Chapter Twenty-Six -God's Sacred Secret -Its Glorious Climax!

Woe to the Ruinous Ones!

Here, then, is the third woe.  It comes quickly! It is Jehovah's means of bringing ruination to those who desecrate his "footstool,"  this lovely  earth on which we live.  (Isaiah 66:1)  It is set in motion by the Messianic Kingdom-the sacred secret of God.  God's enemies, and Christendom's leaders in particular, have been tormented by the first two woes-resulting principally from the locust plague and the armies of cavalry; but the third woe, which Jehovah's Kingdom itself administers, brings more than torment.  (Revelation 9:3-19)  It provides the death stroke in ousting a ruinous human society and its rulers.  This will come as the climax of Jehovah's judging at Armageddon. It is just as Daniel  prophesied:  "And in the days of those kings [rulers who are ruining the earth] The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite."  Like an  imposing mountain, God's Kingdom will rule over an earth made glorious, vindicating Jehovah's sovereignty and bringing eternal joy to mankind. -Daniel 2:35, 44; Isaiah 11:9; 60:13.

The third woe is accompanied by an ongoing series of happy events that will proceed through the Lord's day. It is the time 'for the dead to be judged, and for God to give their reward to his slaves the prophets and to the holy ones and to those fearing his name.'  That means a resurrection from the dead!   For the anointed holy ones who had already fallen asleep in death, this takes place early in the Lord's day.  (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17)  In due course the remaining holy ones join these by an instantaneous resurrection.  Others too are to be rewarded, including God's slaves the prophets of ancient times and all others of mankind, who come to fear Jehovah's name, whether they are of the great crowd who survive the great tribulation or of "the dead, the great and the small." who are raised to life during Christ's Millennial Reign.  Since God's Messianic King has the keys of death and of Hades, his Kingdom rule opens the way for him to dispense everlasting life  to all who reach out  for that precious provision.  (Revelation 1:18; 7:9, 14; 20:12, 13; Romans 6:22; John 5:28, 29)  Whether it is immortal life in the heavens or eternal life on earth, this gift of life is an undeserved kindness from Jehovah, for which each recipient may be forever thankful! -Hebrews 2:9.  

Next time: Chapter Twenty-Six - God's Sacred Secret-Its Glorious Climax! -Behold the Ark of His Covenant!

From the book of Revelation