The Rise of the Beasts.

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Alexander, beast, breath, buy. sell, daniel, devil, dragon, image, Jesus, LAMB, mark

Rev 13:1  And he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns, and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.

In Rev 12:7-9 we see this: Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels;

Rev 12:8  And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.

We have heard the declaration about salvation. There might also be a declaration of how he is overcome but listen to this last: Rev 12:12  Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.

Woe for or to the Earth and Sea…  this is a very ticked off Dragon/Devil/Serpent of Old/antichrist. This is not a benevolent dictator although he/she/it will most certainly play the part with consummate perfection.  For it is true that if you want votes you not only have to make promises you fulfill but you also have to win the hearts of the masses over.  As to the head wound, looks like some lucky angel maybe even Michael himself got in a good punch. This is a switchout of sorts.  This is the Dragon fallen and the Beast rising. This is the connection. Rev 13:4  and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?  In this translation of the ASV the right word is used: authority.  The Greek word is exousia which means delegated power or authority.  Delegated….  The Dragon is spiritual but the Beast is physical.  Now watch this.  Just as the Holy Spirit indwelt Jesus so does the Dragon indwell the Beast.  This authority is the power and permission to use the power as delegated and commissioned by the indwelling one, and that’s all there is to it.

Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority.

Now we have seen these animals before in Daniel.  In fact Daniel has seen this beast … sort of.  In the order they appear in this beast let’s look at Daniel’s understanding of these animals. The Leopard.   7:6  After this I beheld, and, lo, another, like a leopard which had upon its back four wings of a bird; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. This is the four headed leopard of the division of Alexander the Great’s land holdings or conquered nations as he died without declaring his successor. The body of our beast is that of the leopard representing the Grecian influence colored by possibly the Persian empire.  Wikipedia tells us that: “The species’ success in the wild is in part due to its opportunistic hunting behavior, its adaptability to habitats, its ability to run at speeds approaching 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph), its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a heavy carcass, and its notorious ability for stealth. The leopard consumes virtually any animal that it can hunt down and catch… Leopards are agile and stealthy predators”  It’s a fast opportunistic hunter that isn’t picky about its diet.  It is a carnivore a predator a hunter and agile or cunning and stealthy or secretive.  Do you get the picture here?  This is how it looks, it blends, it consumes, it is a hunter,  it’s like a roaring lion seeking something to devour.  The Bear.   Dan 7:5  And, behold, another beast, a second, like to a bear; and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

This is Persia.  The Persian law was unrelenting and its princes could be quite cruel.  Persian Kings could “do as they pleased” and the Princes were quite possibly elected for life.  There was also a lot of political maneuvering in these courts.  The father of Xerxes, Cambyses was quite the despot. So we see the despotic rule of the bear; in its goings about and, because we are talking animals with paws, then also in its doings.  This is how the government was, Despotic, harsh, absolute and possibly capricious in nature. The bear is known for force and strength and some agility.  Bears are said to have tremendous physical presence and charisma which would be important as the beast goes about setting up government.

The Lion.  Perhaps the most important feature of the Beast is the mouth of the Lion.  In Scripture almost always the Lion is the symbol of Messianic Rule. But in Daniel we find the lion as well. Dan 7:4  The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon two feet as a man; and a man’s heart was given to it. This would be the ensign of Babylon, but the plucking of the wings means conquering. The lifting up and giving of the heart of a man and being made to stand like a man, actually, reduces the Lion.  But in a rather twisted manner it could be construed almost as Messianic in its own right.  Too bad this was representative of Nebuchadnezzar. He lost his kingdom to God for a period of time and gained the perspective of the fear of the LORD and thus do we see the change from mere animal to thinking man, God fearing and thinking man.

However as I have previously said the Lion figures in Messianic understanding almost exclusively. It is said of the One who opens the seals on the scroll… Rev 5:5  and one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book and the seven seals thereof.  The reference to the Root of David would be also of Jesse his father for a “Root” can be a son or descendant. Isa 11:10  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse, that standeth for an ensign of the peoples, unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting-place shall be glorious.

The “Root” here is Jesus.  David never stood as an ensign for the peoples.  However Solomon was one whom  the nations sought but it is Jesus whom the Nations seek whose resting place is all glorious.  Both the terms Lion and LAMB are used in Revelation. Rev 5:6  And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.  In the previous verse He had been described as the Lion of Judah.  Hence the speech or the rhetoric will sound Messianic. In fact He will pass Himself off as Messiah, in so far as it concerns the believers. This is what the mouth is saying, this is the message of the Beast.  “I am come to set up my Kingdom, come join me.” In fact this BEAST will pass himself as the “salvation and way to heaven” for all the religions of man. However our concern is that amongst these he will be passing himself off as Our Christ.  Here is that statement of “if it is possible he would deceive the Very Elect”(Matt 24:24, Mk13:22) But for all this there is a wound.

Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast;

Could this be the work of the atonement? (“and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Gen 3:15) Could this the felling stroke of Michael the Archangel?  In the Hebrew we come up with an interesting tie into the Genesis verse.  It comes in the form of the word for bruise. Strongs Hebrew # 7779  shûph  A primitive root; properly to gape, that is, snap at; figuratively to overwhelm: – break, bruise, cover. Now this could be an appearance of a death stroke healed.  And the WHOLE EARTH… wonders or is in admiration of the fact that the “wound” healed.

Rev 13:4  and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?

Herein is a blasphemy.  For it is supposed to be said of the LAMB…  Mal_3:2  But who can abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap:

Rev 6:16  and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

Rev 6:17  for the great day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand?

There is One who is able to stand and to war with the Beast.  That One is the LAMB.

Rev 13:5  and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months.

42 months or 1260 days… If you divide 1260 by 30 you get 42.  Please understand though that this is a 30/31 day scenario so it’s roughly 42 months. If you divide 42 by 12 you get 3.5 hence the concept is proven by math to be roughly three and one half years.  So then it is quite possible that the witnesses are there the leader of the “bugs” is the one who kills them meanwhile the Beast is hunting down the remnant of “her seed” the saints. Meanwhile “she” is in the “place prepared” being “nourished”.  Because we see these images in this grouping we understand that all this is happening during this portion of time.  All during this time our beast is speaking great blasphemies.  Now at some point a great bible search would be to find bible wide all the scriptures that have “time, times and half a time” in them and see what they say.  In the Diasporas it was not three and half years it was seventy, for the land to rest fallow for the Shabbats it lost. Then there is the   Seventy  years of prophecy.  Sixty two are accomplished which includes the time of Jesus Christ. There is one last seven weeks or years, for in the numbers God uses seven is the number, supposedly, of perfection.  Most all this you will find in Daniel.  You will also find a seven year treaty of peace with Israel and all the surrounding land… a treaty that is broken in middle of the years.  Now the exact ramification may be spelled out or they may be implied and this may be where eschatologists begin to fancy themselves as knowledgeable.  For the purposes of this however, if it not spelled out then we don’t want to make unsound predictions. (Dan 9:24-27 see Timing link)

Rev 13:6  And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven.

Now this is the way the blasphemy is being done.  The Name, The Tabernacle, and the “Citizens” One has to realize what is meant by Blaspheme.  To blaspheme in the Greek is to defame or to slander the character or person or name of someone or rather to also take the fame and denigrate the Name of God and His Tabernacle and His “people” by making himself out to be the “real deal”.

Rev 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.

In fact this is purportedly the proof that the “evil righteous” are not supported by God.  But remember they actually OVERCOME him.  “Rev 12:11  And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death.”  So his overcoming is to eliminate them but their overcoming is to be forever out of his reach. After all are we to fear him who can end our physical life or Him who do that and consign us to hell?(Matt 10:28) You see the flesh has this notion of physical prosperity and or being physically in a place of peace and safety.  This type of life has been proven to make one become cold and aloof and distant from God and thus it is in the fire of persecution with an understanding that it is not our physical lives that matter but the estate of the spirit and the Holy Spirit’s freedom within us to live act and be, that matters to God the most.  That is “setting the eye on things spiritual”.

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.

Everyone whose name is NOT WRITTEN in the book of life of the LAMB, meaning those who are not born again, those who are not filled with the Holy Spirit, to whom the Blood of the LAMB has not been applied and of whom it is safe to say, they are NOT ELECT. Seeing as they serve Satan in serving only themselves no matter how philanthropic or noble or heroic, at the end of the day they are self serving or self deceived.  Either way they are serving the Adversary and will fall in line with the Beast because their flesh calls them to it.  You see either we serve the Holy Spirit by the crucifixion of the flesh with its passions and lusts(Gal 5:24) or we are slaves to it. We are remanded not to live according to the flesh but by the Holy Spirit. So then is it any wonder that those not in the Lamb’s book are worshipping the Beast?

The next verse is an alert to these two.  This Beast is given permission to make war with the saints in an attempt to deceive and overcome them. If you are destined to be caught or killed you will be caught or killed.

Rev 13:9  If any man hath an ear, let him hear.

Rev 13:10  If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The patience of the saints is in that they are purified through the tribulations of these trying times. You see patience has a perfect work of maturation so that the saint is perfect, complete, entire and lacking nothing.(Jas 1:4) However as if this first beast rising as the Dragon falls is not bad enough there is a second and this one is much scarier.  You be the judge, is this the apostate church?

Rev 13:11  And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Two horns like a Lamb or a RAM.  The Ram was the dedicatory function of the lamb.  Whereas a young LAMB would be offered for sacrifices like Passover, the Ram was used as a dedicatory for the priesthood.  Moses’ brother Aaron and his sons used the blood of the ram as the dedicatory animal (dedication to service) on the day when the Tabernacle first opened.  Horn denote power might ability militarily or magically or spiritually.  This is spiritual. So the appearance mimics the LAMB but the mouth doesn’t match the WORD.  No indeed its “dragon speak”, and what does the Dragon speak? “Rev 13:5  and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies;…” , blasphemies.  But while the Beast from the sea gets his power from the Dragon, and everyone knows it; this Beast from the Earth exercises all kinds of authority in the sight of the Beast from the sea.  What is going on here?!

Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed.

Rev 13:13  And he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men.

Rev 13:14  And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who hath the stroke of the sword and lived.

To exercise all the authority of the first beast in the sight of the beast, smacks of the works of the Believers in the “sight or presence” of the Lord. One gets this authority or empowerment from the “presence” of the Lord and miracles happen but it is the LORD not the Dragon.  Unfortunately mankind is going more and more to the wrong source to be empowered to go beyond themselves so when this day comes it will be no surprise. The calling down of fire from heaven may be like the days of Elijah of old who called down fire from heaven or it may be manmade “fire” from the “heavens” it is debatable which the writer is intending here but there is a point; “as in the days of Elijah” will take on a whole new meaning.  These action and the certain subsequent “teaching and or preaching” of the Second Beast causes all those who are susceptible to the effects of these miracles and wonders to perceive the first Beast as GOD, so they worship.  Then the second beast tells the humanity to make an image of the first beast.  Is it a statue or a computer generated thing? How it’s done is unclear but that it’s done harkens back to Nebuchadnezzar and his great statue.  Will they be animating something here?  Somehow it appears to be animated. it is the people that he gets to build the “image”.  He does this by deception.  Deception, we are warned that if we get involved in this “beast” we could be “deceived” (if it is possible… where is discernment?)  But how is this beast so successful. The first beast is given permission to persecute the Saints (Christians) and the second gets permission from the first and yet is able to deceive?

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him;
2Th 2:2 to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand;
2Th 2:3 let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
2Th 2:4 he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming;
2Th 2:9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

What you need to understand is the Personage that is sending this delusion…  that is not restraining the error.  That Personage is God Himself.  This is how the second Beast manages to be so successful.  The mind of the masses is receptive and willing to believe, because God has made it so.

Rev 13:15  And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image to the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Here’s the thing EVERYONE KNOWS it’s an image … right?  Is breathing into it some form of enchantment or technology?  I have no answer as of yet myself. In that everyone is worshiping the Beast himself why wouldn’t they also worship an image of him?

Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead;

Rev 13:17  and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.

Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.

For the longest time I have supposed that the beast who rises from the sea was the one behind the economy of the mark.  Turns out I was wrong.  Everything above me is about the beast who rises from the earth.  The one with horns or power or is of two halves, but looks like the LAMB and speaks like the DRAGON.  Horns of a ram, we find them in Daniel and ram that is raging to the right and the left with none to withstand it until the goat enters.  The ram in that image is the medo-persian empire.  So then horns, denotes split power or governing.  If indeed this horned Lamb represents a fallen apostate church then it represents a fallen apostate Jew and Gentile union.  You see, the Jew and Gentile in Christendom are united in Christ, but here they are united under the beast from the sea.

In all this display what we need to realize is that the issue here is SOURCE. What is the SOURCE of the power?  TO who are the masses going for power? Certainly not the LAMB.  Also you see a lot of chicanery and trickery but perhaps nothing truly genuine. So then the Dragon or Satan who is more powerful than a mere human is has begun to the stand out and make his stance against Jesus Christ by slowly displaying himself AS CHRIST.  Is there any reason why the LAMB should not be truly furious and His wrath not be massive?

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In Between

Tags

covenant, God, Jesus, LAMB, manchild, saints, spirit, woman

It needs to be understood that this book is written to the churches with a mandate to those who would copy it and pass on the original to the next church.  It was not to be edited in that it was never to be added to or detracted from.  This is the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Just as Christ took the wrath and curse of the Father now the world will receive the wrath and curse of the LAMB.

Wrath and curse is the result of Covenant breaking on one end or the other.  Since God, who is able and doesn’t go back on His word, is self-sworn to abide by the Covenant He set in Gen 3:15; and we are the weak, needy, and limited Creation with a tendency towards iniquity and are forgetful and ungrateful as a result and unmindful as well tend to be the ones breaking the “rules of the Covenant” and thus the Covenant itself then it follows that unto the Covenant Breaker goes the wrath of God and that is the indignation of having the “contractual agreement” “breached” for the believer it is more the displeasure of an angry Parent (Father) but don’t be fooled correction can be just as devastating as out and out enmity.  Curse is the result of wrath in that God places His hand against the Covenant Breaker and turns His face away, removing or simply never setting up any “hedge of protection”. Blessing is the result of abiding or living within the bounds of obedience to the Covenant (thus keeping it) and God’s delight and pleasure are found there.  In the Old Testament Israel the People of God had agreed to this incredible Covenant on Sinai and, because this is how God sees Creation, in potentiality every circumcised male thereafter.  So if one Hebrew male blew it or if the People of that time failed then the failure cycled forward three to four generations and presumable another opportunity to “obey was given”; however because failure was constant with Israel even after the written conveyance of such displays as Egypt and the Exodus, the “ire” of “displeasure” just compounded on itself and God being who He is “hit the roof”.  Enter the Son who now comes to become the sacrifice willingly taking the wrath and curse of the Father throughout the whole of His life whose One Righteous Act so pleased the Father that having vented on the Son He has ended His hostility to those whom He has Elected to be His from the beginning.   But there is still those who are outside of Election and who are considered Covenant Breakers and while God the Father will chastise and correct the Believer; it is the “children of pride, disobedience and wrath (unbelievers whom the Spirit seems to not be working in regeneration on) that are the subject of this spectacular display of The Son’s furious anger or wrath.  The Key is the Holy Spirit.  He is the One Sent by Father and Son to “do the work of sanctification” on Believers and to “judge the world” with the Gospel. Jn 3:19  And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.  Now is the strictest sense of the verse the Light refers to Jesus Himself who will shine brightest in the darkness of the Calvary’s Cross. But the Gospel message is in a way its own light as well, But we also have to consider another group beyond the believer and the non believer and that is those who apparently once believed but have “left the faith” and are considered to be Apostate. Not of the faith. It has been said the verses of Hebrews 6:4-6 maybe the impossible condition for the bonds of salvation are unbreakable and that is the Calvinistic position.  In that it is mentioned at all begs certain questions I am unwilling to discuss here.  For as long as the Spirit of God will strive within you to continue the work of Grace then you continue on in the faith.  Jude wrote a whole book on the subject.  It is an interesting read and you will find it right before the Book of the Revelation of Jesus, God’s Christ.  It is against the Dragon and the two Beasts and all who side with them whom the LAMB aims His wrath.  For you see it is the work of the Holy Spirit that prepares the heart to receive the Gospel and after regeneration and redemption does the work of sanctification so to spurn the Gospel or to neglect so “great a gift” is to actually spurn or neglect the Holy Spirit.  It may actually be construed if continually done as an act of blasphemy.  One could blaspheme the Father and even the Son and it might be forgiven but the Holy Spirit?

Mat 12:31  Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
Mat 12:32  And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come.

That sounds rather final to me.  Let’s be clear on this that the Dragon and the Beasts are blaspheming the entire Godhead. They are the principle targets but all those who are their property by virtue of not being saved or by choice having sided with them are taken down with them.

Before we go on I want to have us take one final look at the Woman and the Manchild.

many theorize this woman to be Israel the Nation or Mary the mother of Jesus.  But the word is gune or woman or wife.  Interestingly we see the same word later in Revelation 19 and it refers to a wife who has made herself ready and the rejoicing unto the marriage of the LAMB.

In Gen 3:15 a promise is made to a woman.  This woman is not named…. she will become Eve.  God is addressing the serpent when He says He will put enmity between “your seed” (serpent) and the “seed of the woman” and the word here is a generic terminology ishshah nashiym.  Ishshah is the femine form of Ish or man or husband. Nashiym is possibly the femine form of enosh… pretty much meaning a mortal.  So then a natural flesh and blood woman.  But this word ishshah canalso be translated as “wife.”

Add to this a principle:

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body; there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  So also it has been written, “The” first “man”, Adam, “became a living soul;” the last Adam a life-giving Spirit. Gen. 2:7
1Co 15:46  But not the spiritual first, but the natural; afterward the spiritual.

Not the spiritual first….  so first the natural Adam the living soul and then the spiritual Adam the life-giving Spirit.  So then follows the Natural Israel the physical nation and natural witness, under Law.  Then the Spiritual Israel and spiritual witness, under Grace.

So then too the Natural or Visible Body of the Holy Elect of the Called Out Ones. Then the Spiritual Invisible Body of the Holy Elect of the Called Out Ones…  the first is an unglorified immature “standard” in the Earth. The Second is a glorified mature standard in the Heavens.  The first might be said to represent the God-Man as man on Earth humbled and obedient yet empowered to overcome sin self satan and the world system.  The second might be said to represent the glorified risen unbound God-Man as King/God in the Heavens.

The key is in the identity of the manchild.  But for a certainty this is spiritual thing.

Remember the last trump promise…

1Co 15:51  Behold, I speak a mystery to you: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed.
1Co 15:52  In a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet; for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed.
1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
….  Isa 11:1  And a Shoot goes out from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch will bear fruit out of his roots. Isa 11:4  But He shall judge the poor in righteousness, and shall decide rightly for the meek of the earth. And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and He shall cause the wicked to die with the breath of His lip.

 

Branch

Isa_4:2  In that day shall the branch of Jehovah be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.
Jer_23:5  Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
Jer_33:15  In those days, and at that time, will I cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.Zec_3:8  Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men that are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.Zec_6:12  and speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build the temple of Jehovah;

All three of these references are about Jesus.  The Zechariah “branch” continues to speak about rule as priest on a throne.  There was never a high priest to build a temple who then ruled as a king from his “seat”.  So then…. This speaks to the King/Priest modality of rule.  But then Jesus turns a table here….

Joh 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit.
Joh 15:3  Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you.
Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Joh 15:8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and so shall ye be my disciples.

The Righteous Branch who builds the Temple.  Is now calling Himself a Vine….  and refers to us as Branches… But the word in the Old Testament for Branch (tsemach) also means sprout or bud.  Now think carefully…. before a vine is mature is it not a “sprout or branch”?  This set of Old Testament prophecies refers to the role God is playing while in flesh as Messiah/Savior/Highpriest,  In this role He makes atonement for those who will come after Him.  But in the fullness of time once He has established the atonement and “seen His posterity”, so to speak, He has grown to the full…. VINE.  Now He makes US the Holy Elect to be the sprouts and buds that will grow in Him as Source. We then “bear fruit”

The fruit is a really interesting word.  Strongs Greek 2590

karpos Probably from the base of Strongs Greek 726; fruit (as plucked), literally or figuratively: – fruit.

Greek 726 is harpazo….  the fruit that is caught up away…. or a “manchild”

Rev 12:5  And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne.
Isa 11:4  But He shall judge the poor in righteousness, and shall decide rightly for the meek of the earth. And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and He shall cause the wicked to die with the breath of His lip.

Is this the same thing?  You decide.  So then this is “The Body with Christ as Head” Its spiritual and the sign is a representation of a spiritual state.

Apparently I am not the only one who thinks this way.  The Reformed Churches, according to wikipedia, also believe the manchild to be the faithful and cite that the promise to rule the nations with a rod of Iron is given to those who overcome the scenario of the church of Thyatira.

Thyatira had a problem.  She had a prophetess in the midst who was causing the menfolk to … sin.

Rev 2:18  And to the angel of the assembly in Thyatira, write: These things says the Son of God, the One having His eyes as a flame of fire, and His feet like burnished brass:
Rev 2:19  I know your works, and the love, and the ministry, and the faith, and your patience, and your works; and the last being more than the first.
Rev 2:20  But I have a few things against you, that you allow the woman Jezebel to teach, she saying herself to be a prophetess, and to cause My slaves to go astray, and to commit fornication, and to eat idol sacrifices.
Rev 2:21  And I gave time to her that she might repent of her fornication. And she did not repent.
Rev 2:22  Behold, I am throwing her into a bed, and into great affliction those committing adultery with her, unless they repent of their works.
Rev 2:23  And I will kill her children with death; and all the assemblies will know that I am the One searching the inner parts and hearts. And I will give to each of you according to your works.
Rev 2:24  But I say to you and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this teaching, and who did not know the deep things of Satan, as they say: I am not casting another burden on you;
Rev 2:25  but what you have, hold until I shall come.
Rev 2:26  And the one overcoming, and the one keeping My works until the end, “I will give to him authority over the nations,”
Rev 2:27  and “He will shepherd them with an iron staff” (they are “broken to pieces like clay vessels”), as I also have received from My Father. Psa. 2:8, 9
(Psa 2:8  Ask of Me, and I will give the nations as Your inheritance; and the uttermost parts of the earth as Your possession.
Psa 2:9  You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. ) { Now the Psalms verses are said of Jesus Himself, but the afore mentioned verses in Revelation is said by Jesus to the innocent “Thyatirians”…(?) applies to the over comers… notice too, the description of the keeping of His works… or perhaps Commandments…}
Rev 2:28  And I will give to him the Morning Star.Rev
2:29  The one who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

ok if we remove the controversy from this letter we have the faithful who never got involved and to them He says…Rev 2:18  And to the angel of the assembly in Thyatira, write: These things says the Son of God, the One having His eyes as a flame of fire, and His feet like burnished brass:

Rev 2:19  I know your works, and the love, and the ministry, and the faith, and your patience, and your works; and the last being more than the first. …Rev 2:24  But I say to you and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this teaching, and who did not know the deep things of Satan, as they say: I am not casting another burden on you;
Rev 2:25  but what you have, hold until I shall come.
Rev 2:26  And the one overcoming, and the one keeping My works until the end, “I will give to him authority over the nations,”
Rev 2:27  and “He will shepherd them with an iron staff” (they are “broken to pieces like clay vessels”), as I also have received from My Father. Psa. 2:8, 9
(Psa 2:8  Ask of Me, and I will give the nations as Your inheritance; and the uttermost parts of the earth as Your possession.
Psa 2:9  You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. )

{ Now this is said of Jesus but the afore mentioned said by Jesus to the innocent Thyatirians…(?) applies to the overcomers… notice too the description of the keeping of His works… or perhaps Commandments…}
Rev 2:28  And I will give to him the Morning Star.
Rev 2:29  The one who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

notice that this is the description of the manchild: Rev 12:5 b … a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: …  “I will give to him authority over the nations,”

Rev 2:27  and “He will shepherd them with an iron staff” as I also have received from My Father. Psa. 2:8, 9

Now here is another clue….

Jesus is sharing the right of rule.  In the Old Testament in Isaiah the prophet talks about princes that will rule with their king.  This is the same idea of delegated authority and power.  We will reign with Christ forever.  That’s the basic premise.  What’s being overcome here is error and whoredoms by the spirit who worked in the original Jezebel who seduced a willing King (Ahab).   Those who did not go there into the error and whoredoms overcame it all.  Those who hold onto “what they have” to the end and Keeping the Works of Christ, who identifies them as “My works”.  What are His works?  They had apparently increased over time.  Faith and Patience are two works of the LORD.  He is the giver and increaser of His faith in us, for it’s nothing of us, it’s all of Him and Patience in trials and tribulations has a “perfect work” (Jas 1:4) It is said that this Manchild then is the “faithful” saints.

Could this then indeed be a separation of the invisible from the visible Church.

The Seventh Trump, the last trump of God Pt 2

Tags

Abraham, God, israel, jacob, Jesus, manchild, seed, woman

The woman in the sun.

Rev 12:1 And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars;

The only other place we even glimpse these images is here: Gen 37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream: and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me.
Gen 37:10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
This is Joseph and the father here is Jacob the covenant son of Isaac the covenant son of Abraham. Of Isaac it is said that in the “seed of Abraham would be called” indeed he had two sons and one of them got a name change from Jacob to Israel. Thereafter his sons eventually became twelve tribes the “sons of Israel” and the man’s name became the name of the nation. But here in Joseph’s dream the sheaves are the brothers obviously but the sun and the moon would have been Israel the sun and Rachel who is now deceased or Leah who is still alive at this time, I do believe, as the moon. It is noted here that the mindset is that the husband is head of the household and a good wife is his crown and glory. He is the sun around which she orbits her life and she is the reflection of him as is the moon. (Of course then it is easy to see that this is also archetypical of the LORD and the Body of Christ aka the BRIDE.) Indeed the images are the same here for this is the “wife” of a “covenant son” In that God the Son takes on human flesh He becomes both Keeper of the Covenant and The Covenant Son, for in Him is a “seed called” we are called “the righteousness of God” in Christ. We become “sons of God or God’s son” However the images are presented differently. She is clothed with and that compound Greek word is Strongs # 4016 periballō From (4012 peri From the base of (4008 peran Apparently the accusative case of an obsolete derivation of peirō (to “peirce”); through (as adverb or preposition), that is, across: – beyond, farther (other) side, over.); properly through (all over), that is, around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive case denoting the subject or occasion or superlative point; with the accusative case the locality, circuit, matter, circumstance or general period): – (there-) about, above, against, at, on behalf of, X and his company, which concern, (as) concerning, for, X how it will go with, ([there-, where-]) of, on, over, pertaining (to), for sake, X (e-) state, (as) touching, [where-] by (in), with. In compounds it retains substantially the same meaning of circuit (around), excess (beyond), or completeness (through).) and (906 ballō A primary verb; to throw (in various applications, more or less violent or intense): – arise, cast (out), X dung, lay, lie, pour, put (up), send, strike, throw (down), thrust. ); to throw all around, that is, invest (with a palisade or with clothing): – array, cast about, clothe (-d me), put on. To throw all around or wrap around … to invest… and there is the connotation of pierced through. All these things match the Body of Christ who is invested with authority and power by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and who is wrapped or clothed with the “sun”. We are told to Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Put on Christ. Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall. Notice the words “sun of righteousness”, now most translations use the term it’s for whose wings have the healing. But most commentators agree that the “sun” here is Messianic, and since when would the actual sun rise with healing… IN it’s wings? No this is sort of the bird in flight deal or the coming King and the healing would be an obscure reference to harpazo which for us is the ultimate healing without death. So the Jesus is our SUN OF RIGTEOUSNESS. We are to be clothed in Him hence the image of one “clothed IN the Sun.” But she also has the moon at her feet. Well we are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ… the SUN and make no provision for the “flesh”. The moon here quite possibly would represent the “flesh”. This “flesh” is “under the feet” in the position of being conquered. This is the wisdom not from above that is earthy sensual devilish (Jas 3:15) Now looking at it this way we can also see the mind renewed in that it is now the “mind of Christ” that we see. The verse also tells us not to make any provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts or appetites and this because it is the image of a woman is almost always in Greek thought going to be represented in the moon or the lusts and appetites of the feminine which are here seen as at the feet and conquered or overcome. Now she is also crowned with twelve stars. The stephanos of the Bride is the foundation laid in the prophets and also the Apostles. Twelve apostles are the crowning stars of the “church”. The doctrine of these apostles epistles are her rule and guide which is also represented by the crown that she is in authority, under authority. But she is hard labor to deliver …

There have been various understandings about this lady in the sky for many generations. I have wrestled over the images myself. Jesus spoke of “birth pangs” and listed what they would look like. Indeed everything up until this point might be listed as a birth pang with the exception of the “witnesses”. They are the first time stamped item in the book. They do their job for a set amount of days.

Rev 12:2 and she was with child; and she crieth out, travailing in birth, and in pain to be delivered.

This is not prelabor this is what has been called Labor and Delivery or L&D for short.
There is a verse that comes to mind here… Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope
Rom 8:21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
The redemption of the body, the revealing of the “sons of God”, the liberty of the GLORY of the children of God… all these images speak of birth. This is the woman giving birth. Jesus told us that all the things we would see in those days were but birth pains… and the end had yet to come. What is the end of birth pains? Deliverance. But is this harpazo? I don’t think so because the church is still spoken of well afterward. But she does give birth. But who gets the “infant”? it is caught up to God and unto his throne (Rev 12:5 c) Those are also images we know of. Col 3:1 If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Eph 2:6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: … I also want you to look at this: Col 3:3 For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (clothed in the Sun)
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. (Manifested may actually equal born) (when Christ shall be manifested… in us?)
Are we in our lives at this point truly seated in those heavenly places? No … our minds are more set on the world the flesh and all and not on God. But there comes a point where this does happen. This is that point. Eph 4:13 till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: To the point of maturity…. And yet this is birth. In Ephesians this is talking about the building up of the Body of Christ with gifts or aids or graces to help the growth along… This is a maturation/ gestation. This is the sense of terminology here. In one sense growth to adulthood and maturity and in another, gestation to a revelation. But she is not the only “thing in the sky” is she?

Rev 12:3 And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems.

The great red dragon who will be cast down faces her. She is travailing gestating living breathing and maturing in the direct presence of opposition and the oppose is the dragon the serpent of old. THIS is the ENMITY. Gen 3:15 and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Technically the seed mentioned is Jesus… and the heel bruise is the Cross. Also notice this is bruise not crush. The bruise denotes woundedness, weakness, defeat, loss of power. All these things are combined in the taking of the “kratos” or “dominion” from Satan directly. But as Jesus has defeated Satan so also must the Bride defeat Satan…. We are as He is… and short of the things which only pertain to the Godhead, we do what He did. (We don’t die for ourselves or save ourselves that pertains only to the Godhead and its position regarding the Elect.) He fought … we fight. He grew as a man… we grow… as a “man”. In the presence of our enemy. There in this opposition is the table spread and the oil and wine and cup runs over. All signifying the work of the Holy Spirit. This is the war and the race. All these images converge on her. Now this dragon has seven heads or headships and they are crowned. It also has ten horns or powers. It is the beast. How do I know look at the image. Rev 13:1 And he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns, and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.
Now the place that differs is the heads… the dragon has “diadems” and the beast has “names”. The key is in the word diadem also translated crown. But a diadem is not quite a crown. A crown is a badge of rule. A diadem is something bound about the head, like a crown would be but the difference is in the word itself. Strongs Greek #1238 diadēma From a compound of (1223 dia A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal or occasional). In composition it retains the same general import: – after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) . . . fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through (-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general import.) THE CHANNEL OF AN ACT THROUGH, and (1210 deō A primary verb; to bind (in various applications, literally or figuratively): – bind, be in bonds, knit, tie, wind.; a “diadem” (as bound about the head): – crown. Bound unto… a channel of an act through something bound onto. Now compared to stephanos this could be a writing like… names of blasphemy. Now blasphemy is an interesting thing. It is basically in this context titles belonging to the Holy Spirit. Of the Godhead the only one blasphemed whose blasphemy of is unforgivable is that of the Holy Spirit. So there would be seven names of Him on the dragon’s heads. These then quite possibly are the names: Isa 11:2 And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah.
You see that concept of rest upon Him was in that it rested upon and in Jesus but quite literally it will “rest” UPON the heads of the DRAGON. But these are not the real Spirit but the titles. So it will look like Jesus but not be Jesus…. This is important. Blasphemy also is in ascribing to God that which is not His. The dragon is the “power” of the BEAST. The dragon’s Diadems are the Beast’s names. The Dragon is deposed and the Beast rises. See the connection? Back to the woman.

Rev 12:4 And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child.

In a very real sense this “woman” has been in the presence of the Dragon for a long time. He would be the roaring lion seek whom he may devour (1Pet 5:8) (Devil, Dragon, Serpent, Satan, Lion who devours souls; are all the same entity)

Rev 12:5 And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne.

This man child is the mature Body of Christ. This is not a harpazo but a sign. It is a spiritual event the same as the horsemen. This is the “he shall be My Son” manchild. Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. This is that which overcomes. This is where the power comes in for the bride and yet she delivers and then…

Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Here also Jesus spoke of taking us to a “place prepared”… he would come again to take them to the “place prepared” In the wilderness. The word here for wilderness is Strongs Greek # 2048 erēmos Of uncertain affinity; lonesome, that is, (by implication) waste (usually as a noun,(5561 chōra Feminine of a derivative of the base of (5490 chasma From a form of an obsolete primary “chao” (to “gape” or “yawn”); a “chasm” or vacancy (impassable interval): – gulf.) through the idea of empty expanse; room, that is, a space of territory (more or less extensive; often including its inhabitants): – coast, county, fields, grounds, land, region. being implied): – desert, desolate, solitary, wilderness.
This matches the Hebrew concept of wilderness or place of desolation. In other words she is going into hiding. Now if there is a sudden moment in time wherein Christians start disappearing away in droves not to be found but neither are they in heaven then might that presuppose “rapture”? Once again we also have a time stamp. This tells us two events are happening at the same time. Because this time stamp matches Rev 11:3, the Martyrs who prophesy are doing so for 1260 days. The woman is nourished for 1260 days. They are together. This would mean that Apollyon is still around and maybe even the locusts. It also means the Beast is about to rise. This is the Church Purified in Persecution and Trial and Tribulations and Patience has had its “perfect work”

Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels;
Rev 12:8 And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.

You see the transition? The Beast is defeated and there are the names… and his angels are cast down with him… there are your stars that the tail is dragging down. Notice the next statement.
Rev 12:10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night.
Now is come salvation because the Accuser is cast down… but when the seventh trump blew we hears a different statement..: Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign forever and ever. It is in this immediacy of the Kingdom becoming of YHVH and His Christ that Salvation, power and the Kingdom and Authority of YHVH and His Christ comes….
This is a really twisted knot to unravel. I could be wrong but here is the way the test lays, in my humble estimation. The trump sounds and birth takes place…. These are both spiritual. The witnesses testify and the woman hides out and a temple is built. These are all events on Earth. The statements made come almost one on top of the other. If it does and I am right in what I see here then the statement come together or very nearly so. “, The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign forever and ever. Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. ..”

Rev 12:11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death.
Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.
Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child.
Rev 12:14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Here’s the next clue of a possible harpazo. Wings of a great eagle…. Isa 40:31 but they that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.
Is this harpazo, rapture, or something much greater in a way? This might be a gloriously empowered church triumphant. This might be the invisible church separated from the visible church? Also we now know the identity of the times time and half and time… 1260 days! Why? Verse six told us the woman would flee to the place prepared to be nourished for 1260 days and the above verse shows the flight of the woman and reiterates the time stamp as time 1000, times 200, and half a time 60.

Rev 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.
Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Rev 12:17 And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus:

Here again this may be spiritual it may be literal but it is the end of that confrontation and it is because of the fury the dragon has with the woman that he now turns the hose of the considerable anger on the “rest of her seed”. The rest of her seed is not apparently caught up to the throne but is now … on Earth? Who are these? They keep the commandments and have the testimony of Jesus (Spirit of Prophesy) They are also the ones who OVERCOME… Rev 12:11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death. The word testimony or marturia means these are martyrs in a sense, they are saved (Blood of the LAMB) the word of their testimony is the testimony of Jesus (Spirit of Prophesy) and loving not their lives to the death or resistant to blood. You see I told you even after all this there is the presence of the Church, possibly the visible church. So the beast/ dragon makes war on the saints… where is this also found? Daniel. In fact there is a lot on our nasty Beast in the seventh chapter. But these apply to our war. Dan 7:19 Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was diverse from all of them, exceeding terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;
Dan 7:20 and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows.
Dan 7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

It prevails against the saints…. The sanctified ones. This is not a part of Alexander the Great, the Ptolemy and Seleucid wars, or the Maccabees. That is clearly outlined but the images converge. In the same venue as an Alexander or an Antiochus or even a Hitler, is the Beast. Yet even though he prevails against the saints to kill them bodily they overcome him in resistance unto blood.

 

The Seventh Trump; The Last Trump of God Pt 1

Tags

Christ, God, last trump, revelation

Now this is just two of three and this is the sixth trumpet blast. Now come the “last trump” recorded in scripture.

Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign forever and ever.

Look at this. The last trump brings out this declaration. In the King James it says Kingdoms but in the American Standard Version it’s kingdom. That word Basilea does not connote a plural use or a singular use but maybe more correctly is understood as realm of rule. In other words, the realm or nations or rule are now become… Also the way the scripture has it seems to add the words “the kingdom” of our LORD. Read like this: the realm of rule of the world is now become “of our LORD and His Christ” makes more sense. In other words this is a declaration of intent to set up dominion. Now contrast this please to the first horseman who sat astride his mighty white horse and has his weapon and possibly brandished it with much fuss and rode forth overcoming to overcome and this simple statement from “great voices” (or is it very loud voices?) in the heavens. Ouranos which is the Greek word used here (Strongs Greek #3772) literally means the sky, indicating elevation, so then from up on high in the sky this really loud statement rings out and there is no rider… no bow… no white horse.. not yet at any rate. Now this is interesting because we see this in the New Testament many times and in almost only one place; the Gospels. (Matt 3:17, Mk 1:11, Lk 3:22, Jn 12:28,) It does appear one in the book of Acts to Peter in his vision. (Acts 11:9) But for the most part this is God the Father bearing witness to His Son. This is God the Holy Spirit making the declarative announcement on behalf of the Father and the Son, note the language of our Lord AND His Christ or Messiah. You might just be able to juxtapose it this way, “of our LORD or YHVH and His Anointed One. However you look at it note one thing, Christ is NOT on Earth. But there will now come a pretender wont there?

Rev 11:16 And the four and twenty elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces and worshipped God,
Rev 11:17 saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast; because thou hast taken thy great power, and didst reign.
Rev 11:18 And the nations were wroth, and thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them that destroy the earth.

“That destroy the Earth” One might think of this as industrialists and their waste or loggers deforesting or strip miners or litterbugs or illegal chemical dumping or the many manifold issues of this post industrial world we live in but you might be wrong. If you look on this book alone and see the destruction of ecosystems and land and sea with them, it is the UNREPENTANT ones who are the “destroyers of the Earth”, all this comes on them. It is time to destroy the destroyers of the Earth… It is quite possible where in this begins the “day of the wrath of God” but… the church is still here. So far beyond the taking up of the witnesses do you see any splitting of the Eastern Sky or harpezo or anything? I don’t.

Rev 11:19 And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven; and there was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant; and there followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Now can we see this or is this confined just to heaven itself? We can see however another earthquake to go along with the one that rocked and devastated one tenth of Jerusalem, and “great” or big hail. The lightening and thunder might mask “voices” from on high but suffice it to say another major storm has just hit.
I also want my readers to understand the vastness of this planet and what it can take and there would still be some form of civilization. In fact the whole mess might be confined in some ways and adjusted to in others. Does it not say that men remained UNREPENTANT?

A lot is happening in this last Trump so this will be in parts.

The Sixth Trump

Tags

byzantine, cherub, euprhates, fire, grecian, John, revelation, sulfur

Rev 9:12 The first Woe is past: behold, there come yet two Woes hereafter.

Rev 9:13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Rev 9:14 one saying to the sixth angel that had one trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates.
Rev 9:15 And the four angels were loosed, that had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, that they should kill the third part of men.

Now there is no other mention of angels binding the river Euphrates in scripture, but their loosing causes one third of the global populace to be sacrificed. This is on top of the one quarter previously lost in the seals. When angels were bound to the river Euphrates is up for grabs as it doesn’t come up in scripture at all. It has been speculated that perhaps there was a race of humanity before Adam and Eve, in the time when the Anointed Cherub who covers was still a cherub. I don’t know and since it’s not in scripture it may not be for us to know. However look at how they kill off one third of the populace or of an army. My guess is very vague and it comes from this verse. Isa 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the fire of coals, and bringeth forth a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. (Incidentally this may be where pagans see God as Zeus. Think about it. A smith that blows the fire of coals would have been Hephaestus.) But it is the concept of a “waster” These may be actual angels created for one purpose… to gather an immense armada of men to a war. These are 2 million soldiers on a battlefield. You see now why I theorize that the death toll may be of these men. However it can just as easily be that in loosing these angels they go to the four quarters of the earth and cause the loss of one third more of an already depleting populace.

Rev 9:16 And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand: I heard the number of them.

By the way in the times of John the apostle and before, the concept of one million was inconceivable. Several thousand was big and 2 or 3 hundred thousand was considered a vast army. One needs to keep in mind that most combat was close quarter or bow shot. But this isn’t all they used. In the Byzantine era the Greeks had a clinging water proof fire that was blsted through nozzles as it were. “Siphon”(s) is what they were called and it sprayed this liquid fire also known as nafta to others or naft as far as the forces of Saladin knew it. People who used this stuff and its equipment were actually highly trained. Might this be what John saw? Still and all, John is describing what he is seeing in a way that might make sense to the readers of his day. It is unclear to me whether or not this was used in John’s day.

Rev 9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone: and the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceedeth fire and smoke and brimstone.
Rev 9:18 By these three plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone, which proceeded out of their mouths.
Rev 9:19 For the power of the horses is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails are like unto serpents, and have heads; and with them they hurt.

At first glance with the English indication the possibility of multiple armies one would think this to be a localized matter, roughly three hundred thousand soldiers fall on some distant battle field somewhere, but you would be wrong.  In scripture if there is a war the armies are named, it’s always so and so against so and so and the armies clashed and there was blood and so and so’s army won the day.  But in this there is no named army it’s just a group of two million armored combatants and they are on a mission.  Also in scripture where there are battles the places are named.  So and so and so and so fought at such and such place and there was much blood and so and so’s army not only won the day but took the other guy’s lands. But this is not like that.  There are no other indicators but this massive array of men.  Now in a global populace of right now seven billion depleted already once and being steadily affected by all the goings on there are still a few billion souls out there…  and this massive army, and it is one army, or rather it’s one group on one mission, broken up into smaller groups that gives the appearance of multiple armies.  Now this takes on a much more ominous image.  Four angels over perhaps four groups heading our perhaps to the four quadrants of the Earth and the casualties will amount to one third the world populace.  Or it could be roughly three hundred thousand soldiers on a battle field.  Those who died were either immolated, died of smoke, inhalation or brimstone… which is classified as SULFER. Is it possible that a Grecian fire or a form of napalm could be deployed and it would have come from the mouth of the war “horses”. Once again I am taken back to the Byzantine era wherein Alexios emperor of the Byzantine era mounted these heads like unto lions on his naval armada ships and up at the front (bow) of the vessel he had the “Grecian Fire” machinery. Whatever was used as a boiler and a pressurization; then the mechanisms to feed the liquid up and out of the vessel via tubes of brass tucked into the open jaws of the “lion head” in order to fire the stream under pressure at oncoming boats. Today we might use a tank with napalm spraying technology…??? But on horseback? They also have…. Tails. They can hurt with their tails as well… or fire off the same stuff from the rear. The “tails” have “heads” or nozzles or firing mechanisms and they “hurt” or inflict casualties, as well.

Rev 9:20 And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk:
Rev 9:21 and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

Now once again there is much speculation as to the type of weapon used here or what is happening at this time. Is it localized or global? And if we are here are we prey as well? Can you see this as an “INDIGNATION”? Can you see us hiding out? Would you seriously want to come out at this moment from hiding? I wouldn’t. You might wonder how we would live in a time like this. It’s quite possible that God feeds us like He did the Israelites, bread and water.

Now this chapter appears to be a break in the vision as the word is given to John but there are lots of little things here.

Rev 10:1 And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, arrayed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire;
Rev 10:2 and he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth;
Rev 10:3 and he cried with a great voice, as a lion roareth: and when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices.
Rev 10:4 And when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

Once again we have a seal up… like Daniel… (Dan 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

Dan 12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my lord, what shall be the issue of these things?
Dan 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end. )

Rev 10:5 And the angel that I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven,
Rev 10:6 and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be delay no longer:
Rev 10:7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery of God, according to the good tidings which he declared to his servants the prophets.

Now this is going to be an announcement that goes with Revelation 11:5.

Rev 10:8 And the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard it again speaking with me, and saying, Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel that standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
Rev 10:9 And I went unto the angel, saying unto him that he should give me the little book. And he saith unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and when I had eaten it, my belly was made bitter.
Rev 10:11 And they say unto me, Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.

This is quite possibly so that he would remember the vision and be able to have it scribed properly. John was also being told he would be leaving Patmos. The only other prophet to ever have this happen was Ezekiel (3:1-3) similarly Ezekiel was told he would go and preach to the nation of Israel in the midst of the Babylonian Diaspora.

Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and one said, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Rev 11:2 And the court which is without the temple leave without, and measure it not; for it hath been given unto the nations: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Many people refer to this as Ezekiel’s temple. From Ezek 40:1 -47:12 The dimensions are very specific and one could quite possibly build a temple from it. There is only one change here… no outer court. Many have said that this change makes it possible for this Temple pattern and the Al Aqsa Mosque to exist side by side. You are entitled to your opinions on this but suffice it to say there will be a place of worship that is ultimately defiled.

In Daniel there is reference to a Temple with moat built in troublesome times.  Jeremiah also mentions a rebuilding of Temple. These are not the same. Jeremiah’s little Temple from the King’s allotment and budget as it were was built in the days of Zerubbabel. Daniel’s Temple seems to be much more than this.  I put to you that in the Roman occupation, an exceeding troublesome time; Herod the Great had a second “façade” built over the smaller Second Temple thus enlarging it and causing it to take on a grandeur that rivaled that of Solomon.  This may the Temple to which Daniel refers.  This is because for the most part, as we will see in the post called Timing, Daniel is looking down a corridor of time to the day of Jesus Christ. John’s Temple cannot be Herod’s for by the time of the writing of his book, I believe, the Second Temple was already burned.  If no then it was already in place. Moreover Jesus cleared out what was called Herod’s Bazaar, so there was an outer court of the Gentiles.  This leaves only one Temple, the one in Ezekiel that DOES NOT have an outer court.

Rev 11:3 And I will give unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks, standing before the Lord of the earth.

This is a direct reference to Zechariah’s vision. Zec 4:12 And I answered the second time, and said unto him, What are these two olive-branches, which are beside the two golden spouts, that empty the golden oil out of themselves?
Zec 4:13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these are? And I said, No, my lord.
Zec 4:14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

There is, it would seem, no other reference this specific in all of scripture but these two. When I looked up this verse in the KJV+ which uses the Strongs number system I found that the word oil might have been added… though the word for golden does indicate oil. But it more strictly means shimmer or golden color … or… shekinah glory. What if our witnesses are cloaked in the Glory of the LORD and He manifests fire defenses for them to “devour” their enemies or those who might try to manhandle them to shut them up. They can add to the devastation by striking the planet with whatever plague they like as often as they like… and they are testifying for 1260 days. (Please don’t think in terms of a day is as a thousand years with the LORD, the planet itself wouldn’t survive an assault lasting that long.)

Rev 11:5 And if any man desireth to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies; and if any man shall desire to hurt them, in this manner must he be killed.
Rev 11:6 These have the power to shut the heaven, that it rain not during the days of their prophecy: and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they shall desire.
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.

Wait… Abaddon has a war with the Two Marytyrs? What other beast would rise from the pit? Certainly not the one in Revelation 13. Is Apollyon a real person or … a really big bug. Until it happens we can only speculate but it would appear that the venom of this tail has a specific mark… the martyrs… Meanwhile people are dealing with a ruined ecosystem and global chaos which is ensuing. You have to see that society is still here in the midst of all this!

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

Jerusalem is our city and here is the reference. Jer 23:14  In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies; and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. 
Rev 11:9 And from among the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations do men look upon their dead bodies three days and a half, and suffer not their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
Rev 11:10 And they that dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and make merry; and they shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth.

Such was the rhetoric of these two witnesses that the whole world was having a Christmas or at least a Yule tide and giving gifts to each other…. In that they could have any to give. It is amazing to me that there is a civilization left at this point and a economy able to allow people to give gifts!

Rev 11:11 And after the three days and a half the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them that beheld them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they went up into heaven in the cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

Two witnesses or MARTYRS who will prophesy for and exact amount of time and be killed and resurrected and … caught up? Or is this more in line with the way Elijah left the Earth?

Rev 11:13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell; and there were killed in the earthquake seven thousand persons: and the rest were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Here is the massive quake and its death toll is specific.

Rev 11:14 The second Woe is past: behold, the third Woe cometh quickly.

Third Fourth and Fifth Trumps

Tags

angel, death, locusts, revelation, smoke, star, wormwood

Rev 8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of the waters;
Rev 8:11 and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

Now the star whose name is wormwood deals is blow to the potable waters, rendering them poisonous to all who drink them.
Could this also be part of the censor or something else? Either way, it causes the water table to be contaminated, and the water takes on an acrid stench and is acidic to drink causing great gastric discomfort. It could be radioactive.

Rev 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; that the third part of them should be darkened, and the day should not shine for the third part of it, and the night in like manner.

Wait now we had this once already in the Seals when the quake hit. The occlusion of the sun and moon might have been cause from a volcano but this seems to be the direct result of a catastrophic explosion of sorts. But where do we find this described in connection with a second coming?

Mat 24:29 But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

But is this the time? One would most certainly say this is it the last trump has sounded but it ISN’T the last trump. Yet all this has happened now. Either way time itself will be effected or rather the perception of time. We perceive the day not by our clocks as much as by the sun in the sky and the moon in the sky but if for one third of the day and night we see nothing… that will be very disorienting. Yet this is NOT the last trump.

Rev 8:13 And I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to sound.

If we as Believers were starting to try to come out hiding and gather for an harpezo this eagle flying in the sky above with the message of warning might dissuade us.

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth: and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss.

Now there are a lot of opinions on what this is. It may be an asteroid strike. The word used for star is aster which is quite literally a star and not the Greek word for messenger. But this “aster” has a “key” and the word which the Greek uses quite literally is key. This “aster” opens an bottomless pit or abyss. So now is this an entity or a strike? Is this a rock from space or some last debris from the great event that caused the Tectonic Plate Shift in Seal Six. If this were so then perhaps it strikes with enough force to “open” the ground in a extremely deep hole (hence the pit) it might now have some contaminant that causes a swarm of locust to mutate. Who knows? It could be a spiritual thing. But the locusts who come up from there don’t eat the green like they should and they don’t look like normal locusts and normal locusts do have a sort of tail and it is possible something could mutate it to be more of a stinger like a scorpion, or more like a bee or wasp.

Rev 9:2 And he opened the pit of the abyss; and there went up a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Once again this could be some form of asteroid or meteor strike. For certain there would be a lot of smoke or ash and the atmosphere might be locally darkened.

Rev 9:3 And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Rev 9:4 And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads.
Rev 9:5 And it was given them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it striketh a man.
Rev 9:6 And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them.

This however is unusual. It’s almost as if death takes a cruel holiday from sufferers of this locust sting? What comes to my mind is “death where is your STING?” This sting is like a scorpion’s sting which is not unto death but excruciatingly painful. From http://members.tripod.com/~c_kianwee/signs.htm, I was able to get this list of symptoms for a scorpion sting.
Possible local effects are :
1) Pain at the site of sting. Some species causes unspeakable pain I heard. (100% victims of Tityus spp experience pain)
2) Itchiness. (usually masked by pain)
3) Slight to medium swelling
4) Slight bleeding (rare and most likely not related to toxin as only Heterometrus scaber seems to have hemolytic components)
As most scorpion venom is of neurotoxin type, systemic effect is more to be expected.
Early systemic effects includes:
1) Sweating
2) Pallor (paleness of skin)
3) Tachypnea ( fast breathing )
4) tachycardia (fast heart beat)
5) hypertension (heightened blood pressure)
6) salivation (uncontrolled saliva production) with frothy sputum
7) respiratory wheezing
8) stridor (high pitch respiration sound)
9) blurred vision
10)roving eye movement
11)oculogyric crisis (cannot control eye movement)
12)slurred speech
13)dysphagia (cannot swallow properly)
14)pharyngeal spasm (cannot control much of the mouth)
15)drowsiness
Ok so this form of problematic stuff goes on for 5 months! This is very severe and yet it apparently is not life threatening and you can’t escape this by dying. It is apparently bad enough that people will want to suicide and be unable to die.

Rev 9:7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men’s faces.
Rev 9:8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
Rev 9:9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war.
Rev 9:10 And they have tails like unto scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men five months.
Rev 9:11 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he hath the name Apollyon.

This is all the result of a single trumpet blast. But if you go back to the Exodus we have seen hail fire blood and now a form of pestilence and darkness. Why these would be the PLAGUES! I also want to point out that at this point there is discrimination between things. Rev 9:4 And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads. Wait…. The seal of God was only for the 144000 from each tribe… The hurting not of the grass or green living thing means it isn’t meant for the planet itself but the people on it. Did we, if we were not the ones in Tabernacles waiving palm branches, receive a seal on our foreheads? No… we did not. But it is not unto death, the sufferer would merely wish they could die. There have been many speculations as to what these things are…. In fact they might just actually be a bug in that they are called locusts.

In looking at the pictures on the internet I see the locust types of John’s description. A horse prepared for war will have a helm much like the “armored” head of the locust in its exoskeleton. The Skeleton also covers the front “chest” and the roar of a swarm is very much the sound of the chariot wheel and the hooves of horses. Normally locusts means destruction of green things but these are “Told” not to go after the green. Locusts also have a tail. That tail could have a venomous stinger in it, much like a wasp or bee. As to the teeth my best guess is to look at what has preceded. We have had two ecosystems devastated and one of which was altered by the “wormwood” This may be either a locust that was deep underground that mutated or we have in the midst a locust like no other. The King of these is the “angel of the abyss”

This abyss is also a real mystery. When the astera comes and has the key or reaction to “open” or “unlock” the “pit” one has to wonder what is this pit. When opened smoke comes pouring forth and the sun and the air are DARKENED. This would be like ash perhaps? The sun would be further occluded and the air would be choked with a plume cloud. Could there be a volcano with a mutated locust type? There is as yet no “beast”.

Trumps One and Two

Tags

blood, corintheans, eathquake, God, Jesus, mountain, revelation, sea, thessalonians, trumps

Now after the silence things heat up and speed up and get far worse than that first set of whatever you want to call it. To me its would appear to be declarations or the releases of the judgment cycle. From here till at least chapter fourteen its all about seven trumps. Now I want you all to keep in mind this: 1Th 4:13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
1Th 4:17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
And this:
1Co 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Folks the last trump is the last trump. The word trump is Strongs Greek #4536 salpigx Perhaps from (#4535 salos Probably from the base of (#4525 sainō Akin to (#4579 seiō Apparently a primary verb; to rock (vibrate, properly sideways or to and fro), that is, (generally) to agitate (in any direction; cause to tremble); figuratively to throw into a tremor (of fear or concern): – move, quake, shake.); to wag (as a dog its tail fawningly), that is, (generally) to shake (figuratively disturb): – move.) ; a vibration, that is, (specifically) billow: – wave. (through the idea of quavering or reverberation); a trumpet: – trump (-et).)

In Revelation the word used for trumpet is Strongs Greek# 4536 salpigx. So when it says last it quite literally means last trump. So now then if there is any harpezo, and scripture appears to indicate that there is, wherever in the last book we find both a last trump and a archangel shouting whatever is tied to those two things should be a form of this harpezo. But before that one sounds, there are six to endure. For what we most likely will be receiving may the LORD make us to be truly grateful for all He grants us.
Rev 8:7 And the first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

This come hard and fast and the impression is that it comes one right after the next to a stopping point. But let’s look at this. So far we have had economic destabilization and there is social unrest in response. Crime is sky high and there may not be a police force much to handle it all. In these conditions at least in this Nation of the USA we would be under Martial Law and a Military State would most likely occur in other nations where this is happening. Not to mention the massive and devastating Quake that has so shifted the planet so at to cause every mountain and island to move or flee out of known positions. We have lost one quarter of our population and it may be a global geopolitical mess. Now out of nowhere a rain of hail and fire mingled with blood that burns up one third of the trees and grass on the face of the planet. Do we recall the last thing that happened was an angel filled a censor with fire and flung to Earth? Now when we here in the USA think of hail we think of water pellets or large irregular balls of ice pelting. But this isn’t … ice, is it? Is it? I looked on the internet and found nothing (of course maybe my internet skills leave much to be desired) on the concept of what would cause hail with fire. My best educated guess is that this ice traps a flammable gas in formation that as it falls and friction melts it, there is a fiery ball and this is mingled with… blood. The effect is to cause out of control forest and grassland fires. But the effect of the loss of 1/3 our green vegetation and forests is to cause our air quality to plummet.

Rev 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;

Now we are getting somewhere. This of necessity would have to be the censor. The contents of the brazier have fallen now the burning censor as big as a mountain hits the sea. As it were a great mountain… as it were makes this simile. But the word for mountain is this:Strongs Greek #3735 oros Probably a from an obsolete word orō (to rise or “rear”; perhaps akin to G142; compare G3733); a mountain (as lifting itself above the plain): – hill, mount (-ain). Considering the words otherwise used it is a cross between something that lifts of bears away and something that rears up and flies away. It could actually look like censor which is not like the disc of a scale but rather like a stylize cup or pitcher with three chains on it. This was filled with file and flung. The stuff inside comes first then the item holding the stuff follows. There is clear evidence for this understanding.

Rev 8:9 and there died the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, even they that had life; and the third part of the ships was destroyed.

We now lose both one third of our marine aquatic sea life and one third of the ships in the area of the strike. This is clear evidence for a item cast into the midst of either the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans. Now where these military ships or merchant ships? It doesn’t say but the cost of the ecological disasters is devastating. It could be a combination of both; either way the price of food is about to rise.

The Pause before Round Two

Tags

angel, antiochus, daniel, earth, God, high priest, judgement, mercy seat, revelation

Rev 8:1 And when he opened the seventh seal, there followed a silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

This is like taking the silent breath in and holding it for a moment. This is a poignant pause. We have seen significant happenings here. The sealing of the representative what have you from the tribes which in itself is its own mystery. How on Earth does anyone but God KNOW who these people are and from what lineages and whatever? Only God can do this. There is if you consider this to be like the curses of Deut chapt 28 a good reason for the pause, a time of grace unto repentance. Because when He continues the whole thing ramps up a considerable notch.
If we as believers are in this may we remember who has sent it and BE GRATEFUL.

Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels that stand before God; and there were given unto them seven trumpets.

This is the transition now to the next phase. Formerly we opened the scroll which will contain what? Prophesy Edicts or … could this be DANIEL’S REVELATION. Now I know we all can read the writings of Daniel who is not considered a prophet by Judaism because he did not preach. But he was told to SEAL it unto the time of the end. When we look at Daniel and at History leading from Alexander the Great through to Antiochus Epiphanes, a son of a Seleucid king who wound up be reared in Rome of all places, imbued with Roman culture and mythos and honoring Roman gods, not Seleucid or Macedonian/ Medo-Persian gods, who was extremely contemptible. But when we get to chapter twelve it’s almost as if someone stole out a page. Thus we have these verses which seem out of place with everything else. “Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” ,and “Dan 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end.” Ironically the texts involved seem to be dealing with the final pitched battle of Lucifer and Jesus as it were and the Great White Throne Judgment, or so it is called. That by the way doesn’t happen until after the millennia of rule and the second and final confrontation of Satan and God. Meanwhile the trumps are being distributed.

Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.

Now in this piece of action there are images that converge on each other that call to specific images in the Old and New Testaments. I want to point out first the altar. When Mary discovers that the gardener at the tomb is her Lord she is excited to see Him and I would suppose she might have either tried to detain or to touch Him. He warns her off saying He had not as yet ascended to His Father. Later on He has no problem at all being touched. One the Cross He cries the Greek word “teleo”(Strongs Greek 5055) which can be translated among other things as either finished, executed, complete or paid (Jn 19:30) but is it really? Is the completion of all the work of atonement complete? On the Cross He has taken our place and received unto Himself the out poured wrath of the Father as the sacrifice offered up; but in Hebrews He is the High Priest and the High Priest annually does one thing; he brings the blood to the Mercy Seat.(Heb 9:7) We are told to come boldly to the Throne of Grace to receive mercy and obtain grace in time of need. (Heb 4:16) Can you see the connection here? Jesus had to still come before His God (also His Father) as HIGH PRIEST and pour out that blood or essence or whatever it was HE offered up before the Throne of Grace. You see our atonement is IN His SHED BLOOD and that blood was poured out onto the ground from the cross, and from the whipping post. In that the ground had been our “kinsman redeemer” and was thus cursed for our sakes when His blood hit it, it was cleansed, for He has become our “Kinsman Redeemer” for all time. This is but a few aspects of all that He did for us on the Cross.

Now then In the Earthly tabernacle the golden altar of Incense wherein prayer was made stood before the veil to the Holy of Holies wherein was the ARK. In my opinion it would appear that the Ark and the Throne are seen as one and the same. For us the Ark holds the representations of Christ as Priest King and Apostle/Prophet. In this verse we see the real altar of which the Earthly Tabernacle is but a representation. Interesting, no?
The next image is the angel who pours out incense and “prayers of the saints” this would have to be all the prayers from of all time quite possibly or it could be those who are in the persecution or have been persecuted over the centuries, but whatever prayers it is once its offered up the censor is refilled. You see the prayer incense thing went up before God from the Angel’s hand.

Rev 8:5 And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth: and there followed thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

What is being cast to Earth now is a response. One heavenly censor of unknown proportions full of fire… and here is thunder voices lightening and an earthquake… wait didn’t we just have a massive quake? Well its either an aftershock or another or it could be that in the economy of the book itself certain things tend to wrap together. It could be that this is the quake of the seals that is so devastating. I tend to doubt it but no one got the Incarnation right so how are we to know the actual real time truth of this book? All that is in this study could be nothing more than pure speculation. I hope there is revelation instead. My thought is that this could be aftershocks. Remember a Tectonic plate shift on a global scale will most certainly have aftershocks and then there is the matter of a censor from heaven manifested as (what?) hitting the Earth from whatever angle and its spilling fire. Oh now that will most certainly cause yet another round of shaking. Scripture sits silent as to the things the voices said.

Rev 8:6 And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

Round two is about to commence.

Between Seals and Trumps: The Markout Pt 2

Tags

markout, revelation, seal, sealed, thousand, tribes

Rev 7:2 And I saw another angel ascend from the sunrising, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a great voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Rev 7:3 saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

Remember the four angels restraining wind? They are “given” to “hurt” the Earth and sea.
Given Strongs Greek #1325 didōmi A prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternate in most of the tenses); to give (used in a very wide application, properly or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection): – adventure, bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister, number, offer, have power, put, receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand), strike (+ with the palm of the hand), suffer, take, utter, yield.
Give, have power, commit, bestow; are all English words we can use for this Greek one. The Greek word for hurt we have seen before. Rev 6:6 “…A measure of wheat for a shilling, and three measures of barley for a shilling; and the oil and the wine hurt thou not…” This is adikeo, to do unjustly as it were. Once restrained, look out, they will be hurting the Earth and the sea. You see they are “restrained” until the sealing of 144000 people is completed.

Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them that were sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel:
Rev 7:5 Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand: Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand;
Rev 7:6 Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand;
Rev 7:7 Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand;
Rev 7:8 Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

There are many opinions about these people. But one thing is for certain, somehow there has been found 12000 people that are “certified from every tribe” There is more on these “sealies” but it is later on down the scriptural road. I will weigh into the opinion pool on these tribesmen. They may actually be “rotas” of priests for the New Jerusalem which is perhaps a massive Temple so big that it is a city.

Rev 7:9 After these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10 and they cry with a great voice, saying, Salvation unto our God who sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Rev 7:11 And all the angels were standing round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 7:12 saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These that are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and whence came they?
Rev 7:14 And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they that come of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

This is another passage that has a lot of revue. Pretrib rapturists suggest this is the raptured church. The problem with the statement is found, 1Cor 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1Thes 4:16, For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;… Now folks.. the last trump is the last trump. Yes the language speaks of those coming out of the great tribulation. But in the fifth seal there were the souls of those martyred up and they were given WHITE ROBES. These people may well be those who were the reason for the celebration.
So let’s revisit these verses: Rev 6:9 And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled their course.
“…should fulfill their course” Do you know how many people over the three thousand years period or so that have died for the faith? It would form an endless sea of people.

Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God; and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them.
Rev 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat:
Rev 7:17 for the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.

This is more evidence of a mass of martyrs. The pain and the suffrage these souls went through and this is the reward.
This is what Jesus said about persecution and suffering for His sake or for righteousness sake; Mat 5:10 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.

It doesn’t make the pain any less though. Suffering in any form takes its toll but this is … healing. These may very well be all martyrs or those who were persecuted, suggesting there is a class here of those in this position. One more thing, you see the image of the white robed carrying PALM BRANCHES. “…arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands; …” There is but one feast that has this plant before the Living God in any form of a temple. Feast of Tabernacles. They will be waving those branches and singing, “Salvation be unto Him who sits on the Throne and unto the LAMB.” Now the Priests did this in the feast in the Temple days. They circuited the altar with the branches in hand and they sang psalms 113 – 118 also known as the Hallel. This is new…. The only thing approaching this verse is the plea to “save now Oh God”. Now these are also priests of a sort. 7:15 …”and they serve Him night and day IN HIS TEMPLE…” now certainly we are the TEMPLE of the Living God not made by human hands, and we are framing into a building each one of us fitly framed each joint supplying (1 Cor 3:16, 6:19, 2 Cor 5:1, Eph 2:21, Eph 4:16) so, yes, that’s one way to look at it but it is also peculiar of the City to come the Bride of Christ the New Jerusalem, the LAMB dwells there it is called Jerusalem so it will be in Israel in the land given to them in perpetuum. It could also be “both and”. Nevertheless these are priests in Tabernacles.

Between seal and trump: The Markout Pt 1

Tags

angels, God, greeek, holy spirit, Lord, revelation, seal, winds, zechariah

Rev 7:1 After his I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow on the earth, or on the sea, or upon any tree.

Now I read this and my mind recalls another passage in the Old Testament wherein is mention of the four winds of heaven.
Zec 6:1 And again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
Zec 6:2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
Zec 6:3 and in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grizzled strong horses.
Zec 6:4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?
Zec 6:5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four winds of heaven, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
This is what they did; Zech 6:7… Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. This is a vision the God is speaking to Zechariah the prophet through. Scripture seems to indicate that it is these “winds” that are now “restrained” The Hebrew word used for winds is Ruach or wind or spirit. They might not be blowing winds and that kind of meteorological thing doesn’t seem to be what is spoken of here. In the Revelation the word sounds more meteorological. Strongs Greek #417 anemos From the base of (#109 aēr From aēmi (to breathe unconsciously, that is, respire; by analogy to blow); “air” (as naturally circumambient): – air. ); wind; (plural) by implication (the four) quarters (of the earth): – wind. So these winds are not Zechariah’s winds are they? Suffice to say, it will be quite stifling while what happens next is going on.

The next thing we see is interesting and there are many opinions on it. The seal mentioned in 7:2 is just that, a seal. Strongs Greek #4973 sphragis Probably strengthened from (5420 phrassō Apparently a strengthened form of the base of (5424 phrēn Probably from an obsolete phraō (to rein in or curb; compare( 5420 phrasso (see above)); the midrif (as a partition of the body), that is, (figuratively and by implication of sympathy) the feelings (or sensitive nature; by extension [also in the plural] the mind or cognitive faculties): – understanding.); to fence or inclose, that is, (specifically) to block up (figuratively to silence): – stop.); a signet (as fencing in or protecting from misappropriation); by implication the stamp impressed (as a mark of privacy, or genuineness), literally or figuratively: – seal.

Usually we think of a seal as a mark or a sign of authority but this seems to be a mark of protection and maybe even a means of preservation until the time for use has come. From the “sunrising” or anatole helios in the Greek. Some translations just say East, but it is the particular direction of from the “sunrising” which might typify where in the East the angel ascends. This just might thought also be a moot point. So from the East comes and angel bearing on his person the “sphragis” or seal of the Living God. Now that’s really impressive. We know we are sealed unto the day of our full redemption (bodily) by the Holy Spirit. But I gather this is a different seal.