And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)
The Two Witnesses testify to the mercy of God that even through severe judgment, God gives a sinful and rebellious world ample opportunity to repent. For the first three-and-one-half years of the Tribulation, they have preached in the streets of Jerusalem and the whole world heard their message so that they have no excuse. Surely, many turned to Christ because of their message, but to be a Christ-believer in these times is a life-commitment indeed. We saw them underneath the altar as those who had been “slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held” (Revelation 6:9).
When “the beast” kills the two witnesses, the world celebrates their demise. However, the jubilation comes to an abrupt end when after three days life returns to their lifeless bodies, and they ascend to heaven as the whole world watches. The shock of such a sight cause many to reconsider their eternal state, and “the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven” (Revelation 11:13).
In the account of the two witnesses, John gave us a brief look back at the previous three-and-one-half years in the midst of the trumpet judgments. Six trumpets have sounded thus far, and one remains to be sounded.
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). The heavenly pronouncement gives a sense of finality for what is to come. It’s game over!
I will not be dogmatic about this. The chronology of these events is all up for debate, and anyone that claims they know doesn’t. However, as it appears to me, the trumpet judgments begin the final three-and-one-half years of the Tribulation. This is the time of Great Tribulation, and the seventh trumpet introduces the final 21 months of the Great Tribulation represented by the seven “bowl” judgments.[1]
For this reason, I believe the heavenly pronouncement announces “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (11:15). It’s a done deal. The end is very near.
“And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned” (Revelation 11:16-17). The end of the horror on earth certainly is cause for celebration knowing that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will soon take His throne.
The worshipers continue. “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:18). The psalmist captures this sentiment perfectly.
Why do the [nations] rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. (Psalm 2:1-4)
“The dead” speaks of those who have rejected God’s free gift of grace through faith.[2] Whether physically alive or physically dead, they are spiritually dead in their sins[3] because they have rejected Christ who is the only source of eternal life.[4] These will be judged at the “Great White Throne Judgment” at the end of the Millennium.[5] By contrast, God’s servants, the prophets, and the saints will enjoy eternal rewards.
Chapter 11 closes with a scene of the Temple of God in heaven and the Ark of the Covenant. “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament [covenant]: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail” (Revelation 11:19). This is the real Temple of God and the real Ark of the Covenant from which the earthly Tabernacle/Temple and Ark were patterned. The “lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail” are just a prelude of what the seventh trumpet announces – the final seven “bowl” judgments.
John describes the “bowl” judgments in Chapter 16. However, before John goes there, he gives us another parenthetical pause to provide insight into the events that have taken place on Earth, so far. Stay tuned!
The time is drawing near. The pieces of the end-times puzzle are falling into place and Christ’s return is closer now than at any time in history. Reader, are you prepared to meet Him? If not, check out my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. (Revelation 11:3)
In the previous chapter (Revelation 10), John introduced us to a “mighty angel” carrying a Little Book who instructed John to eat it. There is a debate as to the identity of this “mighty angel.” I am in the camp that believes this “mighty angel” is none other than Jesus Christ, and the chapter that follows supports this claim, I think.
As you may know, John did not write his Apocalypse with chapter breaks, paragraphs, verses, or sentences separated by periods. Scholars added modern formatting schemes centuries later for ease of reading and locating book, chapter, and verse. John’s was one continuous writing. Therefore, Chapter 10 flows right into Chapter 11.
“And he [the “mighty angel”] said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the [mighty] angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein” (Revelation 10:11; 11:1). Angels do not command men to “prophesy” without the qualifier “thus saith the Lord.” That this angel gives such a direct command argues in favor of this being Christ. Immediately, John receives a measuring rod with which he is to measure the Temple. “What temple?” one might ask. Since the destruction of Herod’s Temple in AD 70, no physical temple building (of God) has existed on earth nor in Jerusalem in particular. This is not the “temple” in heaven, as we will see in the verses that follow.
Presently, there is no temple for John to measure, nor did one exist at the time of John’s writing, so this must still be future. However, it is not too far in the future. Devout Jews in Israel, known as the “Temple Mount Faithful,” are labeled as “an extremist Orthodox Jewish movement, based in Jerusalem, whose goal is to rebuild the Third Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and re-institute the practice of ritual sacrifice.”[1] That description takes a very antisemitic point of view; however, the goal is real. As far as I know, everything is ready for the third Temple[2] to be built. “Today, of course, radical Islam holds sway over the Moslem [SIC] world, and until this phenomenon is defeated, the likelihood of a peaceful preparation for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple remains nil.”[3]
John is given instructions to measure this future temple, but he is told not to measure the outer court “for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” Forty-two months is three and one-half years representing the remaining three and one-half years of the seven-year Tribulation and which is known as “Great Tribulation.”[4] Chronologically, this starts at about the time that the first trumpet sounds.[5] This is also when Antichrist defiles the Temple setting himself up to be worshiped as God.[6] Right now, however, we are in a “parenthesis” as John provides some “behind-the-scenes” details.
The “mighty angel” continues, “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth” (Revelation 11:3-4, emphasis mine). Another reason for concluding that the “mighty angel” is Jesus is because He “will give power” to His “two witnesses.” No normal angel would make such a claim. He identifies these two witnesses as “two olive trees” and “two candlesticks.” The prophet Zechariah saw these two olive trees, and he asked the messenger, “So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? … Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.” (Zechariah 4:4,14). That they are anointed signifies that they are set apart for a special purpose and they “stand by the Lord of the whole earth” awaiting their assignments. Now comes the time for the “mighty angel” to give them their assignments.
These two will prophecy (i.e., preach) for 1260 days or three and one-half years (based on a 360-day year). Earlier we saw that the three and one-half years referred to the last half of the Tribulation. Remember, we are in a parenthesis at this time and this three-and-one-half-year period refers to the first half of the Tribulation; the time when the six seals are opened.[7] During this time, the 144,000 sealed servants of God are preaching all over the world protected by God.[8] Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, these two witnesses are preaching proving again that “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, emphasis mine).
They are given supernatural power for their mission. “And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will” (Revelation 11:5-6). The identity of these two prophets has been a topic of debate over the years. Some suggest that they are Enoch and Elijah because the Bible records that neither of these men died.[9] “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27); therefore, these two are good candidates for the role since neither experienced death; however, we see later that they do indeed die.
Still, there are others that suggest that the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah. They conclude this from the miracles they are said to perform – fire to devour their enemies (Elijah), shut up the rain (Elijah), turn water into blood (Moses), and smite the earth with plagues (Moses). Another point they argue is that these two are the two that met with Jesus at the Transfiguration[10], and together they represent the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah), which are the Word of God. Of the two views, I think the latter offers greater substance; however, I am not ready to make a dogmatic stance either way. For all we know, from John’s description (who, by the way, was present at the Transfiguration), it could be two totally different characters.
Regardless, they minister for the first 3½ years of the Tribulation. “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. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified” (Revelation 11:7-8, emphasis mine). We are introduced to “the beast” in Chapter 13; however, he has already been on the scene since the opening of the first seal.[11] Prior to this, no one could touch the two witnesses, but this is their appointed time to go, which is the only reason “the beast” has the power to kill them. Their bodies are left to rot in the street of the “great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt.” We conclude that the city is Jerusalem because we are told that it is the city where “our Lord was crucified.” Why Sodom and Egypt? Currently, Israel boasts a large homosexual population. Tel Aviv is listed as one of the top gay-friendly cities in the world.[12] Aside from a minority of practicing and orthodox Jews in Israel, the majority of the population is mostly secular of which many are atheists having come out of Communists countries. One might say they are in “spiritual bondage.” So, Sodom and Egypt are apt descriptions for Jerusalem.
“And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.” (Revelation 11:9-12, emphasis mine).
The whole world witnesses this amazing event. Many years ago, even within my lifetime, eschatology students wondered how it would be possible for the whole world to witness this event. Today, there is no question. We see events take place in real time from around the world. So, the world will see and hear the preaching of these two prophets. They will witness fire proceed from their mouths when they are attacked. The world will know who is stopping the rain and who is bringing the plagues. And when they are killed, the world will celebrate. For three and a half days they will see their dead bodies in the streets of Jerusalem. Then suddenly, all the world sees life return to their lifeless bodies, and they will rise. Then the microphones that are aimed at the revived figures will pick up the thunderous voice commanding, “Come up here!” The two will slowly lift off of the ground and slowly ascend until they disappear into the clouds. We have been here before! More than three and a half years before millions all over the earth heard the same command and instantly vanished from the face of the earth. John heard the same command and was transported into heaven to record these events.[13] “And their enemies beheld them” (11:12). This time, the Rapture is no secret.
“And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven” (Revelation 11:13). I suspect that “the remnant” are Jews that recognize the significance of what they have witnessed. They heard the message of the two prophets along with the message of their brothers, the 144,000, and they believe, “and gave glory to the God of heaven.” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6) and that applies to both Jews and Gentiles. In the end, Israel will be saved, but it will be a remnant, and it will be through faith in Christ alone, Who is the Only Way.
“The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly” (Revelation 11:14). Close parenthesis.
The time is drawing near. The pieces of the end-times puzzle are falling into place and Christ’s return is closer now than at any time in history. Reader, are you prepared to meet Him? If not, check out my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”
[2] The first Temple was Solomon’s Temple. The second Temple was Zerubbabel’s Temple built after the return from Babylonian captivity and later expanded by Herod the Great. The third Temple is the Tribulation Temple that will be defiled by Antichrist (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:4).
And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. (Revelation 10:10)
The sixth angel has sounded his trumpet releasing a horde of demons upon the earth. One trumpet remains to sound, but at this point, John shifts our focus to events in heaven.
“And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire” (Revelation 10:1).
John has observed angels performing mighty tasks to this point. In Revelation 5:12 John describes a “strong angel” announcing the worthiness of the One who can open the six-seal book. In Revelation 7:2, John introduces us to an angel with the authority to seal the 144,000 servants of God. In Revelation 8:3-5 we have an angel with a golden censer filled with incense taken from the altar before God’s throne, and he casts it upon the earth in preparation for the sounding of the seven trumpets. Then, from Revelation 8:6-9:21, there follow seven angels sounding seven trumpets of judgments.
Now, John sees “another mighty angel” whose description excels those who preceded him. John does not identify this angel, but the description he gives reminds us of Jesus Christ. Could this angel be Jesus? The late and respected end-times prophecy teacher, Tim LaHaye thinks not.
The Lord Jesus Christ does not appear in the book of Revelation as an angel. In fact, we will look in vain for a presentation of him as an angel after the incarnation. Ever since Jesus took on flesh, died for the sins of men, was crucified, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven, He has always appeared as the Son of God in His essential deity. Although this angel possesses some Godlike characteristics, he is not God. Part of the problem could well be a failure to understand the nature of angels. Although far beneath the character of God, they are created beings of unusually high order.[1]
I am not prepared to take a dogmatic stance on this view, but from my perception of John’s description, this could be none other than Christ. In the first place and with deference to Brother LaHaye, Jesus often appears to Israel in the Old Testament as “the Angel of the Lord,” and we recognize Him because He takes credit for what “the Lord” is going to do. No angel of God would dare do that. Note too that I said He appeared to “Israel.” The prophet Jeremiah calls the Tribulation “the time of Jacob’s trouble.”[2] “Jacob” is another name for “Israel.” The time of Tribulation has a twofold purpose: (1) to bring judgment on a God-rejecting world, and (2) to cause the redemption of Israel and fulfill God’s covenant with Abraham.
Tim LaHaye could be right. However, let us examine carefully John’s description of this “mighty angel.” He comes down from heaven “clothed with a cloud.” After His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven and was taken up in a cloud. The angels that stood by on that day told His disciples that He would descend to earth in like manner.[3] When Jesus returns for His Church at the Rapture, Paul says that we will be “caught up” (raptured) together with the resurrected saints “in the clouds” to meet the Lord in the air.[4] So this image of the angel “clothed with a cloud” certainly fits Christ.
There is a rainbow upon his head which reminds us of the rainbow surrounding the throne of God.[5] His face shone like the sun harkening back to John’s first encounter with the risen Christ.[6] Also, “his feet as pillars of fire” reminiscent of John’s first encounter where he records, “And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace…” (Revelation 1:15). The angel carries a “little book” or scroll not unlike the seven-seal scroll whose seals the Lamb opened.[7]
Furthermore, this “mighty angel” places “his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth” (10:2) showing his authority over the earth. This, after all, reveals the content of the seven-seal scroll. It is the title deed to the earth and this “mighty angel” claims possession by placing His feet on His property.
I certainly could be wrong. I am far from infallible; however, I am not alone in this view. Clarence Larkin, from whom Tim LaHaye patterns much of his thinking on Revelation, takes the position that this “mighty angel” is Christ.
Who this “MIGHTY ANGEL” is we do not know unless he be Christ Himself. In the Old Testament the Son of God was called the “ANGEL OF THE LORD” (Ex. 3:2-18), and as we are now in that part of the Book of Revelation that deals mainly with Israel it is nothing less than what we should expect to hear, Christ spoken of as a “MIGHTY ANGEL.” Then the description of this “MIGHTY ANGEL” seems to point to the same Person that John saw standing amid the “Lampstands” in chapter 1:12-16, or Christ Himself. The “ANGEL” was clothed in a CLOUD, there was a RAINBOW upon His head, His face was as it were the SUN, and His feet as PILLARS OF FIRE. No mere angel was ever before or since described in the Scriptures as appearing like that. Then He is described as crying with a loud voice, as a lion roareth, and Christ is spoken of in this Book (Rev. 5:5) as “THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH”; and in the chapter that follows the same “MIGHTY ANGEL” speaks of the “Two Witnesses,” as “MY WITNESSES,” which is further indisputable evidence that this “MIGHTY ANGEL” is no other than Christ Himself. This interpretation makes clear what follows. For when this “MIGHTY ANGEL” places His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot on the earth, and swears that there shall be “TIME NO LONGER,” or “NO LONGER DELAY” (margin), it is Christ taking formal possession of the Earth and Sea, and declaring that there shall be no longer delay in dispossessing the false claimant Satan.[8]
I have another advocate in Henry M. Morris Jr., Ph.D. and contemporary of Tim LaHaye. Dr. Morris also sees this “Mighty Angel” as the Lord Jesus Christ.
This mighty angel can be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Both in the Old Testament and in the Book of Revelation, in His preincarnate state and in His postresurrection [SIC] state, respectively, Christ is presented a number of times as a glorious angel (or “messenger”) of the Lord.
That this angel is not one of the created angels (not even one of the seven powerful angels that stand in God’s presence) is evident from the context in general and from His appearance in particular. John saw Him coming down from heaven, and this to reach the earth itself. He is Creator, Redeemer, and Heir of the earth and now is symbolically coming down to lay claim to His possession. Whether or not He is ready yet to take possession, He must at least let those in heaven and on earth know His claim.
That He is the same glorified Son of man seen by John at the beginning of the Apocalypse is clear from three striking marks of identification. As He descended from Heaven, He was arrayed in a glory cloud, His face was like the sun (it was not the sun, but “as it were” the sun), and His feet were “as pillars of fire.” Those are precisely the characteristics noted by John in the first chapter of Revelation.[9]
“And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not” (Revelation 10:3-4). Regardless of one’s view of this “Mighty Angel,” one cannot deny that he wields great authority. Since I can be just as wrong about this as the next man, I will go with my understanding that this “Mighty Angel” is the Lord Jesus Christ for consistency. When He speaks, His voice resounds like the roar of a lion. He is, after all, “the Lion of Judah.” Then when He roars, seven thunders echo His voice. John begins to write as instructed in the beginning,[10] but he is stopped from recording what he heard. I wonder what it was that he heard. It reminds me of what Daniel experienced. He records, “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (Daniel 12:8-9). John may have heard something reserved for the Millennium or beyond that would be too awesome for us to comprehend at this time.
“And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:5-7, emphasis mine). Some may see verse 6 as evidence in opposition to this angel being Christ because he swears “by him that liveth forever and ever” showing deference to God. However, we can find many examples in the Gospels of Jesus giving deference to God the Father for all His actions, so this should not seem strange to us. The “Mighty Angel” declares “that there should be time no longer.” This does not mean that time will end, but rather that it should “delay no longer” as Larkin suggested above. Albert Barnes, who preceded Larkin, concurs.
This is a very important expression, as it is the substance of what the angel affirmed in so solemn a manner; and as the interpretation of the whole passage depends on it. It seems now to be generally agreed among critics that our translation does not give the true sense, inasmuch:
(a) As that was not the close of human affairs, and
(b) As he proceeds to state what would occur after that.
Accordingly, different versions of the passage have been proposed. Prof. Stuart renders it, “that delay shall be no longer.” Mr. Elliott, “that the time shall not yet be; but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, whensoever he may be about to sound, then the mystery of God shall be finished.” Mr. Lord, “that the time shall not be yet, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel,” etc. Andrew Fuller (Works, vol. vi. p. 113), “there should be no delay.” So Dr. Gill. Mr. Daubuz, “the time shall not be yet.” Vitringa (p. 432), tempus non fore amplius, “time shall be no more.” He explains it (p. 433) as meaning, “not that this is to be taken absolutely, as if at the sounding of the seventh trumpet all things were then to terminate, and the glorious epiphany – ἐπίφανεια epiphaneia (or manifestation of Jesus Christ) – was then to occur, who would put an end to all the afflictions of his church; but in a limited sense – restricte – as meaning that there would be no delay between the sounding of the seventh trumpet and the fulfillment of the prophecies.”[11] (emphasis mine)
That “mystery of God” that “should be finished” must have been what the thunders voiced and that John was prohibited from writing down. It must be too wonderful for words!
“And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” (Revelation 10:8-11, emphasis mine).
John experienced what the Old Testament prophet, Ezekiel experienced almost 600 years before.[12] The “little book” is the Word of God that to the believer is sweet and nourishing, but sharing it with an unbelieving world can cause heartburn. It is not easy to confront a sinner with his sin and declare to him what awaits him unless he repents. Eternal life in hell is a message no sinner wants to hear and they will often attack the messenger because of the message. Jesus said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18-19).
The time is drawing near. The pieces of the end-times puzzle are falling into place and Christ’s return is closer now than at any time in history. Reader, are you prepared to meet Him? If not, check out my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”
Notes:
[1] Tim LaHaye, Revelation Illustrated and Made Plain, (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1981) p. 144.
One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. (Revelation 9:12)
The fifth trumpet, the first of “three woes,”[1] brought a swarm of demonic locusts to torment people not protected by the “seal of God in their foreheads,”[2] suggesting that these were none of God’s elect. Their sting inflicted such excruciating pain that people wished they could die, but death eluded them for a period of five months. Things are about to get worse.
“And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates” (Revelation 9:13-14). John does not identify the “voice” that he heard, but considering that it comes from “the golden altar which is before God,” we can presume that it is the voice of God. We saw this altar in Chapter 8 upon which incense burned and whose smoke represented the prayers of the saints rising before God. The voice instructs the sixth angel to “release” the four angels bound in the “great river Euphrates.” That the four angels are “bound” tells us that these are demonic angels. Since the Tower of Babel and its offshoot Babylon, the Euphrates has been the source of demonic, pagan worship, and these “angels” are the “principalities”[3] that rule over these demonic powers.
“And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men” (Revelation 9:15). What we see here clearly reveals that it all falls within God’s plan. It is no accident, nor is it a capricious reaction of a wrathful God. Note the precision with which this judgment is carried out. They “were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year.” Their purpose is “to slay the third part of men,” which at this point (without going into a detailed explanation) is about 2-Billion people. Since the beginning of the Tribulation, Earth’s population has been reduced by almost half at this point.
“And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them” (Revelation 9:16). There are some students of Revelation and end-times prophecies that suggest that these are human armies from east of the Euphrates River. They probably arrive at this conclusion from a reference in Revelation 16:12 where the Euphrates River is dried up to make way for “the kings of the east.” Because China already boasts a standing army of over 200-Million soldiers, it makes sense that this might refer to that. In addition, India and Pakistan also have large standing armies. However, John’s description of the horsemen in the following verses precludes the possibility of this being a human army.
“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 three 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.” (Revelation 9:17-19). Of this horde of 200-Million, Clarence Larkin said, “This army of 200,000,000 horsemen is a supernatural army. It is not composed of ordinary men and horses. The fact that these ‘Four Angels’ were bound at the Euphrates, where Satan’s seat was in ancient times, and where it is to be again the City of Babylon restored, and from whence he sallied forth to do his diabolical work, makes it clear that this army is a part of Satan’s forces.”[4] Their appearance resembles nothing the human eye has ever seen. These cannot be human, and John’s language gives no indication that these are symbolic of something else. These are real, ugly, and destructive. Even so, I am gobsmacked at the reaction of those that survive the assault.
“And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts” (Revelation 9:20-21, emphasis mine). Later in the book, we learn that these “men” (the term includes women) recognize that these “plagues” are judgments from God and rather than repent, they become even more rebellious. It is interesting that they “worship devils.” There is an ever-increasing interest in the occult and Satan worship these days. Abortion, sexual perversions (LGBTQ+), drug abuse (“sorceries”), murders and fornication all have demonic origins, and all of these things, including “thefts,” are all increasing exponentially these days. Yet, rather than repent of these sins, our society lashes out against Christianity, the only source of salvation. As evil as things are getting today, they will be a thousand times worse when all restraint (i.e., the Rapture) is removed from the earth, and the men of earth will curse God rather than repent.
One “woe” remains, but before the last trumpet sounds, John will give us a parenthetical look behind the scenes. I will cover that in my next article.
Reader, are you prepared for what is coming to the world? You do not need to go through the Tribulation, God’s wrath, that is coming upon the world. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life,” and ask Jesus to save you from the wrath to come.
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast … (Proverbs 12:10)
He was an unwanted gift. My sister gave him to my dad because Dad had recently lost his “Tiny” Chihuahua, literally. He had left her inside his unlocked car and someone took her. Dad grieved the loss of his little companion that went everywhere with him and my sister wanted to ease the pain. However, Dad was not ready for a replacement, but he accepted the “gift” because of the giver. He named him “Regalo,” which means “gift” in Spanish.
Dad gets the “Gift,” August 2009
Dad had trouble housebreaking Regalo, and once the pup was big enough, he was put outside for good. At the time, Dad pastored a church in Brady, Texas and he lived in the parsonage next to the church building. He strung a wire between the church building and the parsonage and tethered Regalo to the line so that he could run back and forth between the two. He also built a dog house for shelter and basically forgot about the dog. Oh, he fed and watered him and showed him affection whenever he came outside, but other than that, Regalo was pretty much ignored. I do not mean to make it sound as if Dad mistreated Regalo. Dad loved all kinds of animals. Regalo was fed, watered, sheltered, and taken to the veterinarian for all his shots, and while he was tethered, he did have a lot of space to run. The tether kept him safe from getting ran over by a car – Dad did not have a fenced yard. However, anyone who has dogs understands that they are social animals, and they want to be around their packs. This is what Regalo missed.
Regalo came to us when he was five years old. Here he is just back from his first visit to the groomer on September 9, 2014.
Regalo was born sometime in June 2009, and my sister gave him to my dad when he was about eight weeks old in August 2009. Dad went to be with the Lord on August 27, 2014, and we held his funeral on September 2, 2014. Afterward, us siblings got together to divide up the “inheritance;” Dad did not leave much behind, but Regalo, now five years old, was one of those. He was flea infested and in bad need of a grooming. June wanted to “rescue” him, but I was not so eager. We already had two other dogs, Nacho and Chico, and I did not think we needed a third. My sister also wanted to take him, but she had no place for him at that time. So, we agreed that we would take Regalo and keep him until my sister found a house where she could keep him.
After several hours of bathing with flea shampoo, Regalo came home with us. On the way home, June carried him in her lap. Poor little guy – I say “little” because he only weighed 10 pounds at that time – was so nervous and scared that he peed on June’s lap. “Great!” I thought, “Now we have to worry about housebreaking him.” Along the way, we made a couple of unscheduled stops so that he could “go,” and he did fine the rest of the way home.
Housebreaking was not that hard for Regalo. He only had a couple of “accidents,” but he quickly learned where to do his business. He even learned how to ask to be let out. During his first week with us, we took him to a “dogapalooza” in our neighborhood for shots and a checkup. There we learned that Regalo had heartworm and treatment would cost between $600 and $800. I called my sister with the news and offered an option. I would pay for the treatments and she could reimburse me, or I would pay for the treatments and keep the dog. There was no hesitation. “You keep him,” was her immediate response. The treatments involved two rounds of injections about a month apart and restricted activity. For Regalo, “restricted activity” seemed to be second nature to him. He was one chilled pup.
With his heartworm treatments completed, Regalo got up to a respectable fighting weight of 20 pounds. I don’t know if it was because of the bout with heartworm, but Regalo was a low-energy dog. He would walk until he found a good place to flop and drop for a nap. It was usually in our path of travel, and our approach did not motivate him to move. He was happy to let us step over him. Sometimes he would park himself right under our feet without our knowledge and get his big “Grinch-feet” stepped on. However, that was one lesson he never learned.
After I retired in December 2019, Ragalo was happy just to be near me.
I retired in December 2019. Regalo was now ten years old. He and I grew closer during that time. He would follow me from room to room and whenever I found a good roost, he would flop down beside me. He was content just to be near me. We moved from Garland, Texas to Columbus, Nebraska in April of 2022. Regalo was approaching his 13th birthday. Our new house in Columbus included a basement, something we Texans were not used to. I have a “man cave” down in my basement, and I can spend hours down there. When I would come up, I would find Regalo waiting for me at the top of the stairs. God designed Regalo with stubby legs; getting down the steep stairs scared him, so he was happy to wait for me at the top of the stairs. When I finally figured out what he was doing, I started carrying down his chunky self with me. There he would find a good place to flop and just knowing I was there was all he wanted.
Regalo was unassuming and never demanding. When we would sit for a meal, he would come to the table, but never beg for food, like the other dogs. If we offered, he would take it, but he would never beg. Now at the food dish, that was another thing altogether. He ruled the food dish and he let the other dogs know it. That was the only time he ever expressed any aggression, otherwise, he was very loving to the other dogs – constantly grooming them – and to us. I got lots of kisses from him.
June and I had plans to go down to Texas to take care of some doctors’ visits and other appointments at the end of March. We put Nacho down before we moved to Columbus, so we decided to take Regalo and Chico along with us. However, a couple of weeks before our trip, we noticed Regalo really slowing down, more than usual. He had become incontinent and medications were not helping. We also noticed a couple of episodes of what appeared to be seizures, so we took him off of the meds for incontinence and bought doggie diapers for him. I was really worried about him making the trip. We would be staying with our good friends, Wayne and Linda, who would be keeping our dogs, and I did not want to burden them with Regalo’s geriatric issues.
This was the last picture I took of Regalo just three days before his passing. Even here, one can tell there is little energy left in him.
I remember watching Regalo out in our big backyard. He enjoyed just laying out there and smelling the air. Then we would call him in and he would run to the door with a big smile on his face. He looked like a happy puppy even in his old age. But now, when we put him out to do his business, he did not even have the strength to hike up his leg to pee. He just flopped on his stomach and unloaded his bladder.
Finally, on Saturday, March 25, 2023, I let him out with his diaper. He took a few steps beyond our patio and laid down on the grass. After a while, I called him in and he took just a few steps inside the door and dropped on the floor. He had absolutely no energy. As I looked at him, I prayed, “Lord, please don’t make me put him down. If he needs to go, please just take him.” It was about this time last year that I had to put Nacho down, and even though he was a rather eccentric, weird dog, we loved him and it hurt to put him down. I did not want to go through the same thing with Regalo.
I scratched his head and told him what a good boy he was and went downstairs to finish up whatever it was I was doing – probably writing another blog article. About an hour later, I went back upstairs and Regalo had managed to make it up to the hallway leading to our bedroom although he was facing toward the kitchen. Again, I cradled his head in my hands, scratched his ears, and told him what a good boy he was. I could tell he was not doing well. I returned to my mancave and about an hour later, June came downstairs and said, “Ernie, I think Regalo is gone.” I left what I was doing and went straight to where I had last seen him. I found him motionless facing the direction of our bedroom. There, June kept a doggie bed in her closet and Regalo had claimed it as his personal den. I am sure he was headed for his safe place, but he didn’t make it.
I got down on the floor and put my head on his chest. No heartbeat. No breath. He was gone, just as quietly as was his nature. June got down on the floor with me and we both wept bitterly. Loving him. Stroking him. Wishing that somehow our affection would bring him around, but he was gone. Chico was there too. He was confused. He did not understand our wailing. After much crying, I picked up Regalo and cradled him in my arms holding him close to me, while June called the vet to get advice on what to do. The vet said she was on her way into the office to make rounds on her patients and that we could bring him in and she would take care of the cremation. I drove us to the vet while June held Regalo in her lap one last time. We carried him in to the vet and let her take over from there. That was the last time we would see our sweet boy.
It’s sad to think that this is all that remains of such a sweet and loving companion.
We took our short trip to the Dallas area with our “only child,” Chico. When we returned home, I went to the vet’s office to pick up Regalo’s remains – less than half a pound of ashes in a tightly sealed plastic bag. I wonder what the attendant must have thought when I remarked, “Is that all?” He was all of 20 pounds, fluffy, furry, and full of life, and this was all that remained. When the weather gets nicer, we will scatter his ashes in our big backyard where he loved to lay and sniff the air. And I can still imagine him running toward me when I call, with that big happy smile on his face. Oh! How I miss him!
This is not the first time we’ve gone through this. I remember a little friend we had many years ago. She was one we raised from a pup. She also lived to be 14. We had to put her down, and I remember the tears. As the end of her life neared, I wondered if there was a Doggie Heaven. I don’t know for sure, however, I concluded that it is certainly possible. Animals did not sin and bring the curse of death upon the world. And when God created, death was not part of His “very good” creation. Therefore, it’s very possible that animals do inherit eternal life simply because it was not God’s intention for them to die in the first place. I hope I’m right about that, and when I get to heaven, I hope to see Regalo there and when I call his name, he’ll come running to me with a big smile on his face, and along with him, all the other dogs in my pack. Regalo was a very good boy.
He loved his big backyard. “Did you call, Daddy?” This is how I want to remember him.
Ernie's Musings 