A series of articles about the Book of Revelation intended as a primer to encourage study of that Book.
“It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.” – Rev. 13:7
In the Book of Revelation, John describes a future ruler who is Satan’s final attempt to defeat God and His people. He is known as the Antichrist in most Christian circles. However, John never calls him by that name. John calls him “the beast”. According to John, he is Continue reading
Isaiah the Prophet
Toward the end of the Book of Isaiah, he writes a word, cloaked in mystery yet laden with promise –
“So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.” – Isa. 59:19
In the verses before this, we see why “they shall fear the Lord” as He puts on garments of “vengeance for clothing” and fully repays His adversaries for their deeds. They fear Him from the west and His glory is seen from the east, in other words, all the earth shall witness His coming with vengeance. Yet this fearful display will be seen as salvation and righteousness at the same time. What can these verses mean? Continue reading
Now that we have seen the end as God sees it, where are we right now? Revelation 12 and 13 seem to be dropped right into the middle of Revelation, as if they deserve special attention. Revelation 12 describes events that follow the war in heaven between Satan and God’s angels. A war in which Satan loses and is cast down to earth.
“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” – Rev. 12:7-9
This war happens immediately after another sign appears in heaven –
“Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
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.
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. 12:1-6
This sign is part history and part prophesy. It describes Israel’s history ever since God called Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who became Israel. Satan has been at war with them from the beginning, ever since Cain slew Abel. As Israel gave birth to Jesus the devil was right there trying to devour him, using Herod and the Pharisees and Sadducees and Rome. But God caught Him up to His throne in heaven. It seems like history doesn’t it? But, this sign that John saw has been seen again, in our time.
The Sign of Virgo seen in 2017
In 2016 the sign of Virgo (the Virgin) appeared in heaven and Jupiter (the King planet) moved into her womb and began its retrograde motion, which lasted for 42 weeks less a day. This is the normal human gestation period. Virgo gave birth to Jupiter on September 23, 2017, when Jupiter continued its circuit to arrive between the horns of Taurus the Bull on August 13, 2024, where it will meet Mars. Virgo was clothed with the moon under her feet and the Sun under her heard and 12 stars as a crown over her head, the planets Mercury, Mars, and Venus and the 9 stars of the constellation Leo. Just as John’s vision in Revelation 12 states.
As Jupiter, which is known as the King Planet, leaves Virgo it travels to the constellation Taurus. There it meets the planet Mars between the horns of Taurus, the Bull. In Hebrew Taurus is known as Shur (he who comes to judge) and Mars is known as Ma’adim (the Son of Man). Taurus contains the star cluster known as the Pleiades (or Congregation) so the meaning of this constellation fulfillment is “The Son of Man comes with His Congregation to judge the earth”. When will this happen? August 13, 2024, which happens to be the 9th of Av, a day of trouble for the Jews, the very day both their former Temples were destroyed. Or in other words -4 years from now!
Now the interesting thing about this sign is that the time from Jupiter leaving Virgo, Sept. 23, 2017, to the time it goes into conjunction with Mars between the horns of Taurus, August 13, 2024, is exactly 7 years. A time period the prophet Daniel predicts the Antichrist will confirm a treaty with Israel, which he will break in 3½ years.
“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” – Dan. 9:27
John’s prophesy in Revelation 12 has two witnesses in the heavenly constellations, Virgo and Taurus. And other parts of his vision are about to happen. John saw a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads, which speaks of the Antichrist system described by Daniel and John.
“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.” – Rev. 13:1
The phrase “out of the sea” identifies it as a Gentile empire. And it is this empire out of which the Antichrist comes. I believe the current EU will be the parent of this empire. This weird combination of nations were once Christian in nature but they have long since left that lifestyle. And they have consistently stood against Israel in the UN and in trade. They are the hotbed out of which the Antichrist will come. At first he will will act as a peacemaker, even confirming a covenant with Israel but, he will soon show his true colors and break this covenant. The braking point will probably be the time Satan and his angel are thrown out of heaven.
At some point in the near future, this Antichrist will stand before Israel to destroy her but she will flee into the wilderness, to a place prepared for her by God. There she will be safe for 3½ years, but that will have to be for another article.
Before that time several other wars against Israel will take place. They are described in Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38. We are interring a troubling time of man’s history and only those who take refuge in the Tower of the Lord will come through it.
“Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” – Rev. 12:12
The Seventh Angel
In the Book of Revelation, John sees the seven angels who are about to sound their trumpets beginning the end of man’s reign on earth.
“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. 11:15
This is one of the main themes of the Book of Revelation and the thing Satan hates most, the end of his rule on earth – the end of his Antichrist and False Prophet’s rule and the end of all false philosophies. It also means the end of the spirit of Antichrist’s influence on the earth. Continue reading
As John is pondering what he has seen of the Bowl angels, one of them came and talked with him – “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
“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. 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 THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
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. 17:3-6
The angel describes the beast to John first.
“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. “These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
This beast will have eight revelations to the word in different kingdoms which have ruled. They are shown here as heads – “Five have fallen” represents the kingdoms of Egypt, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Many think they exist no more but Scripture tells us they are yet here. Revelation reveals that they will be active at the end of age as John sees them ascending out of the sea–
John’s Beast of Rev. 13
“Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.” – Rev. 13:2
These kingdoms were all driven by an evil spirit that will once again ascend out of the bottomless pit,
Something that represents their kingdoms remains and will be incorporated into the final beast kingdom that will grow out of Rome. For example: Greece was known for its philosophy and culture of humanism which is virtually the foundation of all education systems. Rome was known for its governmental system and laws, elements of which exist in most governments today. In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the iron legs represented Rome which divided into western and eastern (2 legs) branches and finally into 10 kingdoms of iron mixed with clay. I believe this predicted the rise of socialism (the clay) which was different than the republicanism of the original Roman ruling class.
The last kingdom, Rome, is still with us. It has morphed into many forms from Constantine and the Roman Church to the Merovingian kingdoms of Europe to the modern day European Union ( see the post From Ancient Rome until WWI). While there are different opinions about this, I believe what we see today as the EU will soon morph into the ten horned beast that God showed to Daniel and John saw rising out of the sea. The personal Antichrist will come up among them uniting three of them, or displacing them, in the process. My interest was greatly stirred when three of the EU nations joined recently to form Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg). The Treaty revising the Treaty establishing the Benelux Economic Union, was signed on 17 June 2008. This group exercises authority over the EU in matters of economic and security concerns and is located in Brussels. I believe the Antichrist will be connected with this group in some way. It is interesting to me that while the American news media, which prides itself in being the watchman on the world and American interests, is largely silent about these things.
The Pope seated on the Throne between two Cherubim
The angel then proceeds to describe the woman that sits on the Beast. He says – “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.” The angel first gives the woman’s location. Now I suppose there are many locations that involve seven mountains but, the most famous one is the City of Rome. The woman is a harlot, meaning she is a false wife. She is pretending to be something she is not and she is adorned in scarlet, purple and precious gems. She represents false religion. Many have thought the Pope represents this harlot but, I believe the harlot is representing all false religion down through the ages. However, the current Pope may indeed be
Pope Francis and the Vatican are pushing for a ‘global pact’ that will ‘create a new humanism’
represented here according to his recent actions. As this Pope pushes for a One-World government as well as One-World religion, even high ranking Catholics are opposing him.
There are also many Protestant Christians who fall into this category of Harlot as well as many Catholics who are true believers. But, as we are nearing the end a voice from heaven will be calling, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”
Though this Harlot reigns over many people of the world, that will not protect her in the end. Revelation declares that the very Beast the harlot is riding will turn on her and devour her in the end.
“Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” – Rev. 17:15-18
Revelation chapter eighteen describes her utter destruction in one day by the Lord.
“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, 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 luxury.” – Rev. 18:1-3
False religion has been he tool of Satan ever since the beginning. It began with Cain shedding the blood of Abel, trying to offer to God that which was cursed in the fall, continuing to the Pharisees and Sadducees killing Jesus. And it continues right down to today as true Christians are martyred by Muslims. But, chapters 17 and 18 of Revelation record God’s final judgment on all such false religion.
“And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.” – Rev. 18:24
“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.” – Rev. 16:1
After John gives us a glimpse of the end in chapters 14 and 15, he continues with the details of that end. I believe these seven bowls of God’s wrath are the results of the sounding of the seven angels with trumpets. The Trumpets stand for the announcement of God’s intentions and the Bowls are the results. Continue reading
After John describes the Beast that rises out of the sea in Revelation 12, which is similar to Daniel’s dream given in Daniel chapter 7, and this Beast’s war against Israel and her flight into the wilderness in chapter 13, we are transported to the end of the age and events to happen then in chapter 14.
John sees again the 144,000 he describes in Revelation 7 and he gives us more information about them. Do the numbers 12 and 144,000 have any significance? Continue reading
Between Revelation chapters 6 and 8 there is an intermission, a pause before the judgments of the 7th seal begin. The four angels who are about to harm the earth and the sea are restrained –
“After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” – Rev. 71-3
Before God unleashes these judgments on he earth He seals His servants on earth. There are 144,000 of them from the 12 tribes of Israel. A strange fact is however that Manasseh and Joseph are listed but the tribe of Dan is missing. Joseph had two sons who became tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim so why are the tribes of Dan and Ephraim missing? Continue reading
Daniel predicted the final satanic kingdom on earth would resemble 10 toes of iron mingled with clay – are they forming now? I believe they are. We know them as the EU, but very few understand the history of the EU. Remember, since Rome, most of the would-be empires that wanted to rule the world came out of Europe: Rome, Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire, Napoleon, and Hitler. While they are not the only ones seeking such power, they were certainly among the most successful. I believe they are the predecessors of the final kingdom Daniel described. Also remember Satan knows few things influence man more than money and religion, and his final kingdom will be a mixture of them both. The EU is built on both. It is why John describes this final kingdom as the False Harlot (the false church) riding the Beast in Revelation 17:2-6. Daniel further writes – Continue reading
In the Book of Revelation, before seventh seal is broken, God commands His servants to be sealed for their protection.
“Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed” – Rev. 7:1-4
“This is what the Lord says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls
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What do Biblical prophecies reveal that is happening today.
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