Tag Archive | The Book of Revelation

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 365

Dec31

Day 365 – Reading – Revelation 19 – 22

Read and believe in Jesus!

The Revelation 19.

After the horrendous events of the previous seven chapters, we finally see evil defeated and the Lord Jesus Christ victorious.

“Hallelujah!” cry the multitudes in heaven.

“Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just.”

“Amen! Hallelujah!” cry the 24 elders.

“Praise our God, all you His servants, you who fear Him, great and small.”

“Hallelujah! cry a great multitude with the voice of thunder.

“For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready;

It was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen (the righteous deeds of the saints), bright and pure.”

 

“Write this,” said the angel. “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And John was so overcome, he fell at the feet of the angel and worshiped him.

“You must not do that!” cried the angel. “I am a fellow servant. Worship GOD!”

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Next, John saw the heavens split and a WHITE HORSE gallop out. Riding on it was One called “Faithful and True.”  John recognized Him from His appearance and what He wore.  “It is The Word of God.” (Remember John’s Gospel 1:1?) 

“The King of kings and the Lord of lords!” was written on His thigh.

And with Him were the armies of heaven, dressed in white and pure. These were: the church, the tribulation saints, the O.T. believers, and even angels.

“And the beast was captured, and with it, the false prophet who, in its presence, had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped the image. THESE TWO were thrown alive into the Lake of Fire that burned with (stinky) sulfur.

All the rest of the enemies of God were slain by the sword (the Word) that came out of the mouth of the white horse rider. And all the birds gorged on their flesh.

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Revelation 20.

And the GLORIOUS ACT OF JUDGMENT ON SATAN!! 

“And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit, and a great chain.  And he SEIZED THE DRAGON, THAT ANCIENT SERPENT, WHO IS THE DEVIL AND SATAN, and bound him for a thousand years.  (The Millennium, when Israel will get its time of rule on the earth, with their Messiah reigning as King in Jerusalem.)

The angel threw the devil into the pit and shut it and sealed it so that he might not DECEIVE the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. (And then only for a little while.)

Saints who had been martyred for their testimony of Jesus and the Word of God came to life now and reigned with Him for those thousand years.  (The rest of the dead did NOT come to life until after the 1,000 years.)

When the thousand years are ended … Satan will be released to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth – Gog and Magog – to gather them for battle and “take” the Holy City.  But fire will come from heaven and consume them all.

Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire with the beast and the false prophet.  They will be tormented day and night forever and ever. AMEN!!

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THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT.

And then…. John saw a great white throne, and HIM who was seated on it.   From His presence …. the earth and sky fled away and were no more.

Then John saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne.  And the books were opened (with the deeds of the people). And another book was opened – The Book of Life.  And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 

(No good works recorded, ever, will grant them LIFE, only if they had trusted in the finished work of Jesus and their names were in the Book of Life.)

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EACH ONE was judged. 

And if his name was not in the Lamb’s Book of Life …

… he was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

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Revelation 21.

Then John saw a glorious new heaven and earth, and a new Jerusalem coming down from God like a Bride prepared for her Husband.

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

God said, “I am making all things new.” 

Then to John, “Write this down.  It is done!  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son.”

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Then one of the “bowls” angels came again to John and said, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”  

And he carried John away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain. He showed him the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down from heaven from God, “having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel like jasper (diamond), clear as crystal….”

And John describes (or tries to describe) what this glorious city looked like. See 21:12-27, ending with “…only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life will ever enter it.”

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Revelation 22.

The angel showed John the river of the Water of Life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the Tree of Life with twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. And the leaves were for the healing of the nations.

No longer will there be ANYTHING accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him. And….. They will see HIS FACE!

And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the LORD God will be their light.  And they will reign forever and ever.

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Then the angel said to John, “These words are trustworthy and true, to show God’s servants what must soon take place.”

“And behold, I am coming soon.  Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

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John, signing his signature:  “I John, am the one who heard and saw these things.”

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He continued to John, “Do NOT seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.“

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

 

Then, it’s as if Jesus also “signed His signature” as proof of the truths in this book.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches.  I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

 

In response, the Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!”

 

Then a warning from John.  “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone ADDS to them, God will ADD to him the plagues described in this book,  and if anyone TAKES AWAY from the words of the book of prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life in the holy city which are described in this book.”

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“Surely I am coming soon.”

“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

 

 

 

 

 

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In 2026, I hope to do a smaller, simpler study/reading of the four Gospels, beginning with Mark on January 1st.

After Mark, will be Luke (on March 5th) and John (on June 11th). Matthew (on September 7th) will end the year. (The Lord willing.)

This will be in Monday through Friday postings only. (Weekends off)

Join me if you like.

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 364

Dec31

Day 364 – Reading – Revelation 12 – 18

Read and believe in Jesus!

The Revelation 12 – 18

The next seven chapters escalate. Satan, the Beast (Monster), the Antichrist appear. The Tribulation escalates. And there is all-out War in Heaven. Michael and his host of mighty angels battle. The seven bowls of wrath and the seven plagues do their worst, and the “great prostitute, Babylon” (who is a dwelling place of demons) appears and …. falls!

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Revelation 12

“And A GREAT SIGN appeared in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”

A SIGN:  A symbol pointing to something else. This is the first of SEVEN SIGNS in the last half of Revelation. This first sign, the Woman giving birth, represents Israel. 

(There are three other symbolic women in Revelation. Jezebel (2:20) represents paganism, the Scarlet Woman (17:3-6) represents the Apostate Church, and the Wife of the Lamb (19:7) represents the True Church.

The next sign we see is the Great Red Dragon, which represents Satan. He is the woman’s mortal enemy. He has ceaselessly tried to destroy “her” to keep the Savior from coming, but he failed, and then he was unable to kill the baby, despite using Herod to massacre hundreds of infants at the time. Then Jesus did His redeeming work and ascended back to Heaven.

 

Although Satan and 1/3 of the angels (who are now his demons) fell from heaven after they rebelled, they still had access to it. (Remember Job?)  But now, after fighting with Michael and his host, they are THROWN DOWN to earth.  That old ACCUSER OF BELIEVERS who stood to accuse us day and night before God is cast down (and locked out).

Heaven rejoices, but “Woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down in great wrath, because he knows his time is short.”

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Furious, Satan pursued the Woman/Israel to kill her.  But she was given “two wings” (heavenly protection) and fled to the wilderness, where God kept her safe and nourished her for 42 months.  Frustrated and angry, Satan then went to wage war on the rest of her offspring (believing Jews and Gentiles), “who kept the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”

Unable to destroy these, Satan went and stood on the sand of the sea………….

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Revelation 13.

…………….. And it seemed he summoned up his strongest and most horrible demon. 

John saw “a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and BLASPHEMOUS NAMES on its heads. And to this monster, Satan (the dragon) gave his power and his throne, and his great authority. 

The whole earth marveled as they followed the Beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the Beast, and they worshiped the Beast, saying, “Who is like the Beast, and who can fight against it?”

The Beast was allowed to exercise authority for 42 months.  It opened its mouth and uttered blasphemies against GOD, blaspheming His NAME and His Dwelling Place.  It was also allowed to make WAR on the saints and conquer them – from every tribe, people, language, and nation.

And ALL who dwelt on the earth… were made to worship it.  ALL whose name was NOT written from before the foundation of the world … in the Book of Life of the Lamb, who was slain.

 

John inserts a warning to his readers:  “Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.”

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“Then I (John) saw another beast rising from out of the earth.  It had two horns… like a lamb… and it spoke like a dragon.” 

(We now have an unholy Satanic trinity of despicable evil.)

Unlikely as it looked, this lamb-appearing beast is the “enforcer” for the Beast.  It made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast.  It also performed great miracles, even making fire come down from Heaven to earth in front of people. It deceived those who dwelled on earth.  It told the people to create an image of the Beas.  And it gave the image … speech.

All who did not worship the image were killed.

All who would not receive the mark of the Beast on forehead or right hand could neither buy nor sell… anything.

 

John again inserts a warning to his readers. “This calls for wisdom; let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is …. 666.”

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Revelation 14.

Then John looked, and in his vision he saw THE LAMB of God standing on Mount Zion, with the 144,000 who had NOT taken the mark of the beast. On THEIR foreheads was written the name of the LAMB and the name of His Father.  These 144K are the first fruits for God and the Lamb.  And a special song was sung to them and about them by the hosts of Heaven.

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Next, John saw three flying heralding angels, each with a message.

  • The first – “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
  • The second – “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”
  • The third – “If anyone worships the Beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or hand, he also will drink of the wine of God’s wrath … and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”

 

John again inserts a warning. “This is a call  for endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”

 

Then, a voice from Heaven spoke a chilling statement.  “Write this: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

“Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.“

 

Then came angels and One, like the Son of Man, with sickles.  It was the time of THE REAPING OF THE HARVEST OF THE EARTH.  (Remember those parables Jesus told of just such a thing!)  

  • “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.
  • So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 
  • And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress as high as a horse’s bridle for 184 miles!”

 

You might be reminded of that old song, The Battle Hymn of the Republic right now.

“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. 
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.

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Revelation 15.

Then John saw another great and amazing SIGN in heaven – seven angels with seven plagues.  

Here’s how it went down…..

John saw what looked like a sea of glass mingled with fire… and standing next to this sea were those who had conquered the Beast and its image and the number of its name.  They had harps and they sang “The Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb.”

  • “Great and amazing are Your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty!
  • Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations!
  • Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name?
    All nations will come and worship You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”

And as they sang, the Holy Place was opened in Heaven and out from the Santuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues.  One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels the seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God.

And the sanctuary was filled with the glory of God and His power, and no one could enter it until the seven plagues were finished.

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Revelation 16.

The voice came from the Temple, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

  • The first angel – poured out harmful and painful sores on the people who bore the mark of the Beast.
  • The second angel – poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became like blood, and every living thing died in it.
  • The third angel – poured out his bowl into the rivers, and they became blood.

“Just are You, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments.

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. 

It is what they deserve!”

  • The fourth angel – poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fierce heat.  (And they cursed the name of God. They did not repent. They did not give Him glory.)
  • The fifth angel – poured out his bowl on the throne of the Beast, and its kingdom plunged into darkness. People cursed God for their pain. They did not repent of their deeds.
  • The sixth angel – poured out his bowl on the great River Euphrates, and its water was dried up — to prepare the way for the kings from the east.

(Then John saw coming out of the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast, and False Prophet, demonic spirits that looked like frogs.  They did miracles and went to all the kings of the whole world to assemble them for battle on THE GREAT DAY OF GOD ALMIGHTY.  And the assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called … ARMAGEDDON.)

  • The seventh angel – poured out his bowl into the air. And a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “IT IS DONE!”   

 

  • Followed by lightning, thunder, and a great earthquake.  And the great city – Jerusalem – split into three parts, and the cities of the earth fell. 
  • And God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.
  • And great hailstones – 100 pounds each – fell from on heaven on the people and they cursed God.

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Revelation 17.

One of the seven angels then came to John and said, “Come, I’ll show you the judgment of The Great Prostitute (remember this represents the Apostate Church) who is seated on many waters (the nations of the world), with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality.”

  • The angel carried John away in the spirit to a wilderness. He saw the Prostitute sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of blasphemous names.  The woman wore purple and scarlet, gold, jewels, and pearls.  In her hand, she held a golden cup FULL of abominations and impurities and immorality. 
  • On her forehead was written: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” 
  • And she was drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus…….

The angel then explains the “mystery” about this woman and the beast with its multiple heads and horns,  and what they mean.

  • The multitude of the nations and people hate her and plan to kill her and burn her with fire, and hand over her royal power to the Beast until the Words of God are fulfilled.  That woman is … the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth … Babylon the Great.
  • These kings also plan to make war on the LAMB, but the LAMB will conquer them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those fighting with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

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Revelation 18.

After that private lesson from one of the angels, John saw another bright and mighty angel descended from heaven and call out,

FALLEN, FALLEN IS BABYLON THE GREAT, the haunt for every demon, every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, every unclean and detestable beast!

 

And the rest of the chapter goes on to describe this great and evil nation…. her sins, her false evil glories, her deceptions, her evil fruit, jewels, and gold with which she deceived the nations, and made them rich. How the world will mourn her destruction, and how they will miss her wealth.

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Then the mighty angel said,

“And so Babylon, the great city, will be thrown down with violence and will be found no more.” 

“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her.

 

Whew!

 

Tomorrow we finish THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.  It is a beautiful ending of what heaven will be like without the devil, sin, and sorrow.  The glorious new Jerusalem. Seeing God face to face.  I can’t wait.

The last book in the chronological study/reading, and the end of the year.

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 363

Dec29

Day 363 – Reading – Revelation 6 – 11

Read and believe in Jesus!

The Revelation 6.

After all the glorious praise and worship, that John couldn’t have endured if he hadn’t been “in the Spirit,” Jesus, the Lamb, began opening the seals on the scroll. The first four loosed the “Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse.”

  1. The first seal – A white horse whose rider had a archer’s bow in his hand and was given a crown. He came out to CONQUER.
  2. The second seal – A bright red horse whose rider was given a sword. He came out to TAKE PEACE FROM THE EARTH, so that the people would begin killing each other.
  3. The third seal – A black horse whose rider had a pair of scales.  He would bring such FAMINE, that a day’s wages would not even buy 4 cups of wheat.  (ONE day’s work would provide only enough food for ONE person for ONE day.)
  4. The fourth seal – A pale horse (ashen-greenish like a decomposing corpse) whose rider was “DEATH and HADES.’  He was given power to KILL with a sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts.

The fifth seal revealed all the martyrs who had been killed for the Word of God and for their witness. They were under God’s throne (finally protected).  They cried for judgment and vengeance from the Sovereign God.  They were given WHITE ROBES and told to rest a little while longer until the others who were to be martyred were killed. 

The sixth seal was opened and catastrophic things began happening on earth.

  • a great earthquake
  • the sun darkened like sackcloth
  • the moon red like blood
  • the stars falling from heaven (asteroids and meteors)
  • the sky rolling up like a scroll
  • every mountain and island moved from their places
  • absolute terror on the kings, the great ones, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and everyone, slave or free. All ran into caves or called on mountains to fall over them and hide them from “HE WHO IS SEATED ON THE THRONE, AND FROM THE WRATH OF THE LAMB.

This begins the “great and terrible” Day of the LORD, and those experiencing it ask: WHO CAN STAND?

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Revelation 7.

This chapter is a parenthesis between the Sixth and Seventh Seals.  It answers the question posed at the end of chapter six. We will see the TWO GROUPS who will “STAND.”

The scene: GROUP ONE

  • Four angels are standing at the “four corners of the earth” holding back the four winds. 
  • Another angel descends with “the seal of the Living God.” 
  • This angels says, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. 
  • 144,000 were then sealed (protected), (12,000 from each of the tribes of Israel).

(It is interesting that Judah is listed first in the order.)

The scene: GROUP TWO.

  • This group “could not be numbered.” 
  • It was a great multitude from every nation, all tripes. peoples, and languages.
  • They stood before the throne and the Lamb.
  • They were clothed in white robes.
  • They had palm branches in their hands.
  • They kept crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.
  • And they fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying…

 

Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever!  Amen!

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  • An elder: “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have them come?“
  • John: “I don’t know.”
  • The elder: “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation (the converts of the 144,000 evangelists). They have washed their robes and made them WHITE in the BLOOD of the Lamb.”

And such rewards they received!!

  • They are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night
  • God will shelter them with His presence
  • They will never humger or thirst
  • The sun will never burn them
  • The Lamb will be their shepherd
  • He will guide them to springs of living water
  • God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

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Revelation 8. (end of parenthesis)

Jesus, the Lamb, breaks the SEVENTH SEAL. (It contained the SEVEN TRUMPETS.)

Silence.

Then seven trumpets were given to the seven angels who stand before God.

Another angel brought a golden censer with much insence to offer on the Alter of Incense before the throne of God, and with it, the angel offered the prayers of the saints. The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the saints, ROSE BEFORE GOD.

Then….. the angel filled the censer with fire from the alter and flung it on the earth.  Peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightening, and an earthquake broke forth.

THEN… the angels with the trumpets prepared to blow them.

  • The first angel blew – and hail and fire, mixed with blood were thrown down upon the earth. A third part of Earth was burned up.
  • The second angel blew – and a great “mountain” burning with fire was thrown into the sea. A third part of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures living in it were destroyed.
  • The third angel blew – and a great star fell from heaven like a burning torch.The star was named “Wormwood,” and a third part of the fresh waters became bitter like wormwood.
  • The fourth angel blew – and a third part of the sun, the moon, and the stars, so their light became darkened.

Then an EAGLE flew overhead crying aloud, “WOE, WOE, WOE to those who dwelll on earth, for the last three trumpets are about to be blown.”

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Revelation 9.

  • The fifth angel blew – and a star (an angelic being) fell to the earth.  He had the key to the bottomless pit and he opened it.  Out came smoke like a great furnace and darkened the sun, and clogged the air. 

Then from the shaft came locusts on earth, but they were no normal insects. THESE had the stinging power of a scorpian.  They were not to harm the trees or grass, but to attack people, and torment them for five months.  It was so painful, the people tried to die but couldn’t.

These demonic locust-scorpians had a king over them.  His name was Abaddon (destroyer). This was either Satan’s most trusted leaders, or possibley Satan himself.

  • The sixth angel blew – and the four “demonic” angels who were bound at the great river, Euphrates, were released to kill a third of mankind. 

The “troops” of these angels numbered “twice 10,000 x 10,000. They were super scary and terrifying, with smoke and sulfer coming from their mouths. And a third of the remaining mankind was killed.

The rest of the mankind who were not killed….

  • did not repent of the works of their hands,
  • did not give up worshiping demons and idols,
  • did not repent of their murders or sorceries or sexual immorality or thefts.

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Revelation 10.

Chapters 10 and 11 are an “interlude” between the 6th and 7th trumpet judgments. The parenthesies and interludes are ways that God encourages and comforts his people in the middle of all this fury. They give a  minute to take a breath and KNOW that God is sovereign. He remembers His people, and they will ultimately be victorious.)

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Next we see one of the highest ranking angels in heaven, wrapped in a cloud with a rainbow over his head, and legs like pillars of fire.  (Whoa!)

This angel had a small open scroll in his hands, and he placed one foot on land and one foot in the sea.  Then he called out with a roar like a lion.  And the seven Thunders answered him. 

John was about to write down what the Thunders said, but a voice above him stopped him, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and DO NOT write it down.”

Then John saw that super-angel thrust his fist towards heaven and swear by Him who lives forever (God) that there would be NO MORE DELAY.  The seventh trumpet would sound and THE MYSTERY OF GOD THAT HE’D ANNOUNCED TO THE PROPHETS WOULD BE FULFILLED.

Then that voice behind John spoke again.  “Go, take the little scroll that is in the hand of the angel. Take it and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet.”

John obeyed, and then the voice said, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

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Revelation 11.

Then John was given a measuring rod and told to go measure the Temple building (Holy Place and Most Holy Place), but not the outer court of the Gentiles (because they will “trample” over it for 3.5 years under the Antichrist.)  

NOTE: Since the Temple that existed during the time of Jesus (and John, the disciple) was destroyed in 70 A.D,, this must be the one rebuilt in time for the Tribulation. 

John is then told about God’s two “witnesses.” He calls them two olive trees (for oil) and two lampstands that stand before the Lord.  These two will have power to stop the rain, and to turn the water to blood and strike the earth with plagues.

(Many believe from this, that the two “witnesses” are Elijah and Moses (who also represent the prophets and the law).)

John is told that “the Beast that rises from the pit” will make war on them and kill them.  BUT!!! after three days they will rise again… and then ascend to Heaven, their job done.  After this happens, a large earthquake will hit Jerusalem and a 10th of the city will be destroyed.  7,000 people will die.  

And then a strange note: “…and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of Heaven.”  Who are these people, so UNLIKE all the rest who refused to repent and forsake their sin, no matter what happened to them.  These are Jews who have a genuine experience of salvation. (Zechariah 12:10 and 13:1)  WOW!

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  • And finally, the SEVENTH angel blew his trumpet. (This is hard to understand, because it includes the seven bowl judgments that follow and all the things that lead up to the establishment of Jesus’ Millenial Kingdom! 
  • Loud voices in heaven proclaim:  “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
  • And the 24 elders fall to their faces, worshiping God and thanking and praising Him 1) for His great power, and 2) for rewarding the prophets and saints, and 3) for destroying the destroyers of the earth.

THEN – and this is really glorious and wonderful – “God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant was seen within His temple.”