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We have viewed God's final judgment of
this created earth, the fallen angels, and the wicked multitudes
from the heavenly advantage. Every aspect of this coming judgment is
directed out of the seven-sealed book under the direction of the
Lamb that was slain. Now, this period will be watched from the
earthly advantage. We will actually see Satan fall to the earth and
witness the rise of the Antichrist and the false prophet. The
horrors of all of this will be clear and unmistakable. This earth is
about to experience its final catastrophic upheaval. I'm sure God,
the great Creator, will use every power of nature and will also
allow Satan and his horde to express their venom. But all that
occurs will be under His sovereign design, and the ultimate result
will be redemption of this earth that has been wrought by the death
and sacrifice of His Son.
Isaiah said it perfectly. The
destroyer is about to be the destroyed. The usurper that walked into
the Garden but crawled out is going to be forever vanquished into
the Lake of Fire. This great book of Revelation is ultimately the
design of Satan's total defeat. Isaiah’s words were, "Yet thou shalt
be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee
shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this
the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities
thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?" (Isaiah
14:15-17)
Jesus spoke of both the past and the future when He proclaimed, “And
he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.”
(Luke 10:18)
As we enter this second revelation of
the seven-year period we see the process of casting Satan out of his
heavenly realm of power and organization. “Wherein in time past ye
walked according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:2) His kingdom’s control and
operation is between earth and the third Heaven. He will be cast
down to the earth for the seven year period, allowed to manifest his
diabolical schemes, limited as always according to the perfect
revelations of God and utterly judged in the process. We know from
the closing chapters of this book of Revelation that he will be cast
into the bottomless pit for one thousand years and then into the
Lake of Fire for eternity. The saints of God that become the elders
of the Father and the Son will present the evidence for Satan’s
final judgments.
The Sun Clothed Woman and the
Man-Child
Everything from verse one of Chapter four in the book of Revelation
is “hereafter” or part of the judgment period. This part of the
revelation cannot be placed back into the historical past. Also, it
must be connected to the casting out of Satan and his coming demise.
Joseph Seiss, the great classic writer on Revelation, said,
“A more common view, in which there
is a more general agreement, is, that this woman somehow represents
the Church, the body of God’s professed people. It belongs to the
ordinary Scripture imagery to speak of the Church under the figure
of a woman, a spouse, and a mother. We read of ‘the Daughter of
Zion’ as a personification of this kind under the Old Testament, and
Paul speaks of the spiritual Jerusalem as ‘the mother of us all.’”
(The Apocalypse, p. 279)
If indeed this represents the church,
as is my view, then the “man-child” is the great company of
overcoming saints within the boundary of the church world but
exclusive in their total surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord of all.
The church is more and more a mixed multitude; but the Bride of
Jesus Christ cannot be less than the set apart, sanctified, and
devoted cross-bearing saints that are watching, waiting, and
sacrificing while they “look for his appearing.” This crowd, the
“man-child” saints, have eyes only for Him and hearts bent on
hearing the first whisper of His sounding trumpet.
The multitude within the church that
loves the world and its glitter more than the returning King will be
left in a wilderness. There they will either be given a reprobate
mind and be beyond the pale of grace or they will repent and
willingly become the martyrs of the Antichrist’s religious armies.
The Charismatic Joel’s Army is preparing for this task of serving
the Antichrist to the extent that they are deceived into thinking he
is the real Christ. When they finally awake to their deception, it
will be too late. Satan and those he has deceived hate the teaching
of the Rapture. Note these words, “And his tail drew the third part
of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the
dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for
to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a
man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her
child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” (Revelation
12:4-5)
The War in Heaven
This marvelous moment when Satan is cast down from the mid-air never
to leave the confines of the earth scene again is thrilling. This is
intimately connected with the Rapture. As soon as the saints go up,
Satan comes down. He has accused them before God for six thousand
years. Even when they pray Satan is between them and the Father to
do his mischief and to resist not only the prayers but also God’s
messengers who bring answers and victories. This is a triumphant
moment of the end times. The earth is about to learn the full
disposition of the devil and his followers. This is the beginning of
all out war between righteousness and judgment and the designs of
Satan. Already, the scene of this coming war is in the air. “And
there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the
dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not;
neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great
dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and
his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying
in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of
our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our
brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and
night.” (Revelation 12:7-10)
Many prophecy teachers will not
accept this woman as representing the church world because it messes
up their preconceived theology. If you do not accept that the
majority of the church is unprepared for the Rapture and will be
left for the Tribulation, something has to be done with this chapter
that throws it back to historical events. Chapter twelve has nothing
to do with natural Israel. Israel is seen in Chapter seven, verses
one through eight, and again in Chapters fourteen and fifteen. This
woman is the external church, lukewarm and apostate, and her child
is the great company of overcoming saints that will be removed to
heaven in the Rapture. The lukewarm crowd will be spewed into the
Tribulation and persecuted to death by the Antichrist. “And the
dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the
remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have
the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17)
Satan’s Unholy Trinity
With the Rapture having occurred and the great overcoming saints
removed and Satan cast down to the earth having great wrath, Satan
is ready to reveal his final defense against God. “Therefore
rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the
inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down
unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a
short time.” (Revelation 12:12)
We must be willing to admit that what
is about to happen is Satan’s masterstroke. He will produce his own
“Christ” in a visible form. The spirit of Antichrist can be traced
all the way back to the Garden, but this is the full coming out
revelation. John saw this picture. “And I stood upon the sand of the
sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and
ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the
name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a
leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as
the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his
seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were
wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world
wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave
power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is
like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation
13:1-4)
This beast of a man will become the
delight of the wicked world. Satan will give him such charm,
deceiving powers, and organizational skills so that he will convince
a multitude to worship the devil as though he were God. He and his
worshippers will start an earthly war against the worldwide company
that have repented of their apostasy or have accepted the truth and
been truly converted to Jesus Christ. Look carefully! “And it was
given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them:
and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are
not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:7-8) Anyone who misses the
Rapture is in for hell on earth literally.
Then, Satan adds to the Antichrist
person a third being. This beast of a man is often called the false
prophet for so he is, but he is more than a false prophet. He is the
false spirit or false anointing and is on the same level with Satan
and the Antichrist. Now, the unholy trinity is complete. “And I
beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two
horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all
the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and
them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly
wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire
come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.” (Revelation
13:11-13) This vile creature becomes the One World Church and leads
the world to worship Satan and the Antichrist. This beast is the
creator of the “abomination of desolation” spoken of by Daniel.
“And he shall confirm the covenant
with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause
the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading
of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the
consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and
the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a
thousand two hundred and ninety days.” (Daniel 9:27; 12:11) Jesus
Christ also said “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of
desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy
place, (whoso readeth, let him understand.)” (St. Matthew 24:15) The
connection is unmistakable. “And deceiveth them that dwell on the
earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the
sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that
they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a
sword, and did live.” (Revelation 13:14) The Mark of the Beast is
also the work of this anti-holy spirit, “And he causeth all, both
small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in
their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy
or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the
number of his name.” (Revelation 13:16-17)
This trio of evil will turn this
earth into a wilderness. They will deceive everyone that is not
willing to die a horrible death at their hand.
The Jewish Nation/People
The seven years of the Great Tribulation is also called Jacob’s
Trouble. There is a clear distinction between the tribulation effect
among the Jewish people and its effect among the nations. We should
say it is similar but different. The one hundred and forty-four
thousand are sealed in Chapter seven. Without question, they turn to
Jesus Christ at the time they are sealed. There can be no question
that their surrender to the true Messiah makes an impact on the
Jewish nation. Now, we see them in Chapter fourteen taken up to
heaven and standing with the Lamb on heavenly Mount Zion. Listen as
they sing. “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne,
and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn
that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were
redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with
women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb
whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being
the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 14:3-4) These
are the firstfruits of the Jewish nation. They sang in the presence
of the elders before the throne of God.
After this victorious scene in
heaven, the vision returns to the earth. An angel is dispatched to
fly in the heavens while he proclaims the everlasting gospel. His
message is filled with a cry to earth’s inhabitants to repent.
“Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the
hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and
earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (Revelation 14:7)
Immediately, another angel announces the impending destruction of
Babylon and a third angel warns people not to take the Mark of the
Beast. A dire warning is given about this mark. “And the third angel
followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the
beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his
hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is
poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he
shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the
holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their
torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day
nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever
receiveth the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:9-11)
In Chapters fifteen and sixteen we
see the wrath of God without measure. I say without measure because
that is very important. This is the finality of wrath, it is
purifying wrath to cleanse and purify this earth and to bring the
end of sin and rebellion. Although Satan will have a short fling at
the end of the one thousand years of the righteous reign of Jesus
Christ, it will not be allowed to infect the earth. In Chapter
fifteen the seven last plagues are seen and in Chapter sixteen are
seen the seven last vials. Here is the beginning of these two
chapters. “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous,
seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up
the wrath of God.”
“And I heard a great voice out of the
temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the
vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.” (Revelation 15:1; 16:1)
The vision of this closing period of
the seven years of the Great Tribulation is overwhelming. The temple
in Heaven is open for these final acts of redemption. There is
something so pure about this period of wrath that every angel or
messenger is clothed in pure linen and wearing golden girdles. The
scene is breathtaking. “And after that I looked, and, behold, the
temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And
the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues,
clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded
with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven
angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for
ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory
of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the
temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.”
(Revelation 15:5-8) The earth will be totally purified of the last
vestige of wickedness. It will soon become a Garden of Eden again.
The coming picture of Mystery Babylon
and literal Babylon is an overarching of this same period but shown
separately because of its importance. This seven-year period of the
Great Tribulation does not end until the white horse Rider and His
army of elders is witnessed defeating the Antichrist in Chapter
nineteen. Rejoice because the final time cannot be far away.
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