Session 5 The Bookends (Part 1)
In the next two sessions we will begin to focus a bit on the two prophecies we have mentioned thus far.
The Day of the Lord and the Rapture. We will try to place them in rough chronological order and give
you some logical reasons to consider a proposed order. We will present the idea of what the tribulation
is and how the two prophesies mentioned so far fit in to that event. Anytime that one tries to place
prophesy events into a particular order, controversy can arise. The placement of the Rapture has been
particularly troublesome. Apparently, about 36% of America’s protestant pastors (the majority) expect
the Rapture to occur before the tribulation. This is the view presented in this study. Some people
believe the rapture is figurative. That is a shame in my opinion. Being only figurative makes it far less
comforting in my opinion (1 Thessalonians 4:18). Why would figurative language be a mystery as 1
Corinthians 15:51 calls it? There is a sequence of events described in the scriptures and I think we can
use some research and logic to support the relative placement of both the Rapture and the Day of the
Lord. First, in this session, let’s try to place the Day of the Lord since it seems more straight forward. In
the next session we will tackle the Rapture.
Revelation chapter 6 appears to provide a high-
level overview of a large part of the tribulation
time period. Let’s look here to start placing the
Day of the Lord in the Tribulation time period.
Please read Revelation 6:12-17
1. What is the worldwide weather prediction for
this day? (Consider Joel 2:31)
Revelation chapter 6 is divided into 6 sections describing 6 seals on a scroll. These sections describe
an order of events. Verses 6:12-17 are describing seal 6. The last seal which logically is describing an
event towards the very end of the tribulation. It appears that other later chapters of the book of
Revelation expand on the information of the overview of chapter 6. Chapter 15 verse 1 begins to
describe the Day of the Lord in even more detail.
2. What is the concept that ties this time to the
Day of the Lord?
If you review the Jeremiah 30:6-7 verses we read
in section 3 you will see that the Day of the Lord
will be totally unique. No worse day will be
found in all of history. In other words, the
complete Wrath of God expressed on mankind.
Jeremiah 30:6-7a NIV
6 Ask and see: Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every
strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor,
every face turned deathly pale? How awful that day will be! No
other will be like it.
Revelation 6:12-17 NIV
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a
great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and
the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the
earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty
wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and
every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the
kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the
mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the
caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the
mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him
who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the
great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
Revelation 15:1 NIV
1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven
angels having the
seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is
complete.
3. Let’s look at some more details of this day.
Revelation 16:10 describes something we might
find in Revelation 6:12-17. What is that?
4. Even more details are found in verse 18.
What matching situation do you find in
Revelation 6:12-17?
5. How about something falling from the
heavens in Revelation 16:21? What might
correspond to that in Revelation 6:12-17?
These verses are matching up. It would seem
that these verses are describing the same event
with different levels of detail. Let’s read
Revelation 16:16 for an eye-opening detail that helps pin down the timing of this event even more.
6. I am confident you have heard of this particular prophetic event. What appears to be ready to take
place as part of the Day of the Lord?
So, when does that take place? Let’s look at
Revelation 19:11-16 and Revelation 19:19-21
for the answer.
Revelation 16:10 NIV
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the
beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed
their tongues because of the pain.
Revelation 16:18 NIV
18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there
was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had
not occurred since men were on the earth.
Revelation 16:21 NIV
21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about
the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague
of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.
Revelation 16:16 NIV
16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew,
Armageddon.
Revelation 19:11-16 NIV
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He
who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness
He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and
on His head were many crowns. He [e]had a name written that no
one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in
blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies
in heaven, clothed in [f]fine linen, white and clean, followed Him
on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a [g]sharp sword,
that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule
them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the
fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe
and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
So, if we review the timing here it appears logical to conclude that the Day of the Lord prophesy is
fulfilled at the very end of the Tribulation.
Wrap up
As we leave the Day of the Lord and the associated Battle of Mount Megiddo, we can see that it points
to its fulfillment at the very end of the 7-year Tribulation. On a dark, painful, terrifying day with
earthquakes, horrible hail, and other mind-bending scenes in the sky, the final World War ends with
Jesus defeating His many gathered enemies with a word. It all takes place near a small town in Israel
with a population less than 1000. An ancient city that could be translated “Hill of Gathered Crowds”.
Now we turn to the Rapture and try to determine relatively speaking when it will be fulfilled.
Revelation 19:19-21 NIV
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies,
gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse
and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him
the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he
deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who
worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire
burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword
which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And
all the birds were filled with their flesh.
Side Note - Armageddon
Armageddon could be translated Mount Megiddo (from the
Hebrew ודיגמ רה Har Megiddo)
14
. Although really, it is more of a
large hill or “Tel”. Bordering it is a Valley of Megiddo also known
as the Jezreel Valley
12
. Also, there is the small modern city of
Megiddo (pop 855 in 2018) and the Megiddo National Park which
protects the original Tel Megiddo ancient ruins. This small town
seems like it would be like any small town in the United States. It
has two major highways crossing nearby and even a McDonald's!
13
Megiddo can be translated as “place of troops”
15
. or even most
ironically a “place of crowds”
16
considering the size of modern-day
Megiddo. It appears that even the name itself rather prophetically
promotes the gathering of a large number of people.
