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Just a note that Charlotte and I are taking a week to go watch our granddaughter play volleyball in Orlando, Florida. I ask for your prayers of protection over all of us going and returning and while we are there.

 

Revelation 11:7-8a, When they finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.  And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city

 

Revelation 11:11-12, Now after three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.  And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”  And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

 

Only when their testimony was complete did God allow the Antichrist to kill the two witnesses!  It is true of all the servants of God who remain faithful to Him.  They were killed because of the word they brought about the Lord to an ungodly antichrist audience.  Read on and you will see the great city Jerusalem called “Sodom” because of its immorality and “Egypt” for its worldliness.  Have you noticed the feelings expressed toward Christians today; it is hatred for anyone and anything that believes in the absolute Word of God.

 

The Antichrist must kill the two witnesses because of the chaos they have caused on the people during the first half of the Tribulation.  When they are dead, they are left to lie in the street.  There is no regard for life at this point; instead, there is jubilation and gifts are sent to one another because of their death.  It is a party atmosphere.  Notice that “from among the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations do men look upon their dead bodies”.  This scene is seen by everyone throughout the earth.  Technology has made it easy to see whatever happens any place on earth as it happens.  The power God gives to the Antichrist over the two witnesses will be another reason the people of the earth follow him.

 

The demons rejoiced as the Lord Jesus was dead and placed in the tomb.  Satan had won and God’s son was dead.  But, Sunday came and the tomb no longer held Him; He had defeated death.  Their rejoicing stopped.  After three-and-a-half days the partying over the death of the two witnesses came to a sudden stop.  A voice from heaven speaks and they are resurrected and taken to heaven in front of the entire world.  They had been dead – there was no doubt.  But they are not dead for all time!

 

Jerusalem will receive sudden judgment.  An earthquake occurs and one-tenth of the city falls killing seven thousand people.  No doubt this resurrection and earthquake causes great fear among those who follow the Antichrist.  Yet, in the midst of this fear Gentiles and Jews, a remnant in Jerusalem will receive the message of the two witnesses and give glory to God!

 

God has everything under His control!  He is still sitting on His throne!  He knows everything that is said and done on this earth and there is coming a time when He will take His Church to heaven to escape the terrible times we have already seen that occur during the Tribulation.  Your responsibility is to be alert and doing the things He desires - walking on the narrow way that leads to His kingdom and eternal life.  I pray again that each person reading this has a hunger and thirst for His righteousness.  The promise from Him is you will be filled.

 

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Revelation 11:3, “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

 

The two witnesses seen by John are real men.  Personally, I think John should have told us who these two men are because doing so would have eliminated a lot of controversy over who they are.  The three men usually mentioned are Enoch; Genesis states that Enoch walked with God and then he was taken by God (God raptured him, so to speak.).  Elijah is also mentioned and we know from the book of 2 Kings that God took Elijah to heaven in a chariot of fire (I guess he was raptured too).  Neither faced death.  A third man considered by many to be one of the witnesses is Moses.  He was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because of not trusting God.  Moses was allowed to go to a mountain top to see the Promised Land.  He died and God took his body.  But, does it really matter who they are?  What does matter is what they do at this time.

 

The 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel are sent into the world to be witnesses of the gospel.  The two witnesses are in the city of Jerusalem to witness there.  They are dressed in sackcloth because they are mourning over the spiritual condition of Israel.  In the following verses, they are described as olive trees and lamp stands.  These are Old Testament terms that signify the anointing of the Holy Spirit flowing through them.  The candlesticks or lampstands signify the churches of Jesus Christ.  Together, “John is saying the two men are empowered by the Holy Spirit and represent the churches of Jesus Christ as God’s clear witness and mouthpiece to perform miraculous signs in the presence of the end-time antichrist generation of unbelievers’ (note from The Life in the Spirit Study Bible).

 

Notice that the two witnesses are not allowed to be harmed.  If anyone tries to harm them, the two witnesses have the power to kill whoever tries to do so.  As a side note, it is important to understand that if one is in the will of God, doing what Got wants them to do, no harm will come to them until God decides their work is finished.  Not even covid or any of its strains can kill them.  The witnesses will denounce wickedness and proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Judge for forty-two months – three- and one-half years, one thousand two hundred and sixty days!  They will do this in the first half of the Tribulation period. 

 

Not only do they have God’s protection during this time, they “have the power to shut heaven, so no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they want.”  It is not told if or how often they use this power.  It does remind us of the power Moses was given when talking to Egypt’s Pharoah. 

 

One must realize that the two witnesses doing this in Jerusalem among very hostile, hateful people will be upsetting to the Antichrist.  By the time of their ministry comes to an end they have generated tremendous hatred and he is allowed to kill them.  There is no burial; the Antichrist leaves them on the street.  Jewish law requires immediate burial and refusal to do so is a sign of extreme shame and dishonor (note from the David Jeremiah study Bible). 

 

But this is not then of their story!

 

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Revelation 9:13-15, Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”  So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.

 

 Go ahead and read Revelation 9:13-21.  Don’t confuse the four angels here with good angels – good angels are not bound.  Therefore, we conclude these bound angels are bad or are demons.  They are told to lead a second demonic invasion upon the earth.  Remember the first invasion the demons were told to torment but not kill.  These four angels are released to kill one-third of the population left on earth.  The second “woe” is definitely worse than the first “woe”. 

 

These four angels will lead an army of two hundred million.  Bible authorities have taught this is an army that comes from China.  Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum does not agree.  He states this, “The speculation all rests on current events.  Communist China once declared that they can field an army of two hundred million.  Without even so much as questioning the truthfulness of this assertion, many have concluded that the two hundred million must involve a Chinese invasion of the Middle East.  The context just will not allow this.”  This force is demonic.  Read John’s description of this army in Revelation 9:17-19.  It should also be noted that one-third of the population is killed by fire, smoke, brimstone that comes from the mouths of this army; this is by supernatural and not natural means.

 

By reading the text, one also sees that the invasion begins at the Euphrates River; this river is always associated with God’s judgment (David Jeremiah Study Bible).  This is the area where sin was judged (Adam and Eve), the first murder occurred (Cain killed Abel), the Tower of Babel was judged, and where Babylon (the future headquarters of the Antichrist) is located.

 

This is all terrible, would you not agree?  Why does God do this?  His desire is for all mankind to fall on their knees and worship Him.  Revelation 9:20-21 show the result of the Seal and Trumpet judgments. “But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, and wood, which can neither hear nor walk.  And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”  Even the judgments from God do not bring people to repent.  They refuse!  Instead, they continue to worship the demons that have tormented them for five months only to have the demons kill one-third of them (Fruchtenbaum).  This demonstrates the depth of human wickedness and evil - their love of pleasure.  The most prominent sis of the last days and the Tribulation are the worship of demons, the occult, murder (an absolute lack of concern for human life), sorceries (magic arts, which includes drugs witchcraft, and occult worship), sexual immorality (lust and pornography) and thefts and lawlessness. 

 

It is certainly not a time I want to be on earth.  I am so thankful for salvation through Jesus Christ.  His GRACE toward all His people leaves me in tremendous awe.  What a God we serve!

 

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Revelation 8:12-13, Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened.  A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.  And I looked, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

 

Revelation 9:1, Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth.  To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.

 

The fourth angel’s trumpet causes one-third of the earth’s light sources to be darkened.  It does not say a third of the sun, moon, and stars are destroyed.  Imagine what drastic changes will take place due to this in our atmosphere!  Think of the darkness that will be caused by this trumpet. 

 

The first four trumpets have sounded and verse thirteen introduces the final three trumpets.  The angel’s three woes are a warning to mankind because the next three trumpets are much more severe and devastating than the seals and the previous trumpets.  They have been given the name Woe Judgments; the first two Woe Judgments involve demonic activity and the third contains the Bowl Judgments.

 

I know that the horror movies of today contain demon activity and many people enjoy watching them.  I cannot watch them.  Other movies present witches, warlocks, and demon activity as cute and fun.  This activity is not!  You need to take the time to read Revelation 9:1-12; this is what John saw regarding the fifth trumpet.  Remember that a fallen star is a symbolic of a fallen angel.  The abyss is the place of imprisonment for demons or fallen angels.  It is also the place where Satan will be imprisoned for a thousand years.  It is the place that demons were afraid to be sent when the Lord Jesus cast them out of demoniac in Luke 8.  Those in the abyss have been kept there for this specific judgment on mankind.

 

In this trumpet judgment, the demons are released (called locusts) causing the sun and the air to be darkened.  They have the power of scorpions to cause pain and misery upon the earth for five months; they are not allowed to kill men.  They are not able to destroy vegetation and are not permitted to touch anyone with God’s mark on their forehead.  Torment – not kill!  John saw those being tormented “seeking death and not finding it”.  Those affected could not even end their own life.  Those 144,000 witnesses and believers will not be touched by the demonic activity. Evil and those who oppose God and His truth will become the target of the demonic activity.  Satan does not care about those who choose to follow him. 

 

The fallen angel’s identity is given at the end of this trumpet’s description.  The one who opened the abyss is called Abaddon in the Hebrew or Apollyon in the Greek; both mean “destroyer or destruction”.  This trumpet lasts for five months, 150 days, but the relief does not last long.  The sixth trumpet answers the prayers of the tribulation martyrs from the fifth seal.

This is pretty frightening stuff, isn’t it?!  For the child of God is should be motivation to live their life on the narrow way that leads to heaven and eternal life.  Christians do sin.  But the promise of 1 John 1:9 is forgiveness that comes when we confess our sins to Him who died for every sin we have and will commit.  This is not a license to do or say whatever we want.  It is a promise that He is faithful in what He did at the cross for us when we mess up.  Do not let your sin go unconfessed!  The promise of eternal life is enough to motivate us to live our life for Him.  Knowing that we will be with the Lord in heaven when all this tribulation activity occurs is only added motivation for me to live the best I can for Him. 

 

What about you?

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Revelation 8:1, When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

 

Revelation 8:7, The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth.  And a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

 

Revelation 8:8-9, Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.  And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

 

Revelation 8:10-11, Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.  The name of the star is Wormwood.  A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

 

The seventh seal contains the next judgments that are going to be directed at the wickedness seen on earth.  Notice that two things happen as the trumpets are about to sound.  To this point there has been the sounds of worship in heaven; now silence occurs.  During this time, those martyred saints to this point in the Tribulation join the raptured saints in prayer.  The incense added to their prayers may indicate that the coming trumpets will be an answer to questions discussed in seal five.  The silence is an indication of how terrible the trumpet judgments will be on the earth.  As the trumpets are about to begin the earth trembles – “with thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake”.

 

In the Old Testament. Trumpets were used to call the people to worship or prepare for war.  At the sound of the first trumpet one-third of the earth’s vegetation is destroyed by fire and hail.  At the sound of the second trumpet one-third of the salt water, including sea life is destroyed.  Since three-fourths of the earth’s surface is ocean, it is not difficult to understand the devastation this trumpet brings.   The “great mountain burning” may refer to a great meteor which falls into the sea turning it into blood. 

 

The third trumpet concerns the earth’s fresh water supply as “a great star fell from heaven polluting the rivers and springs of water”.  Wormwood is a plant with a very bitter taste and represents God’s judgment.  Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum wrote an interesting comment about this in his book The Footsteps of the Messiah. “Whenever the word star is used symbolically, it is a common symbol of an angel, and this is the case here.  The angel’s name is Wormwood, showing the angel to be a fallen one.  The fallen angel causes one-third of the sweet water to turn bitter, which in turn causes the death of many.” 

 

In doing some reading on these trumpets a very interesting comment revealed what is probably obvious to everyone else.  A note in The Life in the Spirit Study Bible said “the judgment is limited to one-third of the world, because the purpose of judgment is partially to warn people and bring them to repentance.”  My mind has thought through all sorts of scenarios with this thought.  Fires in the western United States, hail in Texas the size of softballs, the drought in this country – could they be a hint of the trumpet judgments?  Notice the wording “a hint of” because the trumpet judgments will be much, much worse.

 

As a Christian, we will be part of those praying saints.  Do you know of those you need to be praying for right now?  We all know people who have not given their life to Christ or are not living the life on the narrow way that leads to God’s kingdom.  We have a responsibility to do so!

 

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Revelation 7:4  And I heard the number of those who were sealed.  One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.

 

Over the weekend I had time to reflect on the different classes I have taught the book of The Revelation.  I have heard comments about the content being frightening, difficult to comprehend and I should be teaching about how to live as a Christian.  My thought in writing about The Revelation in this blog is to make the reader understand what is to come according to God’s Word.  It is not to instill fear nor be confusing but to encourage all who read this blog to be sure they have received Jesus Christ as their Savior and to be living for Him.  It is important to be diligently living for Him when His rapture occurs.  Only those left on earth will go through the terrible times The Revelation describes.

 

The tribulation is a time the Lord gives primarily the Jewish people an opportunity to accept

Him as theirs Savior.  Throughout the time of the tribulation 144,000 Jewish servants of God from the twelve tribes of Israel have been ministering.  Their purpose will fulfill the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”  Their preaching results in many being saved as seen and described in the fifth seal – those slain for their testimony during the early part of the tribulation.

 

On the forehead of these servants of God, God has placed His seal; they will “proudly display the Father’s name on their foreheads.  Yet they will not be killed.  The seal of the Living God will not be merely an eternal; it will also be a source of mercy” (from the David Jeremiah Study Bible).  The result of their work is shown in Revelation 7:9.  A great number from every nation, tribe, and people are seen standing before the Lamb of God in white robes with palm branches in their hands, giving praise to the One who offers salvation to them.

 

Let me finish with what is written in the David Jeremiah Study Bible about people who are saved during the Tribulation.  “The Word of God contains absolutely no evidence that there will be any hope for those who reject Christ as their Savior after the day of grace is over (after the Rapture).  Paul clarifies this issue in a letter to the Thessalonians (2 Tess. 2:10-12): if the rapture were to occur today, those who have heard but rejected the gospel will be ushered into the Tribulation and will fall under the delusion of the Antichrist, putting their faith in this false Savior rather that Jesus Christ.”

 

Here is the takeaway.  Do not take a chance on being “left behind” when the rapture of the Church happens.  If you know someone who is not living for the Lord share this blog or talk with them.  If the note from the DJSB is correct, there is no second chance.  So, who is saved during by the 144,000 witnesses? I’m leaving that answer to Him.

 

Yes, this is difficult to understand and I do not have a lot of answers.  The answer I do have is for us to live according to God’s Word, be diligent about your relationship to Him and be ready for His return to get His Bride, the Church!

 

 

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Revelation 6:9-10, When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the testimony which they held.  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on earth?”

 

Revelation 6:12, I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became as black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.

 

The opening of the fifth seal moves what John sees back to heaven.  John now sees the result of the previous seals being opened; he sees those “slain for the testimony which they held”.  These have been martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ.  If the Church has been raptured and is in heaven, how do people get saved?  That question is answered in the next chapter.  Those slain are asking the difficult question, “Lord, when are you going to judge those who have killed us?”

They are told to be patient; there will be more who die for their faith.  “This tribulation period will be a terrible time of persecution for those who accept the gospel and remain faithful to God and His Word.” (From the Life in the Spirit Study Bible). 

 

It Is better to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and live with Him as Lord now than to wait until the Tribulation period and lose your head over it.  I’m not one for thinking people will just decide to accept and follow Christ in the Tribulation.  But if that does happen, the chances of losing their head over it is extremely high.  Why wait?!

 

The seals conclude with a great earthquake that blackens the sun in the day and turns the moon to a reddish color at night.  To add to the terror this causes, a meteor shower will follow the earthquake.  Those on earth will be so terrified that they will seek shelter in caves and shelters they have built under ground.  “Even unbelievers know they are experiencing the wrath of God.  Explaining the first five seal judgments might be explained as natural happenings, but with the sixth seal, that is no longer possible.” (Dr. Arnold G. Frutchenbaum).

 

Revelation 6 ends with this, “For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”  Stay with me as we answer that in the next page of the blog.

 

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 We were gone for a few days and I did not get the blog posted Monday and Tuesday.

Revelation 6:4, “Another horse, fiery red, went out.  And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another, and there was given to him a great sword.”

 

Revelation 6:5b-6, So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.  And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oils and wine.”

 

Revelation 6:8, So I looked, and behold, a pale horse.  And the name on him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed him.  And power was given them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by beasts of the earth. 

 

The second seal is opened by the Lamb and peace is removed from the earth.  The peace that gave false security is ended and the Antichrist who comes conquering, and to conquer begins his worldwide conquest.  It is going to be a time of horrible slaughter as God allows His wrath upon the earth to occur after the Antichrist gained a bloodless and peaceful takeover.  This is a reminder of the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:6, 10, and 21.  This is a global war and that suggests that the Antichrist has at his disposal a global force or military to achieve a global success. 

 

Impossible to happen?  I see the Speaker of the House uses the National Guard to guard the capital so people can no longer get in; which means people cannot visit their congressmen (pretty convenient, right!?).  NATO troops are deployed around the world and our troops are used to help other forces around the world fight evil. It seems like an easy transition to a world military might be fairly easy to achieve.

 

The third seal is opened by the Lamb and a rider on a black horse holding a scale in his hand is seen.  Black in the Bible is often used to refer to famine; famine often comes as a consequence of war.  So, the worldwide famine this horse and rider bring would naturally follow the red horse and rider.  Basic necessities of life will be scarce and scarcity causes prices to go high.  Hunger will spread throughout the world.  Billy Crone, in Volume Three of his series The Final Countdown states,” 1/3 of the world is well-fed, 1/3 is underfed, and 1/3 is starving to death right now”.  The problem is due to large areas of land are becoming deserts each year.  We don’t get it in this country; if we have to stand or sit in a car line waiting on fast food, we get bent all out of shape.  But remember this famine is worldwide – that includes the United States.  Can’t happen here?  Wait!  What affect has higher gas prices had on the price of food and other items.  What affect has a shortage of over-the-road drivers had on products.  Have you tried buying a sheet of plywood lately? Notice oil and wine are not hurt.  These products are used in making medicines; I guess that could be good news.

 

The fourth horseman of the Apocalypse is the deadliest of all.  The pale horse and its rider named Death symbolize a terrible intensification of war, famine, death plagues, disease and evil beasts.  I wonder what John saw in this vision.  My imagination gets carried away when I wonder about technological advancements in military ability to make war.  I can understand all John saw until he sees death by wild beasts.   I guess I have always read this verse too fast and missed this before.  It seems only logical that when famine of this magnitude occurs not only people get hungry but animals do as well.  All this results in one fourth of the world’s population will be killed.

 

I don’t want to be on earth when all this happens.  I don’t plan to be!  God help me and all readers of this blog to hunger and thirst for Your righteousness and walk the narrow way that leads to Your kingdom and eternal life.

 

 

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Revelation 6:1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”

 

Revelation 6:2, “And I looked and behold a white horse.  He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him and he went conquering and to conquer.”

 

In Revelation 4 the emphasis was on God as Creator and He is Holy.  The emphasis of Revelation 5 is on Christ as Redeemer and He is worthy!  Chapters 6-19 is concerned with God’s wrath; The Jeremiah Study Bible has this note regarding Revelation 6:1, “The God who has been worshipped now pours out His judgment.”  There are three different thoughts about when the first seal is opened. One thought is the seal is opened at the beginning of the seven-year period known as the Tribulation, the future time of unprecedented suffering and judgment leading up to the return of Jesus Christ to set up His kingdom on earth.  A second thought is the first seal is opened up during the final three- and one-half years of the seven-year tribulation known as the Great Tribulation.  A third thought is that the first seal is opened as the beginning of the judgment of God toward the end of the age (from note in The Life in the Spirit Study Bible).   Let me explain what each seal is about and you decide if any has been opened yet or the opening of the seals is still in the future.

 

Before I do that, I want you to be aware of the pattern in the first four seals.  In each of these seals, the Lamb opens the seal.  At that time one of the four living creatures tells the rider on the horse to “Come and see.”  The Jeremiah Study Bible explains that this directive is spoken to the rider on the horse, not to John.  At the command the rider and the horse “proceed across the stage of history”.  The opening of the seals begins the first of three successive series of God’s judgments.  The judgments found in the seals are followed by seven trumpet judgments and then seven vials of the wrath of God.  They get progressively worse in severity.  One thing to remember throughout this study is God is never out of control! 

 

Okay, I said I would let you decide when the first seal is opened.  I lean heavily with the thought that the first seal is opened after the rapture of the church as a result of the Seven-Year Covenant signed between Israel and the Antichrist (more on that at another time).    The four horsemen come out as the first four judgments upon a corrupt and evil world system and the ungodly who have rejected God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

 

The rider on the white horse is described as wearing a crown and conquering, and to conquer.  This is not the Lord Jesus Christ!  Dr. Arnold G. Fruchenbaum states this rider “is not the Messiah indicated by the fact that the crown here is a stephanos crown, the crown of an overcomer or victor.  It is not the diadem crown, the crown of sovereignty and royalty, the type the Messiah will wear in chapter 19.  This figure who enters the Tribulation conquering, and to conquer is the Antichrist.” (from his book The Footsteps of the Messiah). 

 

We will discuss the Antichrist more in the future.  Know that he is a deceiver and counterfeits what the Lord Jesus Christ has done or will do.  He is allowed by God to deceive all who oppose Christ.  The bow in his hand is his ability to conquer; he does so without arrows.  He conquers through the use of deception, confusion, scarcity, and fear.  The Antichrist is controlled by Satan and energized by Satan to begin worldwide conquest as seen through this first seal. 

 

Just for fun, take a peek at the description of the rider on the white horse found in Revelation19:11-16.  There is to be no confusion between this rider and the horse and rider of the first seal.

 

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Revelation 5:9, And they sang a new song, saying “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals; for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.  And You have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on earth.”

 

Worship changes as the Lamb of God takes the scroll from “the right hand of Him who sits on the throne.”  In chapter four, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bowed down and sang, “Holy, Holy, Holy”.  They sang this because God is completely separate from all creation and evil; He alone is pure and holy.  The four living creatures (a study in itself) continually proclaim God’s holiness and righteousness in all He does. It is important to know that He is holy as we begin to see His judgment on those who have turned away from Him on earth; because holiness is God’s nature and character, He will never change and He will triumph over all evil in history and in the universe.  His holiness means His judgment is righteous.

 

The song of those in heaven changes in chapter five when the Lamb of God is seen worthy to take the scroll and open it.  The focus changes from weeping to one of praise in the form of a new song that celebrates redemption through the death of the Lamb.  The Lamb is worthy because of His sacrificial death on the cross.  John the Baptist said, “Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).   He alone is worthy to take the scroll with earth’s destiny on it, open it, and reveal what is written on it.  His worthiness comes from His act of redemption – “for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood.”

 

This worship is begun by the four living creatures, the cherubim.  You might compare them to worship leaders who are continually bringing praise to “Him who sits on the throne”.  They continually declare the holiness of God, lead in His worship and His praise.  They fall down and worship the Lamb.  When they do “ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands” of new worshippers join in the worship.  The angels join the worship of the Lamb.  John saw the number of angels to be impossible to know.  At this point, all creatures in “heaven and on earth and under the earth and such are in the sea” begin to worship the Lamb.  True praise and worship has a way of spreading like this!

 

I know I need to take time to consider and reflect upon this vision in heaven.  To take time and consider the magnificence of God and the glory of the Lamb should bring a similar response from all who do.  Who am I that God should send His Son to take my place, to die for what I have done and for the things I continue to do?  God’s patience with me is so difficult to understand.  But He continues to cover me with His grace, refusing to let go of me!  As a child of God, do not wait to give Him the worship and praise that He deserves to receive from you.  Take time to consider the magnificence od God and the glory of the Lamb right now.

 

Judgment is about to begin!

 

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