Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Revelation 19 begins with a great voice of many people in heaven praising God for judging religious and political Babylon, and rejoicing over the political downfall of the Antichrist.

Praise in Heaven (Rev. 19:1 - 5)

"After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, 'Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and tighteous are His judgments, because He has Judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.' Again they said, 'Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!' And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, 'Amen! Alleluia!' Then a voice came from the throne, saying, 'Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!'" (Rev. 19:1 - 5, emphasis added).

After the destruction of Babylon and the worldwide reaction that will follow, the roar of a great multitude will be heard in heaven. The great multitude includes the Old Testiment saints, the true Church, tribulation saints and angels. Praise will be directed to God because salvation, glory, and power belong to Him. Salvation speaks of His deliverance. Glory speaks of His judgment. Power refers to His ability to overcome His enemies.

"Alleluia" appears three times in the above Verses. One "Alleluia" is for the destruction of Babylon, the mother of harlots. Another "Alleluia" is for the destruction of Babylon the city. However, Rev. 19:3 refers to more than the destruction on earth. It means they have gone to their everlasting destruction. It is the smoke of judgment. That means God has cast the Antichrist and his followers into the lake burning with fire and brimstone.

The third "Alleluia" appears when the twenty-four elders (speaks of the true Church) and the four living creatures fall down and worship God sitting on the Throne, saying "Amen! Alleluia!"

The announcement of the Marriage of the Lamb (Rev. 19:6, 7)

"And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.'" (Rev. 19:6, 7, emphasis added).

This will be a great day in heaven because it will be time for the Lamb's (Christ's) marriage to the true Church, the Bride of Christ. God's servants will rejoice and give Him glory in anticipation of the event. With regard to timing, this event will take place after the destruction of Babylon near the end of the Great Tribulation. We have been engaged to Jesus a long time. Even though we have not actually met our Bridegroom, Jesus will come and lead us into the Marriage Supper.

A special union will exist between Jesus and the Church similar to the union that exists between a bridegroom and a bride upon their marriage. In both instance, the two become one. Jesus is coming back to earth where He and His bride will reign together as one. Before they can reign together, though, they have to be married. The idea is that the Church will be joined together with Jesus in a special relationship that will equip them to reign with Him. He will not come back without His people, and they will not reign without Him.

Let us get ourselves ready for the future events of the Church:

1. We will be taken up in the Rapture - 1 Thess. 4:13 - 18.

2. We will go before the Judgment Seat of Christ - 1 Cor. 3:12 - 15; 2 Cor. 5:10.

3. We will attend the Marriage and the Marriage Supper - Rev. 19:7 - 9.

4. We will return with Christ for His millennial reign - Rev. 20:6.

The Bridal Gown (Rev. 19:8)

"And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints" (Rev. 19:8).

Before its marriage the Church will wear fine linen, which is the Church's (individual members) own righteous acts. A person's deeds will follow him to heaven where they (deeds) will be worn like a gown or a robe. Faith in God makes that possible. When the marriage takes place, the Church will lay their righteousness aside. The holiness and righteousness of Jesus imparted to them will form their clothing for eternity.

Those who are called to the Marriage Supper (Rev. 19:9)

"Then he said to me, 'Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' And he said to me, 'These are the true saying of God'" (Rev. 19:9).

Again John heard an angel telling him to write. This time he was told to write about the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. All those who are invited to attend this Supper are blessed. And if they are blessed, how much more blessed will be those who have become the Bride! Who are those called to the Marriage Supper? The true Church is the Bride of Jesus Christ. After Jesus was resurrected from death, the Holy Spirit descended and established the Church; and the Church, sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:26), was taken up into heaven before the Great Tribulation begins. Therefore, the Church is qualified to be the Bride - no one else. All who are not caught up into heaven with the Chuch are those who called to the Marriage Supper.

The first group of these are the friends of the Bridegroom. In the Old Testament God called Abraham His friend (2 Chron. 20:7). John the Baptist was the last of the prophets who came in the spirit of the Old Testament.

John said, "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled" (John 3:29).

The Old Testament saints, therefore, are not the bride, but friends of the Bridegroom.

The next group of guests are those who are saved after the Church has been taken up into heaven. These have died as martyrs during the Great Tribulation; after going through the "sea of glass mingled with fire" (Rev. 15:2), they will attend the Marriage Supper as the bridesmaids.

The great excitment of John (Rev. 19:10)

"And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testmony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy'" (Rev. 19:10).

When John saw this scene, he was so overwhelmed by emotion that he tried to worship the angel who had spoken. Of course, John knew well the commandment that we should worship only God. Nevertheless, he was so exited by the news the angel had brought that he tried to worship him.

During the Great Tribulation period multitudes will worship Satan and his Antichrist because the False Prophet will demand it. However, worship of anyone or anything other than God is forbidden.

Jesus' predictions are His testimony and prophecy. Everything He predicted is a prophecy. We need to understand and trust the testimony of Jesus.

Dsscending of Jesus to the Earth (Rev. 19:11 - 16)

After the Marriage Supper, the Church, which has become the Bride of jesus, accompanies Him when He comes down to the earth.

The Man who sits upon a white horse (Rev. 19:11 - 13)

"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God" (Rev. 19:11 - 13, emphasis added).

Rev. 19:11 is sometimes called the climax of the entire Bible - the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament prophets prophesied this event; Jesus predicted it; and the New Testament writers wrote about it. Everything we have studied in Revelation has been building up to this. It will be a precious sight to the saints who are still alive on earth when it happens, but a terrifying sight to the Antichrist and his followers.

Heaven will open: It opened the first time when John went up to heaven identifying the rapture of the Church. It will open a second time when Jesus comes back with His Church.

A man will be seen riding upon a white horse. This will be Jesus Christ. In Revelation 6 the Antichrist imitated the figure of Jesus, but this is the real Christ. He is called "Faithful and True," since He was faithful to God unto death, and all His Words are true. And "in righteousness He judges and makes war." This is the purpose of His coming. He will return as a warrior to judge the inhabitants of the earth. He will deal with their sins, settle their eternal destinies, and establish His reign. What He will do will be just and right, because the earth will have been declared ripe for judgment.

Christ's fiery eyes reveal His insight, knowledge, and anger. He will have full knowledge of each individual and their sins. His many crowns reveal His royalty, authority, and majesty. He will have full authority in heaven and on earth.

He has many names that we know: Jesus, Lord, Christ, Wonderful, Son of God, son of man, etc. However, when he returns He will wear a special name known only to God.

This contrast with the Antichrist, whose eyes are "like the eyes of a man" (Daniel 7:8), having "seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name" (Rev. 13:1).

Concerning His second coming, Jesus said, "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many" (Matt. 24:4, 5).


Paul said, "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish" (2 Thess. 2:9, 10).


In Rev. 6:1, 2 we saw the antichrist coming on a white horse. Here we see Jesus coming on a white horse. In Rev. 13:1 we saw the Antichrist rise up with ten crowns on his head. Here we see Jesus coming back with many crowns on His head. It would be wise to remember that Satan is a deceiver who transforms himself into an angel.


The robe dipped in blood is a symbol of what is about to take place. He will be coming back to deal with hundreds of millions of unbelievers at the Battle of Armageddon, and it will be a bloodbath.


His Name is the Word of God. This can be explained by looking at one of John's other books -the Gospel according to John. In his Gospel, he called Jesus the Word of God made flesh (John 1:14). It will be Jesus on the white horse, and the judgment at Armageddon will be the work of God. This contrasts with the Antichrist, whose number is known, but whose name cannot be revealed until after the Rapture.


The coming down of the heavenly host (Rev. 14 - 16)


"And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:14 - 16)


The armies of heaven will follow Jesus. One army will be composed of the entire Church. A second army will consist of the holy angels, while a third army will be all the martyred Tribulation saints. The Old Testament saints will comprise the fourth army.


The armies in heaven clothed in fine linen and followed Jesus on white horses. This indicates that Christ intends for His followers to share in His glory as conquerors.


Jesus will be the only One in this great heavenly army to carry a weapon - a sharp sword, the Word of God. Just as the soldiers went to the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus, He spoke and they fell on the ground, similarly at Armageddon He will simply speak to destroy the opposing nations. He will speak, and they will fall. He will rule them with a rod of iron during the Millennium.


The War at Armageddon (Rev. 19:17 - 21)


Rev. 19:17, 18 tell about the things that will happen at Armageddon. The army advancing from the East is about 200 million strong, and the opposing armies of the Antichrist will probably not less than 100 million. While this battle is being fought, Jesus descends to the earth. The earthly forces quickly stop fighting each other and are allied under the leadership of the Antichrist to resist the heavenly host (read Rev. 19:19). However Jesus will annihilate all the earthly forrces. Therefore an angel beckoned the birds of the air to come and eat the flesh of the slain (read Rev. 19:17, 18).


At the same time, the false prophet who had lured people to worship the Beast will also be taken, along with the Antichrist and both will be cast into the lake of fire burning with brimstone (read Rev. 19:20).


From one end of the earth to the other, when the Word of Jesus Christ goes out of His mouth, those who received the mark of the beast on their forehead or hand will all die (read Rev.19:21). Not one of the millions of troops will escape. They will all be killed by the powerful Word of God, and the birds will consume their bodies.


Besides the Jews who escape to the desert, only a handful of Gentiles will survive. These are people who live outside the domain of the Antichrist. Since they are self-sufficient, like farmers, they will not have needed to receive the mark of the Beast. One the other hand, the rich and business-class people will have received the mark for the sake of their business and they will be killed.


The handful of Gentiles, along with the Jews who survive the Great Tribulation, will enter the millennial kingdom, but there will also be distinction there.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The Great Tribulation - Part 8

The natural calamities end in Revelation 16, and in Revelation 17 the religion of the great harlot comes under judgment. Revelation 17 describes this great harlot and her fall at the hands of the Antichrist and his ten puppet kings shortly after the middle of the Great Tribulation. Revelation 18 describes the city and its fall by the hands of God near the end of the Great Tribulation period. The fall of Babylon was announced in Revelation 14:8 and Revelation 16:19. Revelation 17 and Revelation 18 fill in the details of both destructions.

The Bible tells us that a harlot is more than just a woman who physically commits sexual sins. A harlot is also a person who spiritually has stopped following the true God and has turned to idol worship. The great Babylon (the great harlot) abandoned the true God and has raised her daughters (false religions) to do the same. She is the mother of false religions who wants all her daughters to grow up in her one-world harlot religion. The names of some of her daughters are New Age, Satan Worship, Mother Earth Worship, Globalism, Hinduism, and Islamism. Her daughters talk about love and peace, but none of them love Jesus, and none of them talk about peace with God through Jesus. Her daughters' followers are a collection of religious people who will be left behind when the true Church is raptured.

During the Great Tribulation, the great Harlot will open her doors to one-world government, one-world religion and global trade. People intoxicated with big govenment, big money, global commerce, and a lust for pleasure will flock to her. She will even entice these adulterous leaders to marry her daughters, which will represent a merger of one-world harlot religions with one-world government.

Shortly after the middle of the Great Tribulation, the harlot's sons-in-law (the kings of the earth) will become "wife abusers." They will kill the harlot (one-world religious system) and her daughters (the individual false religions). Near the end of the Great Tribulation period, God will pour out His wrath on Babylon where many of the sons-in-law live. Jesus will return and destroy Babylon, the mother and Babylon, the city.

Obviously, kings cannot marry religion. Think of it spiritually. Just as you and I (the true Church) are the wife of Christ, and Israel the wife of God, these adulterous kings will marry false religions in the sense that they will espouse the doctrines of the false religions. They will cooperate with the False Prophet and the Antichrist in pushing a false religion on the world.

The Antichrist will take advantage of this accommodation to consolidat his foundation for the first three and one-half years. At the beginning of the second part of the Great Tribulation, however, he will persecute this religious unity and crush it to pieces. Revelation 17 tells how he sets up his own idol and exterminates other religions.

The Judgment of the Great Harlot (Rev. 17:1, 2)

"Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, 'Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication" (Rev. 17:1, 2, emphasis added).

In Revelation 17, the judgment of the great harlot, signifying religion religion, begins. The great harlot represents a depraved and corrupt religion that, like an adulterous bride, follows the idol and the Devil, turning away from God. This great harlot forms a huge religious body. Taking advantage of its vast organization, she not only worships the Antichrist, but also uses him. In turn, the Antichrist politically uses the great harlot.

In the Bible, seas and waters represent great masses of people. They represent people, nations, and tongues. The fact that this wicked woman is pictured as sitting upon these great masses is an indication that she will be supported by them, and she will exercise control over them during the Great Tribulation period.

The great harlot religious sysem will commit adultery with the kings and inhabitants of the earth. She will conspire with world leaders to produce a merger of religion and government. The outcome is, a religious system united with a political system to manipulate the people of the earth into a false govenment-approved religion.

"The wine of her fonication" is a reference to demon possession. This wicked woman will cause people to be led astray by deceiving spirits.

The Scarlet Woman and Scarlet Beast (Rev. 17:3 - 18)

The kingdoms and their kings (Rev. 17:3)

"So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns" (Rev. 17:3, emphasis added).

The scarlet beast, with its seven heads and ten horns, is the Antichrist. The seven heads represent the seven kingdoms and their kings that continuously oppose God. The ten horns represent the ten countries that will form the union of Europe. The great harlot sits upon the Antichrist during the Great Tribulation. This means she will achieve religious unification by using the Antichrist politically.

The figure of the Great Harlot (Rev. 4, 5)

"The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE gREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" (Rev. 4, 5).


The golden cup in the hand of the great harlot is a religious cup full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. Those who drink from the cup become full of evil spirits. She is called "Babylon the Great" because she is the religion started in Babylon, as we saw in Revelation 2.


Every corrupt religion in the world today has been influenced by the Babylonian religion. Even within Christendom, bodies of the old and new Church are trying to form an ecumenical council with other religions - not to mention the Christian denominations violating the orthodox faith of the Bible. In this move toward consensus, all the religions of the world are being gradually united. At the beginning of the Great Tribulation, backed by the power of the Antichrist, union will be achieved quickly. This is the true character of the great harlot,


I believe, in the near future, Christendom will be distinctly divided into two groups: one will be the Church united politically and institutionally, and the other will be the Church united by the Holy Spirit. Churches that genuinely love Jesus will come together, rising above denominations. Christian organizations that follow the trend of modernism and new theology will be united according to their political concern, advocating sicuak refirm.


Denomination has no meaning before God. What matters is whether a Church receives the Holy Spirit at its center and surrenders itself to Him.


The Woman drunk with blood (Rev. 17:6)


"I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement" (Rev. 17:6).


The great harlot will not only make other drunk, but she, too, will be drunk on the blood of the tribulation saints. The great ecumenical religion system will be actively involved in the persecution and death of God's people. She will be so determined to establich her one-world religion that she will actually be fill with the blood of the tribulation saints - converted by the evangelization of the 144,000 Jews and the testimony of the two witnesses.


The mystery of the Beast nad the great harlot (Rev. 17:7 - 18)


The remaining Verses of Revelation Chapter 17 reveal the mystery of the Beast (the Antichrist) and the mystery of the great harlot.


The Antichrist (a spiritual being) will come out of the bottomless pit. However, his identity has not yet been disclosed. God will one day release him, out of hell and cause him to be born into this world as a human being, imitating Jesus by putting on flesh.


My belief is that the Antichrist is already in the world. Soon he will emerge and become a conspicuous figure in the political world. Although his appearance on stage is now suppressed by the power of the Holy Spirit, he will be revealed as shoon as the true Church is taken up into heaven.


Rev. 17:9 says the seven heads of the Antichrist are seven mountains. Seven hills always refer to Rome, for Rome was built on seven hills. Hence, some people speculate that Rome will be the headquarters from which the Antichrist will rule the world.


Rev. 17:10 also says that among the seven heads, or kings, "Five have fallen, one is, and the other has yet to come." The five kingdoms - Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Medo-Persia and Greece - have already fallen. One is, which was Rome - the kingdom existing in the time of John - and the seventh kingdom is yet to come. When this kingdom comes, it will continue for only a brief time. Then the kingdom of the Antichrist will come as the eighth (Rev. 17:11).


The seventh kingdom is the union of the ten European countries that will arise in the former territory of ancient Rome. For the first part of the Great Tribulation period, united Europe will keep coalition with the Antichrist through compromise. When that period ends, the eighth kingdom, ruled by the Antichrist, will emerge out of the seventh. He will be supported by three of the ten nations, and the remaining seven will be subdued by his autocratic rule.


Rev. 17:12 - 14 further say that the ten horns are ten kings and that these kings will give their power and strength to the Beast. He, in turn, will oppose the Lamb, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in the Armageddon war but will eventually be destroyed.


The fate of the great harlot sitting on the Beast is tragic. This religious organization will get along well with the Antichrist, as they take advantage of each other for three and one-half years. As soon as the second half of the Great Tribulation begins, however, the harlot is forsaken. The Antichrist will set up his kingdom and deify himself, erecting his own idol and quickly getting rid of her. In this way religious Babylon falls.


The fall of Babylon the Great (Rev. 18:1 - 24)


Revelation 17 shows the down fall of the great harlot, religious Babylon. Now Revelation 18 ceclares the fall of political and economic Babylon. In other words, the Bible shows here the miserable destruction of the Antichrist.


The fall of Babylon prophesied (Rev. 18:1 - 3)


"After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, 'Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her lusury'" (Rev. 181 - 3).


Political and economic Babylon, the city where the Antichrist has wielded power for the second half of the Great Tribulation, is now destroyed - by an earthquake judgment and/or by nuclear weapons launched by the army from the East.


Babylon the great is the place that always rejects God. It opposes Him not only spiritually but also politically and economically.


A warning of God (Rev. 18:4 - 7)


"And I heard another voice from heaven saying, 'Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plague. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remember her iniquities. Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow'" (Rev. 18:4 - 7).


A voice from heaven will urge God's people to leave Babylon for two reasons: so they will not become involved in Babylon's sin, and so they will not fall victim to the plagues God will inflict on Babylon. Thus begins a warning of God to His people against being engulfed in the judgment coming to those who partake of the ungodly assembly of politics and business.


The judgment against Babylon the Great (Rev. 18:8 - 24)


The Bible tells in detail the judgment that will come upon Babylon the Great:


"Therefore her plagues will come in one day - death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her" (Rev. 18:8).


In a single day the capital of the Antichrist's kingdom will be burned to ashes by a great explosion. Nothing other than nuclear arms can accomplish that. Rev. 18:17 - 19 say that the smoke of her burning can be seen far and wide by sailors upon the sea.


Observing the calamity, the other kings who have been on friendly terms with the Antichrist now lament for him. The merchants who have traded in this capital will also weep and mourn over him (read Rev. 18:9 - 11).


Holy apostles and prophets in heaven, on the other hand, are told to rejoice over Babylon's destruction, for God has avenged those who were robbed and killed (read Rev. 18:20).


And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore" (Rev. 18:21).


Babylon has a long history as the city of Satan. The false prophet will make his headquarters there during the last half of the Great Tribulation period. He will worship the Antichrist and have no tolerance for the people of God. He will kill all those who lack the mark of the Beast (read Rev. 18:24). Babylon's destruction will be well deserved!


So far we have seen judgments that have fallen upon the world of nature and against the Antichrist and corrupt religion and government. In Revelation 19 we will see Jesus Christ holding the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and then coming down the Armageddon, accompanied by His bride.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Great Tribulation - Part 7

Chapter 15 of Revelation predicts what will go on in heaven just before the seven bowl judgments (the final judgments) fall. We are going to consider Chapter 15 and Chapter 16 (the seven bowl judgment) together because Chapter 15 is the shortest Chapter in Revelation.

Another Sign (the Third Sign) from Heaven (Rev. 15:1)

"Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete" (Rev. 15:1).

This will be the third of three great signs in heaven - First, the sun-clothed woman (Rev. 12:1) which signifies Israel; second, the great red dragon (Rev. 12:3) which signifies Satan. Now this third sign (seven angels having the seven last plagues) will be great and marvelous because of its terrible nature and amazing results. It will bring on the full wrath of God, which will cause the fall of Satan and his demons.

These seven plagues can be called "last plagues" because they will be God's final warnings to an unrepentant world. When these plagues are over, all of those who have not made a decision to side with God through Jesus Christ will stand before the judgment of unbelievers and perish.

Sea of glass mingled with fire (Rev. 15:2)

"And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the seas of glass, having harps of God" (Rev. 15:2, emphasis added).

This will be the second "sea of glass" to appear in heaven. The first "sea of glass" will be as clear as crystal (Rev. 4:6). This one will be mixed with fire. The sea symbolizes the masses of people, and the fire represents judgment.

Just before the final judgments (the seven bowl judgments) start, John saw masses of people standing on the sea of glass mingled with fire. They will have been in a fiery persecution. They are those who had been victorious over the Beast and his image and over the number of his name. They will not be decieved by the Antichrist or his False Prophet. They will be tracked down and ordered to take the mark of the Beast but will refuse. For their refusal they will face retaliation in the form of torture and death. Victory, however, will still be theirs because they will lose their earthly life but will gain an eternal one. They will get to heaven and God will give them harps so that they can sing and praise God.

The Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb (Rev. 15:3, 4)

"They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: 'Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested'" (Rev. 15:3, 4, emphasis added).

The victorious saints (tribulation sants) will sing two songs: (1) the song of Moses and (2) the song of the Lamb. The song of Moses (Exodus 15:1 - 18) celebrates the victory God gave Israel when He brought her out of Egypt. Pharaoh's army chased after the Hebrews to recapture them, but his troops were drowned in the Red Sea.

The song of the Lamb is found in Rev. 15:3, 4. It celebrates God's reign and victory over all the nations. The deeds of Jesus are great and marvelous because He died for the sins of the world and will defeat Satan. The ways of Jesus are just and true. He is never unjust, never untruthful. His judgments are righteous. He is the King of the ages. He is the eternal King. The One who has reigned, is reigning, and always will reign.

In my opinion, we should fear the Lord either on earth or in heaven for at least three reasons:

1. Jesus should be feared and glorified because He alone is holy. He alone is worthy of our worship. He is the only One who never sinned. He has been hallowed or set apart for God's special purposes: atonement for our sin.

2. Jesus should be feared and glorified because He will be worshiped by all nations. The day will come when He will deal with the godless leaders of this world. He will do away with them, and every nation will worship Him.

3. Jesus should be feared and glorified because His righteous acts will be revealed. The terrible judgments of the Great Tribulation period will be righteous acts of Jesus. he will deal with those who do not accept His mercy.

The seven angels who come out of the heavenly temple (Rev. 15:5, 6)

"After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands" (Rev. 15:5, 6).

The temple in heaven, together with the Holy of Holies, inside the temple will be opened. The Ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies contains the Ten commandments, which are sometimes called the Law or the Testimony.

Those who reject the grace and mercy God offers throught the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son will be judged under the Law (the Ten Commandments). In rejecting what God offers, they also reject Jesus. By rejecting Jesus, they reject God, and leave themselves open to be judged under the Law of Moses in the Old Testament.

The Law of Moses was given to reveal sin and not to take away sin. Sin can only be taken away by Jesus, the Lamb of God.

Seven angels will come out of the Temple. They will be dressed in pure bright linen signifying their righteousness. They will wear golden bands around their chest signifying their royal priesthood.

These seven angels are royal and powerful priests preparing to pour out the wrath of God. The people who are judged here are those left after God has reaped every one who can be saved. They will received judgment without mercy. Because they have flouted God, followed the Antichrist, took the mark of the Beast, worshiped his image, and rejected Jesus, they will face the full fury of God.

The seven angels and the seven golden bowls of God's wrath (Rev. 15:7, 8)

"Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed" (Rev. 15:7, 8).

One of the four living creatures will hand the seven angels seven bowls filled with the wrath of God.

In the Old Testament, once a year on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would take a bowl of blood from a sacrificial animal into the Holy of Holies and dump it on the mercy seat over the Ark of the Covenant. God had him do that to offer atonement for the sins of the people. Since the Antichrist and his followers will not accept the blood of Jesus as an atonement for their sins, these priestly angels will be given bowls filled with God's wrath instead of the blood of Jesus. And instead of dumping the bowls on the mercy seat, they will dump them on earth!

Things just keep getting worse for those who reject God. When the priestly angels leave the temple, it will be filled with smoke from the glory and power of God. No one will be able to go back in or enter the Holy of Holies. No one can change their mind and pour blood on the mercy seat. There will be no more mercy, no more delays, and no more opportunities to repent until the seven plagues have passed.

The judgment of seven bowls by the seven angels (Rev. 16:1 - 21)

1. The plague of the first bowl (Rev. 16:1, 2)

"Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, 'Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.' So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image" (Rev. 16:1, 2).

As God has committed all judgments to Jesus, the loud voice from the temple must be the voice of Jesus. He will order the seven angels to go and pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth. Each angel will be given a portion of God's wrath.

The first bowl judgment will cause foul and loathsome sores. Only those who take the mark of the Beast or worship this image will be afflicted. When the Antichrist is unable to heal his own people, the world will know he is a false physician.

This plague will be similar to the sixth plague in Egypt when Moses was trying to have the Hebrews set free. At that time, God afflicted the Egyptian people with tumors, festering sores, and itching skin. The whole land, all the Egyptians, and even the animals were affected.

2. The plague of the second bowl (Rev. 16:3)

"Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of dead man; and every living creature in the sea died" (Rev. 16:3).

When the angel pours out his bowl on the sea, it becomes like the blood of a dead man. Every living creature in the sea will be killed. This reminds us of the miracle Moses performed, turning the water of the Nile River into blood according to the command of God (read Exodus 7:20 - 25).

3. The plague of the third bowl (Rev. 16:4 - 7)

"Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying: 'You are rightteous, O Lord, the One who is and who was and who is to be, because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.' And I heard another from the altar saying, 'Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments'" (Rev. 16:4 - 7).

This plague will be similar to the first plague in Egypt. Back then, God turned all the waters of Egypt into blood. The fish died, water smelled, and the people could not drink it. This plague will be far worse because all the earth's water will be polluted, causing worldwide suffering and death.

The angel in charge of earth's water will look at this judgment and declare it to be a judgment deserved.

The bloody waters will be God's response to the shedding of the blood of the Tribulation saints and the Old Testament prophets. The Antichrist and his followers will shed the blood of saints all over the world. God will eventually respond by turning their drinking water into blood. When He does, the martyred Tribulation saints (from the altar) will declare that God's judgements are just and true.


4. The plague of the fouth bowl (Rev. 16:8, 9)


"Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. and men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory" (Rev. 16:8, 9).


The fourth bowl judgment will cause the sun to scorch people with fire. Notice that even though people will be scorched to death by that murderous heat, the survivors still do not repent. Their hearts will be hardened to the end. Accordingly, they will murmur and blaspheme God!


5. The plague of the fifth bowl (Rev. 16:10, 11)


"Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds" (Rev. 16:10, 11).


The fifth bowl judgment will mark a turning point. God will begin to focus His attention on the Antichrist. This Beast will love spiritual darkness so he will get physical darkness. It will cover the planet. People will not be able to see the stars or moon or even the sun.


As a consequence, chaos arises and the people will be panic-stricken. Although they gnash their teeth and bite their tongues due to extreme pain, they stll will not repent of their sins. Instead they will blaspheme God!


6. The plague of the sixth bowl (Rev. 16:12 - 16)


"Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits. ... And they (unclean spirits) gathered them together to the place called in Hebrews, Armageddon" (Rev. 16:12 - 16, emphasis added).


When the sixth angel pours out his bowls, the Euphrates will dry up and the kings of the East will be able to move their 200 million soldiers against Israel in the Battle of armageddon. Notice the word "kings" is plural. This will likely be an alliance of Eastern nations.


At that time, "three unclean spirits" will go forth to the kings of the West and their kingdoms and seduce them to form an alliance against the Eastern invasion. The allied forces come to a place called Armageddon. The two enormous armies, totaling as many as 300 million soldiers and equipped with ultra-modern weapons, gather together for a showdown.


When a great massacre breaks out at Armageddon, Jesus Christ will descend, accompanied by His saints. At that point, the armies will cease fighting each other and unite in a struggle against Jesus and His hosts, but they will finally suffer defeat (read Rev. 19).


Rev. 16:15 gives a clear warning about Jesus' coming to the Battle of Armageddon.


7. The plague of the seventh bowl (Rev. 16:17 - 21)


The seventh bowl judgment will be the last. It will be poured out into the air, and then a voice from the Throne of God will say, "It is done!" Voices, thunderings and lightnings fill the the air, and the greatest earthquake in history divides Jerusalem into three parts.


These and the remaining events will bring an end to Satan's reign.

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

The Great Tribulation - Part 6

Chapter 14 of Revelation shows us things that will happen during the second half of the Great Tribulation. We will learn more about the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, the tribulation saints, the city of Jerusalem, and those who take the mark of the Beast. We will also learn about Babylon and Armageddon.

The Lamb and the 144,000 Jewish Evangelists (Rev. 14:1 - 3)

"Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. and I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth" (Rev. 14:1 - 3).

After having the rise of the Antichrist and the False Prophet revealed to him, John now sees Jesus standing on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, with His 144,000 Jewish preachers (evangelists) gather around Him. These 144,000 are those believers who will have the Name of Jesus' Father written on their foreheads.

Christians are sealed with the Holy Spirit as soon as they accept Jesus as their Savior. This sealing means that believers belong to God, and it is a guarantee that they will be protected throughout eternity. Christians may die a physical death, but not even one will perish. The followers of the Antichrist and the False Prophet will have the mark, name, or number of the Antichrist on their head, but it will be worthless when they stand before Jesus at the judgment. Every one of them will perish.

Singing will be heard in heaven for the 144,000 who stand unhurt on Mount Zion. They alone have survived the disasters of the Antichrist and the False Prophet.

The heavenly multitude will sing a new song before the Throne of God, the four living creatures, and the twenty-four elders. No one will understand their song except the 144,000. Why could nobody else learn this song? Because those paticular evangelists have endured and covercome the severe trials of the first half of the Great Tribulation, and those who have not cannot sing the new song. The next two Verses will give us an idea of the demands placed on the 144,000 that enabled them to understand this new song.


Characteristics of the 144,000 (Rev. 14:4, 5)


"These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow th Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God" (Rev. 14:4, 5).


These 144,000 Jewish evangelists will be faithful and true to the end. They will not be defiled with women, which mean they will not bow down to the idols. It is spiritual fornication to love the world and worship idols. They are all married faithfully to the Lamb, and they totally obey His guidance. They are the firstfruits of the Jews in the Great Tribulation.


The Proclamations of three Angels (Rev. 14:6 - 10)


1. Proclamation of the the Gospel (Rev. 14:6, 7)


"Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth - to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people - saying with a loud voice, 'Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water'" (Rev. 14:6, 7).


This is the first of several angels that appear in Chapter 14. Just when Satan, the Antichrist and the False Prophet think they are about to take over the world, God will send angels to keep His plan on track.


Today, the Church is responsible for the proclamation of the gospel. But that will change after the Rapture.


Jesus said, "And the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matt. 24:14).


Because the Church will be in heaven, God will use the 144,000 Jews, the two witnesses, and even an angel to spread his message. He will go to great lengths to give the world one last chance to be saved.


People will have two choices: (1) Believe the Antichrist, believe his lies, and worship him, or, (2) Fear God alone and give Him all the glory. Choosing to follow the Antichrist can only lead to spiritual death, but choosing to follow God will surely lead to spiritual life.


To fear God does not mean to be afraid of God, but means to have a holy respect for Him, believe He exists, and believe He reigns and will will judge all mankind. In other words, it means reverent fear of God. This kind of fear is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10), and it pleases God.


2. Proclamation of God's judgment on Babylon the Great (Rev. 14:8)


"And another angel followed, saying, 'Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication'" (Rev. 14:8, emphasis added).


Following the first angel's preaching of the gospel, the second angel predicted that Babylon, the great city, which has always rebellied against God, would fall.


Babylon is know as the city of Satan because of its long histroy of idolatry, astrology, witchcraft, and other occult practices. It is the birthplace of many false doctrines and religions such as goddess worship.


In Acts 2:13, the new believes of Christ were accused of being drunk on new wine, but they were actually being filled with the Holy Spirit - wine being a symbol of the Holy Spirit. In Rev. 14, the phrase - "the wine of the wrath of her fornication" is a reference to demon possession. Making the nations drink this maddening wine is a reference to Babylon's forcing her satanic-inspired false religion on the world.


3. Proclamation of the warning of torment by fire (Rev. 14:9 - 12)


"Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, 'If anyone whrships the beast and his image, and receive his mark on his forhead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.' Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:9 - 12, emphasis added).


A third angel will fly through the air with a third proclamation concerning those who worship the Antichrist, worship his image, and take his mark. The first angel will preach the gospel and plead with people to worship God. The second angel will announce the fall of Babylon. This angel will warn people not to worship the Antichrist or take the mark of the Beast.


This is one of those "you will reap what you sow" Verses. Babylon will make all the nations "drink of the wine of the wrath of God." Those who drink her wine will then be made to drink the wine of God's wrath, which will be unimaginable torment with burning sulfur. We know that burning suffer increases the temperature of a fire, and therefore, in this case, would raise the level of suffering. Everyone should heed this warning. Following the Antichrist and worshiping him will stir the wrath of God.


Part of the awfulness of this will be their suffering in the presence of the holy angels, who warned them, and their suffering in the presence of the Lamb, who died for the sins of the world. It will be bad enough to suffer, but it will be worse to suffer in front of those who tried to prevent it and were spurned!


There will be no end to suffering. The smoke will roll up like a stinking sulfuric cloud. Anyone who worships the Beast, his image, or who receives the mark will never rest.


God has decreed that the Great Tribulation period will come and the Antichrist will be given power over the world for seven years. When the Antichrist goes on his rampage, there will not be much the believers can do. God cannot go back on his Word. His prophecies must be fulfilled. Believers will have to endure, keep the commandments, and remain faithful.


It is a blessing to die in the Lord (Rev. 14:13)


"Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on'" 'Yes,' says the spirit, 'that they may rest from their labor, and their works follow them'" (Rev. 14:13).


This is a message of assurance and hope to those who will be trying to endure the trials of the Great Tribulation period. God does not want believers to be afraid to die. It is a blessing to die in the Lord, but still, most of us do not want to die before our time.


Those who belatedly believe in Jesus Christ will all die as martyrs at the hands of the Antichrist. Even the two witnesses die that way. During that time it will be more blessed to take rest before God and be recognized with the merit of martyrdom that to live - only to be cast eventually into the lake burning with fire and brimstone.


The First Harvest and the Final Harvest (Rev. 14:14 - 20)


The First Harvest (Rev. 14:14 - 16)


"Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, 'Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.' So He who sat on the cloud thrust in the sickle on the earth, and the earth wasl reaped" (Rev. 14:14 - 16).


A day is coming, during the second half of the Great Tribulation, when Jesus will take a seat in the clouds. He will wear a golden crown and hold a sharp sickle. The crown will identify Him as a king, and the sickle will signify a coming harvest.


The Scripture teaches that Jesu will come baCk in the clouds as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Jesus, by means of the Parable of the Tare, said: "... the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 13:39 - 42).


It will be a terribel day for the lost because not only will it be their last day on earth, but their destiny will be sealed for eternity as will.


As Jesus appears in the clouds, an angel will come forth from the heavenly temple. He will urge Jesus to take His sickle and reap because the time of judgment has arrived and the harvest is ready. When His judgment fall, the Church will have been raptured, most of tribulation saints and Jews will have been killed, and the world will be totally corrupt. No one will be able to truthfully claim that Jesus acted too soon.


The Final Harvest (Rev. 14:17 - 20)


"Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, 'Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.' So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs" (Rev. 14:17 - 20).


Another angel will come directly from the presence of God with a sharp sickle just like the one Jesus will have. Yet another angel will come forth - this time from the altar in the heavenly temple. This angel will urge the angel with the sharp sickle to gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because the grapes are fully ripe.


This is the last judgment, which reaps unbelievers. it is followed by the war of Armageddon, which will be dealt with in details in Rev. 19:17 - 21. All we need to understand now is that the war at Armageddon is a war between the saints of Jesus Christ and the armies of the earth. When the second half of the Great Tribulation begins, the Antichrist and the people in the world know that the saints will descend from the air to destroy them. They have already seen the 144,000 evangelists and the two witnesses taken away into heaven alive. The Antichrist, with all the armies of Europe under his command, plus the eastern kings and their armies, will come to Armageddon to fight against Jesus and His hosts. At that time Jesus will tread down the winepress. The mumber of people killed will be so great that blood will reach up to the bridles of the horses for approximately 200 miles or 1,600 furlongs (read Verse 20).


We can easily imagine that John must have seen a nuclear war. Hail and rain will fall down heavily. Many people will be killed - so many, in fact, that their blood, mixed with the rain, will spread over a distance of approximately 200 miles!

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

The Great Tribulation - Part 5

The Trumpet of the Seventh Angel (Rev. 11:15)

We shall now deal with the Seventh Trumpet .

"Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'" (Rev. 11:5, NKJV).

The seventh trumpet is the last in the series of trumpets by seven angels who appeared when the scroll's seventh seal was opened by Jesus. When the seventh trumpet sounds, there will be a heavenly declaration that God and His Son, Jesus, will be taking over the world.

Paul said, "Then comes the end, when He (Jesus) delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power" (1 Cor. 15:24).

As we have seen, the second three and one-half years of the Great Tribulation were almost finished when the two witnesses died. This is prior to the Battle of Armageddon. Now that Jesus has regained this world, which had been under the power of Satan. All the procedures to redeem creation have been completed.

Song of praise of the twenty-four elders (Rev. 11:17, 18)

As soon as the twenty-four elders, sitting on the thrones, heard the trumpet, they became overwhelmed with joy, fell on their faces and worshipped God. They sang this song of praise:

"We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth" (Rev. 11:17, 18).

In that song the elders foresee the end of the Great Tribulation, the millennial kingdom; the general resurrection of all the dead along with the final judgment of Him who sits on the throne, and coming of a new heaven and a new earth.

Because the gleaning of salvation is coming to an end when the two witnesses are taken into heaven, this world will be practically finished. Satan will know his day will soon end, so he will stir the anger of the nations. At the same time he does that, God's wrath will burn brighter, which will put Satan and Jesus on a collision course.

Satan will unite the nations against Jesus. The ensuing conflict is referred to as the Battle of Armageddon.

Everyone is accountable to God. No one will escape his judgment. Even the dead will be judged. But the righteous will be rewarded before the Judgment Seat of Christ for reverencing the Name of Jesus, and the wicked will be destroyed for their unrepented sins.

God's mercy to His people (Rev. 11:19)

"Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noices, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail" (Rev. 11:9).

When the elders finished praising God, the temple of God was opened in heaven, and John saw the ark of His covenant accompanied by lightning, noises, thundering, earthquakes and hailstorms.

God will open His heavenly temple - similar to the tabernacle of Moses. God's heavenly temple houses the Ark of the Covenant. Ther mercy seat rests on top of the ark, where the blood of sacrificial goats was sprinkled for the sins of God's people. The ark, with its mercy seat, will be a reminder that God has always shown mercy to His people. The ark was a symbol of God's presence with His poeple, His protection of them, His mercy, and His forgiveness.

Satan will stir the nations against Israel. The lightning, noises, thundering, earthquakes and hailstorms will be signs of God's wrath to come, but God will show mercy by protecting Israel.

A Great Sign from Heaven (Rev. 12:1)

"Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, whith the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars" (Rev. 12:1).

Who was the woman clothed with the sun? Some Bible teachers say she represents the Church. However, the Bible never uses the image of a woman or a woman about to deliver a child, to symbolize the Church. But there is nation that was called "the woman":

" 'Sing, O barren, you who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry alound, you who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman,' says the Lord" (Isaiah 54:1).

Along with this passage, let us also look a the book of Hosea, which calls Israel the wife who fled from her husband. Israel was sometimes called a married woman when she was obedient to God. At other times, when she disobeyed God, she was called a divorced woman or a widow.

Furthermore, in Genesis 37:9, 10, Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel), dreamed a dream. In that dream "the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars" bowed down to Joseph. Symbolically meant that Joseph's father and mother, along with his brothers, would bow down to him. From these two examples we can deduce that the image of the woman in Revelation 12 represents Israel.

Israel (the woman) in Travail (Rev. 12:2)

"Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth" (Rev. 12:2).

Rev. 12:5 tells us that Israel is pregnant with a male child, who will rule the nation. Her pregnancy is reference to her condition just before the birth of Jesus. John says she cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.

Before Christ's birth, Israel was a captive nation to the Roman Empire. She had to submit to Roman leaders, pay Roman taxes, and obey Roman laws. She was a nation in travail.

Another Great Sign from Heaven (Rev. 12:3 - 5)

"And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. and her Child was caught up to God and His throne" (Rev. 12:3 - 5).

The first sign in heaven was a sun-clothed woman (Israel) (Rev. 12:1). The second sign in heaven is an enormous red dragon (Satan), which is explained further Rev. 12:9. This fierce, powerful, murderous dragon will appear in heaven with seven heads (symbols of Gentile world governments), ten horns (symbols of powerful kings), and seven crowns (symbols of the seven divisions controlled by ten powerful kings).

Stars are symbols of angels. Satan drew a third of the stars with his tail and cast them to the earth means that he causes one-third of the angels to fall. This signifies he incited a third of the angels to join him when he fell, starting the histroy of rebellion on the earth. We can be thankful, however, that two-thirds of the angel did not fall. Therefore when one demon attacks us, two angels of God are available to protect us.

Rev. 12:3 describes the red dragon as having seven heads and ten horns. The seven heads represent the seven nations God raised up that most violently opposed. These are: Assyria, Babylon, Media and Persia, Egypt, Greece, Rome and the Antichrist's country that will be restored. The Devil has gone all out to destroy God's people through those seven heads.

The ten horns of this dragon signify the ten countries of unified Europe that will be formed in the early part of the Great Tribulation. Through that union Satan will make his final struggle not to cast away from the earth.

The woman will give birth to a male Child who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter (Rev. 12:5). The woman's male Child was "caught up to God" - refers to the ascension of Jesus. He ascended to heaven following His death and resurrection.

Notice that Jesus will not rule the nations with love but with a rod of iron, now that the period of grace is over. The world is now left with people who are in rebellion against God because they follow false teachings or religions. However, when Christ returns He will crush these rebellions with an iron rod.

The Woman who fled into the Wilderness (Rev. 12:6)

"Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days" (Rev. 12:6).

We are now at the midpoint of the seven-year Great Tribulation period. 1,260 days (three and one-half years) have passed. Now there are 1,260 more days before Christ's Second Coming. God will now make a refuge for Israel from the persecution of the Antichrist for 1,260 days.

Where will the woman (Israel) go? She will flee into the desert to a place prepared for her by God. Most Bible prophecy experts believe the Jews will flee to a mountainous area in the Jordan desert called Petra. It is an abandoned city that was carved into the rocks of the mountains centuries ago. It has only one entrance, so that the Jews will be able to hide in those caves and barricade themselves in for protection for 1,260 days - the second half of the Great Tribulation period.

The War in Heaven (Rev. 12:7 - 12)

Satan and his angels will be losing their place in heaven forever (Rev. 12:7 -9)

As soon as Israel flees, a great war will erupt in heaven. God's angels will be led by the archangel Michael in the fight against Satan and his angels. It will be a fierce spiritual battle, since the last thing Satan wants is to be cast out of heaven again.


People often ask, when will Satan be cast out of heaven? There is little doubt that it was in the past, probably long before God created Adam and Eve that Satan lost his exalted position and was cast out of heaven due to pride. But even though this happened it is clear that he currently holds a lesser position with temporary access to God in heaven as the accuser of the brethren (read Job 2)). At the middle of the Great Tribulation period, Satan and his angels will start a war in heaven and fight to no avail, this time losing theri place in heaven forever. And it will get worse because after three and one-half years, he will cast into the bottomless pit (Rev. 20:2, 3), and then after the Millennium, he will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev. 20:10).


Heaven will rejoice (Rev. 12:10)


When Satan is cast out, heaven will rejoice because:

1. Our salvation will be complete and Satan will be banished from our presence forever.


2. All power will belong to Jesus, and there will be no more evil in heaven.


3. The Kingdom of God will come to earth.


4. Jesus will finally exercise the authority over the earth that He won at the cross.


We have the power to overcome Satan (Rev. 12:11)


Believers will have the power to overcome Satan during the Great Tribulation period by:


1. Trusting in the blood of the Lamb, because through the blood, atonement was made for our sins.


2. Testifying to our faith, because if we acknowledge Jesus before men, He will confess us before God.


3. Not fearing death, because a physical death, which leads to be in the presence of God, is far better than being cast into hell.


Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea (Rev. 12:12)


Heaven will celebrate its great triumph after Satan and his angels have been cast out. But the inhabitants of the earth and the sea need to watch out. Satan and his demons are on their way filled with fury, knowing that their days are numbered.


When Satan is cast out of heaven, Jesus will exercise His authority over the earth. He will declare that the Kingdom of God will come to earth. Because of this, Satan will do all the damage he can with time he has left.


The refuge of the Woman (Israel) and her offspring (Rev. 12:13 - 17)


Israel will flee when Satan is cast down to the earth, because his rage will burn against the nation of Israel for bringing forth Jesus. The escape of Israel will infuriate Satan. Since he failed to wipe out Israel, he will pick another target - those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. These are the Woman's offspring. Notice that there will be Gentile believers on earth at that time. Israel's offspring is a reference to Gentile believers. Satan will go on a rampage against God's people in the second half of the Great Tribulation period. He will do everything he can to destroy the elect.


The Beast comes out of the Sea and the Beast comes out of the Earth (Rev. 13:1 - 18)


The beast which comes out of the sea (Rev. 13:1 - 10)


John saw a beast (the Antichrist) rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns and wearing ten crowns. This signifies the rulers of ten nations in Europe. In other words, ten nations in Europe will arise in the former territory of the ancient Roman Empire.


The beast had seven heads, and on each of them was a blasphemous name which represents seven kingdoms that oppose God and persecute His people. One of the beast's heads becomes fatally wounded, a prediction that the Antichrist will be killed. But suddenly, his deadly wound is healed miraculously! He is revived by the power of Satan. As a result, people everywhere will worship him and the dragon (Satna), who gave him power and authority (Verse 2).


The Antichrist will trample the world, wielding great power for the second half of the Great Tribulation (Verse 5). Not knowing his true status, however, he will be proud and utter blasphemy, publicly dnouncing heaven and those who are there (Verse 6).


Everyone whose name is not written in the Lamb's book of life will bow down to the beast.


The Beast which comes out of the earth (Rev. 13:11 - 18)


This beast is the false prophet who mimics Jesus. He, however, has only two horns, whereas Jesus has seven. He makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the Antichrist. He will also do great wonders before the Antichrist and all the people. Anyone who does not worship the image of tht beast will be killed (Verses 13 - 15).


The beast causes all the people who are under the reign of the Antichrist to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead. He forbids those without the mark to engage in any kind of commercial activities. The name of the Antichrist is represented by the number 666. This is a satanic number - the number of the dragon is 6, the number of the Antichrist is 6 and the number of the false prophet is also 6. Hence, the number 666 represents the evil trinity of wickedness!