Download
1 / 100
E N D
In the first three chapters of the book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ, John writes a cover letter to seven churches of Roman Asia. From faithful Ephesus to faithless Laodicea. YHWH, through The Christ, has sent John a vision of the end of this evil age and the beginning of the new age when God will reign. The time will come when God will purify Israel, The Church, humanity, and the world. The churches believe that they are already serving The Christ, but not one is pure enough. From the time of Jesus' final departure, His followers believed that the end of the evil age, in which they lived, was immanent, and that all of the prophesies of old would be fulfilled in their lifetime. "Now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2). Be patient, the coming of the Lord is near (James 5:8). The end of all things is near (1 Peter 4:7). It is the last hour (1 John 2:18). "I am coming soon" (Revelation 22:7). We are in view of His appearing and the kingdom (2 Timothy 4:1).
This generation will not pass away until the Son of Man comes on the clouds (Matthew 24:34, Luke 21:32). Some here will not taste death until they see the Son of Man come in the kingdom of God (Mark 9:1, Luke 9:27, Matthew 16:28). The Son of Man will come before the Gospel is proclaimed in all the towns of Israel (Matthew 10:23). Before He comes, however, the Good News must be proclaimed to all nations (Mark 13:10) and even throughout the world (Matthew 24:14). Until He comes, life will go on as before (Matthew 24:37-39) and the time is so short until His return, that The Church should not try to change what is evil (Revelation 22:11). After all, the spirit of the antichrist is already in the world (1 John 4:2-3). He is the liar who denies The Father AND The Son (1 John 2:22). God sends them a delusion, so that the wicked will believe what is false (2 Thessalonians 2:11), yet those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:32).
The Day of the Lord will come upon ALL the earth (Luke 21:35), and will be distressing (2 Timothy 3:1). There will be a time of trouble before the end (Daniel 12:1). The Day of the Lord will come like a thief (2 Peter 3:10) in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2). No one but The Father knows the day or hour (Mark 13:32, Matthew 24:36). The followers of The Christ wait for a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13). But the scroll, which describes the end times, which was revealed to Daniel, was 'sealed' until the end (Daniel 12:4). But from the perspective of my reality, facing the 21st century, the end of that evil age has not yet come. As a follower of Jesus, I look forward not to the purifying (which is likely to be extremely uncomfortable), but to being with my Lord and Father in the eternal kingdom. So I ask the question: What does the Word of God say will happen, and what is likely to happen to me?
I have twice read the entire Bible searching specifically for ANY phrase that was looking toward the future. Then I examined history as we know it, or even as we speculate it to have been, from the perspective of the year 2000 AD. Using a 'reasonable' perspective, I then made a determination as to whether or not the 'future phrase' had been accomplished. A "true prophet" is ones whose message from God comes true (Jeremiah 28:9), though predictions can be altered because the future is not "written in stone" (Jeremiah 18:7-10, Jonah 3:10). If it had not been accomplished in fact, or if it could still be accomplished through the application of another 'reasonable' (not esoteric) method of interpretation, then I considered it to be an unfulfilled prophecy (Job 33:14).
Then I began to examine The Revelation of Jesus Christ, to see if these 'prophecies' could be reasonably merged into The Apocalypse. I choose to ignore any material outside the Bible, except the historical records. Then I examined numerous commentaries on Revelation, followed by some books that concern the 'end times'. The following is MY interpretation of the material. For purpose of the study, there are two working assumptions about John. First, John is not "writing" The Apocalypse as much as he is trying to putinwriting what was revealed to him. And second, as most who read John's writings agree, John writes cyclically (introducing a subject, leaving it, and returning again). But cyclical is not necessarily sequential, or, in the case of The Apocalypse, chronological. It is often the same subject looked at from a different perspective.
Chapter four describes how John, on the island of Patmos, was caught up into Heaven. There he saw the throne of YHWH. 4:1
4:2 4:4
4:6 4:11
In Chapter five John notices a scroll with seven seals, and is happy to discover that the Lord Jesus is found worthy to break the seals of the scroll. This will begin the process that will end this evil age and lead to the Eternal Kingdom. This is the scroll that Daniel was told to seal up and not reveal (Dan 12:4). 5:2
[From MY perspective, the Great Tribulation began with the ascension of The Christ, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had repeatedly called people to have faith in God, despite appearances to the contrary, just as He had done [Luke 4:1-13, Luke 23:35-37] during His life. Because the 'end' did not arrive, the followers of The Christ were faced with doubt. God seemed to have lost control, and evil now seemed to be in control. Now generation, after generation, after generation, after generation....would be asked to have faith and to look forward to the coming Kingdom, despite persecutions, prosperity, and doubts. The True Church is being tested.]
FIRST SEAL: Revelation 6:1-2. Even as John watched, the first seal was broken. God would allow war among nations. There would be no lasting peace.
SECOND SEAL: Revelation 6:3-4. If war from outside was not upon the nations, then the second seal was broken to allow civil war, terrorism, and anarchy upon the inhabitances of the nations. People could not trust each other and could therefore have no true lasting peace.
THIRD SEAL: Revelation 6:5-6. The chaotic conditions caused by people, along with the forces of the natural world, would bring on famines, droughts, floods, hurricanes, and other forces of nature, as the third broken seal revealed, where an adult could barely earn enough in a full day to feed just one person.
FOURTH SEAL: Revelation 6:7-8. And then, with the fourth seal broken, we are led to understand that sickness, disease, and pestilence would also be allowed by God to afflict the world, and that at least one of every four people on earth, over the course of history, would likely die from one of these causes. [Few indeed have lived an 'easy life' and died 'at peace' and in the faith.]
In all these afflictions the people of God will have the opportunity to exercise their faith. How can God allow such suffering? Where is the justice of God? Is God dead? All the time the adversary is trying to foster doubt. And thus it has been for the last 2000 years. Truly a Great Tribulation. So few today have faith! So many are the misguided, the doubters, the scoffers, the antagonists, and the idolaters. As Jesus once said to us, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road [of doubt] is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road [of faith] is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it [Matthew 7:13-14].“
FIFTH SEAL: Revelation 6:9-11. When the fifth seal is opened, John sees, under the heavenly altar, all of those who, since the beginning of time, have been martyred for their commitment to follow YHWH. They call out for the justice that will avenge their deaths. God will not forgive those who killed believers, because they did so knowing that those they tortured and killed had committed themselves to God. The martyrs know that vengeance belongs to God's wrath (Romans 12:19) so they wait until God's wrath begins and no more followers of YHWH will be killed because of their faith.
SIXTH SEAL: Revelation 6:12-17. When the sixth seal is broken the shockwave will be felt over the entire earth, and announce that the Day of God's wrath is going to begin. Those on earth will be scared because of what has happened to the planet, but won't understand, without an interpreter, that this is the beginning of the end of this evil age. Joel predicted that the sun and moon would be affected by God, as a sign, before the Day of the Lord arrived (Joel 2:30-31), as did Isaiah (Isaiah 13:10). Jesus told Peter, James, John and Andrew that what happens to the sun, moon, and stars would be God's announcement of His impending wrath, and that immediately afterward the Son of Man would appear (Matthew 24:29-30).
John reports that mountains and islands throughout the world will be shaken. Many will try to find shelter and some will seek a quick death rather then face an unstable earth, hunger, drought, disease, and anarchy. It is going to be so terrible that Malachi wondered, "who can endure the day of His coming [Malachi 3:2]?“ 144,000: Revelation 7:1-8, 14:1-5. As John continued to look at the earth, he realized that no wind is blowing. Then he heard the archangel Michael, who spoke with God's authority, stop the angels that were about to descend to earth to damage it. It was necessary that 144,000 Jews be sealed (Daniel 12:1).
Just then John noticed The Christ on the heavenly Mount Zion. And the 144,000 were marked with two names. YHWH and Christ. Over the centuries these "Messianic Jews" had come to believe in Jesus as The Messiah. And they will be the only Jews that can sing the song sung in heaven: "To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! [Revelation 5:13]" The 144,000 were the first fruits of The Gospel as proclaimed by The Apostles, and now act as The Christ's honor guard. They accepted The Gospel as the fulfillment of The Torah, and God holds them blameless and righteous.
MULTITUDE: Revelation 7:9-17. Then John became aware of a huge multitude of people. He could not even begin to estimate how many there were. They are called by another name (Isaiah 65:15), maybe "Christian", and seemed to be from every nation and ethnic group on earth [many of which he did not recognize]. They were righteous Gentile followers of The Christ that would die in The Faith during the Great Tribulation that was just beginning. Their troubles were over (Isaiah 49:10), The Christ is their shepherd [Psalm 23], they would experience no more sorrow (Isaiah 25:8), and they would enjoy the refreshing springs of life (Isaiah 49:10).
SEVENTH SEAL: Revelation 8:1-2. When The Lamb broke the seventh seal, John expected the 'storms of wrath' to rage. But instead there was silence. All in heaven was silent before the Lord God [Zephaniah 1:7]. Here was a time for reflection. All should consider what is important in life. During this time John noticed the gathering of seven angels and the fact that they were each given a trumpet.
FIRST ANGEL: Revelation 14:6-7, 10:1-11. John was distracted from watching the seven angels, when he saw a "mighty angel" in the sky (between heaven and earth). It was wrapped in a storm cloud with a rainbow over it. The angel's face was bright and his legs like pillars of fire, like the angel that had appeared to Daniel (Daniel 10:6). In his hand was a little scroll that contained the eternal Gospel for every nation and people on earth. The Gospel of Faith.
The angel gave a shout, and seven 'thunders' echoed a threat. But, as John learned later, God had chosen not to inflict the seven thunders on earth. God would cut short the time of wrath, or else no one would get through that time (Matthew 24:22). So John was instructed not to reveal what the seven thunders had threatened. Then the angel declared that the hour of judgment had come and that there would be no more delays. There would be no stopping it now. And John was overjoyed, knowing what awaited the believers, though he felt sick knowing what awaited those who would not believe. That bittersweet message reminded him of his predecessor Ezekiel [Ezekiel 3:1-3].
SECOND ANGEL: Revelation 14:8, 18:1-20. Then John saw a "splendid angel" in the sky. A very bright angel that had descended from heaven. He spoke with a voice that could be heard on earth, and proclaimed that "Babylon" is doomed [Isaiah 21:9] because 'she' had encouraged the nations of the earth to seek pleasures [Jeremiah 51:7]. Then the voice of The Christ could be heard, calling to all of God's people, to "come out" of "Babylon" [Jeremiah 51:45], to avoid the temptations, and to flee the judgment about to be inflicted.
THIRD ANGEL: Revelation 14:9-11, 18:21-24. Then John saw another "mighty angel" in the sky. He lifted a huge stone and threw it into the Mediterranean Sea where the people of "Babylon", especially those who persecuted God's people, could see it. This is a warning! "Babylon" will be destroyed violently. Those who become followers of Satan, or bow to his authority, will experience God's wrath. Do not, for any reason, give your lives over to Satan in any way, or even you, who see yourselves as believers, will follow Satan to eternal torment.
ENDURANCE: Revelation 14:12-13. John, as he writes, is reminded of the believers of his day, and pauses his account to encourage them to endure the hardships rather than accept the 'mark of the beast'. John remembered that at some time in his vision, he had heard a voice declare that those who would "die in the Lord" would be blessed. We will find rest from our labors. Church Age. Pre-Trib. Pre-Wrath. Post-Trib. Overhead.
SICKELS: Revelation 14:14-16. John picks up his account again, remembering that he then saw the Son of Man surrounded by the glory of God. The Son of Man has authority! From inside the heavenly Temple, where YHWH dwells, came a messenger. God instructed the Son of Man to harvest the earth of all believers.
RAPTURE: Because the day of the Lord's wrath is about to begin, God has seen to the removal of the believers, so that they will not experience His wrath. What John had seen in heaven, would now happen on earth.
Jesus had promised to prepare a place for us and to come and take believers there (John 14:3). Daniel prophesied that one like a human, would come with the clouds, to the Ancient of Days (YHWH) (Daniel 7:13-14). A sign will appear in the heavens that all nations will see (Matthew 24:30), and then the Son of Man will come in glory (cloud) and power (Mark 13:26, Luke 21:27, Matthew 24:30). We are even told by God's messengers that we will see Jesus come as the disciples saw him go (Acts 1:10-11).
The coming of the Son of Man will be obvious (Matthew 24:27, Luke 17:24). He will appear, and send out angels to gather the elect (Mark 13:27, Matthew 24:31). Then there will be the sound as of a trumpet (Matthew 24:31). Then the dead will be raised (1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16) on the 'last day' (John 6:40). The dead shall live again (Isaiah 26:19) with spiritual bodies (1 Corinthians 15:44). Those who will be raised on the last day will be those whom The Father has drawn to faith, through The Christ (John 6:44), and who eat the body and blood (John 6:54). But not all believers will have died, but all will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51). For those still living, stand up and raise your head (Luke 21:28). DO NOT deny the Son of Man in this life! Remember that those who were ashamed of Him during their life (Mark 8:38), the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in glory (Luke 9:26).
Those who are alive when He appears will be 'caught up' to meet the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17). When He is revealed, we will be like Him (1 John 3:2). And we will receive crowns of authority when he appears (1 Peter 5:4). He is 'coming soon' (John 14:18) according to God's own time. But why will God’s people be removed at this time? Jesus promised to rescue us from God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10, Romans 5:9) because of our endurance in suffering (Revelation 3:10).
THE DAY OF THE LORD: Revelation 8:2-4, 15:1-4. John's focus returned to the seven angels that had been given the seven trumpets. Now he realized that they each also had a bowl that contained a plague of God's wrath. Those believers, who had withstood the pressures of Satan, sang the praises of The Father and The Son.
Then John saw an angel with a huge dish [censer] approach the heavenly altar, where he filled it full of the prayers of the martyrs, which he then offered to God. It was time to answer their prayers. WRATH: Revelation 8:5. Then the angel filled the dish with the fire of the vengeance of the martyrs and threw it onto the earth.
This is the beginning of the day (Isaiah 2:12) of the wrath of God, against those who decided against The Father, against The Christ, and those who remained undecided (Romans 1:18). Now God would take revenge on those who afflicted believers (2 Thessalonians 1:6). This would be a time of true anguish for them all [Daniel 12:1]. TWO WITNESSES APPEAR: Revelation 11:1-6. At this time, John notices that two witnesses had appeared in Jerusalem. The Jews were examined ["measured"] to find out if they have been true to the covenant they made with YHWH. Then, for the next 3 1/2 years, while Gentiles control Jerusalem, the witnesses will remain in Jerusalem to call all people to repent.
One is like Elijah (Malachi 4:5) who twice called down fire from heaven [1 Kings 18:36-38, 2 Kings 1:9-10]. And the other is like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15) who turned the waters of the Nile River into blood [Exodus 7:20]. And no one will be allowed to kill them until their time is up.
TRUMPETS AND BOWLS: Revelation 8:6, 15:5-8. Then the seven angels with the seven trumpets and the seven plagues came from God's heavenly temple. God's anger burned hot in the temple, and none could enter. God would accept NO pleads for mercy until His wrath was expended. FIRST TRUMPET/BOWL: Revelation 8:7, 16:1-2. The seven angels were told to begin. The first angel sounded his trumpet and poured his plague on the earth.
There will be hail that will smash into people, and leave bloody bodies. Meanwhile lightening will start fires all over the earth, burning trees and grass. And those who have yielded authority to Satan will catch a disease that will cause foul and painful sores. The two witnesses will informed the people that this is God's wrath, and encouraged them to repent. But the science of medicine will be able to explain the pandemic and give some relief from the symptoms, and life will go on.
SECOND TRUMPET/BOWL: Revelation 8:8-9, 16:3. Then the second angel blew his trumpet and poured his bowl onto the salt water seas.
It will fall through the sky like a volcano erupting. A great many of the creatures will die immediately from the heat, and a great many ships will be sunk. But the seas will become clogged and thick with material, and before long all of the sea creatures will die. But to those on earth it will be explained as a natural disaster and folks will adjust, and ignore the 'religious fanatics' in Jerusalem.
THIRD TRUMPET/BOWL: Revelation 8:10-11, 16:4-7. Then the third angel blew his trumpet and poured his bowl. An asteroid will smash into the earth and punched a whole in the mantle.
Particulate matter will clog the fresh water lakes, rivers and streams while the underground sources will became polluted from released gasses. The drinking water will become bitter from the dissolved minerals and drought and thirst will sweep the nations. Many will die from the affected "wormwood" water [Jeremiah 9:15]. But the wealthy will pay to filter and purify their water so that they do not have to drink the bitter water. The astronomers will have "seen it coming" and they knew that its trajectory had been established tens of thousands of years earlier. One could safely rule out any "divine intervention".
FOURTH TRUMPET/BOWL: Revelation 8:12, 16:8-9. As John watched, the fourth angel blew his trumpet and poured his bowl. A cloud of smoke will arise from the earth and spread out enough to cover a third of the sky, and the cloud will take a full eight hours to pass each day. At the same time the atmosphere will heat up significantly. [I admit that I cannot yet imagine how this could happen.]
The two witnesses will call folks to repent. Those who had been 'religious', but not true believers, and had therefore been left behind, will blame God for their situation, still refusing to trust in God.
EAGLE: Revelation 8:13. Then John saw an eagle soaring high in the sky, announcing the three woes that would accompany the last three trumpets.
