Fulfilled Prophecies

Revelation - Revelation 11:18 was fulfilled in 70 AD. God's wrath was poured out on apostate
poster Revelation - Revelation 11:18 was fulfilled in 70 AD. God's wrath was poured out on apostate


By Dan Maines

Revelation 11:18 (NASB)

"And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth."

This verse was future when John wrote it, but it was fulfilled in the first century with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

The wrath refers to God's covenantal judgment on apostate Israel, as Jesus foretold in Matthew 23:35-36:

"So that upon you will fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth... Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation."

The judgment of the dead was not a global resurrection event, but the vindication of the faithful saints and martyrs under the Old Covenant.

This matches Revelation 6:10 where the souls cried out, "How long, O Lord... will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood?"

The reward was entrance into the New Covenant Kingdom, symbolized as the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2), the restored presence of God with His people.

It was eternal life, resurrection from Sheol, and full access to God through the New Covenant.

The faithful received what Jesus promised in Matthew 13:43:

"Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father."

The destruction of those who destroy the earth (land) refers to the judgment on the corrupt leaders of Israel who polluted the covenant land.

This ties to Matthew 22:7:

"But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire."

In summary:

Revelation 11:18 was fulfilled in 70 AD. God's wrath was poured out on apostate Jerusalem, the dead were judged and vindicated, and the faithful received their reward, eternal life, covenantal resurrection, and full access to the Kingdom of God.

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