PARENTHETICAL INSERTS
(#1. Hebrew History from Jacob Thru Tribulation)
Revelation 12
1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
woman= Israel/Jacob - twelve stars=12 sons, fathers of the 12 tribes; read Joseph's dream and Jacob's rebuke in Genesis for this context.
2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
Judah of Israel, king David of Bethlehem, Joseph of David; Yashua was born circa 7bc, King Herod who died in 4bc had boys 2 years olds and under killed. From birth until His placement of His feet on the Mount of Olives, the devil has constantly attacked our Lord.
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
fiery red dragon=Satan, using Roman rule- the revised Roman empire: seven heads=the complete number of kings; 10 horns=10 parts or 10 kingdoms; seven diadems=the complete authority given in the latter days
4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.
Satan convinced 1/3 of the angels to rebel against God
And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.
Child=Jesus; accomplished the Father's will-His perfect sacrifice, died on Calvary; Rose and ascended
6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Israel flees into the wilderness for 42 months
7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
In the middle of the tribulation or seven year period, Satan is cast out of heaven for good!! No more access into the throneroom, no more accusing of the brethren.
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."
The devil knows he has only 42 months left to make havoc. Part of the bowl wraths are also for the devil and his angels which are to come.
13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
Israel is protected for 42 months, this time frame completes the Gentiles chance for salvation. Now the focus for the remaining 3 1/2 years is the Jew. Only the sealed are not martyrs, all others that will accept Yashua will give their heads for their choice.
15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Those converts during the tribulation die a martyr's death as the 144, 000 are sealed and protected from the devil, but the rest are not protected. Daniel reveals that the saints, his people are given into the hands of the devil following the antichrist's declaration that he is God during the last 42 months.
Revelation 13
(#2 Earthly History of "7" Year Tribulation)
The Antichrist
1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
The same description as Chapter 12, the beast from the sea is from the revised Roman empire and is commonly called the antichrist.
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.
The authority comes from the dragon or the devil.
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.
Notice the trickery in words! It says, "one of his heads as if" it had been mortally wounded. It didn't say he was killed, it only is an illusion of sorts, a deception.
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 for forty-two months.
The first half of the tribulation is mostly political, yet very evil for 42 months. The beast is worshiped.
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, tongue, and nation.
In the middle of the tribulation, the beast declares himself God and has power over the saints.
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 whole earth worships him except those written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
The False Prophet
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.
The two horns like a lamb, a false follower of Jesus Christ and he speaks the dragon's language.
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.
He receives his authority from the antichrist and cause the earth to have a one world religion.
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 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.
False signs and wonders are done by the false prophet including making an image of the antichrist.
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.
He is given power to bring life to the image and to kill its enemies those refusing to worship him.
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 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.
He institutes the mark to buy or sell placed upon the wrist or forehead.
Revelation 14
(#3 Last 3 1/2 Years of Tribulation)
1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having 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 from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
This timeframe also coincides with Chapter 12 and Chapter 7. These are not another 144, 000 as some would say, but the Lord is holy and supportive standing on Mount Zion, His heavenly abode in the 3rd heaven of His 144, 000 preachers of the gospel to His creation! They will go through the Great Tribulation unscathed, and when the Lord gathers His elect, the Jew at the end of the tribulation as He said in Matthew 24 and Mark 13.
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."
The gospel from the OT to the NT has never changed! God loves His creation and has provided a way to have a relationship with Him! In the OT it was by faith up to Moses. After Mt Sinai it is through the Law given to Moses, until Yashua enters the heavenly holy of holies once and sacrifices Himself as the Lamb of God. These 144, 000 proclaim the gospel during the last 3 1/2 years.
8 And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
The proclamation that Babylon is announced judged and fallen, but it doesn't take place for 3 1/2 years. The fall of Babylon has been prophesied in several locations of Scripture, so for those who have hard time understanding that this is another proclamation should notice. The 144, 000 preach the fall of Babylon, only now at this point there are only 3 1/2 years left!
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."
This always seems optional when a preacher during a sermon calls for holiness, no compromise. Here we have the final call to those last inhabitants of the earth because a merciful Judge is not willing that even these people should perish. If one takes the mark or worships the beast, he will receive the same judgment of the whore!
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "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."
The patience, the endurance of the saints, is Spirit empowered enabling them to keep the Word of God as written here by the faith of Jesus! At some point people will realize that faith is important, but wouldn't you rather have the faith of Yashua?
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.
Now I know the NKJV capitalize One and He, and I know this P/person wears a crown, but I have a problem with Yashua taking orders from an angel. Because of this factor, I don't think this is the Lord.
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 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. 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."
Sin has fully ripened and thus the harvest is ready. Again we see the mercy of God waiting until the point of ripeness just like Sodom. Once the grapes have ripened, it is now time to place the grapes into the winepress.
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.
Consider the size of this river, the depth of this river, the volume of this river. This blood is amassed from people. Think about how many people this is talking about! The average person has a few quarts of blood which is why we don't donate more than a pint at a time. There are millions of gallons of blood flowing in this river.