Introduction:

After the fall of Babylon, we looked at how John heard what was like a roar of many peole praising God in an apparent response to the judgement of Babylon. Then, there was the praise anticipating the second coming of Christ (Rev. 19:6-8). We learnt that our worship is only meant to be directed to God and not to angels. It is also instructive to pay attention to the way Christ was decribed: Faithful and True - As believers, we must not live below such standard. Finally, we saw the destruction of the wicked, where the armies of the earth are no match with the armies from heaven. The judgement of God on the wicked is as certain as His grace which is available to save all who believe. Today, we will look at the Millennial reign of Christ and the judgement of the great white throne.

Satan Bound (vs 1-3)

 1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

First it is very interesting to see that Satan is not God's peer or equivalent as he would always have people to believe. As we have consistently seen in this book of revelation that it is an angel of God who handles the devil (Satan) all the times. Satan is not God's rival!

The Millennial Reign of Christ (vs 4-6)

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Vs 4 talks about a particular set of martyred dead and John's description shows that they are given resurrected bodies since he could see them. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Lesson for us: Whatever a man does for the Lord, there is always a ?payday' (reward). I Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Vs 5 informs us that the rest of the dead did not come to life until after a thousand years, implying the resurrection of the wicked dead as we will see in vs 11-15.

First resurrection: I will align with the description of the Bible Knowledge commentary with describes it as follows: It should be obvious, however, that in no sense could this be the number- one resurrection chronologically because historically Christ was the first to rise from the dead with a transformed, resurrected body. There was also the resurrection "of many" (Matt. 27: 52- 53) which took place when Christ resurrected. In what sense then can this resurrection in Revelation 20: 5 be "first"? As the context which follows indicates, "the first resurrection" (vv. 5- 6) contrasts with the last resurrection (vv. 12- 13), which is followed by "the second death" (vv. 6, 14). It is first in the sense of before. All the righteous, regardless of when they are raised, take part in the resurrection which is first or before the final resurrection (of the wicked dead) at the end of the Millennium. This supports the conclusion that the resurrection of the righteous is by stages. Christ was "the Firstfruits" (1 Cor. 15: 23), which was preceded by the token resurrection of a number of saints (Matt. 27: 52- 53). Then will occur the Rapture of the church, which will include the resurrection of dead church saints and the translation of living church saints (1 Thes. 4: 13- 18). The resurrection of the two witnesses will occur in the Great Tribulation (Rev. 11: 3, 11). Then the resurrection of the martyred dead of the Great Tribulation will occur soon after Christ returns to earth (20: 4- 5). To these may be added the resurrection of Old Testament saints which apparently will also occur at this time, though it is not mentioned in this text (cf. Isa. 26: 19- 21; Ezek. 37: 12- 14; Dan. 12: 2- 3).

Vs 6: There is not much detail of what will happen during this millennial reign of Christ but indeed it will be a time of great blessing

Satan's final ruin (Vs 7-10)

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Satan was released from the prison but being Satan he unrepentantly went and deceived nations to gather them for battle again. Isn't that funny given all the battle he had lost since the beginning of the book of revelation? Why is the term Gog and Magog used? It is not explained by John but in Ezekiel 38 Gog was described as the ruler and Magog was the people, and both were in rebellion against God and were enemies of Israel. The result of such battle can be predicted apriori as we have seen in many preceding incidences: Fire came down from heaven and devoured Satan's followers while he was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur.

The Great White throne Judgment

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The One who sat on the great white throne caused the earth and heaven to flee from His presence but they found no place to hide. He'd come to judge the dead (both the small and the great). Many bible scholars believe that this judgment will be for the wicked dead since all the righteous dead have been raised including Old Testament saints, the dead of the Great Tribulation, and the church saints, the body of Christ. Indeed since these dead have not been raised is an indication that they do not have eternal life so their judgment is the judgment of works.

Whether Christians or non-Christians, our works will be tested: 1 Cor. 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. So we must pay attention to what we do!!!

Conclusion

I will conclude with these words from BK Commentary: Though many have attempted to find some scriptural way to avoid the doctrine of eternal punishment, as far as biblical revelation is concerned there are only two destinies for human souls; one is to be with the Lord and the other is to be forever separated from God in the lake of fire. This solemn fact is motivation for carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth whatever the cost, and doing everything possible to inform and challenge people to receive Christ before it is too late.

Introduction

In the last study, John was shown an expanded explanation of the judgment of Babylon he is now about to see the coronation and marriage of the Lamb of God in heaven as well as the beginning of the end. In this study, we will experience the joy and jubilation and praise of God by the saints over the judgment of Babylon as well as at the celebration wedding and the feast that occurs afterwards. And then step straight out of the merriment into the final battle!

Verses 1-3:

" 1  And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2  For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.3  And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up forever and ever."

A Great Voice of much people in heaven . . . true and righteous are His judgments: The outburst of praise (from verse 1) rests upon the fact that the judgments of God - specifically, his judgment of the great harlot - are true and righteous (from verse 2) Also pay attention to the contents of the call to praise the Lord: Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; ascribing to God attributes, which He alone has.

We know of coal mines that continue to burn underground for scores of years so this is not out the realm of natural possibilities. The smoke of the great whore continues to rise eternally even after the thousand years, when all that are identified with her are judged at the great white throne judgment and cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:11 - Rev 20:15).

 Verses 4-6:

"4  And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5  And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

Once again, we see the twenty-four elders and the four beasts that surround the throne of God worshipping Him, saying "Amen; Alleluia". (If the word amen is used prior to any discourse - in this case the word alleluia - the word amen means "truly" or "surely". If the word were used after any discourse, the word amen would mean "so be it" or "even so". The word alleluia  means "praise the Lord". Therefore, the words "Amen; Alleluia" in the context of verse 4 indicate that the twenty-four elders say, "truly, we praise you Lord".)

Verses 7-8

"7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

These spells out the purpose of God's eternal plan - the marriage of the Lamb purposed from the foundation of the world. The bride of Christ is now a wife and she is ready to be joined with Jesus and be one forever. The wife is ready because she was adorned with gifts at the judgment.

The Linen could be referred to both the "righteousness of the saints" (that comes through the blood of Jesus) and the "righteous acts of the saints" (that comes through the Holy Spirit working in believers). It is important that we realize that both are essential. Our righteous acts mean nothing without the righteousness given by Christ. So we should do away with the erroneous belief that once this righteousness is given to us we don't have to live a righteous life anymore. Both are very important in our walk with God

Verses 9-10

"9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

 John was so awed by the angel that showed him these things that he fell down to worship him. In contrast to Satan who demands worship, the angels of God will not allow anyone to worship them. All worship is to be directed to God. The angel told John that Jesus is the fulfillment of all God given prophecy; worship Him alone. The angel links himself with John by calling himself a fellow servant with you.  There are important differences between angels and men, but the really significant thing is that they are both ?servants' of their common Lord. This Angel clearly tells us that Angels are not to be worshipped.

INTERLUDE

John saw the second coming of Jesus and what will happen to the armies that gather against the Lord at Megiddo. Chapter 16 told us all the armies of the world will be assembled at Megiddo against the Lord. Then chapter 17 gave us the mystery of the woman that rides the Beast and her destruction by the Beast. After that chapter 18 gave us the details about the destruction of the Beast kingdom called "Babylon the Great". Now we pick up again where chapter 16 left off.

The seventh vial was already poured out and destruction came on all cities of the world and Babylon was completely destroyed. However, the Beast and False Prophet were not in Babylon when it was destroyed. They probably got out of town in the plague of darkness at the fifth vial. The armies of the world that destroyed Babylon are deceived by the unclean spirits (demons) that come out of the mouth of the Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet (Rev 16:13). The armies from the north and the east move to Megiddo in northern Israel where the Beast and False Prophet have relocated. These unclean satanic spirits convince the kings of all the nations and armies of the world to oppose Jesus when He comes.

Verses 11-16

"11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. "14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

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There is no doubt about the identity of the Person on this white horse. There had been another rider of a white horse (as we see in chapter six) but he only wears a single conquerors reef called in the Greek "stephanos", Jesus comes wearing "many" golden crowns of royalty. The Greek word for crowns used here is "diadems". The Son of God is known by many names in the scriptures but the name the Word of God (1st John 2:14 and in John 1:1) precedes verse 15 "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword". The Word of God is two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12)

These armies (plural) in verse 14 include all the hosts of heaven, the angels and all who make up the body of Christ. They all come wearing fine linen, white and clean. This indicates that all of their sins have been removed and they have on the righteousness of Christ. 

 Verses 17-19

"17  And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;18  That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.19  And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

The so called battle of Armageddon really is not a battle at all. It is a slaughter of all of the enemies of God on earth. All the armies of the world are gathered against Jesus and His saints by Satan and by his lying spirits. The armies gathered by Satan will all end up being food for the vultures. Lying spirits come out of the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet to deceive the whole world and the armies that destroy Babylon. These lying spirits somehow convince the kings of the earth to move all their armies against Jerusalem. The real question is why would the world dare to fight against the God of heaven? The answer might be that the lying spirits somehow manage to convince the kings of the earth that the God of Heaven is not almighty and can also be stopped from setting up His kingdom on earth by enough military force (like the counterfeit kingdom of god at Babylon was at least partly overthrown by worldly military force). When these armies fight against the Kingdom of the real God of creation they will all come to their destruction.

Verses 20-21

"20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh."

The Antichrist Beast and his False Prophet, who worked miracles by the power of Satan and deceived all who took the mark of the Beast and those that worshipped his image, are taken captive. Just as Satan deceived and took a third of the angels in his rebellion against God, Satan in the Beast and False Prophet will deceive and take a large number of humans in this rebellion against God. Those that follow him do not want the Son of God to rule over them. Notice, there is no real resistance against the real God of creation. The armies are gathered for slaughter because all the forces of Satan and man are no match against the God of creation. I am sure Satan knows this but he hates humanity and God so much that he intends to bring humanity to total destruction. The Beast and False Prophet are judged by Jesus and they are cast alive into the Lake of Fire.

Conclusion

At this point, one will think that we have finally come to the end of all the wars and battles and killings. In the next chapter Satan himself will be bound for a thousand years. But the suspense is not entirely over; watch out for yet another twist in the tale!

Introduction: Last week, we considered the two faces of Babylon; the Religious Babylon (Rev.17); guilty of religious abominations and Commercial Babylon (Rev.18), guilty of pride, greed and self-indulgence and the judgment that befell her. We concluded by saying that it was very easy, these last days to be lured into the entrapment of the system that rules the world we live in so we have to be careful to steer clear of "self" - a destroyer and a waster. Today, we will consider the aftermath of the judgment of Babylon and learn a few valuable lessons

1.      Verses 9-10: The kings of the Earth Lament

"The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ?Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'"

When you read this verse of scripture two things can be suggested about the kings of the earth standing at a distance

·         The heat and smoke of her burning must be very intense that they had to stand at a distance.

·         When God's judgment comes, no one can contend it. The best they can offer will be idle lamentations "Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! "

2.      Verses 11-17a The Merchants reveal their greed and selfishness as they lament.

Verse 11

"And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more"

They were not concerned about the fact that Babylon was burning

It is plain that the mourning was rooted in self-interest: for no one buys their merchandise anymore

Verses 12-13

 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

They reveal their materialism and rebellion. Note the last bit of verse 13: "And slaves and souls of men" Their dealings were not only exploiting people and the city but they traded the souls of men; cruelly using others. They sold the bodies and souls of men, occultism, prostitution and pornography were the order of the day. We are already seeing these.

Verse 14

And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

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The things craved for (the worldly pleasures) will bear up wings and fly away. These are same things that chased away the things that are dainty and goodly

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Verses 15- 17a

 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,  And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought.

Notice as well that the merchants kept their distance and once again their emphasis on materialism. "For in one hour so great riches is come to nought."

3.      Verses 17b - 19 The Sea-Captains lament.

"And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! For in one hour is she made desolate."

We see another group of fake lamenters; their source of business was gone. That was their concern "Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth"

4.      Verse 20:  Call to the heavens and the people of God: rejoice!

"Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!"

Proverbs 11:10?

Should God's people rejoice when judgment comes? Yes, but we don't rejoice in the destruction in judgment. Rather, we rejoice in the righteous resolution God's judgment brings.

5.      Verse 21: An angel graphically shows Babylon's fall.

"And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all"

Jeremiah 51:61-64: ^"He said to Seraiah, "When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud. Then say, ?Lord, you have said you will destroy this place, so that neither people nor animals will live in it; it will be desolate forever.' When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates. Then say, ?So will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring on her. And her people will fall.'".

Matthew 18:6: "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."

This applies to Babylon in Revelation 18, because she led others into sin. It is a terrible thing to sin; it is even more terrible to lead others into sin.

6.      Verses 22-23a Babylon is left desolate and powerless.

"And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth;

Shall be heard no more at all in thee . . . shall be found any more in thee . . . shall be heard no more at all in thee. . . shall shine no more at all in thee: In graphic and poetic language, John describes how Babylon will become at the end. All the clamor and glamour gone; no music, no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, no light (not even that of a candle), no more marrying and giving in marriage - Nothing!

7.      Verses 23b - 24: The reasons for the judgment of Babylon

 "for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth."

"For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived": Sorcery is the ancient Greek word pharmakia, which means, "to prepare drugs." The lure of Babylon can be likened to drug addiction, fueled by deceptive advertising deceiving all the nations

The ultimate reason for Babylon's judgment was that she has killed the prophets and saints.

God takes the persecution of His people as a personal offense. Those who attack His people really attack Him.

Conclusion

The people that mostly drive us into participating in evil usually do so for their own benefits and not ours. And when the time for reaping the consequences of our actions come, the best they can offer will be half-hearted lament and it will not be because they are sorry for us but that they are concerned only for themselves.

Chasing after worldly pleasure will eventually chase away the things that are graceful and goodly and leave us empty, bare and at risk of eternal judgment.

Babylon, in judgment crashed and burned! We don't have to!

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

Introduction

The fall of Babylon was first mentioned in Chapter 14:8 but there were no details about its fall. And then again in Chapter 17 where Babylon was revealed and its alliances; there are many interpretations of what Babylon represents today; physically, spiritually, etc. Verses 4-5 of Chapter 17 describe Babylon as the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth and chapter 17:18 says "And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world." [NLT]

The combination of these scriptures (chapter 17 and our text for today) has led to the analogy that Babylon manifests in two faces:

Religious Babylon (Rev.17); guilty of religious abominations and Commercial Babylon (Rev.18); guilty of pride, greed and self-indulgence

Verses 1-3:

 "After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."

The Angel

So after the happenings in Chapter 17, John saw another angel shinning with the "carryover" from the presence of God; he was literarily glowing to the extent that he lit up the earth! No wonder the Bible says that in heaven we will not need the Sun because God Himself will be our light! 

His Message

Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

The Angel was prophesying the fall of Babylon as though it had already happened. God had revealed to him the future of Babylon.

The Future of Babylon

The city has become a dwelling place of demons: This is a prophetic picture of absolute desolation where the proud achievements of man become the demonic haunts of unclean and horrible creatures.

The Reason

For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication: Babylon's sin is not only idolatry (referred to with the term fornication), but also becoming rich by devious means "and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury"

Verses 4-5:

 "And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "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 iniquities." 

Preamble: The revelatory confirmation given to John plays a very pivotal role in our understanding of Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream and also magnifies Daniel's direct vision of almost a direct replica of Daniel 7. At the very beginning of the study of the Book of Revelation; certain assertions were made and one of such assertions was the fact that the Book of Revelation is a hodgepodge of past, present and future representation of events. I believe this chapter as well as others clearly shows a build up from past revelatory experiences and not only that but also provides for us an opportunity to appraise past revelatory encounters and contrast them with present reality- thereby creating clear cut authentication of not only past and present prophecies but also the elicitation and  veracity  of future occurrences.

Revelations. 17: 10-18 put paid to any doubt or uncertainty about the terrestrial world being under the direct subjection of the celestial world. Physical happenings are manifesting only as the spiritual world determines. Ephesians. 6: 11-14, 2 Cor. 10: 3-6; Job. 1: 6-12.

I would like to draw our focus to the colour of the beast, the colour of the woman's dress and the golden cup in her hands. Rev. 17: 3. These are powerful symbolisms of Satan's deception they are his instruments of attraction to undiscerning travellers who are only after the dainties of the world without understanding that whatever the devil gives it is to lure men to their doom. Prov. 7: 15-20, Luke. 4: 5-8

Verse 10: unfolds a deep mystery Satan orchestrates control over the nations using the woman as an instrument of domination. It is amazing how the woman is used as a portrayal of God's instrument of victory in Revelation. 12: 15-17. Here also we see Satan using the woman as an agent of destruction upon the nations; that's not surprising Satan has no capacity for creativity but deception and lies. The highest of Satan's efforts are always entrenched in counterfeits.

Many scholars have varying interpretations of the 8 kings. some believe the kings represent the Caesars and emperors of Rome. Others posit that the kings are representations of kingdoms and empires that had ruled and were particularly hostile to Israel and those kingdoms are. Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Roman Empire existing at the time of John's revelation.  And then the seventh, the revived Rome which has not yet come, then the eighth and final will be the Antichrist. I would be more inclined to go with the latter argument because it has correlation with Daniel. as we earlier read. No matter what side of the divide one belongs the most important thing is the realisation of a spiritual determinism on physical reality.  Kingdoms and dominions exhibit whatever spiritual machinations operating within their territory.   Zech.  1: 21

The perversion of nations and the display of madness are as a result of spiritual harlotry being orchestrated by Satan in collusion with leaders that have drunken at the hand of the strange woman. Prayer. Lord deliver this nation from spiritual harlotry and help the leadership of our nations to escape from the grip of this Babylonian blasphemer.1 Tim. 2: 1-5.

Verse 11: we have seen five kings whose era had gone and as at the time of John's revelation the sixth king was already on the throne with two more kings yet to ascend the throne. The reign of the seventh king will be brief so as to make room for the scarlet coloured beast coming in the form of a king. This eighth king had ruled before but would come back again perhaps to finish what it started. 2 Thessalonians. 2: 3-12. This is the man of perdition, the man of sin waiting to be revealed before the final stage which perhaps would herald the coming of the Lord. Prayer. Lord keep us in the knowledge of the truth; that we be not taken by the deceit of Satan and the strong delusional spirit that shall come upon the earth.

Verse 12 and 13:  (Daniel. 7: 7, 24-25). Some scholars believe that a time will come when leaders of nations will come together to form a coalition by joining forces together and appointing one to be their leader and there have been certain assertions that the EU might be the fulfilment of these revelation. Some bible scholars believe Rome will emerge once more as a powerful empire that would lead these other nations until the glorious appearing of the Great God.  In reality we need not look far to understand the manifestation of these things. Look at the different philosophies, religions, movements, etc. springing up everywhere; "The truth is that the West has chosen to be secular, and secularity has taken the form of a religion; not necessarily like Atheism, Agnosticism, Hedonism etc, but as a force to pull down spirituality, and preach a new message, which elevates science to the pedestal of religion. Charles Krauthammer, while writing in TIME magazine of April 3, 2006, averred that the ?European man has convinced himself that in order to be modern and free, he must be radically secular'. Therefore, I dare propose that what is our modern day demon is no more than Radical Secularism" Odogwu, author of The Spiritual Evolution of Mankind. Recently some European countries came together and developed a machine called neutrino the idea behind this invention was to simulate how the world began. They created an atmosphere where particles collided and asserted that that was how the world came into existence.

Verse 14: (Dan. 7: 21-22, 13-14, 27). We are aware that the end game is near and the close of the age will come but it will not be without the battle for supremacy. Satan is poised for war, arming, preparing and equipping his end time army for the final showdown.  Dan. 8: 23-25. The battle for the heart and mind of believers is real. We are killed all the daylong that the life of Jesus might be manifest in us. 2 Cor. 4: 10-11. These prophesies are happening right in our presence, we therefore cannot sit idly by and think that these things are for a time to come; unfortunately we are witnesses of these realities and are called to battle everyday as the soldiers of Christ. Rev. 12: 12-13. Zech. 14: 1-4, 9.

Verse 15: (Dan. 7: 2-3), the reality of this should make one shudder and tremble because this woman rules over  multitudes of people. She sits upon the heads of destinies. Many lives are at her whims and caprices. Do we still wonder why the world is the way it is. Why we see the things we see in this generation and the barrage at which they come at us. Many people are remote controlled by a force stronger and more powerful than them. Many lives not under the Lordship of Jesus are susceptible to this worker of iniquity.

We are experiencing unprecedented scale of immorality and blasphemies like never before. Many lives are in jeopardy, tormented by a vicious fiend determined to enslave them forever. Christians are the only ones equipped to liberate lives from this hideous and atrocious beast; now is evangelism needed than in any other generation.  Many lives are under the manipulation of a higher spiritual force. Luke. 18: 8, Matt. 24: 12. Prayer. the Lord should deliver us from the power of the stranger that manipulates destinies to self destruct.

Verse 16: Satan gives only to take back; once he is through with his victims he discards them without a second thought. Judas, the Pharisees and Sadducees were used by Satan to crucify the Lord and once Satan was through with them he threw them away. John. 8: 44.  Whatever the devil gives he gets back.  The devil uses and dumps. John. 10: 10. Demons connive to destroy others and then they help to destroy themselves. All those who do Satan's biddings are themselves lined up for slaughter.

Verse 17: God unfolds His greatness and majesty. We see God using all of creation to fulfil His purpose. Col. 1: 16-18. All of creation exists to bring God's will to pass. Every single thing under heaven functions to the commandment of God. God puts His will in the heart of these terrible creatures so that His purpose might be established. God can use anyone and anything to being your miracle to life.

God allows these kings to cede their kingdoms to the beast.  These nations or kings are willingly giving up their kingdoms to the worship of devils. Politicians making laws that advance the cause of the devil; Policies promoting abortion, gay rights, worshipping of devils, Raelian Movement, (UFO religion), etc. 1 Tim. 4: 1-3, 2 Tim. 3: 1-3. Isaiah. 14: 26-27. This reality should give us hope that all things work together for good. God is still in charge and determining every move no matter how miniscule it may seem. Romans. 11: 33-35. Isaiah. 40: 21-22, 28. All things must work in tandem with His will and to His word. Psalm. 119: 89, Luke. 16: 17.

Verse 18:  this I believe unfolds the nation whose culture, language, way of life and might controls the rest of the world. Many nations today talks about the greatness of America and how through her greatness and might controls the rest of the world.  We see the extent at which other nations and leaders would go to cripple America.  We see the passion and hatred with which Americanism is being lauded and at the same being derided.  Citizens of different nations look to America for fashion, freedom, culture and might. This text is quite inductive in the sense that we can take a country as explained above and then use it as a model for whatever nation this might end up being.

Nations around the world are emerging with great powers and determination, not only to be acknowledged and recognised but to have the world at its feet. Nations like China, Russia and even Iran are not only demanding recognition but also challenging the status-quo. Two verses back talks about the connivance of other nations to bring this nation to her knees and make her of no relevance. God is strategising- to the end that His purpose only will stand. 2 Chronicles. 20: 22-23.

Our generation I believe is witnessing the fulfilment of prophesy in greater dimension than any other generation. Events of end time proportions are unfolding before us with amazing speed but that also leaves us with very grave responsibilities that require our total and unreserved commitment to be active participants in bringing to bear the kingdom of God on the earth. In no other generation is Matt. 28: 19-20 more relevant than in ours. We have seen the helplessness of humanity under the tyrannical rule of a monster bent on decimating humanity at will. We have also seen his tools of operation that they are clandestine and deceptive; we can therefore like Apostle Paul say we are not ignorant of the devices of Satan.

God beckons on us as His battle axes and weapons of war to sharpen our vigilance and commitment in rescuing humanity from the onslaught of a maniac, that old serpent called the devil. We must as a matter of urgency first work out our own salvation with fear and trembling before we step out as crusaders. May we not be found wanting. Shalom.

Contributor: Paul Thomas

Introduction: We were carefully and extensively taken through the Last Two Bowls judgement last week. Amongst other things, we were reminded that even the Devil is a pawn in the hand of our God. The teaching ended in the unfolding of Great Babylon which was brought into remembrance before God. This week, we will be looking at the Judgement of Babylon The Great (The Great Harlot) and the lessons that can be learnt.

Spiritual Prostitution and Fornication: (Rev. 17:1-2 NKJV)

"Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, ² with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication."

·         Great Harlot: This is over people, multitudes, nations. The worldly philosophy or system that teaches rebellion against God and encourages the pursuit of sin in every ramification. The world system is satan's tool of manipulation in the world. Satan hates the truth and all who rejects the truth (Jesus) are slaves to him. "Great" refers to the harlot (worldly) system that will reach its zenith after the removal of the true church (genuine believers) by means of rapture.

·         Sits on Many Waters: refers to world-wide unification and control. "Sits on" suggests the concept of control and unification (Psalm 110:1, Hebrews 8:1). "Waters" refers to the nations and many people of those nations.

From the above therefore, the first verse can be rephrased as;

"Come, I will show you the judgement of the worldly philosophy that is in control of the nations and all the people of the nations"

·      With whom the kings of the earth committed fornication: This indicates alliance/ agreement which those in authorities have with the worldly system. Put another way, an unfaithful, unholy alliance between the church and state which should by design remain separate. By Separate, we are not talking about the separation of church and state that is being promoted today where prayer and dependence on God has been removed from the classroom while godless ideologies are being promoted. Both the state and church were established by God (1 Timothy 2:1-3) but must remain separate if they are to carry out their purpose howbeit that they must support one another without compromising their responsibility before God.

·      Inhabitants........made drunk with the wine of fornication: The unholy alliance with the worldly system and philosophy have gone unchecked for a long time, spreading like a plague and the nations and people of the nations have become entrapped in the fangs and chains of satan.

 Babylon The Great: (Rev. 17:  3-9 NKJV) :

³ So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. ⁴ The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. ⁵ And on her forehead a name was written:

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS
OF THE EARTH.

⁶ I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

⁷ But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. ⁸ The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

⁹ "Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 

......into the Wilderness - This obviously refers to a desolate, desert-kind of place, because it will be full of cities and peoples who are spiritually dead - a spiritual desert, which the woman and beast will rule. A church could be full of attendees who are spiritually dead. There will be no true spiritual food or water from this empty religious system. The world will be starving and dying - this is what religion does for a man, it leaves him empty, in the desert! This is not God's desire

"And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding".[Jeremiah 3:15]

It is our responsibility as pastors, workers and members in the local church to be an oasis holding forth the word of life and if we remain faithful to this, individually and corporately, the Lord will give us an open door to those who are thirsty. He will lead us to the hungry and them to us.

Scarlet Beast - As we will see later in verse 8, The Beast on which the Harlot is seated is the Antichrist. He is scarlet because he is blood-thirsty and will at the right time kill the woman (a symbol of religous system).  He is a counterfeit of our Lord in that he "was" and "is not". These phrase also referred back to Rev. 13:3, 12, and 14 where the beast is resurrected. We know that the ultimate fate of this beast will be destruction just as the end of evil will be. The reason why we must desist from evil at all cost.

"The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul". [Prov. 16:17 NKJV]

......arrayed in purple and scarlet - This in part stands for her political power, and in part they point to her religous pomp. Gold, precious stones and pearls refer to her immense wealth. It is believed that these colours have, for centuries, been the colours of the Roman Catholic Church, and the wealth of this church is immense.

......having in her hand a golden cup..- Refers to her enticing manner of alluring men and nations. Religion can be very alluring and eventually become a trap. Many are trapped in the chains of religion today, even in the church of God where His power and authority are meant to be in full expression.

"having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" [2 Tim. 3:5]

The gold and religous trappings - appeal to the sensual, material and religous bent of man's sinful nature. He admires this, he is awed by it, and it blinds him.

.....abominations and filthiness - Man's religion offers no solution to the flesh. It's the flesh seeking to overcome the flesh and it profits nothing. These may refer to the various forms of idolatry involved in the worship of God through images, statues, and medals (achievements) etc. Filthiness (Unclean things) does not only refer to the natutre of the doctrines taught, but what they lead to in life, immorality and impurity!

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. [John 6:63]

....and on her forehead a name..- In ancient times, the practice of harlots was to write their names on their foreheads for easy recognition, which showed the shamelessness of their character, revealing a seared conscience from continual rejection of God's truth.

.....Babylon The Great - is the secret name. This refers not only to the city of Babylon, but to a religous system, the Babylonianism of ancient time, which will reach its peak in the tribulation.

......Mother of Harlots....- This points to the source. Besides the concept of origin or source of all spiritual idolatry and false religions, the word "mother" indicates the position the harlot will play in the final days, gathering all the form of false religions under her wings for the one great world-wide harlot system.

Martyrdom of Believers  (Rev. 17:6a) - Refers to the rampant matrydom of believers during this time This is one of the ways satan will promote the one-world church system - by annihilation of all opposition.

John Marvelled (Rev. 17:6b) - Another word for Marvel here is to Wonder. The greek word here is "to be amazed, surprised" or "to wonder at something with attentive interest". Shouldn't that be the effect that Bible study and the word of God have on our hearts when we open the Word and study, reflecting on its marvelous truth? We should be interested in the details of God's revelation, its explanation and application. When this is done, God sees to it that that we have an opportunity to learn and to know.

"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." [Jer. 29:13]

Description of the Woman (Rev. 17:7)- The angel's question about John's amazement at the sight of the fully decked and pompous woman and description shows we should not marvel at the woman which appears in such pompous and religous attire because she's so satanic and thereby destructive and deceptive also - these are some of the consequences and effects of evil. We should never be deceived by outward form of religousity no matter their outward attractiveness of influence or power as is the case of false ecumenical (promotion of unity among churches) and godless system.

In Conclusion:

And finally, regardless of the details of who the beast is, we know that its ultimate end will be destruction. But before he meets his end, he will deceive "those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world." The opposite side of this verse is very encouraging to the believer when you notice that your name has been written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world. Your name was not placed there at the point of your salvation. Your name was there before you were saved.before you were born.even before the foundation of the world. If you have believed in Jesus as your Savior, you can be confident that God chose you and has placed your name in the Book of Life. What an encouragement! You didn't choose God; He chose you! Because He chose you, He will be sure to preserve you in His grace. Amen!

"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love," [Ephesians 1:4]

Contributor: Leye Olayiwola

Introduction:

In the study last week, we considered the first five bowls judgment comparing them with the trumpet judgment. We looked at the similarities and considered the intensity of the suffering. In today's study we will look at the trailer of the last two bowls judgment and the divinely orchestrated end of events.

Verse 12

"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared."

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; similar to that of the sixth trumpet judgment. A cruel army arose from the great river region to kill a third of mankind. (Rev 9:14). The Euphrates River is called "the great river" in Genesis 15:18. The importance of the river becomes apparent as the text unfolds. It dried up.

So that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east God dries the great river Euphrates to prepare the way for the kings of the east (for the slaughter of the Battle of Armageddon at the appointed time). It would appear that the kings were already on their journey to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army Rev 19:19b; so the Lord clears the way for them to plunge to their deaths.

Interestingly, even the Devil is a pawn in God's hands. You will expect that by now he would know better. See Isaiah 45:7

"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things."

Verses 13-14

"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty"

The dragon, the beast and the false prophet released demonic spirits to influence the kings of the world by performing signs that will cajole them. So God dries up the river Euphrates for the kings of the east and the dragon, the beast and the false prophet cajoles the kings of the world to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty

Verse 15

"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."

"Behold, I come as a thief" is a warning, but this verse is also meant to be a promise to those who read it before Armageddon is fought. Only to the wicked, will He come as a thief.

"Blessed is he that watcheth" The receiver of this promise; the one who "watcheth" and awaits his LORD's coming is blessed. See 1Thessalonians 5:2-9

"To keep one's garments" imply a carefulness to walk in holiness as well as preparedness; because it is the one who is unprepared (asleep, indulging) that will be caught naked.

Verse 16

"And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."

The place of "the war of great day of God, the Almighty" is called (in Hebrew) Har-Magedon. This is the only place in the Bible where the word occurs. The Hebrew word can be translated to be either a hill or mountain. Megiddon "was an ancient city located on a plain in the southwest portion of the Valley of Jezreel (Jewish name) or Esdraelon (Greek name)."

Two great mountains stand to the northeast and southeast of the hill of Megiddo: Mt. Tabor and Mt. Gilboa. Between these two mountains run the valley of Jezreel, which is fifteen miles wide at its widest point. It will be the place of God's great slaughter of the nations depicted in Revelation 19:11-21.

Verse 17

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, it is done."

The seventh angel poured out his vial into the air, introducing the final bowl judgment. The seventh and final bowl-carrying angel punishes the air. The earth (land), water, fire and air are the four elements that are the objects of God's wrath.

A great voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, "It is done." God at this stage pronounces, "It is done," What is done? It usually refers to something being over, finished or completed. However, it must be kept in mind that bowls six and seven are given in summary fashion. We will see the details in Chapters 17-19.

Verse 18

"And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty."

Having poured his bowl upon the air, lightning and thunder rocked the air followed by a great earthquake unparalleled in all of human history.

Verse 19-21

 "And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great."

The great city . . . What city? Revelation 11:8 identifies Jerusalem as "the great city."  

Divided into three parts: Zechariah 13:8 says: "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein."

Zechariah 14:2 "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city."

Zechariah 14:5 also implies that God will empty Jerusalem of his people just prior to His arrival with His angels for the battle of Armageddon.

The cities of the nations fell: as a result of the earthquake, the rest of the world fell.

Babylon the great was remembered before God apart from suffering the effect of the earthquake, God poured out the worst expression of His wrath the world will ever know upon it. Islands and mountains disappeared and then He sent a great hail from heaven; stones weighing about 45kg!

Conclusion

Now that we have seen the trailer of the end of events, I invite you to tune in for the actual unfolding of the end as God unleashes His wrath but yet in it all He still sends a warning for those who would care to listen!

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

Introduction:

Last week we saw the Joy and celebration of them who got the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God (Rev.15:2) They sang high praises to God, and His Lamb, for giving them the grace to overcome. We also saw the Angels with the seven golden vials full of the wrath of God ready to release the wrath of God (Rev.15:7). Our emphasis last week was on the content of their songs. It was pure praises and worship directed to God (Rev.15:3,4).

This week we shall study the effects of the wrath of God on the earth as the Angels were releasing the seven last plagues.

 There is a great deal of similarity in the judgments of the trumpets (Rev.8&9) and bowls. In both, the first series deals with the earth (Rev.8:7 with 16:2), the second series deals with the sea (Rev.8:8-9 with 16:3), the third series deals with the rivers and fountains of water (Rev.8:10-11 with 16:4), the fourth series deals with the sun (Rev.8:12 with 16:8), the fifth series deals with darkness (Rev.8:12 with 16:10), the sixth series deals with the Euphrates (Rev.9:13-14 with 16:12), and the seventh series deals with lightning, thunders, and earthquakes (Rev.11:19b with 16:17-21).

1)      The First Bowl: Painful Sores (Rev.16:1,2)

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 on the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial on the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore on the men which had the mark of the beast, and on them which worshipped his image.

This bowl resulted in "loathsome" (evil) and "malignant" (painful) sores. Can you imagine if you had a case of terrible sores over your entire body? You would be unable to walk, sit, or lie down without pain. Such will be the case during the tribulation for those who experience these sores.

It is important to see that these sores break out "on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image." This plague and those that follow are not the expression of God's wrath against sin in general, nor are they punishments for individual wrongdoing. The judgment comes from God because of the world's allegiance to God's supreme opponent. Since these people received the Antichrist's mark (Rev.13:16-18; 14:9-10). They begin to pay the penalty for their allegiance.

2)      The Second Bowl: sea turns to blood ( Rev.16:3)

And the second angel poured out his vial on the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

The Greek text here is very graphic. Literally it reads, "And it (sea) became blood as of a dead man," i.e., like a dead man wallowing in his own blood. Every living thing (sea creature) in the sea will die. Imagine all the world's oceans and seas turning to blood "like that of a dead man." In the second trumpet judgment, one-third of all sea life perished (Rev 8:8-9). The emphasis here is greater with the phrase "every living thing in the sea died." The stench alone would make most people want to die.  It will wreck fishing and it is bound to affect ocean navigation, transportation and shipping. Quite frankly, this is far beyond our comprehension.

3)      The Third Bowl: inland waters turn to blood (Rev.16:4-7).

And the third angel poured out his vial on the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.  And I heard the angel of the waters say, You are righteous, O Lord, which are, and were, and shall be, because you have judged thus.  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.  And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments.

Not only are the world's oceans and seas affected, so are the fresh bodies of water ("the rivers and the springs"). Even these "became blood." This resembles the first Egyptian plague where the Nile River and its tributaries were turned into blood and all the fish died (Exod 7:14-21). There will be no fresh water to drink on the earth. During this period of judgment, fresh water to drink will be more valuable than oil! After all, people cannot exist long without any water to drink.         

"The angel of the waters" literally refers to an angel who has jurisdiction over the waters of the earth as one of the varied ministries of angels. As the one in charge of this area he makes an important statement vindicating the holiness of God and setting forth the reason for this judgment (vss. 5-6).

These apostate and rebellious people have slain and shed the blood of believers, thus, just as the saints receive rest and reward for their faith, so these will receive punishment fitting the nature of their crimes. They have only blood to drink. They have been blood thirsty?now they get their fill. This gives us another indication that during the Tribulation the shedding of the blood of believers will be without parallel in history.

Two principles can be found in Rev.16:6-7: First, the world will one day pay for its treatment of believers (Rom 12:19). They rejected those who preached, and offered them the "water of life." God judges them for it by turning their water to blood. Second, because the world rejected the blood that brings forth life (Jesus), God poured out blood that brings forth death. The lesson is clear: reject what the blood of Jesus gave to save you and you will perish for eternity.

4)      The Fourth Bowl: the sun scorches people (Rev.16:8-9).                                 

And the fourth angel poured out his vial on the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.  And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which has power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

The fourth trumpet judgment darkened the sun (Rev.8:12), but this judgment increases the sun's intensity. God will increase the intensity of the sun's heat and light rays to such a degree that it will scorch and burn the skin of men. Some scientists claim we are not experiencing global warming while others maintain the earth is cooling off. Both are in for a surprise (1 Cor. 1:25).

"And men were scorched with fierce heat and they blasphemed the name of God." This again demonstrates two things: (a) men clearly recognize the source of the plagues, but (b) they will have become so hardened in their souls they refuse to repent. They will have reached the point of no return. This was clear when they took the mark of the beast.

This hardening of the soul (or heart) poses a warning for all of us. Anyone who becomes negative toward the Lord, grows indifferent to His Word, and ignores the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit, can begin to harden his heart and become more and more callused  (Heb. 3:7; Eph. 4:17-19). One way we can see such a condition developing in our lives is by the way we murmur and complain or look for "pity parties" among our friends. This is a sure indication that the heart has become somewhat hardened (Heb. 3:7-19; with 1 Cor. 10:5-10. Note particularly verse 10.)

5)      The Fifth Bowl: the Beast's throne in darkness and pain (Rev.16:10-11). 

And the fifth angel poured out his vial on the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds

 The bowl is poured out "upon the throne of the beast. This is the land beast of Revelation 13 who will receive his power from Satan and who will become the object of man's worship. Neither Satan nor this Beast can alleviate this judgment. This will clearly illustrate that there is only one hope, the Eternal God and Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ whom the world has by-in-large rejected; the One who alone is the Light of the world. What irony strikes here (John 1:3-5, 9-11)!

This is just a preview of the hell that is to come (Matt 8:12; 13:42). Those who reject Christ will spend eternity in darkness. But this ultimate fate is unnecessary. Hell was not prepared for humans. It was prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matt 25:41).

Contributor: Alex Alajiki

Introduction:

We considered the preservation and rapture of the 144,000 Jewish Believers just before the final wrath of God in our last study. The qualities of these Believers are worthy of emulation for us, namely non-defilement, following of the Master, and no guile (willful deceit of the heart). Finally, we saw God, who would not wish that any should perish, allow angels to preach before executing judgement on the earth. As we were taught last week: "the study should make us to appreciate our salvation even more; that we were fruits of the harvest of souls borne out of God's love and not that of His wrath". Indeed, it should even make us to do all that is required of us to hold on our faith with Godly fear and reverence. Today we will look a sort of preface to the final expression of God wrath and lessons for present day believers.

Another sign (vs 1)

1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

John had yet another sign which was the third sign in this book (Recall the first two in Revelation 12: 1 and 3). Seven angels were introduced having the last plagues as a final expression of God's wrath.

What John saw (vs 2-8)

2a And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire:

John was attempting to describe what he saw. Note the word "as it were", so his description will be more figurative. We can compare with Rev. 8 where John saw also seven angels while one of them came in with "the prayers of all the saints" like incense at the altar in heaven, filled the censer with fire from the altar and poured the fire on the earth in judgment (8:3-5). Here, however, as we see in the following verses, the saints are present themselves. Can we conclude that prayers of the saints trigger judgment?

The saints and what they were doing

2b and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

There are divergent views on the composition of this group. While some believe that they are the 144,000 in the preceding chapter (see for instance IVP New Testament Commentaries), others believe they are Tribulation Martyrs - group in Rev. 7:9-17 (E.g. Bible Knowledge Commentaries). It will suffice to say that these people are overcomers and it is interesting to note that they had harps of God with which they would rejoice and praise God.

It is also very important to highlight the importance of music before God. God enjoys music and infact He dwells in the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3). He described David as a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22). David was a skillful musician and indeed that skill brought him to the palace:

I Sam 16:16: Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better.

I Sam 18: 10: The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the harp, as he usually did.

As believers, we must not joke with music.

Content of the Music: They sang the song of Moses and the Lamb. Of course the song is not exactly those recorded in Exo15:1-18, Ps 90 but they all have same spirit namely celebrating the power, holiness, marvelous works and the justice of our God. This should be the content of our own music individually and corporately as a church. Any song that does not reflect these attributes of God must be thrashed!!!

Beginning of the wrath

5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:6 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.7 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.8 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.

These verses outline the commencement of the wrath of God. The temple was opened so that the angels carrying plagues can exit. We should also note the description of the clothing of the angels: pure and white which should also remind us that we must be holy as believer as a prerequisite to seeing God (Heb 12:14).

God is the Everlasting God (He lives forever). Shouldn't we be excited to have this God as our Father? Shouldn't we just trust and obey this Eternal God? No matter what the present situation is, our God who lives forever is still on the throne able to do according to His will, therefore, we must take solace in this.

The glory of God is described here as a smoke similar to description given in Ex 40:35, 19:18, Isa 6:4, I Kings 8:1-66. It is amazing the precision of God's word.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we see a prelude to the judgment bowls containing plagues carried by seven angels. Prior to the exiting of these angels, the saints that had just been vitorious praised God with harps and song. The content of their song must strike chord with us as believers. The song was not about Moses neither should the song we sing be about us but about the majesty, justice, power, holiness, etc of our God. It should also serve as a reminder of what God expects from us:

Micah 6:8 "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

Contributor: Akin Akande

Introduction

In our last study we looked at the Beast from the Land. This land beast (also called the false prophet) operated under the authority of the sea beast and was totally committed to promoting this sea beast. We also learnt of its deceptive powers and it how it will coerce by deception people to take the mark of the beast.

In today's study we will look at a new turn of events; separated into two parts. The first part addresses the 144,000 that were removed (raptured) from the face of the earth to avoid the wrath of God and the second part, the final warnings before and consequently the wrath of God!

PART 1 - The 144, 000

Verses 1-3:

"And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's Name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from Heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 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."

In this vision, John sees the LORD Jesus Christ on "mount Sion", which in this instance, refers to a heavenly scene. "But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels" (Hebrews 12:22).

·         The 144,000 refers to the Jewish Believers, who were sealed in Chapter 7. This triumphal scene in Heaven indicates that the 144,000 were preserved from the Antichrist and were raptured before God's wrath (see Rev 7:3)

·         The "voice from Heaven" that John heard was that of the Almighty God, "as the Voice of many waters". See Ezekiel 43:2 and 2Samuel 22:14

·         The "harpers harping with their harps" were most probably the 144,000 Jewish Believers, who have been raptured before God's wrath was released as they would have much to celebrate! And also because they were the only ones who could learn the song being sang.

·         "No man could learn" the song of the 144,000, because God has covenanted His secret personally and only to those that fear Him. (Psalm 25:14).

Verses 4-6:

"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." And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the Throne of God." And I saw another angel fly in the midst of Heaven, having the Everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,"

·         Not defiled: In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul speaks of the entire Body of Believers as a "chaste virgin" (2Corinthians 11:2). Mostly when we talk about virginity, we often use it to describe a woman who has not known a man sexually, but it was also used to identify both men and women of Israel, (Isaiah 37:22). However, the "virgins" described here, "were not defiled with women" indicates that the 144,000 were unmarried and chaste men.

·         First fruits unto God and to the Lamb: These 144,000 male virgins represent the first of the eventual harvest of the elect Israel at the Second Coming of the LORD Jesus Christ; therefore, they are called the "firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb".

·         To "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth" describes the action of the 144,000; but, this should also be the characteristic of the Saints of these Last Days. Read 1Peter 2:21. The 144,000 have simply followed their Master home to Heaven, at His Command, "Come up Hither" (Revelation 11:12).

·         No Guile: In completing the description of the 144,000, John records that "in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the Throne of God". Guile is the wilful deceit of heart that cannot be separated from a man without the cleansing that comes from the forgiveness of God. See 1Peter 2:22-23

PART 2 - The Victorious Judgment of the Lamb

Verses 7-12:

. "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. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 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. Here is the patience of the Saints: here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

Evidently, the All Wise God expects to see the very last fruits finally and certainly harvested. See (2Peter 3:9) So He sends the first two angels akin to giving the world a last chance before judgment. Before sending the third who declares the consequences of worshipping the Beast and receiving his mark (verse 9) - Eternal Damnation, (Verse10). No one ought to doubt the sincerity of this threat from the God. Read Titus 1:2 & Numbers 23:19).

·         The First Angel's Announcement: Was a universal declaration of the necessity and opportunity of embracing the fear, glory, and worship of God to the inhabitants of the earth.

·         The Second Angel's Announcement: Was a collective warning that the worship system of Babylon the Great that made the nations drink of the wrath of her fornication was fallen (that era was over).

·         The Third Angel's Announcement: Was a warning to individual hearers against their personal participation in the worship of the Beast. "If any man . . ."

Verse 12 introduces verse 13, both of which are an interlude of peace between the warnings and threatening to those who "worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark" and the final judgments of the "great winepress of the wrath of God".

Three words stand out in verse 13 (Patience, Commandments, and faith.)

·         First, the "patience of the Saints" is that attribute of love that "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things" (1Corinthians 13:7). Patience comes only from the "trying of your faith" (James 1:3), which will be greatly needed by the Tribulation Saints to complete their appointed course of trying, testing, and suffering, that they "may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (James 1:4) in preparation for Heaven.

·         Second, keeping the "Commandments of God" is not simply the hallmark of a true Saint, "My sheep hear My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27); but, it represents our joyful opportunity to demonstrate our love for Him, "Thy Law do I love" (Psalm 119:163). Resisting fidelity to the Antichrist by refusing his mark is an act of the Tribulation Saints' loving obedience to the Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3).

·         And, finally, the "faith of Jesus" is the Saints' supreme confidence in our LORD and Saviour, Whose Name "is above every name" (Philippians 2:9) especially above the name of the Antichrist-- that Jesus will "yet deliver us" (2Corinthians 1:10) from the Antichrist or from dishonouring Him by yielding to temptation. (2Peter 2:9).

Verses 13-15:

"And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the LORD from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the Temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for Thee to reap; for the harvest of the Earth is ripe"  

·         "Blessed are the dead which die in the LORD from henceforth"; this makes special reference to those who have died (the dead) and those who will die (which die in the LORD from henceforth). The encouragement is true for all Saints throughout history, but is especially necessary for those who will be martyred, reminding them of the Eternal Blessedness of those that "resist steadfast in the faith" (1Peter 5:9).

·         "and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man in His hand a sharp sickle". Christ Jesus, Who is the "LORD of the Harvest" (Luke 10:2), He is also the "Judge of All the Earth" (Genesis 18:25), to Whom the Father "hath committed all judgment" (John 5:22).  "Clouds and darkness are round about Him: Righteousness and Judgment are the habitation of His Throne" (Psalm 97:2)

·         The "golden crown" on the head of the LORD Jesus indicates His authority over all. (Phil. 2:9-11).

·         The Apocalyptic "Harvest of the Earth" will be both a gathering of the Righteous and a separating out of the Wicked. Read Matthew 3:10-12 and 25:31-32

Verses 16-20:

"And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the Earth; and the Earth was reaped." And another angel came out of the temple which is in Heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.  And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the Earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the Earth, and gathered the vine of the Earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs."

·         Verses 16&17 tell us that the time for the great judgment that was constantly talked about and anticipated had finally come. Read Matthew 13:39, 41

·         Verse 18 describes "another angel". . . from the altar which had the power over fire". God is a "Consuming Fire" (Deuteronomy 4:24), and "His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire" (Hebrews 1:7).

·         Verse 19: Reveals that the very fact that the harvested vines with their fruit are cast "into the great winepress of the wrath of God" indicates that the harvest is of some form of (bloody) judgment; probably the much talked about Armageddon see Verse10, Psalm 60:3, Proverbs 4:17, Amos 2:8.

·         Verse 20: The "city" refers to Jerusalem, for it and its godly inhabitants will again make it the "apple of God's eye" (Lamentations 2:18).  Blood will come out of the winepress "even unto the horse bridles". The amount of bloodshed will be so much that it will yield a flow of blood deep enough to come up to the bridle of a horse. A "thousand and six hundred furlongs" is the distance in which the blood will flow "unto the horse bridles" 1,600 furlongs is about 183.86 miles which is approximately 296km. The distance between Newry and Cork is 291km. We are talking about a flow of blood across Ireland deep enough to drown a horse! That is some blood!

Conclusion

This chapter combines both a heavenly scene with the "hundred forty and four thousand before the throne of God" and an earthly scene of three angels preaching to the Earth. It makes a statement that combines both the past and future about the dead which die in the LORD and it concludes with another three angels executing judgment on the Earth led by Jesus Christ Himself. The study should make us appreciate our salvation even more; that we were fruits of the harvest of souls borne out of God's love and not that of His wrath. If that was all, then one would say "job done! Blood shed - it's all over!" But no; eternity still awaits all!

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai