The Harmonized Revelation of JESUS Part 3

 Chapter 3

Notes and Comments

 

Reading Revelation in chapter order makes it seem like all the chapters are consecutive events. There are those who will point out small differences and what about chapters 10, part of 11 and 12-15. How is it that these events cannot be taking place during the trumpet and bowl events or have already happened? Remember The Bible was not written with the chapter and verse divisions, those were added latter to help readers and students. We do not know if John received this full revelation in one session or over more than one visit, it seems that it was one event. Remember this is seven years of events! I believe the first five seals have been happening since CHRIST ascended to Heaven.

 

While Revelation is a standalone book given by JESUS CHRIST to John toward the end of the first century of The Gospel era (in which we still live); there are many references to the events described in Revelation throughout The Bible. I will add some references of prophesies and scripture from the rest of the Bible for the reader to read and study.

 

Chapters 1 through 4 are completed and closed (actually all the Books of The Bible are completed and closed in GOD’s Eternal Kingdom; it is just the time line of humanity that has not yet been completed in the natural realm). There are many cross references throughout the Scriptures that complement these four chapters but nothing that specifically prophesied of these events. The verbal and visual presentation of GOD and JESUS is found in many places in the Bible:  Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3, 8:12-18; Exodus 3; Colossians 1:14-20; Isaiah 6:1-4, 9:6-7, 11:1-5, 22:22, 41:4, 44:6-8, 48:12-13, 55:8-9; Ezekiel 1:24-28, 43:1-4; Daniel 7:9-13, 10:5-6; Matthew 16:19, 17:1-2; Romans 6:9-10, 11:33-36; Zechariah 4, 12:10-14; Hebrews 4:12-13; Acts 3:12-16; 1 John 5:20-21; Job 12:13-15, 36:22-26, 41:3; 2 Corinthians 1:20-22; Psalm 29, 145:21.

 

Chapters 2 and 3 the seven letters to the seven Churches in Asia are still relevant to the Church today! Every book of the Bible is GOD’s Word, Letter, Law or Instruction to humanity and relevant for today. Psalm 1, 2:8-9, 23:6; 1 John 4:1, 5:20; 2 Corinthians 1:20, 5:3, 11:13; Galatians 6:6-10; Matthew 7:21-23, 10:16-26, 11:15, 16:19, 19:28-30, 24:3-14,42-43; Genesis 2:8-17, 3:22-24; Luke 12:8-12,35-48;  James 1:12; Numbers 31:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Exodus 32:31-33; 2 Timothy 3:1-9; John  14:22-24; 2 Peter 1:16-21, 2:9-11; Jude :20-25; Isaiah 9:6-7,  24; Job 5:17-27; Hebrews 12:1-11,18-29; Colossians 1:9-18; Hosea 12:8.

 

Chapter 4 John’s being visited by angels and caught up into Heaven for the presentation of The Revelation of JESUS CHRIST is not the first time someone has been caught up into Heaven. Daniel 10, Ezekiel 1:1,5-10,28, 2:1-5, 10:14, 43:5; 2 Corinthians 12:1-4; Isaiah 6:1-3; Exodus 37:23; Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16; Romans 11:36; Proverbs 16:4; Amos 3:13, 4:13.

 

Chapter 5 The scroll written on the inside and on the back with seven seals; that only The LION of the tribe of Judah, The Root of David, The LAMB of GOD that was slain but is Alive having seven horns and seven eyes which are The Seven Spirits of GOD sent out into all the earth; is worthy and able to open and loose the seven seals! John 1:29, 35-36; Zechariah 3:7-9, 4:1-10, 5:1-4; Genesis 49:8-12; Hebrews 7:14, 9:11-17; Isaiah 11:1-5,10, 29:11, 40:12-14, 61:5-6; Exodus 19:5-6;  Philippians 2:6-11; 1 Chronicles 29:9-13; Ezekiel 2:9-10; 2 Chronicles 29:11; Psalm 29:9, 145:21.

 

Chapters 6 through 19 are not consecutive; there is much overlapping because of simultaneous events. Over the last seven years before the thousand year reign of CHRIST from Jerusalem there will be twenty one events of judgment on the whole earth and all alive will experience them. We know that the attacking locus will last for five months (Revelation 9:1-12), the others do not have a duration reference. If there are twelve judgments over three and half years that is one every three and a half months, depending on duration most of them will overlap. There are differing teachings on this but none of us actually knows. See addendum 1.

 

Chapter 6, it seems that it is from this point that people get the most confused about the timeline of events leading to our eternal Heavenly union with CHRIST. Many of the events of the following chapters are simultaneous; John writes them in the order they were revealed to him, using “then I saw”, “then I heard”, “after that”, “then these things”; but that does not mean that they happen in the order that they were revealed to him. Study them for yourself! The first four seals are the four horsemen of the apocalypse; these events along with the fifth seal seem to be have been happening throughout history. So are they ancient events like chapter 12 or are they specific to the Great Tribulation like chapter 13? I believe they could not have happened until CHRIST ascended, since it is only The LAMB Who was slain that could open the seals, but CHRIST was crucified since the foundation of the earth was laid (Revelation 13:8). Seals six and seven seem to go with chapters 7 and 14:1-5 which are seventh trumpet-last day events.

 

The four horsemen of the apocalypse: the first seal is a white horse with a crowned conqueror armed with a bow gone out to conquer; the second seal is a red horse whose rider with a great sword takes away peace and causes people to kill one another, the third seal is a black horse whose rider has a pair of scales causing widespread famines and shortages, the fourth seal is a pale horse ridden by Death and accompanied by Hell with the power to kill twenty five percent of humanity by war, famine, plagues and the beasts of the earth. Genesis 6:1-7; Zechariah 1:8, 6:1-3; Psalm 45:4-5; Ezekiel 5:7-17, 14:21-23, 29:1-7; Leviticus 26:21-22.

 

The fifth seal reveals those who “had been slain for The Word of GOD and the testimony which they held.” these are also referenced to in Chapter 12:10-12 “And they overcome him (the devil) by The Blood of The LAMB and the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Is that from the beginning of time or CHRIST’s ascension? 2 Timothy 1:8-9; Hebrews 11:39-40; Zechariah 1:12; Mark 13:13.

 

The sixth seal – the earth is shaken, the sun is darkened, the stars fall, the sky recedes, the mountains and islands are moved, men great and small call on the mountains to fall on them because of GOD’s wrath, “For the Great Day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” The sixth seal and the seventh trumpet both seem to be the opening of the Great Last Day. Matthew 24:7; Joel 2, 3:14-17; Isaiah 2:10-11, 19-21, 24:19-23, 34:1-4; Luke 23:27-31; Zephaniah 1:14-18; Hosea 10:8.

 

Chapters 7:1-8 and 14:1-5 presents the one hundred and forty four thousand virgin male Jews who are sealed with the Name of GOD on their forehead; twelve thousand from each of the following twelve tribes of Israel; Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin (Notice the tribes are not listed in birth order and that Dan and Ephraim (Joseph’s younger son are replaced by Joseph and Levi [Levi did not receive a parcel of land like the other tribes, they received cities within each tribes territory] see addendum 2). They sing a new song; before the Throne, the four living creatures and the elders accompanied by an ensemble of harpists (could these be the Believers who overcome the devil during the Great Tribulation as mentioned in Chapter 15); that only they could learn. They are redeemed from among men and follow The LAMB wherever He goes as first fruits to GOD and The LAMB. Out of their mouth is found no deceit because they are without fault before the Throne of GOD. Some could be from the four hundred years of slavery in Egypt, some from the seventy years of exile in Babylon, some could be from the great dispersion after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, some could be from the holocaust of the 1930s and 40s, some or all could be from the Great Tribulation. There is no other mention of them, we do not know what time in history they are from, if they all are sealed at the same time or at different times in history; but it seems reasonable that since they are only mentioned in the book of Revelation and they go everywhere CHRIST goes that they are from the time of the Great Tribulation. Daniel 7; Genesis 49:1-27; Hosea 12-14; James 1:17-18; Psalm 32, 119:1-8; Ephesians 5:25-27; 2 Corinthians 1:21.

 

Chapter 7:9-17 presents the multitudes of martyrs from the Great Tribulation, also mentioned in Revelation 15:2 and 20:4-6. “After this I looked and before me was a huge crowd, too large for anyone to count, from every nation, tribe, people and language. They were standing in front of the Throne and in front of The LAMB, dressed in white robes and holding palm branches in their hands;…One of the elders asked me, ‘These people dressed in white robes – who are they and where are they from?’ ‘Sir,’ I answered, ‘you know.’ Then he told me, ‘These are the people who have come out of the Great Persecution. They have washed their robes and made them white with the Blood of The LAMB. That is why they are before GOD’s Throne. Day and night they serve Him in His Temple and The One who sits on the Throne will put His Sh’khinah upon them.’…Then I saw thrones and those seated on them received authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for testifying about YESHUA and proclaiming The Word of GOD, also those who had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hands. They came to life and ruled with the Messiah for a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over.) This is the first resurrection.” Revelation 7:9, 13-15; 20:4-5 CJB. For those who believe in the rapture of all Believers before the Great Tribulation, where does this great multitude that come out of the Great Tribulation and cannot be numbered come from? If there are only some nominal Christians left after the rapture then in three and a half to seven years they are better evangelists than all the Christians who lived for the two thousand plus years before the rapture. Hebrews 9:11-28, 10; Psalm 23:1-2; ; Isaiah 25:8, 49:10; Jeremiah 2:13; Ezekiel 34:23.

 

Chapter 8:1-6 The Seventh Seal is the prelude to the Seven Trumpets. Verses 7-13 Trumpets 1 through 4 and the announcement of three Woes! 2 Chronicles 29:25-28; Psalm 141:1-2; 2 Samuel 22:5-16; Ezekiel 14:12-23, 38, 39; Isaiah 13, 14.

 

Chapter 9 Trumpets 5 and 6: fifth trumpet is the opening of the bottomless pit and the release of attacking locusts to attack those who do not have the seal of GOD on their forehead. Is this seal The HOLY SPIRIT who seals all believers to GOD or is this the seal just of the one hundred forty four thousand Israelites of chapter 7? The sixth trumpet is four angels bound to the Euphrates River who are released to kill one third of humanity, they have an army of two hundred million horsemen. 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Luke 8:30-31; Joel 11-126, 2:1-11; Nahum 3:12-17; Daniel 5:23, 7; Ephesians 2:1-13; Ezekiel 38:1-17; Isaiah 5:24-30; 2 Corinthians 1:21; Psalm 115:4-7, 135:15-17.

 

Chapter 10 – John eats the little book from the angel, this is after the seven seals, when he receives the rest of The Revelation. Jeremiah 15:16; Ezekiel 2:10-14, 3:1-8; Psalm 29:3-9; Daniel 8:15-27, 12; Deuteronomy 32:40; Nehemiah 9:6.

 

Chapter 11:1-14 – Is about the Two Witnesses who are in Jerusalem for the last three and one half years of the Great Tribulation, they are the second woe and their resurrection and ascension ushers in the seventh trumpet; 11:15-19 is the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Ezekiel 37:1-14, 40:3-42:20; Numbers 16:24-35; Psalm 2, 79:1-7; Zechariah 4; 2 Kings 1:9-15; 1 Kings 17:1; Hebrews 13:12-13; Isaiah 27:13; Exodus 15:18; Amos 3:13, 4:13.

 

Chapter 12 – Is the history of Israel and CHRIST and lucifer, this plays out from before creation, throughout history and until the final White Throne judgment. Psalm 2:8-9; Isaiah 14:12-17, 66:5-11; Daniel  7:23-27, 12:7; John 12:27-33; Genesis 3:1-5; Job 1:6-9; Zechariah 3:1-2; Romans 16:17-20; Luke 14:26-27; Ephesians 6:10-18; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; 1 Peter 5:6-11; 1 John 5:4-5.

 

Chapter 13 – Is about the beast (anti-christ), the false prophet, the image of the beast and the name or mark of the beast. The beast (anti-christ) rises from the sea and the false prophet from the land. Is the sea like 17:15 – representative of the nations and the land representative of just one nation? Is 666 (the mark of the beast), man was created on the sixth day of creation, man was redeemed on the sixth day of the week, mans’ reign on the earth is for six Biblical days (six thousand years)? By the current Jewish calendar we are in the Biblical year of 5782 (2022 in the Gregorian calendar) the year according to the Essenes calendar is 5945 (see addendum 3) which means there are between fifty five and two hundred and eighteen years before we get to the Sabbath Day or Millennial Reign (1000 years) of CHRIST that will be followed by Eternity. Daniel 2:1-45, 7-8; Ezekiel 1; Jeremiah 15:2, 43:11.

 

Chapter 14:1-5 – Is the revelation of The Lamb standing on Mount Zion and of the one hundred and forty four thousand Hebrew males having the name of The Father on their foreheads. 14:6-13 is three proclamations – fear GOD and give Him Glory; Babylon the Great is fallen; those who worship the anti-christ and take his mark will burn forever in the lake of fire. For those who believe and teach that this second death is final in the sense that it has a duration or time limit, they are wrong, throughout the Gospels and Revelation it is proclaimed as lasting forever and ever or for eternity; and those cast into it are alive and tormented forever and ever. 14:14-20 – The Harvest: Many teach that the Church will be Raptured from the earth just before or half way through the Great Tribulation; but this passage has the harvest of the Saints and the wicked happening consecutively as in chapter 20:11-15. Remember those raised from the dead at CHRIST’s return in chapter 20:4-6 were “those who had been beheaded for their witness to JESUS and for The Word of GOD, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with CHRIST for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.” (See Revelation 19:17-21). Psalm 32, 75, 119:1-8; 2 Corinthians 11:1-4; James 1:2-8,17-18; Ephesians 3:8-12, 5:25-27; Nehemiah 9:5-6; Isaiah 21:9, 34, 63:1-6; 2 Thessalonians 1, 2:1-12, 3:5; Ecclesiastes 4:1-8; 1 Corinthians 3:11-23, 15; Hebrews 4, 13:20-22; Joel 3; Matthew 10:28, 13:14-31,36-43,47-50, 24:29-31; Mark 13; John 17:20-26; Ephesians 1:3-14; Acts 15:16-18; Titus 1:1-3; 1 Peter 1:13-21, 2:17-25; Colossians 2:8-9; Daniel 7:13.

 

Chapters 15-16 – Are the seven bowl judgments that final judgment of GOD on the earth that happen during the Last Day of the Great Tribulation. In Matthew 24:22, JESUS talking about the Great Tribulation says that its length of time is predetermined so that everyone will not be destroyed for the sake of the Chosen. Matthew 3:11-12, 24; Exodus 7:14-11:10, 15:1-21, 19:17-20; Psalm 145:17-21; Isaiah 66:14-24; 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12, 2:1-12; Daniel 5, 12:1-4; 1 John 4:1-3; 2 Corinthians 1:21, 5:1-11; Amos 3:13, 4:13.

 

Chapters 17:1-19:4 – Is about the fall of Babylon, the great whore. “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came to me and said, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters and the rulers of the earth committed fornication with her and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’…On her forehead was a name, ‘Mystery Babylon The Great. The Mother Of Harlots And Of The Abominations Of The Earth.’ I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the martyrs of JESUS. When I saw her I was greatly amazed. The angel said to me, ‘Why are you amazed? I will show you the mystery of the woman and the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. The beast that you saw was, is not and will ascend out to the bottomless pit and go to perdition. Those on the earth whose names are not written in The Book of Life since the foundation of the earth will marvel when they see the beast who was, is not and is yet to be. Here is wisdom; the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings, five have fallen, one is and the other is yet to come; when he comes he will last only a short time. The beast that was and is not is himself the eighth king and is one of the seven and he is going to perdition. The ten horns are ten rulers who have not received a kingdom yet but will receive authority for one hour as rulers with the beast. These are of one mind and they will give their authority and power to the beast. They will make war with The LAMB and He will defeat them, for He is LORD of lords and KING of kings; those who are with Him are called Chosen and Faithful. Then he said to me, ‘The waters where the harlot sits is peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues. The ten horns on the beast will hate the harlot make her desolate and naked, and eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For GOD has put it in their hearts to fulfill His Purpose, to be of one mind and to give their kingdom to the beast until the Words of GOD are fulfilled. The woman you saw is that great city which reigns over the rulers of the earth.’”

 

This section is confusing, the beast the Great Harlot rides on is the anti-christ (the beast that rises out of the sea) and she is the city that sets on 7 mountains. Over the years many have tried to figure out who is the anti-christ and how does he have 7 heads; what city or system is the Great Harlot and how do the kings eat her flesh. We will not know until it happens because it is as much spiritual as physical, do not let this type of language confuse you or discourage you in your study. We can only understand what GOD gives us His Wisdom Knowledge and Understanding to know.  Nahum 3:1-7; Jeremiah 50-51; Daniel 7, 11; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 1 Timothy 6:11-16; Isaiah 13:17-22, 14:22-23, 21, 23, 34, 47, 48:20-22; Ezekiel 26, 43; Psalm 2:8-9, 10, 22:25-31, 134, 137:8-9; Luke 14:15-24; Deuteronomy 32:43; Matthew 22:1-14, 23-33; Hebrews 1:1-14; Mark 9:42-49.

 

Chapter 19:11-21 – Is the battle of Armageddon. (See Revelation 16:12-21) This is not the final battle of a human army led by the devil attacking Jerusalem that is Revelation 20:7-10. Matthew 24:4-44, 28:3; Joel 2, 3; Isaiah 2:10-21, 11:4, 34:1-4, 63:2-6; Psalm 2:1-9, 21:8-13, 67:4; Zephaniah 1:14-18; John 1:1-18; 1 Timothy 6:15; Daniel 2:46-47, 7, 8; Ezekiel 39:17-20; Amos 3:13, 4:13.

 

Chapter 20:1-10 – Is about Christ’s thousand year reign over the earth from Jerusalem with a rod of iron. Why a rod of iron, because not all who reject Christ are in the army of the anti-christ and destroyed at Armageddon. While CHRIST Reigns from Jerusalem for a thousand years not everyone will be happy about that. When CHRIST destroys the anti-christ and all who serve him many people will repent and live their life for GOD, but not all. Some will not want to stop stealing rather that working, some will not stop lying rather than being honest, some will not give up their lusts rather than living morally, some will not stop cheating rather than living life with integrity. Satan is imprisoned in a bottomless pit during the thousand years; with his release he raises an enormous army to attack CHRIST. We do not know how long this period of time is but there will be a lot of people on the earth who still live by their own desires and will. This massive army surrounds the “camp of the Saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from GOD out of Heaven and devoured them.” This is the fire that destroys the heavens and the earth. 2 Peter 2:4-11; Psalm 2, 46, 47, 72:5-19, 93, 96, 97, 99, 110, 146:10; Proverbs 23:17-18; Daniel 7:9-14; 1 Corinthians 6:1-3, 15:20-28; John 14:19-31; Romans 8:12-39, 15:7-12; Ezekiel 38, 39:1-20; Isaiah 4:4-6, 9:6-7, 11:1-10, 24, 40:6-11, 52:7-10; Zechariah 6:12-13; Micah 4:1-8, 7:14; Luke 1:30-33; Exodus 15:18; Jeremiah 23:5-8, 33:19-26; 2 Timothy 2:7-13; 1 Chronicles 16:31-33, 29:10-12.

 

Chapter 20:1-6 There are some who discount the thousand year reign of Christ because it is not found anywhere else in The Bible. But it is! Why would He rule from Heaven with a rod of iron over all the resurrected Saints and The Heavenly Hosts? He won’t! He will rule over the earth from the city of Jerusalem and all the nations will pay Him homage, but according to verses 7-11 not all will want His rule, hence the rod of iron and the final battle. (See Revelation 2:27) Psalm 2:8-9, 45:6-7, 110:1-3; Zechariah 14:16; Matthew 25:31-46. Study Psalms 110 through 113.

 

Chapter 20:11-15 says that all the dead will be raised to judgment and be judged from the books, those whose name is not found in The Lamb’s Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire where satan, the anti-christ and the false prophet already are. (See Revelation 2:20-2) Psalm 9:6-8,17-20, 62:11-12, 67:3-4, 69:19-28, 75, 139:1-12; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; Proverbs 15:3; Job 34:21-23; Hebrews 10:11-13; Acts 17:29-31; 2 Peter 3; Daniel 2:36-45, 7:9-10; Matthew 13:36-43, 16:24-27, 25:31-46; Jude :5-7, 14-15; Isaiah 26:7-9,19, 35:3-4, 60; 66:14-21; Zechariah 14; Exodus 32:32-33; 2 Thessalonians; John 5:24-30.

 

Notice that the first resurrection according to Revelation 20:1-6 is at the beginning of CHRIST’s one thousand year reign on the earth from Jerusalem and only includes those martyred during the Great Tribulation. This contradicts the general teaching that 1 Corinthians 15:50-56 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 are about the rapture of the Church at the beginning of the Great Tribulation. There is a difference between The Last Day and The Final (Seventh) Trumpet! 1 Corinthians 15:50-56 is about the last (seventh) trumpet when CHRIST returns to establish His thousand year reign over the nations of the earth. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 fits better with the Final Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15. There will be births and deaths during the thousand year reign. The Last Day is the final battle between the devil’s human forces and the Saint’s encampment and Jerusalem. This is when the earth, seas and heavens are destroyed by fire and the new Earth, Heaven and Jerusalem are created. Also there is no day and night in the New Heaven and New Earth, there is no sun and moon, GOD’s Sh’khinah and CHRIST is their Light (Revelation 21).

 

JESUS in John 5 in dealing with the religious leaders about His authority over the Sabbath, healing and judgment tells them in verses 24-30, “Yes indeed, I tell you that there is coming a time – in fact, it’s already here – when the dead will hear the voice of The Son of GOD, and those who listen will come to life. For just as The Father has Life in Himself, so He has given The Son to have Life in Himself. Also He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is The Son of Man. Don’t be surprised at this; because the time is coming when all in the grave will hear His voice and come out – those who have done good to a resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to a resurrection of judgment. I can’t do a thing on My own. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is right; because I don’t seek My own desire, but the desire of The One who sent Me.” CJB In John 11:21-28 about the death and resurrection of Lazarus, Martha makes the statement to JESUS, “I know that he will rise again at the Resurrection on the Last Day.” John 11:24 CJB How did Martha know this? She knew because that was a teaching of the Pharisees according to the Law and The Prophets. JESUS did not correct her theology because it was correct; He informed her that He was the Resurrection and the Life of all who believe in Him. In John 12:44-50 JESUS said about The Last Day, “If anyone hears what I Am saying and does not observe it, I don’t judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. Those who reject Me and don’t accept what I say have a judge – The Word I have spoken will judge them on The Last Day.” 12:47-48 CJB Again JESUS is telling us that on The Last Day all will be raised and judged as described in Revelation 20 this is the second resurrection. In Revelation 3:10 in the letter to the Church at Philadelphia JESUS tells them, “Because you have kept My Command to persevere I will keep you from the hour of trial which will come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” This time period of “the hour” could imply the full seven years of tribulation, the last three and a half years or just the day of the seventh trumpet. The Church will be raptured at the sound of the Seventh Trumpet, the shortest time period, we will not be burned up in the final judgment (The Last Day) but we will go through the full tribulation period.

 

I first became a Christian on December 8^th, 1974; I started Bible College in August of 1975, what I learned during that time was the Seventh Trumpet would sound and CHRIST would return for the Christians (the rapture) the sky would be bright around the world and everyone would see CHRIST and the Saints being raptured. Then there would be seven years of tribulation on the world and CHRIST would come back and establish His thousand year reign after the seven years of tribulation (I don’t hear that being taught anymore, they teach that the Church will be raptured but not that CHRIST will return to rapture the Church). This would mean that CHRIST comes to the earth three times His Birth, The Rapture and the Battle of Armageddon, but the Bible says that JESUS only comes to the earth two times, His Birth and at the Sound of the Seventh Trumpet when the battle of Armageddon takes place and He establishes His thousand year reign over the nations. That means that the Church will not be raptured before the Great Tribulation

 

The Last Day and the seventh trumpet are not the same event! The seventh trumpet is the return of CHRIST to defeat the anti-christ and set up His thousand year reign in Jerusalem while the devil is chained for the thousand years. This is the first resurrection, the resurrection of those who died during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 20:4-6). The Last Day is the day that He defeats the devil casting him into the Lake of Fire and the earth, seas and heaven are burned up. This is the day of the second resurrection and final judgment – the second death. Isaiah 2:2,12,20; Micah 4:1-8; Matthew 7:21-23, 24:29-31, 25:31-46; John 6:37-65, 11:17-27; 2 Timothy 4:1; James 5:1-12; 2 Peter 3:1-13

 

Chapter 20:11-15 Some believe that this does not include those who lived and died or were alive in CHRIST and were raptured. Many believe that those not raptured who knew about CHRIST will repent and live for Him during the Great Tribulation and will lead others to a saving faith in CHIRST. I do not believe that there is a rapture of the living before or during the Great Tribulation. This, all the dead refers to all who ever lived and died from creation to the final battle and destruction of the earth. The fact is that they are judged out of the books and that if their name in not found in The Book of Life they are cast into the Lake of Fire with the devil. There is no need to mention The Book of Life if there are no Believers in this resurrection and judgment. 20:10,14 “The adversary who had deceived them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were; and they were tormented day and night forever and ever. Then Death and Sh’ol were hurled into the lake of fire. This is the second death – the lake of fire.” Rejecting JESUS CHRIST results in eternal (forever and ever) torment in the lake of fire!

 

 Paul wrote that at The Last Trumpet the dead in CHRIST will rise first and those alive who serve Him will be caught up and changed into their eternal body and join with CHRIST’s great host in The Heavens. As mentioned before there are many events happening on the day of the seventh trumpet. In Revelation 14:14-20 there is the reaping of earth’s harvest (the rapture) where CHRIST reaps the harvest the earth and an angel harvests the grapes of the earth and throws them into the winepress of His wrath. This is not the rapture because it is the harvest of the Saints and the non-saints. This does not match with Revelation 19:17-20:6 where at the seventh Trumpet there is the battle of Armageddon, the resurrection of those slain during the Great Tribulation and the beginning of CHRIST’s thousand year reign from Jerusalem. So is this event, The Last Trumpet in 1 Corinthians? It sounds more like the last great battle against satan and his human army at the end of CHRIST’s thousand year reign in Jerusalem; where there is the destruction of the heavens and earth by fire? Before He destroys the heavens and the earth which includes the seas He will resurrect all who have died and were not part of the first resurrection in Revelation 20:4-6! Remember, Paul’s letters to the Corinthians and Thessalonians were written several years before John received JESUS’ revelation. 1 Corinthians 3:8-15, 15:1-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 19:1-27; Luke 21-This passage was fulfilled in 70 and 90 AD, in 1948, 1967, 1976 and it will be fulfilled at the end of the Great Tribulation (the battle of Armageddon) and at the end of CHRIST’s thousand year reign in Jerusalem.

 

Chapter 21:1-22:5 is about the New Heaven (there is no sun or moon), the New Earth (there are no seas), the New Jerusalem, the River of Life and the Tree of Life, The Father and The Son are the Light. Matthew 5:5,8,10, 13:43, 18:6-11, 24:12-13; Psalm 36:7-9, 37:9-11; 46; Daniel 7:13-14,18,26-27; 2 Peter 3:13; Isaiah 7:14, 8:8-10, 25:8-9, 35:8-10, 43:19, 51:10-11, 54:11-14, 62:11-12, 65:17-19, 66:22-24; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Leviticus 26:9-13; 1 Corinthians 6:8-11, 15:29-58; Zechariah 8:1-8; Ezekiel 37:27, 47:1-12; Ephesians 2:19-22; Genesis 2:8-10; Jeremiah 31:34; 2 Chronicles 6:18 .

 

Chapter 22:6-21 is a reminder to obey GOD, watch and be ready for CHRIST’s return by obeying GOD’s Word “For I testify to everyone who hears the Words of the Prophesy of This Book [Revelation]: If anyone adds to these things GOD will add to him the plagues that are written in This Book. If anyone takes away from the Words of This Book of Prophesy, GOD will take his name from the Book of Life, from The Holy City and from the things that are written in This Book.” JESUS says, “Truly, I Am coming quickly.” Verses 14-16 JESUS says, “How blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they have the right to eat from the Tree of Life and go through the Gates into The City! Outside are the homosexuals, those involved with the occult and with drugs, the sexually immoral, murderers, idol worshippers and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. I, YESHUA, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the Messianic Communities.” Is this a reminder that during His thousand year reign only those who have given their life for The Gospel and those who have survived the Great Tribulation without the mark of the anti-christ will have access to Jerusalem and the Tree of Life. Or! Does it mean that in the new earth there will still be unbelievers? I do not see any reference to the Tree of Life being in Jerusalem during CHRIST’s thousand year reign, but that does not mean it won’t be there, but there will not be any unbelievers in the new earth. Hebrews 10:35-39; Daniel 12:12-13; Psalm 50:16-23; Proverbs 11:30, 13:13-14, 30:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 12:32; Numbers 24:15-25; Daniel 12:4.

 

So a person’s name can be removed from The Book of Life, if a person’s name is removed from The Book of Life then they will be cast into the lake of fire and not enter into GOD’s Eternal Kingdom!