REVELATION LESSON 9

REVELATION

LESSON 9

ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES?

Revelation chapter six described the opening of the first seals, but it ended before the opening of the seventh seal. Chapter seven covers the sealing of the 144,000, but also failed to mention the seventh seal.

It is not until chapter 8 that we learn about the final seal. The opening of the seventh seal reveals the appearance of seven angels with seven trumpets.

The seven seals are broken down into two sets. Likewise, the seven trumpets will be broken down into two sets. Four of the judgements are called one third, followed by three judgements which are called woes.

Revelation 8:1-2   8 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

² And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

When this seal is broken, nothing will remain to be restrained. The carrying out of the remaining judgements. Before they begin there will be a silence in heaven for about half an hour.

The flashes of lighting and rumblings and thunder coming from the throne of God will cease. The four living creatures will cease their talk about the holiness of God. The twenty-four elders will suspend their declaration about the worthiness of the Lamb of God.

The heavenly host will stop their singing, and the tribulation saints will cease their praises. There will be total silence across heaven. Everyone will wait in anticipation of what is to come next. Something of tremendous importance is about to happen.

Out of all the angels in heaven, only seven particular angels constantly stand in the presence of God. They are most commonly known as archangels, but some call them the angels of the presence.

The king James bible identifies only two angels, Michael and Gabriel. But the non-canonical books identifies the other five as, Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Remiel and Sariel.  These seven archangels will each be handed a trumpet on this day which is named trumpet and battle cry.

Notice that these are angels that receive the trumpet in heaven as they stand before the throne of God and Jesus. God will judge the earth, but not without purpose. Society can not expect God to ignore the persecution and death of the saints on Earth.

Society should not expect Him to not be offended by the blasphemy of the anti-christ and the false prophet. Society can not expect God to delay His answer to the prayers of the righteous forever.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-7   ⁶ Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

⁷ And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

It is a righteous thing for God to repay those who harms his people.

Revelation 8:3-4   ³ And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

⁴ And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

Even though this angel is not identified some experts believe he is Jesus, however I feel it is probably just another powerful angel. We do know that this angel holds a special position of service before the golden alter of God.

The golden censer is similar to the one used in the old Testament Jewish temple. It contained charcoal that was burned under a layer of incense. When the hot charcoal warmed the layer of incense, a sweet fragrance was produced.

This fragrance or aroma may be that of the spice frankincense. One of the gifts the wise men gave to the baby Jesus. frankincense was also one of the spices burned in the censer at the Jewish temple. The fragrance reminds God of his son who came and died for the sins of the world.

This eighth angel will come with a golden censer and stand before the alter of God. He will be given a great quantity of incense to mix with the prayers of the saints. Then he will place the censer on the golden alter before the throne of God.

We may never know what all those requests may be. Assuredly one of them was a prayer of the tribulation saints asking, how long Lord until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the Earth.

Judgement is not Gods first choice, but patience is. He is patient and will hold off his judgement longer than any man could, nevertheless when all options fail, His judgment will fall. The angel will take the censer containing the hot incense and the prayers of the saints and wave it around, causing the smoke to drift toward the throne of God. The almighty God will smell the incense, hear the prayers and prepare an answer.

Revelation 8:5   ⁵ And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

When the incense and all the prayers of the saints have been consumed in the censer the angel will take the empty censer and go back to the alter. He will fill it with fire and hurl it down to the Earth. The prayers go up to God and the answers go down to Earth. God will avenge the death of the tribulation saints with fiery trials on Earth.

The antichrist and the false prophet will rise to power leading the inhabitants of the earth to worship Satan, while at the same time gods people will be hunted down, persecuted and killed. These martyred saints will arrive in heaven. Praying to be avenged. At first, they will be told to wait until the number of the saved is increased.

Then after a short time God will hear their prayers and respond by having his angel hurl the burning censer, (possibly in the form of a meteor).  It will be followed by loud thunder and flashes of lightening and earthquakes.

The prayers of Gods hurting people will finally reach into His wrath and cause a response that will be felt by the whole Earth.

2 Thessalonians 1:10   ¹⁰ When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

May the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in you and you in Him.

Until our next lesson….

REVELATION LESSON 8

REVELATION

LESSON 8

ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES?

Revelation 7:10-11   ¹⁰ And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

¹¹ And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

This is a great worship service of victory and rejoicing whose central theme is salvation, the glory of salvation that belongs to God and his Son, Jesus. God has narrowed the way to heaven to one, Jesus, the Lamb of God.

People try many methods to remove the guilt of sin: good deeds and even blaming others. The crown in heaven however praises God, saying that salvation comes from Him and from the Lamb. Salvation from sins penalty can come only through Jesus Christ.

John 14:6   ⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus is saying that he is the only way to the Father. Some people may argue that this way is too narrow, in reality its wide enough for the whole world. If the world chooses to accept it. Instead of worrying about just one way we should saying thanks be to God for providing a sure way.

Revelation 7: 12-13   ¹² Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

¹³ And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

This may very well be the greatest worship service ever when this multitude of tribulation saints stand before the throne praising and glorifying the father and the son. All of the angels of heaven will join in.

Followed by the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures. Notice all the different groups. The tribulation saints, the twenty-four elders (representing the church) the angels and the four living creatures. Everyone in heaven will participate in this service. 

AMEN, indicates that the angels will agree with the tribulation saints. Salvation belongs to God and his Son, and they deserve the credit for getting this great multitude to heaven.

Now the angels will break forth with a seven-fold declaration of worship, blessing, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor and power and might. All belonging to God forever and ever.

One of the twenty-four elders will ask two questions. Who are they and where did they come from? He already knows the answer but he will ask them anyway to make sure everyone else knows.

Revelation 7:14   ¹⁴ And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

White symbolizes sinless perfection or holiness, which can be given to people only by death of the sinless lamb of God. On our behalf this is a picture of how we are saved through faith.

It is difficult to imagine how blood could make any cloth white. The blood of Jesus Christ is the worlds greatest purifier because it removes the stain of sin.

Some say the church will convert the world. Daniel spoke about a time when the anti-christ will dominate the saints.

Daniel 7:25   ²⁵ And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Jesus talked about a time of tribulation when the saints will be killed.

Matthew 24:9   ⁹ Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

Paul talked about a time when the antichrist will oppose everyone who worships God.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4   ³ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

⁴ Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Revelation 7:15-17   ¹⁵ Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

¹⁶ They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

¹⁷ For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

This is a very special promise. On earth the saved will not be safe anywhere. They will either starve, die of disease or be murdered. There will be no way of escape from the antichrist. Suddenly they will find themselves in the throne room of God, face to face with Jesus. They will be surrounded by angels and be clothed in white robes, protected by God.

God will always provide for his children’s needs in their eternal home. There will be no hunger there, no thirst or pain, and He will wipe away all their tears. If you are suffering or torn apart by sorrow take comfort in this promise of complete protection and relief. All who have been faithful through the ages are singing before Gods throne.

Their tribulations and sorrows are over. All sins are forgiven. For all the believers have been resurrected to die no more. They will be in a fortress, a refuge of the Almighty God, in a place of constant protection that cannot be breached. Gods promises in heaven, we will never suffer again. This is Gods promise.

The Lamb who stands in the midst of the throne of God will preserve the tribulation saints. He will feed the saints from the tree of life and let them drink from fountains of living water.

The bible speaks of one heaven and one lake of fire. You will spend eternity in one of the two places. Both are real, make the right choice by accepting Jesus as Lord and savior now.

There is no plan B.

REVELATION LESSON 7

REVELATION

LESSON 7

ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES?

REVELATION 7:1   7 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

Chapter seven verse one says, after these things, he is speaking of the first six seals that have been open in chapter 6. The four angels will stand at the earths four corners to prevent any wind from blowing.

This does not mean that the world will become square, its simply symbolic expression meaning the four angels will be standing at the four points, north, south, east and west.

They will control the winds of the Earth. Without these angels, the airborne plagues from the previous six seals would spread around the world.

Just when all hope seems lost, these four angels hold back the four winds of judgement until Gods people (the ones who have accepted Jesus as savior) are sealed as his own. Only then will God open up the seventh seal.

The bible clearly teaches that God controls all things. The good winds and the bad. The trade winds, the hurricanes, the tornados, and everything else. Whatever the Lord pleases He does, in heaven and in the Earth, in the seas and in all the deep places.

Psalms 135:6-7   ⁶ Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

⁷ He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.

Everything He does is for a reason. Fulfilling his word, as he always does.

Revelation 7:2-3   ² And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

³ Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Christians have always believed in angels. It would be impossible to believe the bible without believing in angels. They play a big role in Gods plan for mankind. This is especially true of the stories about Jesus and the judgements of Revelation.

Angels are divided into different categories or ranks. Some rank higher than others. We do not know who this angel from the east is. But we do know that he will have authority over the other four angels.

The four angels will have power to harm the earth and sea. Just before they unleash their great power, the angel from the east will intercede with a loud voice to stop them. He will have the seal of the living God in his hand, it will be used to mark a group of special people.

God places His own seal on his followers. Identifying them as His own and guaranteeing his protection over their souls. This shows how valuable we are to him. Nothing can harm our souls when we are sealed by God.

Ephesians 1:13   ¹³ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly realm, means that in Christ Jesus we have all the benefits of knowing God.

The four angels will be commanded to hold back their destruction forces until Gods servants can be sealed. Nothing will happen to the land, sea and trees until these special people are protected.

The bible does not say what the seal will be, we are only told that these believers will be protected by some type of mark. Since the beginning of creation, God has been marking his people. Gods mark will be placed on their foreheads. It will be an actual mark that will show others that these are Gods people.

Revelation 7:4-8   ⁴ And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

⁵ Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

⁶ Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

⁷ Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

⁸ Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

God will seal 144,000 of his servants. They will not come from the church or any particular denomination. Instead they will come for the twelve tries of Israel. God will call these Jews and supernaturally protect them from the antichrist and his followers. For the primary purpose of winning multitudes to Jesus.

This is a different list from the usual listing of the twelve tribes in the old testament, because it is a symbolic list of Gods true followers.

Revelation 7:9   ⁹ After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Once God has sealed his 144,000, the whole world will hear His message. Multitudes will believe and be saved. The antichrist and his false prophet will be furious and try to stop the revival by forcing new believers to turn away from their faith. They will deny people food and medicine. Executions will be frequent and numerous. The number of martyrs will be more than any man can count.

These martyrs will be given white robes symbolizing the righteousness of Jesus. They will stand in the presence of Jesus before the throne of God. No true believer ever needs to worry about which group he or she will be in. God protects each of us, and we are guaranteed a place in his presence.

This is further evidence that the believer’s knowledge will be greatly improved in Heaven.

Until the next lesson;

Romans 10:9-10   ⁹ That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Thank you

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Revelation Lesson 6

Revelation

Lesson 6

Are We Living in the End Times

Revelation 6:9-10   ⁹ And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Following the rapture, multitudes will accept Jesus. They are called the tribulation saints. During this time world leaders will say these Christians are a threat to world government, world peace, world religion and the environment. Many of these saints will be beheaded for their belief in Jesus Christ.

The four living creatures will summon no more horses, the last three seals will be different from the first four. The limited punishment not only demonstrates Gods wrath of sin but also His merciful love in giving people yet another opportunity to turn to Him before He brings final judgement.

The martyrs are eager for God to bring justice in the earth, but they are told to wait; he promises that those who suffer and die for their faith will not be forgotten.

Revelation 6:11-13   ¹¹ And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

¹² And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

¹³ And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

These martyrs will receive white robes that signify the righteousness of Jesus. we know that the martyrs will be able to hear and understand and converse because Jesus tells them to be patient. The tribulation saints are told to wait until other believers are killed. Indicating that Jesus has a special plan for the rest of the world.

When Jesus opens the sixth seal the whole earth will shake. This will be a very large earthquake, triggered by one or more nuclear explosions. Whatever it is will be massive to where even the appearances of the sun and the moon will be changed.

Today the middle east is brimming with weapons of mass destruction. The prophet Joel said, the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the second coming of the great day of the Lord.

Joel 2:30-31   ³⁰ And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

³¹ The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.

The sixth seal changes the scene back to the physical world, the first five judgements were directed toward specific areas. But this judgment is universal. Every one will fear when the earth itself trembles.

Revelation 6:14   ¹⁴ And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

This seems to be another indication of a coming nuclear war. Suddenly this wind like a giant tidal wave rushes back into a vacuum, the sky actually rolls up on itself. This explosion will be so great it will cause every mountain and island on earth to move.

Revelation 6:15-17   ¹⁵ And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

¹⁶ And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

¹⁷ For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

There will be world wide panic, regardless of one’s status in life. Everyone will try to hide. Multitudes will leave everything behind and rush into caves and bomb shelters. Thousands will flee the cities to hide in the mountains.

At the sight of God sitting on the throne, all human beings great and small will be terrified, calling for the mountains to fall on them so that they will not have to face the judgement of the Lamb “Jesus”.

Kings and princes will flee their palaces, great generals and mighty men will turn and run in fear for their lives. Survival will be mans’ only concern. The basic necessities of life will be scarce.

People who previously showed no fear of God will find that they were wrong, and in that day, they will have to face Gods wrath.

Will these panic-stricken people call on Jesus? probably not, they will call on the rocks and the mountains because they will want to hide from the wrath of God.

No one or no thing can escape the sight of God. The day of wrath is another name for the tribulation period. People will recognize the beginning of that day when the sixth seal is opened. It is so sad that we read nothing about the people repenting and accepting Jesus.

Only the realization that the dreaded tribulation period has come. Again, there is the question, who is able to stand? I will give you the answer in our next lesson.

Please tell your friends and neighbors to learn how to escape Gods wrath. I do this study from my heart, the only payment I receive is the hope that people’s hearts will change and accept Gods son as Lord and Savior.

Until next week,

Romans 10:9-10   ⁹ That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.