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THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

First in a One-Part Series
By Karen Thompson

THE GREAT DAY OF THE LORD’S WRATH

Revelation chapters thirteen and fourteen tell us about what happens after the event of the resurrection of the dead takes place. In chapter 13, we see the rise of the beast who is the Antichrist. During some kind of battle or altercation, the Antichrist receives a deadly wound from which he is healed. He dies and comes back to life! “All the world wondered after the beast” (Rev. 13:3). Verse four says, “They worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” If you kill someone but they come back to life, how can you win against someone like that?

After he comes back to life from his deadly wound, he’s not the same man. He becomes “the man of sin, the son of perdition.” Verse five says, “There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” At that point in time, the world will be dealing with the personage the book of Revelation refers to as “the beast.” But his reign on earth will be very short, only 42 months. (In fact, that’s why Daniel calls him the “little horn.” His reign will be for a little time.) Forty-two months is another way of saying three- and one-half years, the last half of Daniel’s 70^th week.

Verse five says the beast will speak forth blasphemies. In the next verse, we are told the objects of his blasphemous proclamations: “And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven” (Rev. 13:6).

The book of Daniel tells us Antichrist will continue to “go forth conquering and to conquer.” Daniel chapter eleven tells us he would conquer various lands: “He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps” (Dan. 11:42–43).

The False Prophet

There is another beast that rises out of the earth, someone who is called the “false prophet” (Rev. 16:11). He’s described as having “two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon” (v. 11). That means he will have a dual persona: his public persona will be that of a religious man, but his real nature will be evil.

While the Antichrist is away with his army conquering nations, the false prophet will be in charge. The rest of chapter 13 describes the false prophet and tells us how truly evil he will be:

12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666 (Rev. 13:12–18 NKJV).

It is the false prophet that initiates the construction of an “image” of the beast and demands all to worship the image of the beast under the threat of death. He is able to deceive the masses by performing signs, like causing fire to come down from heaven to earth. It is the false prophet who forces everyone to receive the mark of the beast. You can’t buy or sell without receiving the mark of the beast, or the name of the beast, or the number of the beast either on your forehead or your right hand. His number… everyone knows it. It’s probably the most famous number in the world—666.

All of this activity will go on for three- and one-half years. Right before Jesus’ Second Coming, the bowl judgments will be poured out upon the earth. They are far more devastating than the trumpet judgments as they are the full strength of God’s wrath. As you might recall, the trumpet judgments were only a third of the strength of His wrath being poured out.

Let’s look at the bowl judgments. When the first bowl judgment is administered, foul and loathsome sores will come upon the men that have taken the mark of the beast. When the second bowl judgment is administered, the sea becomes like blood and every living creature in the sea will die. When the third bowl judgment is administered, the rivers and springs of water will also become like blood. When the fourth bowl is administered, people are scorched by the great heat of the sun. When the fifth bowl is administered, darkness and pain will fall upon the throne of the beast. The pain will be so great, people will chew on their tongues.

When the sixth bowl is administered, the great Euphrates River will dry up. The river drying up will give the kings located east of the Euphrates River easy access to cross it in order to fight against Messiah in the battle of Armageddon.

When the seventh bowl is administered, a loud voice from the temple of heaven will cry out, “It is done!” And then the wrath of God will end the same way that it began—with a massive earthquake.

It is after the last of God’s wrath is administered that we see heaven open. And out of heaven comes Jesus riding on His white horse. His eyes are like flames of fire. He’s wearing many crowns, and on His thigh is written the title, “King of King and Lord of Lords!” Out of His mouth goes forth a sharp sword, with which He will strike the nations as they gather against Him at Armageddon.

Behind Him “the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.” These are the resurrected saints coming back to earth to help Jesus establish His kingdom. Let’s again read the prophet Joel’s description of the Lord’s army in Joel chapter two. This is a description of the resurrected saints in their incorruptible and immortal bodies coming to help Messiah eradicate the enemy. They will invade Jerusalem, a city that has been under the control of Antichrist and his forces. Messiah will come back to save the Jewish people from the grip of Antichrist. He will, once and for all, rid Israel of her enemies and then go about to establish peace and righteousness in the world.

1 Blow 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 is coming, for it is at hand: 2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations. 3 A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; the land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; surely nothing shall escape them. 4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; and like swift steeds, so they run. 5 With a noise like chariots over mountaintops they leap, like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array. 6 Before them the people writhe in pain; all faces are drained of color. 7 They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; every one marches in formation, and they do not break ranks. 8 They do not push one another; every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down. 9 They run to and fro in the city, they run on the wall; they climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief. 10 The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. 11 The Lord gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; who can endure it? (Joel 2:1–11 NKJV)

The resurrected saints are a most unique group. They are a people, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations. I want to be a part of that group. How about you?

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