Many Nations -- Two Entities
MANY NATIONS TWO ENTITIES
The Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explain / to better understand Bible prophecy.
In this generation (passed 60 years or so??) there has been much teaching, many books
written, numerous movies, videos etc. about end times prophecy. Out of great convictions,
good intentions and great hope that the lost would be saved, these things were done. (Me too, I
was part of it.). And many have been saved through these efforts.
Many scenarios have been carefully built and applied to Biblical prophecy. Examples;
Establishment of Israel in 1948 – Jesus will return in 1988 etc; Soviet Union, Russia = gog &
magog – visionary bear of Daniel’s prophecy; 10 nation European Union; Roman empire rises
again; middle-east oil crisis; the antichrist’s name equals 666 – is probably a Pope or Hitler or
Stalin or etc; the antichrist is alive today and living somewhere in Europe --- most recently not
in Europe, but the middle-east.
These and many more such stories have been taught / declared as teachings of Biblical
prophecy. For many of them, time has passed, things and circumstances have changed and
they are no longer relevant.
Yet – Biblical Prophecy remains the same and Revelation is still the Message from the Right
Hand of God as seated on His Throne and only Jesus Christ can open it. It is still given to the
Church – the Family of God – to every human being whose name is written in the Lamb’s
Book of Life.
Our God and Lord has been very patient, for we have been lax toward His warning to us in Rev.
22: 18 – 19; “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If
anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and
if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part
from the book of life, from the holy city and from the things which are written in this book.”
Many Nations
In Biblical prophecy there are numerous nations and peoples named with specific messages
given to them. There are different messages given to each that speaks to their particular
circumstances. Generally they are told of their problems / sins, their idolatry and their
relationship to God’s chosen people – the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – Israel,
plus the fact that destruction, the end and judgment will come.
In Isaiah chapters 13 – 24 is given a series of messages to the known nations at that time in
history, plus lucifer and Jerusalem Then chapter 24 explains the pending judgment on the
whole earth. These messages are prophecy telling all mankind and the fallen angels of their
destruction as result of their rebellion, disobedience and unfaithfulness to God their Creator.
God’s creation will be destroyed because of the sins of His creation.
Jeremiah chapters 46 – 51 also names several nations with similar accusations. They are also
told that they will come to disaster / destruction and judgment from their God and Creator as
result of their particular accusations / sins.
Ezekiel chapters 25 – 32 prophesy coming judgments with justification for the destruction that
is to come to those nations. The nations spoken of in these chapters are similar to and similar
messages as those nations named in Isaiah and Jeremiah as spoken about above. In Ezekiel
37 – 39 there are other nations listed with prophetic messages for them, but they are different
and of a different time era.
These prophecies of the nations by Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel are from God the Creator of
all. These nations are part of the neighbors and most of the known world at that time in
history. The accusations are primarily common failures / rebellion / sins of mankind /
collective mankind – the nations. The prophecies declare that there is a coming end and
judgment by their Creator. Thus God is telling / warning all mankind (the Earth, Isaiah 24)
that they will die and then the judgment. Thus – prepare to meet your God and Creator !!
These prophecies of the nations are in and for the time era before the coming of Jesus Christ
(BC). Yet they are relevant to all time and all mankind as the sins of mankind, the reality of
death and the coming judgment are universal and eternal.
In the book of Daniel, Daniel is given from God dreams / visions of nations that prophesy
coming events. Daniel’s prophecy begins with Babylon that is also spoken of extensively in
Jeremiah and in Ezekiel, and continues through the end of God’s physical creation.
In Daniel 9: 24 – 27 is an explanation of 70 weeks. There is 7 weeks --- 7 x 7 = 49 years to
rebuild the temple. Then 62 weeks --- 62 x 7 = 434 years until ‘Messiah shall be cut off’. After
that is 1 week --- 1 x 7 = 7 years of tribulation at God’s determined end. This timetable of 483
years from the return to Jerusalem to the death of Jesus Christ is very close to known
recorded history. Then there is a time not ‘determined’ (for no one knows the day) from the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ until the 7 year tribulation of the end time.
As we look at this in light of the nations in Biblical prophesy, they fit within the time eras
given. The nations in Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel 25 – 32 are contemporary with Babylon and
the Jewish exile. These prophecies give as an illustration, the destruction of Jerusalem,
because of the Jews rebellion and sin against their God and the fact that all nations / mankind
will also experience destruction / judgment for their sins. Thus, God’s message to mankind.
In Daniel’s vision it starts with Babylon, prophesies its remaining time and Babylon’s defeat by
Greece. Although Greece had not yet come into power, it is named, explained how it will be
divided into 4 parts and then describes a continuing warfare between the kings of the north and
kings of the south. This Greek scenario prepares the way for the coming of Jesus Christ and
the spread of the Gospel with roads, culture and a common language. Then comes the Roman
Empire that is alluded to in Daniel, but not named. This finalizes the events for the coming of
Jesus Christ. With the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, there ends a time era / a
prophetic era.
In Daniel’s visions there are 3 kings – then there seems to be a continuing / continuous war
between the kings of the north and the kings of the south. This can indicate that there will be
continuing wars throughout history. Wars fought by great and powerful armies. That
certainly has happened throughout history until the present times.
After and somewhat separated from the 3 kings is a 4th king. The 4th king is described as
different from the others and extremely violent and evil. In Daniel 11: 31 it speaks of the
‘abomination of desolation’ and also in Matthew and Revelation as part of the tribulation
explanations. Thus the 4th king of Daniel is synonymous with the 8th king spoken of in
Revelation 17: 11. Thus, the last generation of all nationalities of physical mankind will come
under the rule of the 8th king – and be one entity. They will be in total rebellion and at war
against their Creator. The nations of the Old Testament were rebellious against their Creator
plus mankind down through history, but in the end time the rebellion will intensify and
envelop all nations / all mankind.
Two Entities
With the above explanations as a foundation we continue to the subject at hand.
In the Old Testament God gives to all nations / all mankind examples of their sins and
rebellion against Him and prophecies the coming end with eternal judgment of all.
Then in Ezekiel chapters 36 – 39 begins the explanations / foundations that bring the numerous
nations to be condensed into two entities.
***First – the Family of God --- an entity:
God chose Abram and committed to a covenant with him, because Abram believed in God.
Through that covenant Abram’s descendants would be innumerable, but only a part of them
would be like their forefather Abraham -- believing / faithful to their God and Creator.
Through that part of faithful believers the Word of God (the Bible) and God’s Messiah, Jesus
Christ, would be reveled to mankind and be a blessing to all nations. The descendants of
Abram / Abraham were divided by God in two different ways.
First -- God chose Isaac rather than Ishmael and Jacob rather than Esau. God’s choices were
obviously correct when the characteristics of the men are considered as recorded in Genesis.
God knew the hearts of each one and thus chose Isaac and Jacob as the ones who would believe
and follow God’s ways. Thus is the beginning and continuing was the one entity that would
endure until the end of time. An entity not based on blood line, but on spiritual relationship to
their Creator.
(Therefore, Jesus was not born to a family of distinction, but to a believing, faithful and
obedient family).
Second – God further defined that entity through the life of Jacob. Jacob, while running from
his brother, had a dream / vision and recognized that it was from God. God, seeing the
response of Jacob, initiated a covenant with Jacob. Both God and Jacob kept / fulfilled the
covenant. Several years later, as Jacob declared God as his God (kept / fulfilled the covenant),
God changed Jacob’s name to Israel. (Reference Genesis 28 – 35).
Please note what Jacob did:
Jacob met and acknowledged God.
Jacob made a covenant with – a vow to God.
Years later, Jacob kept his vow proving his faithfulness to God.
God changed Jacob’s name to ‘Israel’.
Therefore ‘Israel’ is a person who like Jacob meets and acknowledges God, makes a vow /
commitment to God, and makes God / Jesus Christ Lord of his life. Israel is those who know
and follow the ways of their God and Creator. Israel is a part, but not all of the blood
descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
“Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.” Gal. 3: 7.
The division of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob / Israel is seen in numerous
verses of the Bible. This is clearly seen in Isaiah 44 as Jacob is referred to as ‘servant’ and
Israel as ‘chosen’. Jacob is the ‘servant’ through whom God develops His plan for His
creation. Israel is the ‘chosen’ who is committed to God / Jesus Christ. Jacob is the natural
man and Israel is the spiritual man. A person who is part of Jacob may ‘call upon the name of
the Lord’ and become part of Israel; for all who call upon His name shall be saved.
And so we believe as spoken in Romans 11: 25 – 26, “For I do not desire, brethren, that you
should be ignorant of this mystery, ------, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until
the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved.”
We believe that God has given to the faithful – true family of God the name Israel. They are
described in Revelation 7 as 2 groups; 144,000 from 12 tribes of Israel followed by the great
multitude that no one can count from all nations tribes, peoples and tongues. The 144,000 can
be understood to be from the Old Testament era, or temple era. The great multitude can be
understood as from the New Testament era as they are described as having white robes washed
in the blood of the Lamb. Certainly those descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who
become true followers of Christ in the New Testament era are included in the great multitude
from all nations. After the reference to the 144,000 the Family of God is no longer named – or
called by Israel.
After Revelation 7 the Family of God is mentioned in chapter 11 as the two witnesses give the
final witness to the last generation of mankind. In Revelation 12 is a very brief history of
satan’s opposition against the Family of God. In chapter 14: 1 - 16 we have a very short
history of the work of the Family of God through the New Testament era and the reaping /
rapture of the last generation of the faithful.
Please note:
In Ezekiel 37: 15 – 28 God prophecies that time will come when He will make Israel / the
Family of God to be one people. Ezekiel is instructed to take two sticks, one for Judah and
‘Israel his companions’ and one for Joseph and ‘Israel his companions’. Then God says that
they will become one in His hand.
The circumstances of this prophecy is -- that the nation of the Jews had, for several
generations been divided by civil war and hatred. The 10 northern tribes (Joseph) had been
destroyed by Assyria, then later the 2 southern tribes (Judah) was destroyed by Babylon. The
peoples of each group had been scattered among the nations and their separation and hatred
for each other had continued. BUT, among each group there were those who were true
believers, faithful to their God and Creator. God calls them ‘Israel’ and He, at the END, is
going to make them ONE people. (‘forever’ – ‘forevermore’ = end time terminology). This
prophecy sets the stage for the whole Family of God in the millennial /1,000 year reign of
Christ on earth – the first resurrection.
After the reaping / rapture (Rev. 14: 14 – 16) there is no physical Family of God on the earth.
As Jesus Christ returns for the battle of Armageddon (spiritual), all of the Family of God
follow Him. The whole Family of God had received their resurrected bodies and reign with
Christ for 1,000 years. (“This is the first resurrection.” Revelation 20: 4 – 6). At the end of
the 1,000 years the whole Family of God is encamped (not their permanent home, Rev. 20: 9)
on earth with Jesus Christ. Yet this is not the end, satan will be released from his prison to
make war / rebellion again.
Please note:
In Rev. 14: 14 – 20 are two separate events. In verses 14 – 16 is the ‘reaping’ of the last
generation of the family of God, by Jesus Christ, to reign with Christ for 1,000 years. Then in
verses 17 – 20 is the gathering of those who are NOT the Family of God. They are ‘gathered’
by an angel and cast into the wine press of God’s wrath. These two events are described, one
immediately after the other, because they explain the physical end of each of the two entities,
but they do not happen in immediate sequence.
The ‘reaping’ in verses 14 – 16 take place after the events of -- and the extensive explanations
of the 7th trumpet from 11: 15 – 14: 13. (Thus at the ‘last trumpet’).
The gathering in 14: 17 – 20 does not happen until after the 7 ‘bowls of wrath’ and then
'gathered' at the battle of Armageddon. (Rev. 19: 17 – 21).
With satan’s release, as leader he gathers gog and magog for the final battle. (Rev. 20: 7 –
10). satan is cast into the ‘lake of fire’ and the 2 entities are at the ‘Great White Throne
Judgment’.
The Greatest and Final Battle
Immediately following the 1,000 year millennial reign of Jesus Christ with all the Family of
God and before the Great White Throne Judgment is the greatest and final battle. It is
described in only 4 verses. (Rev. 20: 7- -10). We call it the greatest battle, because every
human being that ever lived will be involved. Every member of the Family of God will be
there, from Adam to the last person whose name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Every
person who ever lived, who did not believe, who did not obey, who rebelled against their God
and Creator, (gog and magog) will be there. The leader of the fallen, rebellious angels, satan,
will be there. This is the ‘final’ battle because, with its completion all opposition / rebellion
against God our Creator / Jesus Christ our Lord is utterly and completely defeated /
destroyed.
One of the ‘entities’ -- the believers and obedient to their Creator that came out of the ‘many
nations’, as described above, is the Family of God – that God called Israel.
The other ‘entity is all mankind who were unbelieving and rebellious against their Creator –
God calls them gog and magog.
Who is gog and magog ??
The peoples of the numerous nations that are listed in Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel who are
guilty of the accusations brought against them by God are part of gog and magog. (This
includes Jerusalem in Isaiah 22). (These nations are examples / illustrations, not intended to
be a complete list.)
There are several nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39. They are different than the nations
spoken of in the paragraph above. They are listed to illustrate the end time, 7 year tribulation
plus the final battle after the millennial. These nations are participants in two wars that are
described in Ezekiel 38 – 39. The wars are not clearly defined – descriptions not easily
separated, because they are similar. They are similar in that satan is the leader and is leading
mankind who has rebelled against God their Creator. satan as the '8th' king who leads the last
generation at the battle of Armageddon, then satan leads all the rebellious at the final battle.
In Revelation there are 3 battles.
1) The 200,000,000 man army of the 6th trumpet (Rev. 9: 13 – 21 & 11 1: - 14).
2) Armageddon -- that kills all the last generation of physical mankind (16: 16 – 21 & 19: 11 –
21).
3) The final battle, after satan is released (all – only – spiritual beings) (Rev. 20: 7 – 10).
These 3 battles bring to a conclusion a great war that began in heaven, continued in the Garden
of Eden and continued throughout history as angels and mankind personally rebelled against
their Creator. All created beings, both angelic and human, are participants in this war, as all
had a choice and all made their choice (obedience or rebellion). All decisions had been
determined prior to the closing of the doors of heaven. The closing of Heavens doors is
explained in Rev. 8: 1 – 6. (‘the prayers of all the saints upon the golden alter,’ means – no
one else will be saved – all decisions have been made, then the tribulation begins).
In this great war, satan desires to rule and be worshiped. Through all the centuries he finally
gains those distinctions only after the last true believers are taken / reaped from earth to
heaven by Jesus Christ. (Rev. 14: 14 – 16). Then immediately God forces the issue, there is no
longer a choice, God takes control.
(Rev. 11: 15 – 19, & Chapter 15, & 19: 19 – 20: 3).
The reality of God removing choice and taking control is explained in Ezekiel 38, particularly
verses 3 & 4 and again in chapter 39 especially verses 1 – 5.
Here in Ezekiel’s prophesy God applies a method that He also uses in other places. For
example in the 6th seal (Rev 6: 12 – 17) is a visionary picture of the last day of rebellious
mankind on earth. The vision is like a preview or outline of the battle of Armageddon that is
explained in Rev. 16: 17 – 21. Then the battle does not actually take place until 19: 17 – 21. So
– God gives the conclusion in chapter 6, with numerous chapters of explanation following, and
then the battle is set in chapter 16 and actually fought in chapter 19.
Thus God in Ezekiel 38 describes a battle that He / God determines the time, place and
circumstance. Gog is instructed to prepare and come against a people living in conditions
described in the millennial reign of Christ on earth. This happens in time as explained in Rev.
20: 7 – 10. In each, Ezekiel and Rev., gog and magog are gathered for the battle. Thus in
Ezekiel, first God prophesies the final battle, and then explains the previous battle
(Armageddon) which was similar. Ezekiel 39: 17 – 20 is the end of Armageddon as seen in Rev.
19: 21. Many other points could be made, but these should be sufficient for this discussion.
As we follow these prophetic events it is seen that many nations are concluded into one entity
that is controlled / led by satan. All mankind of all nations who have rebelled against their
Creator have physically died, their souls are in hell / death and hades. They are gathered by
satan under the direction of God and come against the Family of God once again.
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WHY ??
GOD IS GOD !! JESUS CHRIST IS LORD !!!
And that proven in every realm !!
satan and all those (angelic and mankind) who rebelled in heaven --
on physical earth -- and in eternal hell are defeated in every realm.
(Reference Psalm 110: 1)
(This is important in order to understand God's conclusion).
satan nor anyone else can rule in Heaven or Earth nor hell !!!
‘One Entity’ = The Family of God / Israel (The Israel of God).
From ‘all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues’.
Another ‘entity’ = all rebellious mankind ( gog and magog).
From ‘peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.’
Why is this important to end times prophesy ???
In 1948 the modern nation of Israel was established –:
But the citizens of Israel who are atheist and those who reject Jesus Christ as Messiah are not
the Israel of God.
The Israel of God is -- only repentant sinners, ‘whoever believes’ in Jesus Christ and
‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord’.
‘Israel’ is the name God gave to all who come to Him as Jacob did.
Gog and Magog is the name given all who are rebellious toward God.
Thus in the final analysis there are only two ‘entities’ at
the Great White Throne.
1). THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN THE 'LAMBS BOOK OF LIFE'.
2) THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE NOT WRITTEN IN THE 'LAMBS BOOK OF LIFE'.
A problem interpreting prophecy:
Who is the antichrist ??
Who is the ‘man of sin’ ??
Who is the ‘son of perdition’ ??
Who is ‘666’ ??
Who is the 8th king ??
Of the 5 questions above the first 4 can be answered by the same statement. They are anyone
and everyone who are not in Christ, after the doors of heaven are closed and they remain
outside. (‘666’ is not referring to one person, but to the condition of mankind at that time in
history).
The 8th king can only be satan as he takes control after the rapture of the Family of God.
For further study :: www.spmint.com a study of Revelation by Don English