Revelation A to Z - Part J - Last two woes
False and real Armageddon

As in school we have learned simple things first and gradually were progressing to more difficult, so it is with spiritual things, particularly with understanding God’s end time plans and purposes. For your own benefit, it is imperative that all “From A to Z - Revelation Made Plain” topics or posts would be read and studied in their chronological order, starting with “Part A” and progressing in alphabetical order. This way, your understanding of Revelation prophecies will progress from simple to more complex. Every week new part will be posted till complete understanding of Revelation is obtained.
This presentation is not affiliated with any church denomination or any Ministries.



Part J:
Rev.9:12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
In this verse Bible indicates that when the first woe is past, the second woe does not follow immediately after. The words imply that some interval of time is separating them. In other words, after 1994, when the symbolic portion of the first woe ended, the second woe does not start the year after, but rather at some future date. This interval of time between them, is known to us from the earlier studies as the time of seeming delay.

THE SIXTH TRUMPET - SECOND WOE

Rev.9:13-21:The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God. It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number. The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood--idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

First of all, we can see, that it is in this trumpet, where four angels are released! What does it mean? In the seventh chapter we read, that they were ordered to hold the four winds from harming the earth, the sea and the trees, until God's servants are sealed. Here, in the sixth trumpet, these four angels are released from that restraining order they were bound by. By this time the servants of God must have been sealed. In the sixth trumpet these four angels let the four winds loose. In Rev.7:1-3, they are restraining them at the four corners of the earth, (holding the winds all over the earth and preventing them from escaping out of control), while in the sixth trumpet, Bible identifies precisely where they will be let loose. Since they are bound by the river Euphrates, this is also the location where they will be first released. In other words, verse 14 is giving us the location where the awful destruction will start. This great war which eventually destroys part of the planet, will begin in the region of the River Euphrates.

Verse 15 indicates, that God has appointed precise time for releasing the four angels. In other words, specific time has been set for the destruction to begin. When it will be over, up to a third of mankind will be killed. In these days there are over six billion people living on this planet. The second world war will pale in comparison, from the casualties point of view. This coming war and destruction, according to the Bible, will claim lives of almost two billion people!
Verse 16 reveals to us the size of the locusts (armies) Book of Joel 2:2, described it as "a mighty army such as never was of old, nor ever will be in ages to come." In Rev.9:16 we learn how big this army really will be. Two hundred million troops will be the total size of all nations armies involved in the conflict. This number is literal. John points out that he distinctly heard it. Armies totaling 200.000.000 troops

Verse 18 tells us how a third of mankind will be killed:

1) by fire
2) by sulfur (poison)
3) by smoke

It is during this destruction portrayed in the sixth trumpet, when the first four trumpets will be fulfilled as well. Remember, that the harming of the earth, the sea and the trees could not begin until God's people were sealed and the four angels released from holding the four winds. It is here, in the second woe, when the order was given to release them.

In this first world wide conflict, nation of Israel will be invaded and threaten with destruction. However, in this first great war in the time of the end, Israel will manage to defend themselves without God’s direct intervention, possibly by using nuclear weapons on some neighboring countries.
Zec 12:2-3: "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. 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.
Zec 12:6-8: "On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. "The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem's inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. 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.
That is only the first invasion of Israel. The second invasion is shown in Zech. ch.14.

Let's review the second woe:
After the first woe is over - after 150 years of preparation for destruction, the time period symbolized by the Holy place ends. After 1994, in the transition period, when we are entering the time period symbolized by the Most Holy place, the court sits in heaven and at some point in time after, what will seem to us as delay, the censer filled with fire is hurled upon the earth - the second woe starts - the four winds are released - the destruction begins. It is in this second woe, when, with the sizable part of the population annihilated, part of the earth, part of the trees and all green grass is burned as well. Large portions of the oceans are destroyed. At the same time in this destruction men will manage to poison part of the world's fresh water supplies. It becomes obvious that the thermonuclear weapons will be used. At least limited number of them. Our atmosphere will become so polluted by this destruction, that the sun, the moon and the stars will be for some period of time darkened.
Verse 20 points to us, that after the destruction is over, there will still be many survivors. Approximately four billion people will remain alive. However, Bible also tells us, that people will not turn to their true God even after such a horrific judgment (destruction).
Even so there will be some period of time separating the events portrayed in the sixth trumpet from the events described under the seventh one, that time will not be overly long. Rev.ch. 10 and first part of 11 depict events, that will be transpiring in between them. The most known event, will be the persecution of believers described under the fifth seal and the time period of two witnesses prophesying.

The destruction portrayed under the second woe and the judgments containing under the third woe are the two mountains of bronze (mountains of judgments) mentioned in the book of Zechariah ch.6, where the horses with chariots (four winds) are coming out from between them. They (the four winds)will be active during these two woes and during the time period which is separating them.
The events of the first six Trumpets are Satan’s counterfeit of God’s seven last plagues. That is why the seven Trumpets are so similar to seven plagues. The second woe is then Satan’s counterfeit of the battle of Armageddon. For Satan to counterfeit events, which the whole world (religious and secular alike) would except as genuine, it is imperative, that the counterfeit Armageddon comes to pass before the real event takes place.

THE SEVENTH TRUMPET - THIRD WOE

Rev.11:15-19:The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth."
Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

Bible informs us that in the seventh trumpet, the Lord has taken His great power and has begun to reign. How has he begun to reign? Notice verse 18: "Nations were angry (past tense) and your wrath has come." (present tense). When has His wrath come? It is in this trumpet! Therefore the wrath of God has to be the seventh trumpet. The Bible explains to us that the wrath of God is manifested in pouring out seven last plagues.
Rev.15:1: I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues--last, because with them God's wrath is completed.
16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."

The Wrath of God is the Seventh Trumpet!
7th Trumpet = 3rd Woe = Wrath of God = 7 last Plagues

The seventh trumpet or the third woe is the time when wrath of God (seven last plagues) are poured upon the remaining inhabitants of the earth! It is in this manner that the Lord will take His great power and will begin to reign! When the seventh trumpet starts, the anger of the nations has almost past. At that time it will be a recent history. When will the anger of nations occur? It will start under the second woe (sixth trumpet), when third of the world will be ruined by nations armies and will continue all way to Jesus’ coming.

Short time before Jesus comes, the nation of Israel will be invaded again, this time it will seem that Israel will be totally wiped out, but the Lord will at the final moment personally intervene.
Zec 14:1-9: A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day 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. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime--a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light. On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
When the seventh trumpet starts sounding, the destruction described in the sixth trumpet has past. For that reason Bible states in Rev.11:18... "The time has come ... for destroying those who destroy the earth."
We have learned in this study how mankind will ruin one third of the world. For that reason the Lord will in the 7th trumpet, pour out His wrath on them. Because they destroyed the earth, He will in turn destroy them. I believe, that it is at this time, when the stars (meteoric shower) will fall down to the earth. The seventh trumpet concludes with display of flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and great hailstorm.
Now we can understand why the seven trumpets culminate at a same time the seven last plagues end.

All seven last plagues are the seventh trumpet, - they are the third woe.

One very important point is omitted by many who teach Revelation:
Rev.11:19: Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.
On the end, just before God destroys the wicked and as a result the earth is largely depopulated, the ark of the covenant containing the ten commandments is shown to everyone on the earth. The wicked, who were during their lives disregarding God’s commandments will realize their fatal error. Before they are destroyed, they will finally understand that God’s commandments are everlasting and as much biding today as they were in the Old testament.
The only difference is, that today the believers follow them from love to Jesus instead from fear of punishment. I wish that many would realize it now and be saved, rather then later and be destroyed.

Taking the reign over the earth is gradual and progressive. God’s wrath with the inhabitants of the earth is gradual and progressive as well. It starts with heavenly court proceedings, then continue with Lord’s passive involvement by removing the restraining influence of the four angels, and allowing men to destroy partially selves and the earth environment (the first six trumpets). Finally active involvement starts with sending on the earth the seven last plagues and personal return of Jesus. With these seven plagues, God’s wrath is finally completed. Notice that the anger of God did not start with these plagues, rather it ended. (Rev.15:1). Same way taking the reign over the earth is completed with them.

Seven trumpets portray the end-time struggle taking place between God and Satan. When God starts taking reign of this earth into His own hands, Satan, as the present prince of this world, will desperately try to prevent it. Because he cannot defeat God Himself (he was already cast out of heaven on the beginning of the first woe), he will at least try to destroy this earth and its inhabitants with it, so that God has nothing left to rule over.
Satan as a spiritual being, cannot do the actual destroying. He can only influence and lead those people, who are not under God's control and this way leads them to destroy each other. For this reason the coming destruction will seem to us like mankind has done it to himself. That will be the truth; but behind the scene a desperate struggle for keeping this earth under the control of fallen spiritual beings will be taking place as well.

Let us review the seven trumpets. They are informing us, that the earth and its inhabitants will be inflicted with three woes:

First woe portrays in symbolic language Satan's preparation for the destruction. During this period of 5 symbolic months - (5 x 30) = 150 years, he leads mankind through great advances in knowledge - in science and technology, to develop weapons of mass destruction. This period of the first woe closes at the same time, the time-period symbolized by the Holy place ends. From the plan layout of the temple, we can learn, that these 5 symbolic months or 150 years expired or ended in 1994 A.D. Consequently the first woe (5th trumpet) must have started 150 years prior to 1994. First woe transpired in the time period when angel with golden censer is ministering at the altar of incense. Decoded it means - in the time period symbolized by the Holy place - during the closing years of the time period appointed to Gentiles.

Second woe: After 1994 we have entered new era symbolized by the Most Holy. First however, transition period must take place. In it:

1) court sits in heaven
2) God's servants are sealed
3) censer is filled with fire and hurled on the earth -

Four winds are released and harming of the world can begin, in other words second woe can start. In it, part of the earth, part of the trees and green grass is burned. Part of the oceans and part of the ships are destroyed as well. Part of the fresh waters are poisoned or undrinkable. Our atmosphere become so polluted that the light cannot penetrate it. Consequently the sun is darkened. Up to one third of mankind is killed. Bible identifies this period as "nations were angry". It is symbolized by censer filled with fire and hurled on the earth.

In the third woe, the worst is coming yet. God's wrath is poured out on the earth and its remaining inhabitants.
Jer.4:23-27: I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone. I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying. I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away. I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger. This is what the LORD says: "The whole land will be ruined, though I will not destroy it completely.
Seven last plagues are poured out. (Could it be by sending comet or meteor - or several, on a collision course with the earth?) This period culminates with flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and an earthquake.
Even so it may seem that the whole world is totally destroyed, the Lord is promising that He will not destroy it completely, otherwise the thousand years reign of Jesus could not take place. It takes place on this earth, not in heaven. Some believers are confused on this point. I would recommend them to study the book of Ezekiel, mainly the later part.

Following is presented Biblical evidence pointing out, that not all the trumpets will come to pass in chronological order as they are written, but only the last three woes.

1st) - Rev.7:3 - Harming of the earth, the sea and the trees cannot happen until God's servants are sealed and angels release the four winds. This harming of the earth and sea is accomplished under the first and second trumpet. In other words the Bible is in Rev.7:3 informing us, that the first and second trumpet cannot transpire till God's people are sealed and four angels release the four winds. The only place where Bible indicates releasing four angels (who in turn let loose the four winds) is in Rev.9:14 - in the sixth trumpet or second woe. Therefore it is only here, during the second woe, when the first and second trumpet can be fulfilled.
2nd) - In Rev.9:2, we are told that "The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss." This darkening of the sun and sky is fulfilled in the fourth trumpet. If we are told that the smoke comes to existence out of the Abyss in the fifth trumpet, then this darkening of the sun and sky must transpire sometime after! It must happen after the smoke comes out of the Abyss in the fifth trumpet and not before! The fourth trumpet must transpire sometime after the fifth one is over - after the first woe!
3rd) - Rev.9:4: "They (locusts) were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree..."
a) harming of the grass and trees is fulfilled under the first trumpet. Yet in Rev.9:4 it is implied, that the harming will be accomplished by the locusts. The locusts come to existence in the fifth trumpet. therefore the fulfilment of the first trumpet cannot happen until after the fifth trumpet is over. This fully harmonizes with point # 1.
If the first trumpet would be fulfilled before the fifth trumpet, what sense would it make to order the locusts not to harm the grass? All grass would be burned up and none would be left, which could be harmed by the locusts in the fifth trumpet. This indicates that the grass is still intact in the fifth trumpet and that it will be burned up sometime after!
4th) Bible differentiates between the first four trumpets and the last three. The last three are identified as "woes". Why would they be, unless to indicate some difference.
5th) Bible distinctly specifies that the three woes are chronological. (Rev.9:12, Rev.11:14). If all trumpets would be chronological, why waste time and space to mention them in the last tree? The only conclusion I can draw is, that only the last three trumpets are chronological.
6th) The last three trumpets are called woes or afflictions intended for the inhabitants of the earth. There will be only those three woes! Yet the first four trumpets must cause terrible affliction as well, but these are not counted as woes. Why not? They portray partial destruction of environment in which we live. They do not concentrate attention on people so much as on the vital elements necessary to sustain life. Therefore, one of the three woes has to contain this partial destruction of men's environment portrayed under the first four trumpets.
7th) In the sixth trumpet when the four angels are released, Bible tells us that third of mankind will perish. Common sense dictates, when third of mankind will be destroyed, a whole lot more will be destroyed with them. Notice that mankind will be killed by fire, smoke and sulfur. Incidently, by fire is destroyed one third of the trees and all green grass in the first trumpet. Is it only a coincidence? Hardly. By the smoke which will kill people in the sixth trumpet, is also ruined our atmosphere and the sun is darkened in the fourth trumpet. Also only a coincidence? Finally, sulfur indicates the poison from which many people will die also in the sixth trumpet. And again, in the third trumpet one third of fresh waters will be poisoned.

We can see, that there is enough Biblical evidence to tie the first four trumpets with the events transpiring under the second woe. (Satan’s way how, through the mankind, to destroy partially earth environment.)


First four trumpets only outline partial destruction of earth and the environment.
First woe (5th trumpet) portrays in symbolic language preparation period for the partial destruction and explains how it will be accomplished.
Second woe (6th trumpet) which follows soon after, describes the actual but only partial destruction of mankind and his environment. (Counterfeit battle of Armageddon).
Third woe (7th trumpet) announces God's wrath with the remaining inhabitants. Seven last plagues are poured out. (Real battle of Armageddon takes place - the earth is empty and almost totally destroyed).

Finally we can compare the seven seals with the seven trumpets:
First four seals described to us the four winds and indicated also their activity. More accurate details of what they will cause is shown to us in the first six trumpets. At least two of these winds - the political, military and economic forces will cause partial destruction of the earth and its inhabitants. These first four seals don’t end when the fifth and the sixth seals begin, rather they will continue their activity all way till Jesus’ coming.
The fifth seal is not described directly in the seven trumpets, it only briefly touches on the subject in the later part of the second woe (Revelation chapter 10 and 11) before the third woe begins. However, the fifth seal is explained in detail in later part of chapter 12 and the whole chapter 13 of Revelation.
The sixth seal described the wrath of God, shown also little in the seventh trumpet and explained in much more details in the seven last plagues.
When Christian believers will understand correctly the symbolic significance of the number “seven” in Revelation, they will also realize that when seven seals are fulfilled at the same time seven trumpets will be fulfilled and seven last plagues will be concluded as well. In other words, the last seal, the last trumpet and the last plague will end at the same time - when Jesus returns. Great number of Christian believers are hopelessly confused when it comes to understanding God’s plans in Revelation, because majority of famous preachers teaching Revelation in their churches, on radio or even on a TV for most part don’t understand God’s plans themselves and are leading their followers astray. They insist that after the seals will follow the trumpets and after them the plagues. By this they display their great ignorance and demonstrate to everyone that the Spirit of God is not leading them. No wonder there is such a confusion - Blind are leading the blind.

The seven trumpets go over the same events as did the seven seals, They portray them only in grater details and from slightly different view. The time of the end is filled with human violence and wars.

Your friend in Jesus
HH