A REVELATION VIEW
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
A Revelation View
A Fourteen
Year Tribulation?
Time
Line
PREFACE
The following is a brief
summary of chapters 4 through 22 of the
book of Revelation with a number of
observations and interpretations of my own
offered. Not all events or verses are
specifically mentioned in this view.
Also, I'm not
saying this view or interpretation is
entirely correct. I may be wrong in some
but I hope not all of the view presented.
I think it is a very good view. If one is
interested in the book of Revelation and a
better understanding of it and one were to
follow along in the book of Revelation as
this view presented here is read I think
it would be found to be edifying. This is
a clear, straightforward approach that
makes a lot of sense out of what I know
before to me has been a very bewildering
book.
All scripture
references or quotes are from the 1611
King James version of the Bible.
A
REVELATION VIEW
(A COMMENTARY ON
REVELATION)
THE COMMENCEMENT
(THE LAMB TAKES THE
BOOK)
Chapters 4 and 5:
These chapters
depict a scene in heaven of the throne,
cherubim, elders, angels, and the seven
Spirits of God. The lamb takes a book out
of the hand of the Father and all heaven
and earth give praise. The door which was
open to John the revelator will be open at
this time for all creation to see through.
When the tribulation period officially
begins by the Lord taking the book out of
the Father's hand and opening the first
seal, those on earth will be aware of and
witnessing it's commencement (Rev.5.13).
Before the door is opened there will be
lightning and thundering from the throne
(Rev.4.5) to get the world's attention.
THE PRELUDE
(SEALS 1 THROUGH 5)
Chapter
6:
Seal
one: A white horse and a rider with a bow
and a crown going forth conquering and to
conquer. This is the peace and safety
spoken of by Paul the apostle ("For when
they shall say peace and safety then
cometh sudden destruction..." 1
Thess.5.3.) What better exclamation point
could the world add to this boast of peace
and safety than to be able to say that all
modern day weaponry has been effectually
banned off the face of the earth?
In Ezekiel chapters 38
and 39 it mentions "all sorts of armor",
but that speaks of defensive covering, not
offensive weaponry, or even a catch-all
phrase to include it. Since it seems that
man is prone to use whatever weapons are
at hand in warfare one might conclude that
there are no modern day weapons available
at the time of Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39
events. Why? Because they've been
effectually banned. When? By the first
seal or by the end of the first seal. So?
Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 could take
place at seal 2.
Seal two: A red horse
and a rider with a great sword and power
to take peace from off the earth, that
they should kill one another. Events of
Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 take place at
this time as part of the second seal
judgment.
Seals three and four:
A black horse and famine and then a pale
horse with death and hell. Power has been
given over the fourth part of the earth to
kill with sword, hunger, death, and beasts
of the earth (Rev.6.8)
Seal five: Depicts
under the altar of God the souls of those
slain for the word of God and for the
testimony which they held. By the end of
the fifth seal God's church has been
purged unto death.
THE CURTAIN RAISER
"GREAT EXPECTATIONS"
(SEAL 6)
Chapter 7:
Seal six: The surviving church, made up of
Gentiles and 144,000 Jews, receive the
seal of God upon their foreheads. From
here on the church is protected from the
judgments of the tribulation until God
translates it at the seventh trumpet.
THE MAIN SHOW
SEAL 7 THROUGH
ARMAGEDDON
PART ONE
SEAL 7 THROUGH THE
GREAT ARMY OF THE 6TH TRUMPET
Chapter
8:
Seal seven: Seven
angels with seven trumpets.
Trumpet one: Hail
and fire mingled with blood and a third
part of trees and all green grass is burnt
up.
Trumpet two: As
it were a great mountain burning with fire
is cast into the ocean and a third part of
the sea becomes blood. A third part of all
creatures in the sea die. A third part of
ships are destroyed.
Trumpet three: A
great star called Wormwood falls from
heaven upon the third part of rivers and
upon the fountains of waters and the third
part of waters become wormwood. Many men
die of the waters because they are made
bitter.
Trumpet four: A
third part of the sun, a third part of the
moon, and a third part of the stars are
smitten so as a third part of them are
darkened and a third part of the day and a
third part of the night shine not.
Perhaps in the
purging of God's church by the end of the
fifth seal one third of that church
(Jewish and Gentile believers) has
perished and in remembrance of this
trumpet judgments one through four involve
portions of one third.
Then an angel
flies through the midst of heaven (the
sky) cryng, "Woe, woe, woe to the
inhabiters of earth by reason of the other
voices of the trumpets of the three angels
which are yet to sound."
Chapter 9:
Trumpet five:
Apollyon is king over locusts ascending
out of the bottomless pit. These locusts
have tails with stings in them like
scorpions; "...and their power is to hurt
men five months. The shapes of the locusts
are like unto horses prepared unto battle;
on their heads are as it were crowns like
gold, and their faces are as the faces of
men. And they have hair as the hair of
women, and their teeth are as the teeth of
lions. And they have breastplates of iron;
and the sound of their wings is as the
sound of chariots of many horses running
to battle. And they are commanded to hurt
not the grass of the earth, neither any
tree; but only those men which have not
the seal of God upon their foreheads."
I take this chapter
quite literally. These are atypical but
real live locusts that come out of a
bottomless pit. Astonishing creatures yet
just as described. I've heard these days
that even man is able, or soon able, to
create who knows what kind of creatures
through DNA manipulation; to clone; and
even create human body parts. How much
more so God can create such locusts as
described in the fifth trumpet judgment.
Since God protects his
sealed church from the power of the
locusts I would imagine that he is
protecting it from harm from the time its'
members received God's seal (at the sixth
seal) right up to its' seventh trumpet
translation.
Trumpet six: Four
angels which are bound in the river
Euphrates are loosed, which are prepared
for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a
year for to slay the third part of men.
The next verse states;
"And the number of the army of the
horsemen were two hundred thousand
thousand (200 million): and I heard the
number of them. And thus I saw the horses
in the vision, and them that sat on them,
having breastplates of fire, and of
jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of
the horses were as the heads of lions: and
out of their mouths issued fire, and
smoke, and brimstone. By these was the
third part of men killed, by the fire, and
by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which
issued out of their mouths. For their
power is in their mouth, and in their
tails: for their tails were like unto
serpents, and had heads, and with them
they do hurt."
I take this sixth
trumpet quite literally, too. That is,
these are live horses and horsemen, not
some symbolic description of modern day
tanks or mobile weapons. And they don't
come from the east. This is not the sixth
vial judgment where the Euphrates river is
dried up to make way for the kings of the
east. That comes later. This is part of
the sixth trumpet judgment and the
implication is that these 200 million
horses and horsemen come up out of the
river Euphrates. After all, if live
locusts can come out of a bottomless pit
so can 200 million horses and horsemen
come out of the river Euphrates.
PART TWO
THE LITTLE BOOK PROPHECY
THROUGH ARMAGEDDON
(WHICH COVERS THE WEEK (7
YEARS) OF THE COVENANT)
ACT ONE
THREE AND ONE-HALF YEARS OF
THE TWO WITNESSES
Chapters
10 and 11:
The sixth
trumpet continues: A little book is
given to John the revelator for him to
swallow. The little book is the
covenant that the beast makes with
Israel that is broken three and
one-half years after it begins. As
part of the covenant the Jews are
allowed a temple in Jerusalem but the
rest of the city is given to the
Gentiles. As if in response to this
covenant God sends his two witnesses
to prophecy for three and one-half
years and gives them power to smite
any who would harm them and the power
to bring plagues upon the earth. After
the three and one-half years, when the
two witnesses have finished their
testimony, the beast that ascends out
of the bottomless pit makes war with
them, overcomes, and kills them. After
three and one-half days God revives
them and receives them up into heaven.
There is a great earthquake. The sixth
trumpet judgment ends.
The sixth
trumpet judgment, then, lasts from the
beginning of one year, one month, one
day, and one hour of the great army
that slays a third of men through
three and one-half years of God's two
witnesses, for a total of over four
and one-half years.
ACT TWO
THE GREAT FLOOD COMES IN
(TRUMPET SEVEN THROUGH
ARMAGEDDON)
THREE AND ONE-HALF YEARS
OF THE SEVEN VIALS
Trumpet seven: The seventh trumpet
sounds, the church is translated,
and this also marks the beginning
of the great flood, the last three
and one-half years of the
tribulation.
Chapter
12:
The
church is translated. A vision of
a woman, a dragon, and a child
caught up unto heaven. Though
there be a symbolism here
difficult to figure, one thing,
that seems to fit the tenor of the
whole book of Revelation, is that
this vision is not a looking back
to the days of Christ on earth and
his birth at that time. Everything
that is presented in the book of
Revelation proceeds in a
chronological order, or presents a
preface to events as they are
going to occur in an ongoing
chronological order. As this
vision occurs at the sounding of
the seventh trumpet, the events of
this vision actually take place at
this time. On the basis of this
reasoning, then, the birth of the
child and its being caught up unto
heaven cannot be a vision of the
birth of Christ about 2000 years
ago. The only reasonable
possibility left is the
translation of the church. Paul
even uses the same expression in 1
Thessalonians 4.16-17,
"caught up unto heaven", when he
spoke of the translation of the
church at the last trump. Also,
the seventh trumpet, the time of
this vision, is the last of the
seven trumpets. Paul said the
translation of the church would
take place at the "last trump" (1
Corinthians15.52).
The woman
then flees into the wilderness.
The woman whose child was caught
up unto heaven is the elect Israel
which at the time of the seventh
trumpet sounding has not yet
believed unto salvation, else they
would have been translated, too.
Yet, being destined to believe,
God will deliver her. After the
seventh trumpet translation the
beast breaks the covenant with
Israel and Israel is surrounded by
armies. Up to half of Israel
perishes (Zechariah 14.1-2). The
other half, the elect Israel,
flees into the wilderness where
God has prepared a place for them
for the duration of the
tribulation. Gentiles, who were
also destined to believe in Christ
but did not at the time of the
seventh trumpet translation,
provide refuge for the scattered,
elect Israel. Though during this
last three and one-half years of
tribulation many Gentile believers
will lose their lives for their
faith, enough will survive to
provide refuge for elect Israel
and even carry them back to Israel
after Armageddon.
Chapter 13:
The beast
rises up. Paul wrote in 2nd
Thessalonians 2.3, "...and that
man of sin be revealed, the son of
perdition, who opposes and
exalteth himself above all that is
called God, or that is worshiped;
so that he as God sitteth in the
temple of God, showing himself
that he is God.". And in 2nd
Thessalonians 2.8, "And then shall
that wicked be revealed, whom the
Lord shall consume with the spirit
of his mouth, and shall destroy
with the brightness of his
coming:".
Yet, if
one were to examine closely
Revelation chapter 13, one would
find that the only thing that is
worshiped in the worshiping of the
beast is this seven headed
creature and an image, not of a
man, but of a seven headed
creature. And nowhere in the book
of the Revelation is the beast
described as, or worshiped, as a
man. How is this reconciled?
In
chapter 2 of the book of Daniel
the beast is depicted as a man.
This man is the representation of
the four kingdoms of the Gentile
age. Paul is depicting the beast,
and his worship, as the man image
of all four kingdoms as
represented in the 2nd chapter of
the book of Daniel. Whereas, the
depiction of the beast in the book
of Revelation is in the form of
the seven headed creature,
worshiped as such, and the image
that is worshiped is the image of
this seven headed creature, which
had one of its heads wounded as it
were unto death, yet survived.
There will be no incarnated devil
in the form of a man. It is this
seven headed beast, and an image
of this seven headed beast, that
will be worshiped.
The image
of the beast is actually the
representation of a devil.
Specifically, the devil that is
behind pagan idol republic. Only
today he is not yet blatantly
revealed as a god as he will be
after the seventh trumpet
translation of the church, with
the names of blasphemy upon his
heads (i.e., the republic of the
U.S., the republic of France, the
republic of Germany, the republic
of England, etc.; or perhaps, the
United Nations security council
with its five permanent members
and ten non-permanent members will
come to have seven permanent
members, and this body of nations
with republican forms of
government will be the seven heads
and ten horns of the beast).
Thus,
even today, many people and many
Christians are already worshiping
the beast. But it is one thing to
be caught up in an evil; it is
quite another to be locked in and
refuse to budge. God will try his
children and he will try the
world. 2nd Thessalonians 2.10-11
states, "Because they receive not
the love of the truth God shall
send them strong delusion..."
A second
beast (called the false prophet in
Revelation chapter 16 verse 13 and
chapter 19 verse 20) rises up out
of the earth, having two horns
like a lamb, and he speaks as a
dragon. Since the sea, which the
first beast rises out of, is the
Gentile nations, as indicated by
Revelation chapter 17 verse 15,
the earth would indicate the
nation Israel. And since the first
beast is the particular devil that
is behind pagan idol republic,
likely this second beast, or false
prophet, is the particular devil
behind the republic of Israel.
Ever hear
the expression, "the spirit of
democracy"?, or the expression,
"the voice of democracy"? Well,
the first beast and the second
beast are spirits (devils) and
they are given voices, too. So
this second beast, the false
prophet, speaks as a dragon
(Revelation 13 verse 11). And what
does he say? Something like;
"Behold the first beast, and
worship him! The world's messiah!
And he brings to you a thousand
years of peace!" If he is a false
prophet what is he prophesying? A
thousand years of peace with the
beast would sound likely.
Revelation chapter 13 verse 18
speaks of the number of the beast
(666) as being the number of a
man. This does not have to mean
that the beast is a man having
this number, but could merely
signify that the development and
use of this number is credited to
a particular person. And that a
wise man will recognize this
number as the number of the seven
headed beast.
Also,
just by way of an interesting
thought, what is the decimal
equivalent of two/thirds? It is
.666. Perhaps it is not too far a
stretch to reckon that 2/3rds of
the world (and angels) end up
siding with Satan and that then
this is the spiritual significance
of the number 666.
Chapter 14:
An
overview of the last three and
one-half years of the tribulation.
The Lamb and 144,000 redeemed from
among men, as the first fruits
unto God and to the Lamb, stand
upon mount Zion and sing a new
song before God.
Then, an
angel flies through the midst of
heaven (the sky) preaching the
everlasting Gospel to them on
earth.
Another
angel follows proclaiming the
demise of that great city Babylon.
A third
angel follows, warning that if any
man worships the beast and his
image, and receives his mark in
his forehead or hand, the same
shall know the wrath and judgment
of God. To heed this warning at
this time is the patience of the
saints: in this are they that keep
the commandments of God and the
faith of Jesus.
And then
one like unto the Son of man reaps
the harvest of the earth. This is
where the beast causes many
believers to pay for their faith
with their lives during this last
three and one-half years as the
beast makes war with the saints
(those who believed during this
time) and overcomes them. These
saints destined for heaven are a
harvest unto the Lord.
Another
angel thrusts his sharp sickle
into the earth. This is another
harvesting. Only it is of the
wicked, at the end of the
tribulation, at Armageddon.
Chapter 15:
Seven
angels are each given a vial
containing the last seven plagues.
In them is filled up the wrath of
God.
Chapter 16:
The
seven angels pour out their
vials.
Vial one:
A noisome and grievous sore falls
upon the men which have the mark
of the beast and upon them which
worship his image.
Vial two:
The sea becomes as the blood of a
dead man:and every living soul in
the sea dies.
Vial
three: The rivers and fountains of
waters become blood.
Vial
four: The sun scorches men with
great heat and men blaspheme God.
Vial
five: The beast's kingdom is
filled with darkness and they gnaw
their tongues for pain and
blaspheme God.
Vial six:
The water of the river Euphrates
is dried up that the way of the
kings of the east might be
prepared. Three unclean spirits go
forth to gather the nations for
the battle of Armageddon.
THE GRAND FINALE
VIAL SEVEN (BABYLON
IS JUDGED, ARMAGEDDON, ETC.)
Vial seven: A great earthquake
and the cities of the nations
fall. A plague of great hail.
Chapter 17:
How
Babylon shall be judged. The
beast turns against Babylon.
At the beginning of the last
three and one-half years of
the tribulation the seven
headed and ten horned beast
rose up and took power over
all kindreds, tongues, and
nations. At the time of this
seventh vial, five kings
(republics) have ruled, the
sixth is in power, and the
seventh has not yet taken
power. When he comes he
continues a short space. And
the beast that was, and is not
(had one of its' heads wounded
as it were unto death), and
yet is (yet lived), even he is
the eighth king (republic),
and is of the seven.
This
eighth king (republic), even
the beast himself, together
with the ten horns who receive
power with the beast at this
time, turn on Babylon (the
city of the money men) and
destroy her.
Chapter 18:
Describes the fall of Babylon.
Chapter 19:
Heaven rejoices at the fall of
Babylon. Christ and his armies
defeat the beast and his
armies at Armageddon. Both the
beast and the false prophet
are cast alive into the lake
of fire burning with
brimstone.
Chapter 20:
Satan
is bound and cast into the
bottomless pit for a thousand
years.
The
first resurrection, consisting
of the believers in Christ
from creation to the
translation and also those who
lost their lives for their
faith in Christ during the
last three and one-half years
of the tribulation, will live
and reign with Christ for a
thousand years.
After
1000 years Satan is released
and once again gathers the
nations against the saints,
but fire comes down from God
out of heaven and devours
them. The devil is cast into
the lake of fire and
brimstone.
The
great white throne judgment
where the dead are judged.
Since those of the first
resurrection already have
eternal life with God, this
white throne judgment, being
for the dead, must be for
those who died without Christ
before and during the
millennium and those who died
in Christ during the
millennium.
Chapter 21:
A new
heaven and a new earth. The
first heaven and the first
earth are passed away; and
there is no more sea. The new
Jerusalem is described.
For
the rest of eternity the
Church (made up of all
believers from creation to the
translation at the seventh
trumpet, and maybe those who
died in Christ during the last
three and one-half years of
the tribulation (who were also
part of the first
resurrection) and possibly
those who believed in Christ
during the last three and
one-half years of the
tribulation and survived to
Christ's coming) will inhabit
the new Jerusalem with God
himself and with Christ. Those
who become Christ's during the
millennium will inhabit the
new earth.
Chapter
22:
The
river of life proceeding out
of the throne of God and of
the Lamb.
Jesus
testifies to the surety of the
Revelation prophecies and
exhorts his church to believe
them and be faithful.
A
FOURTEEN YEAR TRIBULATION
PERIOD?
It goes seven seals, then
seven trumpets, then seven
vials. Seal one through
trumpet four mentions no
specific time periods.
Trumpet five is five
months. Trumpet six is
roughly four years and
seven months (one year,
one month, one day, and
one hour of a great army,
then three and one-half
years of the two
witnesses). Trumpet seven,
which encompasses the last
seven vials, is three and
one-half years. So, from
trumpet five through
Armageddon is roughly, if
not exactly, eight and
one-half years (five
months, plus one year and
one month, plus seven
years). If one knew how
long seal one through
trumpet four took, one
could figure the total
time of the tribulation
period. But it is not
given.
I
would offer what I believe
is some pretty good
speculation. Could be
wrong though. However; In
the law it is written that
if a thief be found he
shall restore double. I
believe that the evil
today is on the threshold
of being unstoppable, of
going on forever. Yet,
just before it does, God
is going to stop it. It's
God's earth after all and
he is a jealous God. And
like a thief being found,
God, in the coming
tribulation period, is
going to be catching the
evil trying to make off
completely with his world.
And like a thief being
found, make it pay double.
Hence, two seven year
periods of tribulation.
Both
are broken up into two
three and one-half year
segments. Three and
one-half years under seal
one, where the world says
peace and safety; the
white horse of the
apocalypse. Then seal two
through the great army of
the sixth trumpet is three
and one-half years. So, it
is three and one-half
years of relative peace
and safety followed by a
much more difficult three
and one-half years.
Then
comes the second seven
years, which starts just
after the great army, but
still during the sixth
trumpet judgment. This is
the week (seven years) of
the beast's covenant with
Israel. The first three
and one-half years of this
second time period is the
period of the two
witnesses and concludes
the sixth trumpet
judgment. Then, at the
seventh trumpet, the
purged Church is
translated and the
abomination of desolation
is set up in the temple in
Israel as the last three
and one-half years are the
great flood of judgment
from God that ends at
Armageddon.
So,
it's like three and
one-half years of relative
peace and safety, then
three and one-half years
of trial. Then three and
one-half years of the two
witnesses then three and
one-half years of a great
flood of judgment with
its' last seven vials.
By way
of note, this time allows
for seven years of time
from the defeat of Gog and
Magog and their allies
when they try to attack
Israel (Ezekiel 38 and 39)
at seal two until the set
up of the abomination of
desolation when Israel is
once again attacked and
the elect Israel flees
into the wilderness.
Because it mentions in
Ezekiel 38 and 39 that
Israel shall be gathering
of the weapons of Gog and
Magog and their allies and
using them for fuel for
seven years. I imagine
that once Israel is again
attacked at the time of
the set up of the
abomination of desolation
it won't be able to gather
those weapons for fuel
very well. Or, perhaps by
then they will simply have
been burned up. But the
three and one-half years
from seal two (which
includes Ezekiel 38 and
39) through the great army
judgment plus the three
and one-half years of the
two witnesses makes for
those seven years of the
gathering of the weapons
for fuel.
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