Navigation

• Home
• Bible Blog
• Bible Study DVD
• Testimonials
• About Us
• Contact Us
• FAQ
• Guarantee

Your Cart




Subscribe to Bible Blog

Enter your email address:

Recent Posts

• Revelation 11:1-10
• Revelation 10:7-11
• Revelation 10:1-6
• Revelation 9:12-21
• Revelation 9:1-11

v1 At least one of the purposes of “measuring the temple” is to ensure that it is the same as the Temple of God in Heaven from v19. This is a symbolic exchange where John is asked to check if the ordinances and temple are being correctly performed, or used.
v2 “the Holy City” Jerusalem “shall they” the Gentiles “tread under foot” occupy forty and two months
I don’t know anything about the number 42 so I turned this into years and got 3.5 or 3 1/2 years. 3 1/2 is exactly half of 7 which number represents perfection, completeness, wholeness. I take this to mean that the Gentiles will occupy Jerusalem for an imperfect, or incomplete time.
v3 These 2 “witnesses” prophesy for 1280 days again I change the time to months and years to see a symbolic meaning and I get 3 1/2 years. Shocking so during the occupation by the gentiles there will be 2 “witness prophets”. I think that witness implies specifically that they have seen or witnessed the resurrected Christ as did Peter, James, John, and Paul.
v4 2 new symbols are introduced for the witnesses. Candlesticks and olive trees. In the temple the candle sticks (minorah’s) were placed to the left of the Holy Place as one entered. It was the only light in the Temple. The Olive tree has always represented the Tree of Life that God caused to be guarded so that Adam and Eve couldn’t eat of it after eating of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil. Both great symbols for these new and modern prophets.
v5-6 They fight as did the prophets of old, using the power of God, plagues, fire, water to blood, famine. This powerful display will surely be noticed by many in the holy city and elsewhere.
v7-8 Ultimately the fate of the 2 great prophets is death at the hand of the Beast (Satan). They will be left to rot in the street of the great city Jerusalem. Notice it isn’t called the holy city now but spiritually Sodom and Egypt. This is an attack that Jerusalem is now wicked along with the Gentiles that have overrun it.
v9 The dead bodies stay there 3 1/2 days and no one puts them in graves but they are left out as a mockery of their power.
v10 The people of the time will “rejoice over them and make merry, and shall send gifts on to another” because of the joy they have that they are not bothered by these prophets. Interesting how the righteous love commandments, and the chance to be more dedicated, devoted and to worship more perfectly, and the wicked are tormented by the words of true prophets. How glorious it would be to be led by a Witness of the Lord Jesus, A Prophet like ancient Israel was. This would be a time of deep sadness for those still faithful to the Lord, their prophets just slain and people rejoicing thier death.

v7 The time during the 7th angel is interesting in that he covenants with God in v6 “that there should be time no longer” implying the end has arrived but there is still more to come. Importantly, this is the time when the “mystery of God should be finished”. I expect that all of us will know then if we don’t now that Jesus is the living Son of the Holy Father, more than that I’m certainly not qualified to speak, although the prophets apparently knew about this time.
v8-9 John is commanded by the voice from Heaven not the angel to take the book, which as he does, he receives more instruction. I find this principle to happen much in my personal life. As I’m guided by the Lord, I don’t usually get all the instruction at the same time. I get a little, then do what I’ve been instructed and then more inevitably comes. I don’t ever get more unless I’ve acted on what I was previously given. John is told the book he is to eat will taste sweet but be bitter in his belly. I take this to mean that it will appear good, but the digesting of it will be unpleasant. Much of prophesy is like this to me easy as first but as I labor to bring it to pass it becomes personally difficult.
v11 John is commanded to prophesy again to the people. It may be easy to say the words (sweet) but the consequences will be hard to bear (bitter). Also John wants the Saints to be saved (sweet) but to have that happen the wicked must be purged (bitter).

v1 After the 4 angels that were evil were mentioned this v1 is to let us know who this angel is. “Clothed with a cloud” God often spoke to his people from a cloud, and he used a cloud to cover and protect his Holy Temple. See Ex 13:21, Num 14:14, Ex 16:10, Ex 40:34, Num 10:34, 1 Kgs. 8:10, Isa 19:1, Dan 7:13, Matt 17:5.
“a rainbow was upon his head” Remember that Noah was reminded that the rainbow was to be symbol that God would not destroy the earth by water again Genesis 9:13. It appears to be used earlier in other ancient texts referring to a covenant with Enoch that his city that was taken up would come down again to the earth during Christ’s reign for 1000 yrs. Other interesting facts about rainbows. It is the separated parts of light. When light diffracts through a prism all its parts (different wavelengths) or colors. Since drops of rain are spherical it appears in a bow. His face was as it were the sun. Moses’ face shone after being in the mount with the Lord God. (Ex 34:29). “feet as pillars of fire” Isaiah asks, who shall dwell in everlasting burnings? And answers essentially the “righteous” Here this angel is truly a type of the Lord Jesus.
v2-3 Holding the book, open and the feet being on different parts references dominion, and control. Just as a conqueror would put a foot on the opposing soldier declaring dominance. Here the angel makes known that he has power over the land and sea. “loud voice, as if a lion roareth” See Revelation 5:5 post for more info on Jesus the original Lion King.
v4 John commanded not to write what was spoken by the thunders but to seal it up (how I’d love to hear what they had to say)
v5-6 Notice the hand lifting when the angel swears. It is a common occurrence that the right hand was raised when making covenants (Genesis 24:2). Apparently the angel covenants with God that he would stop time.

v12 Each of the last 3 trumpets are spoke of as a “Woe”. Because of the number 3 being a number of truth or witness, when woes were given in 3’s they were the truest, the most condemning. Here we have a Woe, woe, woe situation.
v14-18 The 4 angels are as we will discover in a few verses very similar to the army that Satan unleashes in the first part of the chapter with a couple of important differences. 1. These are to slay and to lead the 200,000,000 men. They have 3 weapons and “by these three was the third part of men killed” namely “by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. For reference to why 1/3 part is so important please see the post for Revelation 8:1-3.
v20-21 We see now the reason for the Lord to let these armies loose on the people. “The rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands” We go on to read that these men were worshiping devils, and idols, committing murders, sorceries, fornication, and thefts. This is a bad list to have your name on. It is critical to realize that this is why the 4 angels and the army were allowed to wreak havoc among the children of men. Our Father does not want us to be slaughtered for no reason, but he must purge the wicked from the earth if it is to be inherited by the righteous during the 1000 years of peace that is to come.
Application from this section
Many People I know find it frequently difficult to apply some verses to them selves. These are some of those verses. I’m going to share some personal application I can find from these verses.
1. Matt 6:24 “ye cannot serve God and Mammon” I will not continue to worship Idols by wanting a new Toyota Tundra. (I’m sure some of you own this Truck, no offense meant, I’ve wanted one for some time now and although I don’t put candles in front of a picture of it, I think my desires are to be cool/popular rather than build the kingdom) What matters most here are my desires, I’ll change them so I don’t end up the 1/3 part that gets fired for real. After I change my desires so that I don’t love/worship this Idol I’m convinced it wouldn’t be bad for me to have it. The evil exists in the needing of it and the why I need it.
2. Fornication, although I don’t fornicate, I frequent some movies or watch shows where people who aren’t married sleep together. Next time I see that on TV, or in a theater, I will turn off the movie, and not watch it again.

v1 “Star fall from heaven” we’ve seen this before in Revelation which is a reference to Satan. Why would Satan be given the key to the bottomless pit? This key is given to whom it is due, i.e. Satan will torment and lead those souls in Hell as their master.
v3 The smoke changes to various plagues, only more powerful ie the locusts now are deadly like a “scorpion”
v4 The targeted individuals are those without the seal of God in their forehead. Notice that this evil army are encouraged not to waste time with that which is unimportant, and go straight for the prize. Which is those that God hasn’t sealed his yet. These are the luke warm spoken of in Revelation 3:16. Likewise we should learn from this that we too must not exert our energy for anything else. This is a battle for the souls of man, and make no mistake about it Lucifer and his minions will do all they must to win, we must be ready to do what is necessary to win souls for the cause of the Lord.
v5-6 Torture makes the misery offered by Satan seem blissful, thus his armies are commanded not to kill just to torment them until they seek death and then after the appropriate devotions have been sworn death will be granted.
v7-10 Many have supposed that this is a description of a modern attack helicopter or some yet to be concocted nightmare of a weapon. If that is true, and John is using his language to describe these modern machines or if he saw things as indicated we can rest assured that the outcome is the same. These symbols are of war. We are at war with those that would kill not only our body but our spirit they would drag down to hell, given even a single instance. We must prepare for this battle in 2 ways. First, we must be ready for the very real and physical battle which will accompany the last days as vultures follow death. We cannot stand by and hope that war won’t reach us, the Bible is clear that all will be involved. Second, this battle is a continuation of that Holy war fought in Heaven before this earth was formed that we might have our right to choose between good and evil. As it continues to wage here this war will eventually force all to commit as to which seal you would have in your forehead. There can be no neutral territory here. Either you are with God and his Christ or you are not, this war will bring all to make that ever critical decision who have not yet chosen.
v11 They are led by Satan himself, call him what you will but don’t be fooled by his talk judge his actions. Who would you have for your king? One who enslaves, or redeems? I choose the Redeemer!

v1 2 Peter 3:8 says “…that one day is with the Lord a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” If this is taken literally John could be seeing 20.83 years of silence, or just 1/2 hour it’s not clear. It also isn’t clear if the silence was in reverence that the seal was opened or fear for what was to come.
v3 This censer is like a bowl used to burn incense, which is symbolic of prayers and here it is stated that it is offered with the prayers.
v4 This smoke ascended from the angels hand up before God.
v5 After the prayers have ascended the fire (coals) from the altar are put in the censer and cast to earth as Judgment that those saints who prayed had been persecuted by the wicked. What comes next will be in retribution for the evil acts committed by some on this earth. Look at the initial destruction that follows the censer, “voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake”
v6 The sounding of the trumpets are apparently similar to the seals in that they represent the completeness (the number 7 represents whole, complete, perfect since the Lord chose 7 days to create the earth) of the age of the earth. Here in the 7th seal (the time when God sanctified man) we get the finishing of the preparations for the second coming when man will be sanctified. The trumpets thus go before the King of Heaven and Earth, proclaiming that his work to save man is complete, perfect.
What does “the third part mean” as it will be used for the duration of Revelation. Symbolically 3 represents truth, because we live in a 3 dimensional world any 3 numbers can define a point in space. 42 feet east, 100 feet north 77 feet in the air. for example much the same way we use longitude latitude and altitude (a spherical style coordinate system) notice we see in the Old Testament the prelude to the higher law given in 2 Corinthians 13:1
Deuteronomy 17:6 reads “At the mouth of 2 witnesses or 3 witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death. 13:1 ” This is the 3rd time I am coming to you. In the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses shall every word be established. Notice how many people Jesus took with him to the mount of transfiguration 3 Peter, James, and John so they could testify that critical priesthood keys were passed to Jesus from Moses, Elias and others. Notice how many were asked to accompany him further into the Garden of Gethsemane 3 Peter, James, and John. Notice how many groups of people testified of the birth of the Redeemer of Man kind 3 Shepherds, Anna, and Simeon. The Wise men came later bearing 3 gifts testifying of his divine mission and sonship Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. Peter denies 3 times, and is subsequently asked to feed the sheep and lambs 3 times by Jesus at the shore of Tiberias. 3 witnesses of the empty tomb, Mary, Peter and John. The list could go one for quite some time. suffice it to say 3 is a witness nubmer defining truth. In Revelation 12 we are told that the Dragon (Satan) takes a 1/3 part of the stars (spirits) from heaven to follow him to the earth to torment man. This 1/3 are the portion that are wicked, it also represents not enough to define truth ie it defines lies. Therefore what might be destroyed is the untrue or because of the untrue part is destroyed. Either way this 1/3 is linked to Satan and untruth, so when we see 1/3 we can see what is meant.
v7 1/3 part of green burned Green is a symbol of life.
v8 1/3 part of sea becomes blood
v9 1/3 part of creatures in sea die and 1/3 part of ships destroyed
v10 1/3 part of the rivers and fountains (springs?)
v11 1/3 part of waters become wormwood (death is associated with worms)
v12 1/3 part sun, 1/3 part moon, 1/3 part stars (1/3 part light) the day and night both with no light for a 3 part.
v13 Woe, woe woe (3 woe’s) to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the 3 angels which are yet to sound.
To many 3’s and 1/3’s to ignore. 1/3 of everything is destroyed. Heaven was purified once by casting out of the 1/3 and the Earth is apparently going through the exact same cleansing prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus which will occur during this 7th seal.

v9 Following the 144,000 John sees a “great multitude which no man could number” who stood before the Lamb, and the throne in white robes with Palms in their hands. The white robe a symbol of conquering Satan and purity after having been washed white in the blood of the lamb (v14). The Palms in their hands is probably a reference to the Triumphal Entry (Matt 21:12). Probably the most rewarding time for the Savior in his earthly ministry.
v10-12 Shortly after they begin worshiping with the 24 elders and the beasts and the angels.
v14 “Washed white in the blood of the lamb” represents to me the irony, and the joy of the atonement. Ironically all the cleaning “in the world” pun intended, will never get us as clean as washing in the blood of the Lamb. Blood usually the worst stain is here the great emulsifier of sin, removing it from our eternally stained garments. Why is it that we often try so hard on our own scrubbing with the latest in technology, trying to cleanse our selves while not using the time tried remedy offered by the Holy one of Israel.
v15 Post cleansing those in white are serving him day and night in his temple. Temple worship is critical to the child of Christ, and although the Temple in the Holy land was destroyed Ezekiel prophsied that there would be another built. Ezekiel 40-47 gives us quite the grand vision of what the temple will be like.
v16-17 Perhaps because of their temple service they hunger no more and thirst no more, wonderfully enough they also feel no light from the sun, and especially no heat. Once in the temple the Lamb will feed them, and will lead them to living waters. Lastly “God shall wipe all tears from their eyes”, is a statement of pure wonder to me, because of the power it takes to wipe and to let someone wipe tears from eyes. There are very few people in my life I’d let wipe a tear from my eye, because of how intimate the feeling is when hands are laid on faces when they’ve been crying. Besides my mother and my wife, I can think of no one. The proximity of the relationship between our God and us will then be as real as is our nearness to him now spiritually.

Birth Order as born
1-Reuben-Leah
2-Simeon-Leah
3-Levi-Leah
4-Judah-Leah
5-Dan-Bilhah (Rachel)
6-Naphtali-Bilhah (Rachel)
7-Gad-Zilpah (Leah)
8-Asher-Zilpah (Leah)
9-Issachar-Leah
10-Zebulun-Leah
11-Joseph-Rachel
12-Benjamin-Rachel

1-Dinah(girl)-Leah

12 Tribes by Mother and with Birth Order

1. Rachel
11-Joseph
12-Benjamin
2. Leah
1-Reuben
2-Simeon
3-Levi
4-Judah
9-Issachar
10-Zebulun
1-Dinah
3. Bilhah (Rachel)
5-Dan
6-Naphtali
4. Zilpah (Leah)
7-Gad
8-Asher

I put Rachel as the first wife even though Leah was actually married first. Rachel would have occupied the position of the first wife in the household being “incharge” and making more decisions as she was Jacob’s chosen from the beginning and Leah was given Jacob by his Father-in-Law as a deception instead of Rachel

12 Tribes by Birthright Order which received inheritance

1-Ephriam
2-Manasseh
3-Reuben
4-Simeon
5-Judah
6-Dan
7-Naphtali
8-Gad
9-Asher
10-Issachar
11-Zebulun
12-Benjamin

notice that Levi received no inheritance because the whole tribe was offered instead of the first born of each woman to God to officiate in the ordinances of the priesthood, and Temple. As such their inheritance is was related to the temple ordinances and the Holy Priesthood. Joseph received no portion, he chose to give his portion to his 2 sons.

Israel’s Birthright

As Reuben defiled his father’s bed (slept with one of his fathers wives) he lost the birthright which would then to pass to a Firstborn of another wife. Look who can argue to have the Birthright, no wonder they hated Joseph. Simeon was next in line legitimately but was wicked Levi would later receive the priesthood and officiate in Temple Ordinances quite important and since Simeon and Reuben had both fallen had a case. Judah is the lineage the Messiah was promised through, obviously a case can be made for him getting it. Dan, and Gad were both first to open their respective mothers’ wombs, which fills the requirements in part. Joseph, also has claim but is the second youngest of 12 surely not commanding the same power in the house as the other contenders. When they plot his death, what they really wanted was his birthright blessing. Bilhah and Zilpah bore children before Rachel but Rachel was married to Jacob first and occupied a higher rank among the wives. Therefore Joseph received the birthright and the “double portion” to take care of the family as the tradition was. This would give one portion to each of his 2 sons Manasseh and Ephriam. Manasseh was older and should have received the Birthright but Jacob was impressed in the Patriarchal blessing to give that special blessing to Ephraim, even at the protest of Joseph.

v1-3 “The 4 angels standing on the 4 corners of the earth…, holding the 4 winds…, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea” Corners of the earth are interesting. A very common symbol is a square inside a circle with all the corners touching the line of the circle. This powerful symbol represents the Earth (square) inscribed (surrounded) by Heaven (circle). Thus, when the angels are given the 4 corners they are here to harvest the earth and gather together those that will be “sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads” These angels are to gather the elect from the 4 corners of the earth. The other angel ascending from the east (typical of the Lord’s resurrection) held the seal with which those righteous will be sealed. After all are sealed it is implied that the earth will then be hurt by the 4 angels.
v3 The 144,000 which are sealed. Some have supposed that these are the only ones to be saved, although possible, these apparently lived at the same time and well, Noah and Moses will both make it in my opinion so that can’t be exactly right. Also since there are 12,000 from each tribe, which tribe do those that lived before Jacob get assigned to for example Abraham, we know he received his reward but is part of no tribe. I base my beliefs on the symbol of the number 12. I believe 12 to be an organizational number, note 12 tribes- maybe the most fundamental breakdown of the covenant people in all the scriptures. Then you have the 12 apostles another seemingly random number dealing exclusively with the church organization and governing body. It is so important that there are 12 that they immediately replace Judas to get back to the correct number. Thus the 12,000 x 12 Tribes gives us the sealing of the covenant righteous, in an orderly way, meant, in my opinion to give us the idea that this is more organized than angels flying around stamping seals in random heads.
v5-8 The tribes are here listed in no apparent order (see the correct orders of the tribes in my other post entitled 12 tribes). A couple of important points of note. When it says Joseph they mean the tribe of Ephraim (because Ephraim succeeded Joseph as the birthright son of Jacob, as Joseph passed it to his 2 children Ephraim and Manassah Genesis 48:5). Since Manasseh (Mansses in Greek) is mentioned in v6 and Ephraim was before Manasseh Genesis 48:14-19, we can only assume that Joseph = Ephraim here in this instance. Secondly, there is no mention of Dan, the tribe of Levi which is commonly left out because they received no land for inheritance due to their service in the temple, is included. Reuben and Simeon who have been considered to be removed due to wickedness are also included. Why no Danites are mentioned is curious to say the least.

v9 From 0 to 1000 AD what could be more characteristic than seeing the righteous leaders slain for their testimony of the word of God. The under the altar reference comes from the way that the blood of sacrificial offerings was poured at the base of the altar so the symbolism is that those martyred were “sacrificed” in the old way. John would have surely seen this and we can’t miss something so important.
v10 Intriguing is the statement they make “avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth” They mean that the wicked who were responsible should feel the punishment for what they had done. Some were denied the long life they should have enjoyed and their posterity cut short, or even snuffed out by their death. They only want the sacrifice not to be in vain, they want people to see that their God is the Lord and he will fight their battles and that the righteous will be justified and the wicked punished.
v11 White robes, symbolic of purity and victory were given all those that were “sacrificed”. I can think of no greater reward than being able to enter into the rest of the Lord, not a rest like a nap just a rest from suffering, and pain. This is what the Sabbath should be like weekly for all of us, here these true saints get it for a time till their brethren join them in the ranks of the martyred.
v12-15 Sixth seal opened 1000 AD to 2000 AD. Joel prophesied similar things Joel 2:10 “the earth will quake before them the heavens shall tremble” Joel 2:31 “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.” This speaks of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. which comes during the 7th seal or Millennial reign. Stars fall and the heaven rolls like a scroll. Mountain and Island are removed from their places, Powerful men hide in caves.
v16 This verse says more about Judgment than any I know of. Those same powerful people ask the rocks and mountains to fall on them and hide them from the Father and the wrath of the Lamb. We don’t have forever to change our ways, a day of reckoning will arrive. If we fail to heed the prophets counsel to repent while there is time we may find we never make the time to repent as we ought, and arrive at that day afraid with others who squandered their days on riotous living like the prodigal with no time to return to a loving Father.
v17 The question is posed “who shall be able to stand?” Paul answered this question, thus Ephesians 6:13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.” This image of us standing before God is one that many prophets commented on because we all know what it is like to stand to accounting for something either done or left undone before a master, parent, or respected leader. The image is as good today as it was in Paul and John’s. We must armor up!

keep looking »