The Books of Daniel and Revelation

SYNOPSIS: The New Testament applies the plans of the rulers of the nations to destroy the Son described in the second Psalm to the conspiracy of the leaders of the Jewish nation to slay Jesus – Psalm 2:1-6.
The second Psalm is recognized as a messianic prophecy and applied consistently to Jesus by the New Testament. However, according to the New Testament authors, precisely when did he fulfill the predictions of this Psalm of David?
According to some interpreters, the installment of the Messiah to reign on the throne of David still lies in the future, along with the predicted “rage” of the nations against God’s Messiah. In contrast, in his gospel account and the book of Acts, Luke applies the Psalm to the arrest, trial, execution, and resurrection of Jesus.

SYNOPSIS:Two more angels appear to announce the judicial sentence of God on “Babylon” and the “inhabitants of the earth” that give homage to the Beast - Revelation 14:8-11.

The angel “flying in mid-heaven with the everlasting gospel” is followed by “another angel, a second one” who announces the fall of Babylon. In turn, “another angel, a third one” appears to pronounce a judicial sentence on all men and women who give allegiance to the Beast.
The vision in this next section incorporates language from key Old Testament passages about ancient enemies of Israel that were judged by Yahweh. This includes the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the forces of Gog and Magog after invading Israel.

SYNOPSIS:Having contrasted the followers of the Lamb with the men that pay homage to Beast, the book presents the reader with a definitive choice with two very different everlasting consequences - Revelation 14:6-7.
The two preceding paragraphs presented two different groups. First, the “inhabitants of the earth” that render homage to the Beast. Second, the 144,000 saints purchased from the earth who “follow the Lamb wherever he goes.” There is no third category or middle ground between the two (Revelation 13:11-18, 14:1-5).

SYNOPSIS:Will the Antichrist be a global political leader or the ultimate deceiver sent by the Dragon to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ from within? 
The Antichrist is popularly portrayed as a global political leader, often a militaristic tyrant bent on global domination. Perhaps, in the end, this will prove to be the case.
However, New Testament warnings place far more stress on future deceivers, often ones that originate from within the church. Furthermore, in the book of Revelation, the target of the “war” waged by the Beast on behalf of the Dragon is the church, which is comprised of faithful followers of the Lamb:

SYNOPSIS:The Beast from the sea now wages war on the followers of the Lamb in obedience to the Dragon – Revelation 13:6-10.
The Beast from the sea is the Dragon’s agent assigned by him to annihilate the saints. For a time, the Beast is given authority over all nations and peoples with which to execute this task. Humanity is divided into two groups:  Men and women who render homage to the Beast and Dragon, the “inhabitants of the earth,” and the men and women who follow the Lamb regardless of where he leads, the “saints,” “them who tabernacle in heaven.” The latter, consequently, suffer persecution and martyrdom.