Timing of the Day of the Lord

The seven seals represent the conditions necessary to open the Large Scroll.  The opening of which will release the Day of the Lord's judgment upon the earth.  It also represents the coming [parousia] of Yeshua and the rapture of the Church on the same day... the two cannot be separated.  The rapture, and the Day of the Lord, both happen on the same day - the two are tied together.  The rapture always triggers God's wrath in Scripture.

[Mat 24:3 LSB]  Now as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming AND of the end of the age [Day of the Lord]?”

Yeshua replied (concerning the sign):

[Mat 24:29-31 LSB]  “But immediately after the tribulation of those days [wrath of Satan] THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the POWERS OF THE HEAVENS will be shaken [sixth seal]. [30]  “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn [Day of the Lord - God's wrath], and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. [31]  “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

[Isa 2:17c LSB] ...And Yahweh ALONE will be exalted in that day

When Yeshua came the first time, He came as the Lamb.  When He returns He will come as the Lion of Judah.

When Christ speaks of "the end of the age" or just simply, "the end", He is referring to the Day of the Lord.

Only He can break the seven seals because:

[Act 17:30-31 LSB]  “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now commanding men that everyone everywhere should repent, [31]  because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man [Yeshua] whom He determined, having furnished proof to all by raising Him from the dead.”

When the Antichrist is rendered useless (the "cutting off"), at the appearance of Christ in the Heavenlies, those "who do not obey the Gospel of God" (1 Pe 4:17) will find find themselves within the Day of the Lord.

The Sign of the Day of the Lord

Because of the severity of the Day of the Lord, God has promised give the world a sign in the heavens announcing that the day of His wrath is about to begin.

When the cosmological sign of the sun, moon, and stars is given in the heavens, the whole world will be terrified. On the other hand, the reaction of the saints of God will be just the opposite! Christ instructed His disciples:

[Luk 21:25-28 LSB]  “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, [26]  men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the POWERS OF THE HEAVENS will be shaken. [27]  “And then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory. [28]  “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

When will this sign occur?

The sixth seal is the cosmological sign initiating rapture and the Day of the Lord.  These cosmological signs are mentioned throughout Scripture and refer to the coming of Yeshua and the Day of the Lord.

[Rev 6:12-17 LSB]  Then I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; [13]  and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. [14]  And the sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. [15]  Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man HID THEMSELVES IN THE CAVES and among the rocks of the mountains; [16]  and they *SAID TO THE MOUNTAINS AND TO THE ROCKS, “FALL ON US AND HIDE US from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, [17]  for the great DAY OF their WRATH has come, and who is able to stand?”

(See: Joel 2:10; Joel 2:31; Joel 3:15; Isa 13:9-10; Isa 34:4; Eze 32:7-8; Mat 24:29; Mark 13:24-25; Luk 21:25-26; Acts 2:19-20)

Joel provides us with what is called the terminus a quo, which means the earliest possible starting point for something. In our case, Joel reveals that the Day of the Lord cannot begin until these celestial disturbances happen first—before the Day of the Lord.

While Joel explicitly specifies that this celestial disturbance will signal the Day of the Lord, Jesus adds another piece of information. Matthew 24:29 begins with "immediately after the suffering of those days".  What days?  The days of great tribulation (verse 21).

In every case the cosmological signs refers to the same thing: the sign that God has promised to give when Yeshua returns and His wrath upon the unrighteous has come.

The Church is rescued from the wrath of Satan (Rev 12:12) and brought into the presence of Yeshua, before the wrath of God [trumpets & bowls] is poured out on those who remain on earth.

The breaking of the seventh seal allows the Large Scroll to be opened and the Day of the Lord commences "for the great DAY OF their WRATH has come, and who is able to stand?".  This will occur on the same day as the rapture.

[Mat 24:4 LSB]  And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one deceives you.

Definition

What exactly is the Day of the Lord? 

The Day of the Lord is described in graphic detail by eight prophets in the Old Testament, mentioned explicitly by Luke, Paul, & Peter, and alluded to by all of the remaining New Testament writers.

The OT writers use the specific term "Day of the Lord" twenty-six times (KJV).  Luke, Paul, and Peter use the term in five passages, all of which deal with God's wrath upon the wicked.  The concept is alluded to or expanded in many more passages ("that day," "the great and terrible day," or descriptions of divine judgment without the exact wording).

There are additional passages, primarily in Philippians, using the phrase "Day of Christ".  This term is generally understood as the event which initiates the "Day of the Lord".  While "Day of the Lord" has a negative context, dealing with God's wrath on the wicked, the "Day of Christ" has a positive connotation for the Church.  It deals with the rapture and the great hope of every believer.  It focuses on blessing, completion of salvation, rewards, and glory for the Church.

All instances, whether near/far application of the prophecy, deal with end time events.

The events associated with the second coming (parousia) of Christ and the Day of the Lord are one and the same.  The coming of Christ will simultaneously involve the deliverance of the righteous (Day of Christ) and the beginning of God's Judgment on the wicked (Day of the Lord).  Yeshua returns as both Saviour and Judge.

Old Testament

In one example, Zephaniah tells us that the Day of the Lord is when God will pour out His wrath on the wicked.

[Zep 1:14-18 LSB]  Near is the great day of Yahweh, near and coming very quickly; O the sound, the day of Yahweh! In it the mighty man cries out bitterly. [15]  A day of fury is that day, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and thick darkness, a day of clouds and dense gloom, [16]  a day of trumpet and loud shouting against the fortified cities and the high corner towers. [17]  I will bring distress on men so that they will walk like the blind because they have sinned against Yahweh; and their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung. [18]  Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the day of the fury of Yahweh; and all the earth will be devoured in the fire of His jealousy, for He will make a complete destruction, indeed a terrifying one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.

New Testament

In response to mockers who ask "where is the promise of His coming?" Peter responds:

[2Pe 3:4-12 LSB]  and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” [5] For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the Word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, [6] through which the world at that time was destroyed, being deluged with water. [7] But by His Word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. [8]  But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. [9]  The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. [10]  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be found out. [11]  Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, [12]  looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens burning will be destroyed, and the elements will melt with intense heat!

Note, that nowhere in Scripture is the phrase "in the last days" referring to the end of the Millennium (as some pre-tribbers would have us believe).  The phrase is frequently used in relation to the rapture (John 6:39-40, 54), to the resurrection of the dead (John 11:24), and to the end of this present Church age (Acts 2:17; 2 Tim 3:1).  Secondly, if it did refer to the end of the Millennium, nobody would be asking questions about Christ's "coming".

It's clear, to anyone without an agenda, as to the timing Peter is speaking of.

This day is referred to us, by Yeshua, as comparable to the days of Noah and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  On the day that Yeshua is revealed, He says, it will be just as it was in the days of Noah and Lot. God will deliver His faithful from persecution (Satan's wrath) and then, on the same day, begin His destruction of the wicked who remain (God's wrath).

Noah:

[Gen 7:11, 13 LSB]  In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on this day all the fountains of the great deep split open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened. [13]  On this very day Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark,

Lot:

[Gen 19:17, 22 LSB]  Now it happened, as they brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, lest you be swept away.” [22]  “Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

As soon as Lot was safe, yet still able to see... destruction came.

Judgment by Fire

Just as Peter told us, the Day of the Lord will be a fiery, supernatural judgment.  Throughout Scripture, fire is symbolic of judgment.  That does not mean that this "fiery judgment" is to be taken symbolically though.  It will be literal fire (for example:  Isa 66:15-16; Joel 2:1-3; Zeph 3:8; Mat 3:12; Mat 13:39-40; Luk 12:49; 2 Th 1:7).

Everyone on earth will know that this fiery calamity on earth is judgment from God (Eze 38:23; Isa 2:17; Rev 6:16-17).

Seventh Seal

Once the seventh seal is broken, the large scroll can be opened and the Day of the Lord's vengeance will begin within half an hour.

[Rev 8:1-5 LSB]  When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. [2]  Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. [3]  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. [4]  And the smoke of the incense went up with the prayers of the saints, out of the angel’s hand, before God. [5]  Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

First Six Trumpets

The first six trumpets sound in succession releasing progressively more destructive afflictions on mankind.  The first three trumpets involve fire.  Only the fourth and fifth do not involve fire.  See Revelation 8-9.

Purpose

The Day of the Lord is the unleashing of God's wrath on the wicked world.  God is equally a God of Holiness, Righteousness, and Judgment.  He will not, and cannot, let the wickedness, sin, and rebellion of the children of Satan go unpunished.

Every opportunity will have been given to the ungodly to repent and turn to God in repentance.  Those who will be killed during His wrath:

[Rev 9:20-21 LSB]  And the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. [21]  And they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their sexual immorality nor of their thefts.

In addition to punishing the wicked, God will also be purging and purifying the nation of Israel - "discarding the dross" (Pro 25:4; Eze 22:18-22; Mal 3:2-3; Zech 13:8-9).  The dross will be discarded while the remnant will soon come into a salvific relationship with Yeshua and enter into the Millennium.

[Isa 1:24-28 LSB]  Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, The Mighty One of Israel, declares, “Ah, I will be comforted concerning My adversaries, And I will avenge Myself on My enemies [during the Day of the Lord]. [25]  “I will also turn My hand against you [Israel], and will smelt away your dross as with lye and will remove all your alloy. [26]  “Then I will have your judges return as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning; afterwards you will be called the city of righteousness, a faithful town.” [27]  Zion will be redeemed with justice and her repentant ones with righteousness. [28]  But transgressors and sinners will be broken together, and those who forsake Yahweh will come to an end.

(see also: Eze 7:19-20; Amos 5:18-19; Mal 3:2-3)

When all is said and done, between the wrath of Satan and the wrath of God, only a third of unbelieving Israel will survive the 70th week (Zech 13:8-9).

Questions - Part 2

Glen, this represents a good amount of effort backed by supporting scriptures that clearly ties the antichrist to the beast from the abyss. 

I do not disagree that the beast of the abyss is tied to the antichrist. Nowhere have I claimed that the antichrist is not tied to the beast from the abyss.  My claim is that the sea beast and abyss beast are one and the same.

My claim is that the literal revealing of the antichrist does not hinge on a symbolic key and unlocking of the abyss at the 5th trumpet judgment.  The 5th trumpet (first woe), and the unlocking, have nothing (contextually) to do with the Antichrist. God is giving permission for the first of three woes to begin. 

Meaning, the antichrist does not need the angel to unlock the abyss. He's already present on earth (in human form - possibly now, as I type). The title “beast of the abyss” is a picture of the human receiving the power, throne, and authority of Satan (Rev 13:2) which transforms the human to the supernatural beast of the abyss, or in other words, Satanic empowerment.

As I mentioned in my comment:

The beast's "ascent" isn't a single, literal moment tied to the fifth trumpet's opening—it's more about his demonic origin and empowerment.

Rev 11:7 is an anticipatory (parenthetical) introduction to the Antichrist. The topic of Rev 11:1-14 is the two witnesses. John is describing the two witnesses and events tied to them exclusively. The two witnesses are the subject matter.

Upon establishing this, I then add support that the revealing of the antichrist, killing the two witnesses, breaking the covenant and the abomination either at or around the 7yr midpoint must occur after the abyss is opened in the 5th trumpet.

Your understanding seems to be hinging on something you see as a sequential, literal event. If I understand you correctly, you believe that the abyss must be literally unlocked, with a literal key, before the antichrist can literally pop out of the abyss.  Which is why you claim your views rely on the 5th trumpet.

[Rev 1:1 KJV] The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

The underlying Greek verb is ἐσήμανεν (esēmanen), from the root σημαίνω (sēmainō).  It literally means “to indicate,” “to make known,” “to give a sign,” “to point out,” or “to communicate by signs/symbols.”

The key and the unlocking are symbolic of God's Divine permission.

The two witnesses are not killed until the end of the 70th week (second and third woes) - this is supported below. They come on the scene at the midpoint and are given authority for 1,260 days. They're preaching, defending themselves with fire from their mouths, controlling the weather, etc. during the second half of the 70th week in the presence of the Antichrist.

Your statement above places the two witnesses in the first half of the 70th week when Israel is at relative peace. You're claiming that the witnesses come into play before Israel even begins their daily sacrifices again.

Your claim means: as soon as we see the two witnesses, we'll know the 70th week has begun.  Yeshua told us to watch for the abomination, not the witnesses.  It also means that they will be killed 1,260 days later - the midpoint.  It also means that the Antichrist kills them at the same time he sets up the abomination at the midpoint. This would also mean that the midpoint marks the end of the second woe (see below). It means the third woe begins the same day as the abomination.  

You’re claiming Daniel’s midpoint (the abomination) and the second/third woe all occur on the same day.  You’re essentially claiming that the midpoint marks the end of the 70th week.  None of this works.

The two witnesses are present during the reign of Antichrist in the second half of the 70th week.

The two witnesses arrival is contextually tied to the Sanctuary, the altar, and those who worship in it (Rev 11:1). These are being measured/counted prior to the abomination being setup - it’s about to be desolated. This measurement is symbolic, and occurs elsewhere in Scripture also - it’s symbolic of coming destruction and God’s presence returning at some point.  This occurs before the witnesses.

There is no worshipping at the altar once the abomination has been setup. The Sanctuary, altar, and those worshipping will cease once the abomination is setup. The point is that this symbolic measuring occurs before the desolation at the midpoint.

The two witnesses are also contextually tied to: Gentiles will trample the holy city for 42 months (Rev 11:2).  It has been noted that John's use of "42 months" is directing us specifically to the deeds of Satan and his children.  The only other time "42 months" is used by John, concerns the Antichrist (Rev 13:5) and the second half.

Luke tells us this happens in the second half of the 70th week (Luk 21:20-24).

[Luk 21:24 LSB]  and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Having said that, you’ll notice that John’s use of “1,260 days” refers to God’s side of the fence.  The two witnesses (Rev 11:3) and the Jewish remnant fleeing to the wilderness (Rev 12:6).  Both second half of the week events.  In fact, all references to the 3.5 years (in Revelation), whether “days”, “months”, or “times” - all mentions of any of these 3.5 year time periods refer to the second half.  It wasn’t an accident that John wrote these clues out like he did. 

This "trampling" will happen in the second half of the 70th week - not the first half.

Next, we see "I will give authority" to my two witnesses for 1,260 days (Rev 11:3).

“And when they finish their witness”, after 1,260 days, they will be killed by the “beast that comes up out of the abyss” (Rev 11:7). John is giving a description of who kills them (parenthetically) not when they are killed.

When they are resurrected - in that hour, there will be a great earthquake, etc. (Rev 11:13) after which we’re told - “the second woe is past” and “the third woe” is coming quickly (Rev 11:14).

If the second woe is past, this means the first woe (5th trumpet - excruciating torture), which lasts at least five months, was triggered on day 1,110 at the latest.  Again, pointing to the second half of Daniel’s 70th week. 

The second woe (sixth trumpet) concludes after the resurrection of the two witnesses.  The second woe does not occur at the midpoint of the 70th week.  Both “woes” are clearly tied to the end of the 70th week.

The third woe is the seventh trumpet, which announces the bowl judgments, which are the final wrath of God, and the proclamation of God’s Kingdom. “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ” (Rev 11:15).  This does not occur until the conclusion of the 70th week.  

“The nations were enraged” (Rev 11:18)… (see Psa 110).  All of the above is at the conclusion of the 70th week.  This culminates in the Battle of Armageddon.

By your logic, you're placing the arrival of Antichrist after God's wrath has already begun and is almost finished.  The abomination on the same day of the third woe? You're placing the arrival of the Antichrist after the 6th seal when we are raptured. Is that what you're claiming?  That the Church is raptured out of this world before the arrival of the Antichrist during the birth pains?

Your reasoning does not work.

In relation to the fifth trumpet:

[Rev 9:1 LSB] Then the fifth angel sounded. Then I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth, and the key of the pit of the abyss was given to him.

Noting that John didn’t see the star fall to earth… he says he saw a star “which had fallen”.

It’s not a literal star, and it’s not a literal key. The key “was given to him” so we know that “star” symbolizes a personal entity.  Stars are often symbolic of angelic beings throughout Scripture.  We don’t know if this is an angel, a demon, or possibly Satan himself.

This is symbolism emphasizing Divine permission - permission (the key) was given to him by God.

As I mentioned, the “beast of the abyss” is typically understood to be symbolic of the Antichrist’s demonic/satanic influence.  The antichrist gets his power from Satan, after Satan is cast to earth.  To me, it doesn’t matter because I believe the beast of the sea and the beast of the abyss are one and the same.  More on why I believe this below.

[Rev 9:4 LSB]  And they were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

They are already sealed prior to the fifth trumpet according to the passage above.

[Rev 7:3 LSB]  saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the slaves of our God [the 144,000] on their foreheads.”

When is this seal delivered?  Before the seventh seal - before the first trumpet. These are the 144,000 who were sealed after the midpoint of the 70th week. 

Consider the angels message, which is delivered before God's wrath, after the midpoint of the 70th week but before the 5th trumpet:

[Rev 14:9-10 LSB]  Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, [10]  and he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His rage, and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

Why would the angel warn them about a beast that hasn't even come on the scene yet (according to your line of thought)?

The angel is warning them not to follow the Antichrist... is everyone on earth asking "who is this beast you speak of?"  Of course not... the beast is already on the scene.
  

Upon reading a number of your blogs I note you do quote a lot of scripture about a topic but then you add "assumptions" about "when" this happens in the Revelation timeline without any support or clarity as to why something happens during that time. Strong scriptural support is my challenge for you.

There is no explicit Scriptural support. The exact timing of the seals, trumpets, and bowls have been argued for centuries.

The only timings we can be certain about are the midpoint and the end of the 70th week. Everything in between has to be taken at face value with Scripture answering Scripture. We are not given the exact timing of the seals, trumpets, and bowls.

What we do know is that the seals come sequentially, in order, before the trumpets. The seventh seal allows the opening of the large scroll and announces the trumpets and the Day of the Lord. The trumpets are sequential in order. We know that the seventh trumpet announces the bowls which are the final wrath of God.  The seventh trumpet and bowl judgments occur at the conclusion of the 70th week with the bowls in the extra 30 days spoken of by Daniel (1,290 days), prior to the Battle of Armageddon on day 1,290.

To start; I read 4 different beasts, 1 from the sea, 1 from the earth, 1 from the abyss, and the image of the sea beast. As I have shown above, the locusts are not the only ones that come from the abyss.

Specifically, only Abaddon/Apollyon is mentioned with the locusts at the 5th trumpet.

sea & abyss both = Antichrist; earth = false prophet

If you take the beasts in Daniel 7, that is a lion with wings, a bear, a four headed leopard, and a ten-horned beast, and you combined them all into one beast, you would have a seven-headed ten-horned beast with characteristics of a bear, a leopard and a lion, which is exactly what we see in Revelation 13.

Revelation 13, “beast of the sea” is clearly speaking of the Antichrist and relates to his reign during the second half (42 months again - Rev 13:5) of the 70th week.  Daniel 7, 11 & Revelation 13 give us an overall snapshot of the Antichrist during the entire 70th week.

Antichrist is thrown into the Lake of Fire (Dan 7:11-12).

I have multiple blogs on Daniel as it's one of my favorite books in Scripture. 

The abyss is described as a holding place for demons being a place "Legion" wanted to avoid in Luke 8:31 "And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss." Why would they say this if they can leave anytime they want?

Nothing goes into, nor comes out of, the abyss without Divine permission.

Because the abyss has a lock as seen in Rev 9:1 "The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss." and again in Rev 20:1 "I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss" and Rev 20:3 "He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him." This strongly says that no-one can leave the abyss unless it is opened. The 1st time it is opened in Revelation is at the 5th trumpet.

The beast from the sea has 7 heads and are also 7 kings/kingdoms that have existed through the ages according to Rev 17:10 "Five have fallen, one is (Rome at the time of writing), the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while."

kings/kingdoms are interchangeable.  By necessity, A king has a kingdom and a kingdom has a king.

“has not yet come” (yet future to John in 90 AD’ish) - seventh is the Ottoman Empire (1299 to 1922 AD).

This 7th king/kingdom being described as "has not yet come" & "remains for a little while" will happen prior and separate from the beast from the abyss as shown below. I expect the the 7th king/kingdom (7th sea beast head) to come is the one that suffers a fatal wound.

The sea beast arrived with the fatal wound (Rev 13:3).

The fatal wound = end of the Ottoman Empire (1922’ish).

The healed wound escalates the little horn’s dominance, showing satanic imitation of Christ’s resurrection to counterfeit divine authority.  The healing of the head is the healing of the beast, as the healing of the beast is the healing of the head.  Or, as I’ve mentioned, the kingdom has a king as a king has a kingdom.

I have other blogs on the counterfeit resurrection/healing of the Antichrist.  I’ll come back to this one later. 

The beast from the abyss is not the same as the "7 kings" of the 7 headed sea beast but described as an EIGHTH king that comes later (eight follows seven) in Rev 17:8,11 

The eighth is the revived Ottoman Empire/Islam under the rule of the Satanically empowered Antichrist, pictured by his ascent from the abyss... hence, “eighth”.

The beast’s death (head wound), and revival (pictured by his ascent from the abyss) equates to the eighth.  God allows Satan to give him authority to establish his global domination.

"The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss" "The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction. [perdition KJV]" He will also kill the 2 witnesses in Rev 7:11 "Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them."

“belongs to the seven” = seven historical empires/kingdoms.  [1] Egypt, [2] Assyria, [3] Babylon, [4] Medo-Persia, [5] Greece [H3120 - yavan, modern day Turkey], [6] Rome, [7] Ottoman Empire.

The Antichrist, after being Satanically empowered/revived (ascent from the abyss), does kill the two witnesses.  Another reason for placing the two witnesses in the second half of the week (versus the first).  Antichrist does not receive Satan’s authority until the second half.  The Restrainer (Michael) stops restraining and Satan is booted from the presence of God at the midpoint’ish.

So your above claim that the beast from the abyss is the same as the beast from the sea is not accurate. 

Admittedly, there is no Scripture directly stating that the “beast from the sea” and the “beast from the abyss” are explicitly identical entities.  I consider my view to be completely compatible with Scripture and a more than reasonable conclusion.

Some scholars note that the “sea” in apocalyptic literature can be synonymous with the “abyss” as a source of demonic/chaotic forces (the abyss as the abode of evil entities in Revelation 9:1–11; Luke 8:31). The sea beast’s emergence echoes this demonic origin, empowered by the dragon (Satan, Rev 13:2, 4).

“Sea” and “abyss” also find equivalency in the OT concept of the sea, that it is the source of satanic sea monsters (cf. Job 26:12-13; Pss. 74:13-14; 87:4; 89:9-10; Isa. 27:1; 51:9-10). Also, Paul equates the sea with the abyss in his Rom. 10:7 citation of Deut. 30:13.11

After stating the above, my conclusions (equating the two as identical) are drawn from several passages in the Revelation.

When the sea beast appears (with its fatal wound healed), “the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast” and worshiped it (Rev 13:3–4, 8). 

When the abyss beast rises, “the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life”… will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come” (Rev 17:8).

This “marveling” or amazement at the beast’s revival/appearance is nearly identical phrasing, pointing to the same phenomenon: a seemingly defeated power that revives astonishingly. 

Rev 17:8 describes the beast as one that “was, and is not, and is about to rise from the abyss and go to destruction.”. This is the “eighth”. 

This mirrors the sea beast’s “fatal wound” that “had been healed” (Rev 13:3), causing global wonder. The abyss ascent explains the “healing” or revival— the beast was temporarily inactive (“is not”) in the abyss but ascends empowered. 

Revelation 17’s scarlet beast (with seven heads and ten horns) matches Revelation 13’s sea beast description (Rev 13:1; 17:3, 7), reinforcing they depict the same power in different phases or emphases.

Rev 17:7–8 explicitly calls the scarlet beast the one that “was and is not and is to come” from the abyss, while carrying the same features as the sea beast. As mentioned multiple times, I see Revelation 17 as interpreting or expanding on Revelation 13, highlighting the beast’s revival (Satanically empowered) from the abyss.

The 7th head/kingdom of the beast of the sea comes first, 

The beast with seven heads arises from the sea.  Meaning, the “seventh head” is not specifically the subject matter - the beast with seven heads is.  The seven heads are seven consecutive empires up to the current (seventh).  The 10 are contemporaneous with the final false Christ.  

Pasting this note here more for my benefit:

Each head of the beast is a partial incarnation of satanic power that rules for a given period, so the beast can exist on earth without interruption in the form of seven consecutive kingdoms, but he can also be nonexistent at a given moment in the form of one of an empire’s kings. The nonexistent beast in v. 8 must therefore be a temporarily absent king over the empire that will exist in the future (Moffatt, Kiddle).

Satan’s historical kingdoms (seven heads) have existed all throughout Israel’s history (as pointed out above).  A king would die yet the kingdom would continue existing, and another was appointed king.

Another note for my benefit:

The dragon’s evil intentions toward the woman’s unborn child evidenced themselves throughout OT history. Instances of his hostility surfaced in Cain’s murder of Abel (Gen. 4:8), the corrupting of the line of Seth (Gen. 6:1-12), attempted rapes of Sarah (Gen. 12:10-20; 20:1-18) and Rebekah (Gen. 26:1-18), Rebekah’s plan to cheat Esau out of his birthright and the consequent enmity of Esau against Jacob (Gen. 27), the murder of the male children in Egypt (Ex. 1:15-22), attempted murders of David (e.g., 1 Sam. 18:10-11), Queen Athaliah’s attempt to destroy the royal seed (2 Chron. 22:10), Haman’s attempt to slaughter the Jews (Esther 3-9), and consistent attempts of the Israelites to murder their own children for sacrificial purposes (cf. Lev. 18:21; 2 Kings 16:3; 2 Chron. 28:3; Ps. 106:37-38; Ezek. 16:20).63 The attack of Herod against the children of Bethlehem (Matt. 2:16) and many other incidents during Jesus’ earthly life, including His temptation, typify the ongoing attempt of the dragon to “devour” (αταϕάγ [kataphag]) the woman’s child once he was born. The most direct attempt was, of course, in the crucifixion of Christ (Alford, Johnson).  Thomas, Robert. Revelation Exegetical Commentary - 2 volume set (Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary) (p. 1065). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

Another example can be seen in Islam, who has no current “king”… yet.  They will have one soon as the eighth.

then the 10 kings will rule the sea beast (10 crowns), then the beast from the abyss arrives sometime after the (locked) abyss is opened in the 5th trumpet.

The 10 belong to the beast (kingdom) (Dan 7:24).  The beast includes 10 concurrent ruling authorities (i.e., a 10 nation alliance) who don’t have their own kingdoms (Rev 17:12), at the the time of John’s writing, and:

[Rev 17:13 LSB]  “These [10 kings] have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.

Daniel describes the differences between the sea beast and abyss beast in Dan 7:24-25 "The ten horns (same as sea beast Rev 13:1) are ten kings who will come from this (7th) kingdom. 

Daniel is not describing the difference between the sea & abyss beast.  He’s describing the little horn’s rise to power.

I explain above - Daniel 7 beasts combined are the sea beast of Revelation 13.  The 10 horns belong to the beast versus the beast belonging to the 10 horns.  The horns are of the beast… IOWs, the beast can exist without the horns, but the horns cannot exist without the beast. 

AFTER them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings.

This isn’t a phrase meaning that the little horn comes up chronologically after the 10.  The text tells us differently.

The phrase “after them” (Hebrew: aḥarēhem) can imply chronological succession or emergence following the establishment of the ten, however, the vision in verse 8 shows the little horn growing among them (“came up among them”), with three horns uprooted before it.  The phrase “before it” means the three were uprooted in his presence. 

10 kings have not yet received a kingdom (Rev 17:12) but come up with the little horn and then give their authority to the little horn.  The 10 will form a confederacy, or alliance, and give their authority and resources to the Antichrist.

 

Little horn subdues/humbles the three beasts of Daniel 7 in his rise to power.  

These three kingdoms, though subdued by the Antichrist, will have a future in God’s plan - they are spared and used later by serving Israel during the Millennial Reign.

He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a -time, times and half a time.-" 3.5 years.

Antichrist - second half of 70th week.  Are His Holy people delivered into his hands in the first half of the week?  Or, are they living in relative peace and beginning their daily sacrfices?

And again in Dan 8:8-11 "The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them (6th seal and Rev 12 sign).

This is picturing the rise of Antiochus, foreshadowing the rise of the Antichrist.

This is not the sixth seal sign.

It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord; it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord (antichrist), and his sanctuary was thrown down."

Antiochus accomplished the above as will the coming Antichrist.

Abomination of desolation at the midpoint of the week.

The angel then explaines this vision in Dan 8:21-25 "The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king. The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power. In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue (antichrist), will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power (likely by satan/10 kings of sea beast). He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power. (perdition)" Dan 9:27 adds "He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

Daniel 8 is foremost a historical record reporting the history of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.  For example, The shaggy goat is the kingdom of Greece and the large horn was Alexander the Great.  It is a near/far prophecy to be sure though (as we’re told in the same chapter).  

I go into detail in this blog: Daniel 8 Blog

While these provide a very strong link to the beast from the abyss that forms/possesses the antichrist, the strongest tie I could find is both the beast from the abyss and the antichrist are both uniquely predestined to perdition (a final judgment).

You have more “ties” to consider.  See above. 

Jesus expresses this unique single entity being one who has already been judged and predestined to perdition in John 17:12 “none of them is lost, but the son of perdition”. Paul then links the same "son of perdition" to the antichrist in 2 Thess 2:3 “…that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition…” Perdition is also specifically applied to the the beast from the abyss in Rev 17:8 "The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its perdition." Rev 17:11 "The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. 

The eighth is an eighth kingdom or world ruler, and not a distinctly different kingdom from the seventh head. He is distinct from his predecessors in that he has received supernatural powers from Satan at his revival.  Yet he is also one of the seven, the seventh which has not yet come (v. 10), in that he takes the shape of an emperor in charge of an empire. Making the eighth a fusion of the raised beast and the empire over which he rules.

He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction [perdition KJV]." In Daniel we can tie the perdition to Dan 7:11 “…the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.” which describes the place of final judgment for those who are not found in the book of life Rev 20:14 "Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." a.k.a. perdition, with no following judgements possible

Conclusion:

Since the abyss is a place where demonic spirits reside it is likely the beast from the abyss is an antichrist spirit. The abyss is locked without escape until the 5th trumpet. Sometime after the abyss is opened the beast from the abyss likely posseses or takes the form of the antichrist. Only then will he kill the two witnesses and causes the abomination that causes desolation by entering the holy place (temple in Jerusalem) declaring himself to be God. This says both the antichrist (destined for perdition) is revealed at the abomination and can only occur after the abyss is opened (5th trumpet), not before. Scripture also tells us the antichrist comes AFTER the 7 headed beast of the sea and AFTER the 10 kings (10 horns/crowns/toes) are established Dan 7:24 "The ten horns (sea beast) are ten kings who will come from this (7th) kingdom. AFTER them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings." It is likely these 10 kings give their authority to the beast of the abyss (antichrist) rather than the beast (system) of the sea that they already rule (not giving crowns to themselves). So while the beast system of the sea and its image and the false profit may come on the scene prior to the 5th trumpet when the abyss is unlocked, the revealing of the antichrist is at the 7 year midpoint marked by the abomination 2 Thess 2:3–4 “…that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God… so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

Beast from Abyss (abyss opened at 5th trumpet) - Rev 17:8
Was, is not, and will arise again - Rev 17:11
Is an 8th king who rises after the 7 headed (kings) sea beast - Rev 17:10
Causes global astonishment- Rev 17:8
Kills the two witnesses - Rev 11:7
Goes to perdition - Rev 17:8, 11

The above also argues the midpoint being sometime after the abyss is opened in the 5th trumpet separates the two 3.5 years as the 2 witnesses killed (6th trumpet) are the prior 3.5 years (Rev 13:5 & 11:3 as well as the beast system (mark) as seen at the start of bowls. in Rev 15:1-2 "I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues.. And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea (which is before the heavenly throne Rev 4:6), those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name." And the latter 3.5 years where Israel flees for the remaining 3.5 years during the antichrist 3.5 year rule in Dan 7:25 “…they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” after the abomination while the bowls are poured out.

time line:

7th head beast system (mark) & 2 witnesses (3.5yr) -> THEN (Dan 7:24-25) 10 kings -> 5th trumpet/abyss opened -> THEN (Dan 7:24-25) Antichrist/kills witnesses/abomination (midpoint) -> Israel flees (3.5 years)

Dan 7:24-25 "The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time."

Two Resurrections

In trying to piece together a timeline for Daniel's 70th week, and related events from Revelation, I've always tried to make sense of the following verses from Revelation 20.  They have never quite sat right with me... I couldn't justify the placement of the verses, in view of a timeline, and something about them has always bothered me.

The timing revolves around the start of the Millennial Kingdom and the martyrs:

[Rev 20:4-5 LSB]  Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their witness of Yeshua and because of the word of God, and who also had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life [aorist tense] and reigned [aorist tense] with Christ for a thousand years. [5]  The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

The "aorist tense" noted above defines exactly when the action takes place... at the beginning of the Millennium.  Technically, the passage above doesn't mention anything about the 5th seal... only martyrs who had been beheaded.  These are souls who had:

[1] been beheaded because of their witness, [2] they didn't worship the beast, and [3] hadn't received the mark.

The 5th seal martyrs are only mentioned as being "slain".  Perhaps some of them were beheaded, but we're not specifically told that in reference to the 5th seal martyrs.

[Rev 6:11 LSB]  And a white robe was given to each of them; and it was told to them that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

Taking Revelation 6:11 at face value would insinuate that the 5th seal martyrs are included with the martyrs of Revelation 20:4.  They're told to wait... until the remainder of martyrs comes to a conclusion.  This "conclusion" is at the end of the 70th week.

If you've read my other blogs, you'll see that I claim that there are ONLY two coming resurrections as defined by Scripture.  [1] The resurrection of the righteous, and [2] the resurrection of the unrighteous (notice how I worded this).

Paul gives us guidelines:

[1Co 15:21-4 LSB]  For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. [22]  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. [23]  But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming [parousia]. [24]  Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.

I have always looked at this passage in the following manner.  I see a "quantity" of "three" resurrections:

[1]  Christ - the firstfruits

[2]  the righteous - those who are Christ's at His coming

[3]  the unrighteous - after the Millennium at the consummation.

Now, back to how I worded the paragraph above... resurrection of [1] righteous, and [2] unrighteous.  This is how my brain has always seen it... righteous & unrighteous.

However, look at how John refers to the resurrections:

[Joh 5:29 LSB]  and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

I've read this verse a hundred times, and used it in my blogs everywhere.  I've never realized what John actually said.  Instead of resurrections of the righteous & unrighteous... he refers to them as:

[1] resurrection of life, and [2] resurrection of judgment.

Notice also - I have always used the phrase "two resurrections" in the past (as in quantity).  I won't be doing that any longer.  We already know that technically, Christ was the "first resurrection" so we have a basis for understanding "first resurrection" speaks of the general resurrection to life in multiple phases.

Here's where things get interesting.

I've recently come across the idea that the Revelation 20 martyrs do not receive their bodies at the rapture, what I've always considered the "first" resurrection of the righteous dead.  As shown above, the 5th seal martyrs will be included with the Revelation 20 martyrs.  

If the rapture is the "first" resurrection then what does this mean?

[Rev 20:5b] ...This is the first resurrection.

Is this the first resurrection specifically of the Millennium?  It's not the "first" resurrection of Yeshua's parousia.  That occurred at the rapture with the Bride of Christ. 

"This is the first resurrection" applies contextually to the martyrs, but does not exclude earlier phases of resurrection from its scope.  So “the first resurrection” is inclusive and must be the same as the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14; Acts 24:15), the resurrection from among the dead (Luke 20:34-36), the resurrection of life (John 5:29), and the resurrection to everlasting life (Dan. 12:2).

In other words, I've always claimed that the 5th seal martyrs are included in the rapture resurrection because they were physically dead before the 6th seal - which is the coming [parousia] of Yeshua:

[1Th 4:15-18 LSB]  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming [parousia] of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. [16]  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. [17]  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up [harpazo - rapture] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. [18]  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

A strong case can be made that Rev 20:4 does indeed include the 5th seal martyrs and they are not included in the rapture.

[Rev 6:11 LSB]  And a white robe was given to each of them; and it was told to them that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

The martyrs are given white robes as a promise of their coming resurrection to life.  They are told to wait... until the rest of the martyrs were completed.  This is realized in Rev 20:4 at the beginning of the Millennium.

Why does Revelation 20 describe the martyrs coming to life, while contextually speaking of the beginning of the Millennium, as the "first" resurrection?  These must be martyrs who were beheaded after the rapture.

When studied carefully, within the context of Revelation 20, it is clear that the "first resurrection" in this instance refers to the general resurrection of all (Bride & martyrs "unto life".   

At the same time, however, this specific resurrection "unto life" will occur at the beginning of the Millennium and is limited to the martyrs who have been "beheaded" because they are the only ones referred to in Revelation 20:5.  The Bride of Christ have already been resurrected to life at the rapture.  Limiting the event to martyrs has a clear contextual advantage in light of the emphasis of v. 4 on martyrdom.

Perhaps God has a special, unspoken, set of circumstances for the martyrs.

[Psa 116:15 LSB]  Precious in the sight of Yahweh Is the death of His holy ones.

Why specifically mention two different classes in the following verse?

[Rev 17:6 KJV]  And I saw the woman drunken with the [1] blood of the saints, AND with the [2] blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

I'm of the opinion that some of these martyrs are Jewish and the ones who "have insight" that Daniel spoke of (see below).

Scripture shows us there are several "resurrections to life".  Christ was "resurrected to life".  The Bride of Christ were "resurrected to life" at the rapture.  The Revelation 20 martyrs will be "resurrected to life" at the beginning of the Millennium.  Those who live through the 70th week, and are separated as "sheep" (versus goats) will eventually need to receive their glorified resurrection bodies also. 

The resurrection of Yeshua, the dead in Christ (at the rapture), the beheaded martyrs of Revelation 20, the 5th seal martyrs, and the millennium saints are all part of the "first resurrection" - that is, the general "resurrection to life".

The "resurrection to judgment", stands in stark contrast, and will occur at the Great White Throne Judgment at the conclusion of the Millennium.  This resurrection also has "first-fruits" - the Antichrist and the false prophet will be the first to experience the Lake of Fire at the beginning of the Millennium.

It has been claimed that the Revelation 20 martyrs are those believing Jews who were witnesses, throughout Israel, during the second half of the 70th week.  They were beheaded because:

[1]  "their witness of Yeshua;"

[2]  "and because of the word of God";

[3]  "had not worshiped the beast or his image";

[4]  "had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand."

The above criteria makes it clear that they were present during the second half of the 70th week.  Again, I believe these are martyrs killed after the rapture but likely include the 5th seal martyrs as well.

[Mat 10:22-23 LSB]  “And you will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. [23]  “But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes [erchomai].

Notice above that Matthew does not use "parousia".

erchomai - literal: Physical travel, arrival, or approach (e.g., people coming to Jesus, journeys, or even "growing" in some idiomatic uses).

In other words, "you will not finish" until "I've physically set foot on the earth prior to the Millennium".

Without the faithfulness of these faithful Jews, the remnant of Israel, that follows Yeshua into the Millennium, would have died in unbelief.

Daniel spoke of these faithful Jews during this specific time (70th week):

[Dan 12:3 LSB]  “And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

These are "those who have insight".  My understanding is that these are educated Jews who recognized the 70th week events around them and realized... "whoa!  This is our Messiah according to Scripture!"

When the rapture occurs, there will still be faithful martyrs beheaded afterwards until "the Son of Man comes [erchomai]".  Which explains the "from now on" in Revelation 14:13:

Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.” 

Because of their faithfulness, these Jewish martyrs will come to life and will reign with Christ for the Millennium.

[Rev 15:2] “Then I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who have overcome the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.”

This is the resurrection of those who die in the faith after the rapture and sing the song of Moses.

Yes, there are two resurrections - but, not two in quantity - they are two resurrection types.

[1] resurrection of life, and [2] resurrection of judgment.

What will the Millennium Look Like?

Many Scripture passages give us a glimpse into what the Millennium will look like.  These passages include some of the most wonderful promises in all of Scripture!

Before anything happens, Satan will be bound:

[Rev 20:1-3 LSB]  Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. [2]  And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; [3]  and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were finished. After these things he must be released for a short time.

There will be "a new heaven and new earth" (Rev 21:1) and God's "Holy City, New Jerusalem" (Rev 21:2), where the "river of the water of life [flows] clear as crystal" (Rev 22:1), where the "tree of life" bears fruit (Rev 22:2) and the curse is forever gone (Rev 22:3).

The Bride of Christ will dwell in the heavenly New Jerusalem in the presence of the Lamb, and the newly redeemed nation of Israel, those who survived the 70th week,  will dwell on the new earth ruled over by their Messiah and king David.

[Rev 21:3-5 LSB]  And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, [4]  and He will WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away.” [5]  And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

For the newly redeemed nation of Israel:

[Isa 65:17-25 LSB]  “For behold, I am creating a new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come upon the heart. [18]  “But be joyful and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for joy. [19]  “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be joyful in My people; and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the voice of crying. [20]  “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fulfill his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred, and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed. [21]  “They will build houses and inhabit them; they will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. [22]  “They will not build and another inhabit; they will not plant and another eat; for as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands. [23]  “They will not labor in vain, Or bear children for terror; for they are the seed of those blessed by Yahweh, And their offspring with them. [24]  “And it will be that before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear. [25]  “The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil nor act corruptly in all My holy mountain,” says Yahweh.

These are promises that will literally be fulfilled.  I really have no idea how the amillennialist can read this and claim the "millennium is spiritual - not literal".

Prince David

The former king of Israel will be resurrected.  David will once again be given  governmental authority over the nation of Israel (and only Israel).  As the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed long ago, Jews in Israel will "serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I [the Lord] will raise up for them." (Jer 30:9).

[Eze 37:24 LSB]  “And My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My judgments and keep My statutes and do them.

The governing chain of command is given earlier in Ezekial:

[Eze 34:23 LSB]  “Then I will establish over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will shepherd them; he will shepherd them himself and be their shepherd. [24]  “And I, Yahweh, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I, Yahweh, have spoken.

David will rule over Israel, under the authority of Yeshua, Who will rule supremely over all the earth from Mount Zion.

David will rule from earthly Jerusalem, which will be rebuilt:

[Jer 30:18 LSB]  “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Behold, I will return the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwelling places; and the city will be rebuilt on its ruin, and the palace will sit on its just place.

Other Kings / Kingdoms

Scripture makes it clear that there will be other nations co-existing throughout the Millennium.  Each will, presumably, have its own ruler and governmental organization.  If so, they will obviously be submissive to Yeshua's rule.

[Rev 21:23-24 LSB]  And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. [24]  And the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.

The Psalmist also declared:

[Psa 72:8-13 LSB]  May He also have dominion from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. [9]  Let the desert creatures kneel before Him, and His enemies lick the dust. [10]  Let the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands bring a present; The kings of Sheba and Seba offer tribute. [11]  And let all kings bow down to Him, all nations serve Him. [12]  For He will deliver the needy when he cries for help, the afflicted also, and him who has no helper. [13]  He will have compassion on the poor and needy, and the lives of the needy He will save.

These "other" nations, rather than afflict Israel (per their usual), will now serve Israel.

[Isa 49:22-23 LSB]  Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations and make high My standard to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters will be lifted up on their shoulders. [23]  “Kings will be your guardians, and their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth and lick the dust of your feet; and you will know that I am Yahweh; those who hope in Me will not be put to shame.

Where do these nations come from?  These are those who, somehow, survived Daniel's 70th week.

[Mic 7:16-17 LSB]  Nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will put their hand on their mouth; their ears will be deaf. [17]  They will lick the dust like a serpent, like crawling things of the earth. They will come trembling out of their fortresses; to Yahweh our God they will come in dread, and they will be afraid before You.

These will be tried at the Sheep & Goat Judgment (Mat 25:31-46) on the first day of the Millennium.

First Day - Sheep & Goats

The Sheep & Goat Judgment will take place on earth from Yeshua's Throne.  All the angels will be with Him (Mat 25:31) which suggests that they will play some role of this Gentile Judgment.  All surviving Gentile nations will be gathered before Him an undergo this Judgment (Mat 25:32).

Without being dogmatic, this judgment will only include those who have not taken the mark of the beast during Daniel's 70th week.  I'm of the opinion that any who did take the mark, were killed during the judgments (Rev 14:9-10) and will be awaiting the second resurrection to the Great White Throne Judgment.  Perhaps, not taking the mark is exactly how they survived the 70th week.

The basis for their judgment will be their individual treatment of Israelites - "of these brothers of Mine" (Mat 25:40).  The treatment of the Jews, who were in distress during the 70th week, will be considered the same as their treatment of Christ Himself (Mat 25:40, 45).

[Gen 12:2-3 LSB]  And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; [3]  and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

So, there will have been Gentiles who helped, and those who refused help.  What about those who remained neutral?

[Mat 25:44-46 LSB]  “Then they themselves also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ [45]  “Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ [46]  “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

New Heavens & Earth

More than 2,700 years ago the Lord proclaimed through Isaiah:

[Isa 65:17 LSB]  “For behold, I am creating a new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come upon the heart.

Peter also reminds us:

[2Pe 3:13 LSB]  But according to His promise we are looking for NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, in which righteousness dwells.

John was able to see it coming:

[Rev 21:1 LSB]  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.

The earth will be in a state of total devastation following God's Wrath.

Note that "there is no longer any sea" relates to the "first heaven and the first earth passed away" during the total destruction of God's wrath.  The seas were turned to blood, the elements burnt up, when the "earth passed away", etc.  This is not saying that the new heavens and new earth will have "no sea".  Revelation 21:1 is stating the sea was also destroyed.  Obviously, there are seas on the new earth - the Millennium era rivers will flow into the new seas.

[2Pe 3:10 LSB]  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be found out.

This new "creation" will not be from out of nothing.  The Greek term translated as "new" does not refer to something that never existed, but rather to the renewing of something that already exists.

In other words, the heavens and earth, so terribly corrupted by the fall and devastated by the Day of the Lord, will be remade and perfected by Yeshua into a new and uncorrupted form.  Of which, "all creation awaits eagerly" (Rom 8:19).  This is the time that Yeshua referred to as "the regeneration" (Mat 19:28).

Peter referred to it as:

[Act 3:19-21 LSB]  “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; [20]  and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, [21]  whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.

I don't think we can comprehend how He will accomplish this.  Will it be instantaneous?  Will it occur gradually throughout the Millennium?  I mean, there are still bodies being collected from the Battle of Armageddon seven months into the Millennium (Eze 39:14).  I'm not sure how He'll do it... but, I am sure that He will do it.

[Rom 8:19-21 LSB] For the anxious longing of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. [20]  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope [21] that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

[Gen 1:31 LSB] And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

It was "very good" in the beginning, and it will be "very good" again.

The New Jerusalem

The New Jerusalem, the heavenly mansions prepared for His Bride, in all of it's unimaginable beauty, will descend from Heaven.

Some will claim that New Jerusalem does not come down at the beginning of the Millennium.  

Here's are a few points that would challenge that notion from Revelation 21: “the nations shall walk by it's light [the light emanating from the New Jerusalem]”, and “the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it [the New Jerusalem]”, “and they shall bring the glory and honor” of the nations into it, “and nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it.”

The New Jerusalem is the dwelling place of Christ's Bride.  If the New Jerusalem were to remain in Heaven during the Millennium, while Yeshua is ruling on earth, then He and His Saints would be separated from each other for 1,000 years.  This alone contradicts Scripture.

[Joh 14:1-3 LSB]  “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. [2]  “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. [3]  “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

[1Th 4:17 LSB]  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

[Rev 21:3 LSB]  And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,

Wherever Yeshua is... we will be with Him.

Revelation 20 Martyrs

[Rev 20:4c LSB] "And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years."

See this blog - Click Here!

Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Celebrating Passover with His disciples, Yeshua said:

[Mat 26:29 LSB]  “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

What will it look like?  Here's a small glimpse from Isaiah:

[Isa 25:6-8 LSB]  And Yahweh of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain [Mount Zion]; a banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, and refined, aged wine. [7]  And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. [8]  He will swallow up death for all time, and Lord Yahweh will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For Yahweh has spoken.