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De-scrambling the Book of Revelations,
Part 2 Manifestations of
a Cosmic Drama Vs. 1
Woman clothed with sun –
Israel
Vs. 2 “Being with child -
Christ Vs. 3 Great Red Dragon -
Satan vs. 9 Vs. 4 1/3 of stars and 1/33 angels ready to devour the child as
soon as he was born Vs. 5 Male Child
“who will rule all the nations with tanb iron scepter.”
The child was “caught up (snatched up) to God and to his throne.”
Vs. 7 – 10 (read)
Satan’s final attempt to take the thrown of God was stopped.
There was a war in the heavens between Michael and his angels fought
against the dragon. Vs. 9 Dragon was cast out of heaven.
Vs 12 Satan knowing he has only a short time (Even Satan knows
Bible Prophecy.) (PAUSE) Just a thought!!!
What is Satan’s motivation to continue – knowing he will loose?
1.
He honestly thinks he can change God’s word and won’t loose. 2.
To take as many free moral agents to Hell with him as he can. Vs. 13 Persecuted
the Jewish people to destroy them all and do away with the remnant.
Thus destroying the plan of God. This is the Great
Tribulation Jesus mentioned in Matthew chapter 24, but the earth helped these
Jews. Vs. 17 Then He makes war with the offspring of the woman “the remnant of her
seed” – Christians – who obey God’s commandments and hold to the
testimony of Jesus. There will be unparalleled
worldwide persecution of both Jews and Christians. Chapter 13:
The Beast, the Antichrist, the False Prophet & the Mark of the Beast
Vs.
1 The
Antichrist – the beast coming out of the sea. Vs. 7 First world wide leader Vs. 8 “All the inhabitants of the earth will worship”
him. Vs. 11
Another Beast – the False Prophet
1.
He heads up the Antichrist’s World religious system-Apostate religious system A combination of the World
Council of Churches, Apostate Protestant & Catholics beliefs.
They will argue there are many roads to God and will embrace
Confucianism, Buddhist, Islam, Hinduism, New Age.
These will all pray to their own God and lead the world into a terrible
apostasy. 2.
The False Prophet also is the one who administers the Antichrist’s enforcement
system. Vs. 14-15 Abomination of
Desolation. I believe that after the Antichrist has made a covenant with Israel,
he will allow an image of him to be set up in the newly built temple in
Jerusalem and offer a sacrifice to himself (some think of swine).
This will be the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by both Jesus in Mt.
24:15 and the prophet Daniel 9:27. The unholy trinity –
The dragon – Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet.
They appear to work in unity and agreement with one another, but just
remember that unity is an attribute of God not Satan. Vs. 16-18
Mark of the Beast Everyone will be forced to
take a mark on their forehead or right hand to buy or sell. All Christians will be
forced into criminal status and hunted down as animals. Most (not all) will be killed.
Horrible horrible slaughter. Vs. 18
“This calls form wisdom. If
anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s
number. His number is 666.” There are hundreds of
speculations about different things in the book of Revelations, most of which
you shouldn’t waste your time with. But
this is one we are asked to try to figure out.
Do
not waste your time trying to figure out who the Antichrist is, figure out what
the mark of the beast is. Don’t even listen when someone tries to predict the day or hour of the
return of Christ, no one know except the father. Figure out what the mark of the beast is. Don’t even try to
determine the 21st century understanding of some of the pictures of
Revelation, try to figure out what the mark of the beast is. Chapter 14: Pause in the action. Chapter
of encouragement.
A flash forward to the end of the Tribulation. Vs. 1-5
144,000 were “redeemed from the earth” – raptured Vs. 6
Angels preach the Gospel to every nation, tribe, language , and people. Some say because of Jesus’
prophecy in Mt. 24 that the Gospel must be preached to every creature then
the end shall come, that Christ couldn’t possibly come today. This proves God’s
heartbeat again: NWTASP.
As men shake their fists at God He sends forth the angels to preach the
Gospel. Vs. 8
Another Angel
Babylon is Fallen
Come out of Babylon Babylon represents the
political, religious and commercial system of the whole world in the end times
and its fall is foretold here. Vs. 9-11
Angel of Doom on the Beast worshippers. Proof text that Hell is a
perpetual, literal, and everlasting place along with Is. 66:22-24. Vs. 14
A Preview of the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ as he comes on the
clouds, Inserts
his sickle, Harvests the Earth, Separates the good wheat from the chaff, and
judgment occurs. All of this is a preview of
what is to come. Encouragement. Chapter 15: Announcement of the final wrath of God is about to be poured out.
Saints sing the Song of the Lamb. All the tribulation is a
pouring out of God’s wrath. 1 Thess. 1:10 “… Jesus,
who rescues us from the coming wrath.” Another
reference to the believers being gone at this time.
Vs. 3-4
Saints Sing the Song of the Lamb. A musical prelude of the
wrath of God about to be poured out. Chapter
16
The Bowl Judgments of God’s Wrath poured out in rapid succession. This
probably takes no more than a month to be poured out.
Vs.
2
1st Bowl Judgment
Ugly and painful sores on those with the Mark of the Beast Vs.
3
2nd Bowl Judgment
All the sea polluted like blood and every living thing in the sea
died. Vs.
4
3rd Bowl Judgment
All fresh water polluted to blood. Notice
in vs. 5 “You are Just in these judgments.” Just
as the water is polluted the Sun multiplied in its power and scorches men with
fire. Just when they have nothing
to drink this happens. Vs.
8
4th Bowl Judgment
The Sun scorched men with fire and (vs. 9) the cursed God
who had control and refused to repent and glorify him.
They
acknowledged God’s hand in all of this, but would not repent. Vs.
10-11 5th
Bowl Judgment
Darkness and Pain in the Antichrist’s area of the world.
Just as in the days of Moses and Pharoah darkness that could be cut with
a knife. Vs.
12
6th Bowl Judgment
Euphrates River dries up so Army of 200 million can cross over into
Israel to go into the valley of Armageddon Vs. 16. Now
ready for the final battle for the climatic act of history.
Vs.
17-18 7th
Bowl Judgment
A Great Earthquake – Islands & Mountains disappear.
Jerusalem is divided into 3 parts. Chapter 17-18: A Detailed description of the Destruction of the Antichrist’s Kingdom. Destruction of its political, economic, social, and religious fabric.Emphasis
is on the Harlet which is riding on the back of the Anti Christ.
This
Prostitute is the Apostate Church. The
Antichrist has used this church to build worldwide influence and power, but now
this church is riding on his back. The
church has taken over too much power. The
Beasts turns on that woman and she is destroyed.
The end-time tribulation –church is destroyed by the Antichrist himself
in an internal struggle. The unholy
trinity’s unity is broken. “A
house divided against itself cannot stand.” Chapter
18 Wrath
of God poured out on every aspect of the Antichrist kingdom.
As wrath poured out the economic, political, and social system is
destroyed. Weeping by Merchants,
Shipmasters, and Kings over the destruction of this final gentile Kingdom. Vs.
17 “In one hour…”
How swift are the Judgments & wrath of God. Hebrews
10:31 “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” This
is to assure us of the ultimate fate of the Antichrist. Chapter 19
“Meanwhile, Back up at the Ranch of Safety in Glory…” The Two
Suppers, The Battle of Armageddon. The
most interesting thing happens in Chapter 19.
On earth all horror is breaking loose.
Fear that will make all the episodes of Friday the 13th put
together read like Cinderella. But
mean while back up at the ranch of safety in Glory all of heaven is shouting
Hallelujah! This is the only
place in the New Testament where that Old Testament word is recorded. Vs.
1,3,4, 6
Read verse 1 Why Hallelujah? 1.
All heaven can see the end of the tribulation is at hand through the pouring out
of God’s wrath
2. White robes are handed out for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
Vs. 9 “Bless are those who
are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.” Vs. 11 The White-horse rider
Faithful and True. Coming to judge
and make war. Another description
of Jesus. Vs. 14 the armies of heaven
were following him. Vs. 15 out of
his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.
He will rule them with an iron scepter.
Vs. 17 Battle of Armageddon Zach
14:2 “…City taken, houses plundered, women raped, ˝ city taken
captive…” “Foot
touch mount of olives, Mount will split, Lord will speak the word and a
supernatural plague will destroy the enemy. The
amazing contrast in this chapter. The
Two Suppers: 1.
Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Vs. 9 2.
Supper of the Great God for the Vultures. Vs. 17 Which will you attend? The glorious wedding feast
in heaven or are you going to be feasted upon by the vultures at the Battle of
Armageddon. Chapter 20: Jesus Takes care of Unfinished Business – Satan, Millennial Reign.Transition:
Jesus ready to take reign. He
has defeated Antichrist and False Prophet.
Now he must deal with the dragon – Satan. Vs.
1-3 One last Rebel stand – Satan is thrown into the Bottomless pit Vs.
4
We reign with Christ 1000 years in the Millennial Reign. Isaiah:
Jesus rules with a rod of Iron, Those of us with glorified bodies will
reign with him. As judges,
administrators, most as teachers in the World wide educational system to bring
those born during the Millennium to Salvation.
Only a small group will enter the Millennial in flesh who were saved.
The unsaved will be consigned to death.
Life spans will endure throughout the millennium as before the flood.
There will be a huge population growth during that time period. More people than at any other time in human history.
Sin
will be lessened but not done away with, because the heart of man is deceitfully
wicked. Purpose
of the Millennial Reign 1.
to prove humanism an out and out lie.
It teaches that the way to change the world is to change society.
Only a heart change can change truly change a man.
2.
Vindication of the Saints. Vs. 7 The Final Revolt.
Satan is going to be
released for a season and will appeal to the seed of flesh within all mankind.
Think of how it would be to live with Jesus as the ruler of the world.
The flesh would want pornography and drunkenness, but Jesus will rule
with a rod of iron and say no. People
will worship outwardly with their mouths, but inwardly have a heart of
rebellion. Vs. 11 The Great White
Thrown Judgment - The Judgment of
the Damned. Vs. 12 “According to their
works.” And all were cast into
hell for no one can stand before God based on their works. “For by grace are you saved through faith not of works, it
is the gift of God not of ourselves, lest any man should boast.”
Chapter 21
A Vision of the Eternal State
We
are given a Vision of the Eternal State. Vs.
1 New Heaven and New Earth –
reshaped and reformed. He lowers
down the New Jerusalem on to the New Earth.
Talk
about heaven on earth… that is exactly what we are headed toward.
Vs.3
The dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.
(on the New Earth.) Vs.8
Those who will not be there. Vs.
15 City of God is Big:
From NYC down to Panhandle of Florida, over to New Orleans, up to
Minneapolis, back to NYC and equally as high.
Cubed. The
rest of chapter 21 is a glimpse of that Eternal Home in its original State.
Vs.27
“Nothing impure will ever enter it.” Chapter 22: Conclusion of the Revelation, Jesus’ Final WordsVs. 7 “Blessed
is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” Vs. 9 What to do?
Worship God. Vs. 11 I believe this is a
reference to the way you are living here will continue on into eternity.
If you are striving to live right and do right with the help of the
Spirit that will continue on throughout eternity.
If you are running after pleasure and sin you will keep wanting those
things throughout eternity with a continual lust for more, yet without ever
getting satisfied, because all good things are from God and “God is Good”
and He won’t be were you are. Vs.20
Jesus’ Final Words to us. “Yes,
I am coming soon.” John says,
“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Maranatha. He is coming soon. 1. One thousand years is as a day twice Psalms and in Peter.
Jesus died on the cross two days ago. Hosea 5:15; 6:1-2 We are at the end of that 2
days. 2. Mt. 24:32 Watch the fig
tree – Israel When it blossoms
again you will know that I am at the very gates about to return.
For 450
years Bible Prophesy teachers have said, “Watch Israel, Watch Israel”
and were mocked and laughed at, yet on may 14, 1948 Israel became a nation.
Mt. 24:34 says that the generation that sees that will not pass away.
We are the terminal Generation. 3. Luke 21:24 Jesus says Jews will fall by the edge of the sword
(70 AD under Titus and the Romans). They will be lead captive into all of the
nations and that happened also. Then
he said something profound; “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles
until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
This happened first by the
Romans, then the Bisentines, Arabs, Crusaders, Arabs, Manblukes, Turks, British,
then the Jordanians, then finally on June 6th 1967 the Jews
re-conquered that city for the first time in 1897 years Rabbi Sholam Gorram the
chief Rabbi of the Israeli army blew a shofar (a rams horn – a sign of the
Messiah) and declared “My friends I proclaim to you the beginning of the
Messianic age.” We are living in the last
times guys, and I am convinced that it is high time to do a few things. 1.
Get right with God. 2.
Get busy for God. Questions to answer: Were the judgments
territorial or worldwide? Is Babylon a world system
and or just a city? Is it the
current Babylon? The ancient Babylon? Another city? How do you determine there
will be just seven years of tribulation? |