Political Babylon.
The picture we see is of this religious system that has persecuted believers and killed many. It is in a close relationship with a beastly entity.
`And I saw the woman,
drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
`And when I saw her, I marvelled with great amazement.
Religious Babylon.
The first aspect of Babylon that we are shown is the Religious system. The false prophet brings together all the religions of the world and this is revealed to us in symbolic form as a great prostitute – a great profanity of blasphemy and a violation of sacred things.
THE CITY OF BABYLON
The city of Babylon is being rebuilt and it is destined to become the centre of the last Gentile Global Government. The Anti-Christ will rule from Babylon with the 10 Islamic kings, over the whole world. The Political, Economic and Religious aspects of people`s lives will all be controlled from this demonic centre.
`Babylon the great .....has become a habitation of demons,
These events unfold one upon the other. Thus while the nations are gathering their armies to Armageddon,....
`And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.`
(Rev. 16: 16)
There comes a mighty earthquake that shakes cities, mountains and islands, and great hail.
7. The Gre
4. Men are Scorched.
Those who have taken the mark of the beast now have terrible sores on their bodies.
The sea and waters, (rivers, streams etc) have become bloodied through fish and people dying. The waters would be foul and polluted and with the great heat following, the pain people would be enduring, is intense. Yet we see men do not repent of their evil.
`Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun,
`Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the 7 angels,
“Go & pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”
(Rev. 16: 1)
1. The Malignant sores on the Mark.
Terrible sores come upon those who took the `mark` of the Global leader.
`So the first went & poured
The 7 Bowls of God`s Wrath.
The song of Moses says that `He will avenge the blood of His servants....` (Deut. 32: 43) And His judgment is `just & true.` (Rev. 15: 3) Thus we see that from the `Holy of Holies,` in the heavenly sanctuary comes forth the last judgments.
`After these things I looked, and behold,
the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened,
and out of the
The Judgments.
We are now shown the details of this judgment that was proclaimed. (Ch. 14: 7)This will be the final judgments in the tribulation upon rebellious mankind.
These 7 plagues will complete God`s wrath. They are described as `great and marvellous,` meaning that they are very astonishing and so exceedingly great that all men should fear.
`Then I saw another sign in heaven, Great and marvellous:
The Harvest.
An angel is now shown coming out of the temple in heaven with another sickle. This picture shows that the judgment is from the Father.
Another angel is then shown coming out from the altar, which indicates Christ`s great sacrifice (altar) and the execution of the judgments (fire).
`Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven,
He also having a sharp sick
The Judge.
God the Father and the Holy Spirit declare the blessing upon those who do not follow the `beast.` Though they die, because they trust in God they will have eternal life.
`Here is the patience of the saints;
here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,
“Write: Blessed are the dead
THE HARVEST (Rev. 14: 6 – 20)
We are now shown the great ingathering of the harvest: those to life and those to death.
Three angels go forth bringing proclamations of the judgments to come.
The 3 Proclamations
Life - God`s hand of mercy is still stretched out to those who will repent.
`Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach to thos
The First Fruits.
Now we hear different voices:
`And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters,
and like the voice of loud thunder.
And I heard the sound of harpist playing their harps.`
(Rev. 14: 2)
Together we hear the 144
Mount Zion
Here is the victorious Christ, the one who overcame the enemy. He is now shown pictorially, standing on Mount Zion in the heavenlies. This is the place of rulership and authority by the King and Judge.
`Then I looked, & behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, `
(Rev. 14: 1)
Chris
CHRIST THE JUDGE
Overview.
Christ is the Chief Justice of Heaven`s supreme court. His decisions are final and beyond His verdict there is no other court of appeal. He exercises the final prerogative that is essential to judgeship; He is able to kill and to make alive.
The prophet Daniel gives a good description of the heavenly court about the pass judgment upon the final Gentile world system.
`I kept looking until thrones were placed ...
The False Prophet.
This man arises in power from `the earth,` symbolising the vain philosophies of the religions of man. He seems benevolent, `lamb like,` but he speaks `as a dragon,` - words from Satan.
`Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth,
and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.`
(Rev.
The Anti – Christ.
We are now shown details of the leader of this `beastly` Gentile Global Government. He is called the Anti-Christ and is the 7th king, leader that becomes ruled over by Satan.
He comes from the Middle East, from the region of Iraq. He is called the Assyrian and later the King of the city of Babylon in Iraq. (Isa. 31: 4 – 8 14: 4) He is the Islamic Confederation`s long awaited leader.
He arises to power by making a peace treaty with Israel
THE GLOBAL GOVERNMENT (Rev. 13 )
God is a just God who rules righteously. He gives time for the final Gentile Global Government to come to a head. It is shown for its `beastly` character and control over the people of the world. Satan is revealed as the power behind the world system and desiring the worship of the world. People will have a choice: to worship God or Satan.
These are the details of this Final Gentile Global Government, ruled over by Satan. The Apo
Declaration of Christ`s Kingdom Rule.
This voice would be a representative of the Body of Christ - `our God,` our brethren.`
`Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
“Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come,
For the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before God day and night, has been cast down.
and they overcame him by the blood of the
Jesus the Promised Child.
Jesus is the promised Son, the Child that Israel would bring forth to be the ruler of Israel and the kingdoms of the world.
`For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given;
and the government will be upon His shoulder.....
upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,.....
f
Christ the Mighty Victor.
Man is vividly conscience that he is unable to meet the demands of a just God. Thus the need for the Mediator, an advocate with the Father, One who is a faithful friend and who fully knows our cause. He needs to be able to protect our highest interests, and deliver us from the enemy.
It is Christ who has secured the supreme victory over the greatest foe. He has decisively triumphed in the age-long battle of good and evil, truth and error, ligh
The 7th Trumpet.
The 7th trumpet sounds declaring that it is time for the kingdom of this world to become the kingdom of Christ.
`And the seventh angel sounded.....
`The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and His Christ;
and He will reign forever and ever.`
God gives the 2 men, God`s Witnesses, Moses and Elijah great power. This is the same power He gave them when they were on earth previously.
` If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies.
And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls
THE 2 WITNESSES (Rev. 11: 1 - 14)
The Lord Jesus Christ tells the Apostle John to prophecy again, to speak forth what is about to happen.
`You must prophecy again about many peoples, nations, tongues & kings.`
(Rev. 10: 11)
Israel.
In Ch. 11 we are shown the details of this prophecy to `many peoples
Christ`s Omniscience. (all knowing)
Then the Lord, as the mighty angel, shows that it is He who is the Mediator between God and man. Only He who is God could raise His hand and swear by Himself.
`The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land
raised His hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever,
who created heaven and the things that a