THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

“And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation”(Daniel 11:31).

Understanding what the Bible says about the Abomination of Desolation is very important for understanding end-time events. According to Christ, the Abomination of Desolation is the one event that will alert the people of God that the Great Tribulation has started.

“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation’, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand)…For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:15, 21).

All who read Matthew 24:15 are instructed to understand it. As explained in the Introduction, certain events in the Bible are similar to interlocking puzzle pieces in that they provide important keys to the time relationship of other end-time events. The Abomination of Desolation is an important interlocking piece that marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

According to the passage in Matthew, the Abomination of Desolation is an event that is prophesied in the Old Testament Book of Daniel which was written in the late sixth century B.C. Daniel prophesies the following about the Abomination of Desolation.

“And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation” (Daniel 11:31).

“And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, ―How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot? 14 And he said to me, ‘For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed’” (Daniel 8:9-14).

“And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days” (Daniel 12:11).

Two of these passages in Daniel tell how long the Great Tribulation will last. Daniel 12:11 states that there will be 1290 days after the Abomination of Desolation is set up. An extra 45 days are also mentioned that occur after the 1290, but their purpose is not explained (see Daniel 12:12). In Daniel 8:14 the length of time when the sanctuary and the host (people of God) are going to be trampled is given as 2,300 days in several translations. The Hebrew actually says 2,300 evenings and mornings instead of days (see other translations and the marginal notes in the NKJV translation). This may be equivalent to 1,150 days since one morning plus one evening adds up to one day. (Refer to Appendix B for more information on the length of the Great Tribulation.) It is also possible that this passage (Daniel 8:14) refers to 2,300 days in a time period other than the Great Tribulation.

Since the Abomination of Desolation involves the holy place and the forced discontinuance of the daily sacrifices, some kind of temple in Jerusalem may need to be built before this event takes place (Matthew 24:15; Daniel 11:31; 8:11). If such is the case, the Beast may be instrumental in the peace negotiations that open the way for the building of some kind of Jewish temple (Daniel 9:27). This would occur during a time when the Beast‘s real nature is not as obvious. However, other ways of fulfilling this prophecy may be possible (see Will the temple be rebuilt?). At this point, it is important to remain sensitive to the warnings of God and not miss the fulfillment of this prophecy, even if it takes place in a somewhat different manner than might be expected.

SUMMARY

Definitions:

The Bible does not clearly define the Abomination of Desolation. Apparently, it is something that is abominable in the eyes of God. Possibly, it refers to the Beast’s claim to be God, and his demand for worship. It may refer to a pagan altar or the sacrifice of something unclean (such as an image) in worship to a false god. Even though it is not clearly defined, the Abomination of Desolation should be readily identified by its associated events (see following).

Events of the Abomination of Desolation:

The Abomination of Desolation includes the Beast’s declaration that he is God, his demand for worship, and his stoppage of sacrifices to the true God. (See Daniel 8:11; 11:31, 36; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 13:6, 7, 15). It will begin an intense time of persecution of God’s people (Matthew 24:15-22).

Significance of the Abomination of Desolation:

Establishing the Abomination of Desolation will expose the Beast for who he is. It will also mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:15,21).

Source of the Abomination of Desolation:

The Abomination of Desolation is established by the Beast under the authority of Satan—the dragon (see Revelation 13:2,4).

Length of the Abomination of Desolation:

The length of the result of the Abomination of Desolation is 3½ years since it is in effect during the Great Tribulation (see Daniel 12:11, and How long is the Great Tribulation?). However, the actual length of the specific act that is called the Abomination of Desolation is not given. The establishment of the Abomination of Desolation probably takes place in a single day.

Events Prior to the Abomination of Desolation:

Prior to setting up the Abomination of Desolation, the Beast will be establishing his position of power, largely by deception and lies (See Daniel 8:9-10; 11:21-28). A period of relative peace may immediately precede the Abomination of Desolation.

Events Following the Abomination of Desolation:

The Great Tribulation immediately follows the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15, 21).

God During the Abomination of Desolation:

God’s activity during the establishment of the Abomination of Desolation is not directly spelled out in Scripture. Surely He will be alerting Christians to the significance of the event and instructing them on the appropriate action to take (Matthew 24:15-27).

Christians During the Abomination of Desolation:

Christians should recognize the Abomination of Desolation as the primary sign that the Lord Jesus gave signaling the beginning of the Great Tribulation. For more information on Christians during the Great Tribulation, see Persecution of Christians during the Great Tribulation.

Satan During the Abomination of Desolation:

Satan empowers and directs the Beast (Revelation 13:2,4; 2 Thessalonians 2:9).

Beast During the Abomination of Desolation:

The Beast establishes the Abomination of Desolation and begins persecuting those who serve God (Revelation 13:7).

Non-Christians During the Abomination of Desolation:

Non-Christians will be corrupted with the Beast’s flatteries and be deceived. They will join with him in his persecution of those who desire to serve the true God (Daniel 11:32; Revelation 13:14). These people will be awed by the power of the Beast and Satan, and they will worship both of them (Revelation 13:3-4).

Scripture references for the Abomination of Desolation:

Daniel 8:9-14, 17; Daniel 9:27; Daniel 11:21-36; Daniel 12:11; Matthew 24:15-27; Mark 13:14; 19; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 9; Revelation 13:2-7, 11-15.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

A partial fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy of the Abomination of Desolation was accomplished over 160 years before the birth of Christ. This was not a complete fulfillment since the Lord warned of a future Abomination of Desolation in Matthew 24:15. This earlier partial fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy is recorded in the apocryphal books of 1 and 2 Maccabees. These two books record historical events during part of the time period between the writing of the last Old Testament book and the birth of Christ. In their titles, Maccabee (meaning the Hamerer) was the name applied to a family of Jews who led the revolt against the Syrians.

These apocryphal books and Josephus record a time in 167 B.C. when Antiochus IV (Epiphanes), king of Syria erected an idolatrous altar on God’s altar in the temple in Jerusalem. He sacrificed a pig to Jupiter Olympus [Zeus] on his altar. This was an abomination to the Jews. Antiochus also forbade Jews to engage in sacrifices, rites, feasts, circumcision, and worship of any kind.

This was a partial fulfillment of Daniel’s prophesied cessation of the sacrifices.

The Jewish revolt began in 167 B.C., when a Jewish man sacrificed to Zeus under coercion by a Syrian officer. A priest named Mattathias witnessed the event. Mattathias killed both the Jew and the Syrian officer and called for all faithful Jews to follow him. They fled to the hills outside Jerusalem. There, he and his sons organized for war against the Syrians. In 164 B.C., the armies under Mattathias’ sons swept over Jerusalem, defeated the Syrian army, and secured the city. The Syrian leaders were forced to repeal their ordinances against worship in Israel. The temple was formally cleansed in December of 164 B.C. The Jews celebrated the dedication for eight days. Since that time, the Festival of Dedication (also called the Festival of Lights and Hanukkah) is celebrated by Jews each year, usually in December. This event includes lighting of the menorah to commemorate the cleansing and dedication of the temple. According to the Lord, there will be a further fulfillment of the prophesied Abomination of Desolation that will take place in the last days (Matthew 24:15-21).

Historical insights

Certain insights from the partial fulfillment of this prophecy about the Abomination of Desolation may be helpful in seeking to understand the future complete fulfillment. For example, in 167 B.C., when the Jews fled to the surrounding hills, it was to organize for war, not to tremble in fear. Jerusalem became a stronghold of the enemy, so the people went to an area over which the enemy had less control. In a similar manner, when the Lord tells His disciples (now called Christians, Acts 11:26) to flee to the wilderness at the start of the Great Tribulation, it will be for survival purposes (Matthew 24:3, 15-21; Daniel 11:32-33). This does not necessarily mean that all Christians around the world will have to flee to the wilderness.

The physical warfare that the Jews waged against the Syrians may be a parallel of the spiritual war that Christians will wage against the Beast during the Great Tribulation. It may also be significant that after about three years, the Jews under the Maccabees overcame the Syrians and proper worship was reestablished. This is a length of time similar to the 3½ years of the Great Tribulation. 

TRIBULATION OR WRATH?

For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know” (1 Thessalonians 3:4 NKJV)).

“…and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10 NKJV).

As mentioned in the first chapter, all events of the Great Tribulation occur before any events of the Wrath of God. Therefore, the first step necessary for understanding end-time events is to get a clear understanding of the difference between the Great Tribulation and Wrath of God. Unless this difference is clearly understood, it is virtually impossible to understand end-time events. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the major differences between the Great Tribulation and the Wrath of God. (Each of those time periods are covered in detail in following chapters.)

The Great Tribulation

An important clue to remember when studying end-time events is that the Great Tribulation is demonic in origin. It includes the persecution and killing of many people by Satan‘s emissary—the Beast. The Beast (also called the Antichrist) will reign during the Great Tribulation. He will demand worship and conquer many countries. The Great Tribulation will be a time of intense evil. The source of the Great Tribulation is Satan (Revelation 13:2-4). Satan‘s purpose for the Great Tribulation is to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). A major characteristic of the Great Tribulation is the deception of those who do not love the truth (2 Thessalonians2:9-12).

The Wrath of God

The Wrath of God is godly judgment against evil. This judgment takes the form of seven plagues poured out against the Beast and those who worship him. These seven plagues are administered by the angels of God. The purpose of the Wrath of God is to punish the Beast and his followers (Revelation 14:9-10). The major characteristic of the Wrath of God is severe punishment of those who do not belong to God.

The Difference

The Great Tribulation and the Wrath of God are two separate events coming from two different sources for two different purposes. The Great Tribulation is a time of intense persecution. It is instigated by Satan through the Beast in an effort to deceive people and cause them to worship him instead of Christ. The Wrath of God is a time of judgment which will be poured out upon the world by God. Its purpose is to punish the Beast and those who have taken his mark during the Great Tribulation.

The differences between the Great Tribulation and Wrath of God have been summarized in this chapter. More details about each of these time periods are given in later chapters.

SIGN POSTS ALONG THE WAY

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3, NKJV)

In the Jewish Scriptures before the birth of the Lord Jesus (our Old Testament), there were many prophecies about the coming Messiah (i.e., Jesus, the Christ). Some of those prophecies described the Messiah as coming to rid the earth of those who do not serve God. These prophecies described a kingly Messiah who was coming to conquer and reign. Other prophecies of the Messiah described His death in payment for our sins. These prophecies described a servant Messiah who would suffer at the hands of men.

Before the birth of the Lord Jesus, the Jewish people studied the messianic prophecies to understand what God would do. Many of these people often did not understand that the prophecies were talking about two separate comings of the Messiah. His first coming would be in a servant role to redeem man to God by suffering death on a cross (Isaiah 52:13-15; 53:1-12). The second would be in a kingly role as a conqueror of all evil and the deliverer of God’s people (Jeremiah 23:5-6; Daniel 7:13-14). Unfortunately, many people only looked for the kingly Messiah who would deliver the Jewish people from the tyranny of Roman rule (Acts 1:6). Since the servant prophecies did not seem to fit this view of the Messiah, those prophecies were often ignored or misapplied.

As a result, when the Lord Jesus came, the people thought that He was the kingly Messiah who would set up God’s kingdom in Jerusalem. A few days before Passover, these people spread palm branches and clothes in the road to welcome their coming king (John 12:12-13). When the Lord Jesus failed to fulfill their understanding of the prophecies, these same people turned against Him, demanding His death (John 19:14-15).

The Jewish people made a common mistake when it comes to biblical prophecy. They thought that the primary purpose of prophecy was to describe what would happen in the future. They also added too many assumptions based upon their limited understanding of the prophecies. Even though the prophecies were fulfilled (to that point) exactly as given, many of the Jewish people did not recognize it because they were not fulfilled the way they expected. We must be careful to not make a similar mistake when studying end-time prophecies.

Throughout the Bible, God has provided many end-time prophecies for us. These prophecies serve two major purposes. First, when they come to pass, they assure us that God has everything under control (John 13:19; 14:29: 16:4). He is not surprised by the events taking place.

The second major purpose of these prophecies is to show us where we are in God’s plan. In this sense, prophecies are similar to city limit signs. When you reach the city limit sign for your destination, then you know where you are. Bible prophecies are not always intended to function as mileage signs. That is, they do not often tell us how far we have to go before we arrive. Instead, Bible prophecies often show us when we arrive at certain points in history.

For example, the Abomination of Desolation is a type of sign post that tells Christians when we are entering the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:15,21). Some will probably not know ahead of time when the Great Tribulation will start. However, when we see the Abomination of Desolation, we will know that the Great Tribulation has started. Therefore, the Gospel writer tells us that it is important to understand the prophecy about the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15). Besides serving to show us when we reach a certain point in history, this prophecy about the Abomination of Desolation also serves to assure us that God is not caught off guard by the works of the enemy.

When studying end-time prophecies, avoid the temptation to be too specific about how the prophecies will be fulfilled. Primarily, seek to understand enough about the prophecies to recognize them when they come to pass. If you do that, you will be least likely to miss these important sign posts provided by God.

END TIMES - INTRODUCCTION

There are quite a few strange people running around with all kinds of theories about what will happen during the End Times. These people love to talk about end-time events with anyone who will listen. Since we devote here to this subject, some people will probably think we are just other bunch of those persons with an unnatural interest in weird prophecies and theories. Actually, we are somewhat conservative Christians who have largely tended to avoid the more spectacular and controversial teachings in the Bible. After all, there is plenty to keep us busy learning to love others as the Lord Jesus loves us.

As we have grown to love the Lord Jesus more, we have also grown to love and care for the people He died for (that's all of us). As a result, we feel a responsibility and desire to share those things that we have learned in the hope that it will help others avoid the efforts of the enemy to deceive and destroy them and their loved ones.

Over the years, we have compiled some of that information to share with others. Recently, we have felt a desire to organize as much of that information as possible into a resource book that may be helpful to others who love our Lord Jesus.

The information in this book is compiled with four types of people in mind.

For those people who desire only an overall view of the End Times, a chronological chart of end-time events is provided. Charts are used in the book to help explain relationships between the various events.

For those people who want general information on each of the end-time events, a general description of end-time events is provided at the beginning of most chapters.

For people who want an end-time reference book that is easy and fast to use, an event summary is included at the end of many chapters.

Finally, for those who desire to study the End Times in detail, Scripture references are supplied throughout and detailed information on several topics is provided in the appendices. (Numbers used in word definitions refer to the Strong's Concordance numbering system.)

While the material in this book can be read straight through, it is primarily designed as a handy reference that provides easy and nearly complete access to end-time information. This book is divided into several major sections as follows.

Introduction and General Information 

This section includes chapters one, two, and three. The information in these chapters provide background and other information that is helpful when studying end-time events.

Major End-Time Events 

This section includes chapters four through twelve. Each chapter in this section provides detailed information on one of the major aspects of the End Times. The chapters are placed in chronological order based on the material covered.

Miscellaneous Information 

This section (chapter thirteen) is a collection of information on various end-time issues. Specific details of some end-time issues and questions are explained in this chapter. The beginning of the chapter has a topical list of the issues covered - to be used to locate desired information.

Preparing for the End Times 

This chapter addresses some basic issues necessary for preparing for the possibly soon beginning of the End Times.

Appendices 

The appendices contain supporting details for several premises in this book. References are provided throughout the book directing you to these appendices where applicable.

THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING END TIMES

Why is it important to understand end-time events?

Probably the most significant indication of the importance of understanding end-time events is simply that they are included in the Bible. If God did not consider them important, they would not be included in the Bible. Second, our Lord Jesus told us to watch for certain events related to the End Times and the apostle Matthew cautioned us specifically to understand the prophecy concerning the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15-27). Finally, failure to correctly understand end-time events can cause a Christian to be shaken in mind or troubled unnecessarily (2 Thessalonians 2:2-5). Some have even had their faith overthrown by incorrect teachings concerning end-time events (2 Timothy 2:17-18). A proper understanding of end-time events seems to be important for effective Christian living and service. Fortunately, as explained in this book, end-time events are not nearly as difficult to understand as some people think.

On the other hand, correct understanding of end-time events is not a requirement for salvation (Romans 10:9-10). When the Lord returns for His people, He will gather them whether or not they think it is the correct time. If God‘s people go through the Great Tribulation, then He will go with them and comfort them (Hebrew 13:5-6; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Psalm 23:4). As God was encouraging and strengthening the early Christians under Roman persecution, he will also strengthen and encourage each of us in persecutions we may suffer for His name.

Pieces to a Puzzle

Descriptions of various end-time events are scattered throughout the Bible. These descriptions provide significant, but incomplete information if they are viewed individually. The effect is similar to that of a box full of puzzle pieces. Individually, they convey important, but incomplete information. When assembled in the proper order, the overall picture becomes very clear.

Passages describing end-time events are similar to puzzle pieces scattered throughout the Bible. When an individual passage (i.e., piece of the puzzle) is studied, it is obviously important. However, it is sometimes difficult to understand how the pieces fit together.

With picture puzzles, the manufacturer provides clues called interlocking pieces. These clues must be studied along with the picture on the puzzle piece to determine which piece connects to which other pieces. As more pieces are linked together, the overall picture becomes clear and it begins to get easier to put the remaining pieces in their proper location. The Bible descriptions of end-time events are similar to a puzzle in this sense.

Too often, not enough end-time events are interlocked together to get a clear overall understanding of the End Times. That is part of the reason why there are so many theories about when the Lord Jesus will return to gather His people. Like the picture puzzle, as events are interlocked together it becomes easier to connect other pieces. As proper relationships between the individual pieces are established, the overall view becomes more clear.

Like puzzle manufacturers, God provided some interlocking pieces for establishing relationships between individual end-time events. These interlocking pieces are certain events that serve as reference points to other events. These interlocking events provide the keys necessary for putting the individual parts of the end-time picture together correctly.

As with assembling a puzzle, anyone who desires to understand End Times must concentrate first on putting the interlocking portions of the pieces together. These provide the information necessary to snap the pieces together in the proper order. After as many pieces as possible are snapped together, the overall picture is much clearer. This makes it easier to place the other pieces in their proper positions. So what are the interlocking parts that help make sense of end-time events?

Interlocking Pieces in the End-Time Puzzle

One of the more obvious and important interlocking pieces in the end-time puzzle involves certain signs in the sun, moon, and stars. According to Matthew 24:29-30, these signs occur immediately after the end of the Great Tribulation. In Isaiah 13:9-13, these signs occur immediately prior to the Wrath of God. In Revelation 6:12-17, these signs occur just before the 144,000 are sealed, a great multitude appears before the throne of God, and the Wrath of God begins. Since the signs in the sun, moon, and stars signal the end of the Great Tribulation, any events following those same signs must also occur after the Great Tribulation. This means that the sealing of the 144,000, the appearance of the great multitude in Heaven, and the Wrath of God must all occur after the end of the Great Tribulation.

The Great Tribulation precedes the signs in the sun, moon, and stars which occur before the Wrath of God. All events that are part of the Great Tribulation occur before the signs in the sun, moon, and stars. All events that are part of the Wrath of God occur after the signs in the sun, moon, and stars. Therefore, all events of the Great Tribulation must occur before any events of the Wrath of God. Unfortunately, some who teach about end-time events list the plagues of the Wrath of God as part of the Great Tribulation. This error has led to much confusion about the End Times. To clear this up, a definite distinction must be made between the events that occur during the Great Tribulation and those that occur during the Wrath of God. The following chapters in this book will cover each of these events in detail to help clarify the different events associated with each of the two time periods.

Literal or Figurative?

When studying end-time events, it is important to make a distinction between descriptions that appear to be literal and those that are obviously figurative. Literal prophecies will occur exactly as described. Figurative prophecies will also occur, but they may not be obvious on the surface. As a general guideline when studying end-time events, assume that all descriptions are literal unless the context insists upon a figurative understanding.

It is also important to distinguish between two types of literal descriptions. The first type of literal event includes descriptions of what will be observable on earth. For example, the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:14), the signs in the sun, moon, and stars (Matthew 24:29), and the set up of an image of the Beast (Revelation 13: 14-15) are all literal events. All of these will be observable from an earthly vantage point.

The second type of literal event includes those that take place in the spiritual or heavenly realm. On the surface, these may appear to be symbolic since they describe strange events and creatures. Even though these are literal events, they will not necessarily be observed on earth exactly as described. Examples of these types of descriptions include the four creatures around the throne of God (Revelation 4:6-8) and the angels pouring out the bowls containing plagues (Revelation 15:6-8; 16:1). People on earth will not see the angels as they pour out the bowls, but they will see the results.

Examples of descriptions that appear to be figurative include: the harlot (representing all kind of false religious teachers, Revelation 17:1-6) and the wine and winepress representing God‘s punishment of the ungodly during the Wrath of God (Revelation 14:9-10; 19:15). The exact interpretation of a figurative description is sometimes difficult to determine.

The Beast will be a literal person. In Daniel, the organization or kingdom from which he comes is also figuratively described as a beast (Daniel 7:7-11). In this description, the Beast (i.e., the Antichrist) is described figuratively as a little horn that is part of this beast kingdom.

Problems develop when too many end-time events are thought to be symbolic. Problems also occur if all end-time descriptions are taken as literal. Generally, it is best to consider end-time descriptions as literal (either spiritual or observable on earth) unless the context definitely indicates that a figurative understanding is necessary.

It is important to remain open to other possible interpretations of end-time descriptions. Many of these events may occur in several different ways while still meeting the prophetic requirements. Often, prophecy is used to show us when we reach a certain point rather than to inform us of what to expect next. For example, the Abomination of Desolation is used to signal that the Great Tribulation has started rather than providing much information about what will happen (Matthew 24:15, 21). In Daniel's day, these prophecies were sealed so that he could not understand them (Daniel 12:8-9). However, as we get nearer to the time of the end, more will be opened to our understanding.

USING THIS BOOK TO STUDY END TIMES 

Much of the information in the following chapters is presented in a consistent format to aid research and study of end-time events. A chapter will usually begin with an overall description of the covered event to aid in obtaining an overall understanding of the activity and significance of the event. Following the description, specific information related to the event is provided in the summary format shown below. This is most helpful when attempting to determine specific information about the event such as how long it lasts and what occurs prior to it. Several appendices are included in this book to provide additional details on certain aspects of End Times for those who desire more details.

The information format used to summarize the chapters covering major end-time events is as follows.

SUMMARY

Term Definition:

Provides a definition of the term or event.

Significance:

Explains the major importance of this event.

Source:

Explains who is behind the event or the cause of it.

Length:

Explains the length of the event or period.

Events Prior:

Lists events immediately preceding this event or time period.

Events:

Explains the major events that take place as part of the event.

God During:

Lists God‘s activities during the event.

Christians During:

Lists the activities and conditions of Christians during this event.

Satan During:

Lists Satan‘s activities during the event.

Beast During:

Lists the Beast‘s activities during the event.

Non-Christians During:

Lists activities and conditions of non-Christians during the event.

Events Following:

Lists events immediately following this event or time period.

Scripture references:

Bible passages related to this person, time, or event.

~ end of introduction ~