The Harmonized Revelation of JESUS Part 5

 The Harmonized Revelation of JESUS Part 5

The Last Great Day

 

I saw another sign in Heaven, a great and wonderful one: seven angels with the seven last plagues, because with them GOD’s fury is finished. I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire those defeating the anti-christ, his image and the number of his name were standing by the sea of glass, holding harps which GOD had given them. They were singing the song of Moses the servant of GOD and The Song of The LAMB:

“Great and wonderful are the things You have done,

ADONAI, GOD of Heaven’s armies!

Just and True are Your Ways, King of the nations!

ADONAI, who will not fear and glorify Your Name?

Because You alone are Holy.

All nations will come and worship before You,

for Your Righteous Deeds have been revealed.

 

After this I looked and the Sanctuary (that is the Tent of Witness in Heaven) was opened and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in bright linen and had gold belts around their chests. One of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels, seven bowls filled with the fury of GOD, Who lives forever and ever. Then the sanctuary was filled with smoke from GOD’s Glory and Power and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels had accomplished their purpose.

 

I heard a loud voice from the Sanctuary say to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of GOD’s fury!”

 

So the first angel went and poured his bowl on the earth and disgusting and painful sores appeared on the people who had the mark of the anti-christ and worshipped his image.

 

The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea and it became like the blood of a dead person and every living thing in the sea died.

 

 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water and they turned to blood. Then I heard the angel of the waters say,

“You are Righteous O LORD, The One Who is and was,

You are just in these judgment of Yours,

they poured out the blood of Your people  and Your prophets,

so You have made them drink blood. They deserve it!”

 

Then I heard The Altar say,

“Yes ADONAI, GOD of Heaven’s armies,

Your judgments are True and Just!”

 

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun and it was permitted to burn people with fire. People were burned by the intense heat; yet they cursed the name of GOD, Who had the authority over these plagues, instead of turning from their sins to give him glory.

 

The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the anti-christ and its kingdom grew dark, the people gnawed on their tongues from the pain, yet they cursed The GOD of Heaven because of their pains and sores and did not turn from their sinful ways.

 

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and its water dried up; in order to prepare the way for the kings from the east. I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs that came out of the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the anti-christ and from the mouth of the false prophet. They are miracle working demonic spirits which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited world to assemble them for the War of the Great Day of GOD Almighty.

 

“Look I Am coming like a thief! How blessed are those who stay alert and keep their clothes clean, so that they won’t be walking naked and be publicly put to shame!

 

They gathered the kings to the place which in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

 

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came out of The Temple from The Throne saying, “It is done!” There were flashes of lightning, voices, and peals of thunder. There was a massive earthquake, such as has never occurred since humanity has been on the earth. The great city was split into three parts, the cities of the nations fell and GOD remembered Babylon the Great and made her drink the wine from the cup of His raging fury. Every island fled and there were no mountains to be found. Hugh seventy pound hailstones fell on people from the sky. But the people cursed GOD for the plague of hail, that it was such a terrible plague.

 

Then one of the angels with the seven bowls came to me and said, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great whore who is sitting be many waters. The kings of the earth went whoring with her and the people living on the earth have become drunk from the wine of her whoring.” He carried me off to a desert where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast filled with blasphemous names and having seven heads and ten horns (the anti-christ). The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and glittered with gold, precious stones and pearls. In her hand was a gold cup filled with the obscene and filthy things produced by her whoring. On her forehead was written a name with a hidden meaning.

 

“MYSTERY BABYLON MOTHER OF WHORES AND OF THE EARTHS OBSCENITIES”

 

I saw the woman drunk from the blood of GOD’s people; that is from the blood of the people who testify about JESUS.

 

On seeing her I was altogether astounded then the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will tell you the hidden meaning of the woman and the anti-christ with the seven heads and ten horns that was carrying her. The anti-christ you saw once was, now is not and will come up from the Abyss, but it is on its way to destruction. The people living on the earth whose names have not been written in the Book of Life since the founding of the world will be astonished to see the anti-christ that once was, now is not but is to appear.

 

This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven hill on which the woman sits; they also are seven kings: five have fallen, one is living now and one is yet to come and when he does come he will remain only a little while. The anti-christ which once was, now is not is an eighth king, it comes from the seven and is on its way to destruction. The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet reigned; they will receive power as kings for one hour with the anti-christ. They are of one mind and will hand over the power and authority to the anti-christ, they will go to war against the LAMB, but the LAMB will defeat them, because He is LORD of lords and  KING of kings; those who are called, chosen and faithful will overcome with Him.”

 

Then he said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the whore is sitting, are peoples, nations, tribes and languages. As for the ten horns that you saw and the anti-christ, they will hate the whore, bring her to ruin, leave her naked, eat her flesh and consume her with fire. For GOD put it in their hearts to do what will fulfill His purpose, that is, to be of one mind and give their kingdom to the anti-christ until GOD’s Words have accomplished their intent. The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.

 

I saw another angel coming down from Heaven having great authority and the earth was illuminated with his glory. He cried with a strong voice,

“Babylon the Great is fallen, fallen!

She has become a dwelling place for demons,

a prison for every unclean spirit

and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

 

For all the nations have drunk of the wine

of GOD’s fury caused by her whoring;

yes, kings of the earth went whoring with her,

and from her unrestrained luxury

the worlds businessmen have grown rich.”

 

Then I heard another voice out of heaven say,

“Come out of her my people,

lest you share in her sins

and lest you receive of her plagues.

For her sins have reached to Heaven

and GOD has remembered her crimes.

 

Render to her just as she rendered to you

and repay her double according to her works;

use the cup in which she brewed

to brew her double portion!

 

Give her as much torment and sorrow

as the glory she gave herself!

In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen;

I am not a widow, I will not see sorrow.’

 

Therefore the plagues will come

in a single day – death, sorrow and famine;

she will be burned with fire because

ADONAI, GOD, her judge, is Mighty.”

 

The kings of the earth who went whoring with her and shared her luxury will sob and wail over her when they see the smoke of her destruction. Standing at a distance for fear of her torment, they will say,

“Oh no! The great city!

Babylon the mighty city!

In one hour your judgment has come!”

 

The world’s businessmen weep and mourn over her because no one is buying their merchandise; gold, silver, gems and pearls, fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet, all rare woods ivory, things made of scented wood, brass, iron and marble, cinnamon, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, grain, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots and people’s bodies and souls.

“The fruit that your soul lusted for are gone!

All the luxury and things that are splendid are gone

and you will never fine them again.”

 

The merchants of these things who became rich by her will stand at a distance for fear of her torment weeping and mourning saying,

“Alas, alas, that great city was clothed

in fine linen, purple and scarlet

she was adorned with

gold, precious stones and pearls!

Such great wealth destroyed in one day!”

 

All the ships masters, passengers, sailors and everyone making a living from the sea stood at a distance and cried out when they saw the smoke as she burned, “What city was like the great city?” They threw dust on their heads and wept saying,

“Oh no! The great city!

The abundance of her wealth

made all the ship owners rich!

In one day she is ruined!

 

Rejoice over her Heaven!

Rejoice People of GOD,

Saints, Apostles and Prophets!

For in judging her, GOD has vindicated you.”

 

Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a great millstone and hurled it into the sea saying,

“With violence like this

will the great city of Babylon

be thrown down,

never to be found again!

 

The sound of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters

will never be heard in you again.

No worker of the trades will be found in you,

the sound of the mill will never be heard is you again.

The light of a lamp will never be seen in you.

The voice of bridegroom and bride

will never be heard in you again.

 

For your businessmen were the most powerful on the earth,

all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.

In her was found the blood of the prophets and of GOD’s people,

Indeed, of all who have ever been slain on the earth!”

 

Then I heard what sounded like a roar of a huge crowd in Heaven saying,

“Halleluyah!

Salvation, and Glory, and Honor, and Power belong to our GOD!

For His judgments are True and Just!

He has judged the great whore who corrupted

the earth with her whoring.

He has taken vengeance on her

who has the blood of His Servants on her hands.”

 

And a second time they said,

“Halleluyah! Her smoke goes up forever and ever!”

 

The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped GOD, sitting on The Throne, saying,

“Amen! Halleluyah!”

 

A voice went out from The Throne, saying,

“Praise our GOD, all you His Servants, you who fear Him, small and great!”

 

I looked and there was before me a white cloud, sitting on it was One like The Son of Man with a Gold Crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. Another angel came out of The Temple and shouted to The One sitting on the cloud, “Start using Your sickle to reap because the time to harvest has come; the earth’s harvest is ripe!” The One sitting on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth and the earth was harvested.

 

Another angel came out of The Temple and he also had a sharp sickle, then out from the Altar went yet another angel, who was in charge of the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine because they are ripe. The angel swung his sickle down onto the earth, gathered the earth’s grapes and threw them into the great winepress of GOD’s fury. The winepress was trodden outside the city and blood flowed from the winepress as high as the horse’s bridles for two hundred miles!

 

I looked and there was The LAMB standing on Mount Zion, with Him were the 144,000 who had His Name and The Father’s Name written on their foreheads. I heard a sound from Heaven like the sound of rushing waters and like the sound of pealing thunder; the sound I heard was also like the sound of harpists plating their harps. They were singing a new song before The Throne, the four living creatures and the elders; no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who have been ransomed from the world. These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, they are virgins, they follow The LAMB wherever He goes. They have been ransomed from among humanity as firstfruits for GOD and The LAMB, on their lips no lie was found for they are without defect.”

 

Then I saw a great multitude, 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 hand; They shouted,

“Victory to our GOD who sits on The Throne and to The LAMB!”

 

All the angels stood around the Throne, the elders and the four living creatures; they all fell face down before The Throne and worshipped GOD, saying,

“Amen! Praise and Glory, Wisdom and Thanks, Honor and Power

and Strength belong to our GOD forever and ever! Amen!”

 

One of the elders asked me, “Who are these people dressed in white robes and where are they from?” I answered, “Sir, you know.” Then he told me, “These are the people who came out of the Great Tribulation. 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 dwell among them. They will never be hungry, they will never again be thirsty, the sun will not beat down on them nor will any burning heat. For the LAMB at the center of The Throne will shepherd them, will lead them to springs of living water and GOD will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

 

Then I hear what sounded like the roar of a large crowd, like the sound of rushing waters, like loud peals of thunder, saying,

“Halleluyah!

ADONAI, The LORD Omnipotent, GOD of Heaven’s armies

has begun His reign!

Let us rejoice and be glad!

Let us give Him the Glory!

For the time has come for the wedding of The LAMB

and His Bride has prepared herself;

she has been given fine linen,

bright and clean to wear;

for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the Saints.”

 

The angel said to me,

“Write, ‘How blessed are those who have been invited to the wedding feast of The LAMB!”

 

Then he added,

”These are GOD’s very Words.”

 

I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said,

“Don’t do that! I’m only a fellow servant with you and your brothers

who have the testimony of JESUS. Worship GOD!

For the testimony of JESUS is the Spirit of prophecy.”

 

Then I saw Heaven opened and there before me was a white horse; sitting on it was The One called Faithfull and True and it is in Righteousness that He passes judgment and goes to battle. His eyes were like a fiery flame, on His head were many Royal Crowns, He had a Name written which one knows but He Himself. He was wearing a robe that had been soaked in Blood and The Name He is called by is,

“The WORD of GOD.”

 

The armies of Heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on white horses. Out of His mouth comes a sharp two edged Sword to strike down the nations.

“He will rule them with a staff of iron.”

 

He is The One who treads the winepress from which flows the wine of the furious rage of The LORD, GOD of Heaven’s armies. On His robe and on His thigh He has a Name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

 

I saw an angel standing in the sun, he cried with a loud voice to all the birds that fly about in mid-heaven,

“Come, gather together for the great feast GOD is giving,

To eat the flesh of kings, generals and important men,

To eat the flesh of horses and their riders,

The flesh of all kinds of people; free and slave, small and great!”

 

I saw the anti-christ and the kings of the earth with their armies gather to do battle with The Rider of the horse and His army. The anti-christ and the false prophet, who in his presence did miracles to deceive those who received the mark of the anti-christ and those who worshipped his image, were taken captive. Then both were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. The rest were killed with the Sword that comes out of the mouth of The Rider on the horse. All the birds gorged on the flesh of the fallen.

 

Millennial Reign

 

Then I saw an angle coming down from Heaven, he had the keys to the Abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and satan (the adversary), he chained up the dragon for a thousand years in the bottomless pit, locked and sealed so that he could not deceive the nations until the thousand years were completed. Then he will be let loose for a little while.

 

There were thrones and those seated on them were given authority to judge. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for testifying about JESUS and proclaiming The Word of GOD, also those who did not worship the anti-christ or its image or had not received the mark of the anti-christ on their foreheads or on their hands; they came to life and ruled with CHRIST for the thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed; this is the first resurrection. Blessed and Holy is anyone who had part in the first resurrection, over them the second death had no power. On the contrary, they will be priests of GOD and of CHRIST and rule with them for the thousand years.

 

Final Battle and Judgment

 

When the thousand years are complete the dragon will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four quarters of the earth; Gog and Magog, to gather them for the battle. Their number is countless as the sand on the seashore; they came up over the breath of the land and surrounded the camp of GOD’s people and the City He Loves. Fire came down from Heaven and consumed them, the dragon who had deceived them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulfur where the anti-christ and the false prophet were. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

 

After that there was A Great White Throne and The One sitting on it; earth and heaven fled from His presence and no place was found for them. The dead, great and small were standing before The Throne, books were opened and another Book was opened, The Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what was written in the books.

 

The sea gave up the dead that were in it, death and hell gave up the dead that were in them and everyone was judged according to what they had done. Then death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, anyone whose name was not written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire; this is the second death.

 

Then The One sitting on The Throne said, “Look! I am making everything new!” He said, “Write! These Words are True and Trustworthy!” He told me, “It is done! I Am The Alpha and The Omega, The Beginning and The End. To anyone who is thirsty, I, Myself will give Water free of charge from The Fountain of Life. Those who win the victory will receive these things and I will be their GOD and they shall be My Child. I heard a voice from The Throne say, “See! GOD’s Divine Presence is with humanity! He will live with them and they will be His People. He, Himself, with them, will be their GOD. No longer will there be any curses; He will wipe away every tear; there will be no more death, mourning, pain or crying because the old order has passed away.

 

But the cowardly, the untrustworthy, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those involved in the occult and with drugs, idol worshippers and all liars; their destiny is the lake of fire and sulfur, the second death.”

 

The New Heaven, Earth and Jerusalem

 

I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had passed away, and there was no more sea. One of the seven angels having the seven bowls of GOD’s last plagues came to me and said, “Come, I will show you the LAMB’s Bride, The Wife of The LAMB.” He carried me off in the Spirit and took me to a very high mountain.  I saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from GOD, prepared like a Bride, beautifully dressed for Her Husband. It had The Presence of GOD so that it’s brilliance was like a precious, crystal clear diamond jewel. It had a great high wall with twelve gates. The angel standing with me had a gold measuring rod for measuring the City, its’ gates and it’s wall. The City was laid out in a square it’s width, height and length were all 1,500 miles as the angel measured it. The City was made of pure gold; the main street was pure gold like clear glass.

 

Each gate was made of a single pearl; there were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south and three gates on the west, at the gates were angels and inscribed on the gates were the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.

 

The wall was 216 feet wide by human standards; it was built on twelve foundation stones and on these were the names of the twelve Apostles of The LAMB. Each foundation stone was decorated with precious stones; the first with diamond, the second with sapphire, the third with chalcedony, the fourth with emerald, the fifth with sardonyx, the sixth with carnelian, the seventh with chrysolite, the eighth with beryl, the ninth with topaz, the tenth with chrysoprase, the eleventh with turquoise and the twelfth with amethyst.

 

The angel showed me the River of The Water of Life, sparkling like crystal, flowing from The Throne of GOD and The LAMB. Between the main street and The River is The Tree of Life producing twelve kinds of fruit, a different kind for every month; and the leaves of The Tree are for healing the nations; no longer will there be any curses.

 

There is no temple in The City because The LORD GOD of Heaven’s armies and The LAMB are it’s Temple. The City has no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it because GOD’s Presence illuminates it and the LAMB is it’s lamp. His Servants will worship Him; they will see His face and His Name will be on their foreheads; they will reign as kings forever and ever. The nations will walk by it’s light and the rulers of the earth will bring their splendor and the honor and the splendor of the nations into it. It’s gates will never close, they stay open all day because night will not exist there. Nothing impure may enter it or anyone who does shameful things or lies; the only ones who may enter it are those whose names are written in The LAMB’s Book of Life.

 

Epilog and Final Warning

 

Then the angel said to me, “These Words are True and Trustworthy: The LORD GOD of the SPIRIT and prophets sent His angel to show His Servants the things that must shortly take place.”

“Look!” “I Am coming soon.

Blessed is the person who obeys The Words of the prophesy of This Book!”

 

Then I John, the one hearing and seeing these things, when I heard and saw them, fell down to worship at the feet of the angel showing them to me, “Don’t do that! I am only a fellow-servant with you and your brothers, the prophets and the people who obey The Words of This Book. Worship GOD!” Then he said to me,

“Don’t seal up The Words of the Prophecy of This Book,”

because the time of their fulfillment is near.

 

Whoever keeps acting wickedly,

let them go on acting wickedly.

Whoever is filthy,

let them go on being filthy.

 

Also, whoever is righteous,

let them go on acting righteously.

Whoever is holy,

let them go on being made holy.”

 

JESUS said, “Pay attention!”

“I Am coming soon and My rewards are with me

to give to each person according to what he has done.

I Am The Alpha and The Omega,

The First and The Last,

The Beginning and The End.”

 

“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, JESUS, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the Church. I Am the Root and Offspring of David, The bright Morning Star. The SPIRIT and The Bride say, ‘Come!’ Let everyone who is thirsty come; let everyone who wishes take The Water of Life free of charge.”

 

“I warn everyone hearing the Words of the prophesy in This Book that if anyone adds to them GOD will add to them the plagues written in This Book. If anyone takes anything away from the Words of the prophesy in This Book GOD will take away their share in The Tree of Life and The Holy City as described in This Book.”

 

The One who is testifying to these things says, “Yes, I Am coming soon!”

“Amen! Come LORD JESUS! May the Grace of The LORD JESUS be with all.”

 

Addendum 1

 

Timing of the Seals, Trumpets and Bowls

 

There are seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls; twenty-one total judgments that all take place during the last three and a half years of the Great Tribulation. The first four seals are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse these judgments have been going on since the Great Flood. But they will be released with great fury to start the last three and a half years of the Great Tribulation.

 

The fifth seal is not an actual judgment at the time of the other seals. It will be fulfilled on the Last Great Day of judgment when CHRIST establishes His thousand year reign in Jerusalem.

 

During the last three and a half years of the Great Tribulation there will be twelve judgments, seals 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, trumpets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

 

On the Last Great Day there will be eight judgments; the seventh trumpet (The Last Trumpet) and the seven bowl judgments.

 

Numbers

 

In 2018 there were 7.594 billion people in the earth, the projection for 2037 is 9 billion.

So if the world’s population in ten years (about the minimal amount of time before the last three and a half years of the Great Tribulation could end) is around 8.5 billion (8,500,000,000),  how many would be alive at CHRIST’s return to establish His millennial reign?

 

Seal 1 unknown number killed

Seal 2 unknown number killed

Seal 3 unknown number Killed

Seal 4 one quarter of the population killed                                                           2,125,000,000

Seal 5 no one killed

Seal 6 unknown number Killed

Seal 7 unknown number Killed

Trumpet 1 unknown number Killed

Trumpet 2 unknown number Killed

Trumpet 3 unknown number Killed

Trumpet 4 unknown number Killed

Trumpet 5 unknown number Killed

Trumpet 6 one third of the population killed                                                        1,938,750,000

Trumpet 7 7,000 in Jerusalem Killed

Bowl 1 unknown number Killed

Bowl 2 unknown number Killed

Bowl 3 unknown number Killed

Bowl 4 unknown number Killed

Bowl 5 unknown number Killed

Bowl 6 unknown number Killed

Bowl 7 unknown number killed

 

Total known killed                                                                                        4,063,757,000

Estimated killed                                                                                             1,000,000,000

Total killed (about)                                                                                       5,063,757,000

Total left alive (about)                                                                                              2,936,243,000

 

As of 2015 there is an estimated 2,400,000,000 Christians (all Christian faiths) in the world. The projected growth is 2,918,070,000 by 2050 so in ten years we’ll say there are about 2.5 billion Christians of all faiths when the last three and a half years of the Great Tribulation starts.

 

Total number martyred – unknown

Total number of not real Christians that follow the anti-christ – unknown

Total number of new true Christians – unknown

Total caught up to JESUS on the last Great Day – unknown

Total number in Jerusalem reigning with JESUS for one thousand years – at least 144,000 Jews

Total number of Saints in the Camp around Jerusalem – unknown

 

How many people, Christian and non-Christian will be alive after Armageddon – unknown

This is not really important, just something to think about.

 

 

 

Addendum 2

 

From Verse By Verse Ministry International

 

In Revelation 7, the 144,000 Jewish men raised up to evangelize the world come from twelve tribes of Israel, but the tribe of Dan is missing from the list. Why?

The absence of Dan in the list of tribes in Revelation 7 is a source of much interest among Bible students. The text itself offers no explanation, but we can speculate based on some analysis.

First, it’s important to note that there are 13 named tribes in Israel, not twelve. Jacob bore twelve sons, but later Jacob adopted Joseph’s two sons in place of Joseph after moving to Egypt. Thereafter, the sons of Jacob were:

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Ephraim, Manasseh  and Benjamin

Secondly, there are at least 19 lists of Jacob's sons given in the Old Testament: Gen. 35:22-26; 46:8-25; 49:3-27; Exod. 1:2-5; Num. 1:5-15; 2:3-31; 13:4-15; 26:4-51; 34:19-28; Deut. 27:12-13; 33:6-25; Josh. 13:7-22; Judg. 5:12-18; 1 Chron. 2:1-8:40; 12:24-37; 27:16-22; Ezek. 48:1-7, 23-28, 31-34

 

Reviewing these lists, we usually find all thirteen tribes included though sometimes a tribe is left out (usually Levi). For example, in Numbers 1, 2, 13, and 26, the tribe of Levi is left out. In other cases, Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim, and Manasseh are combined under just the name Joseph. In one case, multiple tribes are missing (i.e., Judge 5). So, we see that it's not unusual for scripture to leave names out when listing the tribes of Israel.

 

But then we have the list in Revelation 7. This list is unique in several ways. First, it is the only list of the tribes of Israel in scripture to exclude Dan. Secondly, it is the only list to include Joseph in place of only one of his sons instead of both sons. Specifically, Joseph and Manasseh appear in the Revelation 7 list but Ephraim does not. Perhaps the exclusions of Dan and Ephraim are related?

Thirdly, the territories originally allotted to the tribes of Ephraim and Dan bordered one another in Canaan, but during the time of Judges Dan rejected its claim and moved north to occupy a part of the territory of Naphtali.

Finally, even though the name Joseph is listed in Revelation 7, no territory or tribe of Joseph actually exists. Joseph didn’t receive a portion in the land. His two sons were adopted by Jacob and received Joseph’s double portion instead. This raises the question how can there be 12,000 men from "Joseph" during Tribulation when no such tribe of people exists?

Given these clues, we can offer speculation on why Dan and Ephraim are missing from the list.

In Judges 17-21 we're given two stories of apostasy in Israel. Both stories center on the tribes of Dan and Ephraim and on the city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of David, God's choice for king over Israel. The writer of Judges emphasizes in these chapters that these were the days before Israel had a king. 

In those chapters of Judges, Dan sinned by viewing the land God allotted to them as unacceptable, so they abandoned it. While passing through Ephraim, they stole idols from a home and recruited a Levite to serve in a false temple in the new territory. As a result, Dan became the first tribe in Israel to embrace idol worship in Israel.

Meanwhile, the tribe of Ephraim, the source of the idols, assumed control over the land originally intended for Dan. They aided and abetted the Danites in bringing idolatry into the land of Israel. These sins give just cause for God to exclude them from the privilege of preparing Israel and the world for the Messiah's return.

Furthermore, since the tribe of Manasseh is already included in the list of Revelation 7, then we know that the tribe of Joseph can't represent his two sons, as is usually the case in scripture. Instead, Joseph still represents two tribes, but in this case Joseph replaces Dan and Ephraim, tribes historically and geographically linked by their conspiracy to introduce rebellion and idolatry into Israel. So they were excluded from this list by name with the name Joseph standing in their place.

Such a substitution allowed the Lord to retain the symmetry of twelve tribes while drawing attention to these tribes' joint contribution to idolatry in Israel. Since there is no literal tribe of Joseph, in a sense, we could say that Dan and Ephraim were “hidden” in Joseph. If so, then the 12,000 men of the tribe of Joseph in the Tribulation will actually be Danites and Ephraimites.

But there is a deeper message in their exclusion. The apostasy of Dan and Ephraim represented the low point in Israel's history immediately prior to the Lord raising up a king from Bethlehem to deliver Israel from its sin. Sound familiar?

This is exactly the pattern that will exist prior to the Lord's return to rule over Israel at the end of Tribulation. By excluding these two tribes from the list in Revelation 7, the Lord is pointing our attention back to the circumstances at the end of Judges. The final chapters of Judges (17-21) and the story of Ruth which follows Judges form a three-part story of the king's arrival to address the nation's idolatry.

 

Parts 1 and 2 of the story are found in Judges 17-21 and chronicle the growing apostasy of Israel under the influence of the Danites and Ephraimites. Part 3 of the story is found in Ruth, where the Messiah's arrival in Bethlehem (pictured by the arrival of Naomi's son in Bethlehem) serves as the hope of Israel. These events picture the greater arrival of Christ to rescue Israel from apostasy.

 

Therefore, Dan and Ephraim are missing in the list of Revelation 7 to draw our attention to the time of Judges, to illustrate that Israel is once again guilty of apostasy as it was in Judges under Dan and Ephraim. And once again the Lord will bring Israel a king from Bethlehem to rescue Israel from its apostasy, that is Jesus Christ. By excluding these two tribes, the Lord is emphasizing that the third part of the story is right around the corner. 

 

Addendum 3

 

The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar cycle of 29.5s day, so it is twelve months of 29.5 days or 354 days. Actually starting with the first month, Nisan of 30 days every other month is 29 days; or six months of 29 days and 6 months of 30 days for 354 days. The Jewish calendar now celebrates the New Year in Tishri the seventh month not Nisan the first month. Over the years the Jewish calendar has been adjusted to match the solar calendar; that includes adding two months every so often; so that through the centuries it’s year count may be off. The current Jewish year is 5782.

 

The Essenes were Jewish religious purest from about 200 BC through 100 AD, (John the Baptist was one) they believed that the Pharisee calendar was corrupted. Their calendar was based on GOD’s solar calendar, a 364 day year (Enoch 72:32b). They also count the history of the world based on Adam fathering Seth at 130 years old (Genesis 5:3). The first year of creation according to the Essenes would be our year 3926-3925BC making 5945 the current year. They believed that earth’s time was divided into three 2000 year eras and one 1000 year era relating to our years; 1BC – to the time of Abraham is the first era, from the time of Abraham to 75AD is the second era, 75AD – 2075 and the third era and then the final era of 1000 years is 2075 – 3075.*

 

I believe in the seven day theory, I have never seen or heard any teaching on it until I read about the Essenes, but in the Biblical cycles of days, months and years I believe that humanity’s time on the earth is 6 (six) thousand years (days) followed by CHRIST’s 1 (one) thousand years (day) reign over the earth from Jerusalem; after the example of the seven days of creation. So humanity has 53 to 218 more years depending on who’s calendar is correct. But that is not strict in the since that we do not know GOD’s time table and His time table is based on the Scriptures that give us The Great Commission and markers and signs to watch for. Could we be in the last days with the anti-christ coming to power soon, I hope so.

 

*The information on the Essenes is from Thomas Horn’s book, Zeitgeist 2025, Defender Publishing, 2021