12 February 2008

Text: Revelation 16; Zechariah 14; Ezekiel 47

(I) JERUSALEM IN PROPHECY

1. Isaiah

a) Jerusalem cleansed (Isaiah 4:3-4)

b) God’s Presence will be manifested (as in the days of Moses) (Isaiah 4:5)

c) A special “tabernacle”

2. Revelation

“Now the great city will be divided into three parts…” Revelation 16:19a

3. Zechariah

a) Return of the Lord Jesus on Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4)

b) Geographical changes will take place (3 parts)

i) A very large valley

“…And the Mount of Olives shall be split into two,
From east to west,
Making a very large valley;
Half of the mountain shall move towards the north
And half of it shall move toward the south.” Zechariah 14:4

ii) Elevation of Jerusalem

“And in that day it shall be
That living waters shall flow from Jerusalem,
Half of them to the Eastern Sea (Dead Sea),
And half of them to the Western Sea (Mediterranean Sea);
In both summer and winter it shall occur.” Zechariah 14:8

iii) All the land turned into a plain

“All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of
Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be raised up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin’s Gate to the place of the First Gate and the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of
Hananel to the king’s winepresses.
The people shall dwell in it;
And no longer shall there be utter destruction,
But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.” Zechariah 14:10-11

(II) THE CITIES OF THE NATIONS

“…and the cities of the nations fell…” Revelation 16:19b

1. These cities represent the enemies of Jerusalem

2. Prophecy of Zechariah

“For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem…” Zechariah 14:2

“Then the LORD will go forth
And fight against those nations,
As He fights in the day of battle.” Zechariah 14:3

(III) GREAT BABYLON

“…And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.
Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.” Revelation 16:19c-21

1. Fall of Babylon

2. Islands and mountains “fled away”

3. Hail from heaven (34 kg average weight)