The Revelation Part 1
Rightly
Dividing
The Revelation...Part 1
By Pastor F. M. Riley
May 15, 2010
Revised August 25,
2014
<<<<<<< 0
>>>>>>>
About
the Time of the End, a body of men will be raised up who will turn their
attention to the
Prophecies, and insist upon their literal interpretation, in the midst of
much clamor and
opposition.
Sir Isaac Newton…..1642 - 1727
<<<<<<< 0
>>>>>>>
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God
gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to
pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John:
Who bare record of the Word of God, and of
the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
Blessed is he that
readeth, and they that hear the Words of this prophecy, and keep those things
which are written therein: for the time is
at hand.”
Revelation
1:1-3
INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION
I. The
Revelation of Jesus Christ 1:1
A. Revelation [apokalupsis]
1. This Greek word is used 17 times in the
New Testament
2. This word means “to reveal, unveil, or make known”
B. Given to the Lord Jesus Christ by
God the Father John 5:20 12:48-50
C.
John was not the author
of this inspired book
1. John was only the scribe chosen to write
the vision 1:1-2
D.
Revelation is the only book in the Bible given to the inspired
writer directly from the
Lord Jesus Christ Himself 1:1-2 1:17-19
II. Given
to Show God’s Servants 1:1
A. The children of God; true believers
B. This Revelation was not
given to lost people
1. Spiritual truth is
spiritually discerned 1
Corinthians 2:11-14
John 6:44-45 Matthew 16:17
C.
Given to reveal the future to God’s people 1:1
2 Peter 1:19-21
III. A
Book of Signs 1:1
A.
Sign-i-fied [semaino]
1. This Greek word is used 6 times in the New
Testament
2.
This word means “to reveal by a sign or symbol”
B.
Signs or symbols in God’s Word always
convey literal truth
IV. A
Book of Prophecy 1:3
A.
Prophecy [propheteia]…..Not
history
1
At the time this vision
was given to John everything in
the vision was future except the introductory first chapter
B. A question of authority
1. Who will you believe? God’s inspired
Word?
Or…..man’s
uninspired opinion?
V. A
Book of Blessings 1:3
A.
A special blessing pronounced upon those who:
1. Read [anaginosko] Means “to
learn; to know well”
2. Hear [akouo] Means “to
give ear; heed; listen attentively”
3. Keep [tereo] Means “to
keep; watch; observe”
B. Urgent attention required “the time is at hand”
1. Time [kairos] Means “fixed
time; appointed season”
<<<<<<< 0
>>>>>>>
What follows will be an exposition of the Book of Revelation, chapters
four through twenty-two. This exposition
will be based upon my deep conviction that the inspired Scriptures are to be
taken at face value for what they literally and actually say, and not on what
some men would like to make them say.
I make no claim as to originality nor
infallibility for the truths which I will be setting forth in this
exposition. Many true men of God have gone
before me in proclaiming and writing about these great truths, preparing the
way for this exposition. I thank God for
each one of them and for the truths for which they faithfully contended and
passed down to us who are living today.
Those readers who want to know the literal
truth about what is staring humanity in the face right now, should carefully
read this exposition. Those who do not
want the literal truth facing mankind upon the earth might as well stop reading
right here. It is my intention in this
exposition to expound the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth set
forth in the prophetic Scriptures, about what mankind upon the earth, who has “forgotten
God” and turned away from our Creator is right now imminently
facing, Psalm 9:17.
My prayer is that God my Father, the Lord
Jesus Christ my Savior, and the blessed Holy Spirit my indwelling Comforter and
Guide, will be pleased and glorified in and through this exposition of His Word. In Jesus name…..
STUDY NOTES:
2
THE THREE INSPIRED DIVISIONS OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION
“And
when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.
And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not;
I am the first and the last:
I am He that
liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Write the things which thou hast seen,
and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.”
Revelation 1:17-19
The revelation was divided into three
divisions by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Outlined and illustrated below are the three divisions set in place by
the Lord.
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE
“the things
which “the things
which are” “the
things which
thou hast
seen”
shall be hereafter”
CHAPTER ONE CHAPTERS TWO – THREE CHAPTERS FOUR
THROUGH
TWENTY-TWO
1:4-5;18
Ephesians 3:2 4:1
The personal
ministry The Dispensation
of Grace Rapture of the
saints
of Christ. His death, The Church Age
burial, and
resurrection.
1:1-3 1:9-20 2:1 –
3:22
4:2 – 19:21
John on the Isle
of Patmos Prophetic preview of
the The Tribulation Period
His vision of
Christ in the Church
Age of Seven Years
midst of the churches. 1. Ephesus Two periods of three
John instructed
to write 2. Smyrna
this vision in a
book and 3. Pergamos in each period.
send it to the seven 4. Thyatira The Antichrist
will rise
churches in Asia . 5. Sardis
6. Philadelphia
7. Laodicea
20:1-15
The 1,000 years Millennial
Kingdom of Christ upon the
earth, followed by the Great
White Throne Judgment.
21:1
– 22:21
The
Ages to Come!
New Heavens and a
New Earth.
Ephesians 1:10 2:7
<<<<<<< O
>>>>>>>
No man [or woman] can ever “rightly divide” the Book
of Revelation, and ignore, explain away, or outright deny, these three
inspired divisions of the Book of Revelation which were set in
place by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Right division of this inspired book of prophecy cannot be accomplished
unless these three divisions are acknowledged, respected, and upheld.
3
THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES
Revelation 2 – 3
A Divinely Inspired Prophetic Overview of
Christianity as a Movement
CHURCH PERIOD MEANING OF NAME THEME
************************************************************************
PERGAMOS 313…..605 Marriage Compromising
THYATIRA 606…..1520 Burning incense Idolatrous
LAODICEA
1949…..???? Judgment
of the people
Rejected
Discerning
between the True and the False
A careful study of the church letters
reveals that in every century from the personal ministry of the Lord until the
end of this present dispensation, there have always been true churches and true believers who NEVER identified with
Paganism, Romanism, or Protestantism.
Such true churches and
believers will still be in existence when the Lord calls His bride to
meet Him in glory, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Colossians 3:4; Matthew 16:18; Ephesians
2:19-22. The true will be caught up to glory,
but the false will be left on
the earth, rejected and vomited out by Christ, to enter the Tribulation. Take heed!
CHURCH
THE TRUE THE FALSE
************************************************************************
PERGAMOS “thou
holdest fast My name”
“doctrine of Balaam”
“doctrine of the Nicolaitanes”
THYATIRA “as many as have not this “Jezebel”
doctrine,
and which have
“them that commit adultery
not
known the depths of Satan”
with her”
“her children”
which
have not defiled their
livest, and art dead”
garments”
and hast not
denied My name”
and open the
door” “I
will spue [vomit] thee out”
<<<<<<< O
>>>>>>>
4
The
Salutations in Each Church Letter
hand, who
walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks”
PERGAMOS
“He
which hath the sharp sword with two edges”
THYATIRA
“the
Son of God, who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire, and
His feet are like fine
brass”
He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and
shutteth, and no
man
openeth”
the creation of God”
The
Promises to the Overcomer in each Church Letter
which is in the midst of the paradise of God”
PERGAMOS
“will I give to eat of the hidden
manna, and will give him a
white
stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no
man
knoweth saving he that receiveth it”
THYATIRA
“and keepeth My works unto the
end, to him will I give power
over the nations: And he shall rule them
with a rod of iron;
as the vessels of
a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even
as I received of My Father”
blot out
his name out of the book of life, but I will confess
his name
before My Father, and before His angels”
go no
more out: and I will write upon him the name of My
God, and
the name of the city of My God, which is New
and I will write upon him My new name”
overcame, and am set down
with My Father in His throne”
5
THE DRAMA OF REVELATION ILLUSTRATED
Approximate timing of events in
Revelation 4:1
through 20:3
THE SCENE
RAPTURE
REVELATION
! 1260 Days
! 1260 Days !
! ! !
ACT 1 ! ! !
The Seven Seals ! ! !
4 – 5 !.. ! ! Heavenly Scenes
6 ! ………………..! ! Six seals opened
The 144,000 ! ! !
7:1-8 ! ! ! Saved,
sealed, sent to
!.............................! ! minister the Word
7:9-17 ! ………………..!............................! Great multitude saved
ACT II ! ! !
The Seven
Trumpets ! ! !
8:1-5 ! !............................! 7th seal opened
8:6
– 10:11 !..…………………! ! Six trumpets sound
11:1-6 !..............................! ! Two Witnesses minister
11:7-10 ! !. ! Two Witnesses killed
11:11-14 ! !.. ! Two Witnesses raised
11:15-19 ! ! ………………..!
7th trumpet sounds
! ! !
PARENTHETICAL ! ! !
(details filled in) ! ! !
12:1-12
! ..!............................! Satan cast down
to earth
12:13-17 !
!..………………..! Israel
13:1-10 ! !............................! First beast rises to power
13:11-18 !
!............................! Second beast empowered
14:1-5 !
!............................! 144,000 in heaven
14:6-11 !
!............................! Angels preach the gospel
14:12-13 !
!............................! Believers martyred
14:14-20 !
!............................! The wicked harvested
! ! !
ACT III ! ! !
15:1 – 16:1 ! !.. ! God’s wrath prepared
16:2-21
!
! ………………..!
God’s wrath poured out
!
! !
PARENTHETICAL ! ! !
17:1-10 !...............................! ! Mystery
Babylon
17:11-18 ! !. ! The whore
destroyed
18:1-24
! !...........................! Literal Babylon
! ! !
EPILOGUE ! ! !
19:1-16 ! ! .!. The return of Christ
19:17-21 ! ! .!. Armageddon
20:1-3 ! ! !. Satan
chained
6
NOTES ON THE PRECEDING CHART
DANIEL’S 70TH WEEK
The Book of Revelation, chapters 4 through 20:3,
covers the entire seven year Tribulation period; the same period of
time often referred to as Daniel’s 70th Week, Daniel 9:24-27. The Tribulation is a period of seven
years which the Word itself divides into two periods of 3 ½ years, 1,260 days,
or 42 months in each period.
Today there are many who fancy themselves
to be “prophecy teachers” who are denying that the Tribulation period is seven
years in length, primarily because they cannot find the exact statement, “seven
year Tribulation,” anywhere in God’s Word.
Ho boy! Big deal! What a dumb reason for rejecting the truth of
God’s Word. Ignorance gone to seed!
I think I can safely say that none of these
fellows can find the words automobile, airplane, television, computer, or a
thousand other things that mankind uses every day, mentioned anywhere in the
entire Bible either, but they don’t seem to reject the reality of those things
existing. In fact, I highly suspect that
any of these fellows, when they want to get from point A to point B, will climb
in their automobile and drive there. Hasn’t
anyone ever told them that their automobile doesn’t really exist because the
word is not found in the Bible?
Sic!
Is it also just too much of a “strain on
the brain” for these fellows to add 1,260 days for the first half of the
Tribulation [Revelation 11:3], and
forty two months [Revelation 11:2…1,260
days] for the second half of the Tribulation, and come up with 2,520 days for the length of
the whole Tribulation, which is 7 years of 360 days to the year? I would like to give expositors of the
Scriptures credit for having some intelligence, but I find that hard to do for
those who come up with “dumb” arguments like these! Hello!
Then there are those who absolutely refuse
to believe that the seven year Tribulation is the same as “Daniel 70th
Week,” because, according to them, Christ fulfilled the first half of Daniel’s
70th Week by His personal ministry, so there are only 3 ½ years
remaining to be fulfilled by the Tribulation.
This claim is another crock of unscriptural garbage. There is no way
that Christ fulfilled the first half of Daniel’s 70th Week by His
personal ministry. In spite of the assumption that many make today,
the personal ministry of Christ Jesus WAS NOT 3 1/2 years in length, and this
can easily be demonstrated by the Scriptures. See my study entitled The Seven Year Tribulation. It
will be sent to any reader upon request.
The seven year Tribulation and Daniel’s 70th
Week are one and the same period of time, and it is well established by the
Scriptures as being seven years in length.
PERIOD!
A GREAT DRAMA
What many prophecy teachers fail to
realize is that John’s vision of this seven year period is set forth in God’s
Word in the form of a drama, prophesied to be played out in reality in human
history.
The obvious reason it is set forth in the
form of a drama is due to the amount of material being covered. Due to many events going on at the same
time, both in Heaven and in the earth all over the world, it would have
been impossible to show John everything that was happening in consecutive order. Therefore the Lord revealed these events to
John in the form of a drama (a three act
play), with the different scenes depicting only one series of events at a
time. The first two scenes [the seals and the trumpets]
overlap. The last scene [the vials (bowls)] is confined to the last
half of the Tribulation period.
Between the three major scenes omitted
details are filled in with what is commonly called “parenthetical passages.” In other words, details of other things
that are going on while the seals are being opened, the trumpets are being
blown, and the vials (bowls) are
being poured out. These parenthetical details give God’s people who are
seriously studying John’s vision, the needed information to tie the whole
vision together into a logical sequence of events.
7
In addition to the three main acts in this
drama, there is also a fourth act which the Lord has chosen not to reveal until
the Tribulation actually occurs. The fourth
act is the events which will occur in connection with the sounding of the seven
thunders, Revelation 10:3-4. No!
Your favorite preacher DOES NOT KNOW what occurs when the seven thunders
sound, regardless of his or her claim. The Scripture are quite plain that these
events are “sealed,” 10:4. The
judgments brought by these seven thunders WILL NOT be known until they occur. PERIOD! Believe what God’s inspired Word says! Read Deuteronomy 29:29.
Notice that when the 7th seal is
opened, 8:1-5, the 7th trumpet is sounded, 11:15-19,
and the 7th vial [bowl] is
poured out, 16:17-18, the exact same events occur; “voices,
and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.” This suggests that each of these “sevens”
ends at exactly the same time.
This is indicated on the chart.
ACT I SCENE 1
This scene is set forth in chapters 4 – 5. It begins with the Pre-Tribulation
Rapture of New Covenant believers in 4:1, and their “catching up” to
Heaven in 4:2. John’s description
perfectly harmonizes with the description given by the Apostle Paul in 1
Corinthians 15:50-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, and Philippians 3:20-21.
Then in his
vision John begins describing the very first scenes in Heaven which
every true New Covenant believer is going to see immediately after the
Pre-tribulation rapture has occurred.
What
a day of rejoicing that will be for every true believer, and a time of praising
and worshiping our Heavenly Father and our precious Savior. John first describes seeing our Heavenly
Father sitting on His throne in glory in 4:3.
Then John
describes seeing the 24 elders sitting on 24 thrones round about the throne of
the Father in Heaven, 4:4. These
24 elders are symbolic of the raptured New Covenant believers, including the
Lord’s New Covenant church. This is
obvious for several reasons…..
[1]
The 24 elders are sitting on thrones.
The Greek word translated as “seats” in this Scripture is “thronos,” which literally means “thrones.” Check it out for yourself in your Concordance
or Lexicon. Thus these 24 elders
represent the Lord’s New Covenant people and church, of whom the Lord promised
that we New Covenant believers would “rule and reign” with Him over His coming
Millennial Kingdom. Study the Parable of the Talents in Matthew
25:1-30, the Parable of the
Pounds in Luke 19:11-27, and John’s own inspired statement in Revelation
1:4-6.
[2] True New Covenant believers are saved “by
grace through faith,” Ephesians 2:8-10. The
Bible number which signifies “Grace” is
number 5. The Bible number which
signifies “faith” is number 19. These two numbers, 5 + 19, add up to 24. Hello!
[3]
Notice that in John’s description the 24 elders are clothed “in
white raiment,” and they have “crowns
of gold” upon their heads, clearly indicating that they are kings. Compare Revelation 19:7-8 and 19:14. Our readers might also want to notice
Zechariah
14:5 and 1 Thessalonians 3:13.
[4] The 24 elders themselves, as they worship
the Lord who redeemed us, sing “a new song” in 5:8-10, explicitly saying
to the Lord, “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for
Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every
kindred and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings
and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
It should
be glaringly obvious to any reader willing to deal honestly with the Scriptures
that there are far more than 24 kindreds and tongues and peoples and nations on
this earth. Therefore the number 24 is
symbolic of those raptured saints who were saved by grace through faith, and
has nothing to do with the total number of those raptured. Notice they specifically state in their
victory song, that they have been “redeemed…..out of” the kindreds,
tongues, peoples and nations. How are we
“redeemed?” By “grace through faith” in
the finished work of Christ on the cross in our behalf. 5 + 19 = 24.
This also makes it clear that these 24 elders are no longer
8
on the earth
when they sing this new song of redemption.
They are in Heaven singing, rejoicing,
praising, and worshiping the Lord. So how do they get there? They are “caught up” to glory in the
Pre-tribulation rapture, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. This is the glory that is awaiting
every true New Covenant believer today.
Glory to God! Praise the
Lord! Do not ever allow any man to steal
your “blessed
hope,” Titus 2:11-15.
These
Heavenly scenes introduce the Seven Sealed Book in chapter 5, which the Lord, after
taking the book from the Father, begins to open in chapter 6. This seven sealed book is the Title
Deed to this entire earth. Notice that
John at first wept bitterly because “no man” had been found worthy to
open that book, 5:1-4.
I would remind our readers that this
entire earth was given to Adam by our Lord at the dawn of human history, Genesis
1:26-30. But Adam lost
possession of it by his disobedience and transgression, Romans 5:12. This earth passed into the possession of
Satan, 2 Peter 2:19. This is
why the inspired Word explicitly states that Satan is presently “the
god of this world,” 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.
God gave this earth and everything in it and on it to the “man,”
Adam. Therefore, according to
God’s Law, it is only “a man” who is a Kinsman, and who
has any “legal” right to look upon and call for the Title Deed to redeem the
earth that was lost. John knew this
truth, and wept bitterly, because if no “man” could be found to fill the
role of the Kinsman Redeemer, the earth would forever remain in the possession
of, and under the dominion of, wicked old Satan, the enemy of God and
righteousness and everything that is
good and just and right. Looking
at what this world has become over the past 4,000 years since the flood, with
Satan running the whole world system, [1
John 2:15-17] I can easily understand why John wept. As wicked and violent as this world is today,
just consider what it would be under Satan’s continued domination in another
thousand years. God have mercy!
But one of the 24 elders assured
John that He who is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” had prevailed [conquered; overcome] to open the book
and loose the seals on the book, 5:5. John then saw the risen living “Lamb
of God” standing in the midst of the whole
congregation assembled before God’s throne in Heaven, and watched Him as He
came and took the book out of the Father’s hand, 5:6-7. Glory to God! Praise to the Lamb!
When Christ Jesus takes the book as our
Kinsman Redeemer, then a great time of rejoicing begins in Heaven, ascribing to
the Lord Jesus Christ the honor and glory due to Him as the Redeemer and the Creator,
5:8-14.
ACT 1 SCENE 2
This scene is set forth in chapter 6. Each of these seals on the book, when
opened, contain the terms for redeeming the earth, and restoring it back to its
rightful owners. Notice that each seal,
when opened, brings forth a judgment.
Remember this when you study about the opening of the seals. Sin and rebellion can only be paid for
“legally” by the terrible price of “death,” Genesis 2:16-17; Romans 6:23. Either the death of Christ Jesus on
our behalf will be received into the heart and soul of a repentant believing
sinner, or those who refuse to repent and receive Christ will have to face
judgment and death for themselves. That
is the terms of redemption for the earth and all that is in it, under each of
the seals that are on the book. Compare 6:8.
Each time the Lord opens one of the seals in Heaven, an
important event occurs on the earth.
The opening of these seals by the Lord literally portrays our
Kinsman-Redeemer granting authority for these judgments to come upon
mankind on the earth. The Lord is in
charge and none of these events can or will occur before the time that He calls
for them to “come.” These judgments
which occur upon the opening of each of the seals are the natural consequences of the course which God hating, Christ
rejecting, mankind upon the earth is following today. These judgments which occur as these seals
are opened are for the purpose of “testing” or “trying” mankind on the earth to
see, if under the most terrible circumstances which mankind has ever
experienced in human history, men will seek after the Lord when these trials
come upon them. Compare the statement of
the Lord in Revelation 3:10.
9
The opening
of the FIRST SEAL has to do with the coming of the prophesied anti-christ
on the world scene, 6:1. John briefly
describes the appearance of the anti-christ in 6:2.
The
anti-christ is briefly described as riding upon a white horse, and carrying a
bow. John further says that “a
crown was given to him.” In
other words, he DOES NOT appear on the world scene with a crown on his
head. Rather, the crown is given to him
sometime after his appearance on the world scene. This indicates that he will
become a political figure, even though he first appears as a “holy man” as
signified by his riding a white horse.
For centuries conquerors and kings have rode white horses in their
triumphal entries to signify their intentions to rule over their conquered
subjects in purity and with justice and judgment for all. Sic!
Much silly speculation has been made by
“prophecy teachers” over his carrying of a bow.
Some claim it to be a long bow, others a cross bow, with which he can
quietly slay his opposition. And much
silliness has been attached to the fact that no arrows are mentioned. But what if his “bow” is not a weapon at all?
There are different kinds of “bows” in
the world. What prominent world figure
living today carries a “bow” with him every time he appears in public? And what kind of “bow” is it that he carries? Think about it! Hello!
I have previously written two Bible
studies on the identity of this rider on the white horse in this 6th
chapter of Revelation. I will be
glad to send both or either of those studies to any reader requesting
them.
When the SECOND SEAL is opened, a rider on a red horse appears on the world
scene, 6:3-4. Folks, when we
seriously consider these first four seals which are opened, it is glaringly
obvious that a progression is being made by the opening of each seal. Therefore the rider on each horse is the
same person introduced at the opening of the first seal. In other words, what is set forth in the
opening of these first four seals is the coming of the anti-christ on to the
world scene, and his progressive reign
over humanity left on the earth after the pre-tribulation rapture has occurred
and the Tribulation has begun.
I would point out to our readers that a
wicked man who claims to be a “holy man” can only fool the people for a limited
amount of time. At some point the people
are going to see through his disguise.
Then, just like all despotic rulers before him, he will have to resort
to brute force in order to keep himself in power.
This red horse signifies WAR and
BLOODSHED. It is clearly stated that this
rider was given the power “to take peace from the earth, and that they
should kill one another, and there was given him a great sword,” 6:4. Why does WAR break out shortly after
the anti-christ comes on the world scene?
I can immediately think of two logical and Scriptural reasons for it…..
[1]
Immediately following the rapture, there will be thousands [millions?] of lost people left on the
earth which will realize that the pre-tribulation rapture, preached by us today
who are presently regarded as “fanatical Christians,” really did occur, and
that the Bible really is true. Hundreds
of thousands of lost people, out of every nation on earth, will then turn to
the God of the Bible in repentance and faith, seeking salvation and placing
their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. In fervently reading the Bible they will also
recognize that the so-called “holy man” on the world scene, is not a “holy man”
at all, but rather is the anti-christ, whom the inspired Word prophesied would
come. Those who become believers at that
time will then resist this so-called “holy man,” and will begin to expose him
to the whole world as the “counterfeit christ.”
This will absolutely infuriate the
anti-christ, and he will issue a command to destroy every person on earth who
has become a believer in the God of Israel and in the Savior set forth in God’s
inspired Word; the Holy Bible. He will also, as the Roman religion has
attempted to do in the past, seek to find and destroy every copy of the Bible
on the face of the earth.
[2]
Notice that it is explicitly stated that “there was given to him a great
sword.” I have realized for
years that at some point in the future the Roman religion and the Islamic
religion would have to make a compromise with each other, simply because they
are the two largest religions on the face of the earth and both of them seek to
dominate the whole religious world.
10
Therefore these two evil world religions will
have to make a compromise, or else go to war seeking to destroy each
other. Now what religion on earth today still
emphasizes the power of “the sword” and uses it as the
preferred method of execution for all of their enemies? And how do they preferably execute their enemies? By beheading them! Now what does the inspired Word say about the
killing of those who become martyrs for Christ during the coming Tribulation
period? Read Revelation 20:4.
Folks, I
have no doubt that right at the time when this second seal is opened, the Roman
religion and the Islamic religion will make a deal and come together as the
prophesied one-world religious system headed up by the Papal system in
Rome. The anti-christ will then be given
the “great
sword” of the Muslim religion, for the wicked Muslim leaders will
reason that they are doing a service to Allah by cooperating with the Papal
system. Their “great sword” will then
be exercised against every soul on earth who turns to the God of Israel and the
Lord Jesus Christ for salvation during the Tribulation period. Now read 6:9-11 and connect the dots.
If one wants to understand and “rightly
divide” the Revelation, and the world events leading up to it, then they
need to get serious, and the key word is “STUDY,” 2 Timothy 2:15.
Now we move
on to the opening of the THIRD SEAL,
where we see the anti-christ riding a black horse, 6:5-6.
Folks, when war prevails in a country, or
as in this case, all over the earth, the fields cannot be plowed and prepared
for sowing seed. No crops can be
produced or gathered in. Food will
become the most valued and sought after commodity on earth. Famine
will spread all over the earth, effecting all of mankind left on the earth
after the pre-tribulation rapture.
To make matters even worse, the government
of the anti-christ will seize all known food supplies by force Yes, I do mean that government thugs will
come right into the homes of those left on earth, and seize any food supplies
they have stored or hoarded. The food
will be taken to a central location selected by the government, and the people
will have to look to the government for whatever food they will be
allotted. World wide food rationing will
be imposed on humanity. This is clearly indicated by the “balances” [scales] being used to weigh out only a
certain amount of food and no more, 6:6. Enough wheat to bake one loaf of bread will
be SOLD by the government for a day’s wages.
Those who don’t have a job or money to pay for the food will
starve. Millions of people will
starve to death. I highly suspect that
the elderly and little children will suffer the worst. Cannibalism will become common on the earth
as humans kill and eat each other in an effort to survive. Welcome to the New World Order which will be
ruled by the anti-christ.
Oh, remember that the anti-christ here is
riding a black horse. Why the
color black? For two reasons I can think
of…..
[1]
The favored color of the Roman Babylonian whore religion has always been
black. Isn’t that the color worn
by her priests throughout the past 1,700 years, and the color they wear even to
this day? Scripturally speaking, black
normally represents darkness and evil!
[2]
When a person dies of starvation, their body actually turns black. The small blood vessels in the body, being
deprived of nourishment, begin to break down releasing the blood they normally
carry into the body cavity, and it literally turns the skin on the body black. It doesn’t matter what color or race one is,
the bodies of all who starve to death during the Tribulation will turn coal black
as they die from starvation.
Then the FOURTH SEAL is opened, and the anti-christ comes forth riding upon
a pale horse, 6:7-8. At this point
during the Tribulation, the rider is given a name and a companion. His name is “Death,” and his
companion who follows him is “Hell.”
As the Lord Jesus Christ during His
personal ministry came to be identified as the source of “life,” [John 1:4], and those who believed upon and received Him were
certain for eternal life, John 3:16, so in direct contrast, the anti-christ over
the course of his rise to power and his reign over humanity during the
Tribulation period, shall come to be identified as “death,” and those who
are deceived by him are certain for eternal damnation in ”hell,” 14:9-11.
Sadly, “a
fourth part” of mankind presently populating the earth will die and be
claimed by
11
“Hell” during the rise and reign of the anti-christ, 6:8. Those today who keep track of such
information, tell us that the population of the earth is now nearing nearly 8
billion people. This means that in
the next seven years some two billion people are going to be killed,
brutually and viciously, and their souls swept into eternal damnation in
“Hell.” Why?
Because they prefer to listen to and be deceived by the anti-christ,
rather than adhering to God’s Word and believing upon the Lord Jesus
Christ. Read 2 John 1:7-11.
Notice that it is clearly stated in 6:8 how
these billions of people are going to perish.
The anti-christ will be using the “great sword” that he was given
under the second seal to literally slaughter all whom he decides are
non-productive “useless eaters,” and those whom he thinks may be opposed to his
reign. The anti-christ, being in charge
of whatever food supplies exist at that time, will also withhold food from the
people, so that millions will die of starvation. Because of the abundance of dead bodies lying
unburied all over the earth, pestilence and disease will abound, and millions
will die of terrible diseases. Also, due
to a total lack of rain on the earth during the first half of the Tribulation
period [11:6], food sources for both
man and animals will be cut off.
Normally domesticated animals will revert to their wild nature and
attack and kill and eat their owners in order to survive, and normally
wild animals will lose their fear of men and invade cities and homes searching
for food. The animals will certainly
survive better than people, for the animals will find an abundance of dead
bodies to feed upon, or people too sick and weak from hunger to resist their
attack and being killed and eaten by
them.
Folks, I am not writing about a fantasy or
a “horror” movie. I am writing about the
REALITY that is staring unbelieving humanity in the face RIGHT NOW. Every reader of this study who is lost in sin
and unbelief, right at this time still has an opportunity to confess your
unbelief and sin to the Lord God and call upon Him for the salvation of your
soul, BEFORE the pre-tribulation rapture occurs and these terrible judgments
come upon all humanity left upon the earth following the rapture. Won’t you hear? Won’t you take heed? Every reader has been warned! It is no real consolation to me, for I grieve
for those who are lost in sin and unbelief, but my hands are free from your
blood. Read Ezekiel 33:1-9.
Then the FIFTH SEAL is opened, 6:9-11. We see under the altar in Heaven, the
souls of those first repentant Tribulation
believers on the earth who will turn to Christ in the days and weeks following
the rapture, and then will be viciously slaughtered by the anti-christ and his
followers.
Notice that they are crying out to the Lord
for revenge upon those who slaughtered them. They absolutely are not New Covenant
believers as some shallow “prophecy teachers” would make them out to be. How do I know this? Because it is forbidden for New Covenant
believers today to seek vengeance against their enemies. Rather, we New Covenant believers are
explicitly instructed by the Lord Jesus
Himself to “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that
hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you,”
Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:28-29. Therefore,
it should be glaringly obvious that these believers whose souls are under the
altar in Heaven were saved in a different “time period” [dispensation] than the one we are living in today, Acts
17:26; Revelation 1:19; 4:1-2.
Notice
that “every
one” of them are given “white robes” and told to “rest
yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their
brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” There should then be no question that
these are people, who right after the Tribulation begins, realize that the
rapture really did occur, and turn to the Lord in repentance and faith for
salvation, and the Lord hears their prayers and saves them. Dear
readers, many left on the earth following the rapture will come to realize what
has happened, and will call upon the Lord for salvation and will be saved. But their faith placed in the Lord at that
time, will not deliver them out of the Tribulation, or keep them from
having to face a cruel martyr’s death. Why oh why, will some not realize these
truths today, while there is yet time to be saved and escape the terrible
Tribulation that is RIGHT NOW staring unbelieving humanity in the face?
Yet
if any reader is “willfully” waiting to see if the pre-tribulation
rapture really occurs before you believe, yes you will come to know that the rapture
has occurred, but you will not then
12
believe and be saved. Rather, you will be lost eternally! Why? Because
you will not be able to believe! If
you “willfully” refuse to believe before the rapture, the Lord God will send
upon you “strong delusion,” causing you to believe on the anti-christ
who is “the lie.” Read it for
yourself in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, and this time pay attention to
what you are reading; every little detail stated! Folks, “God is not mocked,” and will not be
“mocked.” The Lord God knows what
is in every human heart on the face of this earth, Jeremiah 17:9-10. If one
“willingly” refuses to believe [a
total lack of faith] the Lord before the rapture, then what makes them
think the Lord will allow them to believe after the rapture? Take heed!
“…..now is the day of salvation,” 2 Corinthians 6:2.
Now we move
forward to the opening of the SIXTH
SEAL, 6:12-17. These seals have been opened
throughout the first half of the Tribulation period. Each seal judgment required a certain amount
of time to be fulfilled before the next seal was opened. This sixth seal then will be opened JUST
BEFORE the middle of the Tribulation period arrives. We can know this for certain, because “the
great day” of God’s “wrath” begins at the middle of the
Tribulation, and extends throughout the last half of the Trib, 6:17;
14:6-7; 14:9-13.
When this
sixth seal is opened, the first thing stated in the Word is that there is “a
great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon
became as blood,” 6:12. This is
a fascinating statement. It is a literal
fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2:30-31, even to occurring just
before the last half of the Tribulation; “…the great and terrible day of
the Lord…” The last half of the
Tribulation is particularly the time when “the wrath of God” will be poured
out upon all of Christ rejecting humanity on the earth, and therefore it will
be the most terrible time in the history of mankind, 15:1; 15:7-8. It will be when God Almighty does “His
strange work; and brings to pass His act, His strange act,” Isaiah 28:21. This literally means an act of God
that is not in harmony with God’s normal character. What is God’s normal character? It is plainly stated in 1 John 4:8, “He that loveth
not knoweth not God; for God is love.” The normal character and course of
action followed by God is to “love” those whom He has created,
and seek to bring them to a saving knowledge of Himself, Isaiah 45:21-22; Ezekiel 18:23;
18:31-32. Yet at the time this
sixth seal is opened, there are different circumstances involved, causing God
Almighty to do “His strange act.”
Keep in
mind the progression that has occurred through the first half of the
Tribulation. The seals have been opened
and the trumpets blown, yet the majority of mankind on the earth who have been
“tested” by these judgments have not repented and turned to the Lord, 9:20-21. This is where the prophecy of Psalm 110:1 comes into force to be
fulfilled during the last half of the Tribulation, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit
Thou at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.” This amounts to the simple truth that
after 3 ½ years of “testing” under the “wrath of the Lamb,” 6:16, humanity has still not repented, the
Heavenly Father flies into a rage, and makes His statement to the Lord
Jesus. The last half of the Tribulation
is explicitly stated to be “…the hour of His judgment,” and “…the
wrath of God,” 14:7; 14:9-10; 15:7-8. Folks,
when He who is “love” flies into a rage and begins to pour out His “wrath”
upon wicked, unbelieving, un-repentant, mankind, it will be the most
terrible event which has happened in the entire history of humanity. You have been warned!
At this time “the sun became black as
sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood,” 6:12. This is the exact fulfillment of the
prophecy stated in Joel 2:31. First, the
entire earth will be plunged into pitch darkness for a period of time. The inspired Word does not tell us how long
this will last. It may be just a few
hours, or it could be a day or more. But
it will be a terrifying experience for those living on the earth at that
time.
NOTE: On Friday, August 22nd, ABC
World News showed an artist conception of the Sun with gigantic solar flares exploding
from the surface all over the Sun. The
commentators then reported that it has been determined by scientists and
astronomers, that just such explosions will occur on the Sun on August 21,
2017, and the Sun will be plunged into total darkness for an
undetermined period of time. The news
report did not explain how these scientists and astronomers had
determined this will happen and the date it will happen, and I haven’t got a
clue,
13
so don’t bother
asking me. I did hear the broadcast and
see the artist conception with my own eyes, so I am not reporting a
rumour. When the report was given I
certainly took notice, for this “date” will be shortly BEFORE the middle of the
Tribulation period, exactly as stated in Joel 2:31.
God’s Word is alive and well on Planet Earth. Take heed!
John in this vision was also shown an asteroid
shower striking the earth unlike anything previously seen in human history, 6:13. All over the earth thousands of red
hot stones will fall out of the heavens upon the earth. Not only will the stones break down houses
and buildings and kill many people, but the red hot stones will set fires all
over the earth, burning up the bone dry grass and trees and vegetation at the
end of 3 ½ years of extreme drouth over the whole earth, 11:6.
But then the greatest event mankind will
have ever seen since Israel was at Mt. Sinai 3,400 years ago, will occur. The heavens will roll back, 6:14. This literally means that earth’s atmosphere
which normally reflects the light of the Sun and prevents mankind from seeing
out into space during the daylight hours will part, rolling back in the sky
above the earth as if one was rolling up a scroll. And what will men on the earth then see? They will literally and visibly see “the
face of Him that sitteth on the throne,” and the angry face of
the Lamb standing or sitting beside Him, 6:16. The sight will so terrify
every wicked person on the earth that they will literally cry out for “…the
mountains and rocks” to fall upon them and hide them, 6:15-16. Compare Isaiah 2:19-22. What wicked men do not realize is
that there is no hiding place from Almighty God, Amos 9:2-6.
While all
of this is occurring, the most terrible world wide earthquake ever
recorded in human history will be shaking the entire earth, “…and
every mountain and island were moved out of their places,” 6:14. Can our readers even imagine the
gigantic tsunamis and tidal waves which will occur at that time as God Almighty
rearranges the topography of the whole earth?
But all that has been described here is
just a prelude to what is yet coming during the last half of the Tribulation, “For
the great day of His wrath is come [the
appointed time has arrived]; and who shall be able to stand?”
6:17.
<<<<<<< O
>>>>>>>
Dear readers, you have now read the first part of this series
expounding the great prophetic truths set forth in The Book of Revelation. I hope every reader will take these
truths to heart, and “make your calling and election sure,” 2
Peter 1:10; 2 Corinthians 13:5. The
things about which I have written in this exposition are staring humanity in
the face RIGHT NOW! I do not
know the “date” when the rapture will occur, but I do know from the
revelation of God’s prophetic Word, and watching current world events, that the
rapture will occur VERY SOON! I
truly hope and pray that every reader of this exposition will meet me in
glory when our Lord and Savior calls for us to “Come up hither,” 4:1. Please don’t disappoint me!
IF AND AS THE LORD PERMITS
TO BE CONTINUED
<<<<<<< 0
>>>>>>>
Permission is granted to any true believer or Bible believing
Christian ministry to reproduce this study to share with others, or to quote
from it in context as written.
I thank God for every reader who has been led of the Lord to support
this ministry with your prayers and gifts.
Thank you so very much. You will
have a part in rejoicing over every soul which has been saved when we believers
arrive in glory, and over every true believer who has been encouraged and built
up in the faith. Praise the Lord!
Please address all comments, questions,
and correspondence to: Pastor F. M. Riley, Last Call Gospel
Ministry, 184 County Road 108, Harrisburg, Missouri 65256.
14
Comments
Post a Comment