- May 13, 2019
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Sorry, a BIG NOPE! The book of Revelation is in no way chronological in its order of things revealed in imagery. For example:
1.) Christ is in the church in Revelation 2
2.) The sealing of Israel ends in Revelation 7
3.) And Christ is born in Revelation 12.
Likewise, I believe that these seven vials being poured out run concurrently. In other words, we are receiving in Revelations, seven portraits of the same event, each revealing a different aspect of what will be taking place. Much like having seven portraits of the American Revolutionary War, each showing a different aspect of that one war, by a different picture. Or as Christ is seen as the Vine in one place to highlight one thing, the Lamb of God in another place to highlight another, and the Holy Temple to highlight still something else. It's not three separate prophesies of Christ, it's simply using different imagery to illustrate Him as the true Israel (Vine), that He is the Sacrifice (Lamb), and that He is House of God (Temple) in whom we dwell. In this same way these seven vials are numbered to seven to signify "completion" (as the 7 churches or angels or spirits, etc.), while these judgment plagues are one judgment, the portraits concurrent. They are all one event.
Look at the pains and sores of Revelation 16:11 poured out in the 5th vial. You can see the same sores poured out in the first vial. Or as the 3rd vial poured out made the waters and rivers turn to blood, and the 2nd vial poured out on the sea had already made it turn to blood. Did God do the seas first and then go to the rivers and fountains? Not at all, it's the same event of bringing death, but highlighting different aspects of this judgment. The plagues are operating simultaneously upon the earth and they are spoken of as seven to instruct us of the completeness of God's wrath upon them. This is the end time judgment wherein every stone of the Temple will be thrown down, the kingdom becomes void of the life of light, and this signified by blood and darkness, as there is now no healing for the torment of pain and sores. The reason is that the whole house of Israel has been sealed, the testimony of the two witnesses is finished and the day has come when no man can work. There is no repentance by them for their abominations and they continue to blasphemy because the Lord has cut them off.
Sorry, a big YES! All of scripture is written and arranged in a chronological format from beginning to end with few exceptions. And like the rest of scripture, the book of Revelation is written in an overall chronological format:
1. Christ appears to John and instructs him to write letters to seven churches.
2. John is taken up to Heaven to be shown all of that is to come.
3. The seals are opened by the Lamb.
4. In between the seals and the Trumpet judgments, the 144,000 are sealed. This is not the entire house of Israel, but a remnant of them. There are clearly far more than 144,000 Jews.
5. The trumpet judgments begin.
6. Revelation chapter 10 is a mystery.
(The focus shifts to the two witnesses whose testimony is set to abide three and a half years before they are killed by the Anti-Christ and are taken back up to Heaven.
7. Revelation chapter 12 does give John a glimpse of the past (the birth of Christ and Satan’s attempt on His life) before He is shown other things that have not yet come to pass (the woman who gave birth to Christ being persecuted by Satan who tries to destroy her but is unsuccessful because she is provided a place of refuge for three and a half years).
8. In Revelation chapter 13, the Anti-Christ demands to be worshipped as God and all people are required to wear his mark. Those who do not do so will die.
9. Revelation 14: One last call for repentance announced by a series of angels; further judgment commences.
10. The martyred tribulation saints stand before God and praise Him signifying that the number of them destined for martyrdom is completed.
11. Revelation 16: The vials of the wrath of God which probably happen in more rapid succession than the previous trumpet judgment or the opening of the seals. The last vial poured out happens just prior to the return of Christ.
12. Revelation 17 and 18: The focus shifts to the destruction of both metaphorical and literal Babylon. The literal Babylon is one of the last vestiges of the Anti-Christ empire that is destroyed.
13. Revelation 19: The return of Christ who casts the Anti-Christ and his false prophet into the lake of fire and destroys the remainder his armies.
14. Revelation 20: The binding of Satan in the bottomless pit for a thousand years during which Jesus reigns upon the earth.
15. After the thousand years is ended, Satan is released from his prison and brings against Jesus and the saints a vast multitude, all of which are destroyed by God, after which is the Great White Throne Judgment during which Satan and the wicked people who follow him are cast into the lake of fire where they suffer damnation forever. Death and Hell are also thrown into the lake of fire as well.
16. Revelation 21 and 22: New heaven and new earth plus the New Jerusalem descending out of Heaven.
If that is not an overall chronology, then I do not know what is. This is a succession of events but with some exceptions such as Revelation chapters 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17 and 18 that do focus on certain aspects of the tribulation, but the chapters in which this is done make up less than half of the book of Revelation (seven chapters out of twenty).
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