The Prophetic Woes of Revelation and the Chronology of Daniel
According to the biblical text regarding the end times, "The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come." What does Revelation 9:12 mean? The final verse of chapter 8 warned that there were three trumpet judgments yet to come, worse even than the first four (Revelation 8:13). Chapter 9, so far, has focused entirely on the fifth trumpet judgment, which is the "first woe" of those three. Two more—the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments—lie ahead.
The Meaning of the Woe and the Great Tribulation
The word "woe" indicates severe suffering and distress. The tribulation is a seven-year period of severe end-times suffering and distress. The second half of this era, called the great tribulation, increases the severity of God's judgment on unbelievers as He pours out His wrath upon them.
In His Olivet Discourse, Jesus remarked, "Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be" (Matthew 24:20–21). Believers today should be extremely grateful that God has saved us from the wrath to come.
The Vision of the Five Kingdoms
Prophetic history is further explained through the book of Daniel. Regarding the prophecy of the five kingdoms, Daniel 2:44 states: "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever."
The five kingdoms of Daniel 2 are identified as follows:
- 1. Babylon
- 2. Media-Persian
- 3. Greek
- 4. Roman
- 5. Church/Kingdom of Christ on Pentecost AD 33
Biblical Commentary and Prophetic Timelines
The following table summarizes the key prophetic periods and historical interpretations found within the books of Daniel and Revelation:
| Scripture Reference | Prophetic Duration | Historical Application |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 2 | The 5 kingdoms | Rome 49 BC + Church kingdom |
| Daniel 7 | 1260 Days, 42 months | Nero persecution: 64-68 AD |
| Daniel 8/11 | 2300 days | Antiochus Epiphanes 167-164 BC |
| Daniel 9 | 70 weeks, 490 years | Ending at Resurrection |
| Daniel 12 | 1290 Days, 43 months | Ministry of Christ |
The Fourth Beast and the Little Horn
Daniel’s initial vision describes a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong, which had large iron teeth. The angel interprets that the fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it.
Daniel 7 focuses not on the order of the ten kings, but how one king was different. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. This horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts. "I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them" (Daniel 7:20–21). He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.