Sunday, November 10, 2013

Seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete

This vision seems to be the last in the series where seven angels are preparing seven bowls of plagues. The plagues are the judgment from God. A few interesting and mysterious things of note are the sea of glass and those who rejected the beast are now victorious, singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.

The vision that followed seemed to be the process where the plagues of God were given out. So in the temple in Heaven it is one of the four creatures who filled the seven bowls with God's wrath which are the plagues. During this significant ceremony, access to the temple is forbidden. It is curious that these details in Heaven are revealed in the vision to John. However, we can be assured that God has revealed this detail for a good reason, and it will be understood by the intended people in the intended time.





Revelation 15
Prelude to the Bowl Judgments

1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.

2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark[a] and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:

“Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints![b]
4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
For all nations shall come and worship before You,
For Your judgments have been manifested.”
5 After these things I looked, and behold,[c] the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. 6 And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. 8 The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress

Revelations 14:14-20

The figure sitting in on the white cloud is described as being like the Son of Man. So He could be Yshua the Son or God the Father. An angel announced that the Earth is ready for reaping and God begins the judgment. The harvest that is riped to be reaped are not the obedient and faithful believers. On the contrary the harvest are people who opposes God because the angel will reap them and throw them into the judgment winepresses of God. A specific dimension of this judgment winepress is given. Why the specific dimension? Perhaps it is God showing that His Words will definitely come to pass.


Monday, November 4, 2013

They have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name

Revelation 14:6-13

John saw three angels flying in Heaven. The messages of the angels were very clear. The first message is to glorify God and call to worship, even as His judgment is coming. The second angel announce the fall of Babylon. The third message specifically relates to the Anti-Christ Beast, that anyone who received the Mark of the Beast, will face the full wrath of God and suffer for eternity. To receive the Mark of the Beast is an act of worship of the Beast, hence the eternal punishment.

It seems at first that the angels were flying to warn people of the Judgment and the consequences of worshipping the Beast in the End Times. However, the angels are in fact flying in heaven, as described by John. It is possible that God may command the angels to give these warnings on earth during the End Times, but there is no indication of this view. In fact the first two messages has always been given to God's people to spread to others throughout the history of Israel. The final message about not receiving the Beast has been written in the New Testament Scriptures for almost two thousand years of Y'shua's followers to tell others. In other words, there is no need to make angels visible and for them to broadcast the message to the whole earth. All people on earth should already know these three messages before the Last Days.

And then in verse 13, there is comforting words for those who resist the Beast in the Last Days. If Rapture happened first, then those left behind can still choose to follow Y'shua, be blessed and finally have rest after they are destroyed from this world.



Saturday, November 2, 2013

These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb

Revelation 14:1-5

The Lamb standing on Mt Zion is none other than our Lord Yshua Himself and he has with Him the 144,000 selected individuals. Where these individuals are selected from is not that clear but they have God's Name written on their foreheads, opposite to those who have the name of the Beast on their hands or heads. The 144,000 individuals are special in a few respects, for example, they are very pure being male virgins, do not lie, and very obedient to God. They are referred to as the firstfruits to God the Father and to Yshua. How are they the firstfruits, will they be the first to be martyred before or after the Rapture, why are they called firstfruits when there are other saints who have gone sleep before them? One curious thing from this passage is that only these individuals could understand the new heavenly songs being conducted in heaven.





Revelation 14
The Lamb and the 144,000

1 Then I looked, and behold, a[a] Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having[b] His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed[c] from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no deceit,[d] for they are without fault before the throne of God.[e]

The Proclamations of Three Angels

6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— 7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon[f] is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those[g] who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,[h] “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You[i] to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Reaping the Grapes of Wrath

17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

Friday, November 1, 2013

No one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name .... 666

Revelation 13:11-18 - Continued


The second beast which comes out of the earth may be the False Prophets, which means the earlier reference to the dragon giving power to the first beast means that the dragon is the Evil One. This final False Prophet wields the full power of the Anti-Christ with his authorization. As the total opposite of the Holy Spirit, the False Prophet points people to worship and glorify the Anti-Christ. The False Prophet will use a lot of supernatural power to convince people to idolize and worship the Anti-Christ. He would even supernaturally cause the idol / image of the Anti-Christ to speak and would destroy those who would not worship the idol. During this time, he will force everyone to receive the Mark of the Beast on their right hand or their forehead. This Mark of the Beast represents the name of the Anti-Christ and has the numeric equivalent of 666.


Thursday, October 31, 2013

And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation

Revelation 13 - Continued

The Anti-Christ beast will speak great blasphemies. These blasphemies are more than derogatory or foul language. Instead they are words directly targeted at the Almighty God. They will be words that turn glory away from God and lies about God. However, it is God who allows this to be spoken by the Beast but only for 42 months or 3.5 years. The beast will target and destroy many of God's followers on earth.

Some believe that the Anti-Christ Beast will only rule part of the world and make war with the rest. In verse 7, it clearly states that the beast will have authority over all nations and all people, clearly ruling the whole world. All who remain will worship the beast, and they are the ones who are not God's people since their names are not written in the Book of the Lamb. The saints are called to be patient, some will die as captives, others will die by the sword.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months

The Beast that comes out of the sea is introduced in this chapter. This description of the beast having 7 heads, 10 horns, and some parts that look like a leopard, bear and lion may be symbolic. The Beast is commonly agreed to represent the Anti-Christ. Some claim the ten crowns on his horn represent the 10 nations that control directly. The symoblism represented by the leopard, bear and lion are not quite that obvious.

Then the dragon is said to give him power. This dragon is commonly agreed to be the final False Prophet who stir others to the Anti-Christ. At some point the Anti-Christ will be either physically or otherwise wounded. Then the Anti-Christ will be supernaturally healed from it and this leads people to worship both the False Prophet and the Anti-Christ.



Revelation 13
The Beast from the Sea

1 Then I[a] stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns,[b] and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue[c] for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe,[d] tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The Beast from the Earth

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those[e] who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or[f] the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

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