Subjugation Phase Details

Primary References: Revelation 15:1-20:3

The last judgments, the seven vials of God’s wrath, now start and are likely retribution for the suffering of the tribulation and great tribulation saints. Regardless of their motivation, their effect is the subjugation of all people on earth under Jesus’ authority. These judgments start as angels bring the vials out of God’s heavenly temple. An ominous mood now sets in throughout heaven as smoke from the glory of God fills this temple until these judgments are over and people can once again enter the temple. The Seven vial judgments are:

1. Noisome and grievous sores on those with the mark of the beast

2. Salt waters become blood and every living soul dies

3. Fresh waters become blood

4. The sun scorches men with its heat

5. The capital and kingdom of the beast are filled with darkness

6. The Armies of all nations are gathered to Armageddon

7. The battle of Armageddon

As He did after the sixth seal, God looks to see if the people on earth are repentant. This time He checks after the angels pour both the fourth and fifth vials. These are the last two times He checks during the seven-year tribulation and each time He finds the same thing – humanity is not repentant and loses their opportunity to end their suffering. The angel’s pouring of the sixth vial seals humanity’s fate, dries up the Euphrates River (preparing the path for the Kings of the East), and causes three demonic spirits, from the mouths of each member of the unholy trinity, to call all the nations to Armageddon to prepare for war against Israel. The arrival of the world’s armies is the second event where Jesus warned the Jews to flee to the mountains. All remaining in Jerusalem after this will face the brunt of the wrath of Armageddon’s invaders.

The main battlefield is the valley Megiddo, or Jezreel. Also known as the valley of decision, this is the same valley where the last king of Judah was defeated and the reign of David’s lineage ended. Now it sees the reign of David’s lineage restart with Jesus. This war is so exceptional that it ends idol worship, abolishes people’s dependence on wealth, and destroys all the land of Israel through thunder, earthquake, great noise, storm, tempest, and flames of fire. The ravages of the war are so great that Israel reels like a drunkard but not due to the effects of alcohol. Two thirds of Israel’s Jews die in the seven-year tribulation, mostly as the result of this battle. Jerusalem falls and the invaders carry its citizens away into captivity, rape its women, and spoil the city while the battle rages just outside.

This time also sees Mystery Babylon’s destruction at the hands of the same leaders who empowered the antichrist. This is Babylon’s second fall and this time God leaves her forever desolate and unoccupied. Only wild animals will occupy her hills from this day forward. For millennia, she seduced nations, destroyed saints, and killed the apostles. With Mystery Babylon’s fall the last discernible earthly milestone before Jesus’ return has past. However, in heaven there remains, the Lamb’s wedding and marriage supper, remain.

When the wedding celebrations die down, people on earth are dying in huge numbers and without God’s direct and immediate intervention, nothing on earth will survive. While in heaven, Jesus and His armies assemble and ready themselves for battle. Though all heaven’s hosts wear pure white and sit astride pure white horses, Jesus’ glory stands alone as He finally appears in all of His royal majesty. Jesus and His hosts are now ready to return to earth, put an end to the war, occupy the land, and set up Jesus’ righteous millennial reign. All that remains is for the Jews to cry out for the Messiah to rescue them.

On earth, it is only when all hope is lost that the Jews finally cry for God’s salvation and the Messiah’s appearance. When He hears their cry, Jesus returns and starts the transition from the great tribulation into His millennial reign (see Figure 9). As Jesus approaches the earth, an angel prepares the way by calling all fowls and beasts to the supper of God that is served in the valley of Megiddo. Then, everyone on earth witnesses Jesus returning in the clouds in great glory and power and immediately, the antichrist, the kings, and their armies turn to fight against Jesus and His armies. First, Jesus throws the antichrist and the false prophet into the lake of fire where they remain its sole residents for a thousand years. Then Jesus fights these enemies while He sends His armies out to fulfill their sole directive, occupation. Jesus alone wins this victory and its praise as He demolishes the enemy’s armies. His enemy’s blood now freely flows and turns Jesus’ pure white clothing to crimson red. The best efforts of His enemies prove fruitless as their weapons do not hurt or even slow Jesus or His armies.

When the fighting ends, an angel binds and casts Satan into the bottomless pit. The bottomless pit that previously held the antichrist and many fallen angels now incarcerates Satan throughout Jesus’ millennial reign. After Satan no longer presents any danger to the Jews, Jesus goes to the wilderness, unseals the prepared place, and brings those Jews back to Jerusalem without even pausing long enough to change His clothing.