Jesus of Nazareth did not ride triumphantly into Jerusalem to become King of Israel on that Palm Sunday before His death on the cross. Yes, the Jerusalem townspeople on that day cried out; “Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord” (John 12:12-13), but note that Jesus humbly entered the city, riding “an ass’s colt” (v14, 15). This definitely was not a royal entry. Zechariah prophesied of this 1^st entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, saying: “Behold thy King!” but then it goes on to describe His entrance as, “lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9).

Jesus of Nazareth knew the people “would come and take Him by force to make Him a King, (so) He departed…into a mountain Himself alone” (John 6:15). This is because Jesus He knew He had not come to be King, not yet, it’s as if the Father was saying to Him, ‘No my Son, first, the cross… then the throne.’

Jesus’ real triumphal entry is to be seen at His 2^nd coming to earth. Until then, He is seated in heaven.

“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalm 110:1)

“Whom (Christ) heaven must receive until the times of restitution (Gk. apokatastasis, reconstitution) of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:21)

Now read of His coming again in Rev 19:11-16; how different the symbolism. The once meek, lowly One comes “having salvation” and “In Righteousness Doth He Judge and Make War.” First He rode “an ass’s colt,” now “Behold! a white horse” (Rev 19:11)! And those eyes that were once filled with tears as He wept over Jerusalem at His first entry are now “as a flame of fire” with His head having “many crowns” (Rev 19:12).

The Lord’s triumphal entry is still future. According to prophecy He will come again, put down all rebellion against Himself, to reign on earth and in glory and power over “the heavens and the earth.” The conflict of the ages will have largely ended. We can thank God He hasn’t yet come to “judge and make war.” Today, His word points us to Mount Calvary where He died for our sins to offer us the riches of the glory of His grace. “(He) was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom 4:25)

In His 1^st coming Jesus of Nazareth definitively said “I am come but (only) unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel” (Matt 15:24). He also told His Jewish disciples; “I will… go and prepare a place for you (the believers of Israel), I WILL COME AGAIN, and Receive You Unto Myself… (Jn 14:3). In Hebrews we read, “…unto them (the believers Israel) that look for him (Messiah) shall He appear The SECOND Time” (Heb 9:28).

When Christ comes again to earth it will be as the resurrected victorious God-Man – Jesus the Christ, the “King of all kings and Lord of all lords.” Christ’s victory in the great ‘conflict of the ages’ will largely but not entirely be actualized with His 2^nd coming to earth. At the beginning of His Millennial reign in His Theocratic Kingdom on earth Satan will be bound, only at the end will he will Satan be “cast into the lake of fire.” So Satan, sin, death and hell will not be finally dealt with until the very end of the Millennium, just before the beginning of the eternal Kingdom on “the New Earth.”

So today Jesus is currently in royal exile, seated in the 3^rd heaven “until…” - until what? “The LORD (the Father) said … Sit thou at my right hand, UNTIL I Make Thine Enemies Thy Footstool.” (Psa 110:1).

What has the Lord done during the interim since Israel rejected Him and His kingdom? Among other things, the Lord turned His attention from Israel… to the Gentiles. Paul wrote of Israel’s current state;

“… blindness in part is happened to Israel, UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Romans 11:25b)

The Gentiles had been excluded during Jesus’ earthly ministry, while Israel was the focus of His ministry.

“(Jesus) answered and said, I am not sent but (only) unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 15:24)

“… Christ was a minister of the circumcision (Israel)…” (Rom 15:8)

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: ⁶ But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matt. 10:5-6)

Today we live in what Paul calls the “But now” after the cross. So all was not lost for the Gentiles because a few years after the cross Christ from heaven called, saved, and gave Paul the “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) “for ye Gentiles” (Eph 3:1-5). The good news of Paul’s grace gospel includes the Rapture of the Gentile “body of Christ” to dwell “eternal in the heaven” (cf. 1Thes 4:13-18; 1Cor 15:51-52; 2Cor 5:1).

“… YE (Ephesian believers) being in time past GENTILES in the flesh…¹²… YE WERE WITHOUT CHRIST, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having NO HOPE, and WITHOUT GOD in the world ¹³BUT NOW in Christ Jesus ye (Gentiles) who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Eph 2:11-13).

In speaking to Israel Jesus prophesied of His leaving and coming again (Jn 14:3). He said the time of His coming again would “begin” (Matt 24:4-8, Luke 21:28) with “signs” (Luke 21 below), these to occur over several years. His 2^nd coming is NOT to be “in a moment, in twinkling of the eye” (1Cor 15:52) as will be for the Rapture of the “body of Christ.” His 2^nd coming won’t occur “Until the Times of the Gentiles Be Fulfilled.”

“²⁴(Israel) shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, Until The Times Of The Gentiles Be Fulfilled. ²⁵there Shall Be “SIGNS” in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth DISTRESS OF NATIONS, with perplexity (not knowing which way to turn); the sea and the waves (of humanity) roaring; ²⁶men’s Hearts Failing Them For Fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth…” (Luke 21:24-26a).

The evil doings of Antichrist, and then God’s “vengeance” upon the world, will bring men low; to serve God’s purpose in dispensing His long due the judgment to turn the heart of rebellious Israel to the Lord. Only then will Israel “glory at His appearing” (1Peter 1:7). This remnant of Israel will then, of their own freewill, receive Jesus as the Christ (Messiah) in the light of their now recognized need. These then will then enjoy His unending love, mercy, and grace toward them forever in His Kingdom on earth.

Paul wrote of the Lord’s coming “vengeance” (v8) to fall upon those who “receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thess. 2:8-10). Mankind long ago declared war on God, killing His prophets, and then on His Son. Peter wrote that God is still withholding the judgments of “the Day of the Lord,” saying it that “Day” will to come upon lost mankind unexpectedly.

^“But the DAY OF THE LORD will come as a thief in the night (unexpectedly); in the which the heavens shall pass away (go dark?) with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10).

At the consummation of the Millennium Christ will then return to earth, not forgetting His promise to “the twelve Apostles” who “walked with Him.” They will sit on “twelve thrones” in His eternal Kingdom (Matt. 19:28), reigning forever on the New Earth (Rev 20:6). The Roman Popes wrongly claim to be successors to the Apostle Peter. There can be no successors to Peter or the other Apostles since only the original “twelve” who Jesus said will be resurrected in the “first resurrection” (Revelation 20:6, cf. 1Cor 15:20-24) to occupy the “twelve thrones” of authority in Christ’s Millennial and Eternal Kingdoms.

The culmination of the ages begins with the Rapture and removal of the Gentile “body of Christ” from planet earth, then comes the 7 years of Tribulation judgments. The purpose of these judgments is twofold; 1) to bring judgment on a Christ hating world, and 2) to purge, refine and prepare the believing remnant of Israel for their righteous reign as “the priests of God and Christ” (Rev 20:6) in the eternal Kingdom.

At the final fall of the “Powers (Satan & the fallen angelic spirits) of Heaven Shall Be Shaken (toppled).” This is “the Devil and his angels” of the 2^nd heaven being “cast into the earth” (Rev. 12:7). The Devil and his host will be toppled by Michael the Lord’s Archangel in the “midst” of the 7-year Tribulation (cf. Dan 9:27).

Satan being “cast into the earth” will commence his horrific acts in the person of the Antichrist, and testified to by a man the Bible calls “the false prophet.” – A religious leader who will say Antichrist is Christ.

“in the latter time of their (the Gentile’s) kingdom, when the transgressors (Heb. pasha, apostates) are come to the full, a king (Antichrist) of fierce countenance, and understanding (Heb. bin, distinguishing) dark (tricky) sentences, shall stand up. ²⁴ And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully (as being supposedly good, cf. v25), and shall prosper, and practise (perform), and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people (Israel). ²⁵ And through his policy also he shall cause craft  to (by fraud of craftiness appearing to) prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and BY (for supposed) PEACE shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes (the Lord); but HE SHALL BE BROKEN WITHOUT HAND (by God, cf. Daniel 8:23-25) “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, ⁸ And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. ⁹ And the GREAT DRAGON was cast out, that OLD SERPENT, called THE DEVIL (the accuser), and SATAN (the adversary), which Deceiveth The Whole World: He Was Cast Out Into The Earth, and his angels were cast out with him. ¹⁰ And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, NOW IS COME Salvation, and Strength, and the Kingdom Of Our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (Rev. 12:7-10)

Some think God’s “wrath” in judgment will come only at the 6^th Seal (Rev 6:12) in the 4^th year of the Tribulation or later, but this is not correct. Christ said these awful events will span the 7-year Tribulation as the judgments from the time that these things “BEGIN to come to come to pass” (see Luke 21:28, below).

“Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the POWERS (fallen angelic powers) of HEAVEN shall be SHAKEN (Gk., saleous, toppled). ²⁷ And THEN shall they see the SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory.

²⁸ And when these things BEGIN (commence) TO COME TO PASS, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your (Israel’s Kingdom believers) redemption” (cf. Isa 54:5, 8) draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:26b-28)

The “Beast (Antichrist)” will have miraculous powers be eloquent (Rev 13:5), attracting and deceive “the whole world” (Rev 12:9), in opposition to God. In Rev 13:11 we see  reference to “another beast,”  also called “the false prophet” (Rev 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). It appears that the “false prophet” will be an imposter Christian religious leader who will sway the western world. “I beheld ANOTHER BEAST (the false prophet) coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb (Christian-like), and (but) he spake as a dragon. ¹² And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast (Antichrist) before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. (Revelation 13:11-12)

So the actual “Dragon (Satan)” and the “Beast (Antichrist)” are accompanied by a third, “the False Prophet” (Rev 12:9). Just as the third person in the Holy Trinity is “the Holy Spirit,” bears witness to the person and work of Christ in glorifying God, so shall the third person in the Evil Trinity, the “false prophet” will bear witness to the person and work of the Antichrist, glorifying him as Christ(cf. Rev.13:11-14). This Satanic trinity will be fully developed and at work in the Tribulation.

“And I (John) saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of THE DRAGON (SATAN), and out of the mouth of THE BEAST (the Antichrist), and out of the mouth of THE FALSE PROPHET. ¹⁴ For they are the SPIRITS OF DEVILS (demons), WORKING MIRACLES, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” (Revelation 16:13-14)

The first beast, the Antichrist, is seen as a false ‘lamb’ implying he’s a messiah, but this “lamb” with two “horns,” is the “false prophet,” having supernatural power to “make fire down from heaven (Gk., ouranos, sky) to earth” (Rev 13:13). The signs he performs, combined with the demonic words he speaks (cf. Rev 16:13-14), will cause people to give their allegiance to and even worship the first “Beast (Antichrist)” (Rev 13:14). The “false prophet” will have religious influence and, inspired by “the Dragon (Satan),” and he will successfully convince most of the world to commit idolatry in worshipping “the Beast” (the Antichrist) (Rev 13:12). This evil trinity of the Antichrist, the false prophet, and Satan will work in unison against the purposes of the Lord in establishing His eternal Kingdom on earth... but they will ultimately be “cast into the lake of fire” that was “prepared for the devil and His angels” (Matt 25:41).

Satan’s way is to counterfeit and deceive. There is Christ and “His angels” (Matt.24:31), then we also read of the Devil and “his angels” (Matt.25:41). Christ worked miracles, so also will “Satan” (2 Thess. 2:9). Christ is to be seated upon His “Throne,” so also will Satan (Rev. 2:13, Gk. thronos). Christ has the “Church,” Satan has his “synagogue” (Rev. 2:9). Christ has a “bride” (Israel), then Satan has his “whore” (Rev.17:16). God has His “Vine” and Satan has a vine destined for the winepress (Rev.14:19). God has the Holy city, “the new Jerusalem,” Satan has a city, “Babylon” (Rev.17:5; 18:2). There is the “mystery of godliness” (1 Tim 3:16), so also there is what Paul calls “the mystery of iniquity” (2 Thess.2:7). God has His “only-begotten Son,” so we read of “the Son of Perdition (hell)” (2 Thess.2:3). Christ is also called “the Seed of the woman (Eve),” the one who God said would “crush the head” of the Antichrist, called “the seed of the serpent” (Gen.3:15).