July 21, 2008

• Biblical Eschatology Revisited
  
  
  
  The Timeline Analysis of the Book of the Revelation – Part 5

  As you can gather from all the information found in Part 4, its not
  hard to imagine that there’s a huge amount of material to cover this
  time and its difficult to explain all that is going on in a manner that
  its easy to track. You are encouraged to take some time with all this
  and consider that He has made all the details “fit together” very
  nicely but it is amazing how He has placed within His Word so many
  clear references that we often ignore in our casual reading of the
  scripture. Yes, the information is right there in “plain language” if
  you understand His character, His plan, and His timeline and compare
  that to the scriptures. Please refer to the chart to get the sense of
  the order of things as we move forward.

  We left off last time in Revelation 11 with Heaven making a
  “declaration of war” and that Christ will reign and judgment is coming.
  As chapter 12 opens up, we are introduced to a woman, a dragon, and a
  child each self-interpreted in the text. We find that the child is
  Jesus Christ, the one who will “rule the nations with a rod of iron”.
  (see Psalms 2:9) This child was also “caught up” to God and to His
  throne. (Guess what Greek word is used for “caught up” here… yes, its
  “harpazo” the same word used to refer to the Rapture.)  We then can
  identify the woman as Israel given the description in the opening two
  verses. This is strengthened by later verses in this chapter.  The
  dragon is clearly identified not only by his actions but in verse 9
  where we are told that the dragon is exactly who we would expect him to
  be… Satan, the devil, and the accuser of the brethren. The first 6
  verses of chapter 12 seem to simply be an introduction of these
  “characters” in order to clearly define who they are and give us
  clarity concerning the things to follow.

  So in Revelation 12:7, the action picks up again with regard to this declaration of war. A war ensues and Michael and his angels cast out the dragon and his
  angels and threw them down to the earth. This clears heaven of the
  accuser of the brethren who accused them day and night before the
  throne of God.  While this is good news for those in heaven, this
  become the 3rd Woe to those who dwell on the earth. There’s a lot going
  on here that is particularly important so be sure to read the biblical
  text. Note how Michael and his angels overcame the Dragon and his
  forces… because of the blood of the Lamb and the word of their
  testimony and they did not love their life even when faced with death.
  It looks that this is the way that those in that period of time will
  have to “do battle” with the forces of evil.  

  Now the devil will come down to earth in a wrathful state knowing his
  time will be short. He doesn’t lose any time and begins to persecute
  the woman, Israel and we are clearly told here the source of all
  persecution of Israel comes from Satan, himself.  Now the woman,
  Israel, escapes the devil by “flying into the wilderness” with the
  wings of the “great eagle” where she was well taken care of by the Lord
  for “time, times, and half a time” (3 ½ years according the same
  accounting method found in the book of Daniel). This time correlates
  with the 1,260 days found in Rev 12:6 and let’s us know this is the
  same “woman”.  The “eagle’s wings” that are mentioned are rather
  interesting. This is very much like the Lord’s description of how He
  had brought the nation of Israel to Mt. Sinai to be before Him at the
  Exodus. (Exodus 19:4) Now the “dragon” tries to destroy Israel in a
  “flood” but the earth keeps this from happening by swallowing up the
  flood. The Lord will provide a very effective way to make sure the
  nation of Israel will make it through the onslaught.

  Since the dragon’s efforts to destroy Israel are frustrated, he goes
  off to make war with the “rest of her children”.  These “children” are
  described as 1) keep the commandments of God and 2) hold to the
  testimony of Jesus. This description is very important to remember. If
  we take a look ahead in Revelation 15:1-4, we see some people who have
  overcome the Beast standing on the “sea of glass”… remember this in
  Revelation 4:5-7… its in front of, in the center of, and around the
  throne of God and they are doing something very curious… they are
  singing the “song of Moses” and the “song of the Lamb”… Wouldn’t these
  “overcomers” be those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the
  testimony of Jesus? One would think so.

  Now thus far we have a war break out between heaven and the devil’s
  forces, and the devil’s defeat in heaven. Now on earth, he tries to
  eradicate Israel but Israel escapes by the provision of God who will
  take care of her the entire remaining time of Daniel’s 70th week. 
  Being unsuccessful, the dragon then creates the Beast from the sea. If
  we go back and see that Daniel 7 actually tells us even more about this
  beast who will make war with the saints of that time. It appears that
  it is not a “person”, it is a kingdom on the earth… and this kingdom
  has another beast that comes out of the earth who we will find is
  called the “false prophet”.

  
  Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth,
  which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the
  whole earth and tread it down and crush it. As for the ten horns, out
  of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after
  them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue
  three kings. He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the
  saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in
  times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time,
  times, and half a time. But the court will sit for judgment, and his
  dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever.  Daniel
  7:23-26 (NASB)

  These things constitute a lot toward understanding who the Beast and
  the false prophet are (also known as the beast from the earth … Rev
  13:11). Even the number of the Beast, 666, seems to fall right into
  place as well, but we simply do not have the space to explore this
  here.  For now, let it suffice to say that the Beast will make war with
  the saints and overcome them

  Now as soon as we finish the descriptions of the Beast and false
  prophet of Revelation 13, and completing the continuity of thought
  concerning the war between heaven and the saints against the dragon
  with his Beast, we resume the subject concerning the results of the 7th
  Trumpet and the next thing we see in Revelation 14 is the 144,000 of
  Israel standing in heaven with the Lamb on Mount Zion singing a song
  that no one could learn except the 144,000. Do you remember that the
  Mystery of God was finished at the 7th Trumpet and this mystery was
  that God had made Jew and Gentile believers one in Christ? Eph
  2:11-3:12 This is the last group of those to appear in heaven with
  respect to the Christ’s church on earth and those of Israel who were
  believers up to that time. In addition, we see a few verses later that
  there is a declaration that addresses all those who would believe from
  that point onward… The matter of how the 144,000 all appear in heaven
  at the same time does not appear to be stated anywhere but its entirely
  possible that they experience the “harpazo” as well and it is admitted
  this is just supposition.

  
  And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead
  who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that
  they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
  Revelation 14:13 (NASB)

  Three angels appear in chapter 14… one with the everlasting gospel…
  perhaps to keep a witness to the Lord available to the earth while
  everyone who loves righteousness is running for their lives. Another
  angel appears and declares the doom of Babylon the great. The third
  warns all who worship the Beast and his image and receives a mark on
  his forehead or on his hand will experience God’s wrath and be
  tormented with fire and brimstone …

  Two reapers then appear, one who will apparently take up those who
  overcome the Beast and they are seen in the chapter 15 standing on the
  sea of glass before the throne of God and another that will reap the
  “grapes of wrath” that will be thrown into the great wine press of the
  wrath of God and be prepared for destruction at the Second Coming of
  Christ. From what we see in chapter 15 (the temple filling with smoke
  until the wrath of God has been finished) and chapter 16, these are the
  Beast, the false prophet, and all those who worship him and have taken
  his mark.

  Before the 7th bowl of God’s wrath is poured out, the dragon, the
  Beast, the false prophet speak with the spirits of demons to perform
  signs which draw the kings of the world into the conflict to occur at
  Armaggedon.

  At this point, the wrath of God is poured out in full at the final bowl
  of the 7 bowls. Please read the text to get all of the details. Note
  that this is where the destruction of Babylon the great occurs. We get
  all the necessary details about the destruction of Babylon in chapters
  17 & 18. Please refer to the post concerning Babylon the great
  where there is a much more detailed analysis there.

  This finishes the 5th page of the chart and we’ve covered a lot of
  ground up to this point and we’ve got a bit more to go. Next time,
  we’ll be preparing for and seeing the Second Coming of Christ and all
  that follows. Until next time… Blessings, Mr.Vee

  Here’s page 5…

  

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