"Which things are an allegory: ...." Galatians 4:24

The five phases: Kingdom Judgment Redemption Harvest Finale

This is an outline of the End Times from the Church’s point of view. The sequence of events can roughly be broken up into 5 phases. I am going to define these phases; and then present examples from scripture where they are illustrated.

To properly understand all this, keep in mind that these phases are overlapping, except the finale. And the phases are loosely defined and will not all occur in the same part of the Body of Christ at the same time. So strive to be skillful in the word as you read this.

Phase 1. The Kingdom. This is the Lord coming to take up His Kingdom.

It is commonly taught that the millennium, Christ’s 1000 year reign with his saints, begins after His return to earth. You will find as I did that things make much more since, when you realize that the 1000 years begins with Christ coming to his Church and beginning to rule there. This is the coming of the King. The Kingdom comes to the Church first, because the King comes to the Church first. Solomon began to rule in a chaotic time and gradually extended his rule by wise judgment. Likewise Jesus comes to rule in his Church and gradually extends his rule throughout the church for 3 and a half years. All the time intervals in the book of revelation are 1000 years or equal to 3 and a half years, except the 3 and a half days mentioned at the end of revelation 11. This is a textual clue that this 3 and a half years is the last 3 and half days of Daniel’s 70^th week.

We are not going into proving this at this point so for the sake of argument we are assuming that the Millennium, the 3 and a half year kingdom of the beast and the three and a half year ministry of the end time Church begin at the same point. That point is the kingdom phase

Phase 2. The Judgment. The coming of the King must bring judgment, because the King is the Judge and Judgment must begin at the house of God. This is the period where the Lord purges and purifies the Church by means of judgments against her. It will consist of strife within the Church, and attacks against the Church from outside as well as other general judgments. It is the great shaking.

Phase 3. The Redemption. The Lords purpose for judgment is often redemption. This phase is the ending of the judgment. It includes many elements. Revival, Restoration, Reformation and Revelation. It is God coming in awesome holiness and irresistible power. It is the Fear of the Lord and The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Phase 4. The Harvest. This is the great ingathering of souls. This time when the gospel will be preached through all the world. This is the time that the Church will become the spotless bride that Lord desires as the remaining unsaved members are brought in.

Phase 5. The Finale This is the Second Coming of Christ in clouds of glory to execute the final judgments and fight the final battles. This is when his saints and holy ones come with him and the dead in Christ will rise.

Now the following examples will not show all 5 phases, some will show just 1 or 2, others may show all 5. Recall the story of the 5 blind men who studied the elephant and each came away with a different report.

Matthew 8. 23 ¶ And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! Verse 23 speaks of the Kingdom. Jesus entering the ship is Jesus entering the Church. His disciples following him, shows the end result, his people obey him. Verse 24 and 25 illustrate the great judgments to come. The tempest of the sea, is the persecution by the people of the earth. Verse 26,27 show the restoration phase. The Lord puts a halt to the judgments and reveals his awesome power to his people. John 8: 1 ¶ Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Now here, Jesus coming to the temple is the Kingdom Phase. As you see the woman brought before him, notice he is seated. This is a clear picture of the Church coming before the Judgment Seat of Christ. So it is the Judgment phase. Verse 10 is the redemption and verse 11 speaks of redemption and harvest as He commissions her to GO! John 16: 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. In this passage Jesus prophecies to the disciples regarding the judgment phase and the joy to come afterward in the redemption phase. Isaiah 1 21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
24 Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.
2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Here in Isaiah 1, verse 21 summarizes the reasons for judgment on the city, the Church. In verse 24, he declares his intention to bring that judgment. And verse 27, where Zion speaks of the Church, is a key description of his intentions where the judgment phase will lead to the redemption phase and that to the harvest, the converts. And again redemption and the converts are the subject of verses 2 and 3 in chapter 2. In this passage the phrase ‘mountain of the Lord’s House’ refers to the Church. And notice especially in verse 3 where it is referred to as the Mountain of the Lord, the House of the God of Jacob, Zion and Jerusalem! Isaiah 28:14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. Here the Lord addresses the scornful men that rule this people, that is to the pastors and overseers of his Church. Verse 15 lists some reasons for the Judgment phase. Verse 16 speaks of the cornerstone being laid in Zion. This is Jesus coming to the Church and thus is the kingdom phase. And again in verse 17 judgment is mentioned along with righteousness, just as in Isaiah 1:27. Note that the line and the plummet are tools of a carpenter! Jesus uses the line and the plummet not to build with. Other tools are for that. These tools are for measurement! In other words they are instruments of judgment. The line and the plummet are used to see that the Church measures up to what God has intended for it. Lets look further. Isaiah 28: 24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?
26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
28 Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.
29 This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. Here the plowman breaks up the fallow ground. This is the judgment phase. In verse 25, he casts in the seed. This is redemption preparing for harvest. Verse 26 shows the plowman instructed by the Father, indicating that Jesus is the plowman. And in verse 28 we see threshing instruments of an unusual sort. The rod and the staff are the tools of the shepherd! So here we find Jesus the carpenter, the plowman and the shepherd, all in one passage. Isaiah 29: 13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
17 ¶ Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
22 Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.
23 But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. Isaiah 29 covers much of the same ground and chapter 28. Verse 13 again gives a reason for the Judgment phase about to come. In verse 14 we see a reference to a marvellous work That marvellous work is the kingdom phase we spoke of above concerning chapter 28. This cross reference from Psalm 118 may make it clear. Ps 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. Verse 17 alludes to a soon coming harvest, while the rest of the chapter tells the results of the restoration phase to follow the judgment. Verse 24 reminds me of Isaiah 52:8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. Isaiah 60 1 ¶ Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. Here Isaiah speaks of the redemption phase followed by the harvest. Verse 1, "arise, shine" speaks of his people coming through the judgment and being filled with the glory, while the rest details the harvest. Psalm 2: 1 ¶ Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. Here the first three verses speak of the persecution of the Church during the judgment phase, while verse 4 and 5 tell of the redemption . Verse 6 is of course part of the Kingdom phase. Psalm 48 11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. These verses speak of the redemption phase with great rejoicing coming after the judgments, and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the Church. Verse 14 may allude to the Finale phase. Psalm 65: 1 <<To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David.>> Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
2 O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.
3 Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
5 By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:
7 Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
9 Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.
10 Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.
11 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.
12 They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.
13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing. Here verse 1 says praise waiteth for thee oh God in zion. The implication here is that the Lord then must come to Zion. So this speaks of the kingdom phase. The Lord coming to his kingdom. The promise here in one of obedience as it says, unto thee shall the vow be performed. And later it says to you all flesh will come. Verses 3-5 speak of the Judgment seat. That is of being chosen to come before him. Bro. Rick Joyner tells in his vision the Hordes of Hell, that the judgment seat is terrible. That he had never seen the Lord look quite so terrible! Verse 5, in mentioning the terrible things alludes to this. Verse 7 echoes Matthew 8 where the Lord calmed the sea. It indicates that the roaring of the sea is none other than the tumult of the people. This then is the redemption phase. Verses 9-10 speak of the latter rain coming down on the freshly plowed fields. This leads to the harvest and the abundance mentioned in verses 11-13.

Psalm 74 is a prayer of the Church undergoing the judgment phase. Psalm 89 also is a prayer of the Church undergoing judgment, leading to Psalm 90 this psalm speaks the redemption phase and Psalm 91 speaks of the harvest phase. Psalm 94 is also a prayer of the Church under judgment. See especially verse 3 "...how long shall the wicked triumph?" See also Ps. 130

Psalm 119 is the prayer of the Church in the redemption phase where she is able to say I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee. It is the heart that is the fallow ground broken up by the plowman. In Jeremiah 26:18 Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, ....

Here the plowman is Jesus, and his word is the sword of judgment and also the plow that breaks up the ground. But this is so it can receive the seed, (also the word) and hold it.

Psalm 126: 1 <<A Song of degrees.>> When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
3 The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Here we find the judgment phase ending in verse 1, the redemption phase in verses 2-4 and the harvest in 5-6. Psalm 132 8 Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.
9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.
13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. The key idea here is the Lord arising and coming to his place of rest, Zion, the Church. This is the kingdom phase, the passage in verse 9 speaks of the redemption phase. Revelation 11:... 1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
3 ¶ And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. Here we see the prophet John instructed to measure the temple, the altar and the worshippers. This speaks again of the Church being judged. The measurement is to show that the Church is redeemed when it measures up. This alludes briefly to the judgment and redemption. The outer court is the outside world. The Kingdom has come to the temple, or the Church, but it will not come to the outside world till 42 months after. The two witnesses also speak of the Church and the power to come upon it during the harvest. And verse 7 speaks of the finale. All 5 phases are touched upon here. Revelation 12: 1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
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. Here we see the woman represents the Church. The travail she goes through is the judgment phase. The dragon ready to devour her child speaks of the persecution that is a part of this judgment. The bringing forth of the child is the redemption phase. This is also seen in John 16:21. Verse 10 tells of the kingdom phase as well as the redemption phase.

1st Chronicles 12, a revival chapter speaks of all the tribes of Israel coming together to make David King! This speaks of the redemption phase of the end times when all the denominations of the Church will come together under King Jesus.

Judges 14: 14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?
16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

This case is especially interesting. The answer to Samson’s riddle was "what is sweeter than honey and what is stronger than a lion?" Here the meat and the sweetness are types of the Word of God. Therefore the giving of the answer speaks of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Samson is a type of the Lord and his wife, a type of the Church. The fact that it came to pass on the seventh day, speaks of the millennium. So this is the kingdom phase. His wife weeping before him speaks of the judgment phase. The giving of the answer is the Revelation of Jesus Christ and so it is the redemption phase. The wife immediately giving the answer to the philistines, a type of the world speaks of the Church revealing Jesus to the lost. This then is the harvest phase.

Numbers 5 11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,
13 And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken with the manner;
14 And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:
15 Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, ....
16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD:
24 And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
27 And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.
28 And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed. In this example, the coming before the Lord is the kingdom phase. The bitter water is the judgment phase. [Bitter tears of repentance] and the redemption phase is seen in verse 27-28. If the woman is defiled, the swelling belly speaks of being with child like the woman in Rev. 12. The rotting of the thigh is like Jacob, whose thigh was touched after he wrestled with God at Peniel.. From that point on, he could no longer depend on his own strength. So this is the redemption phase. The alternative of conceiving seed in verse 28 also speaks of pregnancy and bring forth the man-child. Here the Lord is both the High Priest and the Jealous Husband.

Second Corinthians. This entire book clearly speaks of judgment and redemption.

Ephesians This entire book speaks of the Church in the redemption phase, leading to harvest. The kingdom phase is seen in Chapter 1 verse 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

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