One thing that will characterize the Tribulation or the 70th week of Daniel especially the part immediately before the coming in power and great glory of the Lord Jesus Christ to defeat the Antichrist and False Prophet and all his forces that will rise against God's Earthly people the Jews and their capital Jerusalem will be deception. There will not only then be the strenuous efforts of the False Prophet or Beast out of the Land to coerce people to worship the Antichrist but also many other false Christs and false prophets as it becomes increasingly apparent to Earth dwellers at that time that the Tribulation will end shortly with the rising and revelation of the Messiah or Christ. Jesus forewarns people especially those who will be living on Earth then that the sign of His coming will be that it will be like the lightning shining from one end of Heaven to the other and that He will arise from Heaven not some secret earthly location such as in the desert or the secret chambers (probably meaning especially the secret chambers of the then rebuilt Jewish temple for which chambers are mentioned as part of its structure in the Old Testament). This deception by the False Prophet and the Antichrist and other false prophets and false Christs or Messiahs will be one reason God through Jesus will judge the world at the Battle of Armageddon. The reference to the deception in the tribulation especially immediately preceding the coming in power and great glory of the Lord Jesus the Messiah (Christ) and His fighting against the Antichrist, the False Prophet, other deceivers or unrepentant people at the Battle of Armageddon in Gospel of Matthew 24 is as follows:
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ (Messiah), or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs (Messiahs), and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive even the very elect. Behold I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Gospel of Matthew 24:23-27
The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ will be quite unmistakable and will be from Heaven and with much splendour. This will be to defeat the armies of the Antichrist and False Prophet that will then be coming against Jerusalem to try to destroy His chosen Earthly people the Jews. God through His Son and Messiah Jesus will at that time deliver the Jewish people from their enemies. God will also instruct the eagles and other birds or fowls of the air to consume the flesh or feast on the bodies of the soldiers who will come up against Jerusalem and the Jewish people to destroy them. This is what is meant by verse 28 with the eagles gathering over the carcasses. This will take place at the Battle of Armageddon which is in the Valley near the Hebrew town of Megiddo in northern Israel that gives Armageddon its name. God will then cause signs in the heavens at the time of the Lord Jesus Christ coming from Heaven at the end of the Great Tribulation or 70th week of Daniel. The reference to the powers of heaven shall be shaken could also refer to God through His Son Jesus Christ at the same time judging the demonic part of angels or the host (multitude) of heaven. When the Lord Jesus Christ comes from Heaven to judge the world and set up God's Kingdom all the unsaved of all the tribes of Earth will mourn although believers in God through His Son and Messiah Jesus of all tribes will rejoice. God through Jesus will at that time send his angels to gather believers in Him who have survived the Great Tribulation or 70th week of Daniel with all the severe persecution of believers and worldwide tyranny of the Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea and the False Prophet or Beast out of the Land and the devil through them as well as the judgments of God. These surviving believers or the elect will then be gathered to populate Earth during the Messianic or Millenial Kingdom when God through Jesus and His saints or believers of all ages will rule over all the Earth for 1000 years. The elect from the four winds are probably those believers who survive the tribulation on earth while those from one end of heaven to the the other are probably from the third or spiritual heaven where God dwells as well as deceased believers. All these believers as well as the Church and Old Testament believers will have a part in reigning with God and His Son Jesus Christ in the Messianic Kingdom. There is a parallel passage to that of Matthew 24 in Mark 13. Among other things, in Mark 13 the scripture says that God will send his angels to gather his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of earth to the uttermost part of heaven in verse 27. From this verse I believe the elect from the four winds and the uttermost part of earth are believers who survive the tribulation while believers or the elect from the uttermost part of heaven are believers who by that time will be in the third heaven where God dwells because they were killed for Jesus' sake in the tribulation. The scripture about the coming in power and great glory of the Lord Jesus the Messiah(Christ) to judge the world at the Battle of Armageddon and set up His Kingdom on Earth in Matthew 24 is as follows:
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Gospel of Matthew 24:27-31
In July 2020 a major new trade and military agreement was announced between China and Iran originally from the New York Times. One report I read mentioned that this agreement was made possible by the isolationist approach by US President Donald Trump although this deal between Iran and China since 2016. This initial offer of the China Iran deal by China to Iran was perhaps before the initial election of current US President Donald Trump or after President Trump was elected, in 2017 or later his pulling the US out of the 6 nation plus Iran agreement over its nuclear energy program. The new Iran China deal, according to the article from Israel National News with title "Report: Iran and China agree to trade and military partnership on July 13, 2020 by Ben Ariel with link: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/283433 would pave the way for billions of dollars worth of Chinese investment in the Iranian energy especially oil and other industries or services. The new China Iranian agreement was obtained in detail from the New York Times with a length of about 18 pages. Among other things this deal encourages extensive increases in Chinese investment in banking, telecommunications, ports, railways and many other projects in Iran. The main other part of the deal is that China would receive a substantial steady supply of Iranian oil for 25 years at what could be below market prices. The paper obtained by The New York Times also details proposed closer military co-operation between China and Iran. This could give China more of a base especially for her navy in an area more dominated for a long time by the United States. This could increase the potential for military clashes or near clashes and potential for more serious tension between the United States and China. They are both already in many ways in a very tense or strained relationship. The new China Iranian deal proposes: "joint training and exercises, joint research and weapons development and intelligence sharing - all to fight 'the lopsided battle with terrorism, drug and human trafficking and cross-border crimes'". This deal was approved by Iran's cabinet under Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in June according to the foreign minister of Iran Mohammed Zarif. The investment by China in Iran in this deal, according to two people who have seen and been informed of this deal, would amount to about $400 billion over the 25 year life of the deal. This could lead to more trade sanctions or other measures against Chinese companies that have already been the recent focus of the US government under President Donald Trump. With regard to US probably disagreeing and reacting negatively to this deal that would assist Iran and their economy or military situation is the following statement from a US State Department spokeswoman: "The United States will continue to impose costs on Chinese companies that aid Iran, the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism." The US State Department spokeswoman continues about the proposed and probably approved by China and Iran major new China Iran trade and military agreement with regards to Chinese Communist claims that they are primarily peaceful in world affairs: "By allowing or encouraging Chinese companies to conduct sanctionable activities with the Iranian regime, the Chinese government is undermining its own stated goal of promoting stability and peace (in the world)."
One of the occasions that a trumpet could be blown by the Israelites was for an impending attack by a foreign army. This is probably what is meant in this case by the blowing of the trumpet. I can't say for sure but it is quite possible that in this instance there could be a reference to a blowing of a literal or physical trumpet as opposed to a spiritual or figurative use as it is used sometimes when a trumpet is blown by God or angels. If a literal meaning is meant then it will be a shofar in this case as that is the Hebrew word that is used here as opposed to another Hebrew word that means silver trumpet that is used elsewhere in the Old Testament and that can also be used concerning warfare. In the verse here Zion means the city of Jerusalem and my holy mountain means the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the land means the land of Israel. I don't know with modern mechanized warfare how useful a trumpet would be in warfare but they could still carry a sound for some distance and be useful in the immediate neighbourhood for sounding an alarm to ground troops. I am not sure if a trumpet was used in Israel's modern battles such as in 1948, 1967 or 1973 but there were occasions that would have been suitable. In any case the reference that is probably literal of a trumpet being blown to give an alarm about an impending invasion by a foreign army of Israel in Joel 2 probably at the end of the tribulation is as follows:
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; Joel 2:1
Maktesh was the name of the marketplace in Jerusalem where all the merchants would carry out business. God was angry with them because they were more interested in making money and their business than in Him and in serving or worshipping Him. God mentions silver in particular because the currency of Israel at that time was in pieces of silver. This pictures the judgment of the nations at the end of the tribulation at Armageddon. This could also indicate that silver will be the basis of money or currency then as it has been for many nations of the world over much of history. The current serious problems with the American dollar as the world's reserve currency as well as the European Union Euro could lead to a new world currency that will partly lead to the mark of the beast but might also restore a silver based currency under the Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea in the tribulation. God makes this comparison even clearer in verse 18 of this chapter where he calls the then soon coming judgment of Judah the day of His wrath. This makes it quite clear the then upcoming judgment of God of Judah was a picture and foreshadowing of his judgment of the world in the ultimate day of His wrath in the tribulation that will end with the Battle of Armageddon. Verse 18 also mentions silver and gold as the wealth that the people of Judah were trusting in for financial security and as their money at that time and is probably an indication that silver and perhaps gold will be used for money in the tribulation that will be used in relation to the world currency under the Antichrist with the mark of the beast. This silver and gold although it will probably replace the current US dollar and other existing world currencies will not be able to deliver people from God and His judgment on the world system, and the leader of it in the Tribulation the Antichrist and False Prophet and them that follow it instead of Him and His Son Jesus Christ. Although this passage including the term the land could refer more to the land of Israel in the tribulation, it is definitely talking about unbelievers who are very worldly and it is quite appropriate to apply this to apply this passage to unbelievers of all nations in the tribulation that will be in the same situation. I would encourage the reader to not get too panicked with the current financial crisis but instead but a priority on trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour and be prepared to be caught up with him before the tribulation instead of rejecting or ignoring him and trusting in gold or silver or other money and being left behind for the tribulation and the day of God's wrath.
Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off. ... Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. Zephaniah 1:11, 18
In verse 14 of Zechariah 14 there is mention of some of the riches of the nations (heathen) that fight against Israel and Jerusalem at the Battle of Armageddon. Some of these riches include silver and gold. I can't say for sure but I think also based on the current uncertain and insecure status of the American dollar and the Euro that the new world currency that will involve the mark of the beast could include a basis with silver and possibly gold coins to uphold true value of the money. These riches will be gathered up by the Jews or people of Israel at the Battle or Armageddon for some of the material riches God will bless them with in the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom. There is much reference of silver used as a currency in the Old Testament or even the New Testament as the shekel for Israel although historically it was also used of other nations for much of history. Today where it is not used that way at least not yet is more of an exception than a rule. The scripture reference from Zechariah 14 of the Jews by God's grace getting possession of the silver of the nations including possibly silver coins in Zechariah 14 is as follows:
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. Zechariah 14:14
The battle of Armageddon has been said by some Christian teachers to be more accurately described as a campaign happening over a period of time. Although this is probably true it still won't be too long a time. Anyway the Battle of Armageddon begins in earnest with the 6th vial or bowl judgment which are the last of the three series of judgments in the tribulation. This judgment involves the drying up of the Euphrates River to make way for the kings of the east probably with a multitude of troops to come from the east to invade Israel and to try to come up against Jerusalem and the Jewish people and their Messiah - Jesus of Nazareth. In this judgment there are also three evil spirits going forth from the mouths of the beast - the Antichrist, the false prophet - the Beast out of the Land and the dragon - the devil or Satan which attempt to work miracles to seduce the kings of the earth and of the whole world to compel them to come up against Israel, Jerusalem and the Jews and their Messiah at the Battle of Armageddon. The scripture here also states that all these leaders and armies will come against not just Israel, Jerusalem and the Jews but also against God. God then gives a warning to watch and keep their garments or God's righteousness as He says He will come as a thief or unexpected.
This is different than Jesus coming as a thief at the rapture at the end of the Church Age as that will be for those who haven't trusted in Jesus before the rapture even though they might profess to be a Christian but don't take the warnings to trust in Jesus immediately to avoid going through the tribulation and to instead take part in the rapture seriously enough. The true or born again Christians won't go through the tribulation at all and the people referred to here and those who refused or avoided the mark of the beast and worshipping him or his image to this point at the end of the tribulation and are urged to trust in Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour so they will be clothed with His righteousness. Even though the scripture make clear the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ will be 7 years after the rapture and covenant with the Antichrist or Beast of the Sea and Israel to start construction of the Tribulation or Third Temple and the Temple sacrifices during the reign of the Antichrist believers in Jesus or God's Word - the Holy Bible will be underground around the world and it will be very difficult to have Bibles or Christian literature or broadcasts to compare to the events then unfolding to know exactly how close they are to the Battle of Armageddon and Jesus' return to conquor the Antichrist, devil, false prophet and their forces and deliver those who trust in Him and refuse the mark of the beast or to worship the beast or his image.
At the end of this passage the place where the kings of the east and of the world and their forces is the place called Armageddon which is the valley by the town of Megiddo in northern Israel. The scripture reference for the gathering by evil spirits of the kings of the east and of the world and their forces against Israel, Jerusalem, the Jews and God and His Messiah - Jesus in Revelation 16 is as follows:
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. 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. 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 the great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And they gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. Revelation 16:12-16
In Revelation 19 there is a parallel passage to part of Revelation 16 where there is also a mention of the kings of the earth coming against the Lord Jesus Christ at the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the 7 year tribulation or 7 year 70th week of Daniel from Daniel 9. In Revelation 16 that battle is called the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Although it is true that the Lord Jesus Christ as God the Son or the Son of God is part of the Divine Trinity or the Godhead with God the Father (and God the Holy Spirit), the emphasis in Revelation 16 to the Lord God Almighty I believe is to God the Father since other times in the book of Revelation Jesus is distinguished from God the Father as being called the Lamb in phrases God and the Lamb as in Revelation 21:22, 23 and 22:1. However, in Revelation 19 the description of the Battle of Armageddon in mentioning some of the armies of the world system that are led by the kings of the earth under the beast and false prophet is said to be against him that sat on the horse. Him that sat on a horse is a reference to him who sat on a white horse leading the armies of heaven and whose garment is dipped in blood and out of whose mouth comes a sharp sword that are references to God the Son the Lamb of God the Lord Jesus Christ or in His previous first earthly ministry Jesus of Nazareth. That this battle of Armageddon is said to be against God (the Father) in Revelation 16 and against His who sat on the horse (Jesus Christ the Son of God or God the Son) in Revelation 19 is supporting the Divine nature of Jesus God the Son and equality in Divine nature with God the Father. Both the verses in Revelation 16 and 19 are talking about the instigation by the demons (unclean spirits) and the devil (the dragon) of ungodly military forces of the world or the earth as said to be led by the kings of the earth under the beast (antichrist) and false prophet against the Divine Trinity Father, Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit at the end of the 7 year tribulation at the Battle of Armageddon. This reference in Revelation 19 of the ungodly or antichrist armies of the world led by the beast and false prophet and led under them by the kings of the earth, that I believe is the same as the ten kings of the earth mentioned elsewhere in Revelation, at the battle of Armageddon against God and His rule in this case against God the Son or the Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ who is he who sat on the white horse leading the armies of heaven to judge the world and set up God's visible kingdom on Earth at Jesus' Second Coming is as follows:
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. ... And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ... And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth (the ten kings), and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. ... And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upn the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:11, 15, 19, 21.
In Revelation 17 the theme is about the judgment of religious Babylon or the last days unity of not biblical Christian religions probably under the Roman Catholic Pope (possibly still Pope Francis) in the tribulation. The leaders that God will allow to judge this ungodly religious system in the last days in the tribulation will the ten kings or kings of the earth under the Antichrist (the Beast). However it is also mentioned in this chapter that after these ten kings carry out that action against religious Babylon or the last days false one world religious system or multi-faith system they will under the beast or Antichrist come against God in the person of the Lamb Who is God the Son or the Son of God Jesus Christ. Of course these ten kings and their armies will be utterly defeated by God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ at this Battle of Armageddon at the end of the tribulation to make way for God the Father's visible reign over all the earth in His Millennial or Messianic Kingdom reign through His Son and Messiah (Christ) Jesus of Nazareth the Lamb of God. That the ungodly armies of the world under the beast (Antichrist) and said here in Revelation 17 to be led by the ten kings under the beast but under the kings of the earth in Revelation 16 and Revelation 19 to me suggests that the ten kings under the beast and the kings of the earth under the beast (and false prophet) are the same that lead the ungodly world system armies against God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ the Lamb and He Who Sat on the (White) Horse in the armies of God from heaven. The scripture passage in which the armies of the world that come against God as here referred to as the Lamb in reference to God the Son Jesus Christ and in which these armies are said to be led by the ten kings under the beast in parallel to passages in Revelation 16 and 19 where the world system armies are said to be led by the kings of the earth under the beast at the battle of Armageddon at the end of the tribulation is as follows:
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. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 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. Revelation 17:12-14
In Daniel 11 there is a description of the Antichrist or the Beast of Revelation and his actions in the tribulation, at least starting from verse 36 to the end of the chapter. The Antichrist is introduced here as the king that will do according to his will in verse 36. There is a reference to the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the tribulation here in verses 44 and 45 at the end of Daniel 11. In verse 44 there the scriptures mention that tidings or news out of the east and north will trouble or concern him. These tidings or news are likely a reference to the kings of the east as mentioned in Revelation 16 and the northern confederacy in Ezekiel 38 and 39 heading to Jerusalem to make war against God in the land of His chosen people Israel at the end of the tribulation. These armies from the east and north will likely be seen by the self-willed king who is the beast of revelation popularly called the Antichrist as rivals and challenges to his world wide rule and power. The Antichrist and his armies (those of the 10 kings or kings of the earth and their armies especially the three kings he totally takes over with his direct rule likely western and eastern europe and either the middle east or english north america as the most closely associated with the revived roman empire he will be the leader of in Daniel 7:7-8, 19-28, 9:26-27, Revelation 17:5-9, 18 will therefore fight against them and their armies and kill many of them even though they also hate and are coming to Jerusalem to fight against the Creator God and His Son Jesus Christ and to some extent against God's chosen earthly people the Jews or Israelites in their promised by God to them land of Israel. The northern confederacy will be led by Russia and its leader at that time and will include armies from Western Europe also (Gomer) and the Middle East Libya and Persia ( or Iran) and from some other parts of Africa (Cush or Ethiopia) and possibly from the Americas (since the Americas still have primarily people from and will probably still be strongly associated with Western Europe. This will involve at least partly armies from the territory of 6 of the ten kings of the ten kings and their armies or lands. The kings of the east associated with the tidings of the east in Daniel 11 will be led by the region of China as far as the world being divided into 10 Magna regions by the New World Order Club of Rome as founded in 1968. The kings of the east will be led by Communist China but include kings and their armies from three other areas of the ten kings that are east of the Euphrates River and would have to cross it to come against Jerusalem. These other kings from the area of these three kings and regions of the world in the east are 1/ Japan and Korea, 2/ South East Asia and South Asia and 3/Australia and Oceania. Of course it is no secret that the current leader of communist China Chairman Xi Jinping is a diehard or idealistic communist including atheist and increasingly leading mainland China to be agressive in controlling the world not just economically but also militarily such as setting up military bases in the South China Seas, in Djoubuti in the Horn of Africa, taking over Hong Kong and increasingly threatening Taiwan and sometimes through their ally North Korea threatening South Korea and Japan as well as entering into a 25 year joint trade and military/intelligence agreement with Iran recently and communist China doing their part in instigating tension with India in their Himalayan border area through their PLA (People's Liberation Army) soldiers as well as becoming more repressive in some of different ethnic autonomous areas of China such as Tibet and Xinjiang and spending more on increasing and modernizing their armed forces in general. The Antichrist or Self-Willed King or the Beast will still have substantial control of the ten kings and their armies The reference to invasion by the kings of the east led by communist China in the reference tidings out of the east as well as a reference to tidings out of the north led by Russia in the Gog of Magog Battle Reference in Ezekiel 38 and 39 that will trouble the Antichrist and that he will fight against even though they are all coming against Jerusalem to fight against God in their hatred of God and His Son Jesus Christ at the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the tribulation in the reference to the troubling tidings from the east and north in Daniel 11 is as follows:
And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. ... But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the (western or Mediterranean and eastern or Dead Sea or Persian Gulf) seas in the glorious holy mountain (Mount Moriah or Mount Zion or the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 3:1); yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. Daniel 11:36, 44-45.
In the last judgment of the tribulation and that immediately precedes and could be considered an early part of the Battle of Armageddon God sends through one of his angels a great earthquake on the earth which will be unprecedented in its strength in human history. This will cause the fall or crumbling of that great city Babylon (speaking spiritually of Rome which has combined the Babylon religious system including the mother-child worship and other elements with Christianity) and all the other cities of the earth. This earthquake will be to exert God's wrath for the false religion or ungodliness and greed or immorality of Babylon (Rome) and all the other cities of the earth. This earthquake will alse have substantial effects on the geologic features of earth such as mountains and islands. Although some people including some true Christians associate Old Testament scriptures about the moon being turned to blood and the sun into darkness earlier in the tribulation based on Revelation 6 I believe the seal, trumptet and bowl judgments are chronological or consecutive through the tribulation with the seal and trumpet judgments in the first half of the tribulation and the bowl judgments in the second half of the tribulation with the dividing mark chapters 12 and 13 of Revelation that clearly mention the 42 months of 3 1/2 years which is half of the 7 year tribulation. I believe that there are two instances in the 7 year tribulation where the moon will be turned into blood and the sun into darkness with one being near the beginning of the tribulation with the seal judgments and 4 horsemen of the apocalypse and the other being right at the end of the 7 year tribulation in the immediate preparation for the Battle of Armageddon and the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 16. I think the earthquake will include and result in the eruption of many volcanoes in different places on earth. This would cause pillars of smoke and fire and make the moon look blood red colour and the sun to be darkened as mentioned in Old Testament passages like Joel 2. The wonders in heavean could possibly include other spectacular sights in the sky such as unusual astronomical objects or UFOs with the latter if they are real probably being demonic. I think there will be an increase in UFOs also for the rest of this church age until the rapture of the church and through the tribulation based on signs in the heavens in LUke 21 also. This will all be part of God judging the people and nations on earth that neglected and rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ in this present Church age or age of grace. However I believe at least people that miss the rapture before the tribulation will have another chance to be saved in the tribulation if they hadn't heard a clear presentation of the gospel and neglected or rejected it as mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. God will also then send a severe plague of hail with stones of substantial weight of about 1 talent or 100 pounds or about 45 kilograms each. The scripture reference in Revelation 16 of this earthquake that God sends through his angel to destroy Babylon (Rome) and all the other cities of the earth, alter the surface features of earth and plague people on earth with great hailstones is as follows:
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 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 unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. Revelation 16:17-21
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. Joel 2:30-31
The doors or gates in verse 7 I believe are the doors or gates of the temple in Jerusalem in this case the temple in Jerusalem at the beginning of the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom after the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe the King of glory is the Lord Jesus Christ in this passage as well as the shekinah glory of God the Father as in the latter chapters of Ezekiel. They will then after the second coming enter into the Millennial Temple for the Lord Jesus Christ to enter his throne during that period in the holy of holies in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom Temple in Jerusalem. In verse 8 the scripture says the King of glory is strong and mighty in battle which I believe is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ at His second coming defeating the armies of the nations coming against Jerusalem as in Revelation 19 and Zechariah 14. Verse 9 again refers to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah of Israel and Saviour of the world and King of Kings entering the Millennial or Messianich Kingdom Temple with the glory of God the Father as when Jesus says in Matthew 26 that he would come again as the right hand of power with the power I think being the Shekinah glory of God the Father. Although I think most times in the Old Testament the term LORD of hosts refers to God the Father I think this time it refers to the Lord Jesus Christ with the Shekinah Glory of God the Father at Jesus' second coming. The term LORD of hosts is also a term for God fighting for His people with especially his heavenly hosts or angels and Jesus mentions that at His second coming he will come with angels as in Matthew 13:41 and Matthew 16:27. The scripture reference from Psalm 24 of the Lord Jesus Christ coming with the Heavenly Father at Jesus' second coming to judge the world at the Battle of Armageddon and enter into the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom Temple is as follows:
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. Psalm 24:7-10
As noted earlier the deliverer or saviour of the Jews or Israel at the end of the Great Tribulation or 2nd half of the 70th Week of Daniel will not come from anyone or anywhere on earth but from the Lord Jesus Christ the Messiah and Redeemer of Israel and Saviour of the world who will come himself from Heaven to defend against the beast and false prophet and the ungodly armies of the world at that time. The rider of the white horse the Lord Jesus the Messiah or Christ is called faithful and true because he is faithful to get His promises in His word - the Holy Bible including to deliver the Jews in the time of their greatest dilemna in the last days and because He stands for and upholds truth instead of the lies of the world or nations including their saying the God of Israel is dead or powerless at the end of the triubulation and couldn't deliver His chosen earthly people the Jews. Jesus is guided by righteousness in what and for who he judges and makes war not for money or earthly goods or to promote a humanistic or man-made value system. Jesus eyes being a flame of fire means He was at that time seeing wrath at the nations for their persecuting Jews and people of the nations who helped the Jews and trusted in Jesus during the tribulation and refused the mark of the beast. He was also crowned with many crowns meaning he was coming with the abundant authority from God to rule this earth or world. Jesus vesture dipped in blood speaks of His shedding His blood for our sins at His first coming to earth almost two thousand years ago. His name is called The Word of God means Jesus will be and has been the Word of God or the personal expression or relevelation of God since He was conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit and came into the world at His first coming. The armies that will follow Jesus on white horses with white linen are the born again believers in Jesus from this present Church Age who all will all have been caught up or raptured to heaven before the tribulation or 70th week of Daniel starts as well as some Old Testament saints who rose right after Jesus as in Matthew 27:50-53, martyred tribulation saints who trusted in Jesus and God's Word the Holy Bible and don't take the mark of the beast or worship the beast or his image and probably holy angels that Jesus said in the Gospels will come with Him from Heaven at that time and that are descibed as riding heavenly horses in one of Old Testament battles of the Israelites with the Assyrians. The white robes stand for right to rule and have a priestly role in God's Kingdom on Earth although it looks like Jesus and some of the angels will do most of the fighting against the nations and the antichrist (the beast out of the sea) and the false prophet (the beast out of the land). It will be with the power of the word of God which is the sword coming out of Jesus' mouth that he will smite the nations. God through Jesus will also use His word the Holy Bible to rule the nations with a rod of iron in the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom. Jesus the Messiah (or Christ) and the Son of God and Son of Man will display God's wrath against the nations will were ungodly until the end and will establish God's rule over all the earth with the authority God the Father has given Him as KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. The scripture passage in Revelation 19 describing the Lord Jesus the Messiah (Christ) coming from Heaven with His armies of true Christians other saints and probably angels to defeat the invading ungodly armies of the nations and deliver Israel and people of the nations supporting her is as follows:
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. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written , that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dripped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:11-16
This last scene of the Battle of Armageddon features an angel of God announcing to the fowls or the heavens (birds of many kings including vultures) to prepare to feast on the bodies or carcases of the kings, captains and armies of the nations that come against Jerusalem and the Jews at the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the tribulation or 70th week of Daniel. These people included in the armies of the nations will be of all nations and will be especially the kings and captains of the nations but also of all (unsaved or not trusting in Jesus) people bond (slave) or free, small or great of all nations who come against Jerusalem and the Jews to try to complete control of the world under the Antichrist (the Beast out of the Sea), the False Prophet (the Beast out of the Land) and the dragon (the devil or Satan). God through the Lord Jesus will come from Heaven to defeat the forces of darkness at the darkest hour on earth when it looks like the ungodly people and evil spirits led by the Beast the False Prophet and the devil (the dragon) will secure world control by taking Jerusalem. The apostle John saw this end-time scene with the beast and his armies ready to make war with him who sat on the white horse (Jesus) and his armies (Christians and other saints and holy angels). From this facing off of opposing forces of evil and good the next thing that happened was that the beast and the false prophet were taken (probably by this angel referred to or by Jesus on the white horse) and they were cast alive into a lake burning with fire and brimstone (probably the same as the lake of fire in Revelation 20). Part of the reason the false prophet and the beast will be cast into the lake of fire is because the false prophet worked ungodly miracles and caused the unbelievers of the tribulation to receive the mark of the beast or worship his image. Then the Lord Jesus, the rider on the white horse, will slay the multitude of the ungodly forces gathered around Jerusalem at the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the tribulation with the sword that comes out of his mouth which is the Word of God - the Holy Bible. Finally the fowls or birds were filled with the flesh of the people of these ungodly armies. The scripture reference in Revelation 19 of God's judgment of the false prophet, the beast and the ungodly armies that come against Jerusalem, the Jews and God and the Messiah of the Jews - the Lord Jesus Christ by the Lord Jesus and perhaps an angel is as follows:
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; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh or horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 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. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 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. Revelation 19:17-21
At the end of the tribulation or 70th week of Daniel at the Battle of Armageddon an angel comes with the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain to take and bind the dragon the Devil or Satan to the bottomless pit for 1000 years. Whether this chain will be of a physical or spiritual nature is hard to say since Satan is a spiritual being and it is possible physical chains couldn't hold him so spiritual chains might be needed and referred to here but the sense of the nature of the chains isn't clear. The same ambiguous nature between spiritual and physical sense also applies to the shutting up of Satan and putting a seal on him when he is confined to the bottomless pit for 1000 years. This confining of the Devil to the bottomless pit so he can't deceive the nations will be one of the main factors causing the full, worldwide peace, prosperity and righteousness over all the earth during the 1000 year Messianic Age besides the factor of God directly ruling the earth then through His Son the Lord Jesus the Messiah(Christ). The devil will be loosed very briefly from the bottomless pit at the end of the Messianic Age to test the people living on earth them and then will be tormented in the lake of fire forever. The scripture reference in Revelation 20 of the judgment of the devil at the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the tribulation for 1000 years is as follows:
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. Revelation 20:1-3
The Day of the LORD especially refers to the second coming in glory of the Lord Jesus the Messiah (Christ) from Heaven but sometimes in the scripture also refers to the whole period of the tribulation or of the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom after Jesus' second coming. God will at that time give Israel the spoil of the nations from the armies of the nations that come against Israel at the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the tribulation. God will gather all the nations against Jerusalem all allow the houses to be rifled (looted) and the women ravished (raped) in Jerusalem and half of the city to go into captivity. The other half of Jerusalem will not be cut off or taken over by the armies of the nations. God will then fight for Jerusalem as when He fought in the days of battle for Israel in the Old Testament days. The scripture reference in Zecheriah 14 of the nations coming against Jerusalem and God with His Son the Lord Jesus the Messiah (Christ) then coming from Heaven against their armies at the Battle of Armageddon to defend and deliver Jerusalem and God's chosen earthly people the Jews at the end of the tribulation is as follows:
Behold the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Zechariah 14:1-3
At the Battle of Armageddon when the Lord Jesus the Messiah (Christ) and the LORD (God the Father) and their armies of true or born again Christians, Old Testament saints and martyred tribulation saints and holy angels come from Heaven to defeat the beast and the false prophet and the ungodly armies of the nations that will then come against Jerusalem and the refuge of the Jewish people they will they will land on the Mount of Olives just to the east of Jerusalem. This will be at the end of the tribulation or 70th week of Daniel and will result in the Lord Jesus and the LORD splitting the Mount of Olives in two and creating a great valley. Part of the Mount of Olives will lurch towards the east and part towards the west. Half of the Mount of Olives will be moved to the north and the other half to the south. The inhabitants of Jerusalem are urged to flee to the mountains. It is also stated that all the saints will come with the LORD (and His Son and Messiah (or Christ) the Lord Jesus). The scripture reference from Zechariah 14 of the coming of the LORD and the His Son the Messiah Jesus and His saints (and angels) from Heaven and the geographic changes this causes to the Mount of Olives and the land of Israel is as follows:
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 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. Zechariah 14:4-5
It is not known what time of day this will occur. This splitting of the Mount of Olives and other changes to the geography of Jerusalem when the LORD and the Lord Jesus and all His saints and holy angels come from heaven against the beast, false prophet and their ungodly armies to deliver God's chosen earthly people the Jews then under siege will allow God to make a river of living water to proceed from Jerusalem to the former sea (the Mediterranean) and the hinder sea (the Dead Sea). The path of the part of this river to the hinder sea (the Dead Sea) is also mentioned in Ezekiel 47 and Jeremiah 31:40 and could be the same as the path of the current Brook Kidron. The fact this river is said to flow in summer and in winter probably means it will flow throughout the year. The LORD (the glory of the LORD or God the Father) and the Lord Jesus will then enter through the east gate of The Temple Mount to start His habitation of that place in the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom according to Ezekiel 43. The scripture reference from Zechariah 14 of the effects of the LORD and His Messiah's coming again on the Mount of Olives and the new river coming from Jerusalem is as follows:
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. Zechariah 14:6-8
In 2 Thessalonians 1 in the New Testament the scripture says that the Lord Jesus the Messiah will destroy his adversaries with "the brightness of his coming". I believe this is referring to the same time and event in which the Lord (Jesus) smites the Gentile armies that come against Jerusalem to try to destroy God's chosen earthly people Israel or the Jews. In this reference in Zechariah 14 the scripture says that the Lord will smite these Gentile and anti-semitic armies with some type of radiation that their flesh will consume away when they stand and their eyes in their eyesockets and their tongues in their mouths. I see no reason that the brightness of the Lord's coming couldn't be like nuclear radiation as God including Jesus also created the nuclear realm and its properties and would have that power. As a result of this radiation the Gentile armies will be confused and panicked, that is those that are still living and able to fight, and they will in a mad strike rise up against their fellow soldiers and kill or seriously harm them as God also led some of the Gentile armies that tried to attack Israel in the Hebrew scriptures or Old Testament. Judah or the Jews will also fight at this time, but for them they will not be confused because the Lord will be protecting them, and they will be used of the Lord to get a victory over their Gentile enemies. God will also give a plague of radiation against all the animals of the Gentiles in their tents used against Jerusalem and the Jews in the Battle of Armageddon. The reference in Haggai also says the Lord will cause the Gentile soldiers in their confusion to attack and kill or injure one anothers' horses that were used in the battle against Jerusalem and the Jews. I believe this incident is also referred to in Haggai chapter 2. The scripture references of the Messiah - Jesus of Nazareth coming to deliver His and God the Father's earthly people the Jews from their Gentile enemies and cause confusion in the Gentile armies in Zechariah 14 and Haggai 2 are as follows:
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 in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. 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. 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. 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. Zechariah 14:12-14
And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. Haggai 2:22
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