Quote Rick: I am just so confused. I've read Revelation. Now I'm studying it. It's taken me a couple of months of daily study to get to chapter 6 and it's here that we encounter the Antichrist. I was surprised that the guy on the white horse that showed up when the first seal is broken is NOT Christ. The first time I read Revelation I just assumed that it was. Now that I'm reading again I can see that it's clear that he is the Antichrist.
Greetings Rick,
I promise myself to take some time and study Revelations as well, hasn't happened yet.
When studying Revelations~yes Confused is a good word~was it written for that day~that time~or prediction of the future~
I would like to encourage you to get a Strong's Exhaustive Concordance~it really will help with the meaning and the language, and expressions.
Strongs is one of, if not ,the best~and I wish you the best~enjoy it, glad you're taking the time. This is one, that will take just that~time```
seth
The First three chapters was Written for the Church of Asia Minor, some people seem to think they are "Types" of Churches. In Chapter four there is an open door and Jesus tells John to come up here and I will show you the things that are hereafter (future events). The Twenty Four Elders are there meaning the Church has been called home by this time.
Revelation is a series of Revealings or Visions/testimonies of Angels that is given unto John. They are NOT IN ORDER per se except the Seals, Trumpets and Vials.
Chapters 4, 5, 7 and 19 shows the Church in Heaven.
Chapters 6, 8, 9, (11 has the Second Woe) 15 and 16 are the Seals, Trumpets, and Vials. Three of the Trumpets are Woes, the third Woe is all seven of the Vials in one just like the Seventh Seal is all seven of the Trumpets in one.
Chapters 10, 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18 are Visions of many events that overlap.
Chapters 20-22 is Judgment of the Beheaded, Christs 1000 year reign and New Jerusalem coming down.
In chapter 4 we see the hosts of heaven singing God Almighty's worthiness. In Chapter 5 we see the same hosts singing "Worthy is the Lamb" whom John has come to understand is Worthy to open the Seals which releases Judgment open the World (Babylon). What most people do not get is ALL THE JUDGMENTS come from the Seven Seals. The Seventh Seal is all of the Seven Trumpets and the Seventh Trumpet (called the Third Woe) is all of the Seven Vials. Instead of going by the Chapter numbers lets keep the cluster together. Rev. chapter 7 is the 144,000 being Sealed and the Church in Heaven which John sees, they have come out of the Great Tribulation or 2000 year period of the Church going through much tribulation. In Rev. 19 we see a full Seven Year Period of the Church in Heaven, marrying the Lamb, then coming back with Jesus on white horses for the battle of Armageddon, which is the Marriage Supper.
Now lets go to the Seals, Trumpets and Vials which are in order. The First Seal is the release of the Anti-Christ in Chapter Six. In 2 Thessalonian 2 we see that the Holy Spirit has been holding him from coming forth until its his time, that will happen only after the Church departs/is Raptured. The other three Horses are by-products of the Anti-Christ coming forth, Peace is taken away, Famine comes forth and Death and Hades (Grave) comes forth.
The Fifth Seal is a Testimony of the Anti-Christs murdering ways. He kills a fourth of all mankind, that would be like 2 billion people, with the Church being taken out of the way then it would be like maybe 1.5 Billion people. The Martyrs are those who came to Christ or died for him instead of taking the Mark of the Beast, after the Church was Raptured. The Sixth Seal is the moment that the world recognizes they are in the "Day of the Lord" or in Gods Wrath. All of the Seals/Trumpets/Vials are Gods Wrath, the Seals are the Lambs Wrath, but the people on earth only understand whats going on at the Sixth Seal, because its a "supernatural event", where the Sun is darkened, the Moon turns blood red etc. etc., whereas the other Five Seals were War/Death etc. etc. and that has always gone on with mankind, but the Sixth Seal makes them understand, they are in the Lambs Wrath or Day of the Lords Wrath.
Chapter 8 is the opening of the Seventh Seal, it is my opinion that each Judgment becomes worse in nature as per the severity, the Seals...the Trumpets...the Vials. Anyway, the Trumpets IMHO, are the Holy Spirits Wrath, because the PRAYERS of the Saints is mixed with FIRE, then cast back down to earth. Where a 1/3 of the trees and all the grasses are burnt up. A 1/3 of the Sea turns to blood, a 1/3 of the ships are destroyed a 1/3 of the drinking waters are poisoned and a 1/3 part of the Sun, moon and stars give not their light.
Then the three Woes come forth and in Rev. Chapter 9 we see two of them. The King of the bottomless pit Apollyon is released along with his Demon Horde who can hurt an maim mankind for five months but can not kill them. Then the 200 Million Horsemen, which have nothing to do with Armageddon or the Kings of the East which happen in Rev. 16. These, IMHO, are an Army of God (Angelic Beings) who bring forth Plagues of God against mankind, the very scriptures tell us its "Plagues of God". These 200 Million have the exact Breastplates of the High Priests of Israel to a tee, the Breastplates of the Demons were Iron like Rome.
In Revelation chapter 11 we see the Two-Witnesses who preach for 1260 Days but they die before the BEAST dies which tells us they show up before the Anti-Christ becomes a BEAST (For 42 Months). The beast that Ascends out of the bottomless pit (Appolyon, the Demon over the Seven Beasts) kills the Two-Witnesses and they ascend to Heaven three days later. The Seventh Trumpet (Third Woe) sounds and this is when Christ takes back full power on earth, the Seven Vials are the Third Woe, they are yet to come but will come in quick staccato fashion, boom, boom, boom.
Rev. chapter 15 is showing the Angels readying the Seven Vials of Gods Wrath.
Revelation chapter 16 are the Seven Vials of Gods Wrath being poured out. We have perfect Symmetry. The Seven Seals are the Lambs Wrath the Seven Trumpets are the Holy Spirits Wrath and the Seven Vials are the Fathers Wrath. All are Gods Wrath because all three are God. Seven Vials are poured out, bringing forth grievous sores upon all who took the Mark of the Beast. Every living creature in all the Seas die, all the Fountains of drinking waters become blood this time, (See the Progression? Worse and worse) The Sun scorches men, yet they repent not. Then there is total Darkness, a further progression.
The Sixth Angel pours out his Vial and the "Nations" are gathered to Armageddon, the Kings of the East (IMHO, Arab Nations, this has NOTHING TO DO with the 200 Million Army in Trumpet number Six) come forth to join the BEAST and his 10 European Kings amongst many other nations no doubt, the WHOLE WORLD is Babylon and God sees them as such, the Seventh Angels Vial proves this. Remember, progression is Key, the 6th Seal had a Great Earthquake as did the Third Woe or Seventh Trumpet, now the ultimate Earthquake happens at the Seventh Vial.
Rev. 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a
great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
19 And the
great city (Jerusalem, Jesus lands on Mt. Zion) was
divided (Earthquake) into three parts, and the
cities of the nations fell (Armageddon, the NATIONS FALL Babylon Falls): and
great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath (God sees these NATIONS as BABYLON !! Thus he gives then the FIERCENESS of His Wrath.)
Verse 17 says IT IS DONE, which means it is over, Mankind has been Defeated, and the Lord God is once again in control. So then why do we have a Revelation 17 and 18? Because those are VISIONS given to John which point out events that happened during these Seals/Trumpets/Vials, but God wanted to expand on their meaning, He wanted to give us extra details about certain events, thus Chapters 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18 are DETAILED VISIONS about Events that HAVE TO come to pass before Revelation 16 comes to pass.
Rev. 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying,
It is done.
So what gives with Rev. 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18? Lets put it this way, Rev. 12, starts at the Midway point which is Revelation chapter 6, and lasts for 1260 Days. Rev. 13 of course must start at the same point in time, because we know the BEAST arises out of the Sea when the Anti-Christ conquers Jerusalem, he becomes the BEAST for 42 Months. (1260 Days). Rev. 14, 16 and 18 are the EXACT SAME EVENT, but from different perspectives. Rev. 14 is Jesus showing up on Mt. Zion (Mt of Olives) and the Harvest is Shown. At the end of the chapter we see the Wicked placed in the WINE-PRESS of Gods Wrath. We also see in Rev. 14 that Babylon has Fallen, has Fallen.
In Rev. 16, we see that God pours out His Wrath on those at Armageddon, and he sees them as BABYLON (Verse 19) and thus gives them His WRATH !! Again, this shows BABYLON falling to God/Jesus. Rev. 18 is a little more complicated in that I think it covers the full period of all the Seals/Trumpets and Vials of Gods Wrath. It is BABYLON (The World) getting hit with all of the Plagues rained down on it from God. Thus Babylon FALLS AGAIN, but not really, all three are the exact same events, from different perspectives.
Notice in chapter 18 it says come out of her my people, this is God telling Israel to flee to the wilderness so they do not partake in her sins. Them becoming the habitation of Devils shows that Satan is kicked out of Heaven at the Midway point, and is come to earth with great anger, and it shows Apollyon and his horde of Demons is released from the Abyss. The "City Burning" is of course the whole World Burning (Babylon), we see that the trees and grasses are burned up at various points in the Seals/Trumpets/Vials Judgments. So BABYLON is a Metaphor for the World, the Kingdoms of the World being Destroyed by God. The "Merchants" who weep over her are of course all over the World, the Seas are turned to blood, all of the Sea Creatures die (No Shrimp no Fish), all of the ships are Destroyed, there is no sun or little sun thus there is no produce or little produce, the Merchants are crying because the WORLD that made them Rich is no more. The Plagues of God have destroyed the trade, of course. So basically chapter 18 is BABYLON (THE WORLD) being destroyed by all of Gods Plagues, the Seals/Trumpets and Vials of Gods Wrath. The Kings Cry and Lament her "Burning" but these same Kings hated the HARLOT and Killed her off in Chapter 17, so who is the Harlot? Of Course she is another Entity in and of herself.
Rev. chapter 17 happens at the Midway point (Rev. 6) also, just like Rev. 12 and 13. It is the HARLOT (All False Religion) being Judged. She is Destroyed by the Anti-Christ and his 10 Kings........Rev. 17:16 And the
ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,
these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and
burn her with fire.
So the Anti-Christ conquers Jerusalem, he at that very moment becomes the BEAST, and he rules Jerusalem for 42 Months. Israel Flees to the Wilderness for 1260 days (42 Months) and this BEAST Desires to be worshiped as the ONLY GOD. Of Course he does, Paul told us he stands in the Temple of God and claims to be God, Daniel told us he defiles the Temple (Abomination of Desolation) as did Jesus. So he has NO PLACE for other Religions, thus Islam will be destroyed, as will Hinduism and Buddhism etc. all. You will take the Mark of the BEAST and Worship this MAN as God or else you will die. That's exactly what Rev. 13 says will happen, and Daniel pretty much says the same thing. So Rev. chapter 17 is the HARLOT (All False Religion) being Judged AND Destroyed, she is no more after Rev. 17:16, the Kings (Governments) HATE HER and destroy her. She has Ridden the Beast for 1000's of years, but they destroy her in the END TIME. God Judges the Harlot. This happens in Rev. chapter six, when he comes forth to Conquer, not later on. Islam will be wiped from the face of the earth. He also comes after Israel, and the REMNANT of the Church at the exact same time. The MIDWAY POINT (Rev. 6).
Revelation 12 is only a prophecy about Satan being cast out of Heaven in verses 6-17, we see Israel flees unto the Wilderness for 1260 days after the BEAST comes to power. Rev. 17:1-5 is not a prophecy per se, in that it only sets up the prophecy, because it is past events, and thus it can not be a Prophecy. Its just used to encode who the Woman is, Rome did not want to hear Christians saying God was protecting Israel so it was encoded, you have to read Genesis 37:9 to get the code and figure out the Prophecy. (The Woman is Israel) This lasts for 3.5 years, it is Israel being protected by God, and the BEAST coming after the REMNANT of the Church, to kill them, they are the Martyrs under the 5th Seal.
Rev. chapter 13 is of Course the BEAST Arising out of the Sea, this happens at the Midway point also, it is the Anti-Christ coming forth at the 6th Seal. Of course it lasts for 3.5 years, the exact time BEAST Rules Jerusalem.
Rev. chapter 19 is a Full Seven Year Event. The Church Marries the Lamb in Heaven, then returns with Christ Jesus which leads us to the Battle of Armageddon in chapter 16, where IT IS DONE. Then the Beast and False Prophet are cast into Hell in Rev. 19:20, just like Daniel 7:11 says will happen.
In Rev. chapters 20-22 we see the Judgment of the Beheaded, the 1000 year reign of Christ and the New Jerusalem coming down.