Verses preaching the "Gospel of Jesus"

Part 59 - BOOK of REVELATION
1:1-19:10 here, with 19:11-22:21 in concluding page

Each Main Part (in black bold with Roman numerals) has its own Contents List (in blue)


Most of Revelations is here; much of the beginning is in Part 31, "Travels and Acts"

 

I - PROLOGUE 

59.1 JOHN INTRODUCES THE REVELATION JESUS CHRIST MADE KNOWN TO HIM

Revelation 1:1-3 - This is a Revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him (Christ) so that he might show his servants what must very soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who is the witness of all that he saw - the message of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Happy is the man who reads this prophecy and happy are those who hear it read and pay attention to its message; for the time is near.

59.2 JOHN SENDS HIS GREETINGS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

Revelation 1:4-6 - John, to the seven Churches in Asia:

Grace and peace be to you from him who is and who was and who is coming (God the Father), from the seven Spirits before his throne (possibly the Holy Spirit), and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, first-born of the dead, and ruler of kings upon earth (Christ the Son). To him who loves us and has set us free from our sins through his own blood, who has made us a kingdom of priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and power for timeless ages, amen.

59.3 THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS

Revelation 1:7-8 - See, he is coming in the clouds and every eye shall see him, even those who pierced him, and his coming will mean bitter sorrow to every tribe upon the earth. So let it be!

"I am Alpha and Omega (the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, the beginning and the end, the alphabet from which all words, the Word, are formed), says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty."

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 II - THE FIRST VISION OF CHRIST

  59.4 JOHN TELLS HOW CHRIST TOLD HIM TO WRITE TO THE CHURCHES

Revelation 1:9-11 - I, John, who am your brother and your companion in the distress, the kingdom and the faithful endurance to which Jesus calls us, was on the island called Patmos because I had spoken God's message and borne witness to Jesus. On the Lord's day I knew myself inspired by the Spirit, and I heard from behind me a voice loud as a trumpet-call saying, "Write down in a book what you see (in a series of visions), and send it to the seven Churches - to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea!"

59.5 HE DESCRIBES THE AWESOME APPEARANCE OF JESUS CHRIST

Revelation 1:12-16 - I turned to see whose voice it was that was speaking to me and when I had turned I saw seven golden lamp stands (representing the seven churches, in turn representative of all churches), and among these lampstands I saw someone

'like a Son of Man' (Daniel 7:13).

He (Christ, now described in essentially Old Testament priestly terms) was dressed in a long robe with a golden girdle around his breast; his head and his hair were white as snow-white wool, his eyes blazed like fire, and his feet shone as the finest bronze glows in the furnace. His voice had the sound of a great waterfall, and I saw that in his right hand he held seven stars (representing the angels, or possibly guardians or leaders of the seven churches). A sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth, and his face was ablaze like the sun at its height.

59.6 CHRIST REPEATS HIS INSTRUCTIONS, AND EXPLAINS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STARS AND LAMPSTANDS

Revelation 1:17-20 - When my eyes took in this sight I fell at his feet like a dead man. And then he (Christ) placed his right hand upon me and said, "Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, the living one. I am he who was dead, and now you see me alive for timeless ages! I hold in my hand the keys of death and the grave. Therefore, write down what you have seen, both the things which are now, and the things which are to be hereafter. The secret meaning of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and of the seven golden lampstands is this: the seven stars are the angels of the seven Churches and the lampstands are the Churches themselves."

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III - SEVEN COVERING LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES OF ASIA

 Chapters 2 and 3 in Part 31, Travels and Acts" are John's individual covering letters to the seven churches in Asia.

 


SUMMARY OF THE MAIN PART OF REVELATION
Chapters 4:1-19:10

The seven letters to the churches of Asia are followed by GOD'S JUDGMENT ON THE UNIVERSE.

The heart of this major section is three sets of sevenfold judgments:

(1) The opening of Seven Seals (chapters 6:1-8:1);

(2) The sounding of Seven Trumpets (chapters 8:7-11:15);

(3) The pouring out of Seven Plagues (chapters 16:2-16:21);

 Sometimes preceding, sometimes interposed within, sometimes following these judgments are a variety of other visions and deeds:

(1) The opening of Seven Seals (chapters 6:1-8:1):

- The opening of the First Seal (6:1) is preceded by John's vision of heaven and the Revelation that only Christ, the lamb of God is worthy to open all Seven Seals (4:1-5:14);

- Before the Seventh Seal is opened (8:1), there is an interlude in which the Jews of Israel and a multitude of mankind are marked or identified for rescue before God's final judgment (7:1-17);

(2) The sounding of Seven Trumpets (chapters 8:7-11:15):

- Before the First Trumpet sounds (8:7), an angel appears with an incense burner. The incense and the prayers of the saints rise up before God (8:2-6).

- Before the Seventh Trumpet (11:15), another angel hands John a "little book" to eat and he is told to prophesy (10:1-11). The Temple is measured (11:1-2), two witnesses are killed by Satan but taken up into heaven (11:3-12), and an earthquake takes place (11:13-14);

(3) The pouring out of Seven Plagues (chapters 16:2-16:21):

- After the Last Trumpet sounds (11:15) but before the First Plague is poured out (16:2), there are a number of major visions:

11:16-19 - God is worshipped and the ark of the covenant revealed;

12:1-17 - A woman and a dragon appear; the dragon attempts to destroy her;

13:1-18 - Two beasts appear - one from the sea, one from the earth;

14:1-20 - The Christians saved in heaven are described; six angels make a series of pronouncements;

15:1-16:1 - Seven more angels prepare to pour out seven plagues:

- Between the Sixth Plague (16:12) and the Seventh (16:17-21) a great struggle, the Battle of Armageddon takes place (16:13-16)

- The pouring out of the Last Plague leads to the Fall of "Babylon" and approaching victory for those Christians who endured (17:1-19:10)

The conclusion of Revelation, Chapters 19:11-22:21 has its own Introduction  

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IV - VISION OF HEAVEN 

THE THRONE OF GOD
59.7 John's vision - the throne of God 4:1-6a
59.8 The four creatures worship God 4:6b-11
THE SEALED BOOK AND THE LAMB OF GOD
59.9 The book with SEVEN SEALS 5:1-5
59.10 The sacrificed Lamb takes the book 5:6-10
59.11 Creation worships the Lamb 5:11-14

 THE THRONE OF GOD

 59.7 JOHN'S VISION - THE THRONE OF GOD, THE 24 ELDERS, THE SEVEN SPIRITS

Revelation 4:1-6a - Later I looked again, and before my eyes a door stood open in Heaven, and in my ears was the voice with the ring of a trumpet, which I had heard at first, speaking to me and saying, "Come up here, and I will show you what must happen in the future."

Immediately I knew myself to be inspired by the Spirit, and in my vision I saw a throne had been set up in Heaven, and there was someone seated upon the throne. His appearance (could not be described in human terms, but ...) blazed like diamond and topaz, and all around the throne shone a halo like an emerald rainbow. In a circle around the throne (of God) there were twenty-four thrones and seated upon them twenty-four elders (... possibly 12 patriarchs and 12 apostles representing the entire Church and all mankind saved by God) dressed in white with golden crowns upon their heads. From the central throne come flashes of lightning, noises and peals of thunder. Seven lamps are burning before the throne, and they are the seven Spirits (or sevenfold Holy Spirit) of God. In front of the throne there appears a sea of glass as clear as crystal.

59.8 THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES, WHO WITH THE 24 ELDERS WORSHIP GOD ETERNALLY

Revelation 4:6b-11 - On each side, encircling the throne, are four living creatures (or "beings", perhaps representing all living creation) covered with eyes in front and behind. The first living creature is like a lion, the second is like a calf, the third has a face like a man, and the fourth living creature appears like an eagle in flight. These four creatures have each of them six wings and are covered with eyes, all around them, and even within them. Day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming."

The ceaseless worship of Heaven

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honour and thanksgiving to the one (God) who sits upon the throne, who lives for timeless ages, the twenty-four elders prostrate themselves before him who is seated upon the throne and worship the one who lives for timeless ages. They cast their crowns before the throne and say, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things and by your will they exist and were created."

 THE SEVEN-SEALED BOOK, AND JESUS THE LAMB OF GOD

  59.9 THE BOOK WITH SEVEN SEALS IN GOD'S HAND; THE CALL FOR ONE WORTHY TO OPEN IT; THE LION OF JUDAH IS PROCLAIMED WORTHY

Revelation 5:1-5 - Then I noticed in the right hand of the one (God) seated upon the throne a book (presumably containing the world's destiny - God's final judgment) filled with writing both inside and on its back, and it was sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel who called out in a loud voice, "Who is fit to open the book and break its seals (and release God's judgments)?"

And no one in Heaven or upon the earth or under the earth was able to open the book, or even to look at it. I (John) began to weep bitterly because no one could be found fit to open the book, or even to look at it, when one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. See, the lion from the tribe of Judah (... one of Christ's titles), the root of David, has won the victory and is able to open the book and break its seven seals."

59.10 JOHN'S VISION OF THE SACRIFICED LAMB WHO TAKES THE BOOK; THE CREATURES AND ELDERS WORSHIP HIM

Revelation 5:6-10 - Then, standing in the very centre of the throne and of the four living creatures and of the elders, I saw a Lamb that seemed to have been slaughtered. He had seven horns and seven eyes (symbolically holding all power and all wisdom respectively), which are the seven Spirits (Holy Spirit) of God and are sent out into every corner of the earth. Then he (the Lamb) came and took the book from the right hand of him (God) who was seated upon the throne.

The new hymn of the created and of the redeemed

When he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before the Lamb. Each of them had a harp, and they had golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sang a new song and these are the words they sang, "You (Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God) are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth."

59.11 THE WHOLE OF CREATION PRAISES AND WORSHIPS THE LAMB

Revelation 5:11-14 - Then in my vision I heard the voices of many angels encircling the throne, the living creatures and the elders. There were myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, crying in a great voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing!"

Then I heard the voice of everything created in Heaven, upon earth, under the earth and upon the sea, and all that are in them saying, "Blessing and honour and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever!"

The four living creatures said, "Amen", while the elders fell down and worshipped.

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V - THE SEVEN SEALS ARE BROKEN 

THE LAMB BREAKS THE FIRST FOUR SEALS
59.12 A white horse, its rider "conquest" 6:1-2
59.13 A red horse, the rider "war" 6:3-4
59.14 A black horse, "famine" 6:5-6
59.15 A sickly green horse, "death" 6:7-8

THE FIFTH AND SIXTH SEALS
59.16 The martyrs of God cry for justice 6:9-11
59.17 Universal catastrophe 6:12-17
     
INTERLUDE - BEFORE THE SEVENTH SEAL
59.18 God's servants marked for protection 7:1-8
59.19 Those saved by the blood of the Lamb 7:9-17
59.20 Seventh Seal opened - silence 8:1

 THE LAMB BREAKS THE FIRST FOUR SEALS - THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE ARE RELEASED

 59.12 THE FIRST SEAL IS BROKEN BY THE LAMB - A WHITE HORSE APPEARS, ITS RIDER "CONQUEST"

Revelation 6:1-2 - Then I watched while the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice of thunder, "Come out!"

I looked, and before my eyes was a white horse. Its rider carried a bow, and he was given a crown. He rode out conquering and bent on conquest (empire and domination).

59.13 THE SECOND SEAL IS BROKEN - A RED HORSE, THE RIDER "WAR"

Revelation 6:3-4 - Then, when the Lamb broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature, cry, "Come out!"

And another horse came forth, red in colour. Its rider was given power to deprive the earth of peace, so that men should kill each other. A huge sword was put into his hand.

59.14 THE THIRD SEAL - A BLACK HORSE, "FAMINE"

Revelation 6:5-6 - When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come out!"

I looked again and there before my eyes was a black horse. Its rider had a pair of scales in his hand, and I heard a voice which seemed to come from the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a shilling, and three quarts of barley for a shilling (... a day's wages for one man's food for a day) - but no tampering with the oil or the wine!"

59.15 THE FOURTH SEAL - A SICKLY GREEN HORSE, "DEATH"

Revelation 6:7-8 - Then, when he broke the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature cry, "Come out!"

Again I looked, and there appeared a horse sickly green in colour. The name of its rider was death (from the disease and pestilence that follows hard on the heels of famine), and the grave (Hades or hell) followed close behind him. A quarter of the earth was put into their power, to kill with the sword, by famine, by violence, and through the wild beasts of the earth.

THE LAMB BREAKS THE FIFTH AND SIXTH SEALS

 59.16 THE FIFTH SEAL - THE MARTYRS OF GOD CRY OUT FOR JUSTICE

Revelation 6:9-11 - When the Lamb (of God) broke the fifth seal, I could see, beneath the altar, the souls of those (martyrs) who had been killed for the sake of the Word of God (the Gospel of Christ) and because of the faithfulness of their witness. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell (in prosperity) on the earth?"

Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to be patient a little longer, until the number of their fellow-servants and of their brethren, who were to die as they had died, should be complete.

59.17 THE SIXTH SEAL - UNIVERSAL CATASTROPHE; MANKIND, IN TERROR, HIDES FROM THE ANGER OF GOD AND THE LAMB

Revelation 6:12-17 - Then I watched while he (the Lamb) broke the sixth seal. There was a tremendous earthquake, the sun turned dark like coarse black cloth, and the full moon was red as blood. The stars of the sky fell upon the earth, just as a fig-tree sheds unripe figs when shaken in a gale. The sky vanished as though it were a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was jolted out of its place. Then the kings of the earth, and the great men, the captains, the wealthy, the powerful, and every man, whether slave or free, hid themselves in caves and among mountain rocks. They called out to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of his wrath has come, and who is able to stand against it?"

INTERLUDE - VISION BEFORE THE SEVENTH SEAL IS OPENED

 - There is now a pause before God's final judgments, while those who are to be saved are marked and identified: 

59.18 GOD'S SERVANTS FROM THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL ARE MARKED FOR PROTECTION

Revelation 7:1-8 - Later I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth holding in check the four (destroying) winds of the earth that none should blow upon the earth or upon the sea or upon any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending out of the east, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who had the power to harm the earth and the sea: "Do no harm to the earth, nor to the sea, nor to the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads."

I heard the number of those who were thus sealed and it was 144,000 (or 12 x 12 x 1,000 - a symbolic number based on the square of twelve representing completeness or a great multitude of people), from every (one of the twelve Jewish) tribe(s) of the sons of Israel. Twelve thousand were sealed from the tribe of Judah; twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben; twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad; twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher; twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtali; twelve thousand from the tribe of Manasseh; twelve thousand from the tribe of Simeon; twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi; twelve thousand from the tribe of Issachar; twelve thousand from the tribe of Zebulun; twelve thousand from the tribe of Joseph; and twelve thousand from the tribe of Benjamin.

59.19 THE EVEN GREATER MULTITUDE OF MANKIND WHO ARE SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB

Revelation 7:9-17 - When this was done I looked again, and before my eyes appeared a vast crowd (of presumably the world's Gentiles, saved by God and carried to heaven) beyond man's power to number. They came from every nation and tribe and people and language, and they stood before the throne of the Lamb, dressed in white robes with palm-branches in their hands. With a great voice they shouted these words: "Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb!"

Then all the angels (of heaven) stood encircling the throne, the (twenty four) elders and the four living creatures, and prostrated themselves with heads bowed before the throne and worshipped God, saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and strength be given to our God for timeless ages!"

The countless host explained

Then one of the elders addressed me (John) and asked, "These who are dressed in white robe - who are they, and where do they come from?!

"You know, my Lord," I answered him.

Then he told me, "These are those who have come through the great oppression (or the tribulation and saved by God): they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. That is why they now have their place before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits upon the throne will be their shelter. They will never again know hunger or thirst. The sun shall never beat upon them, neither shall there be any scorching heat, for the Lamb who is in the centre of the throne will be their shepherd and will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

 59.20 THE SEVENTH SEAL IS OPENED - SILENCE

 Revelation 8:1 - Then, when he had broken the seventh seal, there was utter silence in Heaven for what seemed to me half-an-hour.

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 VI - SEVEN TRUMPETS ARE SOUNDED 

THE LITTLE BOOK; THE TWO WITNESSES
59.34 Angel appears with a little book 10:1-4
59.35 When the seventh trumpet sounds 10:5-7
59.36 John eats the angel's little book 10:8-11
59.37 The inner temple of God 11:1-2
59.38 Power of the two witnesses 11:3-6
59.39 Killed by the beast of the abyss 11:7-10
59.40 God breathes life into them 11:11-12
59.41 An earthquake kills 7,000 11:13-14
THE SEVENTH TRUMPET SOUNDS
59.42 End-times have come; Third woe 11:15
59.43 Twenty four elders worship God 11:16-18
59.44 The ark revealed 11:19

 

59.21 SEVEN ANGELS BEFORE GOD ARE GIVEN SEVEN TRUMPETS

Revelation 8:2 - Then I saw the seven angels who stand in the presence of God, and seven trumpets were put into their hands.

59.22 THE EIGHTH ANGEL AND THE INCENSE-BURNER; THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS

Revelation 8:3-6 - Then another angel came and stood by the altar holding a golden censer (a pan for burning incense). He was given a great quantity of incense to add to the prayers of all the saints, to be laid upon the golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the incense rose up before God from the angel's hand, mingled with the prayers of the saints. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it upon the earth (as a symbol of disaster). And at that there were thunderings and noises, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Then the seven angels who were holding the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

FOUR ANGELS SOUND THE FIRST FOUR TRUMPETS

59.23 THE FIRST TRUMPET - HAIL AND FIRE DESTROYS A THIRD OF THE EARTH AND ITS VEGETATION

Revelation 8:7 - The first angel blew his trumpet. Hail and fire mingled with blood appeared, and were hurled upon the earth. One-third of the earth was burnt up, one-third of all the trees was burnt up, and every blade of green grass was burnt up.

 

59.24 THE SECOND TRUMPET - A FIERY MASS DESTROYS A THIRD OF THE SEA AND ITS CREATURES AND SHIPS

Revelation 8:8-9 - The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a vast mountain (a mass as large as a mountain) blazing with fire was thrown into the sea. A third-part of the sea turned into blood, a third of all live creatures in the sea died, and a third-part of all shipping was destroyed.

59.25 THE THIRD TRUMPET - A BLAZING STAR POISONS A THIRD OF THE WORLD'S FRESH WATER

Revelation 8:10-11 - Then the third angel blew his trumpet and there fell from the sky a huge star blazing like a torch. It fell upon a third of the rivers and springs of water. The name of the star is said to be Apsinthus (Wormwood). A third of all the waters turned into wormwood, and many people died because the waters had become so bitter.

59.26 THE FOURTH TRUMPET - A THIRD OF THE UNIVERSE IS DESTROYED

Revelation 8:12 - The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third-part of the sun, a third-part of the moon and a third of the stars were struck. A third-part of the light of each of them was darkened, so that light by day and light by night were both diminished by a third-part.

59.27 THE THREE CRIES OF WOE BECAUSE OF THE THREE REMAINING TRUMPETS

Revelation 8:13 - Then in my vision I saw a solitary eagle flying in mid-heaven, crying in a loud voice, "Alas, alas, alas for the inhabitants of the earth for there are three more trumpet blasts which the three angels shall sound!"

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THE SYMBOLS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION

The Book of Revelation is full of symbolism, no more so than in the remaining chapters. Some of the symbols are outlined here together with their possible interpretation, both contemporary and eternally:

  THE SERVANTS OF GOD

THE PREGNANT WOMAN - possibly representing God's chosen people, both Jew and Christian; possibly the mother of the Messiah and the Church

JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH - possibly the male child born to the pregnant woman. Also THE LAMB and THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE (but not the rider of Revelation 6:2, one of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse)

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST; also THE BRIDE

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL - the Protector or guardian angel of Israel (Daniel 10:13,21; 12:1)

THE SAINTS - God's people, Christians, the saved

  POWERS OPPOSED TO GOD

THE DEVIL or SATAN - possibly the Star fallen from heaven, the Angel or star of the Pit, Angel of the Abyss; personified as "Abaddon" (destruction) in Hebrew or "Apollyon" in Greek.

Also THE DRAGON, the red dragon, the primeval Serpent who is called the devil or Satan, the Adversary, the Accuser

HELL or THE GRAVE - the fathomless pit, the Abyss, "Sheol" or "Abaddon" (destruction) in Hebrew, "Hades" or "Apollyon" from the Greek; the place of the dead, where fallen angels are imprisoned, eternal separation from God

DEMONS, EVIL SPIRITS - the locusts or scorpion locusts

Contemporary translation - possibly mounted Parthian archers who could shoot backwards from their horses on the gallop. The Parthian Empire across the River Euphrates was a major threat to the Roman Empire

THE ANIMAL FROM THE SEA - the Beast from the Sea, an anti-God power, an authoritarian godless state 

Contemporary translation - the Roman Empire. The capital Rome was "over the seas" relative to the province of Asia where John was writing. Personified as the dead emperor Nero who "returns to life" as the Book of Revelation develops. 

Eternally - any world empire or system, and its leaders.

THE PROSTITUTE OR HARLOT; also "BABYLON", THE WOMAN

Contemporary translation - the city of Rome.

Eternally - the centre or centres of any world power or powers

THE ANIMAL FROM THE EARTH - the Beast from the Earth, an anti-god power, state-sanctioned, state-dominated religion

Contemporary translation - the high priest of Roman emperor-worship, possibly centred in the province of Asia.

Eternally - the god's, their worship and the "high priests" of material, spiritual, cultural or religious gods in any age

  (any notes following in the text on the Powers Opposed to God are in RED)

A NOTE ON TIMES

"TIME, TIMES AND HALF A TIME" - "one year, two years and half a year" from Daniel 7:25, the 3 1/2 year period 168-165BC when the Jerusalem Temple was desecrated. Also equal to:

1,260 days or 42 months

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 THE FIFTH AND SIXTH TRUMPETS

 59.28 THE FIFTH TRUMPET - A STAR FALLS WITH KEYS TO THE ABYSS; THE FIRST WOE STARTS

Revelation 9:1 - The fifth angel blew his trumpet. I saw a star (... the Angel of the Abyss, possibly Satan), that had fallen down from Heaven to earth, and he was given the key (of Death and Hades) to the fathomless pit (... the Abyss).

59.29 THE ABYSS IS OPENED, SMOKE ASCENDS, LOCUSTS APPEAR WITH THE POWER TO TORTURE THOSE WITHOUT GOD'S PROTECTION

Revelation 9:2-6 - Then he (the Angel of the Abyss) opened the pit and smoke like the smoke of a vast furnace rose out of it, so that the light of the sun and the air itself grew dark from the smoke of the pit.

Then out of the smoke emerged locusts (evil spirits or demons) to descend upon the earth. They were given powers like those of earthly scorpions. They had orders to do no harm to any grass, green thing or tree upon the earth, but to injure only those human beings who did not bear the seal of God('s protection) upon their foreheads. They were given no power to kill men, but only to torture them for five months. The torture they could inflict was like the pain of a scorpion's sting.

In those days men will seek death but they will never find it; they will long to die but death will elude them.

59.30 THE APPEARANCE OF THE LOCUSTS; THEIR KING, THE ANGEL NAMED "DESTROYER"; THE FIRST WOE ENDS

Revelation 9:7-12 - These locusts (possibly now symbolising mounted Parthian archers as instruments of Satan's purpose) looked to me in my vision like horses prepared for battle, On their heads were what appeared to be crowns like gold; their faces were like human faces, and they had long hair like women. Their teeth were like lion's teeth, their breasts were like iron-breastplates, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of a host of chariots and horses charging into battle. They have tails and stings like scorpions, and it is in their tails that they possess the power to injure men for five months. They have as their king the angel of the pit (possibly Satan), whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek Apollyon, (meaning the destroyer).

The first disaster (or woe) is now past, but I see two more approaching.

59.31 THE SIXTH TRUMPET SOUNDS - FOUR ANGELS OF DEATH ARE RELEASED; THE SECOND WOE STARTS

Revelation 9:13-15 - Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a solitary voice speaking from the four corners of the golden altar that stands in the presence of God. And it said to the sixth angel who held the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates (... the eastern boundary between Rome and her enemy, the Parthian Empire)!"

Then these four angels who had been held ready for the hour, the day, the month and the year, were set free to kill a third-part of all mankind.

59.32 A VISION OF 200 MILLION MOUNTED TROOPS; THE HORSE'S "BREATH" KILLS A THIRD OF MANKIND

Revelation 9:16-19 - The number of their horsemen (the possible Parthian invaders?) was two hundred million - I heard what their number was. In my vision I saw these horses and their riders, and their breastplates were fiery-red, blue and yellow. The horses' heads looked to me like the heads of lions, and out of their mouths poured fire and smoke and sulphur. A third of all mankind died from the fearful effects of these three, the fire, the smoke and the sulphur which pours out of their mouths. For the power of these horses lies in their mouths and in their tails. Indeed their tails are like serpents with heads, and with these they inflict injury.

59.33 THE REST OF MANKIND CONTINUES TO SIN

Revelation 9:20-21 - The rest of mankind, who did not die in this fearful destruction, neither repented of the works of their own hands nor ceased to worship evil powers and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone or wood, which can neither see nor hear nor move. Neither did they repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual sins, nor of their thieving.

 INTERLUDE - VISIONS OF THE POWERFUL ANGEL WITH THE LITTLE BOOK; THE TWO WITNESSES

  59.34 ANOTHER ANGEL APPEARS, HOLDING A LITTLE BOOK; THE VOICES OF SEVEN THUNDERS SPEAK BUT ARE NOT REVEALED

Revelation 10:1-4 - Then I saw another mighty angel (like the "mighty angel" who called for someone to open the seven-sealed book, Revelation 5:2) descending from Heaven. He was clothed in a cloud, and there was a rainbow around his head. His face blazed like the sun, his legs like pillars of fire, and he had a little book lying open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea (Rome?), and his left foot on the land (the province of Asia where John is writing?), and then shouted with a loud voice like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted the seven thunders (perhaps another set of visions that John is told not to reveal) lifted their voices. When the seven thunders had rolled I was on the point of writing but I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders said, but do not write it down!"

 59.35 HIS WARNING; WHEN THE SEVENTH TRUMPET SOUNDS, GOD'S PURPOSE WILL BE COMPLETED

Revelation 10:5-7 - Then the angel whom I had seen bestriding the sea and the land raised his right hand to Heaven and swore by the living one of the timeless ages, who created Heaven, earth and sea and all that is in them: "There shall be no more delay! In the days which shall soon be announced by the trumpet-blast of the seventh angel the mysterious purpose of God shall be completed, as he assured his servants the prophets."

59.36 JOHN TAKES AND EATS THE ANGEL'S LITTLE BOOK; HIS DUTY TO PROPHESY

Revelation 10:8-11 - Then the voice which I had heard from Heaven was again in my ears, saying, "Go, and take the little book which lies open in the hand of the (mighty) angel whose feet are planted on both sea and land."

So I went off towards the angel, asking him to give me the little book.

"Take it," he said to me, "and eat it up (... absorb the "little book's" contents and message). It will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth (... the sweetness of God's words, but the bitterness of his judgments)."

Then I took the little book from the angel's hand and swallowed it. It was as sweet as honey to the taste but when I had eaten it up it was bitter to my stomach.

John is instructed to prophesy

Then they said to me, "It is again your duty (John's) to prophesy about many peoples, nations, languages and kings."

59.37 THE INNER TEMPLE OF GOD IS TO BE MEASURED; THE OUTER COURT IS FOR THE GENTILES

Revelation 11:1-2 - And I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, "Get up and measure the Temple of God, and the altar (... suggesting the Temple is to be preserved and protected), and count those who worship there. But leave out of your measurement the (Gentiles) courtyard outside the Temple - do not measure that at all. For it has been given over to the (pagan) nations, and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months (or desecrate it for "time, times and half a time")."

59.38 THE POWER OF THE TWO WITNESSES UNTIL THEIR TESTIMONY IS FINISHED

Revelation 11:3-6 - "And I will give authority to my two witnesses (... the minimum legal requirement in Jewish law. There are various theories about their identity, but they bear some resemblance to Elijah and Moses who appeared with Jesus at his Transfiguration ...) to proclaim the message, clothed in sackcloth for twelve hundred and sixty days ("time, times and half a time")."

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands (related to the message of Zechariah 4) which stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire issues from their mouths and consumes their enemies. Indeed, if anyone should try to hurt them, this is the way in which he will certainly meet his death. These (two) witnesses have power to shut up the sky and stop any rain from falling (as Elijah did, 1 Kings 17:1) during the time of their preaching. Moreover, they have power to turn the waters into blood, and to strike the earth with any plague as often as they wish (as Moses did with the plagues of Egypt, Exodus chapters 7-12).

 59.39 THEY ARE KILLED BY THE BEAST OF THE ABYSS; MANKIND GLOATS OVER THEIR UNBURIED CORPSES

Revelation 11:7-10 - Then, when their work of witness is complete, the animal will come up out of the pit (... the first appearance of the Satanic Beast of the Abyss) and go to war with them. It will conquer and kill them, and their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is called by those with spiritual understanding, "Sodom" and "Egypt" - the very place where their Lord himself was crucified (... the great city is Jerusalem in this instance, but more likely Rome - "Babylon" in the rest of Revelation). For three and a half days (in return for three and a half years of preaching by the witnesses) men from all people and tribes and languages and nations will gaze upon their bodies and will not allow them to be buried. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will hold celebrations and send one another presents, because these two prophets had brought such misery to the inhabitants of the earth.

59.40 GOD BREATHES LIFE INTO THEM; THEY GO UP TO HEAVEN

Revelation 11:11-12 - But after three and a half days the Spirit of life from God entered them and they stood upright on their feet. This struck terror into the hearts of those who were watching them, and they heard a tremendous voice speaking to these two from Heaven, saying "Come up here!" And they went up to Heaven in a cloud in full view of their enemies.

59.41 AN EARTHQUAKE KILLS 7,000; THE SECOND WOE ENDS

Revelation 11:13-14 - And at that moment there was a great earthquake, a tenth-part of the city fell in ruins and seven thousand people were known to have been killed in the earthquake. The rest were terrified and acknowledged the glory of the God of Heaven.

The second disaster (or woe) is now past, and I see the third disaster following hard upon the heels of the second.

  THE SEVENTH TRUMPET

  59.42 THE SEVENTH TRUMPET SOUNDS - THE END TIMES HAVE COME; THE THIRD WOE STARTS

Revelation 11:15 - The seventh angel blew his trumpet. There arose loud voices in Heaven and they were saying, "The kingship of the world now belongs to our Lord and to his Christ, and he shall be king for timeless ages (... the end-times and the kingdom of Christ have come)!"

59.43 THE TWENTY FOUR ELDERS WORSHIP GOD, AND GIVE THANKS FOR HIS JUDGMENT

Revelation 11:16-18 - Then the twenty-four elders, who sit upon their thrones in the presence of God, prostrated themselves and, with bowed heads, worshipped God, saying: "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!"

59.44 GOD'S TEMPLE IS OPENED AND THE ARK REVEALED; THE ELEMENTS RAGE

Revelation 11:19 - Then the Temple of God in Heaven was thrown open and the ark of his agreement (or covenant) within his Temple could be clearly seen (... the sacred and previously hidden ark of the covenant is revealed to all mankind with the coming of the Messiah). Accompanying this sight were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a violent storm of hail.

to Main Contents List

VII - A SERIES OF SIGNS:
THE WOMAN; THE DRAGON AND WAR IN HEAVEN; THE TWO BEASTS AND WAR ON EARTH

THE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON
59.45 A pregnant woman appears 12:1-2
59.46 A dragon appears to devour her child 12:3-4
59.47 She bears a son 12:5-6
59.48 A heavenly war with the dragon 12:7-9
59.49 Overcome by the blood of the lamb 12:10-12
59.50 The dragon pursues the woman 12:13-14
59.51 He wars on God's saints 12:15-17
THE FIRST BEAST - FROM THE SEA
59.52 He is given the dragon's throne 13:1-3
59.53 The world worships the beast 13:4
59.54 The beast blasphemes God 13:5-10

THE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON

  59.45 A PREGNANT WOMAN APPEARS IN HEAVEN

Revelation 12:1-2 - Then a huge sign (or symbol) became visible in the sky - the figure of a woman (probably representing God's chosen people - both Jew and Christian, and the mother of the Messiah and the Church) clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars upon her head. She was pregnant, and cried out in her labour and in the pains of bringing forth her child (the Messiah who will defeat Satan).

59.46 A DRAGON APPEARS, READY TO DEVOUR HER NEWBORN

Revelation 12:3-4 - Then another sign (or symbol) became visible in the sky, and I saw that it was a huge red dragon (representing the primeval Serpent, the devil or Satan) with seven heads and ten horns (representing empires and rulers, the significance of which is outlined below), with a diadem upon each of his heads. His tail swept down a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them upon the earth (... perhaps the fallen angels who joined Satan). The dragon took his place in front of th