Just because I can't really process the news anymore - the Drudge Report is now crazier than the funny pages, I thought I would share what I have learned about the "blessing book" of Revelation. My kids and I have recently finished Adrian Rogers' "Unveiling the End Times in Our Times", which now makes more sense to me than when I first read it a few years ago. Here's some bullet points to help you get your mind around it all:
The Scroll (Rev. 6) Represents the sealed title deed to the earth. Who is worthy to open it? No one but Jesus!
- Seal #1 - The White Horseman - The Antichrist will dominate world government through craft. (Just think how fast his infrastructure is coming together. Many people mistakenly think that the Antichrist will expend time into putting in his own system, but the fact is, his control grid is already mostly in place. UN, CFR, Bilderburg, EU, GPS, oh, and expect the "final corporate merger")
- Seal #2 - The Red Horseman - WWIII - Peace taken from the earth see Ez. 38:21
- Seal #3 - The Black Horseman - Famine - The part where you work all day for one meager meal. Hope you're not supporting a family. Can you not see where the food control will be used extensively here? Putting 1/3 of the world's corn supplies in our gas tanks doesn't help things much.
- Seal #4 - The Pale Horseman - Plague over 25% of the earth carried by beasts. I can see sanitation breaking down and rats and mosquitoes carrying something nasty. I can also see the Antichrist releasing some of the noxious stuff we know that
our global overlords his henchmen have been working on.
- Seal #5 - Martyred Tribulation Saints - These are people who come to Christ after the Rapture. We know that these saints will face decapitation and those of us who are in heaven will beg God to help them. Those who were convicted by the Holy Spirit during this present age will not have another chance to repent (II Thess 2:10-12) Today is the day of salvation. When God takes the salt off of the earth, you will be astounded to see how fast it rots!
- Seal #6 - Violent Earthquake - This is the part where the sun turns black, the moon goes bloody, and the stars are shaken, and the "sky be rolled back as a scroll". The mountains and islands will be moved, like what just happened to Japan - except across the whole world.
- At this point, the 144,000 sealed Jews are set out as witnesses on the earth. Imagine what the Apostle Paul's ministry did for Europe and Western Civ, will be multiplied thousands of times over. A bewildered population will be receptive to the Gospel message, but those who would not harken during this present age will be sent a strong delusion so that they cannot believe. Again, today is the day of salvation. The Antichrist will not be permitted to harm these 144,000 because our God is sovereign and will have them protectively sealed.
- Seal #7 - We have a silence of 1/2 hour between seals 6 and 7, then seven trumpets are given to the seven angels in Heaven.
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The Trumpet Judgments (Rev. 8)
- 1st Trumpet - 1/3 of the earth burned with hail and fire mixed with blood. Yeesh!
- 2nd Trumpet - 1/3 of the sea becomes blood and 1/3 of everything in the sea is destroyed by a mountain of fire hurled into the sea. (That's a wild picture)
- 3rd Trumpet - Where the star Wormwood falls and poisons 1/3 of the world's potable water supplies.
- 4th Trumpet - 1/3 of the light sources darkened (sun, moon, and stars)
- At this point, an eagle says Woe! Woe! Woe! The worst is yet to come! (symbolic of "you ain't seen nothing yet!)
- 5th Trumpet - The bottomless pit is opened- super-duper demons who have been sealed are released and some noxious smoke pollutes the air.
- 6th Trumpet - Four fallen angels who have been bound at the Great River Euphrates are released to kill 1/3 of the human race. The 200 million man army comes into play here.
- 7th Trumpet - Rejoicing in Heaven as the end of evil is nearing. The 24 elders of Heaven fall down and worship the Lord. Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.” (Rev. 11:15-19)
The Vials of Wrath (Rev. 16)
- 1st Bowl - Ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.
- 2nd Bowl - Sea totally turns to blood and everything in it dies.
- 3rd Bowl - Freshwater turns totally to blood.
- 4th Bowl - The heat of the sun is turned way up and those seared curse God and refuse to repent and glorify him.
- 5th Bowl - The Beast's kingdom is plunged into darkness and those who serve him gnaw their tongues in agony, but still curse God.
- 6th Bowl - Is poured out on the River Euphrates and the water is dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.
- At this point, three unclean spirits come out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast and the prophet. (These are the devil's equivalent to the Trinity) They gather the kings together to a place called Armageddon.
- 7th Bowl - Is poured into the air, and a loud voice cries: "It is done!" Then came lightening, thunder, and the biggest earthquake ever! The cities of the nations collapsed and Babylon the Great (the evil world system of the Antichrist) is finished. Oh, and there are some 100 pound hailstones involved.
So don't think that any survivalist supply cache is going to save you from all that. Only the blood of Jesus applied to the heart will allow the judgment to "passover" you.
Abomination of the Desolation
Halfway through the Tribulation period is where the Antichrist crowns himself god in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. This is known in the book of Daniel as the abomination of the desolation. At this point, the Jews will realize that they've been had. Referring to John 5:43:
I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. Jesus could see Jerusalem's future prompting this statement from Luke 13:34:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! So make a note Israel-lovers, just because the Jews are God's chosen people, doesn't mean they're always on the right side of things. (Ahab, Baal/Molech worship, slew of wicked kings, etc.) It does mean that God will continue to demonstrate his power through them, however, and when the Antichrist turns on them, God will deliver their nation true to His word. In the book of Zechariah, there is a graphic depiction of the Mount of Olives opening up in Red Sea fashion to allow the Jews a path to escape. (Zech 14)
The Two Witnesses
Some have speculated that the two witnesses will be Enoch and Elijah, the only two men who have never actually physically died, and is appointed that every man die once. But they will prophesy for 3 1/2 years in sackcloth, divinely protected. When their work is over, the beast will kill them and 3 1/2 days later, they will be resurrected by God's power in a public manner so that all will see that it is God in control.
The Mark of the Beast
Thought for years to be a tattoo of some sort. We now know that this is likely to be an RFID chip probably with GPS. As technology progresses, these things are getting smaller and smaller and can now be injected like a vaccine. You can bet your food allotment will be tied to your having the chip. Check out the
promo videos for a centrally controlled "smart city", just to show you where the minds of some people already are.
The Significance of Numbers
Here's a little something I put together for church one time to help with understanding number symbolism:
Number One – Portrays unity and the nature of God.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one Lord. Deut. 6:4
Zechariah 14:9; Ephesians 4:4-6
Number Two – the number of witness
Even in your law it is written that the witness of two men is valid. John 8:17
Jesus is 2nd in Trinity, the “faithful witness” Rev. 1:5
The two witnesses. Rev. 11:3 -Zech. 5
We go witnessing in pairs. Mark 6:7
Number Three – The Trinity
Everything in the world is a reflection of the triune nature of God:
Space: height, width, depth
Time: past, present, future
Man: body, soul, spirit – Thess. 5:23
Number Four – the Earth number; deals with Creation
Bible speaks of the four corners of the Earth: Is. 11:12; Ezkl 7:2; Rev. 7:1
North, South, East and West – Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
40 is the number of trial and testing: Noah, Moses, Jonah, Jesus.
Earth is the place where we have trials and testing.
Numbers Five and Ten – numbers of completeness.
Five fingers and toes – Five senses – Ten Commandments
Ten speaks of fullness: Ten plagues on Egypt
Rev. 13:1 – Antichrist will have ten horns with ten crowns – complete power.
Number Six – number of man
Man was created on the sixth day.
Rev. 13:18 – 666 – By identifying himself as 666, he is pretending to be God. Three is the number of God, and six the number of man. The Antichrist will sit in the temple of God promoting himself as God.
Number Seven – number of perfection
Days in a week; Notes in a scale; Parables of the kingdom – Matt. 13
70 – Weeks of years in Daniel that speak of God’s dealing with all time.
Psalms 90:10 – 70 is human life span; Forgiveness – Seventy times seven
Seven cut in half equals danger and destruction:
Antichrist will break covenant with Israel 3 ½ years into his covenant with them.
Elijah shut up heaven 3 ½ years – Luke 4:25 and James 5:17.
Number Eight – number of new beginnings
Eighth note begins a new octave; Eighth day first day of new week.
Jewish boys circumcised on eighth day; Eight people were saved from the flood.
Lepers pronounced clean on the eighth day Lev. 14:10;
Jesus resurrected not on Sabbath, but on the eighth day, the Lord’s Day; John 20:26
Number Twelve – God’s governmental number
Divine number (3) times Earth number (4) = 12 (God ruling the Earth)
Apostles; Patriarchs; Tribes of Israel
Matthew 19:28 – “when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.”
New Jerusalem – 12 gates in city, which is 12,000 furlongs square where God’s government will be carried out.
So in view of the celebration of the Resurrection, I'm just trying to give a preview to the exciting conclusion to what we call "life on earth". It all belongs to Him, and He is going to return to put it all right. Make sure that you are right with Him because your spiritual well-being far outweighs your material needs. So when the trumpet sounds, get out your crayons and color me gone...
