "finished."
“Since, moreover, at the commencement of the millennium, when the wicked are slain, the heaven and the earth pass away, then, as a result,The Saints Remove to Another Sphere.” (9 Tr. pp 31-33)
Rev.20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection.
Five Groups in the Kingdom.
“These groups are the 144,000, Israelites the first fruits of the living, whose "nobles shall be of themselves," and whose "governor shall proceed from the midst of them" (Jer. 30:21); they shall return to Jerusalem, and stand on Mount Sion with the Lamb;
(2) those whom John saw, after the sealing of the 144,000, gathered from "all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues," during the "great tribulation," the "time of trouble such as never was" -- the great multitude who go to Jerusalem before the resurrection;
(3) those who arise to everlasting life in the resurrection of Daniel 12:2;
(4) those Israelites who shall come forth in the resurrection of Ezekiel 37:1-14;
(5) all who come in the resurrection of Revelation 20:6; -- collectively, these are all the Israelites and Gentiles who shall return to Jerusalem, possess the promised land, and then the whole earth. (9Tr. p65)
At the close of the seventh plague, the Lord, Himself, visible to every eye (Rev. 1:7), "shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we "Ever Be With the Lord."
1 Thess. 4:16, 17.
"With the righteous dead of all ages being resurrected and joined with the living saints, the kingdom is completely made up -- the righteous having been set on His right (the kingdom), and the wicked, on His left (Babylon). Then, while the King sends those on His left "into everlasting punishment," He says to those on His right "Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt. 25:46, 34. (9Tr. p71)
“For when the Son of man comes with all His angels, He shall send them "with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect [the resurrected] from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matt. 24:31), and take them to join the living.” (Tr. #3 p53)
1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.
Even so, Amen.
