10. Paradise Regained

By means of the Kingdom under Christ, Jehovah sanctifies His name, vindicates His sovereignty, and eliminates all evil. THE last book of the Bible, called Revelation or Apocalypse, provides all mankind with hope. Recorded by the apostle John, the book contains visions that climax in the fulfillment of Jehovah’s purpose.


In the first vision, the resurrected Jesus commends and corrects a number of congregations. The next vision takes us before God’s heavenly throne, where spirit creatures are offering him praise.


As God’s purpose moves forward, the Lamb, Jesus Christ, receives a scroll with seven seals. With the opening of the first four seals, symbolic horsemen charge onto the world scene. The first is Jesus on a white horse and crowned as King. Next come riders on different-colored horses, prophetically representing war, famine, and pestilence—all of which take place during the last days of this system of things. The opening of the seventh seal leads to the blowing of seven symbolic trumpets, denoting proclamations of God’s judgments. These lead to seven symbolic plagues, or expressions of God’s anger.


God’s Kingdom, depicted as a newborn male child, is established in heaven. War breaks out, and Satan and his wicked angels are cast down to the earth. “Woe for the earth,” says a loud voice. The Devil has great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.—Revelation 12:12.


John sees Jesus in heaven represented as a lamb, and with him 144,000 who are chosen from among mankind. These ones “will rule as kings with” Jesus. Revelation thus reveals that the secondary members of the seed will total 144,000 in number.—Revelation 14:1; 20:6.



“BABYLON THE GREAT” - In the book of Revelation, all false religions—that is, religions that stand in opposition to the true God—are collectively identified as “the great harlot.” She is called “Babylon the Great,” and she sells, or prostitutes, herself to the world’s political powers. At Jehovah God’s appointed time, says Revelation, these powers will turn on this harlot and destroy her.—Revelation 17:1-5, 16, 17. This same time period was foreshadowed in a battle between the Moabites, the Amonites and the Edomites. In history, we discover that the Moabites were known as a commercial country. The Amonites were a political country and the Edomites were direct decendants of Noah and therefore had more of a religious background and were prior relatives of Israel. Each country had a quest to conquer Israel. 2Chronicles:1-37. There was an announcement 1 And it came about afterward that the sons of Mo′ab and the sons of Am′mon and with them some of the Am′mon·im came against Je·hosh′a·phat in war. 2 So people came and told Je·hosh′a·phat, saying: “There has come against you a large crowd from the region of the sea, from E′dom; and there they are in Haz′a·zon-ta′mar, that is to say, En-ge′di.” 3 At that Je·hosh′a·phat became afraid and set his face to search for Jehovah. So he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 Eventually those of Judah were collected together to inquire of Jehovah. Even from all the cities of Judah they came to consult Jehovah.

A little history about the Moabites and the Amonites and the Edomites. The Moabites were a commercial country. The Ammonites were Political in nature and the Edomites were Religious a group. The Edomites claimed to be related to Israel in prior years. These three countries came together to attach Israel. So
5 Then Je·hosh′a·phat stood up in the congregation of Judah and of Jerusalem in the house of Jehovah before the new courtyard, 6 and he proceeded to say: “O Jehovah the God of our forefathers, are you not God in the heavens, and are you not dominating over all the kingdoms of the nations, and are there not in your hand power and mightiness, with no one to hold his ground against you? 7 Did not you yourself, O God of ours, drive away the inhabitants of this land from before your people Israel and then give it to the seed of Abraham, your lover, to time indefinite? 8 And they took up dwelling in it, and they proceeded to build in it for you a sanctuary for your name, saying, 9 ‘If there should come upon us calamity, sword, adverse judgment, or pestilence or famine, let us stand before this house and before you (for your name is in this house), that we may call to you for aid out of our distress, and may you hear and save.’ 10 And now here the sons of Am′mon, and Mo′ab and the mountainous region of Se′ir, whom you did not allow Israel to invade when they were coming out of the land of Egypt, but they turned away from them and did not annihilate them, 11 yes, here they are rewarding us by coming in to drive us out from your possession that you caused us to possess. 12 O our God, will you not execute judgment upon them? For in us there is no power before this large crowd that is coming against us; and we ourselves do not know what we ought to do, but our eyes are toward you.” 13 All the while all those of Judah were standing before Jehovah, even their little ones, their wives and their sons.

So now what will the Israelites do? There are 3 countries teaming up to run them off their land which Jehovah gave to them. They approach Jehovah in prayer and ask Jehovah for his help. Here's how Jehovah responds. 14 Now as for Ja·ha·zi′el the son of Zech·a·ri′ah the son of Be·nai′ah the son of Je·i′el the son of Mat·ta·ni′ah the Levite of the sons of A′saph, the spirit of Jehovah came to be upon him in the middle of the congregation. 15 Consequently he said: “Pay attention, all Judah and YOU inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Je·hosh′a·phat! Here is what Jehovah has said to YOU, ‘Do not YOU be afraid or be terrified because of this large crowd; for the battle is not YOURS, but God’s.16 Tomorrow go down against them. There they are coming up by the pass of Ziz; and YOU will be certain to find them at the end of the torrent valley in front of the wilderness of Je·ru′el. 17 YOU will not need to fight in this instance. Take YOUR position, stand still and see the salvation of Jehovah in YOUR behalf. O Judah and Jerusalem, do not be afraid or be terrified. Tomorrow go out against them, and Jehovah will be with YOU.’” So this must have given the Israelites all the confidence they needed to deal with this onslaught but was it to be all that easy?

Here's what happens next. 18 At once Je·hosh′a·phat bowed low with his face to the earth, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem themselves fell down before Jehovah to do obeisance to Jehovah. 19 Then the Levites of the sons of the Ko′hath·ites and of the sons of the Ko′rah·ites rose up to praise Jehovah the God of Israel with an extraordinarily loud voice. 20 And they proceeded to rise early in the morning and go out to the wilderness of Te·ko′a. And as they went out, Je·hosh′a·phat stood up and then said: “Hear me, O Judah and YOU inhabitants of Jerusalem! Put faith in Jehovah YOUR God that YOU may prove yourselves of long duration. Put faith in his prophets and so prove successful.” 21 Further, he took counsel with the people and stationed singers to Jehovah and those offering praise in holy adornment as they went out ahead of the armed men, and saying: “GIVE praise to Jehovah, for to time indefinite is his loving-kindness.” The Israelites were ever so grateful and now confident that Jehovah said that this was His battle. But Jehovah had told them to go to the valley and wait for instructions. 22 And at the time that they started off with the joyful cry and praise,

Next Jehovah set men in ambush against the sons of Am′mon, Mo′ab and the mountainous region of Se′ir who were coming into Judah, and they went smiting one another. 23 And the sons of Am′mon and Mo′ab proceeded to stand up against the inhabitants of the mountainous region of Se′ir to devote them to destruction and annihilate them; and as soon as they finished with the inhabitants of Se′ir, they helped each one to bring his own fellow to ruin.

Then as for the cleanup. 24 But as for Judah, it came to the watchtower of the wilderness. When they turned their faces toward the crowd, why, there they were, their carcasses fallen to the earth without anyone escaping. 25 So Je·hosh′a·phat and his people came to plunder the spoil on them, and they got to find among them in abundance both goods and clothing and desirable articles; and they went stripping them off for themselves until they could carry no more. And it came to be three days that they were plundering the spoil, for it was abundant. 26 And on the fourth day they congregated together at the low plain of Ber′a·cah, for there they blessed Jehovah. That is why they called the name of that place Low Plain of Ber′a·cah—until today.


27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned, with Je·hosh′a·phat at their head, to return to Jerusalem with rejoicing, for Jehovah had made them rejoice over their enemies. 28 So they came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments+ and with harps and with trumpets to the house of Jehovah. 29 And the dread+ of God came to be upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that Jehovah had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 Thus the royal realm of Je·hosh′a·phat had no disturbance, and his God continued to give him rest all around. 31 And Je·hosh′a·phat went on reigning over Judah. Thirty-five years old he was when he began to reign, and for twenty-five years he reigned in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was A·zu′bah the daughter of Shil′hi. 32 And he kept walking in the way of his father A′sa, and he did not turn aside from it, by doing what was right in Jehovah’s eyes. 33 Only the high places themselves did not disappear; and the people themselves had not yet prepared their heart for the God of their forefathers. 34 As for the rest of the affairs of Je·hosh′a·phat, the first and the last, there they are written among the words of Je′hu the son of Ha·na′ni, which were inserted in the Book of the Kings of Israel. 35 And after this Je·hosh′a·phat the king of Judah had partnership with A·ha·zi′ah the king of Israel, who acted wickedly. 36 So he made him a partner with himself in making ships to go to Tar′shish and they made ships in E′zi·on-ge′ber. 37 However, E·li·e′zer the son of Dod·av′a·hu of Ma·re′sha spoke prophetically against Je·hosh′a·phat, saying: “Inasmuch as you have had partnership with A·ha·zi′ah, Jehovah will certainly break down your works.” Accordingly the ships were wrecked,+ and they did not retain strength to go to Tar′shish.+


In modern times, The rulers of the earth gather at a place which is called in Hebrew Harmageddon, Revelation 16:14 “the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” They wage war with the one seated on the white horse—Jesus, who leads heavenly armies. All the rulers of this world are destroyed. Satan is bound, and Jesus and the 144,000 reign over the earth for “a thousand years.” At the end of the thousand years, Satan is destroyed.— 20:4.


What will the Millennial Reign of Christ and his corulers mean for obedient humans? John writes: “[Jehovah] will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) The earth becomes a paradise!


The book of Revelation thus completes the Bible’s message. By means of the Messianic Kingdom, Jehovah’s name is sanctified and his sovereignty completely vindicated for all eternity!


—Based on the book of Revelation you will learn.
▪ What is the meaning of the symbolic horsemen
▪ What dramatic things take place as God’s purpose moves forward
▪ What is Armageddon, and what is its outcome