THE INDIGNATION
The seventy-five day period in which God will pour out His indignation.
Introduction
The indignation is a 75 day period that will occur at the end of Daniel's seventieth week. It is a technical term in the prophetic scriptures that refers to a series of judgments. A number of references will make clear that this period is when God will vent His indignation on the earth for, above all, rejecting His Son.
"Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast." Isa. 26:20
"Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy." Zeph. 3:8
"And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be." Dan. 8:19
"And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done." Dan. 11:36
There are various aspects of the indignation. It encompasses Jehovah's indignation over Israel, and also over the nations.
Two attacks of the Assyrian. Generally speaking, the indignation stretches across the two attacks of the Assyrian. A verse to show that is Isa. 10:5. From Daniel and Revelation we can conclude that the first attack of the Assyrian (the King of the North) will occur at 1260 days, and the second attack (Gog and Magog) will occur at 1335 days measured from the middle of Daniel's 70th week. The space of time covered by the indignation therefore is 75 days.
"O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. ... For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction." Isa. 10:5, 25
Seven Battles of the Indignation. Students of prophecy have used different schemes to describe the events of this period, but my favorite approach is to view the indignation as a series of seven battles (credit to Bruce Anstey). Over the period of 75 days, there will be more bloodshed than ever in the history of the world.
Battle #1: King of the South Advances
“And at the time of the end shall the King of the South push at him [the King of the North]…” Dan. 11:40
“Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers? Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof. Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.” Jer. 46:3-9
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will hiss [or, whistle] for the fly which is at the extremity of the streams of Egypt…” Isa. 7:18
The first “battle” of the indignation will be a military campaign of the southern confederacy into Palestine. The King of the South will push north against “him” (Antichrist, in Israel). He will have a confederacy, consisting of Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia (Dan. 11:43; Ezek. 30:4-5), as well as other African nations. He will come with tremendous military force, “rising up like a flood” to “cover the earth”.
Battle #2: The King of the North Sweeps Down
The attack of the King of the North is the second battle of the indignation. Terms referring to this battle:
- The Invasion of the King of the North
- The First Attack of the Assyrian
- The Consumption.
“Jehovah will hiss [or, whistle]… for the bee which is in the land of Assyria; and they shall come…” Isaiah 7:19
Just as a man whistles for his dog or cat to come, Jehovah has the movements of nations in His hand, and He alone can command them for His purposes. He whistles once, and the King of the South comes up. He whistles again, and the King of the North comes down. God will not allow them to attack until the moment that He has appointed. This moment is pictured in Revelation as the drying of the great river Euphrates (sixth bowl, Rev 16:12) to open up “the way of the kings from the rising of the sun”.
“… and the King of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and overflow and pass through. And he shall enter into the land of beauty, and many countries shall be overthrown… And he shall stretch forth his hand upon the countries;” Daniel 11:40-41
The defeat of the King of the South. The advance of the King of the South will provoke the King of the North to come down, and he will do so with alarming speed (“as a whirlwind”) and force (“chariots, horsemen, many ships”). His confederacy will number 200,000,000 men! (Rev. 9:16). For the time, his soldiers will be invincible (Joel 2:1-11, Isa. 5:26-30). The relative strength of the King of the North will overwhelm the King of the South.
“and the land of Egypt shall not escape. And he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.” Daniel 11:42-43
What happens to Antichrist? When the King of the North begins his descent, the Antichrist flees, deserting the Jews:
- The Antichrist will “prosper until the indignation” (Dan. 11:36)
- The “hireling” flees when he sees the wolf coming (John 10:13)
- The “foolish and worthless shepherd” leaves the sheep (Zech. 11: 17)
- The Lord will “drive him from his office” in preparation for the true Messiah (Isa. 22: 19-21)
He flees presumably to Rome. He returns a few weeks later with the Beast, to fight the Lord at His appearing (Rev. 19:20).
The Consumption. “The consumption” is a technical term to describe the devastating effects of the King of the North.
“For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, [only] a remnant of them shall return: the consumption determined shall overflow in righteousness.” Isa. 10:22 (see Isa. 28:22)
“And because of the protection of abominations [there shall be] a desolator, even until that the consumption and what is determined shall be poured out upon the desolate.” Dan. 9:27
As the King of the North sweeps down, he will pass through “many countries” including the land of Israel. He will wreak havoc along the way. As such his army is pictured as locusts in the prophet Joel; consuming everything, and leaving nothing behind. Miraculously, God will preserve those of the faithful remnant who are in the land at that time. But the apostate Jews who have rejected the gospel of the kingdom and have followed the Beast will be consumed. The net result of the consumption is that two thirds of the Jews who will be gathered back into the land of Israel will be killed! (Zech. 13:8). Approx. 12-13 million will be slaughtered in a period of a few days!
The Approach of the Assyrian. The King of the North will enter the land of Israel from the north (Isa. 9:1). His confederacy will number 200,000,000 men! (Rev. 9:16). For the time, his soldiers will be invincible (Joel 2:1-11, Isa. 5:26-30). Their marching will be “running” rather than walking. They will climb walls, jump, and enter buildings through windows. The noise of their feet will be like the roaring of the sea, and like the roaring of a lion. They will go from city to city in a destructive march, heading for Jerusalem.
As the allied armies of the King of the North approach, terror will strike the city. Isa. 10:28-32 gives a striking progression:
“He is come to Aiath … he hath passed through Migron … at Michmash he layeth up his baggage … They are gone through the pass … they make their lodging at Geba … Ramah trembleth … Gibeah of Saul is fled … Lift up thy voice, daughter of Gallim! … Hearken, O Laish! … Poor Anathoth! … Madmenah is fugitive … the inhabitants of Gebim take to flight … Still a day of halting at Nob … he shaketh his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem…” Isa. 10:28-32
The destruction of Jerusalem is the judgment on Israel for their unbelief. The prophet mocks the terror, the expressions of woe, from the apostate nation of Israel.
“The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?” Isa. 22:1
The destruction of Jerusalem. The King of the North will allow “Elam” (Iran), “Kir” (Moab), and “Edom” (Arabia) to lead the assault on Jerusalem. Men of Edom will shout repeatedly, “Lay it bare!” (Psa. 137:7). Obadiah 11-14 describes how Edom will watch with pleasure while Jerusalem is rifled, will loot the abandoned houses of the Jews, and will stand guard on the crossway, cutting down those who escape. For this reason, God will prepare a special judgment for Edom… a taste of his own medicine! (Obadiah 7).
Zeph. 1:10-12 gives us precise details of how the armies will enter the city:
“There shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills… And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees…” Zeph. 1:10-12
The faithful remnant. What will happen to the faithful Jews who remain in Jerusalem? They will be miraculously preserved because they trusted in the “precious corner stone” the “sure foundation” laid in Zion. (Isa. 28:16)
“Ye shall be hid in the day of Jehovah’s anger.” Zeph. 2:3
“I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried.” Zech. 13:9
The apostate Jews. While the remnant is preserved, the apostate Jews who trusted Antichrist will be slaughtered; “Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem” (Psalm 79:3). Half of the city will be taken captive (Zech. 14:2). The temple will be destroyed, and burned with fire (Psa. 74: 1-8; Isa. 63:18; 64:11).
Other countries consumed. Then, the King of the North will betray some of his own confederates (Edom, Moab, Ammon, Syria). Isa. 10:7 shows that the King of the North has “in his heart” a desire “to extirpate and cut off nations not a few.” These judgments are the subjects of Isa. 14:29 – 23:17, Jer. 46-49, Ezek. 25-30, and Amos. 1-2:8. Particularly, the Spirit of God foretells how Edom will be betrayed:
“All the men of thy confederacy have pushed thee to the border; the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, they have prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a snare under thee.” Obadiah 7
Conquest of North Africa. The King of the North will continue his conquest down into North East Africa, destroying the King of the South (Egypt) and his allies: Libya, Ethiopia.
“And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord, and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts” Isaiah 19:4.
The King of the North will destroy the King of the South, taking possession of Egypt and her allies. The “the treasures of gold and of silver” indicate that Egypt will be enriched by this time.
“And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and there shall be anguish in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be overthrown. Cush, and Phut, and Lud, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the children of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.” Ezekiel 30:4-5
Battle #3: The Beast mounts a Counter-attack
The Counter Attack. The 6th trumpet is a broad look at the net effect of the Assyrian’s inroads. In short, when the King of the North invades the eastern border of the empire (Israel) with his Arab Confederacy, the empire will suffer a tremendous blow from this attack. The Beast will mount a counter attack, and sail across the Mediterranean with his navy, the “ships of Chittim” (Num. 24:24) to interfere in an ancient struggle between the Kings of the North and South (Dan. 11). This counter-attack will be in response to the descent of the Assyrian through Palestine, a land under Roman protection (the “protection of abominations”, Dan. 9:27).
The ships of Chittim. In history, the strife between the Kings of the North and South was brought to a halt (6th Syrian War) when the Roman Empire interfered in the conflict (Daniel 11:29-30a) by sending the “ships of Chittim”. William Kelly said, regarding Chittim (or, Kittim):
“… a term beyond controversy applied to two of the peninsulas of Europe, first Greece [or Macedon], then Rome or Italy.” – W. Kelly, The Early Chapters of Genesis
In a similar way, the Beast (revived Rome) will attempt to interfere again, but this time will be unsuccessful.
“And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and afflict Asshur, and afflict Eber, and he also shall be for destruction.” Numbers 24:24
We have already shown that Chittim is an ancient name for the peninsulas of Europe (Gen. 10:4), and the “ships of Chittim” are the Roman navy (Daniel 11:29-30a). Asshur is an ancient name for Assyria (Gen. 10:11) which is the land of the King of the North. “Eber” is the ancestor of the Jews (Gen. 10:24). So this indicates that, in the last days, the revived Roman Empire will send a large navy against Palestine and the King of the North!
“And I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as frogs; for they are the spirits of demons, doing signs; which go out to the kings of the whole habitable world to gather them together to the war of that great day of God the Almighty.” Revelation 16:13-14
Armageddon. Rev. 16:16 tells us that the Gentile nations will be gathered together “to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.” The Hebrew form of Armageddon is “Megiddo”, a place to the north of Israel where God, in the Old Testament, came forth to fight against those who raised themselves against Him, see Jud. 5:19-20 (see 2 Chron. 35:22, Zech. 12:11). It is the area in Israel called the valley of Jezreel, or the Plain of Esdraelon. This is where the ravenous birds are gathered to the supper of God in Rev. 19:17-18. This is where the Beast, Antichrist, and the armies of Europe gather (Rev. 19:19-20), near where the Beast’s navy will make landfall. While Rev. 16:16 says the armies are specifically gathered together in a place called Armageddon, we can see by the reference made to “the whole habitable world” that it is a broader term – a series of battles during “the indignation,” beginning with the King of the South coming up.
Battle #4: The Appearing of Christ
Surprise! The Beast has crossed the Mediterranean with his navy to intercept the King of the North, but instead of the King of the North, the Beast and his armies will be met by the King of kings and Lord of lords coming out of heaven with His armies (Rev. 19:11-21). What a surprise! Shockingly, the Beast will attempt to “make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army.” At the battleground of Megiddo, the armies of Europe will be destroyed, and the Beast and False Prophet cast alive into the lake of fire. The only weapon in play will be “the sword of him that sat upon the horse” (Rev. 19:21). The battle will be over in an instant.
“And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and the false prophet that [was] with him, who wrought the signs before him by which he deceived them that received the mark of the beast, and those that worship his image. Alive were both cast into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone; and the rest were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which goes out of his mouth; and all the birds were filled with their flesh.” Revelation 19:19-21
“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” 2 Thess. 2:8
The Lord’s appearing will be in the north of the land, where He will destroy the Beast and his armies. Israel remarks that the faithful remnant at the north of the land, which had been “degraded” by the Assyrian (first attack), will be “honored” first by His glorious appearing at Megiddo. They will see “a great light” – a reference to the brightness of the Appearing of Christ (2 Thess. 2:8).
“…the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, — the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations: the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them light hath shone.” Isa. 9:1-2
The Harvest Judgment (Rev. 14:14-16; Isaiah 21 – 24). At the time of the appearing, the angels will go forth over the Beast's empire and “reap” those who have refused the gospel of the kingdom. This is called the harvest judgment. The Harvest Judgment is a discriminating judgment, pictured in Matt. 13 by the harvestmen removing the tares from the field.
"One shall be taken [for judgment] and the other left [for blessing]." (Matt; 24:40-41)
"The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all offences, and those that practise lawlessness, and they shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 13:14)
"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." Rev. 14:14-16
The Lord will send out His angels into “the whole world” to cleanse “the kingdom of the Son of man”, which is the prophetic earth (Matt. 13:37-42). It is discriminating because only the impostors (who have made a false profession of Christianity) will be taken by the angels. Those taken will be cast directly into the lake of fire. The Lord was marked out as the One who would baptize with fire (Matt. 3:11). This is what Christ as the "Son of man sitting on the cloud" will do with the Christian testimony at the harvest judgment. The harvest judgment will take place between the appearing of Christ and 1290 days measured from the middle of Daniel’s seventieth week. It will only involve the prophetic earth (Israel and Europe). If it was the entire world then Gog and Magog wouldn’t be able to come down against them after the harvest.
The appearing. Five times we read of Christ coming like “a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2; 5:4; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev 3:3; 16:15), and never once does it refer to His coming for His saints, but always to His appearing. The Lord will appear on “a white horse”, the symbol of a victorious conqueror. “The armies which are in the heaven” will follow Him into battle, being composed of “all His saints”, including those raised and/or caught up at the Rapture, as well as the raised tribulation martyrs (Rev. 19:14). He will destroy the armies of the Beast, and the Antichrist with “the brightness of His coming.” (2 Thess. 2:8). The 7th trumpet (Rev. 11:15-18) and the 7th vial (Rev. 16:15-21) refer to this moment. The Lord will cast the personal Beast and the Antichrist alive into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20-21).
The times of the Gentiles finished. The
“times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24) – the period of Gentile supremacy over Israel – will be over. This will close Daniel’s 70th week, seven years from the time when Revived Rome made a covenant with the Nation of Israel. Just as Nebuchadnezzar’s dream had foretold, the times of the Gentiles will be finished when the
“Stone cut out without hands” (Christ) smashes the ten toes of the image, which are the revived Roman Empire (Dan. 2:34-35).
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“Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces… and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them.” Daniel 2:34-35
The sign of the Son of Man. No man knows the day nor the hour of the Lord’s Appearing (Matt. 24:36-41), but just before He appears, something called “the sign of the Son of Man” (Matt. 24:30) will appear in the sky, like lightning that lights up the sky (c.p. Matt. 24:27; Psalm 97:4). At this moment, “the Mystery of God will be ended” (Rev. 10:8) – the Mystery of why evil is allowed to go on “seemingly unchecked” in the earth. It will be a public manifestation.
“as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matt. 24:27
Battle #5: The King of the North returns
The return from Egypt. When the King of the North is down in the south (Egypt), he hears these troubling rumors from the north and east. The “north” is where the Assyrian comes from. The “east” is the region he controls (Syrian, Iraq, Iran). His own countries send him troubling news; something that makes him hasten back home (through Palestine) with the intent to “exterminate” and “utterly destroy” some enemy.
“But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; and he shall go forth with great fury to exterminate, and utterly to destroy many.” Dan. 11:44
What are the troubling rumors? There are a few things it could be. Russia and her confederacy will begin gearing up for war at this time (Ezek. 38-39). Being allied with Russia, the Assyrian may fear that a double-cross has occurred, and decide to head north to encounter the northeastern giant. But I want to give another reason that I believe is the most likely cause. The landing of a massive western army, and the commotion that follows could be the trigger for the Assyrian’s territories in the north and east to reach out to him with “troubling rumors”. We can’t say for sure.
Details of the fall of the King of the North. The Lord will be at the north of the land (Zebulon and Naphtali) where He will have just destroyed the Beast at Megiddo (Rev. 16:16; 19:19-20). The Jews there "have seen a great light" (Isa. 9:1-2). The King of the North will return from the land of Egypt "with great fury to exterminate, and utterly to destroy many" (Dan. 11:44). The remainder of the faithful remnant in Jerusalem will flee, but will be trapped at the Mount of Olives. Just at dusk, the Lord will plant His feet "upon the Mount of Olives" - the very place He ascended from - fulfilling Acts 1:11-12. The whole region will become light. The Mount of Olives will split in half, and separate, creating a valley running east to west (Zech. 14:4). The remnant will flee into that valley, all the way to Azal (Zech. 14:5) reaching safety. The Lord will reveal Himself to the Jews at this time. The Lord will encamp around His "house" (Zech. 9:8), and cover Jerusalem with His "wings" (Isa. 34:5). He will refuse to let the "exactor" pass through a second time. The King of the North will "plant the tents of his palace" - his temporary military base - “between the [Mediterranean] sea and the mountain of holy beauty [Zion]" (Dan. 11:45). The King of the North will "stand up against the Prince of princes" in battle (Dan. 8:25). By the sound of His voice, the Lord will "break the Assyrian" in the mountains below the city (Isa. 14:24-25). The Lord will then drive the King of the North "afar off" into a desert place, with his back to the Mediterranean and his front to the Dead Sea (Joel 2:20). The Lord will consume them with a fire that kills "both soul and body". Their bodies will collapse "as when a sick man faints" (Isa. 10:18). By morning, the vast army will be destroyed (Isa. 17:14). The entire ordeal will be over in one day (Isa. 10:17-18). The Lord will cast the King of the North into the lake of fire (Isa. 30:33).
“And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the mountain of holy beauty; and he shall come to his end, and there shall be none to help him.” Daniel 11:44-45
“And Asshur shall fall by the sword, not of a great man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: and he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall become tributary.” Isa. 31:8
“…but he shall be broken without hand.” Daniel 8:25
“Jehovah of hosts hath sworn saying, Assuredly as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, it shall stand: to break the Assyrian in my land; and upon my mountains will I tread him under foot; and his yoke shall depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.” Isa. 14:24-25
“And I will remove far off from you him that cometh from the north, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, his face toward the eastern sea, and his rear toward the hinder sea; and his stench shall come up, and his ill odour shall come up, for he hath exalted himself to do great things.” Joel 2:20
This is how the largest army in the history of the world will be demolished in one day.
The Restoration of Israel
Two phases of the Restoration of Israel. It will occur in two phases:
- The restoration of the two tribes – guilty of crucifying Messiah as well as breaking the law.
- The restoration of the ten tribes – guilty only of breaking the law.
Jews Restored
A private manifestation. On the backside of the mountains, the Lord will reveal Himself to the Jews in a quiet and intimate manifestation, much the same way Joseph revealed himself to his brethren (Gen 45:1-5). This private revelation will be between the Lord and the Jews alone (Zech. 12:10-14).
The Gospel of Peace. These ones that stayed in Jerusalem the entire 3 ½ years and possibly suffered the most, they are given the privilege to run to the hidden Jewish remnant in the mountains with the “Gospel of Peace”. So overjoyed will the war-torn, hidden remnant be, that they will exclaim, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (Isa. 52:7).
National Repentance. The Jewish remnant will be brought to repentance. They will own their national blood-guiltiness in crucifying the Lord and will be restored to Him at this time. It is not individual repentance, but national repentance. The cross was 2000 years ago, but God wants to see a national change of heart in His earthly people. This work may begin earlier in the Great Tribulation, especially for the Maschilim (a special class of teachers, referred to in the Psalms, and in Dan. 11:33; 12:3), but the work will be completed when they “look upon Him whom they have pierced” and mourn in repentance.
“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” Zech. 12:10-14
“Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn.” Matt. 24:30
“Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.” Psa. 51:14
Isa. 53 will be the essence of their confession; He was despised, and they esteemed Him not, etc. Then they will recognize what they were blind to at His first coming; the truth that Christ was suffering for their sins, so that they might be “healed” and have “peace” as a nation.
A Care for the Ten Tribes. One result of their restoration will be a felt care for the ten scattered tribes. We know that there was enmity between the ten tribes and the two tribes historically, but once the Jews are restored to the Lord, those hard feelings will be removed for their brethren. We see a similar care in the Shulamite for her younger sister in Song. 8:8-9. She pledges to build her little sister up and enhance her in any way possible; “If she be a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver; and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.” The remnant of Judah and Benjamin (the Jews) will weep for their brethren, the scattered tribes of Israel, and the Lord will comfort them with the promise that they will be recovered:
“Thus saith Jehovah: A voice hath been heard in Ramah, the wail of very bitter weeping, — Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are not. Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.” Jer. 31:15-17
Almost in reward for this loving care, God will give some of the Jewish remnant the privilege of being used of the Lord to go to the ten scattered tribes and tell them to return!
“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? And I said, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go; and thou shalt say unto this people…” Isa. 6:8-9
Ten Tribes Restored
Where will the ten tribes return from? The ten tribes will return from all over the world. It will be a great miracle all in itself. Some will come from as far as China! This is the prophetic fulfillment of
“The Feast of Trumpets” (Lev. 23:24-25).
“And he shall send his angels with a great sound of trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the one extremity of the heavens to the other extremity of them.” Matt. 24:31
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to acquire the remnant of his people which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros [upper Egypt], and from Cush [North Africa /Arabia], and from Elam [Iran], and from Shinar [Iraq], and from Hamath [Syria], and from the islands of the sea. And he shall lift up a banner to the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” Isa. 11:11-12
“In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes [Kurdistan].” 2 Kings 17: 6
“And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north [Russia (see Psa. 120:5)] and from the west [Europe]; and these from the land of Sinim [China].” Isa. 49:11-12
Opening the Way for the Returning Tribes. There are a number of geological barriers that prevent the mass migration of millions of Israelites to Palestine. In order to open the way, a number of changes will come to pass. First, the “tongue of the Red Sea” (the east and west arms of the sea which form the Sinai Peninsula) will be dried (Isa. 11:15). Secondly, the “depths of the Nile” (Zech. 10:11) and her seven streams (Isa. 11:15) will also be dried. This will open up a clear and easy passage for the tribes returning from the south. Furthermore, a “highway” (cleared path) will be made from Assyria to Israel (Isa. 11:16). In the millennium, this will be a formal highway that will extend into Egypt (Isa. 19:23). Another highway will be made from China, “the land of Sinim” (Isa. 49:11-12). Note: Isa. 49 is the only Biblical reference to China!
Sign-posts will mark the places where returning tribes can exit:
“Is Ephraim [ten tribes] my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.” (Jeremiah 31:20-21)
It has been over 2700 years… they are finally home:
“But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me… Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” (Isa. 49:14-15)
Israel’s Spiritual Restoration. When the returned tribes see the Lord, they will own their guilt of being under the curse of a broken law, and will be restored to the Lord. This will be the prophetic fulfillment of “the Day of Atonement” (Lev. 26:40-42). The restored nation of Israel (a remnant of the whole twelve tribes) will seem to be “born at once” (Isa. 66:8). Ezekiel 37 pictures Israel as a valley of dried bones. The Lord asks Ezekiel, “Shall these bones live?” The answer is “YES!, but it will take a work of the Holy Spirit!” This restored nation of Israel will be instantly forged into a fearsome army, under the leadership of Messiah (Ezek. 37:10). The Lord will make “a new covenant” with Israel (Jer. 31:31-34). Although only a remnant of the nation is left, yet “all Israel shall be saved” (Rom. 11:26). All enmity will be removed between the tribes of Israel; “And the envy of Ephraim shall depart” (Isa. 11:13).
Re-population of Palestine. The returned tribes of Israel will fill the land to the point that there will not be enough room for them (Zech. 10:10). As the sand of the sea in number, they will ask the Lord for enlarged borders. “The place is too narrow for me: make room for me, that I may dwell” (Isa. 49:19-20).
Battle #6: The Attack of Gog and Magog
Timing and Motivations. Gog and Magog will come down after the Lord has dealt with the Beast and the King of the North, and has restored the regathered nation of Israel; “In that day when my people Israel dwelleth in safety, shalt thou not know it?” (Ezek. 38:14). It will be an enticing opportunity, and the Lord will dangle it in front of Gog like bait before a fish; “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, etc.” (Ezek. 38:4). This attack is foreshadowed in the Old Testament by the attack of Sennacherib king of Assyria who unsuccessfully tried to take the Southern Kingdom of Judah in the days of Hezekiah. In this way, the prophets adapt the title “the Assyrian” to Gog and Magog as well as the King of the North. We often refer to this great event as the “second attack of the Assyrian”. This will take place at the very end of the indignation, prior to the Millennium; “it shall be at the end of days” (Ezek. 38:15).
The attack. Great masses of infantry will come down with Russia, very well armed; “thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords” (Ezek. 28:4). Russia will not be alone, for they will “come from thy place out of the uttermost north, thou and many peoples with thee”. In the northern confederacy will be: parts of Iran, parts of northern Africa, Germany, Armenia, and “many” other nations (Micah 4:11-12, Joel 3:2). The nations will come up in vast hordes, Russia in the lead, coming up “like a cloud to cover the land.” To deal with the army, the Lord will cause a great earthquake in the land. The armies will be thrown into confusion, and will kill one another. Then the Lord will rain hail, fire, and brimstone upon them (Ezek. 38). The Russian Confederacy will be destroyed in the Winepress Judgment. Afterward, the Lord will “send a fire on Magog” (Ezek. 39:6) and “a great whirlwind” (Jer. 25:32).
The Vintage (Winepress) Judgment. The winepress judgment, also known as the vintage, will take place at 1335 days measured from the middle of Daniel's seventieth week (Rev. 14:17-20; Isaiah 26:20 - 27:5; Isaiah 63:1-6). Those destroyed are Russia (Ezek. 38-39), many confederate nations (Micah 4:11-12, Joel 3:2), and the rebels of the ten tribes (Ezek. 20:35-38). The winepress judgment is referred to as “Jehovah’s sacrifice in Bozrah and slaughter in Edom” because Bozrah was the capital of Edom (Isa. 34:2-6). The nations will come up in vast hordes, Russia in the lead, coming up “like a cloud to cover the land.” The land of Edom is where the proud (Zeph. 3:11) and the rebellious (Ezek. 20:38) of the ten tribes will be trapped, at the “border” (Ezek. 11:10). The Lord will personally “plead” with them “face to face” (Ezek. 20:35)… but they will be “stubborn and rebellious” (Deut. 21:18-23). The border land to the south of Israel (Edom) is referred to as the Lord’s “threshing floor” (Micah 4:11-12). There the Lord will “sift” the ten tribes “like as corn is sifted in a sieve” (Amos 9:9-10). Ninety percent of the returning ten tribes will be destroyed (Isa. 6:13). “The Lord also shall roar out of Zion” (Joel 3:16) and destroy Russia specifically “upon the mountains of Israel” (Ezek. 39:2). The “valley of Jehoshaphat” (Joel 3:1, 12-13), also called “without the city” (Rev. 14:20), is where the winepress begins. It continues 1600 stadia (or 200 miles), which is approximately the distance from the valley of Jehoshaphat to the south of Edom. The "vine of the earth", who are the rebels of the ten tribes, will be caught up in the vortex of judgment. The carnage will be so tremendous that the blood will run out "to the horses bits". Horses speak of human agencies, all are in vain against the Lord. As He stamps personally upon His enemies, it will be His "fury", not His love, that will sustain Him (Isa. 63:1-6) while "He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God" (Rev. 19:15).
The Hamon-Gog Graveyard (Ezek. 39:9-12). The carnage from the Winepress Judgment will be so great that It will take Israel seven months just to bury the dead, and seven years to burn the weapons of war! A massive graveyard will be constructed to the east of the Dead Sea where all the bodies will be buried. It will be beside one of the Millennial highways “to stop the way of the passers-by”; a kind of tourist information site – a solemn reminder for 1000 years of the wages of rebellion. A whole system will be developed; a city built just for the burial crews and their families, a marker-system for when someone finds a bone, etc. (Ezek. 39:13-15). The point is that the judgment of Gog and Magog will be full and final.
Battle #7: Mop-up Operations
Restored Israel a Fearsome Army. Under the Messiah’s leadership, Israel will be a fearsome army. God will allow some of the enemies from the surrounding nations to survive so that Israel can have the honor of putting them down for the last time.
“Thou [restored Israel] art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms.” Jer. 51:20
Gaza, Edom, Moab, Ammon Defeated by Israel. The surrounding Muslim nations will be destroyed by Israel.
“But they shall fly upon the shoulder of the Philistines towards the west; together shall they spoil the sons of the east; they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon shall obey them.” Isaiah 11:14
Edom will come under especially severe judgment because of his cruelty to Israel. The book of Obadiah traces out the judgment of Edom three times! His judgment by the King of the North is recorded in vv.1-9. His judgment by Christ at the winepress is recorded in vv.10-16. Finally, his judgment by the armies of restored Israel is recorded in vv.17-21.
“And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble; and they shall kindle in them and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau: for Jehovah hath spoken it.” Obadiah 18
The millennial possession. Even at the greatest extent under Solomon, Israel in the Old Testament was never able to conquer the entire portion of land promised to Abraham and to Israel. After these final mop-up operations are complete, Israel will finally possess what was promised to them!
“Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours; from the wilderness and Lebanon [northern border], from the river, the river Euphrates [eastern border], even unto the hinder sea [western border] shall your border be.” Deuteronomy 11:24
“On the same day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed I give this land, from the river of Egypt [southern border] to the great river, the river Euphrates [eastern border].” Genesis 15:8
Summary of the Seven Battles of the Indignation
Results of Daniel’s 70th Week
The immediate result will be death to many of God’s enemies:
“And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink. A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.” Jer. 25:28-33
“I will make a man more precious than fine gold.” Isa. 13:12
Judgment is the Lord’s “strange work” (Isa. 28:21), and so He will make it a “short work” (Rom. 9:28). But judgment is not the goal. The goal is the exaltation of Christ, and secondarily the blessing of the earth.
The lasting result will be righteousness and peace in the earth:
“For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. If favour be shewn to the wicked, he doth not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness he dealeth unjustly, and beholdeth not the majesty of Jehovah.” Isa. 26:9-10
All of God’s grace to this world will never produce righteousness from the first man. Judgment is absolutely necessary to bring in the “righteousness of the ages” (Dan. 9:26). A great example of this is Nebuchadnezzar; it wasn’t until God subjected him to judgment that a change was brought about in his life.
“And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever.” Isa. 32:17
Historical Note: Isa. 32 is the chapter that the Lord used to show J.N. Darby that the majority of prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. This led him to the recovery of the whole scope of prophecy, dispensational truth, and the truth of the pre-tribulation rapture!
