Disciples Digital Library

When Daniel was delivered from the lions’ den, “ Darius the Mede ” was relieved and issued a decree to all his subjects commanding them to revere Daniel’s God. But he also condemned the prophet’s accusers to be cast to the lions instead of Daniel. Both incidents are reflected in the book of  Revelation .

Final judgment scenes occur several times in  Revelation . The sevenfold series of “ seals ,” “ trumpets ,” and “ bowls of wrath ” all culminate in the final judgment, and each time it is punctuated by terrestrial and celestial upheaval. And these three “judgments” are in addition to the one that occurs as the “ Great White Throne of Judgement ” when the wicked are cast into the “ lake of fire .”

Three Jewish exiles are cast into the fiery furnace for refusing to render homage to the great image set up by the king  - Daniel 3:8-30.  In the second chapter, the “ Chaldeans ” are demoted because of their failure to reveal the king’s dream. But in the wake of Nebuchadnezzar’s construction of his “ great golden image ,” they exploit the opportunity to inflict vengeance on three of the Jewish exiles for their earlier loss of face. Although loyal to the king, these three men cannot bow before the king’s idolatrous image.

The Rider on the White Horse destroys the beasts from the sea and the earth at the last battle, Armageddon  – Revelation 19:17-21.  In chapter 19 of  Revelation , John sees the destruction of the “ Beast from the sea ” and the “ false prophet ” at the final battle when the “ rider on the white horse ” overthrows the forces of “ Gog and Magog .” The passage does not state where this occurs other than on planet earth. The focus is on the destruction of the two beasts and their consignment to the “ Lake of Fire. ”

The inhabitants of the earth represent the men and women who are omitted from the Book of Life because they submit to the Beast . This group is unrelenting in its hostility to the “ Lamb ” and those who follow him “ wherever he goes ,” even rejoicing in the violent deaths of his “ Two Witnesses .” Unlike the “ nations ” and the “ kings of the earth ,” they are beyond redemption, and their names are excluded from the “ Book of Life. ”

Angels announce the judicial sentence on Babylon and the inhabitants of the earth, but "rest" awaits the followers of the Lamb .  Next, “ another angel ” announces the “ fall of Babylon ,” and he is followed by “ a third angel ” who pronounces the judicial sentence on the men who gave their allegiance to the “ Beast ,” namely, torment by “ fire and brimstone .” God is about to vindicate His “ martyrs .”

In the third chapter of  Revelation , Jesus promises to “ keep ” overcoming saints in the city of Philadelphia “ from the hour of trial ” that is coming upon the “ inhabitants of the earth .” A comparison with similar passages demonstrates that this “ hour ” refers to the time of judgment when those whose names “ are not written in the Lamb’s book of life ” experience the “ second death ” in the “ Lake of Fire .”