The ungodly will experience unexpected judgment fire when the great tribulation comes. At the same time, another type of unexpected fire will fall upon the church. It will be the unexpected fire of the Holy Spirit. The greatest of miracles, compassionate mercy and massive amounts of mission work will flow to and from God’s people. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world—the largest revivals in history will follow—and the church will shine with God’s glory
The book of Revelation is an inventory of extraordinary promises from God. Here is a “Must Happen List” of 30 things that will take place before the book of Revelation can be fulfilled.
1. The Gospel must be preached.
2. Prophecies must be fulfilled.
3. The scroll must be opened.
4. Prayers must be answered.
5. Angelic armies must descend.
6. The promises must come to Israel and the church.
7. The church must rise in power.
8. Greater miracles must be experienced.
9. Worldwide revival must come.
10. Israel must be saved.
11. Judgment must fall.
12. Demons must be removed.
13. Satan must be exposed.
14. The devil must be punished.
15. Babylon must fall.
16. The universe must be cleansed.
17. The work of the cross must be reconciled.
18. The martyrs must be avenged.
19. The curse must be removed.
20. The resurrection of the dead must happen.
21. The saints must receive new bodies.
22. The new millennium must arrive.
23. The wedding hall must be filled.
24. Creation must be restored.
25. Jesus must be king.
26. Israel must be honored among the nations.
27. God’s kingdom must come.
28. The glory of the Lord must cover the earth.
29. Humanity must see God Almighty face to face.
30. Heaven and earth must rejoice.
This is just a short list of the hundreds of things that are promised by God for the end of the age.
The book of Revelation is about 2 main themes: the destruction of the devil and blessings for the church. These will happen as angels and humans partner with Christ in a well planned, 3-part battle that will be released from the throne room of heaven.
Three campaigns or series of judgments will fall upon the earth. They happen when the seven seals are broken off the scroll, when the seven trumpets are blown and when the seven bowls of wrath are poured.
Special protection is afforded the saints throughout the length of the seven-year tribulation. Although many will lose their lives as martyrs they will be protected from demonic torments and certain plagues that strike the earth. God’s grace will be more than sufficient for those who stand with him in the final hours. They will be honored and rewarded with glories that far exceed their pains. The tribulation must last seven years because God will patiently call rebellious people to salvation. He will humble and even pressure people with judgments to help them come to repentance. He will not do this without the assistance of angels and humans. They will overcome the devil and do their part to bring a rebellious world to revival.
From the first vision of the book, Jesus is seen standing in the middle of his church and he is holding angels in his hand. In the early chapters he calls the church to be overcomers and tells them how they can accomplish this goal. In the 12th chapter of Revelation we see the power of God flowing through the saints to accomplish this, for we read:
“They [the church] overcame him [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Rev. 12:11
In the first half of the tribulation, several revivals come. In Rev. 7, a massive Jewish revival is recorded. A symbolic 144,000 Jews receive the protective mark of God on their foreheads.
Then starting in verse 9 through 14, the greatest revival in history, to date, emerges. This is a worldwide revival that is so large, no one can count the number of saved souls. God can count them, but no human can record their vast number. Scripture says they are saved during the great tribulation and they come from every people group on the planet.
The second half of the tribulation continues to reveal an amazing anointing on the church and even greater revivals that follow. Rev. 14 begins with a description of the saints being empowered by God.
They receive 3 amazing anointings.
1. They receive an anointing for supernatural intercession that enables people to join the prayers of agreement from God.
2. An anointing for holiness comes on God’s people. They become blameless, no lie is found in their mouths and they walk in sexual purity.
3. A new anointing for ministry comes on the church, for they follow the Lamb wherever he goes. Jesus has always gone after the prodigal, the Samaritan outcast, the leper and the demonized. His workers will do the same and an unprecedented revival will follow.
In Rev. 14:14-16 the greatest revival in all of history is recorded. The fruit of the earth is finally ripe. The farmer (God) has waited patiently for the latter rain harvest. This revival is so extensive that it is assigned the title, ‘the harvest of the earth.’ It is even larger than the revivals that occur in Rev. 7. No doubt billions of people are saved from eternal damnation during the tribulation while the church and redeemed Israel experience their finest hour.
Not every soul will bow their knee to Christ for salvation and people will persist in rebellion and wickedness and wind up in hell. Hell was not made for people, but for the devil and his angels. Judgment will fall with increasing intensity throughout the seven year tribulation, but most who die will go to heaven. Like the thief on the cross, most will cry out to God in the end and God will show mercy.
The church will be involved in the great tribulation. They will pray, prophesy, witness, rule, extend healing and usher the world into the saving mercies of God. Then the saints in heaven will come riding white horses alongside Jesus. They will come for the resurrection of their bodies and to execute judgment. Then they, and those saints who remain until Christ’s coming, will reign victoriously with the Lord for a thousand years and on into eternity.
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