The Harlot Revealed: Part One

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adultery, blood, fornication, harlot, martyrs, saints, whore, wine

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls, and spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters;

Rev 17:2  with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and they that dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her fornication.

Rev 17:3  And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness: and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication,

Rev 17:5  and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Goodness gracious who is this woman?  Well she is the Apostate Church.  One question you may ask is why the Church is prefigured as a Bride, as female like Israel of old.  Because if you looked at the Mount Sinai Covenant through Moses and think it through you will quickly see that this is very much a marriage contract between Creator and created and CHOSEN.  She is His Property, she is in the recipient position to receive all He wills to pour out and lavish upon her.  Hence the Apostate church, like Israel when she rejected God to go after other gods, is also female.  If you read the Prophets especially Hosea whose wife was an ex-prostitute whose tendency was to from time to time go back and do a little trade.  This is the Adultery and Idolatry of which God grieved over quite often in the Old Testament and it is a rejection of Jesus and these are those of whom Jude speaks, they look impressive and promising but they are nothing, but a sham.  Now lets look at the symbolic dynamic of the Beast and the Woman.  The beast is Scarlet colored.  We find scarlet as a color is the Old Testament verse. Isa 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Interestingly enough I have also found this verse which beautifully explains the Whore to a T. Jer 4:30  And thou, when thou art made desolate, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with scarlet, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou enlargest thine eyes with paint, in vain dost thou make thyself fair; thy lovers despise thee, they seek thy life.   Jeremiah is talking about Jerusalem in this passage.  It is amazing how this description so matches the one in Revelation.  What was it about Jerusalem which especially angered God when she sinned?  It was the place where the Temple Mount lay and by extension then the City of the Great King and the Place where He chose to put His name.  His Name…. His good name is being assaulted by the conduct of this City. How might you feel if those who represented your good name dragged it through the mud by poor representation?  You might consider a lawyer and filing suit for liable, or slander, I would.  This is mildly put how He feels.  But He doesn’t use lawyers …. He just gets even.  The idea of the scarlet color was only ONE SIN, sexual sin.  In sexual sin you are covenanting in union of bodies with someone else.  In sex this is the ideal for the married couple that “fruit” might be produced.  Its archetype is found in the Covenant of Sinai and the relation of the Church and Christ.  He is supposed to “get into you” by His Spirit in Vital Union.  This is a “seal” or “mark” on the soul of Election. The Fruit is that of the Holy Spirit. (Gal 5)

Hence to have coupled in the sex act with another under the covenant of Marriage and then go and do the same with another partner WHILE THE FIRST LIVES… Please let me be perfectly clear, if the first partner has passed on you are free of that covenant and if you must have another by all means select one UNATTACHED… is considered ADULTERY.

In this act both parties have a function.  He gives of himself to her that she may “bear the fruit”.  She gives of herself to him by ALLOWING HIM TO GIVE UNTO HER.  She furthermore sacrifices herself to him in that she BEARS AND TENDS the fruit TO MATURITY.  In this she lays down HER LIFE.  Now this is marriage.  This is man and wife.  But if she goes and does THIS ACT with another, she is receiving of HIM ALSO. You watch these TV things where DNA tests are done to determine paternity.  They have to do these because she was with MORE THAN ONE and now has MIXED FRUIT.

In legal terms Adultery is considered BREACH OF CONTRACT.  It can result in the prior contract being rendered null and void and terminated.  This is the problem with God, in that under the terms of His contract, you are blessed. Breach it and the blessing stops.  Moreover because He has invested Himself into you there is the matter of the heart to be considered.  SO then our Harlot is riding a Scarlet Beast.  If you look at the description of the Beast you will note that you have seen this before.  The last time you saw it; it was red as in FIRE.  The color of the Beast represented the Fire of the Holy Spirit or the Flame of Yah as He is called.  This is false fire or false anointing or what have you. Now we see the Scarlet.  The scarlet represents a false UNION.  He who is counterfeit Fire and Union or Anointing and Covenant has astride him a woman.  She is arrayed in Purple.  Now purple is an important color in scripture.  In the era of this book the color purple still stood for wealth, status, prestige, importance, blessing, authority, and power.  It is all about the temporal and Earthly things.  Right now in the church in North America there is a teaching about Prosperity.  This Prosperity Doctrine has more to do with how the materially benefit by pressing the Covenant with God than by living within the confines of the Covenant itself.  This is the Purple.  Wearing the Purple meant you were a person of means and influence.  You were somebody, and you were going places and making your mark in the World, whereas Jesus who was somebody made Himself of NO REPUTATION.  She is also arrayed in Scarlet which indicated her relationship to the Beast she rides as “Being His”.  She is decked with GOLD, PRECIOUS STONES and PEARLS. Gold represents the immutability and divinity of God, Precious Stones represent the works wrought in obedience by the Holy Spirit in and through the life of the Believer, for which they are rewarded at Judgment; and the pearl represents the Savior. She has the complete look of the counterfeit Church, just as on the outside Israel in sin looked nice and clean. In her hand is a cup. It is GOLD.   This represents again the immutability and Divinity of God.  In the cup is the wine and wine does one thing; it intoxicates.  Wine, in Proverbs is for those who are suffering to make them forget for a while.( Pro 31:6  Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto the bitter in soul: Pro 31:7  Let him drink, and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.)  It is not for Kings BECAUSE it makes them FORGET.  (Pro 31:4  It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes to say, Where is strong drink? Pro 31:5  Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted. ) In that she RIDES the beast or is ASTRIDE the beast it says she is IN CONTROL.  Most of us think the Beast is running the show…. Not true.  The Harlot runs the Beast and this may be the image of the Second Beast with the lambs horns and appearance and the “Dragon Speak”.  In 17:1 -2 it makes mention that this Harlot sits on “many waters” and the kings of the Earth FORNICATE with her.  Now fornication and adultery are not the same. The sex act is but the relationship of the one being acted upon in relation to others is not.  To fornicate with is to commit the act with a UNATTACHED SINGLE person.  (1Co 6:18  Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.) He sins against HIS OWN body.  But the adulterer is BREAKING MARITAL COVENANT.  This means the woman is SINGLE and UNATTACHED though the scarlet she wears identifies her WITH THE BEAST SHE RIDES.  Remember, I said that in riding the Beast it means she is controlling the Beast.  But she sat astride MANY WATERS… the Greek is specific and indicates that this is many as in lots and large quantities or sizes and water as in the element.  But in Biblical Interpretation there are rules and one is that if the Item is not specifically tagged with a person, place or thing name then it means the general area or populace of Earth.  In other words she SAT on all the Peoples of the Earth or she RULES THEM.  She is greed lust licentiousness luxurious indulgence decadence and that sort of thing.  People usually think of that as of the rich, but I can tell you unequivocally that this can apply to the poorest of poor as well. It is a mindset.  Kings committed contractual relations with her… or business wise they “got into bed” with her.  Kings are leaders of business, government, organizations, charities, you name it; if they run it they are KINGS.  Think about it.

Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder.

Now in the cup is blood. Interestingly enough it is not the blood of the prophets of old but the blood of the saints and the martyrs, which brings a fascinating thought to light.  Saints and Martyrs were in the early church in the times of Irenaeus and Polycarp,  considered confessors and witnesses.  The concept was that the Believer was a “mere confessor” whereas those who gave their lives were witnesses, and that was the ideal to aspire to in “giving all” to Him who gave “all” for us.

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The Plagues Commence

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blood, frogs, God, heaven, LAMB, lice, locusts, pestilence, Temple, wrath

Rev 15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God.

Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that come off victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God.

Go back to the first time you see this sea of glass.  Rev 4:6  and before the throne, as it were a sea of glass like a crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. This is the floor of the “Throne Room” so… this is Heaven.  But now we have fire.  We have these who “came off victorious” from the “beast” AND from “his image”  and these have harps.  But let’s look at this fire for a moment.  The Greek indicates that it is literally or figuratively Fire or more specifically, LIGHTENING!  This sounds like energy, power or perhaps a manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the midst of these “victorious” ones?  This makes sense when we consider why they are Victorious.  The Beast and His Image refers to the Beast from the Sea, who is bent on the destruction of the “righteous”.  The image is what the second beast erected and did everything to get everyone to WORSHIP THE FIRST BEAST!  I am reminded of Nebuchadnezzar and his massive golden image and the result of the three Hebrews who would not kneel.  Given the result of the story would you say they “came off victorious” from that situation?  This is the same for how did these get that victory?  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.

These are MARTYRS!  Yet and even now there is no catching away as of yet and now the last Trump has sounded.  But in 14 we did have the reaping of the Earth.  I am reminded of the parable of the wheat and the tares.  The owner of the farmed plot when asked by his servants if they should root up the tares told them to let it be, and that when all was ripe; instruction would be given the REAPERS as to the fact that there was tare in the field and to reap each separately, the tares to the fire and the wheat to the barn.  But it is obvious from the text that these are martyrs.

Rev 15:3  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages.

Rev 15:4  Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all the nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy righteous acts have been made manifest.

Here again is another New Song…  With each group there is a different song. A study to look into which songs each group sings might be fruitful.

It is interesting to note that God does use word play to “clue” the knowledgable reader into His works.  In Deuteronomy 33, Moses is given a song to teach to Israel.  This song is a witness against the nation who would in years to come follow after other gods.  This song like the book we are talking about, is a Suzerain Treaty in format. In it there are actually two names mentioned.  One is Moses and the other is Hoshea, son of Nun.  Now this man will layer turn out to be none other than Joshua, son of Nun.  Now both the names Hoshea and Joshua have a very significant meaning.  Of the names of Jesus we find an etymology.  One of the variants to this is Yaweh Hoshea, another is Yashua or Joshua.  Yeshua is a variant with Greek Iosus from which we finally have the English of Jesus.  Now it is in the Yaweh Hoshea that we really find a meaning. For the meaning of The Lamb’s name is ” Yaweh or Jehovah Saves”.  So then when the verse in Revelation 15 we read the words ” Song of Moses and of The Lamb” we needs to understand that Joshua who will lead the people into the Promise Land is a type of Jesus who leads us into the Eternal Promise of Life… Eternal Life by the Holy Spirit. Hence quite literally we have the actual song!

Rev 15:5  And after these things I saw, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:

Rev 15:6  and there came out from the temple the seven angels that had the seven plagues, arrayed with precious stone, pure and bright, and girt about their breasts with golden girdles.

Now the above verse needs a little explaining.  The words ” precious stone” is translated in older texts as “in linen”.  Now when you consider that if indeed this linen with gold ties or girdling or sashes then the knowledgable will immediately see the priestly attire of angels.  Lest we forget that angels are His ministers too. If then these with containers of plague, are playing a priestly role on the heels of the song of indictment sung by the martyrs, there is only one ceremony that uses white linen.  Once per year a high priest dons white linen and enters into The Presence, with Blood and incense. This is Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement.  Now in this ceremony, an annual covering is provided for sin iniquity defilement et al. But in Jesus, we have permanent covering as it were.  This would be considered a blood ritual.  What we have now is seven angels functioning in a priestly role. This is also a blood ritual.  But this is not a positive thing.  Because the song is testifying against the false church. So now we find the response.  In the Yom Kippur ceremony the priest is all in white.  These angels are sporting gold at the middriff. Gold here might represent The Glory of God.

Rev 15:7  And one of the four living creatures gave unto the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and none was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be finished.

In chapter fourteen the grapes were reaped from the vineyard which we established to be the church.  We have seen in scripture that the “fruit of the vine” is also indicative of the Israel.  In a sense we are the continuation of that nation, spiritually.   Yet these grapes are trod out alone and fill seven cups or containers to be poured out. I had surmised that this was the apostate church.  Yet there is this in Isaiah.

“Isa 5:1  Let me sing for my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

Isa 5:2  and he digged it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

Isa 5:3  And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

Isa 5:4  What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

Isa 5:5  And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

Isa 5:6  and I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor hoed; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

Isa 5:7  For the vineyard of Jehovah of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but, behold, oppression; for righteousness, but, behold, a cry. ”

Now the text does clearly mark the vineyard of this passage as Israel. But we also have Him saying this to us…

“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.”

Now this is admittedly written to Jewish Disciples who in turn form the proto-church.  Lest we forget that what we see today started out as a Jewish community of believers in Jesus and His Disciples.  Yet if we are to understand the pastoral prayer of John chapter seventeen, it tells us that the intercession is not only for His Disciples of the day but for those who would believe because of their word, or Gospel message, and those are us today.  Now Paul picks up this thread in extension in Galatians chapter five with the fruit of the Spirit.

“Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Gal 5:23  meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24  And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.”  What does Jesus say? “ Joh 15:8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and so shall ye be my disciples.”  That we bear much fruit.  The fruit of the VINE.  But just as in the Vineyard of Isaiah’s day there were “wild grapes” that had a bad taste so then there are those whose fruit is that of the Deeds of the Flesh.  A careful read of Paul’s letter to Corinth will tell of a church riddled with problems and deeds of the flesh.  If in that time there were so many problems of morality and ethic and the Apostles were in force in that day, how shall we today be surprised to find pockets of problematic believers in the midst.  Jesus Paul and even Jude spoke of those who would arise after their passing (Jude gives the description of such men) whose sole purpose was to lead astray.  Consider then the grape that is trod out as being that which is not indicative of the Fruit of the Spirit but rather false.  Consider also all these little celebrations and the SONGS being sung.  All that blood is spilled on the ground by those who serve the first beast.  This is what is in those containers.  This is not the Wrath of the Father but of THE LAMB.  You see the LAMB hung and took the wrath and curse of the Father, so that we might have fellowship with the Godhead, as we had once had in the beginning before Adam fell. (Only better)  But this is the wrath now poured out on those who REFUSE TO BELIEVE in the Jesus.  Interestingly enough we do have a list of plagues from Exodus.  Blood, Frogs, Lice, Flies or Gnats, Pestilence, Boils, Hail, Locusts, Darkness, Death of the First born.  Of these it is listed in the next several passages in Chapter sixteen which plagues are contained in the angelic containers.

Now in consideration of pure speculation here.  John sees the Temple and the skies were rolled up like a scroll or boiling clouds way back in the beginning when the seals were being opened. Is it possible that the people of the Earth are now seeing the Temple?  Remember that as far as Earth’s perspective is  it is dark the sun moon and stars are “not giving forth their light” meaning “Not visible” so there is for all parts and practical purposes a pall of cover over the Earth.  However what John sees Prophets in the Old Testament and men in the days of Solomon and Moses saw as well.  The glory of the Lord and the smoke of His presence or rather the Column of Smoke indicative of the very personal visible presence of God (YHVH) or the LAMB is filling the Temple and the doors are shut.  Noone is permitted entrance until the out pouring is complete.

Now there is only one other time when we ever see the Temple doors shut.  It is the Temple in Jerusalem and the time is Yom Kippur.  It is the DAY OF ATONEMENT when the Temple is shut while the High priest enters into the Holy of Holies, to MAKE ATONEMENT for the priesthood and the people.

This is the DAY OF RECKONING wherein recompensure is meted out to each as his deed warrant.  There is no sacrifice being offered for this, no atonement being made for this, but there is the built up iniquity and sin that must now be dealt with.  God measures out to all Creation the finality of judgment and punishment for all that has been done on the Earth and for all the unbelief therein.  Thus we do not get to see God’s reaction.  Also it occurs to include this characteristic of The Father. Hab 1:13  Thou that art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that canst not look on perverseness, wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy peace when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he;

Hab 1:14  and makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

Now in that this is the LAMB’s wrath or so it would seem this could be the Father turning away while the wrath is being poured out.  Just as He turned away when He dealt with our sin in His Son on the Cross.

One last observation here:Rev 15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God.

Please note the end of the sentence.  …”for in them is FINISHED the wrath of God.”  God’s wrath has been poured out many times over all of history.  Israel was delivered in the WRATH of God on Egypt.  Israel was AFFLICTED by the very same wrath when she sinned.  Jesus took the wrath and curse of The Father for the sin and iniquity, et al, of The Elect of God, now it is being recompensed out on those who have rebelled or sided with the Rebel.  This is most likely that of which we have been told we would be spared.  It is most likely precisely this that Rapture Doctrine was conceived to explain.  So far I am not seeing a clear cut Rapture but a lot of Martyrdom.

The Vengeance of The Lamb

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blood, edom, grape, harvest, joel, zion

Rev 14:1  And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads.

Until today I had always thought this was the Lamb returning for those who were sealed.  However this is NOT Olivet.  He is coming to get them.  This goes to show us all that anyone no matter how long they have walked in the Faith can learn. This scene is in heaven…  the key to the understanding is the word Zion or Sion in the Greek.  The Greek word used for mount or mountain is Oros… Strongs # 3735 oros Probably a from an obsolete word ὄρω orō (to rise or “rear”; perhaps akin to (Strongs# 142 airo a primary verb to lift to, by implication, take up or away; figuratively, to raise as in one’s voice.); compare (Strongs #3733 ornis Probably from a prolonged form of the base of Strongs #3735(oros); a bird (as rising in the air), that is, (specifically) a hen (or female domestic fowl): – hen.); a mountain (as lifting itself above the plain): – hill, mount (-ain).

Ironically this word is being used for mountains all through the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.  John the apostle who wrote this had a habit of writing in koine Greek or common tongue Greek hence the word choices.  But the mountain that splits is Olivet … and the Temple stands on “Zion”.  But this Zion is different.  This mount is spoken of by Paul in

Heb 12:22  but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels,

Heb 12:23  to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Heb 12:24  and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel.

Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape who turn away from him that warneth from heaven:

Therefore, these have not been picked up by The Lamb for He hasn’t come yet….  This is not a picture of the Rapture but of celebration in Heaven.  In this understanding now the rest of the text makes sense.

Rev 14:2  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and the voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

The voice of a massive choir….

Rev 14:3  and they sing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders: and no man could learn the song save the hundred and forty and four thousand, even they that had been purchased out of the earth.

If you have been following along, each group we see individually celebrating in heaven, sings a completely different and unique song. Noone else seems to be able to learn their song because it is unique to the group.  So far we have seen the martyrs in white robes, the witnesses three, and now these. These are purchased or REDEEMED.  The Greek word Agorazo means, redeemed but in the terminology of going to market and purchasing.  We in the church like to think of ourselves as the First Fruits…  and then there are the dead who were raised when Jesus arose… and some people see them as “first fruits”  but they are not.  These 144000 virgins from the twelve tribes are the “Bikkarim” or First Fruits.  This in a  way fulfills Hag ha Bikkurim, or Feast of First fruits.  This feast occurs on the third day after the Passover, Pesach which is not the feast of unleavened bread, Hag Matza,.  The problem for most people is that the whole feast time blurs into one.  But it starts with the Passover Seder and the observation of unleavened bread for eight days, but on the second day after Seder it is the THIRD DAY.  On this day not only is there a Resurrection but in Biblical Festive cycle it is also the day when the priests go to the fields and there is a ceremony for the first reaping of the First Fruits.  Lest we forget Jesus is the FIRST BORN of the dead.(Col 1:18)  Interestingly enough if you do a search you will find Jesus is the FIRST BORN not the FIRST FRUIT.  We have the first fruits of the Spirit…(Rom 8:23) but we are also not first fruits. In fact of the Mount Zion scripture we are the “church of the First Born…”(Heb 12:22)  Hence these are His First Fruits…

Rev 14:4  These are they that were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb.

Rev 14:5  And in their mouth was found no lie: they are without blemish.

For whatever reasons and however this has happened, such a complete and thorough work of the Spirit has happened that the above description can be said of these…

Rev 14:6  And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having eternal good tidings to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people;

Midheaven or the sky….  Just so that a certain scripture is literally fulfilled this angel is literally giving the Gospel to every place on Earth.  The Scripture has to do with Jesus second coming…  Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.   

Does this by the way mean that we are not to be instant in season and out to give a reply to any man who asks of us for the hope we have within?  Certainly not.  We are tasked with a commission to BE THE WITNESS as we go out and about or in their case as from the place of the birth of the Church (Jerusalem) concentrically out into Judea and from their (Israel as a land mass) to the uttermost parts of the earth. In fact it was to be preached to everything not just the people.  The nations were to be disciples of The Lord and be taught His ways by the example of our lives and the Gospel we preach.  However in the end God, never to be outdone will always perform the spectacular finish.

Rev 14:7  and he saith with a great voice, Fear God, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.

In this ENDING we see Judgment…  for it is the Ending of the Dispensation of Grace.  God has had grace on His own but now He is dispensing His wrath and judgment on the Earth.

Remember also who is now ON THE EARTH…. Two Beasts… Both working for the Dragon who was cast down by Michael and his hosts.  By the way….  For the general Church there still does not seem to be a Rapture…

One last thing about the Gospel… IT is the Power of God unto Salvation and it is also the statement of judgment.

Joh 3:17  For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.

Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Joh 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.

There is the possible method of preaching the First Angel uses.   Judgment Number One

Rev 14:8  And another, a second angel, followed, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, that hath made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Judgment Number Two…

Now what is the deal with Babylon?  Babylon has fallen at least twice before.  The first Babylon of the Sumerians founded according to Wikipedia around 2000 bc and was ruled by Sumero- Akkadian peoples. It apparently started as a little town and under the auspices of an Amorite dynasty claiming its lineage from the Sumero- Akkadians. (This may explain God’s reaction to the Amorite and ….  Why when the people came into the land of Canaan they are to utterly destroy the Amorite. ) The city became big in its day eclipsing some of the earlier major cities of the region, like Nippur.  But after the death of this king and the fall of his dynasty Babylon fell from its heights and lay under the dominions of the Assyrians Kassites and Elamites.  Then in 608 bc Nebuchadnezzar came and won a victory as an Assyrian wresting the little territory out of its Elamite owners hands and the NeoBabylonian culture was born.  This is the same Nebuchadnezzar Daniel dealt with.  Babylon or Bab el means in the Hebrew “gate of the gods”. In its second heyday it was a major economic player in the world, its hanging garden were one the seven wonders of the world.  This gives you some idea of the prestige and importance of the place called Babylon.  However in this book that name takes on a whole new role and meaning.  As  MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. This will be discussed in greater detail in its chapter. Suffice to say that Babylon has always seemed to have a spiritual significance and its culture and a certain spiritual presence in the Earth.

Rev 14:9  And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, If any man worshippeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand,

Rev 14:10  he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Rev 14:11  and the smoke of their torment goeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and whoso receiveth the mark of his name.

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

This is what the third angel says as he goes about.  One has to both worship the beast AND receive the mark.  Notice the order here.  If you worshipped the beast and had the mark you were condemned.  What if you’re marked against you will? (Can that happen?)  More likely those who are marked will also be those who worship and perhaps see the beast as God.  Who would not want the mark of the Living God on them?  To bad this is NOT the Living God.

Rev 14:13  And I heard the voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.

Rev 14:14  And I saw, and behold, a white cloud; and on the cloud I saw one sitting like unto a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand sharp sickle.

Rev 14:15  And another angel came out from the temple, crying with a great voice to him that sat on the cloud, Send forth thy sickle, and reap: for the hour to reap is come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

Rev 14:16  And he that sat on the cloud cast his sickle upon the earth; and the earth was reaped.

The harvest of the Earth… who is this character who is obviously NOT an angel?  What is this harvest?  Where in the New Testament do we find other reference to this harvest?  One clue is the description “like unto a son of man” or The Son of Man. But we do find this in the New Testament which may tell us more about this individual. Mat 9:35  And Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness.

Mat 9:36  But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd.

Mat 9:37  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few.

Mat 9:38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest.

Is Jesus the Lord of the Harvest?  Possibly as this fits the description and the title by which He called Himself.

But is this the vine’s harvest or the wheat or barley or grain harvest, because He does not reap the Vine.  This is the Earth’s harvest and it is here that a form of the Rapture MIGHT be seen.  In the Gospels we have the parable of the wheat and the tare. (Matt 13:24-30) (In fact read the whole chapter as all three parables intertwine as simile and metaphor for the Church or rather the Invisible Church of The Holy Elect.) Jesus speaks about where the harvest would go… Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Rev 14:17  Another angel came out from the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

Rev 14:18  And another angel came out from the altar, he that hath power over fire; and he called with a great voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Send forth thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

Now we might perceive this to be the Rapture.  But look at the Old Testament passage which talks about this very event. Joe 3:9  Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare war; stir up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near, let them come up.

Joe 3:10  Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

Joe 3:11  Haste ye, and come, all ye nations round about, and gather yourselves together: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Jehovah.

Joe 3:12  Let the nations bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about.

Joe 3:13  Put ye in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: come, tread ye; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great.

Joe 3:14  Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! for the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision.

Joe 3:15  The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

Joe 3:16  And Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but Jehovah will be a refuge unto his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.

Joe 3:17  So shall ye know that I am Jehovah your God, dwelling in Zion my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

One might have thought that Joel’s reference to the Harvest was a grain harvest, but the word harvest is non specific and is qualified by the treading out of a winepress, which means this reaping is of a vineyard.  One last thought here…. He is the Vine and we are the branches….  The Body of Christ has long been thought of a Vine.  …in a Vineyard.

Rev 14:19  And the angel cast his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and cast it into the winepress, the great winepress, of the wrath of God.

Rev 14:20  And the winepress was trodden without the city, and there came out blood from the winepress, even unto the bridles of the horses, as far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

SO then this vine…. Becomes the vintage of God’s wrath….  The Body of Christ?  The religious institution of the church? So it would seem.  But who is treading this out?  Trod out, outside the city….  There are a lot of images here.  This is what Isaiah had to say on the subject:

Isa 63:1  Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

Isa 63:2  Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winevat?

Isa 63:3  I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with me: yea, I trod them in mine anger, and trampled them in my wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment.

Isa 63:4  For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

Isa 63:5  And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my wrath, it upheld me.

Isa 63:6  And I trod down the peoples in mine anger, and made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.

Isa 63:7  I will make mention of the lovingkindnesses of Jehovah, and the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.

Isa 63:8  For he said, Surely, they are my people, children that will not deal falsely: so he was their Saviour.

Isa 63:9  In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

Isa 63:10  But they rebelled, and grieved his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.

This would be the LAMB the Lord of the Harvest, who avenges the Holy Spirit…???  Who is that is God dwelling in man and who is it that we are the Temple of?  The Holy Spirit.  Blasphemy against the father or the son is forgivable but not against 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.”

How on Earth does this add up?  Well we have been warned to not be deceived and that God Himself would pour a strong delusion that a lie would be believed.  “2 Thess 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2 Thess 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

But the vine or its branches thereof, refers to the Body of Christ…  yes and Jude had a lot to say about those who proposed to be of that Body but were not…  these are the apostate and ultimately those who worship the FIRST BEAST.  The fruit refers possibly to the fruit of the Spirit.  Remember dear reader we are dealing in events, yes, but also in symbols, simile and metaphor.  There is one more group who are spoken of a The Vineyard… and that is Israel.  They turned apostate who approved of and those who actually facilitated the original crucifixion of their Messiah.  However, given that this book is not written to them but to Believers it appears very unlikely that these are included.  That the Vine reaped is of the apostate church is agreed upon by Jaimeson, Faucett and Brown in their commentary on the New Testament.  According to them these are the grapes which should have yielded good vintage and did not…

Isa 5:1 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
Isa 5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
Isa 5:3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
Isa 5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
Isa 5:5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
Isa 5:6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
Isa 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

However lest we forget that we are the spiritual Israel.

Trumps One and Two

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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.

Seal Six and Seismos

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blood, boiling sky, earth, moon, revelation, sackcloth, siesmos, sun

Rev 6:12  And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood; 

Rev 6:13  and the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind. 

Rev 6:14  And the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 

Stop right here…. This is devastation on a massive scale.  What could be happening that such a massive series of events happen?
Everything in this verse has in the English like or as which makes it metaphor and or simile.  This is John in his day describing what he is seeing in comparison to known examples of his day.  A great earthquake; or a “mega seismos” in the Greek, takes place. These Greek words are just that, a great commotion or shaking or quaking or movement. Now the conjunctive kai or and the sun or helios (…the sun; by implication light) becomes black like sackcloth.  Now notice I included a partial definition (helios Strongs Greek #2246) of this word because of relevancy.  The writer may well not be talking about the orb itself but the light we see from the vantage point of the Earth! Now if we presume to think in this manner, as the word itself does lend to that thought, then it is the light of the sun that becomes like as if covered in sackcloth.  The word for black is the color black (melos) but it black as sackcloth.  I want to look at that word for sackcloth for a moment.  Strongs Greek #4526 sakkos Of Hebrew origin [Strongs Hebrew # 8242 śaq From (Strongs Hebrew #8264 shâqaq A primitive root; to course (like a beast of prey); by implication to seek greedily: – have appetite, justle one against another, long, range, run (to and fro).) ; properly a mesh (as allowing a liquid to run through), that is, coarse loose cloth or sacking (used in mourning and for bagging); hence a bag (for grain, etc.): – sack (-cloth, -clothes).]; “sack” cloth, that is, mohair (the material or garments made of it, worn as a sign of grief): – sackcloth.

Now all these images converge the images of coursing about or a mesh that liquid can run through which is made of mohair.  I went online and looked into mohair and found it to be of a goats hair, that is wiggly in strand (coursing)When made into clothing it has a complete cover in its weave, as it were, of the skin; thus very opaque.  So then something is obscuring opaquely the light of the sun, not the sun itself.
At the same time the moon becomes like or as blood. The moon (selene) … “brilliancy”  so then its not the orb itself again but the brilliancy or COLOR that changes to the color of human blood (aima) uncertain derivation literally blood figuratively grape juice. Either way it will be a dark crimson to purplish color at night.  As if this was not enough we have stars (aster) falling to earth in the same manner as a fig casts of unripe or hard figs when shaken in a (mega animos) mighty or great wind. I will have to ask a horticulturalist friend of mine about this but I could imagine the figs would pelt the ground in waves as they are ripped from the tree during a sirocco or high speed wind storm which one would have gotten in the Mediterranean of John’s day.  Now if this is so then we have “rocks” pelting the earth in the middle of all of this.  Good God what could do that?
To put the frosting and icing on this cake the whole thing does two more things.  First it causes EVERY, John is very specific here, mountain and island to be “moved out of place” and second it causes the sky to roll up like or as a scroll being rolled closed.

Now the first is nothing short of a tectonic plate shift on a global scale.

The second I have pondered for a long time until I considered a small scroll being rolled shut.  Large scrolls would have two staves at each end of the scroll and they would roll towards each other furling the paper scroll around them till they touched and then it would be bound shut.  But a smaller one might only have one.  It would be then rolled like a roll of paper towels or toilet paper.

Now if clouds are seen to be doing this the action would be that of roiling or boiling sky.  If there were two massive thunderhead type cloud formations rolling into each other making the sky “boil” what would be devastating enough to cause all this at one time.  The effects of the bombs over Nagasaki and Hiroshima approximate the boiling sky but not the rest.
Here’s where I go out on the limb.  What if, as my brilliant daughter put forth, the “astera” weren’t space rocks but debris returning from being flung into orbit?  When certain volcanoes erupted in recent years they produced ash that occluded the light of sun locally for quite a few hours.  At night it could produce a blood moon.  It could produce the ash columns rising like boiling sky but it would be local and it might rain debris.  When Krakatoa blew in 1883 the seismic activity was allegedly reported until early in 1884.  But this is worse… far worse.  What if Yellowstone blew up?  It is a caldera class volcano and is said to be the park itself as being on the caldera.  Apparently this is a 34- 45 mile wide caldera which is a corner of Wyoming, of all things.  This is huge.  If it blew there would be catastrophic damage done planet wide and the United States would most likely be gone for good or at least reshaped beyond belief!  The ash and debris of the park would be flung upwards fairly high up maybe into the stratosphere only to rain down again.  The ash would be a planet wide problem and it might even produce an reduction of light by the sun and moon for a part of the day and the night…  its said the thing is overdue for a major blow out.
There was a program on Netflix about Dr Shoemaker of the Shoemaker-Levy comet.  He discovered that our planet does it’s solar orbit amid a plethora of asteroids and meteors some of which are easily the size of mountains.  They seem to run in near miss orbits around us as we move through space.  If ever any one of them were to hit us places like Crater Lake in Arizona would be the result. He did a major study on impact and his findings eerily match the descriptions of this catastrophe.
Nuclear exchanges could also do similar damage, of a certainty but they would almost certainly also truly ruin the environments globally. I cant rule this out however.  So then what we have is something that will cause a global tectonic plate shift that is noticeable.  It will cause the effect of “boiling sky” it will kick up or cause enough cloud cover to occlude the sun and such an effect might also make the moon look like a blood moon.  Interestingly enough also there are blood moons that occur naturally from time to time… could such a catastrophe happen during one of them?  The point in all this analysis is this; the preceding impacts of the horsemen and the above mega disaster are enough to right at this point have men of low and high stature running for cover and seeking to suicide rather than face what they perceive to be the GREAT DAY OF THE LORD.

Look at the response to all this below…  THEY KNOW!
Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; 

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? 
Can they see His face?  How do they really know? Or as is most likely, is this a very human reaction to difficult times and horrific disasters during such times?   What if anything actually stands out here?  In Paul’s day he was in some part driven by that he wanted to see the whole world won for Christ and the church well established by the time of the “second return”, which he felt could be in his lifetime.  The Christians in the Roman era on the night Rome burned (you have to admit that locally the sky was boiling with smoke!) thought “this is it, here He comes”.  Over and over during human history since Jesus and since the utterance of John’s words Christians have tried to put the puzzle together in practically every generation.  Paul is well spoken to say “wherefore comfort one another with these words” because the comforting thought in such times is that Christ is going to return and set things right.  One thing I can say of a certainty here is this climate will purify the church like nothing else will.  Persecution and dire circumstances will have His people call on Him faster than any known or unknown revival.  Sadly we shouldn’t need such things to cause us to look on high, but it seems we do.
Now taking a last look at these verses in light of the preceding; the fact that everyone from every stripe and rank of society is heading for caves in mountains and thus, high ground, indicating that below a certain altitude there may not be land or people or society per se, and hiding themselves in caves and what not, tells us the scope of devastation of the local society.  It is so bad that there is no other place to flee to.   One last note here, though it doesn’t apply, are the words of Jesus about the Abomination that desolates.  He told people to flee to the mountains to get out of town as it were, when they saw it.  All this may well be, but a birth pang.