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.
Looking At The Last Book Of The Bible 