From Genesis to Revelation God has placed verses of Scripture in the Bible that can be assembled like pieces of a puzzle to reveal the future.
One verse of Scripture or one piece of the puzzle may not reveal much, but when many of the verses or many of the pieces are assembled in the proper way they come together to reveal a picture that is easy to understand.
One well-known verse of Scripture says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).
The government wasn’t upon the shoulders of Jesus when He came the first time, but it will be upon the shoulders of Jesus when He comes back as King of kings, and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16).
Satan knows this. He is God’s arch enemy and he wants to rule the government that God has set aside for Jesus.
He was behind Nimrod’s (a name that means “let us revolt”) effort to establish a world government at the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9). But God always knows what Satan is up to and He thwarted Satan’s plan by scattering Nimrod and his followers all over the then known world.
Satan continued his quest to take the place of Jesus as the head of a world government in Egypt (#1), then Assyria (#2) and then Babylon (#3).
In Babylon (#3), Satan’s puppet Nebuchadnezzar was having dreams about the future that disturbed him. One of his dreams was particularly disturbing and he tried to get answers from his sorcerers and others, but he wound up having to rely upon Daniel for its meaning.
Following prayer and a revelation from God, we get another piece of the puzzle. Babylon (#3) would be replaced by another kingdom (Medes and Persians #4), then another kingdom (Greece (#5), then another kingdom (Rome #6), and then another kingdom (Revived Rome plus others, #7, Dan. 2:39-40; Rev. 17:10).
And in the days of kingdom #7 (Revived Rome plus others) a Rock (Jesus) will destroy Satan’s world kingdoms and the last world government will be placed upon the shoulders of Jesus (#8, Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45).
The next piece of the puzzle comes from the book of Revelation where it talks about the Tribulation Period and the seven bowl judgments.
Bowls are containers that can be used to hold beans, chili, potatoes or whatever. They can also be used to hold the wrath of God.
Sin that is not covered by the blood of Jesus stirs the wrath of God. He could pour His wrath out upon people each time they sin, but He loves people, and He is merciful and patient.
So His wrath is delayed and allowed to accumulate in bowls. He could have poured it out when the first bowl got full, or the second bowl, or the third bowl, etc., but He didn’t.
Anyway, there is a line and when all seven bowls get filled with God’s wrath He will instruct seven angels to dump His wrath upon the earth.
- The 1st Bowl will be against those that take the mark of the beast (Rev. 16:1-2).
- The 2nd Bowl will be against the sea creatures that survived previous judgments.
- The 3rd Bowl will be against those who harmed God’s people and the prophets (Rev. 16:4-6).
- The 4th Bowl will be against those who blasphemed God and refused to repent.
- The 5th Bowl will be against the throne and kingdom of the Antichrist (Rev. 16:10).
- The 6th Bowl will be against the armies of the Antichrist.
- The 7th Bowl will be against the religious and commercial centers of the Antichrist (16:17-19).
Following 7 world governments, 7 angels will dump 7 bowls of God’s wrath upon the earth and 7 years of Tribulation period will come to an end.
The Antichrist will be destroyed and the government of the world will be placed upon the shoulders of Jesus. Many writers think this will be at the beginning of the 7th Millennium.