Tag Archives: Tribulation

February 26, 2023 · 10:00

The Fifth Seal

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. (Matthew 24:9)

The first seal,[1] the white horse, introduced the Antichrist. The second seal,[2] the red horse, brought global wars. The third seal,[3] the black horse, brings economic collapse. War and economic collapse result in famines and pestilences. The fourth seal[4] releases the pale horse bringing death by way of war, hunger, and pandemics.

“And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held” (Revelation 6:9, emphasis mine). Who are these “souls … slain for the word of God?” With minimal effort, we can infer that these are martyred Christians. We make that conclusion based on a verse that follows. “And white robes were given unto every one of them…” (Revelation 6:11).

There are some students of end-times prophecy who use these verses to reject the doctrine of the Rapture of the Church. They use these verses to prove that the Church will go through and suffer persecution in the Tribulation. Hear what these martyrs cry. “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10). We know from Verse 9 that they “were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.” No doubt they are Christians who have died for their faith, and they plead for God’s vengeance on the earth-dwellers that caused their suffering. From the response given to them, we understand that other Christians still remain and suffer on earth. “And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (Revelation 6:11, emphasis mine). Obviously, there are Christians going through the Tribulation with the expectation that they will be martyred.

This would be a solid no-Rapture argument if these verses are the only verses used to make the case. However, making a case based on only a single passage is poor hermeneutics. We need to examine the whole counsel of God’s Word.

I hold the pre-millennial/pre-tribulation view of eschatology. The Pre-millennial view holds to a seven-year Tribulation period before Christ returns to establish His 1000-year reign on Earth.[5] The pre-tribulation side says that Jesus will come to receive His Bride – the Church – prior to the Tribulation. I covered some of these points in my article “The First Sight.” However, here it may be worth the extra time and space to support that stance.

First of all, the time of Tribulation is for the purpose of restoring Israel and God fulfilling the promise He made to Abraham to make him a great nation and give him a land (the land of Israel) as an everlasting covenant or promise.[6] God must keep His promise otherwise none of the promises He makes to us can be trusted.

The prophet Daniel laid out the time determined for Israel. “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24, emphasis mine). The Hebrew word translated as “weeks” is shebû‛âh, which is a period of seven (years in this case). By applying simple multiplication, we conclude that Israel was given 490 years until the anointing of “the most Holy,” i.e., Jesus Christ. That time started when Cyrus gave the command for the Jews to return to Judah and for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple.[7] Obviously, more than 490 years have elapsed. However, Daniel’s prophecy breaks up the timetable so that after 483 years, “shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself” (Daniel 9:26). Several biblical scholars have calculated the time and have verified the accuracy of the prophecy determining that Jesus was crucified (“cut off”) exactly 483 years to the day as predicted by Daniel. That leaves seven years (“one week”) to complete Israel’s timetable. Daniel immediately transitions to the final week which begins when “the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary” (Daniel 9:26, emphasis mine). This “prince,” we conclude, is the Antichrist. “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:27, emphasis mine). Antichrist, a.k.a. “the beast,” shows up on the scene and promises peace for Israel for seven years (“one week”).

Again, the timetable seems to fail. Considering that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was “cut off” in AD 30 (arguably), the 70th or final week would have concluded in AD 37; but the Temple was not destroyed until AD 70. However, the Bible is NEVER wrong, so why have almost 2000 years gone by since the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ with no fulfillment of the 70th week? Enter the Church.

Part of Israel’s responsibility as God’s chosen people was that they should be a “priest” nation to the rest of the world. “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:6, emphasis mine). They failed in this responsibility by adopting an exclusionary attitude toward other nations, i.e., Gentiles. Furthermore, when their promised Messiah revealed Himself, they rejected and crucified Him. However, God’s plan has always been for the redemption of all people. “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).

God has temporarily set aside Israel and temporarily replaced it with the Church to accomplish His plan of spreading the Gospel, the “good news,” around the world. John reminds us that “… Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:5-6) However, He is not done dealing with Israel. Paul is clear on this matter:

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. (Romans 11:25-32, emphasis mine).

Let me highlight some important points in the passage above. In addressing the church in Rome, Paul declares God’s dealing with Israel a “mystery.” He addresses some of these things in bits and pieces in other parts of the letter to the Romans,[8] but here the message is concise. First, Israel is spiritually blind in that they do not recognize their Messiah. This spiritual blindness will continue until the time of the Gentiles, i.e., the Church, is completed. Second, all Israel – at least all that survive the Tribulation – will be saved. This happens when Jesus returns in His second coming. God says through the prophet Zechariah, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me [God/Jesus] whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10, emphasis mine). That has not happened; this event is yet future. Third, there is the promise of a Deliverer coming out of Zion[9] that will turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Israel). The Deliverer came but He was rejected; so, this promise is yet future. Fourth, Israel (Jews) are enemies of the Gospel for our sake, the Gentile Church. However, they are still “elect” for their fathers’ (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel) sakes, and “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance,” i.e., God is not going to change His mind about it. Finally, God has concluded or determined this in order that all may receive mercy.

So far, I hope, I have established that the time of Tribulation is for the sake of restoring Israel so that God can fulfill His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). The final week of Daniel’s prophecy is intended for Israel “to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24). This time is not meant for the Church. In speaking of “the Day of the Lord,”[10] which will come “as a thief in the night,” Paul assures us, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9, emphasis mine). The Church is not appointed for the wrath of God. That time is reserved for the spiritual restoration of Israel.

Even now, the Church is experiencing persecution around the world. Christians are being killed for their faith in all of the Muslim countries, including China, in India, and in several African countries. In many western nations, including the United States, “soft” persecution is taking place where Christians are being “canceled” by social media and other media outlets. Laws are being enacted that declare much of the Bible, particularly those portions speaking against sodomy, as hate speech. Pastors that speak against such topics are in danger of being arrested. It is happening in Canada, and it will soon come here. But that is the wrath of man, not the wrath of God. The Church will not face the wrath of God.

Jesus promised to take His Bride home to be with Him.[11] That event, known as the Rapture, will take place in an instant. “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 4:16-17, emphasis mine). John gave us a glimpse of this when he says, “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. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne” (Revelation 4:1-2, emphasis mine). To the church of Philadelphia, Jesus promised, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10, emphasis mine).

The Tribulation is not for the Church. The Bride will be with the Bridegroom during this awful time on earth. So, who are these souls under the altar that were killed for the Word of God and for their testimony? These are those that missed the Rapture and had to go through the Tribulation. Perhaps they were CINOs (Christians In Name Only) who were not saved but retained enough Bible knowledge to recognize what was taking place. At that point, they will truly believe in the Gospel, but it will cost them their lives. Others will be those who came to faith by the witness of those who are being saved. Still, others will believe because of the preaching of the 144,000 witnesses described in Revelation 7, 14 or from the preaching of the two witnesses in Jerusalem.[12] If that is not enough, God sends a Gospel angel to preach the Word to all the world.[13] As Peter said, God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). These will be saved, but it will cost them their lives. To these, Jesus said, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9).

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14, emphasis mine). I am constantly amazed at the love of God for a sinful world. He gives every opportunity for people to repent, ask forgiveness, and place their trust in Jesus Christ who is the only Way, Truth, and Life.[14] Even so, many who will recognize that all the judgments that will follow come from God, will still refuse to repent and will curse God instead.[15]

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.

Notes:

[1]  Revelation 6:1-2

[2]  Revelation 6:3-4

[3]  Revelation 6:5-6

[4]  Revelation 6:7-8

[5]  Revelation 20:1-10

[6]  Genesis 12:2, 7; 13:14-17; 15:18; 17:4-8; 18:17-18

[7]  Daniel 9:25

[8]  Romans 9:27; 10:1-4, 19-21; 11:2

[9]  Paul quoting Psalm 14:7

[10]  1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

[11]  John 14:1-3

[12]  Revelation 11:1-14

[13]  Revelation 14:6-7

[14]  John 14:6

[15]  Revelation 16:21

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February 19, 2023 · 10:00

The Pale Horse

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)

The first seal,[1] the white horse, introduced the Antichrist. The second seal,[2] the red horse, brought global wars. The third seal,[3] the black horse, brings economic collapse. War and economic collapse result in famines and pestilences. Enter the pale horse.

“And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth” (Revelation 6:7-8, emphasis mine).

The Greek word translated “pale” is chlōros, from which we derive our English word “chlorophyll,” the chemical in plant leaves that gives them their green color. Green is the color of rotting flesh as in gangrene. It stands to reason that this horse brings death. The “Hell” that follows is hadēs, which is sometimes translated as “the grave” or the abode of the dead. This horse is given power over a fourth of the earth. This probably includes both humans and animals. Our current earth’s population is over 8-Billion people. A fourth of that would be a staggering 2-Billion people. With all that death, much of it brought on by the red and black horses, the living will be overwhelmed in efforts to bury all the dead. The rotting human and animal corpses will contribute to the spread of diseases, pestilences, and pandemics.

The pale horse also kills with hunger. With wars devastating farmlands and disrupting supply chains, and the economic collapse brought on by the black horse, food scarcity will kill many who cannot buy “A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny” (Revelation 6:6).

Much of the suffering brought on by the pale horse can be seen today. Covid-19, a man-made pathogen unleashed on the world, arguably on purpose, killed many millions. The worldwide shutdowns stymied supply chains around the globe with their effects felt to this very day. Store shelves remain sparse and often empty. Long waiting periods abound for electronic parts (from China mostly) needed for manufacturing electronic devices of all kinds. And even though the pandemic has mostly subsided, the powers that be continue to foment fear of new variants. (They relish the power that such fear gives them over the populous.)

There is more to come. Just this week I learned about a new bat-borne virus discovered in Western Africa (Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon), which is deadly and for which there is no known cure.[4] This is only the beginning.

In his Wednesday night sermon this week,[5] Pastor Jack Hibbs described the wars and rumors of wars that the mainstream media strategically omit from their reports. Most of us know about the Chinese balloon that floated over the entire United States spying on our military installations. Do not be deceived; China is testing our defenses to discover our weaknesses. North Korea also continues to test our resolve. Russia is looking for an excuse to attack the United States. Putin has not been vague in his threats to use nuclear weapons on any who oppose his assault on Ukraine. Russia has brought charges against the US with the UN for blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline. (Yes, we did blow it up.) Another rumor of war about which we hear little is the strife between Pakistan and India – both nuclear powers.

Jesus assured us that “… ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matthew 24:6-7, emphasis mine). Very recently two 7.5 magnitude earthquakes followed by many strong aftershocks (5.0+ magnitude) rocked Eastern Turkey and Northern Syria. Over 42,000 deaths have been recorded to date and many more are expected. We do not hear much about them, but earthquakes of 5.0+ magnitude are happening all over the world. However, Jesus said, “All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8). We are not experiencing the Tribulation yet. The reason I know that is that the Church is still on Earth and the Antichrist has not been revealed. What we are experiencing are just the early, sporadic birth pangs, but they are increasing in frequency and intensity. The Greek word translated as “sorrows” is ōdin meaning “the pain of childbirth, travail pain, birth pangs.”

The four horses of the apocalypse are saddled. Their riders are ready to mount as they await their order to ride. For those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ, all this is good news. It means that our Lord’s return is closer than ever before. Before the first seal is broken, “… 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 4:16-17, emphasis mine).

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.

Notes:

[1]  Revelation 6:1-2

[2]  Revelation 6:3-4

[3]  Revelation 6:5-6

[4]  Equatorial Guinea confirms country’s first Marburg virus disease outbreak -WHO | Reuters

[5]  (4) Now Arriving – YouTube – Watch/listen to the whole sermon. It is well worth your time.

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February 12, 2023 · 10:00

The Black Horse

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)

With the first seal,[1] the white horse, and the second seal,[2] the red horse, opened, the Tribulation is well underway. By now, Antichrist controls a good majority of the nations on earth. Many others will resist his authority, bringing the world wars that come with the red horse. Several opinions predict the origins of “the beast.” Some believe he will be a Jew because the Prophet Daniel says that, “Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God[3] of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things” (Daniel 11:37-38, emphasis mine).

Some believe “the beast” will be a Muslim. They come to this conclusion from a passage from the Prophet Micah that predicts the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2, emphasis mine). Messiah will rule Israel (yet future) but will be opposed by “the Assyrian.” “And this man [i.e. the Messiah] shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he [the Assyrian] shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men” (Micah 5:5, emphasis mine). However, it is doubtful that Jews would accept a Muslim as their Messiah. A Jewish Messiah is more likely. Jews expect Messiah to be a man, not God. Even now, there is a rabbi in Jerusalem to whom miracles have been attributed and whom many think is a good candidate for the role.[4]

However, neither of these proposals agrees with Daniel’s vision of the Antichrist.[5] From Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of an image with a head of gold, a chest of silver, a midsection of bronze (brass), legs of iron, and feet (with ten toes) made of a mixture of iron and clay, we conclude that the legs of iron represent the Roman empire (which was never defeated), and the feet of iron and clay is the revived Roman empire (albeit, not necessarily called by that name). However, this last Roman empire is weak and does not hold together well. That it has ten toes suggests a confederation of ten nations (or regions) that are fragmented and do not cohere well together. This final “kingdom” is forming today by way of the European Union (EU), the World Economic Forum (WEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations (UN). They are all working together with one goal in mind – a One-World Government. From this cabal of elites will rise the Antichrist according to Daniel. “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (Daniel 9:26, emphasis mine). The Romans – the people of the prince that shall come – destroyed the city, Jerusalem, and the sanctuary, Herod’s Temple, in AD 70. The “prince that shall come” (yet future) is Antichrist. He will come from that revived Roman empire. He will be European – a gentile, not a Jew or Middle Eastern (Muslim).

When Antichrist comes to power, he will not attain complete world dominance. Russia, China, and the Arab nations will not readily submit. Enter the red horse bringing war and taking peace from the world. Global war will further destabilize faltering world economies. The Lamb then breaks open the third seal.

“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine” (Revelation 6:5-6, emphasis mine). This rider carries a set of balance scales in his hand. In John’s day, people bought food in the marketplace by weight. We still do the same today; fruits, fresh vegetables, meats, etc. are bought by weight. Even canned items and liquid items inform the buyer of the weight of the contents. So, the balance scales the rider carries indicate the buying and selling of things; it is the economy of the world that he carries.

The economy, at the time of this writing, really stinks! I am old enough to remember when a loaf of bread sold for around 25¢. Today a loaf of bread sells for between $4 and $5! However, during the Tribulation, it gets worse. A “measure” (Gk. choenix) is “nearly equivalent to about one quart, being considered a sufficient daily allowance for the sustenance of one man.”[6] A measure of wheat sufficient to feed a man for one day is sold for a “penny” (Gk. dēnarion aka, denarius), which was considered a day’s wages. In today’s money, a worker earning a minimum wage of $10.50/hour for eight hours earns $84/day. If that is what it takes to buy food sufficient for one day, how will a person pay for rent, transportation, and other necessities? Of course, that would be the price for wheat – the “good stuff.” One could economize by downgrading to “barley” – the “cheap stuff” – and get three measures for a day’s wages.

However, the elites pulling the strings get to enjoy all of the best. “See thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” They live it up, while the “worker bees” suffer. Notice how the current elites of the world travel to Davos, Switzerland in private jets, stay in five-star hotels, dine at the finest restaurants, and meet to plan the dictates for the rest of us – how we should reduce our “carbon footprint,” turn down our thermostats, drive (expensive) electric cars, and eat bugs instead of steak. That is what they plan while they wittingly or unwittingly pave the way for the black horse.

The combination of the red horse and the black horse under the direction of the white horse will make the way for the “pale horse” that follows. The black horse is saddled and its rider is ready to mount.

Reader, are you prepared for what is coming to all 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.

Notes:

[1]  Revelation 6:1-2

[2]  Revelation 6:3-4

[3]  KJV capitalizes “God,” however a close examination of the text seems to favor lower case – “god.” It makes no sense that he would have no regard for “the God of his fathers” and at the same time honor that God. In context, it seems more likely that he is honoring “the god of [dark] forces … a god whom his fathers knew not.”

[4]  (1) The Jewish Messiah is here and doing miracles? – YouTube

[5] “Antichrist” is a title ascribed to this coming ruler by students of end-times prophecy. The writer of the book of Revelation gives him this title, but only in his epistles: 1 John 2:18. In Revelation, he calls him “the beast.” The prefix, “anti” means “in exchange for, in place of, instead of, one after another” So, “the beast” attempts to put himself in place of or instead of Christ.

[6] William D. Mounce with Rick D. Bennett, Jr., Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary, (www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary, 1993).

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January 22, 2023 · 10:00

The First Sight

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11)

 

The book of Revelation puzzles many who read it. It seems strange and sometimes bizarre. Many avoid the book because the contents elicit fear about the predictions of things to come. However, the book of Revelation is the only book of the Bible that promises a blessing to those who read, hear, and apply its contents. “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” (Revelation 1:3).

Revelation opens with the last remaining apostle of Jesus, the Apostle John, “in the Spirit the Lord’s Day.”[1] The Roman government arrested and exiled John to the prison island of Patmos for preaching the disruptive Gospel of Jesus Christ.[2]

The initial recipients of the book were seven churches in Asia Minor: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.[3] To these, the risen Christ addresses individual letters.[4] These churches existed in John’s day, but because of the commendations and reproofs Jesus gives to these churches, some have seen in them patterns of each throughout church history.

John then describes his first glimpse of Jesus as though in a vision. This is not the Jesus John remembers during His earthly ministry. This Jesus is awesome to behold. John says, “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (Revelation 1:12-16). The dazzling sight caused John to fall at His feet in awestruck fear, but that tender, familiar voice reassured him of the One he loved. “… Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:17-18).

John saw Jesus in the midst of seven lampstands holding seven stars in His right hand. Jesus explained to him that the seven lampstands represented the seven churches and the seven stars represented the seven angels, i.e., messengers or pastors, of the seven churches.[5] The image reminds us that Jesus dwells among His churches and that He keeps and protects the pastors of His churches in His right hand (a position of power). This should also serve as a warning to pastors. Just as Jesus’ right hand protects His messengers, He also has the power to crush the pastor that fails in his responsibility to Jesus’ Bride, the Church.

As noted earlier, Jesus dictates direct messages to each of the seven churches. Immediately following the last word to the church of Laodicea, John looks up and sees an open door in heaven and hears a sound (Greek: phōnē) like that of a trumpet that said, “Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne” (Revelation 4:1-2, emphasis mine).

Many see the Rapture of the Church in these verses. John is commanded to “come up here” and “immediately” he sees the throne of God for the first time. From this point forward, the Church no longer appears on earth until Christ returns with His saints in Chapter 19.

There are many who teach that the Rapture is not taught in the Bible. They correctly argue that the word “rapture” appears nowhere in the Bible. However, neither do the words bible or trinity, yet no one will argue that these concepts are not taught in the Bible. “Rapture” translates the Greek word harpazō into the Latin raptus meaning “to seize; to catch away or up; to pluck, pull, or take by force”. This is what happened to John. He was on the earth and “immediately” he was caught away into the throne room of God.

Jesus gave us the first promise of the Rapture before going to the cross. He said, “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). Paul teaches of the time when the trumpet shall sound and our corrupt bodies will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. The dead in Christ will rise from their graves, and we who are alive will join them to meet Jesus in the air.[6]

John enters the presence of God and his first sight is the throne of God. The person seated on the throne appears not as a human or any other creature, but rather as a glorious splendor. Of Him, John says, “And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald” (Revelation 4:3). The Bible teaches that God has no human form, except in the form of Jesus. Jesus said, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24, emphasis mine). John was given a privilege that even Moses (or anyone else for that matter) was denied. Moses, who spoke with God face-to-face as with a friend,[7] wanted to see God in His glory, but God denied his request, “And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live” (Exodus 33:20, emphasis mine). Yet, somehow John saw God in all of His glory and did not die. In our corrupt human bodies, we cannot withstand the glory of God’s presence. However, at the Rapture, our bodies will be transformed in such a way that we can be in the presence of God in His full glory and not be harmed, just like John.

The scene overwhelmed John. There were lightnings, thunders, and voices. Around the throne of God, John saw 24 thrones upon which seven elders sat wearing white robes and crowns of gold.[8] Some suppose these represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles. Others suggest that they merely represent believers of all the ages. In either case, the white robes represent the righteousness of Christ conferred on them. The golden crowns are stephanos, which are “victors crowns” awarded to them for conquering sin, not through their own righteousness, but through the blood of Christ.

John then sees seven lampstands around the throne defined as the “seven spirits of God” Some suggest that these seven lampstands represent seven attributes of the Holy Spirit as described by the prophet Isaiah. “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him [i.e., Jesus], the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:2, emphasis mine). We know that the Holy Spirit indwells believers and thereby indwells the Church. In the first chapter, John sees Jesus in the midst of seven lampstands, which represent the churches. Now, these same lampstands (i.e., churches) are seen around the throne of God. I see the lampstands representing both the Holy Spirit and the churches wherein the Holy Spirit resides. The attributes described by Isaiah certainly apply as well.

Around the throne is a crystal sea. It is difficult to know what John saw in this. It is all strange and wonderful and beyond words to describe. John could only relate what he saw by his limited earthly vocabulary. But then he sees four strange creatures full of eyes and with six wings each. One “beast” had the head of a lion, the second the head of a calf, the third the head of a man, and the fourth the head of an eagle.[9] The eyes represent the omniscience of God and the four different heads represent all of God’s creatures: wild animals, domestic animals, human beings, and avian life. All of God’s creation never ceasing to praise Him day or night “saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8).

John then observed that when these praised God, the 24 elders prostrate themselves and cast their victor’s crowns before the throne saying, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11).

With the focus on the throne, John spots something new. “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals” (Revelation 5:1, emphasis mine). By its description, we know that this “book” is actually a scroll – perhaps parchment – with writing on both sides, rolled up and secured with seven seals. Many suggest that this scroll represents the title dead to the earth and the kingdoms thereof. When God created the earth, He gave dominion over the earth to man whom He created in His image on the sixth day of creation.[10] However, man lost that dominion when he sinned in the Garden of Eden.[11] The dominion of earth transferred to Satan. Paul calls him the “god of this world.”[12] When Satan tempted Jesus, he offered Jesus the kingdoms of this world if He would only bow down and worship him. “And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it” (Luke 4:6, emphasis mine). However, his ownership is only temporary.

Then John saw and heard a strong angel proclaim, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” (Revelation 5:2). And no one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth was found worthy to take the scroll and break the seals. The situation was dire indeed. All of God’s creation hung in the balance and there was no one to come to the rescue. John says, “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon” (Revelation 5:4).

John’s tears were soon assuaged. “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof,” John says, “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth” (Revelation 5:5-6). John the Baptist saw this Lamb come to him to be baptized in the Jordan and proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He was slain on the cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and rose again on the third day.[13] Horns represent kingdoms and the Lamb has seven representing completion. All the kingdoms belong to Him. He is “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16). Seven eyes suggest omniscience with all the attributes of the seven Spirits of God.

Only the Lamb, by virtue of His sacrifice, is worthy to take and open the scroll. “And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne” (Revelation 5:7). When the Lamb took the scroll, a great celebration broke out in heaven. The four living creatures and the 24 elders prostrate themselves before the Lamb. “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).

Then the rest of heaven breaks out in praise, “Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Revelation 5:12-13).

Worthy indeed! I cannot imagine how John must have felt at the first sight of heaven and the throne of God. I cannot wait to see it for myself!

The 14 chapters that follow bring us back to earth and the events that will transpire during the seven-year Tribulation. The scenes are horrific. However, the Church, the Bride of Christ, will not experience the horrors of the Tribulation. The Church, as we saw will be around the throne of God and not on earth. Will you be there or will you experience the horrors that are coming upon the earth? Your ticket out of here was purchased by Jesus more than 2000 years ago. All you have to do is accept it. Check out my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Revelation 1:10

[2]  Revelation 1:9

[3]  Revelation 1:11

[4]  Revelation 2-3

[5]  Revelation 1:20

[6]  1 Corinthians 15:50-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

[7]  Exodus 33:11

[8]  Revelation 4:4

[9]  Revelation 4:6-8

[10]  Genesis 1:26-28

[11]  Genesis 3

[12]  2 Corinthians 4:4

[13]  1 Corinthians 15:3-4

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February 6, 2022 · 10:00

We’ve Been Warned

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)

As you watch or listen to news reports, even from the “fake news” media, do you wonder about what is going on in the world? Russia amasses troops and armaments on the border of Ukraine threatening an invasion. It already has troops stationed in Syria, which although not openly voiced, threaten Israel with its alliances with Turkey and Iran.[1] China boldly invades Taiwan’s airspace daring the United States to do something about it. North Korea once again tests its ballistic missiles in defiance again of the United States. Just yesterday (February 4, 2022), the United States lifted all sanctions from Iran allowing the belligerent nation to go unrestrained in the development of their nuclear weapons – not that the sanctions were any deterrent to their plans, but perhaps the plight of the Iranian people will improve somewhat.

The United States has sent 3000 troops to Europe to scare Putin into backing off of Ukraine. In addition, the United States has sent weapons of various kinds to Ukraine for their own defense. NATO nations are also sending troops and weapons. Germany sent helmets! By analyzing the situation, it appears that the stage is being set for World War III.

Meanwhile, the COVID “plandemic” is being used by governments to oppress their people. Australia and Canada exemplify the harsh totalitarian mandates imposed by governments to exercise control over their people. The United States is not far behind. However, here we have the Constitution that hobbles the government from taking such draconian measures. Instead, government mouthpieces exert their influence to pressure large businesses to do their dirty work for them. Hence, airlines force employees to take the “shot” and require passengers to mask up.

Because medical facilities are on the government teat (they accept Medicare/Medicaid), the government can force “shot” and mask mandates to all employees and they can require patients to show proof of the injection before receiving treatment. Many hospitals are experiencing shortages in healthcare workers because many healthcare workers refuse to take the “jab” because they, being medical “experts” know the harm that the injection can do. As for COVID patients arriving at many hospitals, strict regimens of prescribed treatments (by the CDC) prevent medical staff from administering any of alternative treatments that have been proven to work. Instead, they end up killing patients with “approved” treatments.

Large businesses that employ 100 or more employees are carrying out the government mandate that all employees take the injection as a requirement for employment, even though the Supreme Court struck down the mandate as unconstitutional. They do it because they know “from whence cometh their help.” As a result, many businesses suffer from shortages of workers, which further weakens the economy – and this is true around the world. Of course, government employees must adhere to government mandates for shots and masks, which further enhances government inefficiency. I personally am dealing with an IRS matter that I cannot resolve because no one at the IRS is there to answer the phones. They use COVID to excuse their inability to provide service.

In the meantime, “woke” cities experience increasingly high crime and murder rates because “woke” city leaders refuse to prosecute crimes. Then they blame guns for their problems while they prevent honest, law-abiding citizens from purchasing guns for their own self-defense.

Do you get the picture? Do you find all of this a bit unnerving and perplexing? If you are a Christian and a serious student of the Bible, this should not come as a surprise. All of what we are experiencing right now has been predicted in the pages of the Bible. Jesus said of the last days, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring” (Luke 21:25). Of course, in context, Jesus referred to the time of Tribulation before His Second Coming, but these things will not happen suddenly. They take time to develop and increase in intensity. For those of us who are paying attention, we have seen all of this building up and ramping up for the last 50 years or more. Jesus spoke of the time of Tribulation in His “Olivet Discourse.”[2] However, what Jesus described will be much worse, if you can imagine. Think about the phrase, “upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity.” Is that not what we see happening? It seems that the world has gone mad and governments are at a loss as to what to do to fix it. They are perplexed!

Jesus also spoke of “signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars.” That is happening also. NASA watches as “Apophis,” a large asteroid, approaches earth and is due to arrive on April 13, 2029.[3] While Earth has experienced many “close encounters,” this one actually has the potential of striking Earth. As a result, NASA is trying to come up with a way to divert giant space rocks away from Earth. Could Apophis be the “great mountain burning with fire” spoken of in Revelation 8:8, or the “great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp” described in Revelation 8:10?

Jesus said that “Men’s hearts [would be] failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:26). Does that not sound like the prevailing attitude these days? My goodness! Even among Christians, I see so much fear about the Wuhan Bug that they are even staying away from church. They willingly get injected with this unproven mRNA therapy treatment (trusting the NIH and the CDC rather than trusting God), and not daring to leave their homes without their face coverings! I think that is sad.

The Scripture verse I cited at the beginning clearly tells us that God will not do anything without first revealing it to His prophets. We have that revelation in the Bible, so none of what is happening should come as a surprise to Christians if they are reading their Bibles.

So, is God doing all of this? Yes! Nothing in this world takes place unless God either does it directly or allows it to take place. Just read Job 1 and 2, for example. God says, “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things” (Isaiah 45:7, emphasis mine). By the way, “evil” in this context does not mean “sin.” It is the Hebrew word râ‛âh, which means “bad, disagreeable, malignant, unpleasant, displeasing, etc.” Many of the bad things that happen around the world arise from men inspired by Satan, but it is God that allows it in order to accomplish His purpose, which will ultimately work out for good.

Again, Christians should not be caught by surprise by what is taking place in the world today. Understanding what God revealed to His prophets long ago should give comfort and hope to Christians knowing that our “blessed hope”[4] is drawing near. As Christians (the Church, the Bride of Christ), we may experience the “wrath of man” (and we see that on the rise around the world), but we will miss the “wrath of God” that will be in full display during the Tribulation. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9). As things ramp up, we have the hopeful expectation that Jesus is coming soon for His Bride. He promised, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3).

Sadly, most Christians do not study end-times prophecy, hence they find prophecy confusing, bewildering, and even frightening. However, there are many resources readily available which provide insight into current events and how they relate to Bible prophecy. Here are some of the resources I use frequently to keep me apprised of world events that the secular media purposefully obfuscate. If you find end-time prophecy scarry or confusing, I would encourage you to take advantage of these resources.

The above is not an exhaustive list, but all of these are solid Bible teachers that I do not hesitate to recommend. When you look at end-times prophecy correctly, it should not be cause for fear, but for hope and anticipation. It should also be a motivator for evangelism. When you know that the time is short, and that you have many friends and loved ones that are lost and hell-bound, it should motivate you to warn them of what is to come and hopefully bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

If you are unsure of where you will spend eternity, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Ezekiel 38

[2]  Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21

[3]  https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroid-watch/eyes-on-asteroids

[4]  Titus 2:13

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