Notes: Revelation 6:12 To Revelation 8:6

*Revelation 6:12-17 / *Rev. 6:12 -

(*6th seal / *Volcano?)

The sixth seal (Revelation 6:12-14) could be fulfilled in our future by a huge volcanic eruption (possibly of the Yellowstone Caldera), which will occur during only the first stage of the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24. This eruption could begin with a large earthquake (Revelation 6:12), signaling the sudden rising of magma within the volcano. When it erupts, it could shoot so much ash and smoke into the sky that the sun will appear darkened and the moon blood-red (Revelation 6:12b), like happens during large forest fires. The volcano could also shoot blobs of red-hot magma into the sky, which as they fall back down could appear like falling stars (Revelation 6:13). And it could shoot so much super-heated ash and smoke so high and so quickly into the sky that they could form a gigantic mushroom cloud, which will make the sky (the first heaven) look like a scroll being rolled up (Revelation 6:14). Earthquakes connected with the eruption could be so large that they set off a chain reaction of other earthquakes in nearby faults and volcanoes, which could set off even more earthquakes farther away, and so on, so that earthquakes will end up affecting every mountain and island, moving each of their positions at least a little bit (Revelation 6:14b).

Regarding the sky being the first heaven, see 2 Corinthians 12:2(space) above.

~

(*Face)

The "face of him that sitteth on the throne" part of Revelation 6:16 is not the world actually seeing the face of God sitting on His throne in the third heaven (Revelation 4:2), or the world seeing Jesus Christ on His white horse at His future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:11), but rather the world expressing its fear of dying during or immediately after the sixth seal cataclysm. For seeing the face of God means death (Exodus 33:20).

(See the "Chronological" section of Revelation chapters 6 to 22 (Overview) above. Also, see the "Volcano?" section above here)

~

(Wrath)

See paragraphs 4-11 of 1 Thessalonians 5:9 above.

~

(Re: Joel's day of the Lord?)

See paragraph 4 of 1 Thessalonians 5:9 above.

~

(Re: Same as Matthew 24:29?)

Revelation 6:12-13 and Matthew 24:29-31 are two different sets of events. For Revelation 6:12-13 will occur during only the first stage of the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24, whereas Matthew 24:29-31 (like Revelation 19:7-21, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, and 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17) will occur immediately after the Tribulation (Matthew 24:29). Also, when Revelation 6:12-13 occurs, the moon's light will appear blood-red, whereas when Matthew 24:29 occurs, the moon's light will not be seen at all. There will also be one point between the time of Revelation 6:12-13 and the time of Matthew 24:29 when the moon's light will temporarily not be seen at all, during one-third of the night (Revelation 8:12).

Also, the sun temporarily appearing darkened in Revelation 6:12-13 will be only the first time during the Tribulation that something like that will happen. For it will happen again during the fourth trumpet (part of the Tribulation's second stage), for one-third of the day (Revelation 8:12), and then again during the fifth trumpet (Revelation 9:2), and then again during the fifth vial (Revelation 16:10), part of the Tribulation's fourth and final stage, the third stage being the literal 3.5-years of the future Antichrist's worldwide reign (which time period is shown from four different angles in Revelation chapters 11 to 14). Also, what will appear like "stars" falling from the sky in Revelation 6:12-13 will be only the first time during the Tribulation that something like that will happen. For subsequently, during the third trumpet, what will appear like a star will fall from the sky (Revelation 8:10-11), and then again during the fifth trumpet (Revelation 9:1). And then again, mid-tribulation, what will appear like stars will descend from the sky (Revelation 12:4).

(See also the "Chronological" section of Revelation chapters 6 to 22 (Overview) above)

~

(Re: Is there any symbolism in the *blood moon?)

In Revelation 12:1, the woman, who represents the Church, has the moon under her feet, which represents Satan being spiritually under the feet of the Church (Romans 16:20) as she overcomes him spiritually by her faith in Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:11). So the moon appearing blood-red at one point during the future Tribulation (Revelation 6:12) could represent Satan's murderous blood-rage (Revelation 12:17, John 8:44). Not long after the moon appears blood-red at the time of Revelation 6:12, four fallen angels of Satan will kill one-third of mankind with an army of 200 million strange horse-like beings (Revelation 9:14-19). After that, the future Antichrist's literal 3.5-year worldwide reign will occur (Revelation 13:5-18), when he will behead Biblical Christians (not in hiding) in every nation (Revelation 13:7-10, Revelation 14:12-13, Revelation 20:4-6, Matthew 24:9-13). So the future Tribulation is going to be a very bloody time, and almost all of it could be the work of Satan, and those whom he will inspire and empower (2 Thessalonians 2:9, Revelation 13:4).

--

*Revelation 6:15-17 / *Rev. 6:15 -

(Re: Means that even all Christians will know that the sixth seal is God's wrath?)

No, for in Revelation 6:15 the original Greek word (pas: G3956) translated as "every" does not have to mean absolutely everyone, but can mean "all manner of" (cf. Acts 10:12). That is, all manner of people, whether non-Christians or Christians, could mistakenly think that the future, sixth seal is the wrath of YHWH God, just as, at some subsequent point, "all" (manner of) people will receive the future Antichrist's mark (Revelation 13:16). Neither verse requires a reference to absolutely all people.

(See also paragraphs 4-11 of 1 Thessalonians 5:9 above. And see the "All receive" section of Revelation 13:16 below)

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*Revelation 7:3-4 / *Rev. 7:3 -

The original Greek word (sphragizo: G4972) translated as "sealed" can mean to put a mark on something.

Revelation 7:3-4 could refer to a future, physical mark from God which will be placed on the foreheads of the 144,000. For the mark from God will be visible to the future, physical locust-like beings (Revelation 9:4-10).

--

*Revelation 7:4-8 / *Rev. 7:4 -

(*144,000)

The 144,000 will be Christians (Revelation 14:1,4), and so they will be part of the Church (cf. Ephesians 4:4-6). They will be the firstfruits of the Church (Revelation 14:4), in the sense of its best part (cf. Numbers 18:12). They will be male virgins (Revelation 14:4), who could have been born in the 20th or 21st century, and who could already be part of the Church. For they will all be alive on the earth, and will all already be God's servants (Revelation 7:3; cf. Romans 6:22, Philippians 1:1), by the time of Revelation 7:3-8, during the first stage of the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24. They will have entered the Tribulation along with the rest of the Church alive at that time, for there will be no pre-tribulation rapture (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 19:7 to 20:6).

Also, the 144,000, who are of the twelve tribes of Israel (Revelation 7:4-8), can include both Jews and Gentiles in the Church. For...

(See the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 above)

The tribe of Dan is missing from the list of the 144,000's twelve tribes (Revelation 7:4-8; there, "Joseph" stands for Ephraim: Numbers 1:32, Psalms 78:67, Ezekiel 37:16b,19), because the Israel that they are from is not genetic Israel, with its twelve genetic tribes which include Dan (Genesis 49:28,17), but rather spiritual Israel (Romans 9:6-8), which consists of all elect people (Romans 9:11-13), whether Jews or Gentiles (Romans 9:24).

(See also Romans 9:3-8 above)

~

(Re: *Protection)

(See Luke 10:19 above)

While at the future time of Revelation 7:2-4, only the 144,000 male-virgins part of the Church (Revelation 14:1,4) will be sealed for physical protection, all obedient people in the Church will still be spiritually protected during the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24, no matter what happens to them physically (Romans 8:35-37). Also, before Revelation 7:2-4 happens, the 144,000, along with some others, will be physically protected so that they will survive the Tribulation's first stage in Revelation 6, while others will die, and their souls will enter heaven (Revelation 7:9,14). It is near the end of this first stage that the 144,000 will be sealed (Revelation 7:3-4) for physical protection before the unsealing of the seventh seal (Revelation 8:1), out of which will come the Tribulation's seven trumpets (Revelation 8:1-2). The first six trumpets' events, up to Revelation 9:19, will be the Tribulation's second stage. The seal which the 144,000 will receive (which will be different from and in addition to the seal of God's Holy Spirit which they and all others in the Church of all times receive: Ephesians 1:13) will physically protect them during this second stage (Revelation 9:4).

After this second stage, the 144,000 male-virgins part of the Church will be caught up in their mortal bodies as the "man child" to God's throne in heaven (Revelation 12:5, Revelation 14:4-5, Textus Receptus), like how Enoch and Elijah were caught up in their mortal bodies to heaven (Hebrews 11:5; 2 Kings 2:11). Right after the 144,000 are caught up, the Tribulation's third stage, the literal 3.5-year worldwide reign of the future Antichrist (the individual-man aspect of Revelation's "beast") will begin (Revelation 12:5-6). This time period is shown from four different angles in Revelation chapters 11 to 14 (Revelation 11:2b-3, Revelation 12:6,14, Revelation 13:5-18, Revelation 14:9-13).

The 144,000 will remain in heaven before God's throne (Revelation 14:5, Textus Receptus) during the time of the future Antichrist's reign (Revelation 14:9-13, Revelation 13:5-18), while two other parts of the Church will still be on the earth: the figurative "woman" who represents those in the Church who will flee into prepared wilderness places and be physically protected by God (Revelation 12:6,14-16); and the remnant of her seed (Revelation 12:17), those in the Church who will remain in the cities and not be physically protected, but will be persecuted in every nation, imprisoned, and beheaded by the Antichrist (Revelation 13:7-10, Revelation 14:12-13, Revelation 20:4-6, Matthew 24:9-13).

After the future Antichrist's reign is declared legally over at the sounding of the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15), the seven plagues of the seven vials of God's wrath will come out of the seventh trumpet's heavenly-temple opening (Revelation 11:19, Revelation 15:5 to 16:1). These seven vials (Revelation 16) will be the Tribulation's fourth and final stage. Because the Church is not appointed to God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9), none of these vials will be directed at those in the Church who will still be alive on the earth at that time, still waiting for Jesus Christ's Second Coming as a thief (Revelation 16:15). Instead, they will go into protective chambers which they will have built for themselves on the earth (Isaiah 26:20), just as Noah and his family went into the protective ark which they had built for themselves on the earth (Genesis 7:7). So some in the Church will survive the entire future Tribulation on the earth. They are those who will still be "alive and remain" at Jesus' Second Coming to be raptured (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17), immediately after the Tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8). These survivors will have experienced God's miraculous physical protection (Psalms 91, Psalms 121) without having to have been part of the 144,000.

(See also Isaiah 26:19 above)

~

(Re: In Revelation 7, are the 144,000 the same as the great multitude?)

No, Revelation 7:3-8 and Revelation 7:9-17 are two different groups of people: one on earth, and one in heaven; one that is numbered, and one that is unnumbered.

~

(Re: Literal number/virgins)

The number 144,000 in Revelation 7:4 and Revelation 14:1,3 will be a literal number of people which will consist of literally twelve groups with literally 12,000 people in each group (Revelation 7:5-8). Similarly, the 144,000 will be literal male virgins, never having had intercourse with women (Revelation 14:4), just as, for example, 1 Corinthians 7:25 refers to literal virgins.

~

(Re: Does a "best part of the church" create a schism in the body?)

No, for while the 144,000 male-virgins part of the Church is the firstfruits of the Church (Revelation 14:4), in the sense of its best part (cf. Numbers 18:12), this does not create a schism in the Church. For, as Christians, the 144,000 are still an integral part of the one and only body of the Church, made up of all Christians (Ephesians 4:4-6). But in this one body, all Christians "have not the same office" (Romans 12:4). Some Christians have better offices/gifts than others (1 Corinthians 12:28-31).

~

(Re: But are you saying that the "man child" is the corporate body of only a certain denomination, like the *MSOG?)

No, and what was presented above is not based on MSOG teachings (which have never even been looked at), but on the Bible.

Also, no claim has been made regarding being one of the 144,000 (the "man child").

Also, it has not been said that the 144,000 are of any one denomination, but rather that they are one part of the Church as a whole. That is, members of the 144,000 can be spread across all denominations.

The 144,000 will be literal male virgins, never having had intercourse with women (Revelation 14:4), just as, for example, 1 Corinthians 7:25 refers to literal virgins. And literal male virgins can be found in all denominations.

Also, the number 144,000 in Revelation 7:4 and Revelation 14:1,3 will be a literal number of people which will consist of literally twelve groups with literally 12,000 people in each group (Revelation 7:5-8). And even each group can be spread across all denominations.

~

(Re: Will there be a faux 144,000?)

See the "faux 144,000" paragraph of Revelation 13:16 below.

~

(Re: How can the 144,000 be future if they are *firstfruits? Do not firstfruits have to be from the beginning?)

No, for the 144,000 will be the firstfruits of the Church (Revelation 14:4) in the sense of its best part (cf. Numbers 18:12), not in the sense of its first part chronologically, just as...

(See Colossians 1:15 above)

~

(Re: How can the 144,000 be literal virgins, when Jews bewail virginity in adults, because it means that they are childless?)

Adult virginity is not to be bewailed under the New Covenant. For both Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul, both Jews, praised celibacy as the best thing for a Christian man (Matthew 19:10-12, 1 Corinthians 7:1,7-8,32-33,35). And even under the abolished letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, male virginity was not bewailed. Also, Exodus 23:26, Deuteronomy 7:14, 1 Samuel 2:5, and Psalms 113:9 did not bewail male virginity, but simply referred to married women being blessed with children. Also, the fact that the daughter of Jephthah bewailed her virginity (Judges 11:38) would have no bearing on male virginity, and it would not apply to New Covenant/New Testament Israel, in which even adult female virginity is praised as the best thing for a Christian woman (1 Corinthians 7:34-35). Also, female Christians should not get mad that Revelation 14:4 means that the 144,000 will consist only of male virgins, just as female Christians should not get mad about Luke 6:13-16, 1 Timothy 2:11-14, 1 Corinthians 14:34-37, 1 Corinthians 11:3-16, or Ephesians 5:22.

--

*Revelation 7:9-17 / *Rev. 7:9 -

(*Multitude)

This does not require a pre-tribulation rapture of the Church into heaven. For in Revelation 7:9-17 the great multitude could be only that part of the Church (Revelation 7:14b) which will enter the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24, and then come out of it (Revelation 7:14) and enter heaven (Revelation 7:15) by dying (cf. Philippians 1:21,23; 2 Corinthians 5:8) during the second-through-sixth seals in the chapter just prior (Revelation 6), the Tribulation's first stage.

This would be similar to how the souls of "them that were slain for the word of God", who will be under the altar in heaven at the fifth seal (Revelation 6:9-11), will enter heaven by dying sometime before the fifth seal. And it would be similar to how those in the Church who will be on the sea of glass in heaven (Revelation 15:2, cf. Revelation 12:11) at the Tribulation's seven last plagues (Revelation chapters 15-16), the Tribulation's final stage, will enter heaven by dying during the just-preceding, literal 3.5-year worldwide reign of the future Antichrist (the individual-man aspect of Revelation's "beast") (Revelation 13:5-10, Revelation 14:12-13, Revelation 20:4-6, Matthew 24:9-13), which time period is shown from four different angles in Revelation chapters 11 to 14.

(See also the "heaven" section of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 above)

~

(Re: Is Revelation 7 pre-tribulation?)

No, because of what Revelation 7:14 says.

(See Revelation 6:4 above, and the "Chronological" section of Revelation chapters 6 to 22 (Overview) above)

~

(Robes)

The souls of dead people can wear robes (1 Samuel 28:14, Revelation 6:9-11).

~

(Re: No mention of *souls)

The word "souls" does not have to be used in every reference to dead people (Luke 16:22-25), just as every time that the word "souls" is used, it does not have to refer to dead people (Acts 27:37).

~

(Re: Suddenly appear in heaven?)

Nothing requires that the great multitude in Revelation 7 had not been entering heaven by dying during Revelation 6. They could have been in a different place in heaven, such as in the literal city of New Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22-23), in which there is no temple building (Revelation 21:22), before they were brought at the time of Revelation 7:9-15 into the temple building in heaven (Revelation 7:15).

(See also paragraph 3 of 2 Corinthians 12:2(space) above)

~

(No man could number)

The great multitude in Revelation 7:9-15 could be only a few hundred thousand people. For no man can number even the people in a football stadium (for example, with 50,000 fans) without losing track at some point.

--

*Revelation 7:11 / *Rev. 7:11 -

This verse mentioning "all the angels" separately from the 24 elders does not require that the 24 elders are not also angels, just as, for example, Hebrews 13:24 mentioning "all the saints" separately from "them that have the rule over you" does not mean that "them that have the rule over you" are not also saints, because they are (Hebrews 13:7,17). Just as "all the saints" in Hebrews 13:24 means all of the other saints, so "all the angels" in Revelation 7:11 can mean all of the other angels.

(See also Revelation 4:4 above)

--

*Revelation 8:1 / *Rev. 8:1 -

(Silence)

The seventh-seal silence in heaven, for about half an hour, will happen before the seven trumpets of the future Tribulation are handed out to seven angels and begin to sound (Revelation 8:1-7).

~

(Half an hour)

Revelation 8:1 shows that time does elapse in heaven. It is not an "atemporal" place, as is sometimes claimed.

So God may be the only person who is beyond the temporal dimension, who can declare the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). So even an angel in heaven may not be able to see the future, unless God reveals it to him in a vision.

--

*Revelation 8:2 / *Rev. 8:2 -

Here the use of "the" before "angels" does not require that the apostle John had mentioned these seven angels previously in Revelation's chronology. For at the time of Revelation 8:2, John says: "I saw the seven angels which stood before God" (Revelation 8:2). That is, he can be introducing this particular group of angels to us for the first time, just as, for example, someone could introduce a particular library to us for the first time by saying: "I went to the library which is downtown".

--

*Revelation 8:4 / *Rev. 8:4 -

This and Revelation 15:8 show two separate times, and two different kinds of smoke. For the smoke in Revelation 8:4 will be a future offering of incense by an angel before any of the seven trumpets of the future Tribulation have sounded (Revelation 8:6-7), whereas the smoke in Revelation 15:8 is "from the glory of God, and from his power" and will not occur until right before the seven plagues of the seven vials of God's wrath (Revelation 16:1) occur sometime after the seventh trumpet's heavenly-temple opening (Revelation 11:19, Revelation 15:5 to 16:1).

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