Following the exposure of the abomination of desolation, Satan is poised to finally finish his job by destroying the woman (Israel) who gave birth to the Son. Antichrist, still livid from the destruction of Babylon and from the Jews’ rebellion against the desecration of their temple, takes out unbridled vengeance on the Jews. Two-thirds in the city will die, one-third will escape (Zech. 13:8-9). Those escapees will flee to Bozrah to hide from the wrath of the Antichrist. After his destruction of Jerusalem, the Beast knows what has happened, reorganizes his army, and heads that way. As he approaches Bozrah, the signs mentioned in Matthew 24:29 begin to occur. The sun begins to grow dark and the moon begins to lose its light. The Antichrist’s army will surround and close in on the Jewish remnant. The Jews hiding in the rocks and caves will begin to call upon the name of the LORD in utter desperation. “Come, Lord Jesus, please come!” He will answer them, “‘This is my people.’ And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God’” (Zech. 13:9).
God will turn off the lights; no light anywhere. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. Heaven will at last open, and the rider on the white horse, who is called “Faithful and True” will return in righteousness to judge and to make war. His eyes will be like a flame of fire. Out of His mouth will come a sharp sword with which He will smite the nations. He is called the “Word of God” and will rule with a rod of iron. All of the tribes of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with power and great glory. He will send His angels with the sound of a trumpet, and they will gather His elect from the four winds – from one end of heaven to the other. He will tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of almighty God. He has on His robe and on His thigh the name “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Rev. 19:11–16; 2 Thess. 1:7-10).
John’s words add to this scene. “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like 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 who sat on the cloud, ‘Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ So He who sat on the cloud, thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped” (Rev. 14:14-20). The Lord Jesus will bring devastation with the sword that proceeds out of His mouth, and the great rescue will commence (Rev. 19:21; Job 41:21; 2 Thess. 1:7–10, 2:8).
The hiding remnant from Bozrah will see Him, the one whom they pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son (Zech. 12:10). They will know immediately that the Lord Jesus is the King they rejected, but this time they will not reject Him. After the greatest rescue in human history, Bozrah, like Babylon, will be destroyed (Jer. 49:13–14; Amos 1:12).
These words from Isaiah now ring loud and clear. “Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength?—I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger and trampled them in My fury; their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My robes. For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come. I looked, but there was no one to help, and I wondered that there was no one to uphold; Therefore, My own arm brought salvation for Me; and My own fury, it sustained Me. I have trodden down the peoples in My anger, made them drunk in My fury, and brought down their strength to the earth.” (Isa. 63:1–6; 2 Thess. 1:7-10).
When the rescue ends at Bozrah, the King will move to the Kidron Valley for a meeting with the unholy trinity. It will be at that very location that the Antichrist and his false prophet will meet their doom and be cast alive into the lake of fire. Satan will be chained and thrown into the bottomless pit for one thousand years (Joel 3:2, 12; Rev. 19:19–21; Rev. 20:1-3). At the height of his success, the Antichrist will be broken and destroyed (Dan. 8:25). God said there would come a time when the Jews in their affliction would earnestly seek His face. This will be that time. The Jews will cry out for Him to come and heal them and treat their wounds. They will pledge to pursue knowledge of Him (Hosea 5:15, 6:1–6; Romans 11:11).
The King will ascend upon the Mount of Olives, where His feet will once again stand, just as God through the angels promised at His ascension (Acts 1:11, Zech. 14:4). This small mountain, along with other massive changes in creation, will return to their pre-Fall beauty (Zech. 14:5–8; Rom. 8:20-22). The King will be joined by His people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. There will be a magnificent celebration of His victory as He descends down the mountain.
This time will be much different than before. This time as He approaches the Kidron Valley, thousands upon thousands will be shouting and screaming praise to almighty God. This time they will throw olive branches before the King as He rides through the Kidron Valley toward Jerusalem. This time, He will not be riding on a donkey but on a beautiful white horse. This time, He will be destined to wear, not a crown of thorns, but the crown of a Mighty Victor. This time He will pass through the eastern gate, which was sealed shut, but this time it will be reopened. This time with one voice, His followers will shout, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matt. 23:39).
And the Lord shall be King over all the earth (Zech. 14:9). Then will come the days of the King, and they will be blessed. Blessings!
