Revelation 7
(This chapter began the layering of John's presentation by returning to a specific perspective that will occur during the first half of the Tribulation. This would be denoted by the "7 (144,000)" (covering the first half of the Tribulation) which was layered on chapter 5 and part of chapter 6 (click on diagram to enlarge).)
(This chapter presented specific information from the perspective of the 144,000 witnesses.)
1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow on the earth, or on the sea, or upon any tree.
(John saw four angels holding back the wind.)
2 And I saw another angel ascend from the sunrising, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a great voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.
(Another angel told the four angels to not hurt the earth, sea, or trees until they have sealed the foreheads of the servants of God. The four angels were waiting to bring destruction (hurt) to the earth, sea, and trees. This placed the following events prior to the judgment that would be brought, which would place these events somewhere during the first half of the Tribulation.)
4 And I heard the number of them that were sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel:
(144,000 were sealed of all the tribes of Israel to be Jewish missionaries for Jesus.)
5 Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand: Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand;
6 Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand;
7 Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand;
8 Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
(...12,000 from each tribe. Recall, there were twelve sons of Jacob. Joseph had two sons and when Israel came into the Promised Land, Levi was not named as a tribe, but Joseph's two sons took Joseph and Levi's place. Here, we see the tribes of Dan and Ephraim lost their inheritance due to idolatry. Levi and Joseph replaced them. Some scholars believe the Antichrist will be of Jewish descent from the tribe of Dan.)
9 After these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 and they cry with a great voice, saying, Salvation unto our God who sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb.
(The "great multitude" will be the converts of the 144,000. They were suddenly standing before the throne, which meant they were raptured. This was the Mid-Tribulation Rapture. There were many passages people used to justify a Mid-Tribulation Rapture. Here were some of them: Daniel 9:27, Daniel 12:7, and Matthew 24:9-13. Notice, these passages were focused on the Jews. Notice also that being raptured prior to the Antichrist's declaration could be viewed as a "pre-wrath" Rapture. The Christians avoid the spiritual wrath of losing the Holy Spirit with the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. The Jews avoid the physical wrath of having to worship the Antichrist with the Mid-Tribulation Rapture. Once the Antichrist sets up the abomination of desolation, God can begin judging the earth.
The reality is, there were verses in the Bible that showed a Pre-Tribulation Rapture and a Mid-Tribulation Rapture. Where in the Bible did it state there was only one Rapture? The belief that there will only be one Rapture associated with the Tribulation was a man-made doctrine.)
11 And all the angels were standing round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
(The angels worshipped God, just like they did after John showed up with the crystal sea of Christians from the Pre-Tribulation Rapture.)
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These that are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and whence came they?
(One elder asked who were these in white robes that had just appeared and where did they come from? Again, these people did not come from anywhere in heaven because they would have been involved in the events that had been previously described. Also, they did not show up over a period of time. Suddenly, a large number of people were present in heaven.)
14 And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they that come of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
(They were those who came out of the great tribulation. This meant believers (Christians and Jews who were converted by the 144,000) who experienced the Mid-Tribulation Rapture.)
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God; and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat:
17 for the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.
(This chapter presented information prior to the releasing of the plagues on the earth which will occur during the last half of the Tribulation.)
Revelation 8
(This chapter began the presentation of the perspective from earth during the second half of the Tribulation and was continued in chapter 9. This is denoted by the "8,9 (Trumpets)" and covered the second half of the Tribulation (click on diagram to enlarge).)
1 And when he opened the seventh seal, there followed a silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
(When the seventh seal was opened, there was silence in heaven for about a half an hour. The reason for this was unknown. However, judgment was now able to be executed upon the earth, so this half hour may have been time given to focus and make sure what would be accomplished was done intentionally with excellence.)
2 And I saw the seven angels that stand before God; and there were given unto them seven trumpets.
(Seven angels will stand before God and be given seven trumpets. The seventh seal contained and began the seven trumpets, which was really a small picture explanation for the events that will occur during the second half of the Tribulation.)
3 And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand.
5 And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth: and there followed thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
(Jesus stated that those who saw the abomination of desolation (those who saw the Antichrist set up an idol to be worshipped as God) to immediately run into hiding: Matthew 24:15-21. Jesus may have been speaking of hiding in Moab and Edom. Daniel also mentioned the abomination that makes desolate in Daniel 9:27 and that the Antichrist would make a peace treaty with Israel and then break it in the middle of the seven year Tribulation which was also known as the Seventieth Week of Daniel. In Daniel 11:41 it was stated that the Antichrist would not be able to overcome the countries of Edom and Moab. At the midpoint of the Tribulation, all believers will have been raptured. The only people that will be left on earth will be unbelievers and Jews. The Jews that heed Jesus' warning will be in hiding and holding to their Jewish faith. Everyone else will have to deal with the Antichrist and the judgment that will come upon the earth.)
6 And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7 And the first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
(When the first trumpet sounded, there was hail and fire mingled with blood cast on the earth. One third of all trees were burnt and all the grass was burnt! This ought to be a sign to the people on the earth that the Antichrist and his idol were not the Messiah and God, respectively.)
8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
9 and there died the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, even they that had life; and the third part of the ships was destroyed.
(When the second trumpet sounded, there was something like a great fiery mountain cast in the sea. One third of the sea became blood, one third of the sea creatures died, and one third of the ships were destroyed! Again, this ought to be another witness to the people of earth that the Antichrist was not the Messiah.)
10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of the waters;
(When the third trumpet sounded, a great star fell from heaven burning as a torch. It fell upon one third of the rivers and on the fountains of waters.)
11 and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
(The name of the star that falls was Wormwood because of the water being turned extremely bitter. One third of the waters became wormwood which caused many men to die. This sounded like a meteor.)
12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; that the third part of them should be darkened, and the day should not shine for the third part of it, and the night in like manner.
(When the fourth trumpet sounded, one third of the sun, moon, and stars were struck into darkness. One third of the day was darkened and one third of the night was darkened.)
13 And I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to sound.
(John heard an angel proclaiming woes regarding the last three trumpets. The worst was yet to come! It looked as if there was a time period between the first four trumpets and the last three trumpets. This time may have been mercy for potential believers, people on earth had an opportunity to state their will concerning the first four trumpets whether they believed in God or the Antichrist.)
Revelation 9
(This chapter continued to present the perspective from earth during the second half of the Tribulation.)
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth: and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss.
(When the fifth trumpet sounded, a "star" fell from heaven to earth and to the "star" was given the key of the bottomless pit. If "star" meant being, could the star that the wisemen followed (Matthew 2:2) also have been a being?...an angel?)
2 And he opened the pit of the abyss; and there went up a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
(The "star" opened the bottomless pit and so much smoke rose up that it darkened the sun and air.)
3 And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
(Locusts came out of the smoke and they had power as scorpions.)
4 And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads.
(The locusts were only to hurt those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads, those who did not heed the first four trumpets.)
5 And it was given them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it striketh a man.
(To those who did not have the seal of God, the locusts could not kill but would torment for five months! The torment was as a scorpion striking a man, again, for five months!)
6 And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them.
(This will be so painful that men will desire death but will not be given it. This would be an opportunity for these people to receive the judgment due them for not believing the first four trumpets, and then responding in faith towards God at the end of the five months.
Verses 7-10: more descriptions of the locusts.)
7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men's faces.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as teeth of lions.
9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war.
10 And they have tails like unto scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men five months.
11 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he hath the name Apollyon.
(The locusts' king was the angel of the bottomless pit, Abaddon (Hebrew) or Apollyon (Greek) meaning perdition/destruction.)
12 The first Woe is past: behold, there come yet two Woes hereafter.
(One of the three woes mentioned in Revelation 8:13 was past. There were still two more to go.)
13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 one saying to the sixth angel that had one trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates.
(When John heard the sixth trumpet sound, he heard a voice from the altar that was before God. The voice said to the sixth angel to let go the four angels that were bound in the great Euphrates River.)
15 And the four angels were loosed, that had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, that they should kill the third part of men.
(The four angels were released and prepared to kill one third of all men.)
16 And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand: I heard the number of them.
(The number of the army of the horsemen was 200 million. An army of 200 million sounded impossible during John's time. However, today China could field an army of 200 million.)
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone: and the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceedeth fire and smoke and brimstone.
18 By these three plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone, which proceeded out of their mouths.
(By fire, smoke, and brimstone one third of all people that exist at that time will be killed. Remember, we already saw that one quarter of the world's population would be removed/killed in the first half of the Tribulation. If China brought her army to the Middle East through India, the entire population of India would make up 80% of the number of people killed according to verse 18. Notice, people from China's army and other countries could easily result in one third of all the people existing at that time being killed.)
19 For the power of the horses is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails are like unto serpents, and have heads; and with them they hurt.
20 And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk:
21 and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
(Apparently the relief from the scorpion torture will not result in unbelievers confessing and repenting. Like Pharaoh, it appears the inhabitants of earth will choose to harden their hearts...which actually makes it even easier for God to give prophecy about what will happen next. There was still one more woe to come.)
(Notice, the first explanation of the events for the Tribulation from beginning to end were given with six seals. The seventh seal was not a continuation of the six seals, it contained seven trumpets...which were concurrent with some of the seals but more concentrated: The first six trumpets gave a more specific explanation of the events for the second half of the Tribulation. Before we find out about the seventh trumpet, there was more layered information that was presented.)
Day 362
Hi Joel,
ReplyDeleteFirst a question. You seem to imply that the “great multitude” in Rev 7:9 are raptured before the mid-point of the Tribulation, but the elder describes them as those who came out of the “great tribulation”. In Matthew 24, Jesus says that “great tribulation” begins after the Abomination of Desolation”, which ushers in the second half of the tribulation. How do you reconcile this?
This is mostly conjecture on my part, but I see the trumpet judgments in parallel to the conquest of Jericho in the book of Joshua. In fact, much of the conquest of the Promised Land in Joshua parallels the events of Revelation (I noted in an earlier comment that the rest of the Bible is the “decoder ring” to Revelation).
Here’s what I mean:
Joshua (Yohoshewa) and Jesus (Yeshewa) are essentially the same name. They both mean “Jehovah (Yahweh) is Salvation”
Joshua – Jews come out of exile to reclaim land that is rightfully their but they must first dispose evil tribes who are occupying it and cleanse the land
Jesus – Comes back from His Father’s House to claim His Bride and the earth which is rightfully His but He must first dispose of the evil physical and spiritual kingdoms who are occupying it and cleanse the land
Joshua – Was opposed by Adoni-zedek who’s name means “lord of righteousness” and was the king of Jerusalem. Adoni-zedek’s kingdoms and followers were defeated by “signs in the heavens” (stones from the heavens (meteors?) the sun standing still, etc)
Jesus – will be opposed by the Antichrist who will claim to be the messiah and will rule from Jerusalem. Antichrist’s kingdom and followers will be defeated by sign’s in the heavens, (meteors, hail, the sun scorching and being darkened, stars falling, etc)
Joshua – after the battles, the tribes are awarded land based on their contributions in battle.
Jesus – After Armageddon, believers are rewarded by ruling and reigning with Christ during the 1000 year Kingdom
Back to the parallels of chapter 8 with Jericho – Jericho was the strong, walled city (stronghold?) standing in the way of the initial Israelite invasion. The Jews could not take the Promised Land until the walls were brought down. The “silence in Heaven” parallels the silence of the Israelite army marching around the walls of the city 7 times. After the silence, trumpets were blown and the walls came down. Could the trumpets that are blown after the silence in Heaven serve to bring down the walls (spiritual strongholds) of the earth? The trumpet judgments don’t completely destroy the world, only portions of it (a third of grass, trees, water, men, etc). It seems that the trumpets are only meant to “soften things up”. Like a “shock and awe” campaign meant to shake men up and cause them to “take sides”. After those first 6 trumpets, it’s doubtful that anyone will be lukewarm anymore. They will either heed the 144000 witnesses and choose God, or heed the antichrist and choose themselves/Satan. We know that being lukewarm hinders God’s absolute judgment. He needs people to go hot or cold in order for Him to execute justice. In a sense, lukewarm-ness is a “stronghold” against God’s justice that must be brought down.
Its interesting that the two spies sent into Jericho only accomplished one thing – they brought salvation to a gentile (Rahab) who lived in the stronghold but showed faith as a logical reaction to the signs she heard about. It fact, it might be more accurate to call the spies Two Witnesses…(this is one of several reasons why I believe the Two Witnesses are in the first half of the Tribulation, not the second).
But like I said, this is mostly conjecture…
Ed
Hi Ed,
ReplyDeleteI believe the Tribulation refers to all seven years and Jewish believers have the opportunity to hide at the midpoint (once the Abomination is set up when the Antichrist takes over the Temple) so that there are people to begin the Millennium. Jesus told the Jews that were still present during the Great Tribulation to hide...not to be killed. Jesus didn't tell these people they would be raptured.
So, I believe the people who are raptured at midTribulation (prior to the "great Tribulation) would be people in the Tribulation that became believers after the beginning of the Tribulation.