Tag Archives: The Tribulation

July 16, 2023 · 10:00

A Thousand Years

Art used by permission by Pat Marvenko Smith, Copyright 1992.
Click here to visit her “Revelation Illustrated” site.

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (Revelation 20:1-2)

When Jesus entered Jerusalem almost 2000 years ago on the back of a donkey’s colt, He presented Himself as melek shâlêm, “King of Peace.” Now, He comes on a white horse as the conquering KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.[1] In the previous chapter of Revelation, we learned that He comes to rule “with a rod of iron.” Unlike kings that have come before, His rule will be absolute but benevolent, and He will reign on Earth for a thousand years.

The question arises here about the thousand years. Are these literally 1000 years or should it be taken as symbolic of “a long time” or even eternity? Two main viewpoints exist. The premillennial view, in all of its variations, takes the position that the 1000 years should be taken literally. The amillennial view takes the position that the 1000 years should be taken symbolically and allegorically of the eternal reign of Christ.[2] In that view, the millennium symbolizes either the present church age or the eternal state. There are no 1000 years. The “a” prefixed to “millennium” negates the millennium, therefore, there is “no millennium.” Along with that view is the idea that the Church is responsible for preparing the world for Christ’s return. That idea should make one ask, “How well is the Church doing in that regard?”

Without wasting keystrokes, let me just say that the amillennial view is wrong. At the same time, I need to stress that those that hold that view are not lost. One’s eschatological view is not a salvation issue. Faith in CHRIST ALONE is the only requirement for entry into heaven. That said, the amillennial view is wrong for two very fundamental reasons. First of all, as we read Revelation 20:1-7, there is nothing in the text to indicate that the 1000 years should be taken in any other way than literally. Secondly, in the first seven verses of the twentieth chapter, the phrase “a thousand years” is repeated SIX TIMES. When the Bible says something once, it should be taken as fact simply based on the fact that it is God’s Word. When the Bible repeats something twice, it should get our attention. If it repeats something three times, we need to take it very seriously. Here, the Bible repeats “a thousand years” six times. To take it to mean anything other than what it says is poor hermeneutics and just foolishness.

“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:1-2, emphasis mine). At the sounding of the fifth trumpet, we saw an angel (a star) “fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit” (Revelation 9:1, emphasis mine). In my opinion, that angel was a demon who did not have possession of the key to the bottomless pit, but rather that it was “given” to him. Here we have a different angel. This angel does not “fall” out of heaven, but he comes down from heaven. Also, he is not “given” the key to the bottomless pit, but he has possession of it. This angel is probably the one that handed the key over to the demonic angel back in Revelation 9:1. This angel is the keeper of the key. He takes a “great chain” and lays “hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan” and binds him for a thousand years. Without a doubt, Satan is a powerful creature, but God’s angel has no trouble subduing him. “And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season” (Revelation 20:3, emphasis mine). This is the second time the “thousand years” is mentioned. How long will Satan be bound? – a thousand years!

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4, emphasis mine). John mentions two distinct groups here. Those seated on thrones represent the Church (the Bride of Christ) that was raptured before the Tribulation. Those that were “beheaded for the witness of Jesus … which had not worshipped the beast, etc.” are those who were martyred during the Tribulation. Together, they will be involved in the administration of Christ’s reign on Earth. How long will they reign with Christ? – a thousand years!

John does not detail the Millennium. What will the Millennium be like? For that, we need to check with other prophets. One of the reasons the Jews in Jesus’ day missed their promised Messiah was because they were looking for a reigning monarch as described by the prophets. They rejected the prophecies that foretold of His suffering, death on the cross, and His resurrection. However, the Old Testament prophecies are clear on that regard. Of Millennium, Clarence Larkin says, “It is to be regretted … that the world ‘Millennium’ ever supplanted the Biblical word ‘Kingdom,’ for it is this period that Christ taught His Disciples to pray for the petition ‘Thy Kingdom Come.’[3]

In his book, Larkin presents five distinct characteristics of the Millennium.[4] (1) Satan is bound.[5] One advantage people living in the Millennium will have over our “first parents” in the Garden of Eden, is that neither Satan, nor his demons, will be around to tempt people to sin. However, this will only serve to prove that mankind does not need a lot of help or encouragement to rebel against God.[6] With Satan out of the picture, there will be no one around to stir up hate and strife and the world will enjoy true peace; there will be no more wars and there is the promise that men “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks.”[7]

(2) The revival of Israel. When Larkin wrote his book, the nation of Israel did not exist. At the end of World War I in 1917, efforts were started to establish a “national home for the Jewish people.” The brainchild of British Foreign Secretary, Artur James Balfour, the “Balfour Declaration” set aside the original homeland of the Jews, called Palestine at that time. The fruit of that effort was not realized until May 14, 1948, when Israel was reborn in the Promised Land. Although Israel exists in the present, it is only a partial fulfillment of what was prophesied in the Old Testament. The complete fulfillment will not be realized until the Millennium, but the fact that Israel exists presently lets us know that the fulfillment in full is much closer than we might think. It is no longer the same land that Mark Twain visited in 1867. His impression was that it was a “rocky and bare, repulsive and dreary … landscape … There was hardly a tree or a shrub any where. Even the olive and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country.”[8] He should see it now![9]

(3) There will be changes in the animal kingdom. In God’s original creation, before the Fall, man and animals were herbivorous.[10] There will be complete harmony between mankind and animals and among all the animals.[11] We will not be killing off each other for food.

(4) Human life will be prolonged. We read in the genealogical record[12] before the flood that lifespans averaged over 900 years. In the Millennium, long lifespans will be the norm. The Prophet Isaiah records, “There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed” (Isaiah 65:20, emphasis mine). I must emphasize that those who do die are those who came through the Tribulation in their natural bodies. They will have the ability to reproduce and repopulate the earth. Those who do die, in my opinion, will be those who in some way or another violate the absolute law of Christ (i.e., “the sinner”) Who will “rule with a rod of iron.” Lawbreakers (“sinners”) will not be tolerated in the Millenium. Those who return with Christ at His Second Coming, the Raptured saints (the Bride of Christ), and the Tribulation saints, have their glorified bodies[13] that are not subject to disease or death.

(5) There will be a sevenfold increase of light. “Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound” (Isaiah 30:26). I am not sure whether this refers to the Millennium or to the New Heaven and New Earth, but Larkin seemed to think it referred to the Millennium. We will know soon.

“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:5, emphasis mine). We saw the Beast and the False Prophet cast alive into the “lake of fire,”[14] but the armies that followed them “were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh” (Revelation 19:21). These go to “the grave,” a.k.a., hell, a.k.a., hades, a.k.a., the abode of the dead, a.k.a., “Torments.” Jesus referred to this place when He recounted the death of the rich man and Lazarus.[15] These will be resurrected and face the Great White Throne Judgment[16] at the end of – how many years? – a thousand years.

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6, emphasis mine). The first resurrection takes place at the Rapture.[17] Those caught up in the Rapture will have their bodies transformed into glorified eternal bodies that will never grow old or experience pain of any sort. “For our [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20-21, emphasis mine). I am certain the Tribulation saints will have glorified bodies also, but how they receive their new bodies we are not told. I suspect that they will receive them instantly when they die; however, I am not certain about that. The good news is that “the second death hath no power” over them. The “second death” is an eternity in “the lake of fire.”[18] Instead, they reign with Christ – for how long? – a thousand years!

“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison” (Revelation 20:7, emphasis mine). After – how many years? – a thousand years of perfect peace on Earth, Satan is once again loosed on the earth. Why? We will see in my next article – if the Lord wills. Another argument against amillennialism is that the 1000 years has an expiration date; therefore, it cannot be eternal. These verses make it clear that the Lord Jesus Christ will reign as KINGS OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS for a thousand years.

How about you, reader? Will you experience the thousand-year reign of Christ? If you do not know the Savior, do not wait any longer. The time is short. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1] Revelation 19:15-16

[2] What is Amillenialism? Beliefs & Chart (crosswalk.com)

[3] Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation Illustrated, (Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, Philadelphia, 1919), p. 180.

[4] Ibid, pp. 188-191

[5] Revelation 20:1-2

[6] Revelation 20:7-10

[7] Micah 4:3-4

[8] https://blog.nli.org.il/en/mark-twain-in-palestine/

[9] Psalm 67:6; Isaiah 35:1; 55:13; Joel2:24-26; Amos 9:13

[10] Genesis 1:29-30

[11] Isaiah 11:6-9

[12] Genesis 5

[13] 1 Corinthians 15:51-54

[14] Revelation 19:20

[15] Luke 16:19-31

[16] Revelation 20:11

[17] 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

[18] Revelation 20:14

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July 9, 2023 · 10:00

The King Is Coming!

Art used by permission by Pat Marvenko Smith, Copyright 1992.
Visit her “Revelation Illustrated” site at https://revelationillustrated.com/

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11)

The heavenly wedding reception is concluded. Now it is time to ride! The next thing John saw is reminiscent of his first sight of heaven. “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1, emphasis mine). At that time, he was on the outside looking in. Now he is on the inside looking out. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war (Revelation 19:11, emphasis mine). The door of heaven opens and this time he sees a rider on a white horse. However, this is not the rider on a white horse that he saw at the breaking of the first seal.[1] That rider had a crown (a stephanos not a diadēma) and a bow with no arrows, and he went out “conquering and to conquer.” We identified that rider on a white horse as the Antichrist, the Beast. However, this rider is “called Faithful and True.” He does not break His promises, and there is no falsehood in Him. He judges rightly and He executes judgment, i.e., “war” rightly.

“His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself” (Revelation 19:12). That His eyes are “a flame of fire,” tells us that His eyes can pierce and penetrate the hardest heart and expose it completely so that nothing is hidden. On His head, He wears many diadēmas, royal crowns. These are the royal crowns of all earthly kings combined and then some, signifying His absolute, universal sovereignty. He has a name known only to Himself. When “the Angel of the Lord” appeared to Samson’s parents, they asked His name. “And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?” (Judges 13:12, emphasis mine). The Hebrew word translated as “secret” is pil’ı̂y meaning “wonderful, incomprehensible, extraordinary” “Incomprehensible” seems the most fitting here. His name encompasses His essence, all that He is. When Moses asked God’s name, He answered, “I AM THAT I AM … say to the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you” (Exodus 3:14). We will never know the full extent of all that God is, not even though all eternity. His name is too wonderful for us to comprehend.

“And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13). The blood on His clothing is not His own, but the blood of His enemies. The Prophet Isaiah foresaw this day. “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come” (Isaiah 63:1-4, emphasis mine).

I want to keep my focus on the Book of Revelation and not get too distracted by differing opinions on the logistics of Jesus’ Second Coming. The Prophet Zachariah says that when Jesus returns, His foot will touch down on the Mount of Olives and the mountain will split in two to the north and to the south.[2] Isaiah says He will come from Edom and Bozrah, which is in modern-day Jordan, on the eastern bank of the Jordan River. God’s Word is true and without error, but sometimes we cannot grasp the exactness of God’s plan. These differing prophecies were given to different prophets at different times and there was no collaboration among them, so they become a puzzle for us. So, without giving getting into any controversy, I put forth my opinion (which could be wrong, so do not take it as “gospel”). As I understand, Jesus first touches down at the Mount of Olives, then goes to Edom (Jordan) to take care of business there, and then heads northwest to the Jezreel to finish the battle of Armageddon. The point is that his robes will get bloody, as described.

“And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean” (Revelation 19:14). The “armies” of heaven include both His saints – the Bride – and a host of angels. Albert Barnes seems to agree. “The heavenly hosts; particularly, it would seem, the redeemed, as there would be some incongruity in representing the angels as riding in this manner. Doubtless the original of this picture is Isa_63:3; ‘I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with me.’ These hosts of the redeemed on white horses accompany him to be witnesses of his victory, and to participate in the joy of the triumph, not to engage in the work of blood.”[3] The white horses on which we will ride signify the victory which we will share with our King. Our white, clean linen clothing is our bridal gown with which we are dressed. “And to [the Bride] was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:8). We return with Him, but the fight is all His.

“And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:15-16, emphasis mine). In the beginning, God (Jesus), created ex-nihilo, out of nothing, with only the command of His Word.[4] He spoke all of His creation (except for man) into being. He said “Let there be…” and there was. The human author of Revelation, John, in his Gospel, identified “the Word” as the Creator. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Later he identifies “the Word” as Jesus. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). “The Word” is the manifested, incarnate Word of God. All of the written Word of God is wrapped up in the Person of Jesus Christ. “For the word of God is quick [i.e., “living”], and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:12-13, emphasis mine). We often take verse 12 and apply it to the Bible, which it certainly does apply. However, the following verse makes clear that “the word of God” is a Person and applies masculine pronouns to Him. The Word of God is none other than Jesus. So, here we see “a sharp sword” proceeding from His mouth. That is none other than His spoken Word. When He confronts His enemies, He will speak and they will all die immediately.

He comes to reign over the inhabitants of Earth, and His rule will be absolute. “He shall rule them with a rod of iron.” All those that have taken the mark of the Beast will die. Many who come to faith in Christ after the Rapture and manage to survive the Tribulation will see Christ return and they will enter the Millennial Kingdom in their natural bodies. Perhaps there will be others who did not come to faith in Christ, but neither did they take the mark of the beast. These too will enter the Millennial Kingdom in their natural bodies. Together, they will repopulate the earth (more on that in the next article). These are they that “He shall rule them with a rod of iron.”[5] He comes as “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS,” and of that, there will be no question.

“And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great” (Revelation 19:17-18). I heard Amir Tsarfati,[6] who is an Israeli citizen and living near the Jezreel Valley (Armageddon), recently comment that he has noticed an increase in the number and variety of birds migrating through the valley. Perhaps God is calling them in preparation for the feast on “the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great” who will perish instantly from the “sharp sword” that proceeds from the mouth the “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

“And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon” (Revelation 16:16, emphasis mine). “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army” (Revelation 19:19, emphasis mine). The “Battle of Armageddon” is a misnomer because it will not be much of a battle at all. The Word will go out of Jesus’ mouth, and instantly, it will all be over.

“And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (Revelation 19:20, emphasis mine). The Antichrist and his false prophet get no trial. They are sent directly to the “lake of fire burning with brimstone,” i.e., Hell, for all eternity. What about Satan, the Dragon? We will see in the next chapter.

“And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh” (Revelation 19:21). Just like that, the battle is over and Jesus reigns victoriously. However, that is not the end of the story. The best is yet to come!

How about you, reader? Will you be on the winning side? If you do not know the Savior, do not wait any longer. The time is short. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1] Revelation 6:1-2

[2] Zechariah 14:4

[3] Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, (Published in 1847-85; public domain).

[4] Genesis 1

[5] Psalm 2:9; Revelation 2:27; 12:5

[6] Amir Tsarfati – Behold Israel

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July 2, 2023 · 10:00

Heavenly Wedding Reception

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)

I have never been a bride, so I have no idea how a bride feels when the big day comes, and all her wedding plans come to fruition. She gets to take center stage at the wedding ceremony and later at her reception. It is a day for which she has prepared for months – picking the perfect bridal gown, selecting the perfect colors for her theme, selecting the floral arrangements, picking the perfect venue, choosing her wedding party, etc. It must be exhausting, yet exhilarating when the day finally comes.

Soon, I will experience the greatest wedding ever as part of the Bride that will join her Groom at a heavenly wedding. It will be a wedding unmatched by the grandest royal wedding ever seen on Earth. However, before the party starts, John sets up the scene.

“And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand” (Revelation 19:1-2, emphasis mine). These “people in heaven” are Christians who died in Christ,[1] Christians who did not die but were raptured,[2] and those who missed the Rapture, but came to faith in Christ during the Tribulation and died for their faith.[3] These praise and worship God for His “true and righteous” judgments. All that God does is true and right. All the judgments of the Tribulation had a twofold purpose: (1) to give a final opportunity for people to repent and turn to Christ, and (2) to punish those who continue to reject God’s free offer of salvation. The psalmist put it succinctly when he said, “The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works” (Psalm 145:17). In His righteousness, He avenges the blood of His martyred saints. The Lord says, “To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste” (Deuteronomy 32:35). Of the time of Tribulation, Jesus said, “For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled” (Luke 21:22).

“And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever” (Revelation 19:3). The whole heaven celebrates the demise of the “great whore.”[4] I believe this takes place in the immediate future of the Revelation timeline. At this point, Jesus is ready to return to Earth as King of kings and Lord of lords to destroy Babylon the Great for all eternity. So, the praise of these saints is given in the past tense as if the deed has already taken place.

“And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great” (Revelation 19:4-5). We see the 24 elders[5] and the four beasts[6] once more. As discussed in a previous article,[7] the 24 elders are possibly the patriarchs of the 12 tribes of Israel plus the 12 Apostles, but at any rate, they represent the redeemed of all time. The four beasts represent God’s creation: the wild animal kingdom, domesticated animals, birds, and mankind. These give constant praise to God.

In the first five verses of this nineteenth chapter, we see the word “Alleluia” repeated three times, which seems appropriate for the triune Godhead reflecting His perfection. “Alleluia” is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word “hallelujah” which means “praise Yahweh” (the LORD). Interestingly, the word appears nowhere else in Scripture, neither in the OT nor the NT, except here in this chapter of Revelation.[8] There are many references to giving praises to God, however, that particular word is only used here. That makes its significance all the greater! The call to worship is directed to “all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.” “Ye” is a plural, second-person pronoun. “All” is all-inclusive. In Texas, we would say, “all y’all” to include everyone and exclude no one. All “His servants” includes all the saints, and all the host of angels of all kinds and stations; all “that fear Him, both small and great.” Imagine the thunderous praise given to the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth!

“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” (Revelation 19:6). Praise the Lord! Alleluia! The Lord – the master, owner, and possessor of Heaven and Earth, the great potentate and sovereign – God – the One and Only true, triune God – omnipotent – almighty, all-powerful – reigns – He has absolute authority and rule over His creation, the universe, and all it contains.

Here comes the Bride! However, before proceeding, I want to share some things about a Jewish wedding, particularly a Galilean wedding, since most of Jesus’ ministry focused in the Galilean region, and all of His disciples were Galileans. Hence, they could relate to His illustrations, where those illustrations make little sense to us who are so far removed. Some of this I learned from a documentary DVD entitled Before the Wrath.[9] During His earthly ministry, Jesus made many references to weddings and marriage. Indeed, His first miracle was to turn water into wine at a wedding in Cana.[10]

In the Galilean custom, there was a betrothal before the marriage. We recall that Jesus’ mother, Mary, was “betrothed” to Joseph. We read in Matthew’s Gospel, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was [betrothed] to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily” (Matthew 1:18-19, emphasis mine). The betrothal was a written contractual agreement that was legally binding. Even though the couple lived apart during the betrothal period, they were considered to be married. Mary, coming up pregnant (and not by Joseph) created a serious breach of contract. Mary could be charged with adultery, and, at Joseph’s discretion, could be put to death by stoning.

To affect the betrothal, the prospective groom came to the bride’s father, in the presence of the town’s people as witnesses, and presented the written proposal/marriage contract that both the groom and bride signed. The groom presented a gift, something like a dowry, to the father of the bride. This was not a purchase price for the bride but rather “insurance” in case something happened to the groom before the marriage took place. In such a case, the bride would be taken care of.

Next, the groom offered the bride a cup of wine called the “cup of joy.” At any point in this process, the bride was free to accept or reject the proposal. If she agreed to the proposal, she would drink from the cup. The groom would then take and drink from the cup as well. Then he would say, “I will not drink of this cup again until I drink it anew with you in my father’s house.”

The groom would then return to his father’s house to build a bridal chamber as an addition to his father’s house for his bride. The process took about a year, and it was up to the groom’s father to determine when the room was ready. Ultimately, the father controlled when the wedding would take place. The bride, in the meantime, had her own preparations to make for the wedding. Not only did she have to make her wedding gown, but she needed to start collecting the things she would need to set up housekeeping.

Once the groom completed the bridal chamber and with the father’s approval and at the father’s direction, he would go get his bride. This usually occurred in the middle of the night when the whole town was sleeping. The groom sounded a ram’s horn that alerted the town that he was going for his bride. The whole town joined the parade. The bride had been ready long before this day arrived. She slept in her bridal gown. She kept her lamp full of oil and even kept some extra. Neither she nor the groom knew the day or the hour when this event would take place, but she was ready.

The groomsmen prepared a litter for the bride to sit in as they lifted her off the ground and carried her to the place the groom had prepared for her. This was known as “flying the bride” to the groom’s house. Once at the house, all those that could fit entered the house to celebrate, and they celebrated for seven days (one week). When the house was full, the doors were closed and no one else could enter.

With this understanding, we can clearly see what Jesus taught about His second coming, particularly as it relates to His Bride, the Church. At the Last Supper, Jesus presented His contract to His Bride. “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28, emphasis mine). The “contract” was signed with His body and blood. He called it “the new testament” or “covenant” or “contract.” The Bride was His disciples and those that would succeed them in faith. They all took the cup and drank of it in acceptance of the covenant. The betrothal was in effect. Jesus then said, “But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29).

Before adjourning from their Passover meal, Jesus prepared His Bride for what would come. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3, emphasis mine). This is the Groom’s promise that He is going to prepare a place for His Bride, and when the Father gives His approval, the Groom will sound the trumpet and descend to get His Bride, the Church, so that she can spend eternity with Him.

Now, while the Groom is away, the Bride must busy herself in preparation for the marriage. Jesus told a parable[11] about “a certain nobleman” (Himself) going away on a journey to receive a kingdom. Before leaving, He gave His stewards, ten of them, each equal amounts of money to invest in His kingdom. With that, He charged them saying, “Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13). That is what the Bride is to do while the Groom is away preparing a place for her. There was also the matter of the “gifts” the Groom gives His Bride as “insurance.” That comes in the form of the Holy Spirit,[12] who Paul calls the “seal”[13] or guarantee of the promise.

In the meantime, the Bride awaits the shout, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” (Matthew 25:6). However, the Bride cannot join her Groom in ordinary clothes, she must be changed. The Apostle Paul provides insight into this transformation. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, emphasis mine). In another place he says, “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not [go before] them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, emphasis mine). Just as the Galilean bride was “flown” to the groom’s house, so will the Bride of Christ be flown to His house.

When that happens, the marriage will take place. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7, emphasis mine). John records “the marriage of the Lamb” just prior to Jesus’ return to Earth as King of kings and Lord of lords, but that would seem to make the marriage a rushed affair. Thinking back on the Galilean wedding; the festivities went on for seven days. That would parallel Daniel’s final week[14] – seven years. In the Galilean wedding, the festivities started when the bride entered the groom’s house. For the Church, that begins when the trumpet sounds and Jesus calls “Come up hither” (Revelation 4:1). Then during those seven years, as Bride will be examined, not for punishment, but for rewards. “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10, emphasis mine). “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15, emphasis mine). All this will take place in Heaven during the seven years of Tribulation on Earth.

Therefore, I see John’s report as the culmination of the wedding feast as the Bride prepares to follow her Bridegroom as He receives His kingdom. “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:8). Above we considered the “judgment seat of Christ” where our “works” will be evaluated and rewards will be allocated based on how those works survive a “trial by fire.” All who stand before the judgment seat of Christ are saved by the blood of Christ, and nothing can annul that. However, our works here on earth will determine the rewards with which we will be clothed. Will our wedding gown be a nice, plain, unremarkable, white gown or will it be really fancy and decked out with elaborate lace and sparkling jewels? Either way, it is the “whiteness” that really matters.

“And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:9-10, emphasis mine). “He” is probably the same angel that spoke to John in Revelation 17:1.[15] He makes what is probably one of the greatest understatements thus far: “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Blessed indeed! God has blessed me all my natural life far beyond what I deserve. I cannot begin to imagine the blessing of being in the presence of God, and “These are the true sayings of God.” John is so overwhelmed by what he has witnessed that he falls down to worship the angel. The angel quickly prohibits John from worshiping him. In the OT we often find “the angel of the Lord” accepting worship, which no ordinary angel would ever dare to do. This is how we recognize “the angel of the Lord” as a pre-incarnate manifestation of Jesus. He is God and worthy of worship. Here we are given a solid reason for studying prophecy: “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” God promises that before He does anything, He will reveal it to His prophets. “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:9-10). Amen!

How about you, reader? Will you be seated at the marriage supper of the Lamb? If you do not know the Savior, do not wait any longer. The time is short. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1] 1 Thessalonians 4:16

[2] 1 Thessalonians 4:17

[3] Revelation 6:9; 7:9, 14; 14:1-5

[4] Revelation 18:1-2

[5] Revelation 4:4, 10; 5:6, 8, 11,14; 7:11, 13; 11:16; 14:3

[6] Revelation 4:6, 8; 5:6, 8, 14; 6:1, 6; 7:11; 14:3

[7] The First Sight | Ernie’s Musings (erniecarrasco.com)

[8] Revelation 19:1, 3, 4, 6

[9] Before the Wrath (Official Film)

[10] John 2:1-11

[11] Luke 19:11-27

[12] John 14-16

[13] 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30

[14] Daniel 9:27

[15] Beast-Riding Harlot | Ernie’s Musings (erniecarrasco.com)

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June 18, 2023 · 10:00

Beast-Riding Harlot

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: (Revelation 17:1)

We come to another parenthesis in John’s record. The seven-bowl judgments have been poured out, and the end of the Tribulation has come. While we focused on the terrors of the seven bowl judgments, other things were happening on Earth that John explains in the next two chapters. These details help us to understand the purpose behind all these judgments. They also help us to see what is taking place around us right now which will prepare us for what is coming.

One of the angels which had one of the seven vials (we are not told which one) takes John aside to show him “the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.” To me, a “whore” is a promiscuous woman (to put it nicely) who engages in indiscriminate sex with whoever comes along. However, the word translated as “whore” here is the Greek word “pornē” from which we get our English words “pornography” and “pornographic.” As used here, the word refers to a prostitute; a woman who sells herself for sexual favors. That she “sitteth upon many waters” refers to people. Often, when we see “the sea” mentioned in Revelation, it refers to the Mediterranean Sea where most of these events take place, and the people that dwell in those areas. So, when we read, “I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea” (Revelation 13:1, emphasis mine), it refers to the area around the Mediterranean Sea and the people from that area. Thus, we conclude that the Antichrist, the Beast, will rise up out of the people around the Mediterranean Sea, i.e., the revived Roman Empire. This also agrees with the Prophet Daniel’s account that “the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary” (Daniel 9:26, emphasis mine). The “people” that destroyed “the city and the sanctuary,” were the Romans in AD 70, and “the prince that shall come” from those people is the Antichrist. However, this “harlot” sits on “many waters,” so her influence spans all the people of all the world.

As we will see later on, the woman represents a world religion. She is portrayed as a woman because the Bible views “religion” as feminine. For example, in the Old Testament (OT), God looked at Israel as His unfaithful wife.[1] The entire prophecy of Hosea is an allegory of an unfaithful wife that prostitutes herself, yet her faithful husband (Hosea) goes and buys her back out of prostitution. The allegory is of Israel, the unfaithful wife who goes into idolatry (i.e., prostituting herself), and God, the faithful husband, who redeems her out of that idolatry. In the New Testament (NT), the Church is called “the Bride of Christ.”[2] Likewise, this prostitute represents a worldwide, idolatrous, false religion that is supported (she “sits upon”) by all the people of the world.

“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication” (Revelation 17:1-2, emphasis mine). The world leaders have “used” this religion in order to subdue and control the masses of the earth.

“So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns” (Revelation 17:3). The beast upon which the prostitute rides is the Antichrist. That he is scarlet (red) in color represents sin,[3] wealth,[4] and power.[5] He is “full of the names of blasphemy.”[6] This description of the Beast concurs with that given in Revelation 13:1-10 which I addressed in a previous article.[7]

“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Revelation 17:4-5). Through the years, many scholars of end-times prophecy attributed the moniker to the Roman Catholic Church (RCC); however, I think there is more to it than that. From the time of the Reformation (16^th Century) until relatively recent history, the RCC was the only religion that fit that description. Without question, the RCC with its headquarters in the Vatican possesses more wealth than most countries on earth. I recall visiting a Catholic Church in San Juan de las Colchas, Michoacán, Mexico. The small village, at that time, was immersed in poverty. There was not even one paved street in the tiny town, but the church edifice was beautiful beyond the apparent means of the people. The interior was even more incredible. It was elaborately trimmed in solid gold. Many of the images were of solid gold. I could not help but think of how all that wealth could be used to benefit the poverty-stricken people of the town. (I know, I’m kind of sounding like Judas.)[8] The point I want to make is that the RCC is incredibly rich. In keeping with that theme, the Pope, in his priestly regalia, dresses in “purple and scarlet” and priceless jewels like a king.

This harlot is called “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH”. Beginning with the rebellion at the Tower of Babel, Babylon originated all the pagan religions of the earth. Many of them follow a similar theme that mimics the virgin birth of Christ and His death and resurrection. The “Queen of Heaven”[9] went by many names beginning with Astarte or Ashtoreth[10] and later Aphrodite (Greek) and Venus (Roman). “The ‘Queen of Heaven’ is mentioned in the Bible and has been associated with a number of different goddesses by different scholars, including: Anat, Astarte or Ishtar, Ashtoreth, or as a composite figure. The worship of a ‘Queen of Heaven’ (Hebrew: מלכת השמים, Malkath haShamayim) is recorded in the Book of Jeremiah, in the context of the Prophet condemning such religious worship and it being the cause of God declaring that He would remove His people from the land.”[11] Here is another reason why early end-times students associated the RCC with “Mystery Babylon.” They took the pagan title “Queen of Heaven” and applied it Mary the mother of Jesus and attributed divine attributes to her.

Mystery Babylon is the “mother of harlots.” In other words, she gave birth to a whole host of false religions and the RCC fits perfectly in that mold. However, there is more to Mystery Babylon because it also includes “Gaia” (or earth) worship.[12] Up until maybe 40 or 50 years ago, the worship of the planet was unheard of. However, the whole world wants to “save the planet” (save the trees, save the whales, save the polar bears, save the sharks, save the air, etc.) as if there is anything man can do to alter the course of God’s creation. Of course, the proponents of this movement (the UN, WEF, et al) would not call it a religion, but they certainly promote it religiously. One of the major supporters of the “climate change” agenda is the RCC with the Pope leading the way. The RCC also puts forth great efforts to unite all the religions of the world behind the cause. The Pope is also willing to bring our “space brothers” into the “fold” by baptizing aliens![13] This is “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT.” Add to this transhumanism and all that goes along with that, and it is not difficult to see that we are approaching the day of Christ’s return. There is also another control system creeping in called Environmental, Social, and Business Governance (ESG).[14] It is a system of social control based on a “credit scoring” system that grades the individual on how he measures up to environmental rules/laws; how he stacks up on social issues (human rights issues, pro-choice, acceptance of the LGBTQ+ agenda, etc.), and how he complies with matters of “equity, diversity, and inclusion.” We see this creeping into our society by how businesses are pushing the “gay agenda,” regardless of loss in profits. Their end goal is to increase their ESG score, which will keep them viable when the full force of the system impacts everyone.

“And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration” (Revelation 17:6). Beginning with the RCC, false religions (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.) have spilt the blood of many of Jesus’ saints since the Church began. The new world religion will spill much more. Globalists want to reduce Earth’s population to five-hundred million, according to the Georgia Guidestones.[15] (Of course, they would be excluded from the culling.) Christians who believe in the sanctity of life and God’s ownership of the planet will be in their crosshairs.

“And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is” (Revelation 17:7-8). John is just as baffled as we are at the sight. The angel tells John that the Beast “was, and is not.” We learned in Revelation 13:3 that he receives a deadly wound; therefore, he “was and is not.” However, he appears to come back to life to mimic the resurrection of Christ. Here we are told how that happens. He “shall ascend out of the bottomless pit,” which tells me that his body gets possessed by Satan (the Dragon) himself. However, he will “go into perdition,” i.e., Hell.[16] Those who bear the “mark of the beast,” whose names are “not written in the book of life,” will be amazed at the end of the Beast and his False Prophet. “They that see thee [the Dragon/the Beast] shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?” (Isaiah 14:16-17). In the end, he is pretty unimpressive.

“And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth” (Revelation 17:9). Those that identify the RCC as Mystery Babylon point to the “seven mountains on which the woman” sits as Rome, the “City of Seven Hills,” the seat from which the Pope rules. There are other candidates for the headquarters of Mystery Babylon. Jerusalem supposedly sits on seven hills, and the False Prophet will set up the image of the Beast in the Temple there and demand that the world worship the image and the Beast.[17] Babylon in Iraq, although there are no hills around it, is also a candidate. Upon closer inspection, the “seven mountains” are “the seven heads” which are rulers, so this may not refer to a specific place at all, but rather the seat of government, or the foundation of past governments (see the next paragraph). I will look deeper into that in the next chapter.

“And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space” (Revelation 17:10). The “seven kings” are world empires. “Five are fallen”: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. “One is”: Rome; Rome is the empire that “was” during John’s time. “The other is not yet come:” this is the revived Roman Empire, the kingdom of the Beast. Daniel saw this kingdom as the feet of iron mixed with clay in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.[18] In the dream, Nebuchadnezzar saw a stone cut out of a mountain that struck the feet of iron and clay and collapsed the entire statue.[19] The dream means that at the end of time, Christ (the stone) would destroy all the kingdoms of the world and He, Himself, will reign forever.

“And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (Revelation 17:11-13). There is much speculation on exactly how this will shape up. There is talk that the UN has plans on how to divide the world into 10 regions under a one-world government. Maps are available with a Google search. However, these maps include China and other Asian nations that I do not believe will play along with that scheme. Russia is also included in these maps, and I do not believe that Russia will want to play along either. As I see it (and I can be wrong about this), the Antichrist’s control will be mostly over the Western nations, i.e., nations that were part of the old Roman Empire. Neither China nor Russia (or any of the Asian nations for that matter) were part of the Roman Empire. So, exactly how this will play out is anyone’s guess. In all probability, it will include the nations of the European Union (EU) and possibly the nations of Northern Africa (that were part of the old Roman Empire). However, this works out, there will be ten rulers, three of who will cede their power over to the Antichrist. The others will “have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.”

“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14, emphasis mine). We read in Revelation 16:16, when the seventh angel pours out the contents of the seventh bowl, that God draws all the kings, i.e., leaders, to Armageddon for the final battle. Note that the “Lord of lords, and King of kings” does not come alone (albeit, He is the only one that does any fighting); He comes with His saints that are “called, and chosen, and faithful.”[20] This is the Church that was raptured before the Tribulation and the Tribulation saints that were martyred throughout the Tribulation. It will make for a spectacular aerial phenomenon!

“And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth” (Revelation 17:15-18, emphasis mine).

In the end, just like any whore, Mystery Babylon, the religion of the Beast, will be used for his satisfaction and then cast aside when she is no longer useful to him. And, although the Beast and his henchmen think they are in control, it is really God that is running the show.[21]

We see the one-world religion that the Antichrist will use and abuse to get what he wants rising even now. We see it in the form of ecumenism. We see it in the efforts of “religious” leaders to unite all the religions of the world. We see it in the form of Earth worship. We see it in the form of humanism that places the will of man above that of God. All of that is taking place right now, and if you do not see it, you are not paying attention. Things are falling into place in preparation for the Beast to step in and take over.

How about you, reader? Are you paying attention? If you do not know the Savior, do not wait any longer. The time is short. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1] Isaiah 54:5-6; 62:5; Jeremiah 3:20; Ezekiel 16:30-33

[2] John 3:39; Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 21:9

[3] Isaiah 1:18

[4] Lamentations 4:5

[5] Daniel 5: 7, 16, 29

[6] 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

[7] The Beast and His Mouth | Ernie’s Musings (erniecarrasco.com)

[8] John 12:3-5

[9] Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17-19, 25

[10] 1 Kings 11:5, 33; 2 Kings 23:13

[11] Queen of Heaven (antiquity) – Wikipedia

[12] GAIA WORSHIP – THE NEW PAGAN RELIGION (environment-ecology.com)

[13] Pope Francis Says He Would Definitely Baptize Aliens If They Asked Him To – The Atlantic

[14] HOME – Advance ESG

[15] What Did The Georgia Guidestones Say? Mysterious Words On Blown Up Monument (newsweek.com)

[16] Revelation 19:20

[17] Revelation 13:14-15

[18] Daniel 2:41-44

[19] Daniel 2:45

[20] Revelation 19:14

[21] Psalm 2

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June 11, 2023 · 10:00

Vile Vials

Image used by permission of artist Pat Marvenko Smith, Copyright 1992.
Visit her “Revelation Illustrated” site at https://revelationillustrated.com/.

And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. (Revelation 16:1)

In the words of an old country-western song, “Turn out the lights; the party’s over.” According to my understanding, we have arrived at the final 21 months of the seven-year Tribulation. The first three and one-half years brought the seven seal judgments.[1] When Jesus, the Lamb, breaks open the seventh seal, the seven trumpets begin to sound.[2] Around the midpoint of the Tribulation, according to Daniel the Prophet, the Antichrist, a.k.a. the Beast, defiles the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. If he was not recognized when he confirmed “the covenant” securing peace for Israel, which initiated the seven-year Tribulation, there will be no doubt about his identity at this time.[3]

As we follow the progression of the judgments, we notice that they become increasingly severe. At the same time, there is no indication that one judgment ends when another begins. With a few exceptions, the effects of the judgments continue throughout the Tribulation period. There are wars, economic collapses, famines, pandemics, natural disasters, and more, and now things are about to get worse.

“And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever” (Revelation 15:7, emphasis mine). John does not tell us which of the four beasts gives the seven vials (or “bowls”) to the angels, but I think it might be the third beast having “a face as a man.”[4] I come to that conclusion because the judgments that come upon the earth, while they affect all of nature, are aimed at a sinful and rebellious human race. The other beasts (lion, calf, and eagle) represent the animal kingdom which does not have a sin nature. “And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth” (Revelation 16:1). Here it comes!

“And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image” (Revelation 16:2, emphasis mine). This “grievous sore” only affects those having the “mark of the beast.” With the advancement of modern technology, things like RFID chips, which can be embedded under the skin, or quantum dot tattoos[5] (that can not only contain all of one’s personal information, including health, financial, and social credit records, but they can be tracked) already exist and can easily be used as “the mark of the beast.” Because these things penetrate the body, it is possible that the human body will react to the foreign invader and produce these sores. In the case of the quantum dot tattoos, right now they are being promoted as a way to vaccinate people while also providing proof of vaccination. Many of the proposed vaccines of the mRNA type have the potential of modifying a person’s DNA. I have heard that altering a person’s DNA by only one percent renders them no longer human. If that is true, that person (being no longer human) loses any possibility for salvation – Jesus died for humans. Also, considering that only those with the “mark” contract these horrible sores implies that not all earth dwellers take the mark of the beast. These are either Tribulation saints that have survived in the midst of all these judgments or those who potentially will be saved before Christ returns.

“And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea” (Revelation 16:3, emphasis mine). The sea does not turn into blood; “it became as blood,” which suggests some sort of pollution. When the second trumpet sounded, a third part of the sea was turned to blood.[6] However, here all the ocean waters are affected; all marine life dies. Imagine the stench of the rotting flesh and the potential for the spread of diseases!

“And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood” (Revelation 16:4, emphasis mine). Here the waters are turned into blood, just like in the plagues of Egypt.[7] In that case, the plague lasted only seven days; here there is no indication of cessation. What does one drink when there is no water to drink? All soft drinks are made with water. Alcoholic drinks do not quench thirst, and worse, they promote dehydration. Then imagine the chaos resulting from an intoxicated population! Milk might work, but the climate alarmists want to do away with cows, so that option may not be available.

While things here on earth are dire, in heaven God’s righteousness is acknowledged and celebrated. “And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments” (Revelation 16:5-7, emphasis mine). To us, the judgment may seem like cruel and unusual punishment, but God is always righteous in all of His acts. I have often stressed God’s mercy, even during this time of Great Tribulation. He gives mankind every opportunity to repent, but they rebelliously continue to reject Him. Even when they recognized that the judgments are from God, they curse God rather than repent.

“And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory” (Revelation 16:8-9, emphasis mine). The adage “When you’re in a hole, stop digging” is lost on these people. The fact that they have already pledged their allegiance to the Antichrist has sealed their doom. They are beyond redemption.

“And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds” (Revelation 16:10-11, emphasis mine). Notice that this darkness is localized. It is only “upon the seat of the beast,” or the capital of the Antichrist. There is debate as to where his seat will be located. Some think that his capital will be in Rome, the seat of the old Roman Empire. Others suggest that it might be Jerusalem since it is there where he desecrates the Temple.[8] Still others believe it is literal Babylon as we shall see later. The argument against today’s Babylon is that it is insignificant on the world stage, unlike its historical past. However, considering modern technology, any place can serve as a control center; so why not Babylon? Wherever “the beast” chooses to make his capital, it will experience such a dreadful darkness that it causes the inhabitants to “gnaw their tongues for pain.”

“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:12-14, emphasis mine).

If I have not done so in previous articles, I need to make it clear now. The Antichrist will not rule the entire world. He wants to, but he will not achieve his goal. The Asian nations, China, North Korea, India, Pakistan, and many of Muslim nations, will oppose his rule. The Muslim nations, because they are monotheistic, will reject him when he demands to be worshipped as God. China and many other Asian nations desire their own domination of the world. They do not want to submit to the leadership of “the West.” These “kings of the east” will be enticed by the demonic spirits sent by the “unholy trinity” (the dragon, the beast, the false prophet) to come against the Antichrist. He thinks he will finally crush his opposition, but little does he know that this is God’s doing “to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” We learn in the next verses that this is the infamous “Battle of Armageddon.”

Jesus speaks now. “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame” (Revelation 16:15). He is not speaking to the Church because the Church is with Him in heaven. No, this is addressed to those saints that are suffering through the Tribulation. They are studying this book. They see the signs. They know the sequence of events. They know what comes next. They are watching. They know that they need to hang on for just 21 more months. Jesus here encourages them to remain steadfast and faithful in their trials. They will be blessed, as they watch the heaven split open and their long-awaited Lord descend on a white horse followed by all of His saints. Hang in there, Saints! It will not be much longer. Jesus comes “as a thief,” but not to these saints; they are expecting Him. The sudden surprise of His appearing is reserved for God rejecting sinners.

“And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon” (Revelation 16:16). God is the one gathering all the armies of the world into this one valley. The name in Hebrew means Mount Megiddo and it actually refers to the valley north of this mountain. “This valley in northern Israel extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the Joran River south of Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee). It covers an area of roughly 380 square kilometers or 146.7 square miles. The blood of Jesus’ enemies will fill this “winepress” as high as a horse’s bridle. It is “the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Revelation 19:15).”[9]

“And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done” (Revelation 16:17, emphasis mine). That is it! It is over! What follows describes the result of this final battle.

“And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great” (Revelation 16:18-21, emphasis mine).

Earthquakes of 5.5 magnitude and above are on the increase albeit rarely publicized and occurring in locations where earthquakes are rare. The earth is groaning. “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:22). At the beginning of the Tribulation when the sixth seal is opened, we are told that there was “a great earthquake” great enough to blot out the sun and turn the moon blood red.[10] So great is this earthquake that it causes heaven to appear as if it is rolled up like a scroll. That earthquake is small compared to this one. This one is greater even than those that split the “fountains of the deep” at the time of the Great Flood.[11] The earthquake causes “the great city” (Jerusalem) to split three ways. This will not be a localized earthquake. It will eradicate islands and demolish mountains. The tectonic upheaval created by this earthquake will spawn volcanoes worldwide, spewing dust and ash high into the atmosphere. Increased evaporation from superheated oceans will send water vapors high into the atmosphere to return to the earth as massive hailstones weighing in excess of 120 pounds.

Men on earth recognize that these things are truly “an act of God,” and rather than repent, they curse and blaspheme God. The text says that at this time “Babylon came in remembrance before God.” That does not mean God had forgotten and then suddenly said, “Oh yeah! I forgot about Babylon.” No, God’s timing is always perfect, and He does not forget (which, by the way, is why hell is eternal. Sin offends the Eternal God eternally and the only remedy is the sin-atoning, sin-covering blood of Jesus.). The time has come for Babylon to be judged. We will see that in the chapters that follow.

I take no pleasure when I think about the horrors that will come upon mankind during the Tribulation. That is why I am writing this series on the Book of Revelation. I hope that my efforts will lead as least some to avoid the judgments that are coming. And, if they do not heed the warnings before the Rapture of the Church and the coming Tribulation, perhaps they will reconsider during the Tribulation while they still have a chance. Reader, if you do not know the Savior, do not wait any longer. The time is short. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”