How does the good news of the gospel and the bad news of judgment get proclaimed on the earth during the Great Tribulation? In the beginning, people are the messengers. By the end, the times will get so intense that only angels can get God’s messages to the world. We’ll learn about six different angels in this chapter.

What happens to God’s people during the Great Tribulation? We discover that the Shepherd who began with 144,000 sheep is the Lamb. All 144,000 are with Him—not one is lost. He redeemed them. He sealed them. He kept them. And now He’s standing with them as He begins His reign from Jerusalem. And those 144,000? They enter the millennial kingdom on earth singing with the heavenly chorus.

Today, in the world, the Holy Spirit is holding back evil. When He is removed from that office, evil men will be permitted to have their day. Revelation 13 describes that day when the Beast makes war and God tells His saints not to fight back, not to receive his mark, and not to despair. The narrative is building; don’t miss the glorious end!

What can or can’t Satan do? Only what God allows him to. When it looks as if everything is turned upside down, remember that. As the beasts are at their height of power under Satan’s puppet strings, remember that Jesus Christ is in full control for every day of that three and a half years of the Great Tribulation. Satan’s time is short.

The 7th trumpet introduces us to seven personalities. Now we’ll meet the final two—the beast out of the sea (the Antichrist) and the wild beast out of the earth, a religious leader who leads in the worship of the first beast. These are the final ones who try to make themselves equal with God. The end is near.

For the first time since Jesus Christ’s death made it possible for us to be saved, God’s power is exerted against evil. This is the scene of the dragon’s last stand as he’s kicked out of heaven and everyone there rejoices. But everyone on earth weeps. This is the Dragon’s last stand, since Satan knows his time is short. Even then, God protects Israel, the object of Satan’s final attack. Don’t miss this cosmic drama.

A cosmic drama is unfolding in heaven. A full-on war is happening between God and Satan. (You can guess how that will turn out.) That “old serpent” from the Garden of Eden, who is God’s adversary and our enemy, will be kicked out of heaven where he has had access to God. Discover more of the fallout from this age-old conflict now decided for eternity.

Revelation 12 introduces the first five of seven personalities who shape the drama between heaven and earth. This first character is “the woman,” describing the symbol that is Israel. Understanding this picture unlocks the book. Another personality is a red dragon, Satan himself in true character; he is our enemy and the most dangerous being in all of God’s creation. Learn more from this cast of characters and watch the drama unfold.

The blowing of the 7th trumpet ushers us chronologically right to the entrance of eternity. There’s a giant earthquake shaking Jerusalem, and people are furious with God because He is judging sin (they believed the “lie” that God never punishes). Meanwhile, we get a glimpse into the great joy that’s happening in heaven. So where would you rather be?

Then into the scene walk two witnesses… Who are they? Elijah? John the Baptist? We don’t know. These witnesses are lights before the powers of darkness. They’re filled with the Holy Spirit and have power over nature and the ability to strike the earth with plagues as often as they wish, which reveals God’s confidence in them. But then why does God allow the Antichrist to kill them? You’ll be so amazed at the answer.