On this page I list the definitions of words used in Christian terminology to describe the various End-Times events. Some of these words are found in the Bible while others are terms which Christians use to describe a particular event. At the end of the definition I will include a link to the appropriate chapter of my book Even at the Doors where you will find a more complete context for the word. If you choose to go the chapter for more information, just click the back button on your browser to return to this page.
Antichrist
Armageddon
False Prophet
Golden or Eastern Gate
Last Days
Mark of the Beast
The Millennium
The 144,000
The Rapture
The Red Heifer
The Seven Seals Judgments
The Seven Trumpets Judgments
The Seven Vials or Bowls Judgments
The Third Jewish Temple
The Tribulation Period
Antichrist - A term Christians use to describe
a future global leader who deceives the world into believing that he is a benevolent
man who can solve the world's problems. The bible refers to him as the beast,
son of perdition, and man of sin. He will be the greatest orator who ever lived
yet he will end up being many times worse than Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin,
and Mao Tse-tung. The Antichrist will require his followers to take an oath
and receive an identifying mark in order to take part in the global econonmy.
He will reign during the seven-year Tribulation Period. Chapter 9 - Daniel's Seventieth Week:
Jacob's Time of Trouble
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Armageddon - The final battle of the Tribulation Period when all the nations of the world come together in Israel to destroy each other. The armies of the Antichrist will fight against the kings of the east. Armies from the north such as Russia and its satellite countries will war against these armies and the ones coming up from Africa. The battle stretches from the Valley of Megiddo in the north central part of Israel all the way down to Jerusalem in the south central part of Israel. The Bible declares that the blood from this war will rise to the height of a horse's bridle. Jesus Christ will return to earth during this battle and will destroy the rebellious armies of the world. Chapter 10 - Armageddon
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False Prophet - The Book of Revelation speaks of the False Prophet: "11 And I beheld another beast [i.e. False Prophet] coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast [i.e. Antichrist] before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Revelation 13:11-17) He is described as a lamb who speaks like a dragon. This implies that he will have an air of religiosity (lamb) but will actually have demonic (dragon) powers. His "ministry" or mission is to aggrandize the Antichrist. He does this by performing miracles by which he tries to get the world to worship the Antichrist and take his mark. Later in Revelation we see that after the battle of Armageddon Jesus casts him and the Antichrist into Hell. This is a part of the globalization of the world that takes place during the Tribulation Period. Revelation speaks of a one-world government, economy, and religion that a majority of the earth's population will participate in. Chapter
9 - Daniel's Seventieth Week: Jacob's Time of Trouble
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Golden or Eastern Gate - Once the Tribulation Period is over Jesus Christ will set up His thousand-year kingdom on earth known as the Millennium. He will reign from Jerusalem in the Millennial Temple. The Bible indicates that the Messiah will go through the gate that is located on the eastern side of the Temple Mount and enter into His Temple. The Golden Gate may have received its name because of the 4th Century Latin Vulgate bible. The Book of Acts refers to a gate called beautiful or in the original Greek language Ωραια (transliterated Oraia). It is believed that this gate was the East gate leading to the Temple Mount. According to a Biblical Archaeological Review article (BAR Jan/Feb 1983), St. Jerome originally translated the Greek word oraia into the Latin word aurea which means golden thus assigning to this gate its current name. Reportedly, the Muslims sealed up this gate in the 1500's to prevent the Messiah from returning and fufilling biblical prophecy. Chapter 12 - Utopia: Paradise on Earth
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The Last Days, Latter Days, Latter Times, Day of the Lord - The Bible uses different terms to describe general and specific time periods called the "last days". Context of the prophetic passages where these terms are used and the specifics of the prophecy will give you an idea as to the time frame meant by the writer. See article The Last Days
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The Mark of the Beast - The beast is another name
for the Antichrist. When he comes to a global leadership position the world
will be enthralled with him. They will worship him and swear their allegiance
to him. He will require them to take his mark as a sign of their obeisance
to him. This mark will allow them to buy or sell in the global economy. It
will represent his name or the number of his name. This number is the infamous
666. In recent times some Christians believe this mark will be a computer chip
that is implanted into the human body. It is interesting that a precursor to
the Antichrist, Adolph Hitler, made his elite Nazi SS guards swear allegiance
to him and receive a tattoo on their body as a sign of their loyalty. Chapter
9 - Daniel's Seventieth Week: Jacob's Time of Trouble
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The Millennium - A 1000-year period of time that occurs after the Tribulation Period and Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus will rule from the Temple in Jerusalem and will punish sin immediately. God will renovate the earth so that it will be like the Garden of Eden. At the end of the Millennium Jesus will destroy Satan and judge every person who died and rejected God. After this judgment, God creates a new heaven and a new earth and eternity begins. Chapter 12 - Utopia: Paradise on Earth
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The 144,000 - After God showed John the first six seals judgments He interrupted the sequence. In chapter seven of the Book of Revelation, John sees one hundred and forty-four thousand servants of God. God told the angels to stop the judgments until He sealed these servants in their foreheads. John then writes that these servants are from the twelve Jewish tribes of Israel. The implication is that these servants will live through at least part of the Tribulation Period and will be under God's protection so that neither the Antichrist nor the Tribulation judgments will hurt them. It is interesting that the Antichrist will also require a seal of allegiance on his followers called the Mark of the Beast. It is possible that the Jewish servants will preach the gospel of salvation during the Tribulation Period. This is implied in the verses in chapter seven immediately following a description of these servants. Those verses show the multitudes of believers that are martyred during the Tribulation so there may be a connection. Chapter 9 - Daniel's Seventieth Week: Jacob's Time of Trouble
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The Rapture - Probably the most controversial End-Times
event among Christians. The Bible clearly states that Jesus is going to take
His followers off the face of the earth. Their mortal bodies are going to change
into immortal bodies and they will meet Jesus in the air. The controversy surrounds
the timing of this event. Some Christians believe that the Rapture will occur
before the Tribulation Period (Pre-Tribulation Christians), others that it
will occur during the Tribulation (Mid-Tribulation and Pre-Wrath Christians),
and the rest that it will occur at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to earth
(Post-Tribulation Christians). The first two groups make a distinction between
Jesus' coming to rapture Christians and His Second Coming to earth to judge
the world and set up His Millennial kingdom. Pre-Tribulationism teaches that
the Rapture will be a secret or mysterious event and that the world will not
understand what happened to their Christian friends. Chapter 8 - The Rapture Mystery
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The Red Heifer - In the Old Testament God commanded Moses, Aaron and the children of Israel to bring an unblemished red heifer (a female cow that hasn't birthed a calf yet) before the Tabernacle (a precursor to the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem) and sacrifice it as a purification offering. (Numbers 19:1-22) Some believe that an umblemished red heifer has to be used for purification purposes before the Third Jewish Temple can function. The Temple Institute in Jerusalem states on their web site, "But in truth, the fate of the entire world depends on the red heifer. For G-d has ordained that its ashes alone are the single missing ingredient for the reinstatement of Biblical purity - and thereafter, the rebuilding of the Holy Temple." In recent times there have been some red heifers born but none of them were unblemished (e.g. white hairs were found on the cow). The hunt for a perfect red heifer continues in both Israel and America.
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Seven Seals Judgments - The Book of Revelation mentions three series of judgments coming upon the earth during the Tribulation Period. The first series consists of seven seals that are opened by Jesus Christ. These judgments in sequential order are: (1) a conquering rider on a white horse (2) a rider on a red horse who took peace from the earth causing men to kill each other (3) a rider on a black horse who would cause famines (4) a rider called Death on a pale horse who killed a fourth of the humans living on the earth (5) followers of God who are martyred during the Tribulation Period (6) a great earthquake occurred and upheavals in the cosmos (7) unleashes the next series of judgment called the Seven Trumpet Judgments. Chapter 9 - Daniel's Seventieth Week: Jacob's Time of Trouble
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Seven Trumpets Judgments - The Book of Revelation mentions three series of judgments coming upon the earth during the Tribulation Period. The second series consists of angels blowing seven trumpets that unleash these judgments. These judgments in sequential order are: (1) hail and fire mingled with blood rain down upon the earth burning up a third of the earth (2) an apparent burning mountain falls into the sea causing a third of the seas to turn into blood and killing a third of the sea creatures and a third of the ships (3) an apparent great star falls from heaven destroying a third of the rivers turning them bitter and causing men to die (4) a third of the sun, moon, and stars are darkened (5) the bottomless pit is opened and the king called Abbaddon and Apollyon or Destroyer leads an army of creatures that torment men yet the men can't die (6) the Euprhates Rivers is prepared for a 200 million man army to cross which kills a third of the men that are left (7) unleashes the next series of judgment called the Seven Bowl Judgments. Chapter 9 - Daniel's Seventieth Week: Jacob's Time of Trouble
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Seven Vials (King James Version) or Bowls Judgments - The Book of Revelation mentions three series of judgments coming upon the earth during the Tribulation Period. The third series consists of angels pouring out bowls that unleash these judgments. These judgments in sequential order are: (1) grievous sores come upon the men which had the mark of the beast (Antichrist), and upon them which worshipped his image. (2) the rest of the sea is turned to blood killing every creature in it (3) the rest of the rivers and fresh water fountains are turned to blood (4) the sun scorches men with a great heat (5) darkness comes upon the Antichrist's seat of power (6) the Euprhates River is dried up allowing the 200 million man army to cross and gather on the battlefield to fight agianst the rest of the armies of the world at Armageddon (7) consummates the Tribulation Period with thunder, lightning, and a great earthquake at the second coming of Jesus Chirst. Chapter 9 - Daniel's Seventieth Week: Jacob's Time of Trouble
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The Third Temple - In Jewish history there have been two Temples built. The first is called Solomon's Temple which King Solomon built in the 900s B.C. The Babylonians destroyed it around 600 B.C. The Jewish governor Zerubbabel built the second Temple in the 500s B.C. In the first century B.C. King Herod started a 70-year renovation project of this second Temple and the Temple mount it stood on. For this reason the second Temple was known as Herod's Temple. The Roman armies destroyed it in 70 A.D. while quashing a Jewish revolt. Within a few decades, the Jews as a nation were dispersed throughout the world. In 1948 they returned and created the modern state of Israel. The Bible declares that in the End-Times a third Jewish Temple will be built. The Antichrist will enter this Temple and declare himself God. With the Jews back in the land, the building of the Third Temple is very close to becoming a reality. The Jews have already made all the utensils and priestly garments that will be used in the Temple services. It will take the Antichrist to solve the dilemma of the Muslim ownership of the Dome of the Rock which currently resides on the Temple Mount. Chapter 9 - Daniel's Seventieth Week: Jacob's Time of Trouble
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Tribulation Period - This is a seven year period of trouble coming upon the whole world. The prophet Daniel and Jesus Christ both declared that there never was such a time as this was going to be nor ever will be again. During this time the Antichrist will come to power and his followers will take the mark of the beast. Jesus said there will be earthquakes, pestilences, and wars beyond anything previously experienced by humanity. The world's environment will be devastated by the end of this time of trouble. Billions of people will be killed. God's judgment will reign down upon the rebellious world. It will end with the battle of Armageddon and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Chapter 9 - Daniel's Seventieth Week: Jacob's Time of Trouble
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