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Foreword 3

Introduction 5

Chapter One Behind the Scenes 7

Chapter Two The Curtain Rises 9

Chapter Three The First Seal - A White Horse 15

Chapter Four The White Knight Is Slain 19

Chapter Five The Second Seal - The Red Horse 23

Chapter Six The Third Seal - The Black Horse 29

Chapter Seven The Fourth Seal - The Ashen Horse 35

Chapter Eight The Fifth Seal - Martyrs 37

Chapter Nine The Sixth Seal - Geophysical Disaster 43

Chapter Ten The Seventh Seal - Seven Trumpets 47

Chapter Eleven Cosmic Catastrophe Strikes the Earth 51

Chapter Twelve The Length of Tribulation 55

Chapter Thirteen The Fifth Trumpet - The First Woe 59

Chapter Fourteen The Sixth Trumpet - The Second Woe 61

Chapter Fifteen In the Days of the Seventh Angel 65

Chapter Sixteen The Seventh Trumpet - The Third Woe 73

Chapter Seventeen Clear the Way for the Lord 79

About the Author 81

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So many books and study guides have been written about the last book of the Bible, the Revelation, that the question may be asked, "Why another Revelation prophecy book?" The problem is that even some of the best studies seem to have a doctrinal bias of one sort or another that often appears more important to the author than the return of Jesus. Also, many authors have been well-known Christian personalities who have a lot to gain (or lose) by taking a public stand on their view of the last days scenario. The question of overriding importance to most authors is when the rapture of the Church will occur. Advocates of all positions claim Scriptural authority. They usually claim that their interpretation of the Scriptures is both literal and unforced. Frankly, many of these "literal and unforced" interpretations seem to be just the opposite of what they claim.

Although some conclusions are drawn concerning the timing of the rapture, that is not this book's primary purpose. This book will attempt to reveal some of the mysteries concerning end-time prophecies. The author has tried his best to ignore his pre-existing doctrinal beliefs and simply let the Word of God dictate the outcome of this study. Other works have been consulted primarily to pose questions to test an emerging interpretation of the Scriptures. The Bible itself and an exhaustive concordance were the only resources considered beyond question during the course of this study. It soon became evident that there was a beautiful symmetry to the Revelation that dovetailed perfectly with many other prophecies in the Bible. Many of the Old Testament prophecies opened new insights into the complex imagery of the Revelation. The end-time panorama that unfolded is concise and uncomplicated.

For the purpose of producing an easily readable book, the portions of the Revelation dealing with the seven churches and the events not immediately following the return of Christ are not dealt with extensively in this work. What is addressed is the seven year period preceding Jesus' return that is commonly called "the tribulation."

The author makes no appeal to extensive educational credentials or a unique Divine revelation. He only asks that the interpretations of the prophecies described in this book be evaluated on their own merits. The axiom he has tried to observe is that the simplest explanation is the best explanation. This work should not be viewed as the "final word" but rather as a broad framework that the Holy Spirit may expand, refine or adjust as the Day of the Lord draws nearer. The author's primary concern is that the people of God, Jews and Gentiles alike, be informed and prepared for that day. If you are willing to invest the time and effort that this study of God's word requires and to approach the study with an open mind, you will be amazed at the beautiful coherence and precision of the Bible's prophetic truth.

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Perhaps it would be best to begin with what this book is not.

· It is not a verse-by-verse exposition of the Revelation.

 

· It is not an attempt to identify any world leaders or prominent religious personalities as major players in the last days drama.

 

· It is not an attempt to identify any existing nation or alliance of nations as the "kingdom of the beast."

 

· It is not an attempt to fix a date for the rapture of the Church and the return of Jesus.

 

What is undertaken is to establish a general chronological framework within which the events of the last seven years culminating in the return of Jesus can be understood. This plan is referred to in Isaiah 14:26-27, "This is the plan devised against the whole earth and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. For the Lord of Hosts has planned and who can frustrate it? And as for His outstretched hand, who can turn it back?"

The author does not expect the reader to naively accept his word that the scriptures quoted support his conclusions. The reader is expected to have a good literal translation of the Bible at hand. It would be best to avoid using a paraphrase such as the Living Bible. All references are quoted from the New American Standard version.

A time-line chart has been included to which the reader will often need to refer during this study. The center section of the chart is entitled "Probable World Events." The key word here is "probable." As the end time scenario unfolds, more accurate detailed predictions will be made by those alert to the signs that precede Jesus' return. The Scriptures that refer to these world events can be found above and below the world event time-line. You will immediately notice that the Revelation references do not follow chapter-by-chapter but rather reset to the beginning at chapter 14 much like a typewriter carriage resetting at the end of a line.

The Revelation should not be viewed as a story that starts in chapter 1 and ends in chapter 22 even though there are large portions of the book that do contain accounts of sequential events. Rather, the Revelation should be used as a reference book that refers the reader to different time periods and viewpoints in different sections of the book. Sometimes whole chapters are close-up examinations of some aspect of the events taking place in heaven or on the earth that are also described elsewhere in the Revelation. Perhaps a simile will help explain this concept. A man flying over a large rain cloud in an airplane would describe it one way. A man standing under the rain cloud would definitely have another viewpoint and would describe the cloud quite differently. A man standing on a mountain 15 miles away would have an overall view and his description, although having elements of both of the other men's descriptions, would be different still. So is the Revelation. Often an overview is given first then details from different viewpoints follow. The included timeline chart reflects this same principle. The references above the world event line generally reflect the viewpoint of the world and its leaders. The references below the world event line generally emphasize the viewpoint of Israel and the Church. Notice that as you approach the return of Jesus, more and more details are made available to the reader.

Let us embark on the greatest adventure of the ages. Undoubtedly the major players are already on the scene. The drama is about to unfold. Let's walk through the seven years that culminate in return of Jesus Christ to the planet Earth.

When God moves, He often moves suddenly. Those affected by His actions may feel that He also moves without warning. However, Amos 3:7 states that God doesn't do anything without revealing His secret council to His servants the prophets. It may take years, decades or even centuries to set the stage, arrange the players and prepare the way for God's "sudden" actions. Israel's exodus from Egypt is a perfect example of this principle. God's entire plan concerning Israel's sojourn in Egypt and their subsequent deliverance was revealed to Abram over 400 years before the fact (Gen. 15:12-16).

God has been carefully ordering the events of the last 2,000 years to set the stage for the return of His Son. However, over the last 200 years He has really accelerated the pace. The rise of the nation-states of Western Europe, the United States, the Eastern Block and the Orient are important recent developments in world history. The industrial, electronic and information revolutions of the last 100 years have also been extremely significant factors. Another indispensable ingredient in God's end time recipe is the importance of oil to the world economy and its concentration in the Middle East. The worldwide acceptance of the numbering of individuals and the computerized world banking system are among the last props to be moved onto the stage. The most crucial element to fall into place is the re-establishment of Israel as a nation. Are you ready? God is!!

There are scores of prophecies related to the return of Jesus in both the Old and New Testaments. Jesus Himself has given us much of the information. In Mark 13:23 Jesus said, "But take heed; behold I have told you everything in advance." The Church of Jesus Christ should be well aware of these prophecies and know how they relate to unfolding world events. It is often difficult to align fast breaking world events with specific prophecies as they are occurring. However, in the larger context of God's overall plan, an examination of recent world history leaves little doubt as to the sovereign intervention of God in the world's affairs. The Church should not only be aware of God's plan, but also of the signs that signal the imminent return of Jesus to the earth. I Thessalonians 5:4 states; "But you brethren are not in darkness that the day should overtake you like a thief." It is every believer's duty to be awake, alert and ready to share the knowledge of God's plan with the refugees of a frightened and confused world as the great day of God draws near.

It is virtually certain that all the major players in the end time drama are either currently on the world stage or are even now waiting in the wings. Let's identify these individuals and groups, and broadly define their roles in the final drama of world history:

• Jesus, the Christ           The Son of god in human flesh.  The only acceptable sacrifice for the sin of mankind.  The legitimate      sovereign ruler of the world.
  
  

• Israel of God                  The descendants of Abraham who truly have a heart to follow God and trust Jesus, the Messiah.
  
  

• The Church of Jesus      The people of all nations who believe in their hearts that Jesus died for their sins, was resurrected from the dead and is coming back to rule the earth.  Those willing to confess their belief in Jesus.
  
  

• Satan                               The Devil, one of God's ruling angels who led a rebellion against God and would like to rule the universe himself.
  
    

• Abaddon                         A high ranking angel whose name is translated "Destruction."  He is one of Satan's allies and is very active during the years before Jesus' return.  
  
  

• Michael                          One of God's ruling angels who has remained loyal to God and leads God's angelic armies in the last days.
  
  

• The Man of Lawlessness   A world leader who rises to a position of dominance on the earth before Jesus' return.  Also referred to as the "beast".
  
  

• The False Prophet          A religious leader probably claiming to be Christ, who rises to worldwide prominence in the last days.  He leads a personality cult promoting the worship of the Man of Lawlessness.
  
  

• Babylon the Great         A symbolic female figure called the mother of all harlots.  Although it is possible to interpret her meaning at several levels, her primary interpretation is apostate worldly Israel and the Jews who refuse to accept Jesus as their Messiah.

We need to read Revelation 8:6-12 and Revelation 16:1-9.

· Rev 8:6 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.

7 And the first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

8 And the second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood;

9 and a third of the creatures, which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.

10 And the third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters;

11 and the name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood; and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

12 And the fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were smitten, so that a third of them might be darkened and the day might not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

 

· Rev 16:1 And I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth."

2 And the first angel went and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

3 And the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.

4 And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.

5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, "Righteous art Thou, who art and who wast, O Holy One, because Thou didst judge these things;

6 for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink. They deserve it."

7 And I heard the altar saying, "Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments."

8 And the fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given to it to scorch men with fire.

9 And men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues; and they did not repent, so as to give Him glory.

 

These are the parallel prophecies that describe the first four trumpets and the first four bowls of wrath. Notice that the first trumpet and bowl effect the earth, the second trumpet and bowl affect the sea, the third trumpet and bowl affect the rivers and springs, and that the fourth trumpet and bowl affect the heavenly bodies. These four trumpets and bowls, taken together, describe the effects of an unprecedented cosmic catastrophe that strikes the earth as the first blow of the fist of God's wrath. Jesus prophesied these same events in Luke 12:49 and Luke 21:25-26.

· Luke 12:49 "I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!

 

· Luke 21:25 "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,

26 men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

 

In Luke 21:26 Jesus clearly states that the powers of the heavens will be shaken. The effects of this catastrophic cosmic encounter are revealed in the first four trumpets and the first four bowls of wrath. The effects on the sun, moon, and stars will be dealt with in more detail a little later on. Moreover, it appears as though these events can be accounted for quite reasonably by the collision of the earth with either a large comet or an asteroid. This impact is described perfectly in Revelation 8:8, "And the second angel sounded and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea". This type of cosmic disaster is not only considered a possibility by twentieth century scientists; it is considered a certainty! A United States House of Representatives report noted that in 1989 a half mile wide meteor missed earth by only six hours. A direct hit would have released the energy of one thousand one megaton hydrogen bombs. Dr. Clark R. Chapman, chairman of the International Conference on Near-Earth Asteroids in June of 1991 stated, "The Earth is bound to be hit. Statistically its certain." The time of the collision cannot be predicted by modern science. Dr. Edward Teller, the main developer of the hydrogen bomb, has said that we can expect, at most, only a one year advance warning. This chilling scientific confirmation of the Bible's prophecies gives new understanding to Jesus' prophetic statement that men will be fainting from fear and expectation of the things that are coming on the earth (see above reference in Luke 21:25-26).

The first effect of this cosmic encounter will be the entry of the heavenly body into the earth's atmosphere. This will release intense heat and radiation. The effect on the earth will be the burning of one third of the earth's surface. The effect of the radiation upon unrepentant mankind will be a malignant cancerous sore on those who have taken the mark of the beast. Most prophetic scholars believe that the mark of beast will not be visible to the naked eye when given. However this sore will probably manifest itself at the site on the skin where the mark has been imprinted or implanted. Those who have the mark will be clearly distinguished from those who don't.

The second trumpet and bowl tell us the size of the asteroid and the location of its impact. It will be the size of a large mountain and it will strike the earth in the sea. The effect will be the death of all human beings on the sea at the time of impact and the death of one-third of the animals in the sea. No doubt many dwelling along the nations' coastlines will die as well. It is possible that the only reason all life on earth isn't extinguished is the fact that the asteroid strikes the sea which absorbs some of the impact.

The third trumpet and bowl tell us that the worldwide fall-out from such a cataclysm poisons the exposed fresh water supplies on the earth causing the death of many. The fourth trumpet tells us the effect of the impact on the rotational speed, and possibly, the orbit of earth. Revelation 8:12 tells us that one-third of the sun, moon and stars are smitten that the day may not shine for a third of it and the night in the same way. This statement can only mean one of two things. This could mean that one third of the stars in the universe are extinguished, one third of the moon is lopped off and one third of the sun is darkened. This is a very unlikely scenario. A much more plausible explanation is that the mountain-size asteroid strikes the earth a glancing blow in the same direction as the earth's rotation. This would speed up the earth's rotational speed, making both the day and night of shorter duration. The exact amount that the day and night are shortened is given as one third. This would shorten our solar day from 24 hours to 16 hours. This revelation gives incredible literal significance to what Jesus said in Mark 13:19-20, "Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect whom He chose, He shortened the days". In Isaiah 13:13 God says, "Therefore I shall make the heavens tremble and the earth will be shaken from its place at the fury of the Lord Hosts in the day of His burning anger." The Bible is indeed the Word of God!

The fourth bowl tells us that the sun scorches men with fierce heat. This is confirmed by Isaiah 30:26 which tells us that the sun will be seven times brighter when Jesus returns. This effect could either be caused by an unusual increase in solar activity or by a change in the earth's orbital track to bring it closer to the sun. Either way, the shortening of the days and the overshadowing of the earth with water vapor and debris from the asteroid collision are the only things that keep all life from being extinguished by the intense heat. This is exactly what Jesus said in Mark 13:20! Isn't God's Word remarkable?

Even with the prophetic fulfillment of these catastrophes, Revelation 16:9 tells us that men still do not repent. In the last days before Jesus' return the hearts of mankind will be hardened just as Pharaoh's heart was hardened by God's judgments on Egypt. The revelation of the shortening of the solar day to 16 hours unlocks another incredible secret. The overall length of time period of God's wrath can now be calculated.

As we have already seen in Chapter Two of this book, the time piece by which the return of Jesus is set has been revealed in the book of Daniel. Also promised was the reconciliation of the 2,300 evening and morning prophecy in Daniel 8:14 with the other end time predictions designating the length of the time period commonly called "the tribulation". We can directly address the apparent discrepancies in the prophecies that designate the length of the tribulation period. The revelation of the shortening of the solar day to 16 hours makes this possible.

We have already seen that 2,300 evenings and mornings can be restated as 1,150 standard 24 hour days as first mentioned in Genesis chapter one. Another definitive time span is prophesied in Daniel 12:5-12:

Dan 12:5 Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river, and the other on that bank of the river.

6 And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be until the end of these wonders?"

7 And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.

8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?"

9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.

10 "Many will be purged, purified and refined; but the wicked will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.

11 "And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

12 "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!

 

In answer to the question "How long will it be to the end of these wonders?" Daniel is told, "And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination is set up there will be 1,290 days. How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days." Other time spans given in end time prophecies are stated as 3½ years, 42 months and 1,260 days (Daniel 7:25, Daniel 12:7, Revelation 12:14, Revelation 11:2-3, Revelation 12:6, Revelation 13:5). Since the Jewish calendar always has 360 days in each year, 1,260 days is equal to 42 months which is equal to 3½ years. To arrive at the 1,290 and 1,335 days of Daniel 12:11-12 we can do the following simple calculations:

1,260 + 30 = 1,290

1,290 + 45 = 1,335

If Jesus returns in glory at the end of the 1,260 days, 30 more days would fulfill the formal period of Jewish mourning according to Deuteronomy 34:8 and Numbers 20:29.

· Deut 34:8 So the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.

· Num 20:29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had died, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

 

This would also fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 12:10-14 "they will look on Me whom they pierced and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only Son." This 30 days of mourning accounts for the 1,290 day period of Daniel 12:11-12. However after the 30 day mourning period is complete, we still lack 45 days to attain to the 1,335 days. On the Jewish religious calendar the period of time from the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) until Hanukkah is always exactly 75 days. 30 days + 45 days = 75 days. Hanukkah celebrates the cleansing of the Jewish temple after its defilement by Antiochus Epiphanes in the second century B.C. It should be remembered that this defilement was prophesied in Daniel chapter 8. This same prophecy gave us the 2,300 evenings and mornings (1,150 days) which defines the period of time from the desecration of the temple until all things are properly restored. We can quite reasonably conclude that the 1,335 days of Daniel chapter 12 define the period of time from the defilement of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem by the beast until the cleansing and dedication of the millennial temple after Jesus' return. However, Daniel 8:14 says that the period of time from the temple's defilement until the holy place is properly restored is 1,150 days (2,300 evenings and mornings). It appears at first glance that Daniel has made a terrible mistake! 1,150 does not equal 1,335. However, if the 1,335 days are measured as solar days (that is from sundown to sundown) and the 1,150 days are measured as original 24 hour days as defined in Genesis chapter one, there is no problem at all! Some of those 1,335 days are actually only 16 hours long. Therefore it would take more solar days to define the same length of time as 1,150 24 hour days. The number of 16 hour days can be calculated by solving the following formulas:

(Number of 16 Hr. days) + (Number of 24 Hr. days) = 1,335

These formulas can be solved by simple algebraic substitution and the result is that there are 555 16 Hr. days in the 1,335 day period of time. Now refer to the accompanying time-line chart and you will see how the duration of the wrath of God period of world history can be estimated. The 555 16 hours days are the equivalent of approximately one year of 24 hour days. This is the wrath of God period of world history. This would make the period of Israel and the saint’s persecution somewhat over two years in length.

It must be remembered that God's Word is never wrong. Only our understanding and interpretation of it can be in error. Here a long standing anomaly in prophetic numerics is seen actually to be a beautiful mystery waiting to be solved in the last days before Jesus' return. God's Word is truly everlasting!

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