With Armageddon and the Second Advent of Christ close at hand, Jill Steiner is in her news studio telling her audience what is coming next.
Jill: "Six Bowl Judgments and six Trumpet Judgments have been completed. There are seven of each, so one Bowl and one Trumpet remain. Recall that the first six Bowls were inserted in between the sixth and seventh Trumpet Judgments, which is the “Third Woe” which is yet to come. The Third Woe includes events just prior to and during the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. So the Third Woe includes the last Trumpet and last Bowl. In other words, all that remains is the Grand Finale, a combination of the seventh Bowl and seventh Trumpet Judgments."
After a brief pause Jill adds "I can't believe I just said all of that."
Jill continues: "The armies of the world have gathered to attempt to destroy Israel and the Jews, but instead have ended up facing each other at Armageddon. It is at this point when the Lord will return. The Second Advent is not so much a single event as a series of events which occur as Jesus Christ returns and completes the task of cleansing the earth from evil in preparation for His rule during the Millennial Kingdom. His first task will be to destroy the assembled armies which have invaded Israel. Jesus Christ will very soon return to earth at His Second Advent, deliver His people who are under siege in Israel, destroy the armies of the four Alliances which are massed at Armageddon, and then assume His rightful place as Ruler of the earth."
Jill introduces her studio guest: "I have invited Professor Heathrow, Professor of Biblical Ancient Civilization Studies at the University of Southern California, to explain what the Bible says is about to happen during this Grand Finale. Welcome back to the program. Professor Heathrow, according to the Book of Revelation, Armageddon is only days away. Tell our audience what to expect next."
Professor Heathrow: "I described the timing issue on your show over 3 years ago, so let us review. The Bible tells us the Tribulation is seven years long consisting of two equal sections, each exactly 1260 days long. Bible years do not match our current calendar years, since the ancients measured years by the moon, and a year was 360 days long, which was twelve complete moon cycles. Of course, our solar years are 365 days plus one extra day every four years. So 3 1/2 moon-years is 360 x 3.5 which is 1260 days. But days are days, and the Bible says the Tribulation will last 2 x 1260 equals 2520 days. That is 37 days short of seven solar years, since we had 2 leap years since the Vanishment. Therefore in solar years the Tribulation will last a total of 6 years 10 months and 24 days. That means the Second Advent of Jesus Christ is just 5 days away. And Armageddon happens when the Lord returns."
Jill: "So Professor, we are just 5 days from Armageddon?"
Professor Heathrow: "Correct. Five days and no more. We will start with an overview of what leads up to Armageddon and the Second Advent, and then cover the supporting verses from the Bible in detail to understand why we know these things. Jesus Christ will return to earth when Satan's four human armies are amassed in Israel, forming a battle line from the north at Armageddon, going southeast along the Jordan River Valley into southern Jordan, and extending back over to Jerusalem and into southern Israel. These armies are intending to destroy each other, and also the Jewish believers in Israel. At the northernmost part of the battle line in north Israel is Armageddon (aka the Plain of Megiddo, Esdraelon, or Valley of Jezreel) where the bulk of the four armies will be located."
"In southern Israel the Jewish believers are fighting the Antichrist's forces. Some Israeli Resistance troops in Jerusalem will be cut off and in danger of being annihilated, but the Lord will cover the Antichrist forces with supernatural darkness for the last hours prior to the Second Advent, preventing the destruction of the Jewish believers fighting against him. This will be the second time this darkness is used by the Lord to create an impenetrable darkness where artificial lights will be of no use, so the unbeliever armies and their sophisticated weapons of war, many of which rely on using the electromagnetic spectrum such as fiber optics, microwave, GPS and other technologies, will be immobilized by it. Then the whole world will be darkened during the last day, and while it is still dark, without warning there will be blinding light and angelic trumpets, and the Lord returns to deliver His people who are in great jeopardy."
"Jesus Christ first comes down to southern Israel (Judah) to defend the Jewish believers there, since they are in the most danger once the supernatural darkness is lifted by the Second Advent. Then He will go to Jerusalem and literally stand on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem and split it in half with an earthquake, allowing the Jewish remnant of believers fighting in Jerusalem to escape using the newly formed valley through the middle of the Mount of Olives. As the Jewish believers are empowered by the Lord, they begin to wipe out the unbeliever armies in southern Israel, then these Jewish fighters come to the aid of those fighting in Jerusalem. The Lord also brings panic and confusion on the enemy forces, causing them to turn on each other. Once southern Israel and Jerusalem are secure, the Lord proceeds to work His way up from the south, wiping out the unbeliever armies amassed all along the Jordan border with Israel where the Jewish believers who had fled at the Midpoint of the Tribulation are in hiding. He then goes up along the Jordan River, wiping out the forces massed along it. Finally, the Lord attacks the unbeliever armies of the four kings at Armageddon where they have gathered to fight each other."
"Upon seeing the Lord, these four armies stop fighting each other and turn instead to fight against Him. At that point they are annihilated by a single word from the mouth of Jesus Christ, the world war ends, and all Tribulation Bowl and Trumpet Judgments are complete. All elect angels and resurrected believers from Heaven ride along with Him, but do not participate in the destruction. The Lord needs no help, although He allows the Jewish believers fighting in and around Jerusalem to have their victory over the unbeliever armies which had sacked Jerusalem. The end of the world war sets the stage for Jesus Christ to claim His rightful position as ruler of the earth from Satan who usurped the position at the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden.
Jill: "What are some of the supporting Bible verses for what you just described will happen?"
Professor Heathrow continues: "Daniel 11 reveals some of the maneuvering of the four Tribulation armies of the North, South, East, and West, which will all converge on the Middle East, and Israel in particular, to attempt to kill the Jews and fight the Lord as He returns:
Daniel 11:40 “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him [the King of the West – Antichrist] in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him [the Antichrist] with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He [the Antichrist is now every “he”, “him” and “his” in these verses] will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon [where Jews are in supernatural hiding] will be delivered from his hand. 42 He will extend his power over many countries... 44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him [the other three Alliance armies advancing toward Israel], and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas and the beautiful holy mountain [Jerusalem]. Yet he [the Antichrist] will come to his end, and no one will help him.”
"Then the Book of Joel describes the return of the Lord and the destruction of the four armies massed at Armageddon:"
Joel 3:11 “Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, Lord! 12 “Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat [near Jerusalem], for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. 13 Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow—so great is their wickedness!” 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord [Second Advent] is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine [on the day of the Second Advent].
Professor Heathrow continues: "As we have seen, just prior to the Second Advent there will be supernatural darkness over the entire earth. This worldwide darkness follows the darkness covering only the Antichrist's empire and military forces caused by the 5th Bowl Judgment."
Jill interjects to Professor Heathrow: "Professor, what does the Book of Revelation say specifically about the return of the Lord and Armageddon?"
Professor Heathrow: "Some of the important verses are as follows:"
Revelation 19:11 “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.”
"During the Second Advent of Christ, Jesus Christ returns as a Warrior-King to deliver His people, eliminate the degeneracy on the earth, further avenge the killing of believers during the Tribulation, and establish His Millennial Kingdom on earth. As Jesus said in the Book of Matthew, everyone on earth will see His coming:"
“For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. 29 Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 30 Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven [after total darkness]. And then all the peoples [unbelievers] of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect [dead Old Testament and Tribulation believers resurrected] from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
"Zechariah 14 covers the battle in and around Jerusalem which is ongoing when the Lord returns. The Israeli Resistance will be fighting the forces of the Antichrist. The battle will not be going well for the Resistance fighters, and the Lord will turn that around:"
"Zechariah says: "Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day [Second Advent] his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You [believer Jews in Jerusalem] will flee by my mountain valley [pathway newly formed by the earthquake], for it will extend to Azel [outside Jerusalem city limits]. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come [Second Advent], and all the holy ones with him [all believers in resurrection bodies, and all elect angels]. 6 On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. 7 It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night [supernatural darkness]. When evening comes, there will be light [at the return of Christ]....12 This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 On that day [Second Advent] people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another. 14 Judah [Jewish believers from outside Jerusalem] too will fight at Jerusalem.”
Professor Heathrow continues: "Zechariah prophesied about the Second Advent and how the very first act of the Lord will be to help the Jews fighting in southern Israel (Judah), followed by deliverance of the Jewish believers trapped in Jerusalem. As a result these Jews will become empowered to defeat the attacking army of the Antichrist during the time of the Second Advent:"
“Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, 15 and the Lord Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar. 16 The Lord their God will save his people on that day.”
"The Jewish believers in southern Israel will fight with extreme enthusiasm as the Lord shields them and also brings panic and confusion on the unbeliever armies. The Jewish forces are enabled by the Lord to accomplish incredible feats of daring, bravery, and skill as warriors. They will destroy the enemy outside Jerusalem, then will go do the same in Jerusalem. The Lord could do this Himself, but He allows the Jewish believers to have their own victory over their oppressors who have killed so many of their friends and compatriots. Revenge belongs to the Lord, but He sometimes shares it for specific purposes. Zechariah continues:"
“The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares: 2 “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. 3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. 4 On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the Lord. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations [supernatural darkness]. 5 Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God.’ 6 “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. 7 “The Lord will save the dwellings of Judah first [first act of the Second Advent is in southern Israel outside of Jerusalem], so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah [those Jewish believers in southern Israel but outside Jerusalem]. 8 On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going before them [Jewish believers will be fierce warriors]. 9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.”
"And finally Isaiah talks about Armageddon:"
Isaiah 34:1 “Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world, and all that comes out of it! 2 The Lord is angry with all nations; his wrath is on all their armies. He will totally destroy them, he will give them over to slaughter. 3 Their slain will be thrown out, their dead bodies will stink; the mountains will be soaked with their blood. 4 All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up like a scroll [nuclear warfare among the four Kings' armies]; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree. 5 My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; see, it descends in judgment on Edom [western Jordan], the people I have totally destroyed [where enemy armies are massed along the Jordan River Valley]...6 For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in the land of Edom [both located along the Jordan River Valley]...8 For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion’s cause.”
Professor Heathrow: "Isaiah goes on to say: “Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah [southeast of the Dead Sea in Jordan], with his garments stained crimson? [The Lord has annihilated the armies massed along the Jordan border with Israel] Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward [to finish the task at Armageddon] in the greatness of his strength? “It is I [Jesus Christ at Second Advent], proclaiming victory, mighty to save.” 2 Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? 3 “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. 4 It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come....6 I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.”
Professor Heathrow continues: "And finally from Joel again:"
Joel 3:16 The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem [during Second Advent]; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.”
"From these Old Testament passages we can piece together the path the Lord will take during the Second Advent. There are probably at least 100 million unbelievers engaged in these battles when the Lord returns, and they will all be killed, starting with the Antichrist's forces in southern Israel (Judah) outside of Jerusalem, then those in and around Jerusalem, followed by the enemies of Israel massed along the Jordan border southeast of the Dead Sea (Bozrah), then finally the remainder at Armageddon. The Lord accomplishes most of the slaughter of the unbeliever armies, but also empowers believer Jews to fight and defeat their enemies, especially in southern Israel (Judah) and around Jerusalem."
Jill: "So let me try to summarize, Professor. At the Second Advent Jesus Christ will engage in four separate battles, not just one battle at Armageddon in northern Israel. The four battles will be:
1) Southern Israel, also called Judah: The Lord starts by delivering the Jewish believers fighting the Antichrist forces in southern Israel outside of Jerusalem. These Jews will be in immediate peril and must be delivered first.
2) Then He goes to Jerusalem where He will stand on the Mount of Olives just east of Jerusalem and cause an earthquake, creating a valley through the Mount so that the Jewish believers trapped in Jerusalem will escape.
3) After that, He goes to the border between Israel and Jordan along the Jordan River and destroys the Antichrist forces along that border and near Bozrah, Jordan -- also called Edom, Moab and Ammon -- where the Jewish believers who fled Israel at mid-Tribulation have been hiding.
4) And finally Christ goes to northern Israel where the world's four Alliance armies are massed at Armageddon, and He destroys all remaining enemy forces of the Kings of the North, South, East, and West. So Armageddon is the Grand Finale."
Professor Heathrow: "Exactly right, Jill. Could not have stated it better myself."
Jill: "Thank you, Professor. We will be right back......" After a few seconds Jill realizes there are no longer any advertisements, and nothing to fill in the gaps. The news studio has devolved into just two people doing something because they want to. No one is getting paid to perform the work. There are no businesses supporting the news. There is no economy remaining, only the "cash market" where a few basic items are sold at very high prices. Otherwise, everyone is just waiting, although most do not know what they are waiting for. But they wait anyway. LA has become an empty shell of its former self. Jill is surprised there is still electricity to power her show. She pulls out one of her last remaining bottles of water and takes a small sip. There are only a few remaining, and nowhere to buy more.