Monday 20 February 2012

An Introduction to End Times.

Part 4 The Tribulation and On (cont’d)

Features of the Great Tribulation – Section 4e

Revelation Chapter 14

In this chapter we envision, perhaps from a spiritual point of view some of the activities that we will see during the closing of the Great Tribulation.

In verses 1 to 5 we see the 144,000 Jews, now in heaven, who were sealed (at the beginning of chapter 7) to evangelise for the Lord. Other believers have already moved to the desert (Rev 12:6). These particular workers must have suffered tremendously during their activities and they are now worthy of a special new song which only they can sing.

In verses 6 and 7 we see a proclamation of the eternal nature of the Gospel and in verse 8 anticipation of the fall of Babylon (see chapter 17) – the satanic world system.

In verses 9 to 11 we are reminded that the most severe and eternal punishment will be meted out to those who freely co-operate with the antichrist. But, on the other hand, in verses 12 and 13 we are assured that the supreme testing of those who keep to God’s ways during those days will not go unrecognised.

Verses 14 to 20 perhaps provide a heavenly pre-view of the final harvest of believers by Jesus at Armageddon (through the agency of angels, see Mt 13:39-43). There is now no further opportunity of salvation for anyone. The rejects are trampled in the wine-press of God’s wrath (Joel 3:13).

Revelation Chapters 15 and 16

In these chapters we see the last woe and fulfilment of chapter 14.

Chapter 15: in verse 1 we see the seven last plagues, held by the seven angels, which represent the final fury of God that will be cast from the golden bowls onto the earth.

In verses 2 to 4 we catch a glimpse of the martyrs from the Tribulation (as in Rev 14:14-16) standing outside of the tumult that some of them have only recently emerged from, with maybe also, others, such as those referred to in Rev 6:9. The song they are singing is redolent of the song of Moses sung by the Israelites after the successful crossing of the red sea (Ex 15).

In verses 5 to 8 the seven angels are handed seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God.

Chapter 16: in verses 1 to 21 the angels release natural calamities (the third and last woe) from the seven bowls onto the earth. These grim judgements (Bowls one to four) fall upon all those remaining.
vs. 10-11 (Bowl five) – the antichrist and his kingdom suffer.
vs. 12-14 (Bowl six) – God opens the way for the armies (of unbelievers) from the East to join battle against Jesus at Armageddon.
v. 13 ‘3 frogs’ represent the ‘satanic trinity’.
vs. 17-21 (Bowl seven) – This final judgement (see also the earlier notes at chapter 8 verse 1) and the hugh earthquakes literally prepare Jerusalem and the world for the millennium. Mountains and valleys are reformed – especially around Jerusalem (Zec 14:4-5).
At this time, Jewish believers who have come to Christ during the Great Tribulation (ie. since the time of the escape of the others to the desert in Rev 12:6), are led to safety through the resultant valley of Zec 14:4-5.

Revelation Chapter 17

In this chapter an angel shows John the plight of the great prostitute – the false religion. This is a consensus of corrupt religions brought together by the Antichrist during the first half of the Tribulation. Even today attempts are being made to encourage the formation of a single ‘world religion’ or ‘faith’.

Verses 1 to 6 illustrate the need that the Antichrist and the false religion have for each other during the early Tribulation but eventually the Antichrist wins out. In verses 7 to 14 the allusions flow thick and fast. Seven hills of Rome? Five ancient kingdoms (Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Medo-Persia, Greece) have already fallen, Rome, at the time Revelation was penned, already is, and, following the ‘church age’ (see Part 2, section 2a), the new Rome of the Antichrist is yet to come? Ten countries of the EU?

Eventually in verses 15 to 18 the Antichrist deifies himself, as we know, at the beginning of the Great Tribulation (see Dan 9:27) and turns away from the religious mix.

Revelation Chapter 18

We now see the downfall of ‘The System’ of the Antichrist, his political and economic ‘Babylon’ (see End Note b, to follow in section 4g). In verses 1 to 3 an angel announces this and reflects on all who have been involved with her. In verses 4 to 8 God calls his people out and declares her annihilation.

Then the tears of all those who shared in her ways and Babylon’s own final destruction are described in verses 9 to 24.

Next time: The Millennial Kingdom

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