Revelation by Howard Watson

I have read through this book many times with great wonderment and blessing. John the beloved disciple received the revelation as a servant/bondslave of Jesus Christ. It was a revelation ("apokalupis" meaning to uncover or reveal) which God the Father gave for Jesus Christ to show to His slaves ("doulos" meaning a bondslave). Jesus had purchased his slaves/servants from the marketplace of sin where they were in sin's bondage. The terms for the new-born children of God in Christ includes bondservant. For instance the Apostle Paul referred to himself as a slave "doulos" of Christ Jesus. This revelation was given to John through the angel messenger while John was in exile for preaching Christ Jesus. God never fails to give assurance and hope in our time of pressure and tribulation. The revelation tells of things which will come to pass quickly ("takei" rapidly and soon) in that the time of fulfillment is near. This prophecy/revelation gives encouragement not only to John in exile but to all the churches making up the body of Christ in the world. Thus we need to read it carefully and prayerfully since it is for all Christians at all times. See Rev. 1:1-3.

In this study I will lead you through a look at the pictures of Christ Jesus; a look at the enemy and enemies of Christ and His Church/bride as symbolized by the seven churches of Asia; a look at the wrath and pleasure of God, and a look at the end of worldly powers, Satan and his followers with all other earthly things, and finally a look at the eternal condition of things in Christ and God with His saints.

Also, please note that some of the symbolism in Revelation is taken from symbolism in the Old Testatment with additional or new application, for instance: Ezekiel and Zechariah.

THREE PICTURES OF CHRIST
First we see Jesus Christ standing in the midst of the golden candlesticks of seven (Rev. 1:13-15). The one is likened unto the son of man (Jesus, as He had called Himself, the son of man). Here He is not naked and bleeding and on a cross, but He is alive and powerfully glorified in appearance and attire. His hair is pure white as snow, His girdle is high upon His breast. Beneath His flowing robe is seen His feet of firm and polished gold-bronze metal. Here is the resulting greatness of Christ Jesus in victory over trial, temptation, death, and hell(hades). On the cross He took our sin and death in His sinless body. In Him we can find full refinement and glory over the world, the flesh and Satan. In Exodus 28:4 the high priest wore a blue-purple robe. Jesus is our high priest with God the Father.

In His feet we see a firm and sound foundation for His work in administering the functioning of His body the Church.

Out of His mouth proceeds a two-edged sword, which is the Word of God. His Word is the word of God for His people the Church and for the world. In Heb. 4:12 we find that the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword when His word is applied to our hearts.

The sound of His voice is as many waters. It's powerful and commanding like a mighty waterfall. And His facial appearance is blazing and bright. John surely had to cover his eyes.

THE LAMB
Our second picture of Jesus Christ in Revelation is as a lamb. Beginning in Rev. 5:6, there are about 28 statements about the Lamb. The Lamb is in the center of the throne: "Then I saw a Lamb,looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne... He has seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth" Rev. 5:6,7. Seven horns define His fullness of might and power. Seven eyes define His all-knowning vision and knowledge of all creation and mankind.

Here, the Lamb is the center of attention in heaven at the throne of God. In the first picture of Christ, He was in the midst/center of the seven golden candlesticks which were the seven churches of Asia. We are made to understand that the Lamb is the Lamb of God slain by sinners, and for sinners, on the cross of Calvary, even as John the Baptist spoke of Jesus at the baptism of Jesus: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the the sin of the world." NIV See John 1:29.

First, the work of the worthy Lamb is to receive and to open the seven seals of the Book in the hand of God the Father. Christ the worthy Lamb has overcome and conquered death, hell and the grave for sinful mankind. A quick reference is made of Him as the lion of the tribe of Judah according to His being descended from King David of the tribe of Judah, as promised to David of God, by His birth of the virgin Mary. He alone is worthy (axios meaning suitable deserving).

THIRD PICTURE OF CHRIST
In chapter 19 Christ rides from heaven on a white horse of conquering victory with his followers/disciples following upon white horses (verses 11-16). His multiple names are: faithful and true, Kings of Kings, Lord of Lords and finally, the Word of God. In John 1, Jesus is called the Word "logos" made flesh who has come to earth. See His kingly crown of many diadems. See the eyes like a flame of fire and the sharp two-edged sword which were both seen in His first appearance in Rev. 1:14,16.

In His great faithfulness and truth He keeps His word and remembers His people who have washed their robes and have made them white in His redeeming blood. They will be honored from heaven in their victorious ride with Christ when He comes to finish His victory over His enemies who are slain by the sword ("romphia", a large broad sword)/Word of God, proceeding from His mouth. He will smite/tread upon the nations to execute judgment and the rule of God. He has the keys to death, hell and the lake of fire which is the second death.
By His authority he will rule with a rod of iron. There will be no avoidance of His Word.

THE BABY
In Rev.12 a great wonder appears of a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet with a twelve-starred crown upon her head (there were twelve tribes of Jacob/Israel). In verses five to seventeen she delivers a male child who is caught up into heaven, even as the Satanic red dragon battles over/with the child and the remnant of her seed. Notice verse five says: "and she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron...." Satan, the red dragon/serpent, called the Devil, began a battle in heaven with Michael and his angels and ended up cast to the earth where he then battled with the remnant/seed of the woman/mother.
The woman is like spiritual/faithful Israel from whom came Jesus Christ of the seed of David through the virgin Mary. Satan cannot destroy her seed because they are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. In verse 11, chapter 12, "they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb...." Jesus is the Lamb who overcame Satan in giving His life and body to the cross in death for our sin debt and arose from the grave. There is no question in John's mind about the resurrected and living Jesus Christ.

THE CHURCH/CHURCHES
The churches of Asia, to whom this book is sent are only seven in number even though there must have been many other congregations/churches in the world then. The number seven is a number of completion, as it is established in Genesis(1, 2:1-3) where Elohim/God Almight finished creation in six days and devoted the seventh day as a special day of rest. Thus, in the Book of Revelation, the number seven is repeatedly used for timing and completion.

In Rev. 1:10-20 the mystery and message of the revelation of Christ to the seven churches of Asia begins with the naming of the seven churches. One may wonder why these seven specific churches were selected. Speculations include: these are larger churches in more stable, prominent and known areas; that John was most familiar to these city churches, having ministered mostly to them and was well known to them. Christ is pictured in the midst/center of the seven golden candlesticks (churches). Remember, in the O. T. tent of meeting (tabernacle), the candlestick with seven lamps was to provide light in the tabernacle/tent (Ex. 25:31-37); while in Revelation the seven churches are trimmed by Jesus Christ in the center/midst, for giving light of the Gospel of Christ Jesus in their cities.

EACH CITY CHURCH
The first Church addressed is the Church in EPHESUS. This was the Roman administrative center for the province of Asia and a center for the worship of the Greek goddess Artemis/Diana, the goddess of fertility. The temple of Artemis in Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the world according to historians. The Apostle Paul visited and preached/taught for about three years in and out of Ephesus until the craftsmen who had a profitable business making idols/shrines for the worship of Artemis/Diana, objected to his preaching of Christ Jesus as the divine Son/Savior of sinners. False idolatrous worship must be repented of and ceased. See Acts 19. Paul's letter to the Ephesians addresses the needs and teachings for the Saints/Christians in Ephesus.
In Revelations 2:1-7 the angel/messenger of the Ephesus Church is given the message from the One holding the seven stars/angel/messengers in His right hand. Christ holds the angel messenger responsible for giving the full correct word/message to the Lord's Church in Ephesus. The specially called bishop/pastor would take this message to the Saints/Christians in this Church.

The message: first, are words of commendation about faithfulness and perseverance in the face of false apostles/teachers. These are bad/evil (kakos) liars. Second, the message contains reproof for leaving their first love "agapev." This is the love put into their hearts by the Holy Spirit and promotes Christians to labor in love for one another. By their love the world would see God working in them. John, in his short epistles, centers on the commandment of love among the brethren. Yet, they are on the mark in reproving false teachings and practices including the false hedonistic teachings of the Nicolaitanes. These allowed sexual immorality and other worldly idolatrious practices along gnostic lines (claiming special knowledge). Jesus calls for repentance ("metanoeson", to change your mind and think rightly) for leaving their first love and then the renewal of their first love. He warns that this must be or He will remove their candlestick of God's witnessing light through them. He plans for them to be complete overcomers who will eat of the tree of life in the paradise(the special privileged garden of God).

The Second Church: Smyrna
The city of Smyrna was located about forty miles northwest of Ephesus on the coast. Rev.2:8-11 tells about the Church's works, tribulations, and poverty. The tribulations were death for some Christians, including Polycarp, who was burned to death in A. D. 155. In A.D. 178 the city was destroyed by an earthquake but rebuilt and is one of the three cities of the seven which still exist with current populations. Smyrna is now under Turkish-Muslim rule as the modern city of Izmir with about 500,000 people.

The angel/messenger's message tells that the Church is actually rich and encourages those in it to not fear persecution from the Devil, who will cause some to be cast into prison for ten days. Faithfulness unto death will lead to a crown of life and the overcomers/martyrs will not face the second death. The second death is referred to in Rev. 20:14 as being cast into the lake of fire.

The message from the Lord Jesus, who was dead but is alive, having risen from the grave, tells us that Christians will be tested by Satan and his blinded followers, even to the point of death. Yet, in physical death by martyrdom we will be victorious, receive a crown of life, live forever and not die the second death (see Mt.10:26-31). We must never fail to witness and confess Jesus as Lord to unbelievers and enemies of Christ whoever they may be.

The Church at Pergamum/Pergamos
The believers in Pergamos were subjected to the same basic problems of faithfully serving God/Christ as the other six churches in the Roman dominated world of that era: cultic worship of the Roman emperor in order to be a privileged citizen, persecution from unbelieving Jews, deceptions of Satan leading to sexual immorality and passive or active participation in pagan practices. Pergamos was a center of Roman administration and emperor worship in one of its pagan temples. History tells us that the first temple for the worship of Augustus was built in Pergamos in A. D. 29.

Jesus shows Himself as the one with the double-edged sword (the Word of God), who sharply examines His Church for defects and correction. Pergamos is a seat of Satanic activity and deception. Jesus knows His people and Satan, His defeated Tempter. Satan deceives people who trust Jesus as Lord and Savior into compromise and uncleanness of spirit and body.

Jesus commands His people in Pergamos to hold fast their faithfulness to Him even to death. Antipas and others died at the hands of unbelieving people in Pergamos.

Christ promises the honor of victory to those who stand against the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to bring the temptation of sexual/intermingling and immorality through the daughters of the Moabites, who in turn led the men of Israel into idolatry and pagan worship of their Moab gods.

Christians are not to eat foods sacrificed to idols or to commit fornication (sexual immorality). See I Cor. 10:19-22.

The victors are promised hidden manna (remember the manna in the Ark of the Covenant), a white stone (which reminds of purity and election by God's grace, having been declared cleansed and perfected in Christ), a new name, identifying the receiver as new person and heir of Christ.

Here, again the Lord wants His Church to come out from the world of sinful idolatry, and immorality, to be overcomers in everything, while being blessed with His great blessings of true life.

The Fourth Church at Thyatira
The Son of God speaks through His angel in verses 18-29 of chapter 2: "He whose eyes are like a flame of fire and His feet of fine brass." Jesus, the Son of God, is purer and finer from head to foot than any mortal man; only He is Lord of the Church and He judges this church at Thyatria with a clear view of its condition. He is pleased with its love (agape), faith, humble service and patience. Its works continue to increase. However, this church has also come under false teaching and immoral fornication among some who are converts from idolatry.
The false female prophet Jezebel, after the O. T. Jezebel, wife of Ahab, king of Israel (northern kingdom), has behaved like a pagan temple prostitute in leading men into adultery and eating food sacrificed to idols which are worshipped in the city/area. This was strictly forbidden by the Jerusalem council to the Gentile believers. See Acts 15. Jezebel must repent or there will be judgment of death upon her children. Jesus calls all those caught up in these sins to repent and to turn from the so-called deeper knowledge (false systems/things of Satan).
Satan is the master deceiver. How many young people have gone after the lies of Satan while seeking pleasure and freedom from the godly restraints of their carnality and lusts? How many have ended up duped and caught up in venereal diseases, broken bodies and enslaving addictions?

Then Jesus, the Son of God, who has thoroughly examined the church at Thyatira promises authority as shepherds (poimanei) over nations to those who follow Him faithfully in their life's work. To them He promises the morning star, the one that greets the day.

The Church at Sardis
The city of Sardis was builder of a temple to Artemis (Cybele) which was never finished. Also the city had a large cemetery with hundreds of burial mounds. A great wool industry was a source of prominence. However, the indulgence of wealth and worldly pleasure had led to moral decay.

In chapter 3:1-6 Christ identifies Himself as the one seen in chapter one as having the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars (angel/messengers). In His searching examination, Christ looks for the perfections of Christlikeness by the all knowing work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wills to bring Christ's fruitfulness out in each Christian. As the Holy Spirit searches our spirits, He may see deadness instead of life. Christians have a reputation of being made alive through the new birth. But, their lives need to show the fruitfulness of Christ or else without this fruitfulness/works their faith is dead (nekra) to growth and maturity. See James 1,2. They need to wake up and become watchful and be established in the strength of Christ. They must remember the Word of Christ which they had received at the time of their new birth (birth from above), but these Christians have no works of faith. They need to remember their first experience with Christ; remembering what they had received and hold it, (keep it) while repenting of their failures and spiritual emptiness, and return again to walk with Christ. Those who repent will turn to walk under the Holy Spirit's guidance and will be free from the world's stamp and likenesses.

The overcomers will be honored as Saints clothed in the righteous garment of white. Only those who are free from the worldly defilements of their time will be dressed in the pure white of Christ's redemption. It is God's plan for the total redemption of each Saint, including the new resurrected immortal body. Every church needs to hear the words of Christ's purity of holiness and godliness. Like so many churches today only a part of the membership is faithfully walking daily with Christ. Their names are to be found in the Book of Life.

Are individual churches today walking wholly with Christ as Lord of their church; while the Christians are seen in their city as a people of white garment (Christ likeness)?

The Church at Philadelphia
This city was long enduring; being founded abouth 140 years before Christ. Although it was destroyed by an earthquake, it was rebuilt under Tiberius Caesar. Finally, the city fell from nominal Christian control to the Muslim Turks around 1400 A. D.

The church at Philadephia was not remanded for failures and faults of sin or spiritual pollutions of compromising with idolatry and paganism.

Looking at Rev. 3:7-13, Christ is identified as the Holy and True, both divine qualities of God. He has the Key of David, as well as death, hell and the grave. God had given King David the promise of an eternal throne with rule and authority on the earth. The key was passed by Christ Jesus to Peter and then to the believers in Jesus as Messiah, Lord of the Church, and King of spiritual Israel and all. See Isaiah 22:22, Matt. 16:13:19.

With His Key Christ sets before the Church of Philadelphia (lover of brother) a door, which has been opened. The strength (dunamin-power) of the church, though little, is sufficient for their continuing work of keeping the Word of Christ Jesus' in the power of His name.

The synagogue of Satan, false Jews who have rejected Jesus as Christ/Messiah, will, at some point in the future, come worship and honor them for their faithfulness to Jesus Christ.

Christ promises protection to them in the hour of great trial which will come upon the world. Although they have faced pressures and trials from unbelieving Jews and Gentiles, God will see them through this world's tribulation.
Their hope is not in worldly rulers and Caesars but in the Christ who is faithful, holy and true. Jesus will never leave His faithful people, whom he has bought with His life blood, to suffer the wrath of God's penalty for sin. He promises to come quickly, and commands the church to hold fast their work of service in His name, for they will receive a crown of life. They must continue and overcome all the foes of the world; for they will be recognized as pillars of the temple of God who have a new name as the City of God, which is the new Jerusalem from heaven.

The Church of the Laodiceans
The city of Laodicea, located on the great Roman road inland from Ephesus, was known for its fine wool products, wealthy banking resources, school of medicine, and its many trading products. The city's medical ointment for eye defects was a successfully used treatment. Although Laodicea was a wealthy city, it had poor water which was luke warm.

In Rev. 3:14-22 Christ, the Amen, the faithful and true, looks and examines this church which is in the midst of other Jewish unbelievers living in the city, and finds it to be lukewarm. It is poor instead of rich; insipid and lukewarm instead of being fully faithful and clothed in His graces and goodness. He stands outside knocking at the door. If given entrance He will change this church's nakedness, blindness, miserableness, and false pride into a church of love, patience, and the full garments of righteousness.

In conclusion Christ has examined these seven churches in an important part of the Roman/Asia world of John's day and found all but two, Smyrna and Philadephia, having serious problems of false teachings, compromises with the world of idolatry, lacking love (agape); but still having some strength and good works with the exception of the Church in Laodicea. These churches can be found to be representative of churches in our present day and time. Therefore Christ calls us to repentance and renewal of our first love, from compromise and complacency in our materially wealthy or wealth seeking but unspiritual world and age.

THE OPENINGS AND HEAVEN AND EARTH
Chapters 4-22 have a series of openings (anoigo Gk meaning to open) of revelations. John saw heaven open, and he in the Spirit was invited up to see things which will come to pass, both in his lifetime and thereafter. What a great blessing this was to the disciple who had rested upon the Lord's breast. The Apostle Paul had earlier been allowed this experience of seeing/entering the third heaven (the paradise of God), but without being given the authority to describe what he saw, 2nd Cor. 12.

John wrote what he saw as led by the Spirit, Christ and the angels. First, John saw the brilliant Holy One, like a many faceted and colored diamond, sitting and reigning on the great white throne. Almighty God was surrounded by twenty-four elders, each sitting on a throne-seat, clothed in white and purity of righteous holiness, with crowns of gold. Twenty-four may represent the twelve tribes of believing, faithful Israel of the O. T. plus the twelve Apostles, who, also, were of believing Israel, and were foundation to the full church of all believers in Jesus Christ.

Twelve times twelve, which is 144,000, is a number found in chapters 7 and 21. In chapter seven there are 144,000 faithful ones of Israel who were sealed and thereby protected, in their purity of dedication to Jesus, from the wrath of God who sits upon the throne and the Lamb. These could represent, not only 12,000 from each tribe of Israel, but, also, 144,000 unmarried followers of Jesus like the Apostle Paul who was not married and was without dependents other than the Christians to whom he had brought to Christ through the Gospel, in his journeys and missions. Also before the throne and from the throne are seven lamps of fire which reminds us of the O. T. lampstand of the Tabernacle which remained lighted from oil; thusly, the tabernacle had unending light. Both here and in the O. T. the Holy Spirit of God is seen.

Besides the elders there are four unusual appearing beasts full of eyes and wings around the throne of Almighty God. These have wisdom (eyes) of God and move as led of God, and may represent all other living creatures of God, since the whole earth groaned for the redemption of Christ. They and the twenty-four elders repeat praises and honor to their eternal God, creator of all things. It can be concluded, in spite of many possibilities of who these two sets of heavenly being are or represent, that they are important beings/creatures in the court of heaven who have interest and connection to God's proper praise, service and worship; further they are distinct from angels.

THE LAMB AND THE SEVEN SEALED BOOK/SCROLL.
In chapter 5:1-14 John saw in the right hand of God, sitting on the throne, a scroll written on both sides with seven seals. But, no one was found until the lamb, who can only be identified with Jesus Christ, appeared and was worthy to open the seven seals. Authorities tell us that ancient Roman wills were sealed with six seals. Seven is the number of conclusion/completion in Scripture. The twenty-four elders and the whole court of heaven are witnesses to the Lamb being solely worthy to open the seals, and take/receive the scroll from the right hand of the Lord God, who sits upon the great white throne. So, John writes to let the whole world know that the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world has finished His work of salvation on earth and is at the center court of heaven, where He will completely rule and reveal the unfolding events on earth among its people and the Saints. Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David. He is the victorious King and Lord, who has power and authority.

And, all the host and beings in heaven honor and praise the Lamb who alone is worthy by His victorious life, death and resurrection to open the scroll and reveal its content.

THE FIRST SEAL
In Rev. 6 the worthy Lamb opens the first six sealed scrolls. John is invited by one of the four living creature beings with thunderous voice to come (ercou Gk) to see and hear what shall come to pass as each seal is opened. The first seal, being opened, reveals a crowned horseman on a white horse with a bow (toxon Gk) for conquering nations and peoples on the earth. Rulers will take crowns of authority to themselves by battling weaker nations/peoples with military might. We have read this on all the pages of recorded history.
The second (SEAL) horse is red whose rider has a great sword to take peace from the people of the earth by slaying one another. When have clans and tribes of the earth stopped fighting each other in bloody battles? Nearly every day we hear of battles and killing for selfish motives, people killing each other about land and possessions.

The third (SEAL) horse is black and the horseman has a weighting measuring instrument in hand and will cause famine and loss of supply on earth; a shortage of needed food supply will come and there will be hunger. The fourth (SEAL) horse is palish green (chiloros Gk) and the horseman is named death; hell/hades follows him. In Hades/hell there will be a final outcome to a fourth of the population on the earth when all misery and discomfort will come to a head upon the people on the earth.
The question is: why is there so much misery and trouble on earth among the people of the earth?

The FIFTH SEAL
The fifth seal in ch. 6:9-12 reveals, underneath the altar and place of offering, the souls (psukas Gk meaning the soul, inner life, the breath) of those slain for the Word of God, through their testimony, which they had. This testimony was the testimony of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

It was the blood of Christ Jesus, the lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world, which was placed on the altar of redemption for the souls of these redeemed believers.
The redeemed are safe and saved forever, but for now, they await the final judgment of God upon those who murder/slay Christians for their faithfulness to Jesus Christ.

These martyrs, who have been faithful unto death (the end), are honored with white robes of righteousness and purity as they rest (anapausovtai Gk to cease, pause, rest) until the witnessing mission of their brethren (soondouloi Gk fellow servants or bond slaves, who have been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ), upon the earth is finished, and then, they will be joined together.
All the believers upon Jesus Christ must be considered as potential martyrs (marturian Gk, which is the same root word for witness), slain for Christ Jesus in a very real physical way.

THE SIXTH SEAL
In Rev. 6:12-17 the sixth seal is opened to seismic quaking of the earth and shaking of the heaven, with both the sun and moon changing from their whiteness to a blackness of the sun and a blood redness of the moon. The stars fall earthward, with a remaining view of heaven open like a scroll to the earth's dwellers. The earth's dwellers, who are disobedient to faith in the Lamb, are shakened with great fear. The Lamb appears in wrath, while He stands at the throne of God the Father. The great day of Christ, the Lamb's wrath, is coming upon them and none of them will be able to stand.

Chapter seven deals with the protection of the people of God who are living upon the earth during this great period of the Lamb's outpouring of His righteous wrath, upon the world system, in its unbelief and rejection of His grace and redemption.

We can see that God's people are sealed, by/in their faithfulness to Christ, while the earth reels and moves, in its self-contained pride, under its godless rule, from a central government hostile to Christ and His people.
The Lamb will secure His own and guide them in safety and blessing in the full light of God the Father's presence and almighty rule. They have come out of great tribulation (thlipseos from thlibo meaning squeeze, press, encumber, pressure, affliction, trial). During this trial they have been purified by the washing of the blood of the Lamb and are fully cleansed; being dressed in white robes of righteousness.
The Holy Spirit is washing each of us daily by the pure water of God's Word.

144,000 AND THE GREAT MULTITUDE
The 144,000 are described as being 12,000 from each named tribe of Israel except the tribe of Dan. In Genesis 35:22 the the sons of Isaac, Esau and Jacob, are named, with Jacob being the son of Jehovah's choice for the Messianic line of Christ as the scripture will prove. The twelve tribes of Israel (Jacob) are given with each son having a tribe. See Genesis 35. However the list in Rev. 7 is not exactly like the one in Ex. 35. In Rev. 7 Judah (Jesus line) is first, not Reuben; and the tribe of Manasses (Manasseh) is included instead of Dan. Both Dan and Reuben had serious failings before Jehovah. Reuben failed carnally and Dan spiritually. Manasseh was a son of Joseph. So Joseph was actually given 24,000 of the l44,000,who were sealed.

Can these twenty-four thousand who are really from Joseph correspond to the 24 elders viewed first in Rev. 4. Also in the Old Testament economy there were 24 courses of priestly ministers, musicians and army divisions with 24,000 in each division. See I Chronicles 24,25, and 27. The 144,000 correspond to the 144 cubics of the walls of the holy city. I will consider these 144,000 virgins as representing the remnant of the tribes of natural Israel who will be spared and saved in the great tribulation. They are truly committed to Jesus Christ in pure trust and belief.

144,000 virgins appear on the earth when the wrath of the Lamb is poured out, and they will not be harmed by the seven trumpets/and seven bowls/plagues which will complete the wrath of the Lamb.
The great unnumberable multitude are believers from around the world who heard the gospel of Christ and have believed upon Jesus as the Christ/Lamb slained from the foundation of the world. These are the ones who have come and are coming (erkomenoi, Gk verb, participle, present, middle or passive, nominative, masculine, plural) out of great tribulation (thlipseos Gk. from thlibo meaning to squeeze, press, or afflection, trial etc.) They are not seen upon the earth but in heaven standing around the throne of God, clothed in the pure white robes of Christ's redemption/righteousness. They hold palms of victorious celebration in their hands to praise God and the Lamb. Theirs is a song of salvation. These are the redeemed of the earth who have finished their courses, including the Apostles and Paul, with all who have gone on before to await the final unfolding of salvation history on the earth. We, who live now, can expect to be in that number soon, as the Lord awaits the Father's word for the hour of final completion and outcome with rejection and judgement of Satan's rule in the world of mankind. From my reading of the Greek text I interpret this to mean all believers from John's day until now and the immediate future. And, this will be our status until Christ returns with us to rapture/catchup the total church.

SEVENTH SEAL OPENING
Chapters eight and nine are the current topics. In chapter 8:1 there is a period of quiet silence of one half an hour. To me this shows a restful period for saints and all heaven to rest in the victory of Christ for the redeemed of the earth before the full wrath of the Lamb begins. The outpouring of the wrath of the Lamb is an orderly breaking forth in a series of sevens: seven trumpets and seven bowls of wrath. Seven times seven is forty-nine, which is the number of years before the Jewish year of Jubilee, which is a final fiftieth year of release of all debtors and the return of their properties.

Rebellious sinners will suffer the wrath of the Lamb until the finish of His earthly wrath, after which the unrepentant, godless sinners will be turned into hell and then the second death/lake of fire. The sun, moon, stars, seas, waters, earth, along with Satan's (Abaddon, Apollyon) horde will each bring wrath instead of blessings from the Creator/Word/Lamb upon the unbelievers who do not have Christ's seal of redemption upon their foreheads. Those who have this seal upon their/your forehead, in their/your conscious mind and heart, with a clear testimony, will be justifiably, miraculously spared. If you're saved by the blood of Christ, you know it and I and no one else need to tell you. The Holy Spirit helps you to cry Abba Father. The first five trumpets are covered in these comments. However, the sixth trumpet has a commandment regarding the great river Euphrates and the great army of horsemen who will slay a third of mankind which would be in excess of about 2 billion in today's world. Are there not nearly 2 billion Moslems in the world. Saddam wanted to make his state a center of Muslim rule in the world from Babylon which he planned to rebuild. Now would he kill/slay 2 billion to carry this conquering quest if he were allowed today? This is a sobering thought. Although no one can say with certainty that this is the correct interpretation of this sixth trumpet, it has some merit.

The evil on the earth is very great during this time of wrath. There is idolatry, with worship of idols of stone, gold, silver, brass, wood etc. Although Saddam is not the only gold and worldly possession sexmonger, how much gold did he keep and hoard? How much sexual immorality did he and his followers indulge in, including his sons? They have/had multiple wives and/or mistresses. How much land did they steal by force? How many people did they and their various radical religious followers murder? They are still, even though he is in prison, murdering people not only in Iraq, but in Israel, Afganistan, Spain, USA, the Far East, and many other places. Will these wildly radical people ever even listen to the gospel of repentance and turn to Christ Jesus? Again, I ask are we now seeing the fulfillment of these prophesies? Give it serious study and thought?

Finally, I don't believe many unsaved people, who do not know Christ Jesus, even begin to realize what's really going on in the world. It's certainly not just the DOW, THE LOCAL ECONOMY OR THE WORLD ECONOMY, WHICH WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT, THAT IS AT STAKE or is being challenged.
SEVENTH TRUMPET AND THE FINISH

Revelation chapters 8-19:10 contain the events unfolding out of the opening of the seventh and final seal which includes the seven trumpets, the seven signs, and the seven bowls.

A look at the first six trumpets in 8:6-9:21 gives a picture of nature's wrathful, earthly disturbances, including hail, fire, and burning upon a third of the earth's greenery; a blazing volcanic-like burst which destroys a third of the sea creatures and ships; a third of the rivers/fountains of water made bitter by a great blazing falling star with many people dying. A fourth angel sounds a trumpet and a third of the sun, moon and stars are darkened with daylight being shortened one- third. A fifth angel sounds his trumpet and hell's Abyss of deadly smoke and locust comes down upon the earth and with stings, like a scorpion's sting, torments those people without the seal of God upon their forehead for five months. Those people without the seal of God will be so miserably tormented that they will seek death and long to die, but they will not find death. The overall appearance of the locust is like a horse with a golden crown upon a human face, with the hair of a woman (long?) and teeth like a lion, with a breastplate of iron and wings.

I see these events and creatures as God's released forces of nature and Satan upon people in justified judgement upon the unbelievers who do not repent upon the faithful ministry of His preachers of the gospel of the Lamb.
Woe, woe ,woe to those who fail to repent before the ministry of the gospel of Christ the Lamb.

The sixth angel's trumpet (Rev. 9:13) brings the four angels, of the great number of people (200 million), bound at the Euphrates to kill a third of mankind. These four angels have been waiting for this exact moment for the signal to release these people. Even this murderous calamity did not, will not, cause remaining mankind to repent of their godless works of their hands. Even when things are at their worse, most people will not repentantly turn to God and Christ Jesus. There will continue to be a division of the earth's people, those who have the seal of Christ Jesus as Lord and those who have the seal of Satan and his mark upon their heads. Those who do not have the seal of Christ will be given the hearing of the Word of God by His preachers (144,000) and the witness (of which there are two primary and major, possibly the Apostles, Peter to the Jews, and Paul to non-Jews) of the believers.

THE SEVENTH TRUMPET
Rev. 11:15 has the sounding of the seventh trumpet resulting in the announcing: "... the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ and he will reign for ever and ever." NIV. I see this as spiritual Israel and Mary the literal mother of Jesus. This line of Israel runs from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through Joseph and Mary. The woman in Rev. 12:1ff symbolizes the true people of promise/covenant and faithfulness in waiting for and bringing forth Christ. With their place in history finished, as a pecular people of God, they fade into the desert out of Satan's (the Dragon's) reach. Then Satan proceeds to make war with the rest of her(spiritual Israel's) seed (the Christian believers everywhere) Rev. 12:16,17.

Satan's fight against those who keep the testimony of Jesus Christ is a two-pronged front, political and religious. He commandeers the political and also the commercial world in a materialistic unit against the righteous saints of God and Christ while demanding allegiance and worshipful submission to his world system, and, with a second beast, requires a physical mark on the right hand and forehead. Without this mark the people cannot buy or sell.
On the religious front, Satan inspires a beast from the land (the first was from the sea/humanity, Rev. 13:1ff). It's interesting that the theory of evolution postulates that mankind's origin was the sea.

This second beast from the land has two horns like a lamb (Jesus is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world). Could this be some sort of apostate false religious movement? This second beast greatly lifts up the first beast, who was healed of a deadly wound, to the people of the earth to honor and worship. He commands death for those who will not worship the image of the first beast.

Here I point to the evil trinity of Satan (the evil serpent, the dragon and devil), who is first, along with the beast (the world politic without God, of Babylon, Rome, in all their various boundaries of all time, including today) and the false prophet (world religion without Jesus Christ/God)are cast into the final lake of fire. See Rev. 16:13ff (3 frogs), 20:7-14.

Those who love the Lord and serve Him are locked out of the system of commercial trade and community of false idolatrious commerce and worship.

Given the statement of Rev. 13:18: "Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of man: and his number is six hundred and sixty-six." NKJV. Some contend that this is the number for the Roman emperor Nero, who reigned during the slaughter of many Christians, possibly including the Apostles Peter and Paul.

Christians had been slandered in Rome and blamed for a great fire which destroyed much of the city. Nero's reign (54-68) was deadly for Christians. Being from a dysfunctional home, he had his own mother killed; he received and accepted worship and finally committed suicide at the age of 31.

In the study of Rev. 13-19, I think it is obviously grounded in the literal events centering around the rule of Rome over much of the world and the struggles of Christians in this pagan climate of emperor worship and the power of Satan destroying lives right and left. However, Christians will prevail even in death and the Lord Jesus will triumph and judge the wicked unbelievers.

THE COMING FALL OF BABYLON
We must understand the meaning of Babylon in the context of Revelation for we find descriptions of the conditions of John's day matching the rule of Rome, not the rule of Babylon. Babylon's day of rule was long past; however, the same Satanic and evil conquering spirit against the Jews and now the Christians was prevalent in imperial Rome under Nero. And Rome would fall like Babylon had under Belshazzar through the judgment of God.

The Holy Spirit through John writes for true Christians, whose names are in the Book of Life, to come out of Babylon/Rome and not to partake of her sins, while in a patient waiting for the Lord Jesus who will come in full power and strength, even as the Apostle said: "...The Lord stood with me..." II Tim.4:16,17.

In Rev. 14:6-20 is a picture of the harvest of the Son of Man of his people from the earth. The Son of Man is the phrase Jesus used to indicate His ministry on the earth among men. He became flesh but at the same time was God's Son. A second harvesting scythe gathers the unbelievers for judgment and wrath.

In Rev. 15-19 are poured out the final bowls of wrath from the Lamb of God upon the wicked unbelievers who reject the Gospel of God. Chapter 15:1 tells us that these bowls of wrath from God will complete (etelesthy Gk from telos meaning an end attained) His wrath (thumos Gk from thuo, to rush, then swellings of anger, being enraged). Seven great angels are charged with the duty of emptying each bowl of wrath. Angels are predominately charged with earthly/heavenly activities throughout the Book of Revelation by Jehovah Lord God. Satan himself a fallen angel opposes all that God and the Lamb stand for and do.

In verse two and following John is shown a sea of fiery glass with the perfected Saints, who had overcome Satan's wiles of image worship and had rejected his temptations and special seal/number, standing and singing a grand glorious song of praise, the song of Moses and the Lamb. God is manifestedly true, holy and righteous. All nations and people will come and worship before Him. In verses 5-8 the temple (neos Gk the holy place of the temple/tabernacle) of God in heaven opens; again an opening of the new revelation from heaven to John. And, the seven angels receive the seven last plagues in golden bowls from the four beasts before the throne. These beasts serve God and are described in Rev. 4. Note how much gold appears in Revelation: girdles of gold on the angels, bowls of golden given to the hands of the angels. These golden bowls full of the holy perfect wrath of God must be poured and emptied before anyone can enter the holy temple of God in heaven. God's holiness, of pure righteousness, demands that justice and truth prevail before anyone can enter into His holy presence and throne. Heavy smoke keeps mankind from His holy presence.

Today we, who know Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, come into God's holy presence through Christ Jesus, who has prevailed over Satan and has redeemed us from our unrighteousness and sin. God hears our cry to Him through Christ Jesus. See Hebrews 2-4.

The seven bowls are poured out in chapter 16. By these bowls of wrath the earth becomes an increasingly bad place to live. Each bowl affects a specific object of nature, including the land, where sores of great pain come upon the people who have the mark of the beast and worship the image of the beast, and the sea, which becomes a bloody death water. In spite of these great plagues of bodily pain and illnesses the people, who do not love and serve God and Christ, fail to repent and glorify Jehovah God. Therefore all heaven agrees this judgement is just, as stated in 16:5.

Rev. 16:15 reads: "Behold, I come like a thief! (Even as, the evil world of people turns in its unbelief and rebellion against God and Christ.) Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." NIV In 16:17ff the seventh angel pours out his final bowl of wrath bringing the finish point of God's and Christ's wrath upon the Christ rejecting world kingdoms and Satan. This is a final great outburst of the earthly calamity of nature's crashing, convulsing, tormenting powers. The whole earthly system of the great city kingdom (God remembers Babylon the great) splits into three parts. I believe Rome is primarily meant here. Rome was the great oppressor of Christians in John's day. It did fall into total disarray/defeat and was subsequently evangelized by the followers of Jesus Christ. Christ's plan is for the whole world to hear the gospel of His gracious redemption. Rome in its glory and self-exaltation would succumb to its own corruption of death as the Gospel of Christ marches through it and on into Europe. We are still marching on with the Gospel, not merely to the remains of Rome, but to the ends of the earth.

The greatest march going on now is to the east, where the walls of the Euphrates are falling down, clearing the way for the Gospel to flow into the lands of the east with great thunder and quaking power. Praise God and His Christ Jesus.

Revelation 17
In chapter 17 Babylon/Rome is symbolized as a woman who, in immoral life, attaches herself to nation/leaders who fornicate with her (commercial and cultural agreements while suppressing/persecution of the people of God/Christians). This mother of harlots, wears imposing attire and dress. She is filled with abominations and filth from her adulteries, verses 3-7. This woman/city sits on a scarlet beast of seven heads and ten horns. Here one can see the Roman Empire of John's day. This beast/empire comes up out of the Abyss (hell?) and goes into destruction. The Roman empire will fall just as Babylon's empire fell.

Seven hills of Roman are counted. Eight Roman emperors are noted, along with ten other rulers within the Roman empire, who will reign briefly with Rome's favor. These last ten rulers will turn against Rome in rebellion and destroy the City/empire, the adulterous woman. Verse eighteen clearly gives statement of who the woman is: "... the great city." Chapter eighteen celebrates the fall of Rome and its empire. Verse two says: "...fallen! fallen! ("epesen,epesen" Gk from "pipto" to fall) is Babylon the great."NIV The grammar here puts this as completed action in time. Even though it had not happened in John's lifetime it came to pass in later history. Some unbelieving critics may say this shows that John did not write Revelation but that it was written later by someone else who actually knew the historical events surrounding the fall of Rome and her Empire. God the Holy Spirit saw the certain fall of Rome and gave John the vision of its coming fall. Rome had come to stand in opposition to the Church/body of Christ and would receive just judgement. Rome's pagan light would go out. See Rev. 18:23.

In chapters seventeen and eighteen the woeful doom of Babylon (Rome of John's day) comes as a collapsing in of her kingdom as it wages war with the Lamb who overcomes Babylon's army and allies. The Kings, merchants and seamen who had been involved in her luxurious industries and trade bewail her ruin and destruction which comes in a short span of historical time. See 18:9-19. Two basic points can be made about Rome: firstly, its great earthly wealth was no help to her when judgement from God and the Lamb came; secondly, Rome was judged not for her wealth but for her treatment of Christians as can be seen in 18:24: "and in her was found the blood of prophets and saints and of all who have been slain on the earth." NAS

Chapter Nineteen
This chapter begins with the four hallelujahs for praise to God (theou Gk.)"... for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bondservants (doulon Gk.)on her."ASV This persecution was at and through the hand of Babylon/Rome. Chapter 19:7-9 focuses on the Lamb and His marriage with the Bride (the church of the saints). She will be dressed in white linen, bright and clean, which demonstrates the righteous acts of the saints. Christians are a people made righteous through the life of Christ within by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Great love from Christ brings righteous works. The Church of Christ is known for Her righteous Christ serving works on earth.

In 19:11-21, with great battle array, Christ comes from the open heaven on a white horse, followed by His army on white horses. He judges and battles in warfare against the beast (Rome's Empire and the kings/rulers of the earth who join with her). The beast is seized and the false prophet. Both are together cast into the lake of fire which is the second death according to 20:14. The rest of the armies coming against Christ are slain by Christ's sword and fed to the birds (ornia Gk. bird, fowl). They receive no burial but are left like roadkill. The controlling powers of the earth and their army, in their unbelief and wrath against Christ Jesus, are left lying in humilation and waste.

Sinners who reject the Lamb will come face to face with the wrathful Christ in just judgement.

CHAPTER TWENTY
In verses one to seven, Satan is bound and the martyred Saints reign with/in Christ one thousand years. At the command of God the Father and the Lamb Jesus Christ, who had defeated Satan at Calvary, a great angel comes from heaven with a great chain and lock key to bind Satan in the abyss/hell/bottomless pit.

Satan ("satanas" Gk. the enemy, adversary) is first called the dragon in verse two, a term used in chapters, 12,13, and 16, then the old serpent, from the garden of Eden in Genesis chapter three, and the Devil ("diabolos" Gk. meaning slanderer) and elsewhere in Scripture. Satan is the enemy, deceiver and slanderer.
This greatly empowered angel seizes Satan and casts him into the abyss ("abussos" Gk. meaning bottomless, place of the dead and hell).

In this vision the earth/world is freed from Satan's presence, while the martyred Saints reign in glory, honor and priestly authority with Jesus Christ for one thousand years.

If forty years makes a generation then this would be a period of twenty-five generations, one more than twenty-four which is an important number in Scripture. We have already learned of the twenty-four elders, clothed in pure white seated upon thrones around God, in chapter four. In terms of earthly periods of time in Scripture, one thousand is of great significance and duration. See 2Pet.3:8.

Blessed ("makarios" Gk. meaning happy, blessed) are the Saints ("agios" Gk. meaning pure, righteous, holy, dedicated, separate) who will enjoy the blessing of having part in this first resurrection. They will never die again and do not fear the second death judgement to the lake of fire. They alone will share in the priestly rule under Christ over the earth's people and nations for one thousand years.

Satan will be freed, but doomed in verses 7-10. Satan the deceiver, under God's providence and wisdom, is released from the bottomless pit of torment and will assemble an army from Gog and Magog, thought by some teachers to be areas/cities in the north of Israel, including Russia (Eze. 38,39, Psa. 2) and people from the rest of the earth. Satan will bring them in hostility against the dwelling place, spiritual Jerusalem, of Christ Jesus and His people. This great army arrays against the camp ("parembole" Gk. a standing camp, fortress, citadel). Fire from heaven will rain destruction upon this great human army, who under Satan attacks the Saints of Christ/God in their beloved city/fortress. Satan, finally, is finished forever and is cast into the lake of fire, where he will be tormented with the false prophet and the beast/empire of the world, symbolized in Revelation as Babylon/Rome.

The Great White Throne judgement is found in verses 11-15. All but the true Saints are judged from the books including the Book of Life. Those unbelievers, rejecters of Christ Jesus, will have their day in court and evidence from the books will show a clear case of guilt. These individuals each one will pass through this righteous judgement and upon judgement will be cast into the lake of fire, where they will be with Satan and all of his followers. The great issue of their earthly lives will be whether they were filled with the abundant life which only Christ Jesus can give. The Book of Life will show that.

Those people who follow Satan will go with Satan and his place of torment. Those people who follow Jesus Christ will go with Christ Jesus forever, in final victory over Satan and his helpers, in the beloved city of God.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Verse one begins with the new ("kainon" Gk. from "kainos" meaning a new, recently made, renovated, better, unusual) heaven and earth. The first heaven and earth had passed away ("apelthan" Gk. from "aperkomai" meaning to go away, to depart,to pass away, to disappear). Everything evil was destroyed and had disappeared for the creation of a new, clean, and holy earth for the new city of New Jerusalem to come down and rest upon the earth. New Jerusalem is the Church, the bride of Christ. Christians, made holy by the blood of Christ Jesus, have been adorned with excellent beauty and purity for unity with Jesus Christ in the perfect city-home. There will be no oceans of death or seas of sin to separate. Therefore, there will be no crying over death and sin's separation from one another and God or Christ.

Only those who were victorious in Christ Jesus while on the present earth are among the dwellers of the earth and heaven. See verse seven. All lovers of sin and folly from God's mercy and grace are never to enter the New Jerusalem. No unbeliever will be allowed. They all will be found in the second death's lake of fire and its torments with Satan. The perfect, beautiful New Jerusalem is described in verses ten to twenty-one. This is a city of gold, pearls, and all precious stones. It is solidly based upon the foundation of the witness of Christ in His disciples/apostles who went out telling the world the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Notice there is no temple, for it is not needed to show God's presence on the earth; for almighty God is there to provide its light, with the Lamb as the only lamp. Again we find the Lamb in prominence with God the Father in relationship, authority, strategic position, and with His bride the Church of believers whose names are in the Book of Life. See verses twenty-two to twenty-seven.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Here the pure water of the river of life comes flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb. Verses one to five point out the need for a continuous source of life from God to everyone of us believers. Daily we must drink from God's Word which is the water of life. The Holy Spirit ministers this new life giving water from Christ Jesus, the Lamb, whose redeeming blood and water was poured out on Calvary. The fruit of the Holy Spirit gives us blessings for Christlikeness from each one to the other.

The tree's leaves, aside the river of life, offer healing's restoration to the nations ("ethnon" Gk. from "ethnos" meaning a nation or people and not just Jews). Christ is the promised Messiah of the Jews, but, also, He is the Savior/Lord of other Peoples/Gentiles. The blessing of peace comes from the throne of God and the Lamb in the garden of Their presences.

In verses six to twenty-two John confirms the truth of the witness of this Book as being from the Lamb Jesus Christ to His people the Church/bride. Jesus is coming quickly to receive His bride forever more and He will not delay as everything in this Book is to be fulfilled to its final point. In verse sixteen Jesus says: "I Jesus sent the angel of me to witness ("marturesai" Gk. from "martus" to witness, to testify to declare) these things over/in the churches (seven churches of Asia)...." (Tr. from Gk. text) The final invitation of "Come" to drink of the water of life freely, again is given in verse seventeen.

Jesus is coming again quickly and all who love Him look up in hope and in blessings which cannot be fully described in words of present human understanding. Yes, come Lord Jesus!!