Posted on by Andries van Niekerk

The Return of Christ in the Seven Last Plagues (Revelation)

INTRODUCTION

Christ’s Return

At the Return of Christ, all things will be restored. There will no longer be any death, crying, or pain.

He will return on the clouds, with His angels, and with power and great glory. It will not be a secret event, for every eye will see Him.

He will then judge the living and the dead. His elect will come to life, but the living wicked will die.

The Return of Christ will not be a single, sudden event, but will be preceded and followed by many other major events. The purpose of these events is to prove the accuracy of God’s judgments.

A series of articles on this website discusses the Second Coming in the New Testament. The purpose of the current article is to explain the Return of Christ specifically from the Book of Revelation. Unless otherwise indicated, all quotes are from the NASB.

Revelation’s Seven Parts

The Book of Revelation can be divided into seven main parts:

    1. Seven letters to the seven churches (chapters 1-3);
    2. The book with the seven seals (4-7);
    3. Seven trumpets (8-11);
    4. Seven wars (12-14);
    5. Seven last plagues (15-19);
    6. Millennium (20); and
    7. The new heavens and new earth (21-22).

Four of the seven parts end with the Return of Christ, but the most complete description of His return is found in the seven plagues. All seven plagues describe the “Day of the Lord,” which includes the Return of Christ. For this reason, this article provides an overview of the final events as presented in the seven last plagues.

REVELATION 13-14

Most receive the Mark of the Beast.

The story of the return of Christ begins with the war in Revelation 13, where the image of the beast becomes alive (Rev 13:15) and forces all people to accept the mark of the beast (Rev 13:17).

The 144000 receive the Seal of God.

The next verses (Rev 14:1-5) describe the 144000. While the mark of the beast is put on peoples’ right hands and foreheads (Rev 13:16), the 144000 have “His name and the name of His Father” on their foreheads (Rev 14:1). In Rev 7:1-8, this is called the seal of the living God.

Chapter divisions sometimes make it more difficult to understand the Bible. This also applies to Revelation 13 and 14. Since the mark of the beast and the seal of God are similar but contrasted at the end of Revelation 13 and the beginning of Revelation 14, we conclude that the seal of God in the first verses of Revelation 14 is part of the description of the war with the mark of the beast in Revelation 13. Furthermore, we conclude that the war with the image of the beast will divide the people of the world into two clearly identified groups, those with the mark of the beast and the 144000 who are “those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand” (Rev 20:4). They refuse to accept the mark of the beast.

Since the 144000 are shown in Rev 14:1 as standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, the vision in 14:1 implies a key turning point in history, namely when the number of the 144000 has been completed, which means that the separation of the people of the world into these two groups has been completed.

REVELATION 16 (Seven Last Plagues)

The Victorious Ones stand before God.

The description of the plagues commences in Revelation 15, where John saw “those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass” (Rev 15:2). This description means that they are the same as the 144000. In other words, Revelation 15:2 shows us the same group of people as Rev 14:1, and at the same point in history, namely at the height of the persecution of God’s people by the image of the beast, when the separation of the people of the world into two groups has been completed, and when every person has made his or her final decision for or against God, but before the plagues are poured out (Rev. 16). These “victorious” ones stand on the “sea of glass” (Rev 15:2), which is before God’s throne (Rev 4:6). They therefore symbolically stand before the throne of God, but they are still on earth.

The angels receive the bowls of God’s wrath.

Then “one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God” (Rev 15:7). The four living creatures are “in the center and around the throne” (Rev 4:6), confirming that this wrath comes from God.

Probation ends.

Next “the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished” (Rev 15:8). Since the temple is where God is (Rev 7:15; 16:17), this signifies that nobody is able to come to God any longer; there will be no turning to God (repentance) during the plagues. This confirms that all choices are final. Then the saying will be true:

“Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy” (Rev 22:11)

First Four Plagues – Worldwide Catastrophes

The first four plagues fall on the earth, sea, waters, and sun respectively. The number four in Revelation symbolizes the entire world, for instance in Rev 5:9; 7:1, 9; 13:7, and 17:15. Like the first four seals and the first four trumpets, these first four plagues should not be interpreted individually; they merely imply worldwide catastrophes. The important points rather are that:

God’s people are not affected by these plagues (Rev 16:2) and that
“The people who had the mark of the beast” (16:2) “did not repent” (Rev 16:9).

Fifth Plague – Suffering unbelievers curse God.

The fifth plague falls “on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain” (Rev 16:10). Since the catastrophes only fall on the people with the mark of the beast, and not on God’s people, the authority of the beast is eroded, but still “they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds” (Rev 16:11). That is the purpose of the plagues. It is, namely, a test to show that the characters of “the people who had the mark of the beast” (Rev 16:2) are permanently fixed and that they will not repent, even in the most adverse conditions, even when they have clear evidence that they are wrong. It proves that they do not want God and that God’s judgment of them is correct.

Sixth Plague – Kings unite against God.

The kings of the world join forces against God. In the sixth plague, while disasters continue, the unrepentant humanity receives supernatural support in the form of “spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty” (16:14). But note; that the war is not yet described.

Seventh Plague – False Christianity Destroyed

In this plague, Babylon is destroyed. In the seventh plague, Babylon receives “the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath” (Rev 16:19). Revelation 17-18 then interrupts the chronological flow of events to explain who Babylon is (Rev 17:7):

She is a harlot woman (Rev 17:5) who sits on the beast with its seven heads and ten horns. This symbol is explained as “the woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth” (Rev 17:18).

She also “sits on many waters” (Rev 17:1). The “many waters” are explained as the “peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues” (Rev 17:15). [Note the hidden number four.] Her sitting on the “many waters” is explained as that “those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality” (Rev 17:2).

“In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth” (Rev 18:24). She, therefore, existed from the time of Cain and Abel.

See the article Babylon, the mother of harlots for further information. She is the false system of religion that, in all ages, controls the rulers of the world.

Revelation 17-18 also explains the gathering of the kings during the sixth plague (Rev 17:12-14), as well as the destruction of Babylon during the seventh plague (Rev 17:16-17). Revelation often has such ‘flashbacks’ and our ability to put these flashbacks in their correct historical setting is critical for a correct interpretation of its prophecies. See the article on Revelation 17 for more details.

REVELATION 19

The Seventh Plague Continues.

The destruction of Babylon is continued. Revelation 17-18 is an interlude, and the story in Revelation 16 continues in Revelation 19, where “a great multitude in heaven” (Rev 19:1, 6) praises God:

“For He has judged the great harlot (Babylon) who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her” (Rev 19:1-5).

In the seventh plague, at the end of Revelation 16, Babylon was given “the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath” (Rev 16:19). Here, at the beginning of Revelation 19, God is praised for the destruction of Babylon. This confirms that Revelation 19 continues where the seventh plague left off.

The multitude also praises Him “for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready” (Rev 19:7). Three concepts in this verse demand further explanations, namely:

      • The “marriage of the Lamb,”
      • “His bride” and
      • The word “ready”.

Marriage of the Lamb

marriage of the lambThe marriage of the Lamb is “our gathering together to Him” (2 Thess 2:1). Or, as stated by 1 Thessalonians 4:17, “we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord”.

His Bride includes God’s resurrected people. 

The plagues commenced with the 144000 “victorious” ones standing before God’s throne (Rev 15:2). They are therefore included in “His bride” (Rev 19:7), but according to 1 Thess 4:16-17, “the dead in Christ will rise first”. Only then will all God’s people meet Him (v17), which is the “marriage of the Lamb”. “His bride,” therefore, also includes the resurrected saints. A little later in Revelation, we will read about them. They are:

“Those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Rev 20:4).

The “dead in Christ” (1 Thess 4:16) from all previous generations will rise in “the first resurrection” (Rev 20:5). They will be immortal; “over these the second death has no power” (Rev 20:6). “In the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor 15:52-53).

His Bride has made herself ready.

This concept of His bride “made herself ready” (Rev 19:7) is explained by the next verse:

“It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints”.

Her clothes are clean, which does not only mean that she is forgiven, for her “fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints”. She therefore also has “overcome”:

“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Rev 3:21).

“He who overcomes will inherit these things” (Rev 21:7). (See also Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 5:5)

She “made herself ready” (Rev 19:7). As said of the “great multitude;” they “have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7:9, 14).

This concept, of the bride being “ready”, which means that God’s people have “overcome” their sinful desires, is also found elsewhere in Revelation:

In Rev 7:1-4, God is “holding back the four winds of the earth” “until we have sealed the (144000) bond-servants of our God on their foreheads” (compare Rev 6:11). Stated differently, the end-time forces of destruction are held back until they are ready.

Once they are sealed, they are described as “the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.” (Rev 14:4,5) This means that they are not only forgiven, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, they have developed characters in agreement with their Maker.

When “one like a son of man” comes, “sitting on the cloud”, an angel cries out in a loud voice, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe” (Rev 14:14-15). The harvest of the earth refers to God’s elect (Rev 14:17-20).

“The ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes” (Rev 14:4) are “those who are with Him” (Rev 17:14). They are “called and chosen and faithful” (Rev 17:14).

One of the angels invited John, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (Rev 21:9). Then John saw “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21:2, compare Rev 21:10).

We often ask why the return of Christ is delayed. From Rev 7:1-3 we learn that the return of Christ is being delayed until His bride is ready. God is waiting for a people that are ready. Preachers often emphasize our total depravity (Romans 3) and that we are saved by grace. However, the Lord will not return until He has a people that are able to overcome the beast and his image. Just like Jesus overcame (Rev 5:5), our quest is to overcome.

Our quest is to be the 144000. Just like the Lord did, we need to be willing to give up everything, even our earthly lives, for Him and His truth. This the 144000 will do, not to be saved, for their own salvation is not important for them, but because they love Him.

The 144000 will make it possible for God to make an end to this age of sin. Just like the purpose of the plagues is to prove that God judges the people with the mark of the beast correctly; that they are unable to change, the end-time trials will prove God’s judgment of His people; that the people with the seal of God—the people whom God elected—will not surrender their faith in God, “even when faced with death” (Rev 12:11). What they will do will not only say something about themselves; it will be a testimony about all of God’s elect for all ages. Christ died to demonstrate God’s “righteousness … so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:26). In the same way, the 144000 will demonstrate God’s “righteousness” by demonstrating the characters of God’s elect. Like Job, they will prove that God was right when He elected certain individuals as Him. That is our quest. Please read the War in Heaven for more information.

Return of Christ

Return of ChristThe announcement that the “marriage of the Lamb has come” is followed by the Return of Christ. Here, Jesus is “called The Word of God” (Rev 19:13) and the “King of kings, and Lord of lords” (Rev 19:16). He sits on “a white horse” (Rev 19:11) and is followed by the “armies which are in heaven … on white horses” (Rev 19:14). According to Matthew 16:27 and 25:31, Jesus will return with His angels. Furthermore, Revelation 12 describes a war in heaven between two groups of angels (Rev 12:7). The “armies which are in heaven,” therefore, are His angels.

War of the Great Day 

In the sixth plague, the kings of the world are gathered at Armageddon (Rev 16:16) “for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty” (Rev 16:14), but the sixth plague does not describe that war. That plague describes only the gathering for that war. Now, at the Return of Christ “the kings of the earth and their armies (are) assembled (gathered together) to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army” (Rev 19:19). The “war of the great day of God, the Almighty” (Rev 16:14), therefore, is the Return of Christ. In this war, all people are “killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse” (Rev 19:21). In other words, Christ speaks and they die. The entire unrepentant population of the world is killed, while God’s people are “caught up … in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess 4:15).

REVELATION 20

Satan bound for 1000 years

Now that the dead in Christ has “come to life” (Rev 20:4-5) and all people with the mark of the beast are dead (Rev 19:21), Satan is bound in the abyss “so that he would not deceive the nations any longer” (Rev 20:3). After the Male Child is caught up to God and to His throne (Rev 12:5), Satan is thrown out of heaven, down to earth (Rev 12:7-9). Now he is thrown further down into the abyss. Still, later, he will be thrown further down “into the lake of fire and brimstone” (Rev 20:10).

God’s people reign for 1000 years.

During the thousand years, God’s people will sit on thrones “and judgment was given to them” (Rev 20:4). They will evaluate the evidence to understand why they are alive while so many of their loved ones are dead. “They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years” (Rev 20:6).

One thousand years after the Return of Christ the “rest of the dead” (“all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness” – Matt 13:41) from all ages, come to life (Rev 20:5). “Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations” (Rev 20:7-8). He will “gather them together for the war” (Rev 20:8). They will surround “the camp of the saints” (Rev 20:9). End-time humanity rose to war against God before the Return of Christ; one thousand years later all people of all generations prepare to continue that war against God. But “fire came down from heaven and devoured them” (Rev 20:9). In other words, they die for a second time; this is the “second death” (Rev 20:14).

They confirm God’s Judgments.

Why does God resurrect all His human enemies, just to kill them again? Why does He release Satan to again deceive the nations? It is proposed that this will be a test of His judgments. Just like the purpose of the plagues is to show that the people with the mark of the beast will change; not even when they know that they are wrong, the purpose of the events at the end of the thousand years is to convince the universe and His elect of the rightness of His judgments.

In the judgment before the great white throne “books were opened” (Rev 20:12), “and if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15). The destruction of Satan and hostile humanity is based on evidence. For a thousand years, God’s people will have had the opportunity to study the records (Rev 20:4) to understand why certain people receive “eternal life” and others receive “eternal punishment” (Matt 25:41, 46). That is how God rules; He wants His intelligent creatures to agree with Him, not because of fear, but because they are convinced that He is right. He rules in love: love is the driving force behind all of His decisions. That is why God brings His enemies to life again, namely to allow God’s people to see for themselves, after they have studied the records for a thousand years, that some of their loved ones are hardened beyond repair; nothing more can be done for them; they cannot be allowed into the New Heaven and New Earth (Rev 21:1). “Nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it” (Rev 21:27).

The Dead before God’s Throne

Since God’s enemies are killed for a second time when “fire came down from heaven and devoured them” (Rev 20:9), and since there is no indication that they come to life for a third time, “the dead, the great and the small” which John saw “standing before the throne” (Rev 20:12), are not living people standing before a physical throne. They stand symbolically to be judged. And it is not God that judges; it is God’s intelligent creatures that evaluate His judgments.

Destroyed in the Lake of Fire

Eventually, all evil is in the lake of fire. At the return of Christ, the beast and the false prophet are “thrown alive into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:20). A thousand years later the devil is thrown into the lake (Rev 20:10), and finally also all of God’s human enemies (Rev 20:14-15). The lake of fire “is the second death” (Rev 20:14). In Revelation, whenever a being is thrown into the “lake of fire” (Rev 19:20; 20:10; 20:14-15), that being is never again seen doing anything. The “lake of fire” is the “eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41), also called the “unquenchable fire” (Matt 3:12) or the “furnace of fire” into which “those who commit lawlessness” will be thrown “at the end of the age” (Matt 13:40-42).

REVELATION 21

A new Heaven and a new Earth

John saw “a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away” (Rev 21:1). Perhaps this means that this physical world, on which so much evil has been committed, will be completely obliterated. As Peter wrote, “the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).

The Day of the Lord is 1000 years.

One purpose of this discussion is to show that the duration of “the day of the Lord” is, actually, one thousand years. Many of the things which we may think will happen at the Return of Christ, will actually happen one thousand years later. This includes the “resurrection of judgment” (John 5:27-29) and the burning up of “the earth and its works” (2 Peter 3:10-13).

CONCLUSIONS

The previous article, on the Second Coming in the New Testament, analyzed a large number of verses that describe the return of Christ. The current article focuses on the return of Christ as described in Revelation, and specifically in the Seven Plagues. The book of Revelation confirms the conclusions of the previous article. Similar to what was found in the previous article:

The return of Christ is “the great day” (Rev 6:17 – compare Luke 17:24; Phil 1:10; 1 Thess 5:2, 23; 2 Thess 2:1-2; 2 Peter 3:10).

That great day will be “the … restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21), for John saw “new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away” (Rev 21:1). “There will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Rev 21:4).

The return of Christ will be preceded by signs in the sky; the sun and moon will be darkened, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken (Rev 6:12-14 – compare Matt 24:29; Luke 21:25-26).

He will return “on the cloud” (Rev 14:14 – compare Matt 24:30; 26:64; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27; Acts 1:9-11; 2 Thess 1:7; Rev 1:7);

He will return with power and great glory (Rev 19:11-16 – compare Matt 16:27; 24:30; 25:31; Mark 8:38; Mark 13:26; Luke 9:26; Luke 21:27).

He will return with His angels (Rev 19:11 (armies of heaven) – compare Matt 16:27; 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26;

The return of Christ will not be a secret event, for “every eye will see Him” (Rev 1:7 – compare Luke 17:23; Matt 24:27, 30; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess 4:16; Matt 24:31).

He will judge the living and the dead; He will reap the “harvest of the earth” (Rev 14:15-16), which is His elect, and He will reap “vine of the earth … and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God” (Rev 14:18-19 – compare Matt 16:27; Matt 25:31-46; Rom 2:5-8, 16; 1 Thess 5:2, 23; Rev 6:15-17; 7:9; 14:14-20.)

On that day His elect “came to life” (Rev 20:4 – compare John 5:28-29; 1 Cor 15:20-23; 1 Thess 4:16; 1 Tim 1:25).

They will try to hide from His presence (Rev 6:15-17), but the wicked will be “killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh” (Rev 19:21 – compare Luke 17:29-30; 1 Thess 5:3; 1 Cor 15:24; Rom 2:5; 2 Thess 2:8; Matt 24:30; Rev 1:7).

Jesus said “I am coming quickly” (Rev 3:11), which may mean unexpectedly, but probably means soon (compare Matt 16:28; 24:34; Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27).

Revelation, therefore, confirms the conclusions from the previous article, but significantly expands on the description of the “Day of the Lord.” This is not simply the physical Return of Christ but includes a long list of events preceding and following the Return of Christ, as described in Revelation 15 to 20, stretched over 1000 years. These events are very important because their purpose is to prove the accuracy of God’s judgments.

OTHER ARTICLES

Return of Christ

Other Articles

FOOTNOTES

  • 1
    The Antichrist in Daniel, which is the same as the beast in Revelation, arises out of the Roman Empire; it is not Antiochus Epiphanes.
  • 2
    Discussion of the prophecy and the four main interpretations
  • 3
    Critical scholars teach that Daniel was written after the events it claims to predict.
  • 4
    The ultimate purpose of this website is to explain the mark of the beast.
  • 5
    Does Revelation describe events chronologically? Must it be interpreted literally? The temple in heaven, Christ’s Return, Hear/See Combinations, and the Numbers in Revelation
  • 6
    There was a book in heaven that not even Christ was able to read because it was sealed up with seven seals. But, by overcoming, He became worthy to break the seven seals and open the book.
  • 7
    This is the apex of Revelation, providing an overview of history from before Christ until the end-time, with emphasis on the end-time persecution.
  • 8
    These plagues will follow after the end-time Christian persecution and will be followed by Christ’s return. What is the purpose of these?
  • 9
    Revelation has three beasts with seven heads and ten horns each; a great red dragon, the beast from the sea, and a scarlet beast.
  • 10
    Babylon is mentioned only once in the first 15 chapters but the seventh and final plague targets her specifically. Then Revelation 17 and 18 explain who and what she is.
  • 11
    The conclusion that Jesus is ‘God’ forms the basis of the Trinity Doctrine.
  • 12
    The decision to adopt the Trinity doctrine was not taken by the church.
  • 13
    Including Modalism, Eastern Orthodoxy view of the Trinity, Elohim, and Eternal Generation
  • 14
    Discussions of the Atonement – How does God do away with sin?
  • 15
    How people are put right with God
  • 16
    Must Christians observe the Law of Moses?
  • 17
    Must Christians observe the Sabbath?
  • 18
    Are the dead still alive and aware?
  • 19
    Will the lost be tormented in hell for all eternity?
  • 20
    And why does God not make an end to all evil?
  • 21
    Key events that transformed the church into an independent religion
  • 22
    When? How? Has His return been delayed?
  • 23
    I do not have any formal theological qualifications and I am not part of any religious organization. These articles are the result of my studies over many years.

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