At this point John's view is once more from the heavens. He will now see the background story to explain why these judgments will happen.
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”[a] And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short.”
13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
In the first verse, we see a woman clothed with the sun and moon with twelve stars on her head. This woman represents Israel, with the twelve stars representing the twelve tribes.
9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Genesis 37:9-11
Joseph had a dream where the sun and moon represented his Mother and Father and the eleven stars were his brothers.
The woman was pregnant and about to give birth, this would represent the birth of Jesus from the nation of Israel.
We are now introduced to the enemy, who is described as the red dragon. This dragon represents Satan who tried to stop God's plan for redemption by stopping the Messiah. The heads, horns and crowns represent his rule of the revived Roman Empire.
7 “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.
8 “While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully. Daniel 7:7-8
When the dragon sweeps one-third of the stars from the sky represents the time when Satan rebelled against God, and one-third of the angels followed him.
The woman gave birth to a son, which represents Jesus being born through Israel. We know it is Jesus, because the verse says He “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” The child is snatched up to God and to His throne.
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11
The woman flees to the wilderness to a place where God will care for her for 1260 days. This is three and a half years, which is one half of the Tribulation period.
14 “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’[a]standing where it[b] does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Mark 13:14
Satan lost the war to take over Heaven, and is thrown down to the earth. He knows that he has only a short time to war with God's people. He enters the temple and declares himself to be god.
27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’[h] In the middle of the ‘seven’[i] he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple[j] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.[k]”[l] Daniel 9:27
He then tries to destroy Israel, but she flees into the wilderness to Petra (many people think this is the place), where God will protect her for three and a half years. The water that spews from Satan's mouth represents Satan's fury directed at Israel, and God will supernaturally protect her against Satan's fury.
Since Satan can't harm those people, he continues to persecute and martyr those followers of God that are not supernaturally protected in the wilderness.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven continues the interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet blasts. This interlude begins with the two witnesses that prophesy at this time. They are likened to the prophets of the Old Testement.
1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[a] 5If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days the breath[b] of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
and he will reign for ever and ever.”
16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17saying:
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power
and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry,
and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name,
both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.
Now the seventh trumpet is sounded. The final seven bowl judgments are contained within this final trumpet blast. These final judgments will culminate in God defeating Satan and his followers. At the blast of the trumpet, there was an announcement in heaven that the earth now belongs to God. Until this time God had given dominion to Adam, and then when Adam sinned he gave dominion to Satan. Now it had come full circle and dominion was now returned to God. The twenty-four elders who we had seen earlier in Revelation begin to worship God, and to praise God and to proclaim that the time of judgment is now. At this time God's temple in heaven is opened and we see the ark of His covenant. The termination of the seven trumpets is heralded by a storm in heaven much like the termination of the seal judgments. This encompasses the first half of the tribulation period for the earth. Next we will learn about the final judgments of the Great Tribulation period, the final three and a half years before Jesus returns to battle Satan.
1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[a] 5If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days the breath[b] of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
The measuring of the temple represents the protection of the believers at this time. The inner court of the Temple represents the believers during this time. The outer courts represent the non-believers, who will oppose God. This is not saying that believers will not be martyred, but they will not die separated from God. This time will span forty-two months.
They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Luke 21:24
Now God sends his two witnesses. Two represents strength and truth, if one person tells you something it may not be true, but a second person can attest to the truth of what the first person is telling you. The will prophesy for 1260 days clothed in sackcloth. The 1260 days corresponds to the time spoken of in Daniel.
He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.[b] Daniel 7:21
The sackcloth represents mourning, which means the witnesses will be prophesying during a time of persecution. They are described as two lampstands and as two olive trees
11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”
12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”
13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I said.
14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to[b] serve the Lord of all the earth.” Zechariah 4:11-14
The two witnesses were supernaturally protected during this time. They prophesied and were given the power to stop any rain from falling during their time of ministry. They could turn the waters to blood and strike the earth with plagues, but no one could harm them. Any one that would try to harm them during this time would be devoured by the flames that came from their mouths. At the end of the 1260 days, the beast (Satan) will kill them. They will lie on the street for the whole world to see for three and a half days. During this time in history is the first time that this could actually happen. Television will probably broadcast this event to the entire world. Everyone will celebrate the fact that these two are gone. After the three and a half days, they will rise from the dead and will ascend to heaven. The world that is watching will be in shock that this happened. After they ascend there will be a massive earthquake and a tenth of the city will collapse. This ends the second woe that the eagle had previously announced. Now we move on to the third woe...
The Seventh Trumpet
15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has becomethe kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
and he will reign for ever and ever.”
16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17saying:
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power
and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry,
and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name,
both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.
Now the seventh trumpet is sounded. The final seven bowl judgments are contained within this final trumpet blast. These final judgments will culminate in God defeating Satan and his followers. At the blast of the trumpet, there was an announcement in heaven that the earth now belongs to God. Until this time God had given dominion to Adam, and then when Adam sinned he gave dominion to Satan. Now it had come full circle and dominion was now returned to God. The twenty-four elders who we had seen earlier in Revelation begin to worship God, and to praise God and to proclaim that the time of judgment is now. At this time God's temple in heaven is opened and we see the ark of His covenant. The termination of the seven trumpets is heralded by a storm in heaven much like the termination of the seal judgments. This encompasses the first half of the tribulation period for the earth. Next we will learn about the final judgments of the Great Tribulation period, the final three and a half years before Jesus returns to battle Satan.
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