The Book of Revelation Chronology: An End Time Timeline by Paul Backholer

1. Apostasy in the Church

This will manifest in the deliberate denial of God’s truth by those turning from the teaching of the Bible to be accepted by society. ‘Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the Man of Sin is revealed, the Son of Perdition’ (2 Thessalonians 2:3). More…

Many little antichrists will rise, deceiving many and encouraging people to become ‘spiritual’ but not religious. False messiahs will start new religious movements and deceive countless people. They are antichrist in nature because they desire the worship we should give to Christ. ‘Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour’ (1 John 2:18). More…

2. False Religions and Fake Messiahs

3. The Beginning of the Troubles

Jesus prophesied there would be wars, earthquakes, famines and the persecution of Christians before He comes again. Jesus said, “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and sorrows. These are the beginnings of the troubles” (Mark 13:8). Strong nations will become weak because of their sin. More…

A new Temple in Jerusalem will be constructed for the commencement of sacrifices, which will become the centre of world attention and anger. ‘In the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering… the Son of Perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the Temple of God’ (Daniel 9:27, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). Watch an episode about the preparations for the Third Temple: More…

4. The Third Jewish Temple

5. One World Government

The world will increasingly unite into ten unions or spheres of influence, to prepare for a global president of a One World Union. ‘It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world’ (Revelation 13:7-8). In this time of confusion, power will be given to unelected dictators in this Age of Absurdity. More…

With the world suffering unprecedented crises, the world will look for one leader to solve its global problems. The Antichrist will take charge of everything with the promise to restore peace, but he will become a dictator. ‘Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule and he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without human means’ (Daniel 8:25). More…

6. Rise of the Antichrist

7. The Mark of the Beast, 666

Every human being will be forced to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead, which will embed all the data feeds about their lives into one. Without it, people will not be able to buy or sell, or engage in society. This is an era of total dictatorship. ‘He causes all…to receive a Mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the Mark or the name of the Beast, or the number of his name…his number is 666’ (Revelation 13:16-18). More…

Growing hostility against Christians and Jews will thrive until an all-out war is waged by the Antichrist to destroy both. Jesus said, “They will deliver you up to councils and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:9-11). More…

8. Persecution of Christians and Jews

9. Antichrist’s Peace Treaty with Israel

The Antichrist will force Israel to sign a peace treaty that will divide Israel and Jerusalem. ‘Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate’ (Daniel 9:27). More…

As the world turns its back upon God, faithful Christians will be Raptured to meet the Lord in the air and He will save them from the Tribulation judgments. ‘Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord’ (1 Thessalonians 4:17). More…

10. The Rapture of the True Church

11. The Judgment of Believers in Heaven

Jesus will judge all believers based on what they did with their salvation. Did they do everything to follow Him or were they negligent? Their salvation is secured by the blood of the Lamb, but their works prove that they took God’s call seriously. There will be rewards for obedience and sacrifice. Jesus said, “For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away” (Matthew 25:29).

After all believers have been judged and rewarded, believers will celebrate with Jesus Christ and His angels in Heaven. “Blessed are those who are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God” (Revelation 19:9). More…

12. Marriage Supper of the Lamb

13. Tribulation Begins

This is a seven year period of unprecedented disasters overwhelming earth and many will repent of their sins. Jesus said, “Immediately after the Tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from Heaven, and the powers of the Heavens will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29). More…

These specific judgments in the Tribulation period will shake the world like never before. ‘When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets… and I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of Heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” ’ (Revelation 8:1-2, 13). More…

14. Seven Seals and Seven Trumpets

15. Seven Thunders and Seven Bowls of Wrath

The second series of two sets of seven judgments will ramp up the pressure during the Tribulation. ‘Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from Heaven saying to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered and do not write them” …then I heard a loud voice from the Temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth” ’ (Revelation 10:4, 16:1). More…

God will anoint 144,000 people from the twelve tribes of Israel and they will be sealed as evangelists. Collectively they will garner the greatest harvest ever reaped for the Kingdom of God. ‘Then I looked and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads’ (Revelation 14:1). More…

16. 144,000 Sealed

17. Israel’s Peace Treaty is Broken

The Antichrist will violate his treaty with Israel during the middle of the seven year Tribulation period and his forces will commence the invasion of Israel, seeking to gain possession of the Third Temple in Jerusalem. ‘Your covenant with death will be annulled and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it’ (Isaiah 28:18).

Antichrist forces will enter the Third Temple in Jerusalem and will set up the Abomination of Desolation. Antichrist will defile the Temple, as he uses it for his purposes. Jesus said, “Therefore when you see the ‘Abomination of Desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains…for then there will be Great Tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:15-21).

18. The Abomination of Desolation in the Temple

19. Counterfeit Resurrection

The Antichrist will appear to be killed and will rise again. This counterfeit resurrection will deceive many and will begin a new era of supernatural deception. ‘I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marvelled and followed the Beast. So they worshipped the dragon who gave authority to the Beast; and they worshipped the Beast, saying, “Who is like the Beast? Who is able to make war with him?” ’ (Revelation 13:3-4).

This man, anointed with an evil power from Satan to move in the supernatural will support Antichrist and he will lead the nations away from repentance and faith in God. ‘Then I saw another Beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first Beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first Beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from Heaven on the earth in the sight of men’ (Revelation 13:11-13).

20. The Second Beast Conveys Supernatural Power

21. Two Supernatural Witnesses

Two supernatural witnesses will descend from Heaven to prophesy and call upon the nations to repent. They will retain supernatural protection for a season, but will be executed, and will rise again after three days and ascend into Heaven. ‘The angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the Temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the Temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth” ’ (Revelation 11:1-3).

God will pour out the Spirit of Grace and Supplication upon the Jews and they will voluntarily bow the knee and recognise that Jesus Christ is their King of kings and Lord of lords. “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10).

22. Israel is Restored

23. Battle of Armageddon

With Antichrist troops still pressing the Jews who flee before him, the last battle of this period will take place at Megiddo in Israel. The entire military might of the world will be focused on this key location. ‘They gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon’ (Revelation 16:16). More…

Jesus Christ will return with His saints to fight for the Jews and Christians saved in the Tribulation, and Antichrist with his armies will be defeated. ‘Then the Lawless One will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming’ (2 Thessalonians 2:8). More…

24. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

25. Satan is Bound for a Thousand Years

The devil will be captured and put in prison for a thousand years, allowing humanity to grasp how they could have lived in peace and prosperity if they did not submit to demonic temptation. ‘Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while’ (Revelation 20:1-3).

The Lord Jesus will rule and reign for a thousand years from Jerusalem. A Fourth Jewish Temple will be built on the Temple Mount according to Ezekiel’s design and the nations will celebrate as they visit Jesus their King. There will be no wars and abundance in everything. ‘They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has a part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years’ (Revelation 20:4-6). More…

26. The Millennial Reign of Christ on Earth

27. Judgment of the Nations

At the beginning of the Millennial Reign, Jesus will oversee the Sheep and Goat Judgment of the Nations, rewarding those who aided the Jews in their time of distress. ‘All the nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats’ (Matthew 25:32).

After a thousand years of peace, Satan will be released to test people’s hearts and many will turn to him again. They will wage war on Jesus and will surround a peaceful Jerusalem. The climactic end of the world battle is called The Battle of Gog and Magog, when all enemies of God will be decisively defeated. Satan and all his followers will be thrown into Hell forever. ‘Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the Beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever’ (Revelation 20:7-10).

28. The Battle of Gog and Magog. The Final Rebellion on Earth

29. Great White Throne Judgment

All the dead of history will be raised to be judged by the Lord Jesus Christ. Many will go to Heaven and others to Hell. ‘Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the Heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books’ (Revelation 20:11-12).

The earth will be destroyed with fire. ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the Heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up’ (2 Peter 3:10).

30. The End of Earth in Fire

31. New Heavens and New Earth

God will create new Heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. There will be no more death, tears, pain or suffering. Finally, humanity will experience what God planned for them before Adam and Eve sinned. It will be a time of perfect peace, happiness and prosperity. “For behold, I create new Heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17).