Crushing the Serpent's Head - The Final Test - Conclusion

 The Bible calls these rebel's "nations in the four corners of the earth."  This does not mean that mankind will have been divided once again into mutually exclusive national entities. It merely indicates that thse will separate themselves from Jehovh's righteous, loyal ones and manifest the same bad spirit that the nations show today. They will "think up an injurous scheme," as did Gog and Magog in Ezekiel's prophecy, with a goal of destroying  theocratic government on earth.  (Ezekiel 38:3, 10-12)   Hence, they are called "Gog and Magog"

The number of those who join Sata inis revolt will be "as the sands of the sea."  How many is that?  There is no foreordained number.  (Compare Joshua 11:4; Judges 7:12)  The final total number of rebels will depend on how each individual r eacts  to Satan's deceptive wiles.  Doubtless, though, there will be a considerable number, since  they will feel strong enough to overcome  "the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city." 

 "The beloved city" must be the city that is spolen of by the glorified Jesus Christ to his followers at Revelation 3:12 and that he calls "the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which descends out of heaven from my God."  Since this is heavenly organization, how could those earthly forces 'encircle' it?  In that they encircle "the camp of the holy ones." a camp outside a city; therefore, "the camp of the holy ones" must represent those on earth outside the heavenly location of New Jerusalem who loyally support Jehovah's governmental arrangement.  When the rebelss under Satan's attack those faithful ones, the Lord Jesus regards it as an assault on him.  (Matthew 25:40, 45) "Those nations" will try to wipe out all hte heavenly New Jerusalem has accomplished in making earth a paradise. So in attacking "the camp of the holy ones," they ae also attacking  "the beloved city." 

Next time: Crushing the Serpent's Head - The Lake of Fire and Sulfur

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