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<p>9:13- see on <em><a href='B:500 16:23'>Joh 16:23</a></em>.</p><p><em>And the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God</em>- This is the incense altar, and the voice suggests that the combined prayers of the faithful bring forward the execution of God's purpose, causing Angels in Heaven to sound and do things on the earth / land. The words / voice of those prayers really is "before God". This an attempt to relay the degree to which human words in prayer really are rehearsed before God's very presence, and result in a word of command appropriate to the word of those prayers. Horns are connected with Angels in <em><a href='B:450 1:18'>Zec 1:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:420 3:4'>Hab 3:4</a></em>, and these four horns on the altar suggesting reference to the Angel cherubim.</p><p>Let's be encouraged by the fact that the sixth Angel releases the hordes from behind the Euphrates because of "a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God" (<em><a href='B:730 9:13'>Rev 9:13</a></em>). This is the incense altar, and earlier in the scene we have seen the prayers of the faithful ascending from that altar, eliciting Divine action from Heaven upon the earth (<em><a href='B:730 8:3-5'>Rev 8:3-5</a></em>). The releasing of the peoples beyond the Euphrates which we are seeing before our eyes&nbsp;<em>is actually a response to our prayers</em>. We pray and pray for the second coming, and it seems as if nothing very concrete is happening. But it Isa. The IS were raised up and given control of the Euphrates and are being propelled on their mission to fulfil end time prophecies, so that the culmination may come in the return of the Lord Jesus to earth. In this context we can note that the language of loosing the bound was used by the Lord in His teaching that we can bind and loose things in Heaven (<em><a href='B:470 16:19'>Mat 16:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 18:18'>Mat 18:18</a></em>)- in this case, the Angels. This is the huge significance of human prayer and action for God.</p>


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<p>.</p><p>The waters of a river are symbolic of nations (<em><a href='B:290 23:10'>Isa 23:10</a></em>), specifically the Assyrians in <em><a href='B:290 8:7'>Isa 8:7</a></em>, <em><a href='B:450 10:11'>Zec 10:11</a></em> and <em><a href='B:300 2:18'>Jer 2:18</a></em> - it could be that the reference is to the drying up or destruction as the metaphor of ‘drying up’ means of the nations and tribes of the fertile crescent. And these are the very areas where the Islamic State is so active. The Assyrian armies were those “beyond the river Euphrates” which were unleashed by God upon Judah (<em><a href='B:290 7:20'>Isa 7:20</a></em>). This is the basis for the language of <em><a href='B:730 9:14'>Rev 9:14</a></em>, where four Angels are bound by the river Euphrates and unleashed in the sense that a huge army is let loose from beyond that river in order to judge an impenitent Israel. We recall that it was an Angel which stood upon the river in <em><a href='B:340 12:6'>Dan 12:6</a></em>. We note that Greece likewise was likened to a ram held back by a river, which it jumped over (<em><a href='B:340 8:3'>Dan 8:3</a></em>). The latter day power restrained by the Euphrates is therefore to be based upon the historical Assyria and Greece. Again we see how the image of Daniel 2 stands complete in the last days, because the final entity which dominates Israel will incorporate elements of the previous dominators, such as Assyria and Greece.</p><p>Euphrates was the boundary of the land promised to Abraham. Israel were thrown out of their land by being taken 'beyond the river Euphrates', just as Adam was cast out of Eden, which appears to have been bounded by the Euphrates. The 200,000 (or RV "twice ten thousand times ten thousand") horsemen were bound at RV; Gk:&nbsp;<em>epi</em>&nbsp;the Euphrates (<em><a href='B:730 9:14'>Rev 9:14</a></em>), which is the northern border of the land promised to Abraham (<em><a href='B:10 15:18'>Gen 15:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:20 23:31'>Exo 23:31</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 1:7'>Deu 1:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:60 1:4'>Jos 1:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:100 8:3'>2Sa 8:3</a></em>). When Judah were taken to Babylon to be punished, this is described as their being punished in the border of Israel (<em><a href='B:330 11:10-11'>Eze 11:10-11</a></em>). Babylon was located on the border of the land promised to Abraham. The idea is clearly that these hordes will come from that northern border, the Euphrates, and invade Israel. The Islamic jihadists are already using pictures of horsemen as symbolic of their mission. The Greek text speaks of”&nbsp;twice ten thousand times ten thousand", recalling the way that the image of Daniel 2 and the beasts of Daniel 7 will be destroyed when "ten thousand times ten thousand" stand before the judgment seat of Christ (<em><a href='B:340 7:10'>Dan 7:10</a></em>). Once the Euphrates is no longer allowed to restrain these hordes, they will race towards Israel- and judgment by the returned Lord Jesus. Note too the language of <em><a href='B:400 5:6'>Mic 5:6</a></em> - the latter day Assyrian will “tread within our borders”, which include the Euphrates, and then be destroyed by Christ’s return. Revelation is putting this another way, in saying that the hordes of invaders will come from beyond the Euphrates, the border of Israel.</p><p>The trumpets, seals and vials do not have to be chronologically consecutive events; they are all part of the kaleidoscope of images which we have in Revelation. They are different takes and angles on related events. The sixth Angel loosing the hordes bound at the Euphrates is matched by the fifth Angel coming down to the land and unlocking the bottomless pit with a key (<em><a href='B:730 9:1-2'>Rev 9:1-2</a></em>; this surely refers to a Divine Angel, as it would make no sense for ‘satan’ to be given the key to his own prison). This released the aggressive locusts to swarm over the earth / land of Israel and kill and persecute those in the land promised to Abraham who haven’t taken the Father’s Name into their foreheads- for all their hypocritical wearing of phylacteries. Again we have the metaphor of restraint being lifted, and swarms of enemies pouring into the earth / land of Israel. The seventh trumpet begins with the news that there will be no more delay (<em><a href='B:730 10:6'>Rev 10:6</a></em>)- the idea is again of an imposed delay / restraint being now lifted. Locusts are symbolic of Israel’s neighbouring enemies (<em><a href='B:50 28:38'>Deu 28:38</a></em>; <em><a href='B:70 6:5'>Jdg 6:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:70 7:12'>Jdg 7:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 46:23'>Jer 46:23</a></em>; <em><a href='B:360 1:4'>Joe 1:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:360 2:25'>Joe 2:25</a></em>). Especially significant is the reference in <em><a href='B:370 7:1'>Amo 7:1</a></em> LXX: “Thus has the Lord God shewed me; and, behold, a swarm of locusts coming from the east; and, behold, one caterpillar, king Gog”. The locusts from the east, headed by Gog, released by the fifth Angel, compares with the kings from the east who are released by the sixth Angel. The locusts arise out of the bottomless pit, just as the beast arises out of the bottomless pit (<em><a href='B:730 11:7'>Rev 11:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 17:8'>Rev 17:8</a></em>). The beast is therefore another image for the locusts; they all speak of the enemies of Israel coming from the east and swarming the land. The locusts are described as having long hair, and striking as scorpions (<em><a href='B:730 9:5'>Rev 9:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 9:8'>Rev 9:8</a></em>)- all very reminiscent of jihadist fighters.</p><p>The similarities between Revelation 9 and Joel are striking, and without question Joel is speaking of the neighbour nations pouring into the land of Israel: “The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array… They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march everyone on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks… They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining” (<em><a href='B:360 2:4-10'>Joe 2:4-10</a></em>).</p><p>The four Angels holding winds in <em><a href='B:730 9:16'>Rev 9:16</a></em> surely alludes to the Angels gathering the elect from the four winds (<em><a href='B:470 24:31'>Mat 24:31</a></em>; <em><a href='B:480 13:27'>Mar 13:27</a></em>). The process of gathering the elect at the last day is part of the same process as gathering the nations to judgment. It could be that the final gathering of the nations against Israel therefore occurs at the same time as the gathering of the believers to judgment. It would seem that now all is in place for such a gathering of the nations from beyond the Euphrates- and therefore the Lord's coming could be really very near. The whole scene surely consciously recalls that of Daniel 12, where Daniel sees Angels standing on the banks of "the river", announcing that there must be a time of terrible trouble for Israel lasting "time, times and a half" (three and a half years?) and then the whole suffering of Israel would be "finished" by the return of Messiah and establishment of the Kingdom of God (<em><a href='B:340 12:5-10'>Dan 12:5-10</a></em>). "The river" is not defined, but the term is usually used in the prophets for the Euphrates; at the very least it must refer to one of the rivers in the Tigris-Euphrates basin. Note the significance of the river Ulai, a tributary of the Euphrates, in Daniel 8. Revelation expands upon this by saying that the Angels cease restraining the jihadist hordes and then release them in the last days, when the Euphrates dries up. Biblically, the drying up of water is so that armies can pass over (we think of the Red Sea and Jordan being dried up for this intent). The final time of trouble is brought about by Angels standing upon "the river"- and the fact the Euphrates is now in the hands of Islamists is therefore highly significant.</p><p>It is also surely no coincidence that there are four nations represented by the four Angels? located to the East of the Euphrates, bound by her- Turkey, Syria, Iraq and what is now effectively the nation of Kurdistan. Kurdish independence and the development of a&nbsp;<em>de facto&nbsp;</em>state of Kurdistan is something we can expect to develop. It could just about be argued that Iran is also effectively held back from the promised land by the Euphrates, but Iran doesn't in fact border the river. It could be argued that the part of Turkey which is bound by the Euphrates is Kurdish territory, and may form part of a future state of Kurdistan if it is declared. In this case, the four nations could be Kurdistan, Syria, Iraq and Iran- or perhaps some future Islamic entity. These four nations would be under the control of the four Angels bound at the Euphrates, who then release them when the restraint is lifted.</p>


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<p>9:15&nbsp;<em>And the four angels were released, that had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year-&nbsp;</em>Vine correctly observes: "This rendering is wrong, since it conveys the idea that the four periods mentioned are to be combined as representing the length of the preparation or of the continuance of the plague. But it is to be noted that neither the article nor the preposition are repeated before day and month and year. The meaning is that the angels are prepared unto the hour appointed by God, and that this hour shall fall in its appointed day and month and year". The parallel is with how the locust-horses are "prepared" s:w. unto the final battle. It is this specific battle which is the final date in view here in :15. The way of the kings from the East is likewise "prepared" (<em><a href='B:730 16:12'>Rev 16:12</a></em> s:w:).</p><p><em>That they should kill a third of all mankind</em>- This 'slaying' could be understood as a ritual slaughter&nbsp;<em>apokteino</em>. The fact it is done at a particular hour on a particular date and year may mean that there is some kind of religious relevance of the exact time of their slaughter; and that the men are slain at the same "hour", suggesting a specific ritual, organized slaughter rather than the gradual killing of people in the process of war or domination of the land. This kind of thing is imaginable in an Islamic state.</p><p>"The river" was Biblically the language of Euphrates; the Assyrian invasion is described as the River i:e. Euphrates bursting upon Israel (<em><a href='B:290 8:5-8'>Isa 8:5-8</a></em>). This invasion is described as the loosing of four Angels (<em><a href='B:730 9:15-16'>Rev 9:15-16</a></em>). It could be that four Angels are involved in the work of arranging this geopolitical situation; or it could be that each Angel represents a particular subdivision of the latter day Islamic entity. Note how "the Angel of the bottomless pit" refers both to a Heavenly Angel and to a human leader on earth, in that the princes of the earth have their Angelic representative in the court of Heaven. These are surely the same four Angels of <em><a href='B:730 7:1-2'>Rev 7:1-2</a></em> who had been holding the winds from blowing on the land of Israel; restraining the nations around Israel from destroying it from 1948 onwards. But they will no longer hold back the winds; they will loose the horsemen previously restrained by the Euphrates. This may happen in practice by the restraining power of America and the West being no longer permitted to operate by the four Angels. At the time of writing, it's highly significant that most of the cities, towns and areas on the East bank of the Euphrates are now in the hands of jihadists, of various factions; the river was as it were holding them back from advancing Westwards into the land promised to Israel. But that restraint is now being lifted. This idea of a restraint in place is to be found in <em><a href='B:600 2:7-8'>2Th 2:7-8</a></em>. It could be argued that the Roman Empire was the restraining force written about by Paul there, and there will be another restraining power likewise in the last days. In practice, not only has the West been the power broker restraining Israel’s enemies, but Israel’s nuclear and technological edge have been. This may be removed, in whatever way, so that this is no longer a restraining item.</p>


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<p>9:16&nbsp;<em>And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard the number of them</em>- The very words used about the 144,000 in 7:4. The contrast is made between the sealed 144,000 and this far larger group of their opponents, 200,000,000. The figures are surely not to be taken literally, rather is the idea that the opponents of the faithful are far more, and are as it were a fake imitation of the faithful, just as the anti-Christ is a fake imitation of the true Christ. This concept fits admirably with Islamist theology, as they consider themselves as the descendants of Ishmael to be the true seed of Abraham, and Isaac to be as the Bible presents Ishmael the roles of Isaac and Ishmael are switched around in the Koran; Moslems believe that it was Jewish scribes who switched the roles to how they are in the Hebrew Bible.</p><p>The significance of "<em>twice</em>&nbsp;ten thousand times ten thousand" may be in that the latter day dominators of Israel are split into two broad camps, represented by the two feet of the image of Daniel. It may be a reference to the Sunni - Shia division within Islam, or to the two centres of domination of Israel which will appear based in Gaza and the West Bank. <em><a href='B:340 7:10'>Dan 7:10</a></em> contrasts these "ten thousand times ten thousand" who are to be judged with the thousands who minister unto the judge, the Lord Jesus; the thousands of the Lord Jesus will stand in opposition to the thousands of the latter day invaders, just as the true Christ will face off against the anti-Christ.</p><p>"By these three was the third part of men killed" suggests that this invading army has three aspects to its work:&nbsp;The huge number of horsemen must allude to the "great company" of horsemen of <em><a href='B:330 38:4'>Eze 38:4</a></em>, which is rooted in the Assyrian invasion. The 200,000,000 horsemen of <em><a href='B:730 9:16'>Rev 9:16</a></em> may correspond to the fact that the strength of the Assyrian army which came against Jerusalem was claimed as being 200,000 men. See on <em><a href='B:730 16:16'>Rev 16:16</a></em>. But this huge invasion is portrayed here in chapter 9 as being the cause of punishment of the abusers themselves. So as has happened so many times in Israel's Biblical history, their invaders will turn upon themselves. Perhaps that is one reason why the Ezekiel 38 invasion is not recorded as being successful.</p>


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<p>9:17&nbsp;<em>And thus I saw the horses in the vision and those that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of sulphur, and heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceeded fire, smoke and sulphur</em>- These are to be connected with the three methods by which the third part of men are killed in :18, fire, smoke and brimstone. The third of men are perhaps divided into thirds, and each killed by a different method. Or it may be that the third part of men are killed by a combination of these three factors. I suggested on :15 that this may be a ritual slaughter, performed at a specific "hour" on a carefully chosen specific date of religious significance. "Jacinth" means 'deep blue'; there may be some specific means by which fire, deep blue and sulphur brimstone are used in the destruction process. We are therefore to expect some form of technology which uses these three elements or appearances in order to effect the mass destruction of a large number of people in one hour. The way Babylon's destruction likewise comes in "one hour" would therefore match this; Babylon must drink the cup she gave others to drink.</p><p>Another approach is to recall that the fire and jacinth come out of the&nbsp;<em>breastplates</em>&nbsp;of these fighters; and yet jacinth hyacinth is also one of the stones on the priestly breastplate. In this case we are invited to see these fighters acting as fake High Priests, which would connect with the undoubted theme of 'anti-Christ'- the Islamic fighters acting as if they are the true Israel of God. We note that in the last day, God will put on the breastplate of judgment against His enemies (<em><a href='B:290 59:17'>Isa 59:17</a></em>). Sulphur and fire have associations with Divine judgment; these people will therefore believe that they are executing God's judgments for Him. This is precisely the spirit of radical Islam.</p>


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<p>9:18&nbsp;<em>By these three illnesses was one third of all mankind killed, by the fire and the smoke and the sulphur, which proceeded out of their mouths</em>- The idea could be that one third of the third are killed by fire, another third by smoke, another third by the sulphur. The "all mankind" refers not to the whole planet but to the earth / land promised to Abraham. There have been attempts within the continuous historical approach to locate the fulfilment of this verse at some previous point in history. But the difficulty faced is how to define the earth / land, and "all mankind" within it. Such definitions are arbitrary and&nbsp;<em>ad hoc</em>, whereas the Bible envisages only two definitions of the earth / land- either the whole planet, or the land promised to Abraham.</p><p>The latter day invasion from the Euphrates (i:e. geographical Babylon) will result in men being killed by fire, smoke and brimstone (<em><a href='B:730 9:14'>Rev 9:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 9:18'>Rev 9:18</a></em>)- nuclear language?</p>


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<h4>9:19&nbsp;<em>For the power of the horses is in their mouth and in their tails. For their tails are like those of serpents and have heads, and by means of them they wound</em>- There is some stress that their power is in their mouths (:18). Perhaps the reference is to the power or propaganda. We are now seeing Muslims from worldwide gathering to fight against Israel because of the power of this propaganda, spreading through social media so that the word / mouth of the Islamic entity is truly worldwide. The analogy to serpents wounding men clearly makes this element the latter day seed of the serpent; and according to <em><a href='B:10 3:15'>Gen 3:15</a></em>, they will be crushed directly by the seed of the woman, the Lord Jesus. The final conflict between the Lord Jesus and the serpent will be its manifestation in this group; who as we have demonstrated above, refer to the Islamic opposition surrounding Israel.</h4><p>The 'wounding' of men is only after there has been an opportunity for the faithful to be sealed. The same word is in <em><a href='B:730 7:3'>Rev 7:3</a></em>: "Hurt wound not the earth::. till we have sealed the servants of God". But now that window of opportunity is over. Those responsible for the wounding are now fast headed to destruction and the point is approached where they cannot repent. For the same word is found in <em><a href='B:730 22:11'>Rev 22:11</a></em>: "Him that is unjust s:w. 'wounding', let him be unjust still".</p>


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<p>9:20&nbsp;<em>And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these illnesses, did not repent</em>- Again we note that even now at the time of the trumpet judgments, there is the desperate desire that some still repent; even though after the seal judgments, there was a sealing of those who had responded and a shielding of them from the judgments which were to come upon the impenitent.</p><p><em>Of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons and the idols of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood</em>- The allusion is clearly to <em><a href='B:340 5:4'>Dan 5:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 5:23'>Dan 5:23</a></em>, where the very same materials are mentioned as being the idols of Babylon. In the context, the final king of Babylon has been asked to repent in that he had been asked to learn the lesson of his father Nebuchadnezzar, who was smitten with madness and turned into an animal. But Nebuchadnezzar revived from that deadly wound, as it were. It could be that the final leader of the entity known as Babylon is intended to repent because the previous leader was struck down by God, as Nebuchadnezzar had been. But because he didn't repent, he was judged. The appeal of Daniel to him in the very last minutes of his life is therefore to be seen as the equivalent of this final appeal to the leader of Babylon through the trumpet judgments. The 'division' of his kingdom in judgment (<em><a href='B:340 5:28'>Dan 5:28</a></em>) perhaps recalls the divided state of the toes of the image just before Christ comes to destroy them. The fifth trumpet began with mention of the opening of a bottomless pit, which I suggested is parallel to the deadly wound of the beast. The reason for this is so that the deadly wounding will be an opportunity for repentance- this deep Divine desire for human repentance, even amongst His worst enemies, is so clearly portrayed in the structure of this apocalyptic. Nebuchadnezzar’s ‘wound’ was intended to elicit repentance in the final king of Babylon. Hence the allusion to that scenario here in the sixth trumpet.</p><p><em>Which can neither see, hear nor walk</em>- This again is a quotation from <em><a href='B:340 5:28'>Dan 5:28</a></em>. The similarity with the fall of Babylon is clearly intended. And what was particularly obnoxious about the king of Babylon at that time was that he was using the temple vessels in a drunken idol ritual; this in outline terms is the same as placing an abomination on the temple mount, which will be the reason for his desolation. The reference to "sorceries" (:21) is likewise an allusion to the practices of the historical Babylon and Assyria (<em><a href='B:290 47:9'>Isa 47:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 47:12'>Isa 47:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:410 3:4'>Nah 3:4</a></em>). Such things were the calling card of Jezebel, the prototype of the whore who rides the beast (<em><a href='B:120 9:22'>2Ki 9:22</a></em>). Note she was from Tyre, in modern day Lebanon. We may well enquire how idol worship and sorcery could be part of a radical Islamic state, seeing they are passionately against such things. The point is that this latter day entity is being cast in terms of the historical Babylon; and for all Islam's protest against idolatry and sorcery, from God's viewpoint, these are the very things they are guilty of.</p>


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<p>9:21&nbsp;<em>And they did not repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts</em>- This sounds very much the behaviour of jihadist fighters, murdering and thieving, and sexually abusing those whom they conquer (witness the Islamic State's treatment of Yezidi and Christian women whom they captured and declared as their 'spoils of war'). We observe that both the people being judged, as well as those judging them, can easily be interpreted as radical Islamist fighters. But this turning upon themselves is what we expect, both from Bible prophecy (e:g. regarding the divided state of the toes of the image in Daniel 2) and from Divine historical precedent. For His preferred method of destroying Israel's enemies has been through making them turn upon each other, rather than direct bolts from Heaven. "Sorceries" is a word we only meet again in <em><a href='B:730 18:23'>Rev 18:23</a></em>, speaking of the sorceries of latter day Babylon. This trumpet therefore speaks of the judgment upon latter day Babylon. The LXX uses the word not only of Babylon (<em><a href='B:290 47:9'>Isa 47:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 47:12'>Isa 47:12</a></em>) but also of Egypt at the time of the plagues (<em><a href='B:20 7:22'>Exo 7:22</a></em>). And the trumpet judgments are full of reference to the plagues upon Egypt.</p><p>There are at least ten references in :20,21 back to the sins of Israel in Old Testament times. The suggestion therefore is that the latter day Islamic entity will fail as Israel failed to heed God's pleading with them in the past, both through prophets and judgments. The idea is that the sins of this Islamic entity are effectively those of the Jews, whom they consider themselves so far spiritually superior to. Islamists love to quote the Old Testament condemnations of Israel as justification for their vendetta against the Jews; but these allusions show that they are in essence just as guilty.</p>


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<p>10:1&nbsp;<em>And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, arrayed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, his face was as the sun and his feet as pillars of fire-&nbsp;</em>It is quite possible that the Angel of <em><a href='B:730 10:1'>Rev 10:1</a></em> who descends from Heaven in a cloud with a face like the sun, holding the books of judgement is referring to Christ's second coming in person. He is called "The messenger (Heb. 'malak', the Angel) of the covenant" (<em><a href='B:460 3:1'>Mal 3:1</a></em>). It could be argued that this chapter is a continuation of the sixth trumpet- Alf Norris makes a reasonable case for this.</p><p>The same words "mighty Angel" are used in <em><a href='B:730 5:2'>Rev 5:2</a></em>, where "a strong Angel" (AV) offers the book, and Jesus the Lamb opens it. Now John, representative of the latter day believers, is asked to follow the role of the Lord Jesus and take the book. The connection with chapter 5 is intentional- hence we read of "<em>another</em>&nbsp;mighty Angel". Perhaps this is the same "mighty Angel" who judges Babylon (<em><a href='B:730 18:21'>Rev 18:21</a></em> s:w:), crying "mightily" (<em><a href='B:730 18:2'>Rev 18:2</a></em> s:w:); that Angel also "comes down" from Heaven in judgment (<em><a href='B:730 18:1'>Rev 18:1</a></em> s:w. <em><a href='B:730 10:1'>Rev 10:1</a></em> "come down from Heaven").</p><p>The Angel arrayed with a cloud represents the Lord Jesus, who comes with clouds (<em><a href='B:730 1:7'>Rev 1:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 21:27'>Luk 21:27</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 4:17'>1Th 4:17</a></em>), sitting upon a cloud (<em><a href='B:730 14:14'>Rev 14:14</a></em>). An Angel coming down clothed with a cloud is very much alluding to what happened after Israel left Egypt; although Moses alone saw thIsa. John, despised and imprisoned on Patmos, is therefore being encouraged that he is in no less an awesome position than was Moses- who was seen in Judaism as the epitome of human spirituality, and whose experience on Sinai was&nbsp;presented as the highest a man has ever gone to God. The idea is that now the tribulation of Israel is completed, and instead of the coming down of the Angel clothed with cloud on Sinai, there will be the literal return of Christ to earth.</p><p>The rainbow about His head is another connection with the opening vision of a rainbow around the throne of the Lord Jesus (<em><a href='B:730 4:3'>Rev 4:3</a></em>). Cloud, rainbow and sun are all part of the same process which results in rainbows becoming visible. From the point of observation, the rain has ceased but the cloud suggests there is still water around. We can maybe infer that this is a picture of some judgments the rain having ended, but others still ongoing. And this is in chronological terms about where we are up to in the book- the remaining judgments described in the book are upon the beast systems, judging them as they had previously judged Israel / God’s people.</p><p>His face as the sun is the very description of Jesus in <em><a href='B:730 1:16'>Rev 1:16</a></em>. And "feet as pillars of fire" is just like the Lord Jesus in <em><a href='B:730 1:17'>Rev 1:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 2:18'>Rev 2:18</a></em>. After all the allusions to Joel in Revelation 9, it's not surprising that this too alludes to Joel, this time to <em><a href='B:360 2:30'>Joe 2:30</a></em> - pillars of fire, smoke and blood are to be seen in the land in the last days. The context there would require that this is judgment coming upon the land. And yet this image of judgment is presented along with that of the rainbow, the cessation of judgment- in the kaleidoscope of images which forms the apocalyptic genre. That kaleidoscope of images means we should not be unduly concerned about whether the Angel here is an Angel or the Lord Jesus personally.</p><p>Harry Whittaker makes a good case for this Angel being that of Daniel 10. And yet, as he also points out, the connections with the Lord Jesus personally are undeniable:</p><p>The detailed parallel between Revelation 10, 11 and Daniel 10, 12 set out below requires that John understood the being he saw to be the angel who revealed so much to Daniel.</p><table><tr><td></p><h4><em><a href='B:730 10:1-11'>Rev 10:1-11</a></em></td><td><em><a href='B:340 10:5'>Dan 10:5</a></em><em> to </em><em><a href='B:340 12:7'>Dan 12:7</a></em></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10:1</td><td>A mighty angel.</td><td>10:5, 12:7</td><td>A man clothed in linen.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10:2</td><td>Right foot on the sea, left foot on the land.</td><td>12:7</td><td>Standing on the waters of the river.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10:1</td><td>Face like the sun.</td><td>10:6</td><td>Face like lightning.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10:1</td><td>Feet as pillars of fire.</td><td>10:6</td><td>Feet like polished brass.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10:2</td><td>Open book in his hand.</td><td>10:21</td><td>“I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scripture of truth (the heavenly prototype)."</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10:3</td><td>Voice as a lion.</td><td>10:6</td><td>Voice like a multitude.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10:5</td><td>Lifts right hand to heaven. (The left hand holds the book:)</td><td>12:7</td><td>Lifts both hands to heaven.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10:6</td><td>Swears by Him that liveth for ever.</td><td>12:7</td><td>Swears by Him that liveth for ever.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10:7</td><td>Mystery of God to be finished as declared to the prophet.</td><td>12:7</td><td>“All these things shall be finished."</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>11:2</td><td>Temple court “cast out,” given to Gentiles.</td><td>12:11</td><td>Daily sacrifice taken away, abomination set up.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>11:2</td><td>Holy city trodden under foot.</td><td>12:7</td><td>Power of the holy people scattered.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>11:2</td><td>42 months.</td><td>12:7</td><td>Time, times and an half.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>11:18</td><td>The time of the dead that they should be judged.</td><td>12:2</td><td>Many that sleep awake, to everlasting life or to contempt.</td><td></td></tr></table><p>And yet the similarities between this Angel and the Lord Jesus cannot be denied:</h4><table><tr><td></p><h4><em>The Angel of Revelation 10</em></td><td><em>Christ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></em>(a)</td><td>Clothed with a cloud.</td><td>“A cloud received him out of their sight ::. shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (<em><a href='B:510 1:10-11'>Act 1:10-11</a></em>). </h4><p>“Behold he cometh with clouds” (<em><a href='B:730 1:7'>Rev 1:7</a></em> and <em><a href='B:730 14:14'>Rev 14:14</a></em>).</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><h4>(b)</td><td>His face as the sun</td><td>“His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (<em><a href='B:730 1:16'>Rev 1:16</a></em>).</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>(c)</td><td>His feet as pillars of fire (contrast the kingdoms of men - feet of iron and clay).</td><td>“His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace” (<em><a href='B:730 1:15'>Rev 1:15</a></em>)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>(d)</td><td>“Cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth."</td><td>“The Lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed to open the seals” (<em><a href='B:730 5:5'>Rev 5:5</a></em>).</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>(e)</td><td>“A rainbow was upon his head."</td><td>“There was a rainbow round about the throne (4:3) ::. a Lamb in the midst of the throne” (<em><a href='B:730 5:6'>Rev 5:6</a></em>)</td><td></td></tr></table>


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<p>10:2<em>&nbsp;And he had in his hand a little scroll that was opened, and he set hi</em>s <em>right foot upon the sea and his left upon the earth</em>- The question of course is whether this open scroll is the same scroll, the book of life, which the Lord opened earlier in Revelation, and which He likewise holds in His hand in <em><a href='B:730 5:1'>Rev 5:1</a></em>; and which is only opened by the releasing of the seals binding it in the very last days. The Apocalypse is a kaleidoscope of images, and we should not be too concerned with trying to define each usage of a symbol in a distinctly separate way. The Lord, represented by His Angel, is standing in judgment upon the land promised to Abraham, judging according to what is written in a scroll. The scroll of "life" was written on both sides, and we saw on <em><a href='B:730 5:1'>Rev 5:1</a></em> that this curious feature may mean that it contained both the blessings for the faithful and judgments upon the wicked; hence it tasted both bitter and sweet in :10. In :5 we will read that the Angel representative of Jesus raises His right hand to Heaven; perhaps we are meant to deduce that the small scroll was in His left hand. The book of <em><a href='B:730 5:1'>Rev 5:1</a></em> is in the Lord's right hand. That may mean that there we are seeing the blessing aspect, as it has been introduced as the book of life. Here in chapter 10 we have the judgment aspect, hence it is held in the left hand.</p><p>The scroll is a little scroll, perhaps not meaning it is a different scroll, but to place the visual emphasis upon the colossal size of the Lord, standing in control of earth and sea; and to fit the decorum of the symbol, in that John will be asked to eat it as if it can be swallowed in one gulp (:10).</p><p>The simple take away point is that we, and all the 'earth', are judged not&nbsp;<em>ad hoc</em>, according to the emotion of the judge, but according to a predetermined written record based upon actions in this life. The sea is where one beast arises from (<em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>), whilst another arises from the earth (<em><a href='B:730 13:11'>Rev 13:11</a></em>). Yet even before they are portrayed as arising, we are assured that the Lord stands firmly in judgment upon both sea and earth; for to have territory under the feet means to judge or be lord over it. If the earth means the territory of the land promised to Abraham, perhaps the sea refers to the territories immediately surrounding it.</p><p>Perhaps the little book is the rest of the vision of Revelation being given to John? Or perhaps this receipt of the book is because now the theme of the visions will move specifically towards the witness made by the faithful under persecution. We need not stress about trying to make chapter 10 follow on from the events of chapter 9 and precede the events of chapter 11. That would be to miss the point of the genre of apocalyptic, seeking to impose a European, linear approach to Semitic thought which is not constrained by the linear, chronological model. We also have to appreciate that this vision of the Lord in glory is one of several which punctuate and form the structure of the book; which to quote another could be summarized as:</p><p>A Opening vision (Revelation 1)<br/>&nbsp; B Seven letters with seven visions of the saints in glory (Revelation 2, 3)<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; C Christ in glory (Revelation 4, 5)<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; D 7 seals of judgment upon Israel and sealing of the repentant (Revelation 6, 7); the language of 'sealing' in both chapters thereby connects them<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; E 7 trumpets (Revelation 8, 9)<br/>10 Christ stands in glory; commissions John to preach<br/>&nbsp; 11 Preaching by the saints under persecution<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 12 The church against the beast- the essence of the Apocalypse<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp; 13&nbsp; Preaching by the saints under persecution<br/>14 Christ stands in glory; the Gospel preached<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ea 7 vials (Ch, 15 & 16)<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Daniel 7 judgments on Babylon, presented as Israel (thus connecting with 'D'); the faithful presented in <em><a href='B:730 19:1-10'>Rev 19:1-10</a></em> in the language of Revelation 7 (<em><a href='B:730 17:1'>Rev 17:1</a></em> to <em><a href='B:730 19:10'>Rev 19:10</a></em>)<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ca Christ in glory (<em><a href='B:730 19:11-21'>Rev 19:11-21</a></em>)<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ba 7 visions of the saints in glory&nbsp;<br/>A Closing vision.</p>


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<p>10:3&nbsp;<em>And he cried with a great voice, as a lion roars; and when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices</em>- The Lord is likened to a lion when earlier He has held the scroll in <em><a href='B:730 5:5'>Rev 5:5</a></em>, confirming my hunch that it is the same scroll in view. The roaring of the Messianic lion of Judah is in final victory over those who are abusing Israel and the sons of Jacob (<em><a href='B:10 49:9'>Gen 49:9</a></em>). Thunders have indeed been associated with judgments so far in Revelation, but voices as thunders could simply mean that His singular voice is Divine, as mighty as seven completeness thunders; for this is the idea of a voice as of thunder in <em><a href='B:730 19:6'>Rev 19:6</a></em> and <em><a href='B:500 12:29'>Joh 12:29</a></em>.</p>


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<p>10:4&nbsp;<em>And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying: Keep secret the things which the seven thunders uttered and do not write them down</em>- The voices of thunders pronounced something which John heard but was forbidden from writing. We have series of seven judgments recorded in the seals, trumpets and bowls. It seems there is another possible and potentially planned series of seven judgments, all planned in Heaven, which are not written because they will not happen. There will be the repentance of the remnant so sought for, and so these judgments will not be required. As early as <em><a href='B:730 2:10'>Rev 2:10</a></em> see note there we have been introduced to the idea of potential fulfilments of prophecy; there are various possible outcomes, but not all shall happen, because humans have freewill to repent or resist, and the detailed shape of the latter day events is responsive to that. This is why no detailed chronology of events is presented, but rather the kaleidoscope of images we have in the apocalyptic genre which the Spirit chose for Revelation.</p>


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<p>10:5&nbsp;<em>And the angel that I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven</em>- Presumably holding the scroll of judgments in His left hand; see on :2. This would mean the scroll refers to judgments upon the wicked; it is written on both sides, and I suggested on <em><a href='B:730 5:1'>Rev 5:1</a></em> that blessing for the faithful is on one side, and judgments for the wicked on the other.</p>


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<p>10:6&nbsp;<em>And swore by Him that lives forever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be no more delay</em>- The seventh trumpet begins with the news that there will be no more delay- the idea is again of an imposed delay / restraint being now lifted. This restraint is that noted on <em><a href='B:730 9:14-15'>Rev 9:14-15</a></em>. There has been an earlier delay in order to allow the faithful to be sealed (see on <em><a href='B:730 7:3'>Rev 7:3</a></em>). But there are no more restraints; now the final end shall come. As noted on :2, the structure of Revelation is such that we are not to think that now chapter 10 shall therefore close the whole of human history. Chapter 11 will revert to how this situation is achieved. The earth and sea where the Angel representative of Jesus is standing have all been created by God. There is no entity that can arise in the experience of God's people that has not been ultimately created by God; indeed the entire heavenly throne room which John is viewing has been created by Him.</p>


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<p>10:7&nbsp;<em>But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery of God, according to the good news which He declared to His servants the prophets</em>- The message of the prophets was specifically concerning Israel, which is therefore the focus of the "mystery" here. "About to sound" could suggest that the seventh Angel doesn't actually sound; therefore the seven thunders were not written down. I suggested on :4 that this is because that potential sequence of judgments don't happen. Perhaps in His grace and in response to the prayers of the faithful in the last days, the judgments are cut short and these ones therefore don't happen. See too the notes on <em><a href='B:730 6:1'>Rev 6:1</a></em> regarding the seventh seal.</p>


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<p>10:8&nbsp;<em>And the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard it again speaking with me, and saying: Go, take the book which is opened in the hand of the angel that stands upon the sea and upon the earth</em>- There is a parallel between the commissioning of John in <em><a href='B:730 1:9'>Rev 1:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 1:19'>Rev 1:19</a></em> and his recommission in chapter 10. The open scroll given to him in chapter 10 is the same scroll which has been opened by the seals being removed in chapter 6. The&nbsp;<em>aggelon ischyron</em>&nbsp;of <em><a href='B:730 5:2'>Rev 5:2</a></em> is the same Angel described with the same words in <em><a href='B:730 10:8'>Rev 10:8</a></em>; both times the Angel introduces a scroll. I suggest it is the same scroll. As the Lamb took the scroll from the hand of the Angel in <em><a href='B:730 5:7-8'>Rev 5:7-8</a></em>, now John does the same (<em><a href='B:730 10:9-10'>Rev 10:9-10</a></em>). Perhaps in this context there is significance in the scroll having writing on both sides, of blessing sweet and judgment bitter.</p>


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<p>10:9- see on <em><a href='B:730 11:3'>Rev 11:3</a></em>.</p><p><em>And I went to the angel, saying to him that he should give me the little book. And he said to me: Take it and eat it up; it shall make your belly bitter but in your mouth it shall be as sweet as honey</em>- As explained on :10, this was to recall Ezekiel's experience of eating the bitter judgments upon Israel, and also the sweetness of blessing for the faithful within Israel. And in practice it was to enable John to enter into something of the Lord's feelings in dispensing judgments and blessings at the last day; see on :10.</p>


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<p>10:10&nbsp;<em>And I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey. But when I had eaten it, my belly was made bitter</em>- Taking the book of life from the hand of the Angel is exactly what the Lord Jesus did. John is being asked to identify with how the Lord Jesus will actually feel at the last day. As noted on <em><a href='B:730 5:1'>Rev 5:1</a></em> and <em><a href='B:730 10:1'>Rev 10:1</a></em>, I suggest that the scroll is the book of life, with blessings for the faithful written on one side and judgments for the wicked on the other. But in the actual realization of all these things, the Lord literally feels bitter-sweet, just as John did. He is not the impassive judge.</p><p>The "little book" is a&nbsp;<em>bibliaridion</em>, a term used in :8,9,10, and <em><a href='B:330 2:9'>Eze 2:9</a></em> LXX in a closely similar episode. The book in Ezekiel is "written within and without" (like that in <em><a href='B:730 5:1'>Rev 5:1</a></em>) and carries a message of "lamentations, mourning and woe", very much the theme of this part of Revelation. Ezekiel was required to eat the roll, as John is here (<em><a href='B:730 10:9'>Rev 10:9</a></em>); but though Ezekiel was to speak its message to Israel, John must prophesy "again over many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings" (<em><a href='B:730 10:11'>Rev 10:11</a></em>). For each the book was "sweet as honey", and while in John's case his "belly was made bitter", in Ezekiel's the prophet went about "in bitterness".</p>


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<p>10:11&nbsp;<em>And they said to me: You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings</em>- The idea is that John was assumed to be recording his message for the Jews, but it also had reference to the Gentiles. The traumas to happen in the land promised to Abraham will affect both Jew and non-Jew in that land; and this is why both the Hebrew and Greek terms for 'the destroyer' are given in chapter 9. But about can also be "to". The idea is then of a last moment intense witness to all the peoples, perhaps of the world, or within the land promised to Abraham. And this is the theme of the next visions; of witness under terrible persecution during the last days. John was typical of those persecuted preachers, seeing he himself was under tribulation for the sake of his witness of God's word in Christ, as chapter 1 has reminded us.</p>


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<p>11:1&nbsp;<em>And there was given to me a reed like a measuring rod, and I was told: Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those that worship therein</em>- The Apocalypse, within the apocalyptic genre, is a kaleidoscope of images. We are therefore not intended to interpret the various visions in a strictly chronological way. Nor are we to see them all referring to the same groups at the same times. In viewing a kaleidoscope, some images are more impressing or relevant for us than others. And thus the book of Revelation has been for those who have read it over the centuries. But in our last days, all the visions have their final application, culminating in the literal return of the Lord to establish the Kingdom on earth.</p><p><em><a href='B:730 11:1'>Rev 11:1</a></em> speaks of a command to measure the temple- and immediately our minds are sent back to the temple being measured in such detail in <em><a href='B:330 40:10'>Eze 40:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 40:21-22'>Eze 40:21-22</a></em> etc. Is this to be read as a sign that we are about to receive another such conditional prophecy? Assuming that Revelation was given just prior to the fall of Jerusalem in AD70, we could read the ensuing prophecy in Revelation 11 as saying that although Jerusalem and the outer court would fall to the Romans, the zealots in the inner sanctuary would be preserved, and a command to repentance would be issued by two prophets. Now of course, this didn't happen; but perhaps it could've done, potentially? Consider the possibility- both here and in so many other Bible passages.</p><p>A case can even be made that the compilation of Luke’s Gospel record of the Olivet prophecy, as well as sections of Revelation, were released throughout the period of Titus’ encirclement of Jerusalem in the lead up to AD70. The encouragement to flee Jerusalem whilst it was still possible (<em><a href='B:490 21:20-21'>Luk 21:20-21</a></em>) would have been urgent commands to be fulfilled immediately upon receipt. And then <em><a href='B:730 11:1'>Rev 11:1</a></em> could imply that by the time of the prophecy’s release, the Roman attack on the outer court of the temple had already begun. A lot of work remains to be done in working out how this mass of Scripture could have been received by the faithful within Jerusalem in AD67-70, and read as directly relevant to them, requiring immediate response.</p><p>But whatever the first century fulfilment, we are to look for a latter day application as the main one. The measuring of the temple in judgment may imply that there will be a literal temple built in Jerusalem by the Jews in the last days. They certainly have plans for one.</p>


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<p>11:2&nbsp;<em>But the court which is outside the temple, do not measure it. For it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months</em>- The holy city Jerusalem to be trampled for 42 months is clearly the equivalent of <em><a href='B:490 21:24'>Luk 21:24</a></em> concerning the events leading up to AD70: "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled". The "times of the Gentiles" are therefore the 42 months. "From Spring of 67 to August of 70, the time of formal imperial engagement against Jerusalem is a period of 42 months". John "measures" the inner temple, altar and worshippers - for protection (<em><a href='B:330 22:26'>Eze 22:26</a></em>; <em><a href='B:450 2:1-5'>Zec 2:1-5</a></em>). Thus the external temple perishes but the spiritual reality- the true worshippers, the new Israel- are preserved. This is what happened in AD70.</p><p>"The holy city" is one of a series of allusions in this section to the crucifixion, for this same phrase is used about Jerusalem in the context of the crucifixion (<em><a href='B:470 27:53'>Mat 27:53</a></em>). The prophecies of persecution in Revelation are shot through with references to the crucifixion; to encourage the people of God that in those persecutions they are in fact sharing in the sufferings of Christ, and will surely likewise share in His resurrection and eternal life. This theme will have especial reference to those who endure the final tribulation- for they are the generation who perhaps will never taste death and will move directly from sharing His crucifixion sufferings to sharing His resurrection glory and eternal life. <em><a href='B:730 4:4'>Rev 4:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 4:10'>Rev 4:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 5:6'>Rev 5:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 5:8'>Rev 5:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 5:14'>Rev 5:14</a></em> associate the 24 elders falling down in worship with what happened when Christ died and / or ascended to Heaven; but here, that is said to happen during the time of tribulation (:16). The dead bodies lying in the streets of Jerusalem (:8) recalls <em><a href='B:470 27:52'>Mat 27:52</a></em>. The description of Jerusalem as Sodom And Egypt both OT descriptions of Jerusalem in apostasy seems almost angry; exactly because the reference is to Jerusalem being the city which killed Jesus (<em><a href='B:470 23:37'>Mat 23:37</a></em>). The dead bodies being on display (:9) is apparently what happened in <em><a href='B:470 27:52'>Mat 27:52</a></em> - the graves in Jerusalem opened in the earthquake at the death of Christ with the corpses as it were on display, and the bodies arose out of them at His resurrection. Not suffering bodies to be put in graves (:9) is language associated with crucifixion victims, whose bodies were usually cast out from Golgotha into Gehenna. The suffering believers are thereby likened to crucifixion victims. Death for three days (:9) is the same period Jesus lay dead. A case can even be made that He was dead three and a half days rather than 72 hours. "Great fear fell upon" (:11) the persecutors of the saints just as it did upon those who witnessed the resurrection of the crucified Christ (<em><a href='B:470 27:54'>Mat 27:54</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 28:4'>Mat 28:4</a></em>). Ascension to Heaven in a cloud (:12) evidently recalls that of the Lord Jesus; the earthquake of :13 recalls that of <em><a href='B:470 27:54'>Mat 27:54</a></em>. The temple being opened in :19 clearly refers to the veil being rent at the crucifixion (<em><a href='B:470 27:51'>Mat 27:51</a></em>). These connections aren't neatly chronological; the point is that the lives of the suffering believers were connected with the sufferings of Christ in various ways and times. Their suffering was riddled with connection and allusion to the crucifixion sufferings of Jesus, just as our lives are, as like Paul we seek to fill up what is lacking in us of the crucifixion sufferings of Jesus. The connection between the sufferings of the last days and the crucifixion sufferings of the Lord are made apparent especially in Mark 13. "It is done" (16:17) sounds very much like "It is finished". The Olivet prophecy as recorded in Mark 13 has many allusions to the sufferings of our Lord, thereby suggesting that our sufferings during the coming tribulation will make us fellowship the cross as never before. The whole idea of darkness, earthquake, open graves, rocks shaking etc, which we read of in the Olivet and other last day prophecies is evidently the language of the crucifixion. The description of suffering before "the end" comes (<em><a href='B:480 13:7'>Mar 13:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:480 13:13'>Mar 13:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:14'>Mat 24:14</a></em>) invites connection with Christ's death also being described as "the end", coming as it did after a period of suffering (<em><a href='B:470 26:58'>Mat 26:58</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 22:37'>Luk 22:37</a></em>; <em><a href='B:500 13:1'>Joh 13:1</a></em>). This connection is strengthened by the way in which each record of the Olivet prophecy leads straight on into the sufferings of the Lord Jesus. <em><a href='B:470 24:13'>Mat 24:13</a></em> commends those who endure to the end- of the great tribulation. The same word occurs in <em><a href='B:650 12:2-3'>Heb 12:2-3</a></em> about Christ enduring the cross- we fellowship the cross during the last day tribulation. The word in <em><a href='B:470 24:29'>Mat 24:29</a></em> for “the tribulation” is used in <em><a href='B:580 1:24'>Col 1:24</a></em> about the afflictions of Christ. The tribulation will enable those who endure it to fellowship the Lord's crucifixion sufferings, that they might immediately share His resurrection life at His return. This will be especially relevant to Jews under persecution, who will have to come to repentance regarding His crucifixion:</p><table><tr><td></p><h4>" They shall deliver you up to the councils::.</td><td>As Christ to the Sanhedrin</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>beaten::.</td><td>Christ buffeted</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>rulers and kings for a testimony::.</td><td>Chief priests, Herod, Pilate</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>brother shall betray the brother::.</td><td>Judas; Peter's denial?</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>turn back to take up his garment::.</td><td>John Mark's linen garment</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>false Christs::.</td><td>Barabbas</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>the sun shall be darkened::.</td><td>As at the crucifixion</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>watch and pray::.</td><td>" Watch with me”; Gethsemane</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>at even::.</td><td>Last Supper</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>at midnight::.</td><td>Gethsemane</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>at the cock crowing::.</td><td>Peter's denials</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>in the morning::.</td><td>Trial and crucifixion</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>find you sleeping"</td><td>Disciples in Gethsemane</td><td></td></tr></table>


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<p>11:3&nbsp;<em>And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth</em>- Empowering witnesses is the language of the comforter in John 14-16. The prophecy here has specific applications to various historical moments and a greater fulfilment in the last days, but the essence is true for all who are empowered in their witness by the gift of the Spirit. The only other NT references to two witnesses is to ordinary members of the Christian church (<em><a href='B:470 18:16'>Mat 18:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 13:1'>2Co 13:1</a></em>). All believers are witnesses, in the power of the Spirit (cp. <em><a href='B:510 1:8'>Act 1:8</a></em>).</p><p>The context of this vision is set by <em><a href='B:730 10:9'>Rev 10:9</a></em>, where John eats the little book. I suggested there that this is part of a recommissioning of John, which introduces the theme of witness to the Gospel under persecution which fills the subsequent visions in Revelation.</p><p>John was to "Prophecy (preach) again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings" (<em><a href='B:730 10:11'>Rev 10:11</a></em>). Such language recalls Jeremiah and the prophets (often initially unwilling also) spreading their message to nations and kings, and also the spirit of first century apostolic preaching. Both these groups did so amidst great persecution; and this is to happen in the last days. John's eating of the book also looks back to <em><a href='B:330 2:8'>Eze 2:8</a></em>, where Ezekiel had to do this at the beginning of his preaching ministry to an apostate Israel in captivity. This may hint that this latter day preaching to all nations within the earth / land promised to Abraham? will especially focus upon the Jews among them, and those persecuted Jews within the land itself.</p><p>The vision of the two witnesses carries straight on, describing in more detail what <em><a href='B:730 10:8-11'>Rev 10:8-11</a></em> has summarized. The downtreading of the Holy City (literal Jerusalem) will be for 42 months. During that time, the witnesses prophecy for a parallel period of 1,260 days- both periods equivalent to three and a half years (<em><a href='B:730 11:2-3'>Rev 11:2-3</a></em>). The two witnesses may either represent the Jews and the Christians, or two individual leaders of the saints who each concentrate respectively on preaching to Jews or Gentiles. The<em>&nbsp;false</em>&nbsp;prophet for the witnesses are prophets, :6,10 is not necessarily an individual but a group of persons, perhaps headed up in one figurehead. Perhaps the two righteous witnesses speak of something similar. The language of :6 has clear reference back to Elijah and Moses- both of whom spoke the word of God largely to an apostate Israel during time of great persecution of God's true witnesses.</p><p>Other Scriptures describe a three-and-a-half-year period of persecution by the beast. This is matched in Revelation 11 by the three and a half year witnessing in sackcloth, with the power to bring plagues on their enemies. This would equate the witnesses with Moses and the faithful Israelites in Egypt undergoing persecution, at a time when Egypt (cp. the latter day world) was very prosperous (treasure cities etc:). The sackcloth suggests fasting and prayer- for their deliverance through the Lord's return. I have suggested elsewhere that the second coming is dependent on the intensity of our prayers. To allow the Lord's return to happen, it seems we need this tribulation to vitalize our community's prayer life. In the last days, God’s faithful people will be given a mouth and wisdom which their persecutors will be unable to gainsay nor resist (<em><a href='B:490 21:15'>Luk 21:15</a></em>). This evidently alludes to how Moses before Pharaoh was given such a ‘mouth’ (<em><a href='B:20 4:15'>Exo 4:15</a></em>). Moses at that time was a type of the faithful remnant of their last days, in their witness against the world during the tribulation. Hence Revelation 11 describes their witness in terms of Moses doing miracles before Pharaoh.</p><p>Sackcloth is also a symbol of repentance and recognition of sin (<em><a href='B:10 37:34'>Gen 37:34</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 4:8'>Jer 4:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:390 3:5'>Jon 3:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:480 2:20'>Mar 2:20</a></em>). Their own personal repentance and acceptance of God’s gracious forgiveness was the basis of their appeal to others. And is it going too far to understand that if these “two witnesses” do indeed represent the latter day witness of true Christianity to the 'earth' / land promised to Abraham, it will be made on the basis of a genuine repentance, brought about by the experiences of the tribulation.</p>


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<p>11:4&nbsp;<em>These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks, standing before the Lord of the earth</em>- The allusion is clearly to the visions of Zechariah. They are filled with the Spirit for their witness; see on :3.</p><p>Zechariah 4 contained a vision of Joshua and Zerubbabel, likened to two olive trees which emptied their oil into the seven branched candlestick, representing the ecclesia of Judah. They represented the kingly and priestly offices. The whole ‘lightstand’ depended upon these two anointed ones, these providers of oil, and the fact they both in various ways failed to deliver true faith and spirituality meant that the victory over the world which the vision also prophesied could not come about; the final fulfilment had to come through the Lord Jesus, who was the ultimate Priest (cp. Joshua-Jesus) and Prince of Judah (cp. Zerubbabel). This prophecy could have been fulfilled at the restoration; but when we read in <em><a href='B:730 11:4'>Rev 11:4</a></em> that “These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks”, is the Lord not saying that now He has redefined and rescheduled the fulfilment of that vision in a latter day context?</p><p>The Lord of the earth / land in the Zechariah context was a reference to Israel's Angel (Michael?) who was in control of the land despite all happening within it. But the latter day lord of the land will be the anti-Christ, the fake Christ, the fake, imitation lord of the land. And before him they make their witness. The later allusions to them as it were bringing the plagues upon Egypt suggest they are as it were standing before Pharaoh as Moses did, strangely unhurt by him as Moses and Aaron were strangely preserved from being killed by him, bringing the plagues upon the persecutors of God's apostate people Israel.</p>


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<p>11:5&nbsp;<em>And if anyone desires to hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies, and if anyone shall desire to hurt them, in this manner must he be killed</em>- These two individuals or entities are miraculously preserved as Moses was before Pharaoh, the lord of the earth in his day (see on :4).</p><p>They have power to shut heaven and bring fire upon their enemies - clearly alluding to Elijah. His bringing down fire was against people of his own Jewish race who were persecuting him (<em><a href='B:120 1:9-12'>2Ki 1:9-12</a></em>), suggesting that the Elijah ministry will be bitterly opposed by many Jews, after the pattern of Jeremiah's persecution during the Babylonian invasion. The witnesses are therefore the latter day Elijah ministry, who shall come to prepare Israel before the final day of the Lord comes, witnessing against powers as well as against Israel; just as John the Baptist did in the spirit and power of Elijah, against Herod who killed him.</p>


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<p>11:6&nbsp;<em>These have the power to shut the heaven so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they shall desire</em>- See on:3 and on :6 for the significance of the Elijah allusions. This latter day Elijah ministry will withhold rain, as Elijah did, for three and a half years, in the hope that it will lead to repentance in Israel. The plaguing of the persecutors as Moses and Aaron plagued Egypt further strengthens the impression that Israel's experience in Egypt is the prototype for the coming tribulation. The plagues brought upon Egypt were likewise in the hope that Egypt and even Pharaoh would 'know the Lord' and repent.</p>


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<p>11:7- see on <em><a href='B:730 6:10'>Rev 6:10</a></em>.</p><p><em>And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss shall make war with them and overcome them and kill them</em>- The same word for "witnesses" is used of how the Babylon system slays the Lord's witnesses in the last days (<em><a href='B:730 17:6'>Rev 17:6</a></em>). This parallels "the beast" here with latter day Babylon. This speaks of a final, furious bout of persecution which brings about the destruction of the beast. It is because of this latter day orgy of killing the saints that the woman riding the beast was "drunken with the blood of the saints (the latter day true Christian community?), and (also) with the blood of the martyrs (s:w. "witnesses"- the two particular ones of Revelation 11?) of Jesus" (<em><a href='B:730 17:6'>Rev 17:6</a></em>). The witnesses 'testifying' suggests association with their prototype John, who was persecuted for his obedience to and preaching of "the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ" (<em><a href='B:730 1:2'>Rev 1:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 1:9'>Rev 1:9</a></em>) in the last days before the Lord's 'coming' in AD70. I have suggested earlier on this chapter that John's recommissioning as a witness to all peoples in chapter 10 makes him personally representative of these latter day witnesses. John was encouraged in his tribulation by being given such a deep understanding of prophecy; and his latter day counterparts may be blessed likewise. The "souls under the altar" which we have previously considered were "slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held" (<em><a href='B:730 6:9'>Rev 6:9</a></em>), which cements the link between them and the apostle John's descriptions of his sufferings.</p><p>The dragon/ beast also "made war" with the seed of the woman "which keep the commandments (word) of God, and have the testimony (i:e. preaching) of Jesus" (<em><a href='B:730 12:17'>Rev 12:17</a></em>); it was because of "the word of their testimony (i:e. preaching) (that) they loved not their lives unto the death" (<em><a href='B:730 12:11'>Rev 12:11</a></em>), indicating that Revelation 12 also has reference to this last day persecution and is providing more detail about the events of chapter 11, during which the witnesses are persecuted and slain. Interestingly, the Angel says that he is a fellowservant and brother of them "that have the testimony (preaching) of Jesus" (<em><a href='B:730 19:10'>Rev 19:10</a></em>), i:e. the witnesses- as if the Angels who are with the witnesses in the tribulation are so near those they represent that they almost feel our sufferings.</p><p>We note that the beast is mentioned without introduction. The abyss from which it emerges has been mentioned, as the source of the locust invasion of Israel; which previously we have identified as the Muslim onslaught against Israel by her Islamic neighbours. The beast perhaps has no introduction because of the idea of Revelation being a kaleidoscope of images. It's not that a beast is introduced, defined and then we have progressive development of the beast theme in a chronological sense. What we have, true to the apocalyptic genre, is a kaleidoscope of images, rotating before us.</p>


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<p>11:8&nbsp;<em>And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified</em>- It would seem that the murder of these two witnesses takes place in Jerusalem, which is spiritual Sodom (<em><a href='B:290 1:10'>Isa 1:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 3:1'>Isa 3:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 3:9'>Isa 3:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 23:14'>Jer 23:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:310 4:6'>Lam 4:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 16:46-56'>Eze 16:46-56</a></em>; <em><a href='B:370 4:11'>Amo 4:11</a></em>) and Egypt (<em><a href='B:330 23:19-22'>Eze 23:19-22</a></em>). This point is clinched by its description as "where also our Lord was crucified" (see on <em><a href='B:480 13:13'>Mar 13:13</a></em>). "They of the people (of Israel?) and kindreds and tongues and nations (those preached to in <em><a href='B:730 10:11'>Rev 10:11</a></em>) shall see their dead bodies three days (literal ones?) and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves" (<em><a href='B:730 11:9'>Rev 11:9</a></em>). This seems a designed contrast to Stephen, the first martyr for preaching the Christian Gospel, whose body was also stared upon, but who was allowed to be buried. There are a number of similarities in Revelation 11 with the events in Sodom. "The God of the earth" of :4 clearly connects with "Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" in <em><a href='B:10 18:25'>Gen 18:25</a></em>. The two Angels (cp. the two Angel-supported witnesses) were warned not to abide in the street (cp. bodies in the street) for fear of violence being done to them; the city is spiritually called Sodom. These references to Sodom and Egypt, both types of the last days, confirm that Revelation 11 also has a latter day application.</p>


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<p>11:9&nbsp;<em>And from among the peoples, tribes, tongues and nations do men look upon their dead bodies for three and a half days, and they will not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb</em>- Converts are to be made from "among the peoples, tribes::." etc. as noted on chapter 5. Perhaps the death of the witnesses makes some converts. But it may be that people from among the peoples, tribes etc. of the earth / land promised to Abraham come up to Jerusalem to gloat over the display of the dead bodies. There seem a number of points of contact in Revelation 11 with our Lord's sufferings, and this may be another one. Had it not been for Nicodemus' bold request, the Lord's body would have been thrown into Gehenna. Compare this with the bodies being unburied here, as if to imply they had been crucified. Thus in their sufferings the remnant under tribulation will really feel crucified with Christ, and therefore have great peace from knowing that if they suffer with Him, they will also reign with Him. It could be that the witnesses are literally crucified; for that is a typical punishment inflicted by jihadists, who make a big deal about display of the bodies of those they have slain.</p>


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<p>11:10&nbsp;<em>And they that dwell on the earth rejoice over them and make merry, and they shall send gifts to each other, because these two prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth</em>- The earth dwellers are those within the earth / land promised to Abraham. Their brief rejoicing at the apparent death of the witnesses corresponds to Egypt's glee that Israel had left and were trapped at the Red Sea. This rejoicing over the slaughtered saints by the nations of the beast is echoed later by the holy apostles and prophets rejoicing over the destruction of Babylon (<em><a href='B:730 18:20'>Rev 18:20</a></em>)- as if the sufferings of the saints are later brought upon their persecutors. See on <em><a href='B:730 8:7'>Rev 8:7</a></em>.</p>


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<p>11:11&nbsp;<em>And after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon those that saw them</em>- The persecution period in which the dead bodies lie in the street lasts three and a half days, connecting with the Lord's death for three days; this may indicate a final persecution at the end of the three and a half years. This is followed by the resurrection of the witnesses, after a brief period of rejoicing by the world that these people whose Spirit gifts had plagued them were now no more (by all means compare this with the rejoicing of the world in the three days in which Christ lay dead). The great fear that fell upon them who saw the resurrected witnesses recalls the fear of those who saw the risen Lord (<em><a href='B:470 28:4-5'>Mat 28:4-5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 28:8'>Mat 28:8</a></em>).</p><p>Whilst the primary reference of all this is to the situation within the earth / land promised to Abraham, there is reason to think that the believing community worldwide will suffer at this time too. There is a general, outline theme throughout Revelation that the righteous are gathered&nbsp;<em>after</em>&nbsp;they go through the judgments, implying we will experience them, although it would be possible, were we more spiritual, that we could be spared them (<em><a href='B:730 7:9-17'>Rev 7:9-17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 11:11-12'>Rev 11:11-12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 14:13-16'>Rev 14:13-16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 19:1-10'>Rev 19:1-10</a></em>). Thus although the types of Israel in Egypt, the faithful in Hezekiah's Jerusalem, Noah shut in the ark etc. suggest that the faithful will be spared the judgments, the fact is they will&nbsp;<em>need</em>&nbsp;the&nbsp;experience of the judgments to make them more spiritual, and therefore ultimately these types may not come true: they will only speak of what was possible. Evidently the latter day ecclesia will not be as strong as God would wish it to be.</p>


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<p>11:12- see on <em><a href='B:590 4:17'>1Th 4:17</a></em>.</p><p><em>And they heard a great voice from heaven saying to them: Come up here And they went into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them</em>- This surely connects with the transporting of the saints through the clouds to meet the Lord, as detailed in <em><a href='B:590 4:15-17'>1Th 4:15-17</a></em>. There are also links with <em><a href='B:730 1:7'>Rev 1:7</a></em> - a shout (cp. <em><a href='B:590 4:16'>1Th 4:16</a></em>), a cloud, being seen by enemies. We know that <em><a href='B:730 1:7'>Rev 1:7</a></em> is concerning the second coming (see note there). There we have the picture of the Lord's persecutors seeing Him personally; some will say "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord", but too late (see on <em><a href='B:470 23:39'>Mat 23:39</a></em>). They will be resurrected to judgment, and see Him in glory; and the last generation of Israel's persecutors will see not only Him, but the resurrected two witnesses with Him. The exact chronology need not worry us; for here in the Apocalypse we have a kaleidoscope of images and not a strictly chronological outline of events.</p>


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<p>11:13&nbsp;<em>And in that hour there was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the city fell; and there were killed in the earthquake seven thousand persons, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven</em>- It is tempting to interpret the great earthquake and repentance of a remnant in <em><a href='B:730 11:13'>Rev 11:13</a></em> as referring also to the Lord's coming, accompanied as it will be by a literal earthquake which affects Jerusalem when the Lord returns to the mount of Olives (<em><a href='B:450 14:1-4'>Zec 14:1-4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 1:11'>Act 1:11</a></em>), heralding the repentance of the Jewish remnant as described in Romans 11. The seventh Angel then sounds, declaring that the Kingdom has come (note "are become- now- the Kingdoms of our Lord").</p>


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<p>11:14&nbsp;<em>The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly</em>- Yet this third woe is not recorded. I suggested on <em><a href='B:730 6:1'>Rev 6:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 10:4'>Rev 10:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 10:7'>Rev 10:7</a></em> that there are some judgments potentially planned which never actually happen. Perhaps because the required number of the remnant repent, or because of the power of prayer, and God's desire to hasten towards the end of His judgments so that He might save His people.</p>


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<p>11:15&nbsp;<em>And the seventh angel blew his trumpet and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said-&nbsp;</em>&nbsp;As suggested on :14 and also <em><a href='B:730 6:1'>Rev 6:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 10:4'>Rev 10:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 10:7'>Rev 10:7</a></em>, it seems that there are some judgments potentially planned in association with the seventh trumpet which never actually happen, as things hasten towards their close.</p><h4><em>The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever</em>- The kingdom initially in view is that of the Islamic entity which has taken control of the land promised to Abraham. That is now handed over to the Lord Jesus, who as Abraham's seed is the rightful heir to it:&nbsp; Satan's Kingdom has members, those he is king over see on <em><a href='B:490 11:18'>Luk 11:18</a></em>. His Kingdom is the people of this world, those dominated by the fleshly mind. When the Kingdoms of this world become those of God at the second coming, this is more than a physical handover of political authority. "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (<em><a href='B:230 24:1'>Psa 24:1</a></em>). The political power in the world is ultimately God's even now (<em><a href='B:520 13:1-4'>Rom 13:1-4</a></em>). The idea of a handover of the Kingdoms of this world to God must therefore refer to the end of Satan's power; no longer will the world be structured around the desires of the flesh, but around the principles of God. Satan's Kingdom is not a political Kingdom, but an influence, a way of thinking, life lived according to certain principles, permeating every part of a man's thinking and behaviour. The Kingdom of God is the antithesis of Satan's Kingdom. The fact Satan's Kingdom exists now and is the antithesis of the true Kingdom is proof enough that in some sense the Kingdom of God exists in some non-political sense now, although of course this will be politically manifested at the Lord's return. God's Kingdom exists in the same sense as Satan's; as an influence, a way of thinking, life lived according to certain principles, permeating every part of a man's thinking and behaviour. This is why the Lord's parables describing the Kingdom of God refer not to the political Kingdom, but to His ways and principles as they should operate in our lives today. The Kingdom of God in this non-political sense was taken from the Jews and given to us, so that we might bring forth the fruits of the Kingdom (<em><a href='B:470 21:43'>Mat 21:43</a></em>). The political Kingdom had already been taken from Israel (<em><a href='B:330 21:27'>Eze 21:27</a></em>).</h4>


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<p>11:16&nbsp;<em>And the twenty four elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces and worshiped God, saying</em>- As noted on <em><a href='B:730 4:4'>Rev 4:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 4:10'>Rev 4:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 5:8'>Rev 5:8</a></em>, these Angels were representative of the faithful. The whole awful program of latter day events is ultimately to elicit the deepest praise and glory to God. And the traumas of our own lives likewise.</p>


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<p>11:17&nbsp;<em>We give You thanks O Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was; because You have taken Your great power and have reigned</em>- God can do anything, He is omnipotent. But He chooses to limit His omnipotence in order to allow man total freewill. Therefore effectively, how far God will fulfil His purpose depends upon how far we are obedient to Him. Thus Israel limited the Holy One of Israel (<em><a href='B:230 78:41'>Psa 78:41</a></em>). Only at the return of the Lord Jesus will God 'take to Himself His great power'- which language of itself suggests that God has chosen to limit His omnipotence for the moment. Of course, God can act quite independently of us; He has the sovereign right and ability to act as He likes, and achieve His objectives how He likes. But it seems that God chooses to limit His ability to do thIsa. We have complete freewill, and God&nbsp;works with us individually in proportion as we work with Him. We have genuine choice, not only as to whether to serve God, but&nbsp;<em>how&nbsp;</em>and on what level and to what extent we serve Him, within the salvation we experience in Christ.</p><p>The faithful (see on :16) now perceive that God always was in control and in power; all their tribulations were only with His permission.</p>


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<p>11:18&nbsp;<em>And the nations were angry, and Your anger came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and the time to give reward to Your servants the prophets and to the saints, and to those that fear Your Name, the small and the great-&nbsp;</em>The nations will be angry, and the wrath / anger of God also will rise. When their iniquity has reached a certain level, then judgment will fall (cp. Sodom and the Amorites, <em><a href='B:10 15:16'>Gen 15:16</a></em>). The Amorites speak of Israel's aggressive neighbours who are the beast persecuting her in the last days; and Sodom has earlier in this chapter been presented as a type of the last days.</p><p><em>And to destroy those that destroy the earth</em>- The reference is to the "nations" within the land promised to Abraham who had destroyed that land. They will be judged as they judged Israel- a major theme of Revelation. The same word is used of how the whore of Babylon corrupted the land / earth (<em><a href='B:730 19:2'>Rev 19:2</a></em>); and these "nations" are those under her control.</p>


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<p>11:19&nbsp;<em>And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His covenant, and there followed lightnings, voices, thunders, an earthquake and great hail</em>- John was already viewing a Heavenly temple scene. The opening therefore refers to the opening of the most holy; and there is seen the ark. First century Jews were fascinated with the location of the physical ark. Here it is revealed- in heaven. There was an association of the covenant with Israel, and the ark of the covenant. The loss of the ark and its disappearance was a sign that the covenant with Israel had been suspended. But the ark was never known to have been destroyed, just as the covenant has as it were disappeared, been suspended, but not ended. And so the vision of the ark in Heaven is the sign that the covenant with Israel shall be remembered and revealed; and following from that are more judgments upon those who had once destroyed her. The lightnings, thunders, hail etc. are all the language of judgment; this is the promised destruction of those who had destroyed Israel (:18), in recognition of God's resumed covenant with Israel.</p><p>The ark over which the&nbsp;<em>shekinah</em>&nbsp;glory dwelt was as it were the throne of God; the idea is that Yahweh shall again be enthroned upon Israel. That the throne of God is represented by the ark of the covenant is shown by comparing <em><a href='B:730 11:19'>Rev 11:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 4:1-5'>Rev 4:1-5</a></em>:</p><table><tr><td></p><h4><em><a href='B:730 11:19'>Rev 11:19</a></em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td><em><a href='B:730 4:1-5'>Rev 4:1-5</a></em></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"The temple of God was opened in&nbsp;Heaven"&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>"A door was opened in Heaven"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"There was seen in the temple the ark of His testament"</td><td>"A throne was set in Heaven, and one sat on the throne. . . there&nbsp;<br/>&nbsp;was a rainbow round about the throne".</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"There were lightnings, and voices and thunderings"</td><td>"Out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices"</td><td></td></tr></table><p>The throne in Revelation 4 was surrounded by cherubim, as was the "throne" of the ark of the covenant.</h4>


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<p>12:1&nbsp;<em>And a great sign was seen in heaven-&nbsp;</em>We are dealing with symbols (<em><a href='B:730 1:1'>Rev 1:1</a></em>), of things to happen after John's time. There is no description here of any historical event in the garden of Eden or some rebellion in Heaven before that. The woman here is caught up to God (:5), so we are not talking about a woman in literal heaven, and the moon and stars which are her clothing show these things are symbols and not literal.</p><p><em>A woman arrayed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars</em>- She was who the people of Israel were intended to be, and thus she becomes our representative. The sun is a symbol for the Lord Jesus, and she is clothed with Christ, with His righteousness. This idea is used at the end of Revelation about the believers. Peter Watkins in his excellent book&nbsp;<em>Exploring The Apocalypse</em>&nbsp;sees the woman of Revelation 12 as a symbol of the church expressed in terms of Mary- for it was she who gave birth to “the man child” Jesus, who is to subdue the nations with a rod of iron (<em><a href='B:730 12:5'>Rev 12:5</a></em> = <em><a href='B:730 2:27'>Rev 2:27</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 19:15'>Rev 19:15</a></em>). The stars around her head would, if we let Scripture interpret Scripture, refer to Israel (Genesis 37 <em><a href='B:10 37:1'>Gen 37:1</a></em>). There are many links between Revelation and John’s Gospel, and thus it may be significant that in <em><a href='B:500 19:25-27'>Joh 19:25-27</a></em> Jesus calls Mary “Woman” and then in Revelation, He uses the same title for the “woman” who bears the man child. Yet the point of Revelation 12 is surely to show us from Heaven’s point of view the huge disruption in the universe caused by the birth of Jesus that night in Bethlehem. A baby’s birth, brought about by the quiet faith and indefatigable ambition of a teenage girl, shattered the whole cosmos. This is really what happens when we perform acts of faith based on slowly developed spiritual understanding. We do things which have cosmic consequences. See on <em><a href='B:490 1:28'>Luk 1:28</a></em>.</p><p>The significance of chapter 12 is that almost every student of Revelation's structure finds this chapter to be the very core of the book. Nils Lund's suggestion has been followed with minor amendments by most students (<em>Chiasmus in the New Testament: a Study in Gormgeschichte</em>&nbsp;(Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press,1942)):</p><p>A Prologue (<em><a href='B:730 1:1-20'>Rev 1:1-20</a></em>)<br/>B Seven Epistles (<em><a href='B:730 2:1'>Rev 2:1</a></em> to <em><a href='B:730 3:22'>Rev 3:22</a></em>)<br/>C Seven Seals (<em><a href='B:730 4:1'>Rev 4:1</a></em> to <em><a href='B:730 8:1'>Rev 8:1</a></em>)&nbsp;<br/>D 144,000 saints & Seven Trumpets (<em><a href='B:730 7:1'>Rev 7:1</a></em> to <em><a href='B:730 11:19'>Rev 11:19</a></em>)<br/>E The Two Witnesses (<em><a href='B:730 11:1-13'>Rev 11:1-13</a></em>)&nbsp;<br/>F Woman clothed with the sun (<em><a href='B:730 12:1'>Rev 12:1</a></em>)<br/>G Dragon in heaven (<em><a href='B:730 12:4'>Rev 12:4</a></em>)<br/>H Woman flees to wilderness (<em><a href='B:730 12:6'>Rev 12:6</a></em>)<br/>J Satan cast out (<em><a href='B:730 12:12'>Rev 12:12</a></em>)<br/>H' Woman flees to wilderness (<em><a href='B:730 12:14'>Rev 12:14</a></em>)<br/>G' Dragon persecutes woman (<em><a href='B:730 12:15'>Rev 12:15</a></em>)<br/>F' Woman’s seed keeps the commandments of God (<em><a href='B:730 12:17'>Rev 12:17</a></em>)<br/>E' The Two Beasts (<em><a href='B:730 13:1-18'>Rev 13:1-18</a></em>)<br/>D' 144,000 saints & Seven Angels (<em><a href='B:730 14:1'>Rev 14:1</a></em> -<em><a href='B:730 15:4'>Rev 15:4</a></em>)<br/>C' Seven Bowls (<em><a href='B:730 15:1'>Rev 15:1</a></em>)<br/>B' Seven Angels: whore of Babylon vs. New Jerusalem (<em><a href='B:730 17:1'>Rev 17:1</a></em> to <em><a href='B:730 22:5'>Rev 22:5</a></em>)<br/>A' Epilogue (<em><a href='B:730 22:6-21'>Rev 22:6-21</a></em>).</p><p>But Revelation is a kaleidoscope of images. In viewing a kaleidoscope, some images are more impressing or relevant for us than others. And thus the book of Revelation has been for those who have read it over the centuries. But in our last days, all the visions have their final application, culminating in the literal return of the Lord to establish the Kingdom on earth. The events spoken of here therefore have various historical applications, and one main application in the last day.</p>


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<p>12:2&nbsp;<em>She was with child, and was crying out with labour pains and the agony of giving birth</em>- This is another connection with the gospel of John, where the Lord speaks of His followers under tribulation as a woman in labour, whose release comes when they 'see' Him again (<em><a href='B:500 16:21'>Joh 16:21</a></em>). This will ultimately be at His return, and so this language speaks of the tribulation of the church in the last days.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:340 7:21-22'>Dan 7:21-22</a></em> speak of how the "saints" will be persecuted by the beast, and then "the saints" will 'possess the Kingdom'. The "saints" are Israel, the same Hebrew word is used in <em><a href='B:20 19:5'>Exo 19:5</a></em> to describe them as a holy or saintly nation, a nation of saints, sanctified ones. If we understand the Kingdom as primarily the land promised to Abraham's seed for them to 'possess', then this makes sense. That land will be dominated and trodden down by the beast, and then the remnant of Abraham's seed will triumphantly possess it eternally; and that mountain, or Kingdom, will then grow to fill the whole planet.<br/>The little horn devours, treads down and breaks in pieces "the earth" (<em><a href='B:340 7:23'>Dan 7:23</a></em>); that has little meaning if applied to the whole planet. The context speaks of destruction and persecution of "the saints", God's people in His land. The reference is surely to the specific land of Israel.</p><p>The beast will "devour" the land (<em><a href='B:340 7:7'>Dan 7:7</a></em>), just as the historical Babylon 'devoured' Jerusalem with fire (<em><a href='B:300 30:16'>Jer 30:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:310 4:11'>Lam 4:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 15:5'>Eze 15:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 19:12'>Eze 19:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 23:25'>Eze 23:25</a></em>; <em><a href='B:350 8:14'>Hos 8:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:370 1:4'>Amo 1:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:370 2:5'>Amo 2:5</a></em>) and the Assyrians devoured the land (<em><a href='B:300 50:17'>Jer 50:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:350 11:6'>Hos 11:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:350 13:8'>Hos 13:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:360 1:4'>Joe 1:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:360 1:19-20'>Joe 1:19-20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:360 2:3'>Joe 2:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:360 2:5'>Joe 2:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:360 2:25'>Joe 2:25</a></em>). All these verses use the same word translated 'devour' in <em><a href='B:340 7:7'>Dan 7:7</a></em>. Clearly enough, the 'devouring' of the fourth beast is a summation of all previous 'devourings' of God's land and people. Even in Old Testament times, this idea of a singular beast embodying all Israel's enemies was not unknown. For <em><a href='B:330 34:28'>Eze 34:28</a></em> looked forward to the day when "Neither shall the beast of the land devour them any more". <em><a href='B:460 3:11'>Mal 3:11</a></em> likewise speaks of how "the devourer" will be rebuked by God when finally Israel respond to the Elijah prophet (<em><a href='B:460 3:1'>Mal 3:1</a></em>). This again suggests that the final devouring of Israel will be whilst the Elijah prophet is making an ongoing appeal for their repentance and acceptance of Jesus. Once they do so, the devourer is rebuked and Jesus returns to His desperately repentant people.</p>


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<p>12:4&nbsp;<em>And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and he did throw them to the earth; and the dragon stands before the woman that is about to give birth, so that when she gives birth he may devour her child</em>- A dragon waves its tail before it pounces. The decorum of the symbol may mean that this is but the prelude to a greater, final destruction which the dragon wants to achieve. The earlier visions have described how 'thirds' of the people in the land are destroyed. Here we have this described in dramatic terms; a third of the stars (referring to the sons of Jacob, Genesis 37; or possibly to their leaders) are thrown to the earth, in order to be trampled; we have just read of Jerusalem being trampled for three and a half years in <em><a href='B:730 11:2'>Rev 11:2</a></em>. But the dragon at the same time intends to destroy the seed of the woman, the Christian believers, her newborn male child.</p><p>The attempt to destroy the newborn boy child is of course framed in terms of Pharaoh’s attempt to destroy the baby boys of Israel in Egypt, and Herod's attempt to do the same to the Lord Jesus at His birth. But neither Pharaoh nor Herod achieved their aim; the baby boys of Israel, especially Moses, were somehow preserved; as was the Lord Jesus from Herod's intentions.</p><p>The coalition dominating the land promised to Abraham therefore seeks also to persecute the Christians there and not simply orthodox Jews. <em><a href='B:290 37:3'>Isa 37:3</a></em> uses a significant figure in this context to describe how when Jerusalem was surrounded by the Assyrians, with much of the land and people desolated, something was conceived, but there appeared no strength to deliver the child. That person conceived was a repentant remnant of Judah, who were perhaps prefigured by Isaiah's children of sign, and the unusual conception of his wife in Isaiah 7 which became typical of the Lord's conception and birth of a virgin.</p><p>The intention of all the latter day trauma which Revelation describes is to bring about the repentance of a remnant. This group of genuine Christians within the land, perhaps largely Jews, will elicit the especial wrath and attention of the dragon coalition. But just as the two witnesses of chapter 11 were miraculously preserved for three and a half years, so the woman and her child are likewise.</p><p>The little horn of Daniel 8 is connected with the dragon:</p><table><tr><td></p><h4>". . . it cast down some ::. of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them"</td><td>"And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>(<em><a href='B:340 8:10'>Dan 8:10</a></em>)</td><td>(<em><a href='B:730 12:4'>Rev 12:4</a></em>)</td><td></td></tr></table><p>The dragon drew a third of the stars of heaven to the earth with his tail. If this is read literally – and Revelation 12 has to be read literally to support the Popular Interpretation – the sheer size of the dragon is immense – a third of the whole universe (or solar system at least) could be contained just on his tail. There is no way the planet earth would be big enough to contain such huge creature sprawling over it. Most of the stars of the solar system are bigger than our earth – how then could a third of them land on earth? And remember that all this happened, or will happen, after the first century A:D:, when this prophecy was given.</h4>


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<p>12:5&nbsp;<em>And she gave birth to a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up to God and to His throne</em>- The "man child” is clearly referring to the Lord Jesus, who is to subdue the nations with a rod of iron (<em><a href='B:730 12:5'>Rev 12:5</a></em> = <em><a href='B:730 2:27'>Rev 2:27</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 19:15'>Rev 19:15</a></em>). But this is a prophecy of events to happen after His birth. The entity the woman gives birth to is part of "the seed of the woman", they are "in Christ" as Paul would put it; but not the Lord Jesus personally. All that is true of Him becomes true of those in Him. We have learnt already that those who overcome shall reign with Christ on His throne, and they too "shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces" (<em><a href='B:730 2:27'>Rev 2:27</a></em>). Perhaps that repentant Jewish remnant at this time will be literally snatched away from persecution and be preserved. It would seem that this man child is connected with the two witnesses, who die and are resurrected, and then likewise snatched away to Heaven: "And they heard a great voice from heaven saying to them: Come up here And they went into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them" (<em><a href='B:730 11:12'>Rev 11:12</a></em>). The woman who gave birth to this remnant would then refer to the true Christian believers who were already in existence before the tribulation started. They escape, as explained in :6.</p>


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<p>12:6&nbsp;<em>And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred and sixty days</em>- This three-and-a-half-year period is surely the same "42 months" during which Jerusalem is trampled (<em><a href='B:730 11:2'>Rev 11:2</a></em>) and the same period during which the two witnesses testify before their death (<em><a href='B:730 11:3'>Rev 11:3</a></em>). It may be objected that the man child is snatched away before this three-and-a-half-year period begins (:5). It could be that the snatching away to God occurs not immediately, and that we are reading in :5 of a situation which finally occurs (after three and a half years) and now :6 backtracks to explain how this happens. For it was Mary who fled through the wilderness to Egypt with the man child in her arms. And it would seem that she was there in Egypt with the Lord for around three and a half years. This is the same period of the Elijah ministry (<em><a href='B:490 4:25'>Luk 4:25</a></em>). The 'problem' with the witnesses being killed after this period and the man child being snatched away before it need not unduly concern us; I have many times made the point that we have in Revelation a kaleidoscope of images, and we are not being given any neat, linear chronological outline of events. As the images rotate and merge, there are going to be points of apparent overlap and morphing of images.</p><p>The woman who gave birth to the repentant Jewish remnant, the man child, finds safety in the wilderness as did Mary and as did Israel when they fled Egyptian persecution. There they too were provide for. This may connect with the picture presented in <em><a href='B:290 26:20'>Isa 26:20</a></em> of the faithful entering into a quiet room, until the tribulations pass over. Likewise the letters to the churches with which Revelation open feature the idea of the faithful being somehow preserved from tribulation (see on <em><a href='B:730 2:10'>Rev 2:10</a></em>). The only other time the Greek phrase "a place prepared" occurs is also in John's writings (<em><a href='B:500 14:2-3'>Joh 14:2-3</a></em>); due to the Lord's death, salvation is assured for all in tribulation. The prepared place is in God's Kingdom (<em><a href='B:470 25:34'>Mat 25:34</a></em>). Perhaps the woman will somehow be saved or given miraculous protection during this tribulation period:&nbsp;</p>


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<p>12:7&nbsp;<em>And there was a war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels retaliated</em>- John is as it were "in heaven", viewing things going on in the heavenly throne room. Each situation and entity on earth has representative Angels, who are God's Angels, and not themselves sinful nor rebellious; although they can represent sinful situations and actions on earth. Michael, the Angel who stands for Israel (<em><a href='B:340 10:21'>Dan 10:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 12:1'>Dan 12:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:720 1:9'>Jud 1:9</a></em>), fights with the dragon entity and his supporters. We note that Gabriel is the Angel associated with the Lord Jesus. But we read here of Michael, not Gabriel. This is not a struggle between Jesus and the devil. It speaks of a struggle between Israel and Israel's persecutors. But ultimately, those persecuting the Israelites are fighting God Himself and His Angels. The same word for "fought / retaliated" is used of how the beast which the dragon empowers appears invincible- "Who is able to make war s:w. against him?" (<em><a href='B:730 13:4'>Rev 13:4</a></em>). Yet he is effectively making war against God, who is at war against him (<em><a href='B:730 19:11'>Rev 19:11</a></em>); the beast in another of its manifestations makes war / fights with the Lamb (<em><a href='B:730 17:14'>Rev 17:14</a></em>). This is another manifestation of the jihadists locusts rushing to "make war" (<em><a href='B:730 9:7'>Rev 9:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 9:9'>Rev 9:9</a></em> s:w:). The war is not only against Israel, but against the believers; for the same word is used of the beast making war against the two witnesses (<em><a href='B:730 11:7'>Rev 11:7</a></em>). This is all part of the final battle when the kings of the land gather to fight (<em><a href='B:730 16:14'>Rev 16:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 19:19'>Rev 19:19</a></em> s:w:).</p><p>What it doesn't mean</p><p>Angels cannot sin and that there can be no rebellion in heaven. Thus this passage – which is the only one of its kind – must be interpreted in a way that does not involve angels sinning or there being sinful angels making people sin on earth, seeing that sin comes from within us, not from outside of us (<em><a href='B:480 7:20-23'>Mar 7:20-23</a></em>). Note carefully that there is no reference here to angels sinning or rebelling against God, only to a war in heaven.</p><p>That the Devil–dragon represents some kind of political power is indicated by it having “crowns upon his heads” (v. 3). <em><a href='B:730 17:9-10'>Rev 17:9-10</a></em> also comments on this dragon: “Here is the mind that hath wisdom” – i:e. don’t try and understand this animal as a literal being – “The seven heads are seven mountains::. these are seven kings”. One of the kings continuing “a short space” perhaps connects with the Devil–dragon having “but a short time” in <em><a href='B:730 12:12'>Rev 12:12</a></em>.</p><p>After the drama of :7–9, verse 10 says that there was “a loud voice saying in heaven,&nbsp;<em>now</em>&nbsp;is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night”. If :7–9 occurred at the beginning of the world, before the time of Adam and Eve, how could it be said that after Satan’s fall there came salvation and the kingdom of God? After Adam’s sin, mankind began his sad history of slavery to sin and failure – a state hardly to be described as “salvation” and the kingdom of God. There is rejoicing that the Devil – the accuser – has been cast down to earth. Why should there be rejoicing if his coming to earth was the start of sin and disaster for man? If a fall from heaven to earth is understood figuratively rather than literally, as representing a fall from authority (as <em><a href='B:290 14:12'>Isa 14:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 51:53'>Jer 51:53</a></em>; <em><a href='B:310 2:1'>Lam 2:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 11:23'>Mat 11:23</a></em>), much more sense can be made of all thIsa. If all this happened before the time of Adam, or at least before the fall of man, how could the Devil have been accusing “our brethren”, seeing they did not then exist? There is nothing indicating that all this happened in the Garden of Eden. A vital point is made in <em><a href='B:730 1:1'>Rev 1:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 4:1'>Rev 4:1</a></em> – that the Revelation is a prophecy of “things which must shortly come to pass”. It is not therefore a description of what happened in Eden, but a prophecy of things to happen at some time after the first century, when the Revelation was given by Jesus. Any who are truly humble to the Word will see that this argument alone precludes all attempts to refer Revelation 12 to the Garden of Eden. The question has also to be answered as to why the identity of the Devil and information about what happened in Eden should be reserved until the end of the Bible before being revealed.</p><p>In view of this and many other things in Revelation 12 (and the whole prophecy) which are just incapable of any literal fulfilment, it is not surprising that we are told first of all (<em><a href='B:730 1:1'>Rev 1:1</a></em>) that this is a message that has been “signified” – i:e. put into sign language, or symbol. As if to emphasize this in the context of Revelation 12, <em><a href='B:730 12:1'>Rev 12:1</a></em> describes the subsequent action as “a great sign” (A:V. margin). In reading of what the Devil does when he is on the earth, there is no description of him causing people to sin; indeed, vs. 12–16 show that the Devil was unsuccessful in his attempts to cause trouble on earth once he arrived there. This contradicts the popular interpretation. In their eagerness to show that <em><a href='B:730 12:7-9'>Rev 12:7-9</a></em> refers to fallen angels at the beginning of the world, apologists for a personal Satan have rather overlooked the context of the passage. A woman in Heaven, in the agony of childbirth and resting her feet on the moon, is faced by a dragon, whose tail throws down a third of the stars of Heaven to earth (<em><a href='B:730 12:4'>Rev 12:4</a></em>). She gives birth, and the child “was caught up unto God, and to his throne” (<em><a href='B:730 12:5'>Rev 12:5</a></em>). Clearly enough the “heaven” where all this occurs isn’t the “heaven” where God lives and where His throne Isa. Next we read of a power struggle “in heaven”, and the dragon and his angels are “cast out” (<em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em>). The dragon throws one third of the stars of Heaven to earth – are these Angels? If so, how come the dragon and not God casts them to earth? That’s quite the opposite of the scenario painted in&nbsp;<em>Paradise Lost</em>. How can a literalistic reading of this passage cope with the&nbsp;<em>two</em>&nbsp;episodes of Angels being cast down to earth? At the very least, care in thought and exposition is clearly lacking in the orthodox reading of this passage. The woman, who is never recorded as leaving “Heaven”, then flees “into the wilderness” (<em><a href='B:730 12:6'>Rev 12:6</a></em>). Once the dragon is cast to the earth, then he starts persecuting the woman by hissing huge volumes of water at her (<em><a href='B:730 12:13'>Rev 12:13</a></em>). The earth opens and swallows this water (<em><a href='B:730 12:16'>Rev 12:16</a></em>) – even though the woman is never recorded as losing her “in heaven” status. All this is reason enough to not interpret “heaven” and “earth” in this passage in any literal manner. The appearance of the woman and dragon “in heaven” is described as a&nbsp;<em>semeion</em>, a “sign”, something that needs to be interpreted, rather than a literal fact (<em><a href='B:730 12:1'>Rev 12:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 12:3'>Rev 12:3</a></em>).</p><p>The language of ‘war’ is surely metaphor rather than literal description. What begins as a literal battle ends as a legal one, as the metaphor changes to the law court, with accusers, judge and Satan’s case rejected. If the legal language isn’t to be taken literally, why should the ‘war’ language be so literal?</p><p>The Chronological Problem</p><p>The woman of :1 is “clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars”. These heavenly bodies, as well as the woman, apparently suspended in heaven, cannot be literal. She could not literally be clothed with the sun, or have stars as big as the earth on her literal head.</p><p>Another sign appears in heaven in :3 – a red dragon. This is commonly taken as a literal heaven, but why should it be, seeing that the same heaven is referred to in v. 1 and that is clearly figurative? Verse 4 shows the dragon casting a third of the stars of heaven to earth. We have seen that because of the size of the stars and earth, this cannot therefore refer to literal stars or heaven. The Kingdom of God is to be established on earth (<em><a href='B:340 2:44'>Dan 2:44</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 5:5'>Mat 5:5</a></em>), which will not be possible if the earth is destroyed (which it would be) by huge stars falling onto it.</p><p>The woman in “heaven” then delivered her child, who was “caught up unto God and to his throne” (v. 5). God’s throne is in heaven. If the woman was already in heaven, why would her child have to be “caught up” to heaven? She must have been a symbol of something on earth, although in a figurative “heaven”. She then flees “into the wilderness” (v. 6). If she was in literal heaven, this means there is a wilderness in heaven. It is far more fitting for her to be in a figurative heavenly place, and then flee to a literal or figurative wilderness on the earth.</p><p>We then come to v. 7 – “there was war in heaven”. All other references to “heaven” in Revelation 12 having been figurative, it seems only consistent that this was war in a figurative heaven. This must be the case, as there can be no rebellion or sin in literal heaven (<em><a href='B:470 6:10'>Mat 6:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 5:4-5'>Psa 5:4-5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:420 1:13'>Hab 1:13</a></em>). The common view claims that wicked angels are locked up in hell; but here they are in heaven. They are not therefore literal angels.</p><p>I sometimes ask those who believe in the orthodox idea of the Devil the following question: ‘Can you give me a brief Biblical history of the Devil, according to your interpretation of Bible passages? The response is highly contradictory. According to ‘orthodox’ reasoning, the answer has to be something like this:&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>a) The Devil was an angel in heaven who was thrown out into the garden of Eden. He was thrown to earth in Genesis 1.</p><p>b) He is supposed to have come to earth and married in Genesis 6.</p><p>c) At the time of Job he is said to have had access to both heaven and earth.</p><p>d) By the time of Isaiah 14 he is thrown out of heaven onto earth.</p><p>e) In Zechariah 3 he is in heaven again.</p><p>f) He is on earth in Matthew 4.</p><p>g) He is “cast out” at the time of Jesus’ death, according to the popular view of “the prince of this world” being “cast out” at that time.</p><p>h) There is a prophecy of the Devil being ‘cast out’ in Revelation 12.</p><p>i) The Devil is “chained” in Revelation 20, but he and his angels were chained in Genesis, according to the common view of <em><a href='B:720 1:6'>Jud 1:6</a></em>. If he was bound with ‘eternal chains’ then, how is he chained up again in Revelation 20?</p><p>From this it should be obvious that the popular view that the Devil was cast out of heaven for sinning cannot be true, seeing that he is described as still being in heaven after each occurrence of being ‘cast out’. It is vital to understand both heaven and the Devil in a figurative sense.</p><p>Revelation 12 : Deconstructing Pagan Myths</p><p>Various scholars have shown that this passage is full of allusion to contemporary pagan myths (e:g. Neil Forsyth,&nbsp;<em>Satan and the Combat Myth</em>&nbsp;(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989) chapter 13). For example, the Greeks believed that the dragon Python attempts to kill the new born son of Zeus but is stopped the escape of the child’s mother, Leto, to the island of Delos; Apollo then comes and slays the dragon. For the Egyptians, Set the red dragon hunts Isis but is then killed by her son Horus. In other myths, the dragon of darkness tries to kill the sun god but is killed by him. There are other examples of the sun god myth being alluded to in Revelation. Take the description of Jesus as having eyes as a flaming fire and feet of pure bronze (<em><a href='B:730 2:18'>Rev 2:18</a></em>). This is said to the Thyatira ecclesia – and the god of Thyatira was Apollo, the sun god, known locally as Tyrimnos, who appeared in this very form on the city’s coins. The point of the allusion was that actually, there is no sun god – for the Christians in Thyatira, that means Jesus.</p><p>This is in keeping with what we have seen elsewhere in the Scriptures – pagan myths are alluded to in order to deconstruct them. Surely the point of all the allusions here in Revelation 12 is to say: ‘Take your attention away from all these myths of what supposedly is going on out in the cosmos. Get real. Here on earth, you are going to be persecuted by Rome or some other adversary. Prepare for it in your hearts. The real enemy isn’t a dragon in the sky. It’s Rome’. Other scholars have demonstrated that Revelation 12, 13 contain many allusions to contemporary Jewish writings – e:g. <em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 13:14'>Rev 13:14</a></em> speak of the beast / Satan “leading astray those that dwell on the earth”, quoting from the&nbsp;<em>Apocalypse of Abraham</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Enoch</em>&nbsp;54:6 about the armies of Azazel / Satan who “lead astray those that dwell on the earth”. The point is that pagan Rome and the Jewish ‘Satan’ were those who were leading astray, and who would be punished in the cataclysm of AD70; and in a last days context, it is the latter day Satan / beast who will lead astray many and be destroyed by the second coming of Christ.</p><p>For 15 years Dr. David Pitt-Francis applied an exceptional mind to trying to get to grips with the book of Revelation (David Pitt-Francis,&nbsp;<em>The Most Amazing Message Ever Written</em>&nbsp;(Irchester, UK: Mark Saunders Books, 1983)). His conclusion, written up in chapter 9 of his book, was that not only does Revelation 12 not teach the existence of a personal Satan, but it actually is a parody of the whole belief in a sinful Satan figure existing in Heaven. He follows the approach that Revelation 12 alludes heavily to pagan myths of a Satan figure existing in Heaven, and that the whole idea of the chapter is to show that, given the victory of the Lord Jesus over all evil, those pagan ideas are just no longer tenable in any form. The idea of a Satan figure in Heaven has been ‘cast down’ for the serious believer in Christ: “Satan was imagined to have dominated at least a third of heaven in pre-Christian times. Babylonian, Zend and Teutonic thought assumed ‘Satan’ or his equivalent to be in possession of about a third of heaven. Jewish apostate thought (as in Enoch) also imagined a third of heaven to be in the possession of rebellious angels. The vision of a dragon occupying a third of heaven, and specifically defined as the ‘Devil and Satan’ is provided at this stage, not to indicate some literal fact, but to summarise the preconceptions about the Devil which had existed in pagan thought before the coming of Christ, and that had even crept into Judaism::. It was primarily the task of Christianity to show the world that evil could have no place in heaven, that it did not occupy a place in heaven except in the imagination of mankind, and that it could be vanquished by the grace of Christ, and the Word of His testimony::. The casting forth of Satan from heaven is a powerful symbol of what would happen to the human concept of evil as a result of the teaching of Christ. The woman and the dragon cannot coexist in heaven::. Could there have been such a literal ‘Devil’ or even a ‘literal’ dragon, who perverted a third of the angels in heaven and cast them to the ground, as Jewish apocalyptic writers had actually believed? If we adopt this literalistic stance, we not only fall into the error of those books against which the Revelation was written but miss the main message of the chapter, that since the advent of Christianity to disprove the concept of imagined evil in heaven, no ‘Devil’ has ever had any place there”. He goes on to suggest that ‘Satan’ in post–Christian religions e:g. Islam has always been envisaged as a being living under the earth, in a supposed “hell”, rather than in Heaven. Whether or not we feel happy with this kind of ‘spiritualized’ interpretation of Revelation, the allusions of Revelation 12 to material in the book of Enoch about Heavenly rebellions, Enoch being caught up to God etc:, cannot be gainsaid. And I suggest that such allusions are indeed, as David Pitt-Francis suggests, in order to deconstruct these wrong ideas.</p><p>First century applications</p><h4>Revelation is a description of events on earth from the perspective of what happens in Heaven – encouraging the early Christians that God and His Son and His Angels are in fact intensely aware of the crises going on, and actually the whole scenario is playing itself out in the court of Heaven. All powers and individuals and organizations on earth have in Heaven their Angelic representatives, and the situations are tried by God before His throne – with the result that it is those on the side of Christ who are vindicated. The language with which John’s Apocalypse achieves this is shot through with allusion to earthly realities, often deconstructing the claims of pagans. Rome was the great reality of the first century world; it was appropriate for the Jewish mind of the time to understand the “serpent” / adversary figure as referring to Rome. According to the Jewish Encyclopaedia, “the Serpent is spoken of as&nbsp;<em>Harasha’</em>, “the Wicked One,” in Gen. R. xx:, Bek. 8<em>a</em>&nbsp;(compare Targ. Yer. Gen. iii. 13); and Rome as the wicked kingdom,&nbsp;<em>Malkut ha–resha’ah</em>&nbsp;(Gen. R. lxxvi:)” (5).<br/><br/>Roman coins depicted the goddess Roma, THEAN ROMEN, as queen of the gods and mother of the world’s saviour. John speaks of she who claims to be the queen of the earth (<em><a href='B:730 18:7'>Rev 18:7</a></em>) – and portrays her instead as nothing but a prostitute, who is soon to be destroyed. The fact Revelation alludes to the goddess Roma in this way doesn’t mean that ‘she’ actually existed in Heaven in reality. And the way John in Revelation 12 likewise alludes to myths about dragons and beasts doesn’t mean they exist either. The material in Revelation 12 has some twists in it which debunk the legends – thus it is not emperor of Rome who slays the dragon, it is the victory of Christ on the cross, through His blood, which is the real means of victory against all opposition on earth. The telling paradox is that the escape for the persecuted child is through&nbsp;<em>death</em>, through blood, rather than through some dashing heroic victory in battle. When Jeremiah compared Babylon to a dragon gulping down Jerusalem whole, we don’t for a moment think that Babylon was a literal dragon (<em><a href='B:300 51:34'>Jer 51:34</a></em>); likewise when Ezekiel calls Pharaoh a dragon lying in a stream (<em><a href='B:330 29:3'>Eze 29:3</a></em>). The message was that the real dragon / chaos monster was earthly powers – and God would break them. And so it is with Revelation’s message, although more attention is given to the idea of those earthly powers having Angelic representatives in the court of Heaven.</h4><p>The language of judgment is really common throughout the Bible. In fact we could say that legal language is disproportionately common in the Bible. The idea of a Divine, heavenly court is common. God is the judge who upholds the weak, those who are condemned by human judgment (<em><a href='B:90 24:15'>1Sa 24:15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 9:4'>Psa 9:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 43:1'>Psa 43:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 140:12'>Psa 140:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:310 3:58'>Lam 3:58</a></em>; <em><a href='B:400 7:9'>Mic 7:9</a></em>); He is even portrayed as the one appealing for justice (<em><a href='B:230 74:22'>Psa 74:22</a></em>). If God is the only and ultimate judge, then&nbsp;<em>His</em>&nbsp;judgment is all that ultimately matters, and in this sense human ‘sentences’ or judgment from the court of human opinion are reversed by Him (<em><a href='B:240 22:22-23'>Pro 22:22-23</a></em>). Yet the pain of being judged by those around us is highly significant to us mortals; and time and again, Scripture is reminding us that we should not pay deep attention to this, because God’s judgment is what ultimately matters; and the Divine court is sitting in session right now, at the very same time as those around us are judging us with their meaningless human judgments. This, then, is the ultimate answer to the pain of being slandered and defamed, being misunderstood and misrepresented, or feeling that persecution by worldly powers is not noticed by God.</p><p>The traditional reading of Revelation 12 makes out that there was a rebellion in Heaven, the Devil came down to earth, and then trouble started down here. But the whole idea of Revelation’s visions of ‘heaven’ is that we are being given snapshots of the ‘throne room’ of Heaven, the Divine court::. which is a reflection of what is actually going on here on earth, and what will subsequently follow from this in the future. I wish to stress this point, because I think it’s fundamental to understanding Revelation. Those visions aren’t historical descriptions of what happened before creation, before human history. They are insights into how God right then in the first century viewed what was going on there in the Middle East on planet earth, showing us how He judged the situations and Governments and individuals involved, and what would follow from this. Thus when we read that no place was found for the opposing forces in Heaven (<em><a href='B:730 12:8'>Rev 12:8</a></em>), we are to imagine the representative of those forces, the barrister as it were, being thrown out of court. They would simply disappear from the Heavenly court room, thrown out of court as it were, perhaps reflected by the Angel representing them leaving the court. What makes interpreting Revelation so confusing is that there are so many layers of allusion going on in the text at one and the same time. Thus Revelation 12 alludes to the surrounding myths, and yet also on multiple further layers to Old Testament themes. The vision of Revelation 12 clearly has in mind Pharaoh pursuing the escaping Israelites as a dragon pursues (<em><a href='B:20 14:8'>Exo 14:8</a></em>), Israel like the early church carried on eagles’ wings to some safety (<em><a href='B:20 19:4'>Exo 19:4</a></em>), Pharaoh trying to destroy Israel by drowning them in the water of the Nile, God providing for His people in the desert. Again, these allusions are to a real historical situation that happened here on earth – and not to some Biblically unrecorded drama somewhere out in the cosmos.</p>


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<p>12:8&nbsp;<em>But he was defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven</em>- God's side are assured of victory. Literally, the dragon was 'of no power'; for all such power is vested in the Lord Jesus (s:w. <em><a href='B:730 5:12'>Rev 5:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 7:12'>Rev 7:12</a></em>). And yet viewed from earthly perspectives, the dragon appears invincible in power (<em><a href='B:730 13:4'>Rev 13:4</a></em>). John is viewing heaven opened, and the geopolitical situation in the land in the very last days being played out before him, with Angelic actors, as it were, representing the various entities on earth. But now the dragon has no more place there; this can also be understood as meaning he had no more power, reading 'heaven' as symbolic of power. We will still read of the dragon; giving power to the beast, and then being chained in chapter 20. Again we see that the visions are not intended to be interpreted in such a way that there emerges a linear chronological progression of events. Rather are we seeing different perspectives and angles on the same ultimate realities. The dragon finally loses power- that is the point.</p>


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<p>12:9&nbsp;<em>And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him</em>- The conflict between God and the persecuting coalition of the last days will be the final manifestation of God's battle with sin and evil. He will finally be revealed as triumphant. Perhaps the symbology of a woman is chosen in :1 exactly so as to point up this allusion to the battle between the women and the serpent which began in <em><a href='B:10 3:15'>Gen 3:15</a></em>. Eden is now about to be restored. This latter day entity will have deceived the world- perhaps a reference to an influence larger than over the earth / land promised to Abraham. For the coalition of evil will have deceived people worldwide to support their mania against Israel and Christians. It is hard not to see reference here to radical Islam. The same word for 'deceit' is often used in the Olivet prophecy. There would be 'deceit' associated with false prophets (and "the false prophet" is associated with the beast in Revelation- a likely reference to some incarnation of Mohammed, some jihadist imams claiming to be God's prophets on earth). This will "deceive many", here called "the whole world" (<em><a href='B:470 24:4-5'>Mat 24:4-5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:11'>Mat 24:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:24'>Mat 24:24</a></em>), "the nations" (20:3), especially those in the corners of the land promised to Abraham (<em><a href='B:730 20:8'>Rev 20:8</a></em>). The deceit will involve claims that the Christ has come (<em><a href='B:470 24:5'>Mat 24:5</a></em>)- perhaps a reference to some jihadist claim about the Mahdi. This deception will be given surface level credibility by false miracles performed by "the false prophet" (<em><a href='B:730 13:14'>Rev 13:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 19:20'>Rev 19:20</a></em>), which are in fact performed by magic (<em><a href='B:730 18:23'>Rev 18:23</a></em>). The deceitful coalition is cast from heaven to earth; this is figurative for a loss of power, but this entity is now pictures as angry and desperate on the earth / land promised to Abraham.</p><p>The Greek word&nbsp;<em>ballo</em>&nbsp;translated “cast out” doesn’t necessarily mean to throw&nbsp;<em>down –&nbsp;</em>Greek has words for this specific idea and it’s significant that they’re not used here. Here are a few examples of the usage of&nbsp;<em>ballo</em>, showing that it really means to expel or re-place:</p><p>– A wind “arose” (<em><a href='B:510 27:14'>Act 27:14</a></em>); a crowd “threw” dust&nbsp;<em>up</em>&nbsp;into the air (<em><a href='B:510 22:23'>Act 22:23</a></em>); a sword is “put&nbsp;<em>up</em>” into a sheath (<em><a href='B:500 18:11'>Joh 18:11</a></em>) imply the word can mean to throw&nbsp;<em>up</em>&nbsp;as well as to throw&nbsp;<em>down</em>.<br/>– Men “cast” stones (<em><a href='B:500 8:7'>Joh 8:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:500 8:59'>Joh 8:59</a></em>), “strike” another man on the face (<em><a href='B:480 14:65'>Mar 14:65</a></em>), “put” fingers in the ear (<em><a href='B:480 7:33'>Mar 7:33</a></em>), people “lay” upon a bed (<em><a href='B:470 8:6'>Mat 8:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 8:14'>Mat 8:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 9:2'>Mat 9:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:480 7:30'>Mar 7:30</a></em>) – horizontal movement.<br/>– We “put” bits into the mouths of horses (<em><a href='B:660 3:3'>Jas 3:3</a></em>) – no vertical movement there. Thomas “thrust” his hand into the Lord’s side (<em><a href='B:500 20:27'>Joh 20:27</a></em>).<br/>– Believers were “cast” into prison (<em><a href='B:510 16:24'>Act 16:24</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 16:37'>Act 16:37</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 2:10'>Rev 2:10</a></em>) – the idea of vertical movement isn’t there. Likewise love “casts out” fear (<em><a href='B:690 4:18'>1Jn 4:18</a></em>).<br/>– The dragon casts water out of his mouth (<em><a href='B:730 12:15-16'>Rev 12:15-16</a></em>), horizontally along the ground. Here the word clearly doesn’t mean to throw&nbsp;<em>down</em>&nbsp;from a height – and the same word is used in that context for the Devil being “cast out”, i:e. ejected, from Heaven.<br/>– Men “cast” dust on their own heads (<em><a href='B:730 18:19'>Rev 18:19</a></em>).</p><p>The serpent is cast out of heaven, implying it was originally there. But the literal serpent in Eden was created by God out of the dust of the earth (<em><a href='B:10 1:24-25'>Gen 1:24-25</a></em>). There is no implication that the Devil came down from heaven and got inside the serpent. The language of “cast down” and “cast out” does not require literal downwards movement – Babylon is “thrown down” in <em><a href='B:730 18:21'>Rev 18:21</a></em>. The O:T. basis of “cast out” is in the nations / beasts being cast out from God’s presence in the land of Israel. In Revelation 12 we have another woman in the wilderness, who enters the Kingdom cp. the land once the beast is cast out. In <em><a href='B:340 7:9'>Dan 7:9</a></em> the thrones of the beast / kingdoms are “cast down” before God’s Kingdom is established on earth, just as the beast is cast down before the establishment of the Kingdom in Revelation 12. The idea of being cast out of Heaven was and is common in Semitic languages and even wider culture for a loss of power – thus Cicero comments about Mark Anthony: “You have hurled your colleagues down from heaven”.</p><p>“That old serpent” (<em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em>) is often misread to mean that the original serpent in the Garden of Eden is now a dragon in the sky. But care in thought and Biblical exposition is lacking in such a view. The orthodox understanding is that Satan sinned in Heaven, and was thrown down to earth, where he tempted Eve in the form of a serpent. But <em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em> is a prophecy of the&nbsp;<em>future</em>, just prior to the return of Christ to earth, saying that&nbsp;<em>then</em>&nbsp;there will be a conflict “in heaven” – which we understand to be figurative language. The orthodox interpretation does violence to the obvious chronology, and is evidently an opportunistic grabbing hold of Biblical phrases with no attention at all to their context, and stringing them together to justify popular Christianity’s adoption of Jewish and pagan myths about the Devil. In passing, note how <em><a href='B:10 3:15'>Gen 3:15</a></em> prophesies that God&nbsp;<em>will&nbsp;</em>put hostility between the serpent and the woman. This is not what we would expect to hear if this were indeed speaking of a pre-existent Christ and Satan. According to the orthodox understanding, the enmity between them occurred in Heaven&nbsp;<em>before</em>&nbsp;Satan supposedly came down to earth. Notice, too, that according to the Biblical record in <em><a href='B:10 3:15'>Gen 3:15</a></em> it is God who created this hostility, whereas the common view implies it was Satan’s hatred of God which was the original enmity. We read that the dragon / serpent’s “place” was not “found” in Heaven as a result of the final struggle (<em><a href='B:730 12:8'>Rev 12:8</a></em>). The same term is to be found in <em><a href='B:730 20:11'>Rev 20:11</a></em>, where we read that the ‘Heaven and earth’ had no place found for them in Heaven as a result of Christ’s final sitting in judgment. Clearly, ‘Heaven and earth’ are figurative – used here, as so often in the Bible, to refer to a system of things. Notice how the Devil / dragon / serpent are thus paralleled with the ‘Heaven and earth’. This worldly system of things in the last days, the dragon / serpent power, will be no more after the final judgment seat of Christ. We see all this prefigured in how the rejected Esau came before his father Isaac, typical of the rejection of the wicked at the final judgment, and “found no place”, despite his tears and gnashing of teeth (<em><a href='B:650 12:17'>Heb 12:17</a></em>). The rejected&nbsp;<em>people&nbsp;</em>at the final judgment will “not be able” to enter God’s Kingdom then (<em><a href='B:490 13:24'>Luk 13:24</a></em>) – and the same Greek word is used in <em><a href='B:730 12:8'>Rev 12:8</a></em> to describe how the serpent / Devil system of people will not “prevail”. Clearly the reference of Revelation 12 is to the very last day, when Christ returns to earth in judgment. The serpent ‘not prevailing’ and ‘finding no place’ with God in ‘Heaven’ refers in the light of the same terms used in other Bible passages to what happens at the final judgment, at Christ’s second coming, and it is therefore&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;descriptive of some past events in Eden. It’s also noteworthy that the serpent / Devil is ‘cast down’ from Heaven to make “woe” for “the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea” (<em><a href='B:730 12:12'>Rev 12:12</a></em>). This hardly sounds like the orthodox Satan of&nbsp;<em>Paradise Lost</em>&nbsp;being thrown down to earth to make trouble for just Adam and Eve. The people who inhabit “the sea” rather than the earth surely indicates that we are to understand all this literally. And it is “the serpent” who is thrown down from Heaven to the earth / sea. Orthodox thinking holds that Satan was cast down and became a serpent here on earth rather than being a serpent “in Heaven” as Revelation 12 requires. In any case, the woman in Revelation 12 is persecuted by the serpent rather than being charmed and tempted by him; and she escapes from him by fleeing into “the wilderness”, which makes the serpent mad with her (<em><a href='B:730 12:13-17'>Rev 12:13-17</a></em>). None of this Biblical testimony fits the orthodox interpretation of the passage – it directly contradicts it.</p><p>When we read that the Devil–dragon “deceives” people, this is defined more specifically in <em><a href='B:730 19:20'>Rev 19:20</a></em> as referring to deceiving people in the very last days by false miracles worked in conjunction with the “false prophet”. Thus the deceit is not to be understood as a general inciting of humanity to sin in their hearts – the deceit is specified as occurring only in the last days, immediately prior to the Kingdom of God being established:&nbsp;<br/><br/>The “old serpent” may be a reference to the characteristics of the serpent whom we meet in GenesIsa. The serpent–Eve incident played itself out in history, and still does, in that the children of the woman God’s people are tempted and now threatened by the powers of sin and sinful organizations. Thus Paul could say that in the same way as the serpent tempted Eve, so Jewish false teachers in the early church were tempting the true bride of Christ (<em><a href='B:540 11:3'>2Co 11:3</a></em>). So it was again in the persecution of true Christians by the Roman empire, which Revelation 12 initially refers to; so it was throughout history; and so it will be in the time of the final tribulation before the second coming of Christ. My specific suggestions as to the fulfilment of Revelation 12 in the latter day tribulation can be found in&nbsp;<em>The Last Days</em>&nbsp;Chapter 12–7.</p><p>The dragon power is associated with “the false prophet” and the doing of fake miracles (<em><a href='B:730 13:14'>Rev 13:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 19:20'>Rev 19:20</a></em>) – this is the basis upon which the dragon / Satan / adversary of God’s people “deceives” the world (<em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em>). There are multiple connections between the Lord’s Olivet prophecy and the prophecy of the book of Revelation. Almost every commentary on Revelation brings these out, and I have listed many of them in&nbsp;<em>The Last Days</em>&nbsp;Chapter 12. The Lord Jesus repeatedly warned His followers not to be “deceived” – using the same Greek word as in <em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em> about the dragon / Devil ‘deceiving’ unbelievers. But He warns time and again that the source of this deception will be from “<em>men</em>::. false prophets::. false Christs::. false prophets” doing false miracles (<em><a href='B:470 24:4-5'>Mat 24:4-5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:11'>Mat 24:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:24'>Mat 24:24</a></em>). Jesus says nothing about some fallen–Angel ‘Satan’ being behind these men. He simply warns His followers to beware of&nbsp;<em>human</em>&nbsp;deceivers – and Revelation 12 fills out the picture by specifically painting these&nbsp;<em>men</em>&nbsp;as part of a massive&nbsp;<em>human</em>&nbsp;system called Satan, the adversary, who would have all the characteristics of the serpent in Eden, just as the adversaries of God’s people always have had. This system of opposition, in the first century context, was both Jewish and Roman – hence the dragon is called both “the Devil and Satan” in <em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em> –&nbsp;<em>diabolos</em>&nbsp;being the Greek term for the Hebrew&nbsp;<em>Satan</em>. They are practically interchangeable – but both terms occur here, I suggest, in order to show that the opposition to Christianity was coming from both Jewish and Gentile sources. Time and again the New Testament writers warn the Christians of both Jews and Gentiles,&nbsp;<em>men</em>&nbsp;not demons, spirits, fallen Angels, Satan etc. – but&nbsp;<em>men</em>&nbsp;who “seek to deceive you” (<em><a href='B:690 2:26'>1Jn 2:26</a></em>; <em><a href='B:690 3:7'>1Jn 3:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:660 1:16'>Jas 1:16</a></em>). “Be not deceived” is a watchword of Paul (<em><a href='B:530 6:9'>1Co 6:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:530 15:33'>1Co 15:33</a></em>; <em><a href='B:550 6:7'>Gal 6:7</a></em>). It is the&nbsp;<em>world</em>&nbsp;which is deceived by wicked men (<em><a href='B:610 3:13'>1Ti 3:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:630 3:3'>Tit 3:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 2:25'>1Pe 2:25</a></em>) – just as <em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em> says that the dragon / Satan system will deceived “the whole world”. That system was thus composed of wicked&nbsp;<em>men</em>. In all these passages, the very same Greek word occurs which is translated “deceive” in <em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em>. Again we have to ask – why did Jesus, Paul, Peter, James and John not spell out to their converts that it was really&nbsp;<em>Satan</em>&nbsp;who was tempting them and likely to deceive them? Why do they repeatedly stress that it is&nbsp;<em>men</em>&nbsp;and the human heart (<em><a href='B:650 3:10'>Heb 3:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:690 1:8'>1Jn 1:8</a></em>) who are the deceivers? Why do we have to wait until the very last book of the Bible to be told that actually, it’s Satan who’s doing this? How can belief in a personal Satan be so crucial to many churches, when the earliest Christian converts made before Revelation was given had been taught nothing about any Angel falling from Heaven and being responsible for temptation? Was there one Gospel for them, but another for the 21st century church?</p><p>“The great dragon was::. that old serpent” (<em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em>). The dragon had “seven heads and ten horns” (v. 3), therefore it was not literally the serpent. It being called “that old serpent” shows that it had the characteristics of that serpent in Eden, in the sense of being a deceiver, as the serpent was. Thus the Devil is not literally the serpent. If it is, then the dragon is the snake. But the dragon is a political power, manifesting sin (satan). Pharaoh is likened to a great dragon (<em><a href='B:330 32:2'>Eze 32:2</a></em>) but we can’t reason that therefore he was a literal dragon. Similarly, “the sting of death is sin” (<em><a href='B:530 15:56'>1Co 15:56</a></em>), but that does not mean that death is a literal snake. It has the characteristics of the snake, through its association with sin. How could the Devil have deceived “the whole world” (v. 9) before he was thrown out of heaven seeing that there was no one in the world before Adam?</p><h4>The Greek&nbsp;<em>archaios</em>, translated “old” in <em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em> and <em><a href='B:730 20:2'>Rev 20:2</a></em>, can easily be misread as meaning simply ‘the archaic / very old’ serpent. But&nbsp;<em>archaios</em>&nbsp;is a form of the Greek root&nbsp;<em>arche</em>&nbsp;– the dragon power of Revelation 12 is the arch–serpent, the archetypical serpent. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the serpent is very old. For the serpent who tempted Eve suffered from the curse which came upon all other “beasts of the field” (<em><a href='B:10 3:1'>Gen 3:1</a></em>), and died. We see serpents today eating dust and crawling on their bellies, living and dying like any other creature. The&nbsp;<em>arche</em>&nbsp;serpent doesn’t therefore mean ‘the extremely old serpent, the animal who tempted Eve, is still actually alive’. We meet the word&nbsp;<em>arche</em>&nbsp;elsewhere in the context of meaning ‘archetype’ rather than ‘having been in existence from the beginning of Biblical history’: “The&nbsp;<em>principles</em>&nbsp;(Gk:&nbsp;<em>arche</em>) of Christ” (<em><a href='B:650 6:1'>Heb 6:1</a></em>); “the first (Gk:&nbsp;<em>arche</em>) principles of the oracles of God” (<em><a href='B:650 5:12'>Heb 5:12</a></em>); and quite commonly&nbsp;<em>arche</em>&nbsp;is simply translated as “magistrates”, “rulers”, “principalities” – the ordering,&nbsp;<em>arch</em>–principles and foundations of society (<em><a href='B:490 12:11'>Luk 12:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 20:20'>Luk 20:20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:520 8:38'>Rom 8:38</a></em>; <em><a href='B:530 15:24'>1Co 15:24</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 1:21'>Eph 1:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 3:10'>Eph 3:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 6:12'>Eph 6:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 1:16'>Col 1:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 2:10'>Col 2:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 2:15'>Col 2:15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:630 3:1'>Tit 3:1</a></em>). In line with this understanding, I think we could fairly paraphrase <em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em> as: “The great dragon, the classic, typical serpent, the thinking and behaviour of Eden’s snake played out all over again in classic role, the Gentile / Roman Devil and the Jewish Satan, an evil system adversarial to God’s true people”.</h4><p>Austin Farrar coined the term “a rebirth of images” (Austin Farrar,<em>&nbsp;A Rebirth of Images&nbsp;</em>(Boston: Beacon Press, 1963)) to describe what’s going on in Revelation. Old Testament images are taken up and given a new focus; and this is what’s happened with the image of the serpent. It’s not a reference to&nbsp;<em>the same</em>&nbsp;serpent as was in Eden – but a rebirth of that image. G:B. Caird has commented on the very common error of interpretation made with Revelation 12 : “Later Christian tradition, by the fallacy of misplaced concreteness, treated this as a precosmic event::. quite failing to recognize that John’s imagery had an earthly referent” (G:B. Caird,&nbsp;<em>The Language and Imagery of the Bible</em>&nbsp;(London: Duckworth, 1988) p. 55). What Caird is saying, in dense theological language, is that Christian folk have over literally interpreted the reference to the serpent, assuming that Revelation 12 is talking about something happening before creation, when in fact it is referring to things happening on earth in John’s own generation.</p>


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<p>12:10&nbsp;<em>And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying: Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers is cast down, who accuses them before our God day and night</em>- The great voice is presumably from the Angels representing the faithful. Not that the faithful personally are in Heaven, for there is no conscious survival of death. But their representative Angels are there, who look upon those persecuted by the dragon as their "brothers". The dragon is a veritable&nbsp;<em>diabolos</em>, a false accuser. In Jewish thought, one can be accused before God, in the heavenly throne room, without personally being there. Within John's writings we have a classic example in <em><a href='B:500 5:45'>Joh 5:45</a></em>, where the same word is again used of how Moses who was dead accused the Jews before God. Our own thoughts accuse us to God (<em><a href='B:520 2:15'>Rom 2:15</a></em>). The dragon entity had representation before the throne of God, falsely accusing "our brothers". The reference would presumably be to the Jewish Christian remnant, rather than to Jewish people generally. The accusation was in the sense that the Islamists consider Jews and Christians to be especially worthy of Divine condemnation; they justify their extreme judgment against Jews and Christians on the basis that they say God has spoken harshly against them. The Koran is full of this kind of thing. God is not unmindful of it.</p><p>There are copious links between Revelation 12 and Matthew 24. This chapter therefore has reference to the last days as well as AD70, bearing in mind the reference of the Olivet prophecy to these two periods. What proves this beyond doubt is that as soon as the dragon is cast out we are told "<em>Now</em>&nbsp;is come salvation::. the Kingdom of our God::. for the accuser of our brethren is cast down" (12:10). Neither salvation nor the Kingdom of God can fully come without the second coming. If Scripture interprets Scripture, then the dragon being cast out must refer to the events of the second coming. There is rejoicing because the believers were no longer being accused (Greek 'seized upon' or accused in a law court), implying that this will be going on until the dragon/beast is cast out by Michael, the Angel who acts for God's people in the last days (<em><a href='B:340 12:1'>Dan 12:1</a></em>). The dragon accusing them before God sounds like Job's satan- as if the supreme intensity of suffering brought upon a materialistic, self-justifying Job to make him fit for God's full fellowship points forward to our tribulation to come. As Job was brought to say that he had heard of God by the hearing of the ear (theoretically), but now, through his sufferings, "my eye sees You" (<em><a href='B:220 42:5'>Job 42:5</a></em>), so the latter day tribulation will develop God's people.</p><p>The ‘accusation’ of God’s people “before God” by the serpent / Devil doesn’t mean he has to be literally in Heaven (<em><a href='B:730 12:10'>Rev 12:10</a></em>). The same term is found in <em><a href='B:500 5:45'>Joh 5:45</a></em> where the Lord Jesus states that the long–dead Moses ‘accuses’ the Jews to God. Our own thoughts accuse us to God (<em><a href='B:520 2:15'>Rom 2:15</a></em>). What all this surely means is that things done on earth, good and bad, even thoughts and feelings, are somehow represented before the throne of God, perhaps by representative Angels there, and God to continue the figure ‘judges’ those reported accusations. But this doesn’t require our literal presence in Heaven to do thIsa. The first century mind, especially those from a Jewish background, would likely have picked all this up with no problem; it is the European insistence on literalism in semantics which has led to so many of the problems in interpretation which these verses have given rise to. We have to somehow shed our slowness and hesitancy to accept that figures e:g. of a judgment court replete with literal books, throne, accusers, witnesses are just that– figures.</p><p>The 'coming' of salvation and the public assumption on earth of the power, authority etc. which the Lord already has in Heaven can only fully speak of the second coming. Any application to any other events are mere shadows and unworthy of much attention compared to the obvious application to the second coming.</p>


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<p>12:11&nbsp;<em>And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they did not love their life even to death</em>- This may imply that their testimony to others is related to their victory against the dragon. The language of overcoming is applied to us all in the letters which opened Revelation. The faithful overcome by the blood of the lamb- by what is done for them- and also by the word of their preaching, as if the act of preaching and witnessing against a hostile persecuting system was what helped maintain their faith. Preaching is a spiritual exercise for the benefit of the preacher. Through their work of witnessing, the persecuted believers overcome their tribulation. Witness is therefore not because God is in need of it, but for the personal spiritual benefit of the witnesses. The testimony made by the "brothers" is that of the two witnesses in <em><a href='B:730 11:7'>Rev 11:7</a></em>. It is the final witness amidst tribulation that is resolved by the coming of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom. See on <em><a href='B:470 24:14'>Mat 24:14</a></em>. It is this fearless Christian witness which provokes the beast of chapter 11 to ascend out of the pit to make war with them; and the dragon likewise goes to make war with the woman and the remnant at this&nbsp;time in chapter 12. As the two witnesses are killed at the end of their witness, so here it is during their work of witness that "they loved not their lives unto the death".</p>


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<p>12:12&nbsp;<em>Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea Because the Devil has gone down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has but a short time</em>- Those John was observing in "Heaven" could refer to the Angels. But we have just read of some of the latter day faithful being observed being snatched up to "heaven" (<em><a href='B:730 11:12'>Rev 11:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 12:5'>Rev 12:5</a></em>). Perhaps it is specifically they who are referred to. But this defeat by Divine force, just as Pharaoh experienced, provoked a final burst of wrath by the dragon entity. The earth would refer to the land promised to Abraham; and the sea perhaps to the neighbouring territories.</p><p>"Therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many" (<em><a href='B:340 11:44'>Dan 11:44</a></em>) is a commentary on Sennacherib's rage (<em><a href='B:120 19:27-28'>2Ki 19:27-28</a></em>):&nbsp;Rabshakeh boasted immediately after the receipt of the "rumour" that Assyria would 'utterly destroy' Israel still (<em><a href='B:120 19:11'>2Ki 19:11</a></em>):&nbsp;This is matched by "to<em>&nbsp;destroy</em>, and&nbsp;<em>utterly</em>&nbsp;to make away" in <em><a href='B:340 11:44'>Dan 11:44</a></em>. The fury of Assyria against Jerusalem because of their recognition that they only had limited time to destroy it before having to turn their attention against the Arab rebels is the basis of the Jihadist beast of the last days going forth against God's people with "having great anger, knowing that he has but a short time" (:12,17). In the same way as "the king of Babylon heard the report" of the Medes' invasion and was troubled (<em><a href='B:300 50:43'>Jer 50:43</a></em>), so the latter-day "king of the north", while personally present conducting the campaign against Jerusalem, will be troubled by "tidings" of this massive Muslim mutiny against him, and will therefore go ahead in a furious rage to try to exterminate every Jew left in Jerusalem (<em><a href='B:340 11:44-45'>Dan 11:44-45</a></em>). <em><a href='B:300 51:31-32'>Jer 51:31-32</a></em> stresses how the report of the attack on Babylon will spread like wildfire. This relates to the beast launching a final burst of persecution against God's people, "having great anger, knowing that he has but a short time".</p><p>If the Devil was cast down in Eden, he has had the opportunity to torment man throughout his long history – which is hardly having only “a short time” in which to wreak havoc:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


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<p>12:13&nbsp;<em>And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that had brought forth the man child</em>- The allusion is to how Pharaoh recognized he had been beaten by Divine power; and hastily sought to hunt the Israelites to death. That motif is continued by the way in which the destruction of Israel's latter day invaders is celebrated with the "Song of Moses" sung after the Red Sea deliverance (<em><a href='B:730 15:3'>Rev 15:3</a></em>). There are references to Israel and Egypt; the woman flees away from the dragon (cp. Egypt) into a wilderness, but is pursued by the dragon (<em><a href='B:730 12:13'>Rev 12:13</a></em>), who tries to use water as a means of destroying her (<em><a href='B:730 12:15'>Rev 12:15</a></em>; cp. the Red Sea), but by a miracle Israel are preserved from it. The woman is carried on eagle's wings, as Israel were out of Egypt (<em><a href='B:20 19:4'>Exo 19:4</a></em>). The woman is "nourished" during the three and a half years, as Israel were fed with manna in the wilderness. Jesus reasons in John 6 that the manna represents the word of God. It may follow that the nourishing of the seed of the woman in the wilderness of her latter day tribulation will be through some special spiritual feeding programme designed by God. It may well be through an increased level of understanding of the Apocalypse and other prophecies of the tribulations which we will then be experiencing.</p><p>The wrath of the dragon is because the woman "had brought forth the man child". I suggested above that this refers to the successful preaching of the Gospel to the extent that some Jews repent, forming the repentant remnant which is miraculously preserved from the dragon. It is quite imaginable that exactly because of this, the dragon will so hate the woman, the true Christian church. "Persecute" is the same word used in the Olivet prophecy, of how the true disciples will be persecuted in Israel both in AD70 and especially in the last days (<em><a href='B:490 21:12'>Luk 21:12</a></em>).</p>


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<p>12:14&nbsp;<em>And there was given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent</em>- "The great eagle" is a symbol for both Babylon / Nebuchadnezzar (<em><a href='B:340 7:4'>Dan 7:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 17:3'>Eze 17:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 17:12'>Eze 17:12</a></em>) and Pharaoh king of Egypt (<em><a href='B:330 17:7'>Eze 17:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 17:17'>Eze 17:17</a></em>). It could be that in some way, some element of the persecuting coalition assists her; this would then be parallel with the earth / land helping the woman by swallowing up the flood spewed by the dragon. This repeating of the same idea through two different images is typical of what I mean by saying that Revelation is a kaleidoscope of images, ever rotating, reinforcing general impressions and themes, and yet with each image still unique. In the same way we read in :6 that the woman flees; here in :14 that idea is repeated, but with the detail that she flees by flying. Or it could be that&nbsp;we should read without the article, "two wings of an eagle", as if part of the cherubim vision of <em><a href='B:730 7:4'>Rev 7:4</a></em> the "eagle" aspect of it assists the woman to safety. Note the connection of Angel and eagle at <em><a href='B:730 8:13'>Rev 8:13</a></em>. And the allusion would then be to how God brought His people to safety from Egypt "on eagle's wings" (<em><a href='B:20 19:4'>Exo 19:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 32:11'>Deu 32:11</a></em>).</p><p>The woman is in the wilderness, in the presence of the serpent / dragon; for the dragon spits water at her (:15), and in <em><a href='B:730 17:3'>Rev 17:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 17:8'>Rev 17:8</a></em> the beast arises from the wilderness with the blood of the saints. So whilst the woman as a whole is preserved, miraculously, some believers will die as a result of the dragon's mania against them there. The description of a conflict between a serpent and a woman and her seed in <em><a href='B:730 12:14-16'>Rev 12:14-16</a></em> must refer back to <em><a href='B:10 3:15'>Gen 3:15</a></em> - from which we can conclude that there will be a short term victory for the devil/ dragon over the seed of the woman in the last days.</p><p>The nourishing or feeding for three and a half years recalls Elijah being miraculously fed for his three-and-a-half-year ministry, with ravens bringing him meat at one stage. The woman is part of the three and a half year Elijah ministry of the last days, witnessing to Israel under persecution.</p>


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<p>12:15&nbsp;<em>The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood</em>- Pharaoh has been alluded to in previous verses; here perhaps is in view his plan to trap Israel and hurl them into the waters of the Red Sea. It was God who provided a stream of water in the desert; yet here the serpent does the same. Likewise it was God who destroyed the earth by a flood; and here the serpent attempts to do just the same. This is the principle of anti-Christ, appearing as the Father or Son when in fact they were bitterly opposed to them and imitating them.</p><p>The other allusion is to the Assyrian invasion of Judah and Jerusalem being likened to a river gushing toward God's people (<em><a href='B:290 8:7'>Isa 8:7</a></em>). This is typical of the latter day Assyrian dominating the earth / land. But just as the Assyrian was unsuccessful in taking Jerusalem, so the latter day river will be swallowed up the Greek for river and "flood" here is the same.</p>


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<p>12:16&nbsp;<em>And the earth helped the woman; the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth</em>- "The earth helped the woman" might refer to some of the Islamists indirectly 'helping' the woman by turning against Babylon:&nbsp; See on <em><a href='B:730 17:16'>Rev 17:16</a></em>. I suggested on :14 that the woman escapes through the wings of an eagle, and this may parallel this thought- if we understand the eagle as the symbol of the abusers. Somehow something within their own system enabled her to survive. The earth opening has been encountered in <em><a href='B:730 9:2'>Rev 9:2</a></em>, where the bottomless pit is opened. Perhaps it is this very source of the locusts which absorbs the flood of judgment the dragon spits out against the woman. The language suggests that the dragon plays God in bringing a flood upon the woman. The Islamists justify their judgment of Jews and Christians by arguing they have Divine, even Biblical, warrant for doing so. But they are stopped in this, in that the flood is swallowed by the opening earth- itself a sign of condemnation. This is language very similar to how the Koran describes the abating of the flood in Noah’s time: “And it was said: O earth Swallow thy water and, O sky be cleared of clouds And the water was made to subside” (Sura 11:44). They themselves will realize that their pogrom of destruction against "the woman" is being stopped by God.</p>


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<p>12:17&nbsp;<em>And the dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed that keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus</em>- Revelation 12 begins with the dragon trying to kill the man child born of the woman, and now at the end of the vision he seeks to kill the rest of her children. I earlier interpreted the man child as the Jewish Christian converts who repent and who are miraculously taken away from persecution. "The rest of her seed" would refer to another group of her spiritual children. They hold the testimony of Jesus in that they too witness to their new faith, in the face of the most awful opposition and persecution. He persecutes "the remnant" of the seed of the woman, just as the fourth beast of <em><a href='B:340 7:7'>Dan 7:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 7:19'>Dan 7:19</a></em> downtreads “the remnant”.</p><p>We need to note the parallels between Revelation 12, 20. There we meet again "the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and satan" (<em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em> = <em><a href='B:730 20:2'>Rev 20:2</a></em>). The repetition of this exact phrase indicates we are being given another angle on events here in chapter 12. At the time of the establishment of God's Kingdom, the figurative "thousand years" (see notes on chapter 20), this entity persecutes the faithful; and then once the Kingdom has been established not at the end of some 1000 year Millennial reign, he is released from his prison and makes a futile attack upon the "camp of the saints" before being finally destroyed by fire (<em><a href='B:730 20:9'>Rev 20:9</a></em>). This event is therefore spoken of here in chapter 12 as 'making war' with 'the rest of the woman's seed'. This is the final stage of the ancient conflict envisaged in <em><a href='B:10 3:15'>Gen 3:15</a></em> between the seed of the woman and the serpent.</p><p>Revelation 12 indicates that the dragon is unsuccessful in totally destroying the woman, and therefore turns in a brief period of fury "to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus" (<em><a href='B:730 12:17'>Rev 12:17</a></em>). Here we have the same idea as in <em><a href='B:730 11:7'>Rev 11:7</a></em>; three and a half years of witnessing amidst persecution, followed by a brief, intense period of horror, as Christ's three and a half year ministry was terminated by three and a half days of especial suffering. Notice that the dragon goes into the wilderness to persecute the woman's seed; 17:3,8 describes a beast from the wilderness, full of the blood of the saints. Thus the beast of Revelation 17 is also to be read in a latter day context.</p>


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<p>:&nbsp;<em>The Telegraph</em>. Retrieved 3 July 2014.</p><p>The beasts of Daniel represented empires, but this beastly empire in Revelation is a composite Leopard-Bear-Lion (<em><a href='B:730 13:2'>Rev 13:2</a></em>). It isn't just one of Daniel's three empires. It's all three empires rolled into one. In other words, this new empire is composed of the descendants of those earlier empires, in the same geographic location. Looking back at the history of the Middle East, we can now identify this new empire as the various powers that have controlled the Holy Land whilst the Jews were established within it.</p><p>It’s surely significant that Daniel 7 is comprised of seven visions- each introduced by the statement that Daniel ‘beheld’. This matches with the series of seven visions we find in Revelation. I would say that Revelation is therefore a development and expansion of the ideas presented in Daniel; the basic picture presented in Daniel will come true, but the outworking of it is developed somewhat in Revelation.</p><p>The four beasts of Daniel 7 clearly are to be connected with the four separate beasts which we encounter in the book of Revelation- the dragon of chapters 12 and 20, the sea beast of <em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>, the earth beast of <em><a href='B:730 13:11'>Rev 13:11</a></em> and the beast ridden by the whore in chapter 17. Note how the four 'evil' beasts of Revelation are a conscious contrast with "the four living creatures" of God's heavenly throne room (<em><a href='B:730 19:4'>Rev 19:4</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:330 1:5'>Eze 1:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 1:15'>Eze 1:15</a></em>). Perhaps the contrast is also to demonstrate how as in Daniel, the nations on earth have their representative, controlling Angels in the court of Heaven.</p><p>Each of the beasts has some similarities with the other beasts. Three of them ‘arise’; they all have horns; three of them have the same number of horns and heads; they all persecute God’s people, etc. They all exist at the same time- they do not arise in chronological sequence. They are a different take on the four beasts of Daniel 7, but they have only outline similarities. The sequence of beasts / empires in Daniel 7 was a potential prophetic program, which never came to complete fulfilment. But the essence of the prophecy is repeated in Revelation, and will come true in the last days. It could be that we should not unduly sweat to understand the precise details of the beasts in Daniel 7, because this was part of a prophetic program which did not come about- I have written elsewhere about Conditional prophecy in Daniel. But the essence of the prophecy will come true in the last days, and we find it fleshed out in Revelation.</p><p>We read of "the beast" without any specification as to which beast is in view (<em><a href='B:730 19:19-20'>Rev 19:19-20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 20:4'>Rev 20:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 20:10'>Rev 20:10</a></em>). This is surely because the various beasts are only manifestations of the one beast, just as the four beasts of Daniel 7 are comprehended in the fourth beast. The beasts are in a sense separate- thus the beast is put into the lake of fire before the dragon is (<em><a href='B:730 20:10'>Rev 20:10</a></em>). But in another sense, these entities are all expressing the same reality and principles. Different aspects of the dominating entity may be destroyed at different times in different ways- hence the usage of the imagery of more than one beast.</p><p>As noted on 12:3, "seven heads and ten horns" refers to how groups of seven and ten nations and kings surrounding Israel are associated with previous dominations of Israel (7= <em><a href='B:50 7:1'>Deu 7:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:60 3:10'>Jos 3:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 13:19'>Act 13:19</a></em>; Acts 10 = <em><a href='B:10 15:18'>Gen 15:18</a></em>; Psalms 83 (<em><a href='B:230 83:1'>Psa 83:1</a></em>); the ten surrounding nations starting with Egypt and ending with Babylon of Jeremiah 46-50; the ten toes of the image of Daniel 2, the ten horns of the beast of Daniel 7; the ten invading nations of Ezekiel 38 headed by Gog):&nbsp; suggestion is that the seven heads and ten horns on the dragon and beast refer to a quick succession or co-existence of various peoples, leaders or entities originating from or around the land promised to Abraham, which will persecute God's people in the last days. They will all form part of the coalition of evil known as the beast or dragon, and radical Islam will be their religion.</p><p>The ten horns represent ten kings- the reference may be to individual leaders rather than to nations (<em><a href='B:340 7:24'>Dan 7:24</a></em>). They arise out of the head of the beast, maybe implying they share the same overall ideology or thinking. That ideology would be that of hatred of Israel and a common desire to destroy her- which rather suggests Islam. That is the only appropriate ideology within the earth / land promised to Abraham which could be the candidate for the fulfilment of this prophetic requirement.</p><p>The One Beast</p>&nbsp;<table><tr><td></p><h4>Daniel 7</td><td>2 Thessalonians 2</td><td>Revelation 13</td><td>Revelation 17</td><td>Revelation 19</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1.</td><td><em>Called:</em></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The beast</td><td>The beast</td><td>The beast</td><td>The beast</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><em>Also called:</em></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The little horn</td><td>The man of sin</td><td>The eighth head</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2.</td><td>Comes out of the sea</td><td>Comes out of the deep (i:e. the sea)</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>3.</td><td>Associated with 10 horns</td><td>10 horns</td><td>10 horns</td><td>10 horns</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4.</td><td>Emerges at end of Gentile times</td><td>End of Gentile times</td><td>End of Gentile times</td><td>End of Gentile times</td><td>End of Gentile times</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>5.</td><td>Amazing recovery</td><td>Amazing emergence</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>6.</td><td>A mouth speaking great things against the Most High</td><td>God-defying</td><td>Opens mouth in blasphemy against God</td><td>Full of names of blasphemy</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>7.</td><td>Deceitful signs and lying wonders</td><td>Deceitful signs and lying wonders t</td><td>Deceives them that had received the mark of the beast t</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>8.</td><td>Given publicity by the beast out the earth</td><td>Given publicity by the false prophet (i:e. the beast of the earth)</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>9.</td><td>All deceived who do not believe the truth</td><td>All that dwell upon the earth worship the beast, whose names are not written in the book of life</td><td>They that dwell on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life, wonder at the revival of the beast</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Persecutes and overcomes saints</td><td>Intolerant of all religions</td><td>Persecutes and overcomes the saints</td><td>Persecutes the saints&nbsp;Destroys the whore</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Duration of 3:5 years</td><td>Duration of 3<em>:5</em>years</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>The son of perdition</td><td>Goes to perdition</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Destroyed by Christ</td><td>Destroyed by Christ</td><td>Destroyed by Christ</td><td>Destroyed by Christ</td><td></td><td></td></tr></table><p>Note that the little horn is treated as the beast (<em><a href='B:340 7:11'>Dan 7:11</a></em>).</h4><p><em>And upon his heads were names of blasphemy</em>- The beast of <em><a href='B:730 17:4'>Rev 17:4</a></em> was “full of blasphemous names”. Not only the heads of the Beast (<em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>), but its whole body is covered with them, indicating that the entire empire sanctioned the emperors’ arrogation of divine titles; such titles could be found throughout the Roman world, inscribed on public buildings and monuments. The blasphemy of the last days will be in that the jihadists consider that they have Divine, even Biblical warrant to execute His judgments upon Israel and the true Christian church.</p><p>As noted many times, we are not to look for a chronological fulfilment in terms of a sequence of events. These are all kaleidoscope images of the persecution to be unleashed upon the earth / land. They merge and morph with each other, and yet re-emerge as separate entities. The dragon has seven heads and ten horns, with each head crowned; the beast from the sea has likewise seven heads and ten horns, but now it is the horns which are crowned; on the heads of the beast there are "names of blasphemy" (<em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>). Their prototype in <em><a href='B:340 7:20'>Dan 7:20</a></em> has ten horns upon only one head.</p><p>The names of the Roman emperors were to be greatly revered. The cult of emperor worship grew very strongly in the 1st century. Yet <em><a href='B:730 13:2'>Rev 13:2</a></em> describes the names of the leaders of the beast, which on one level represented the Roman empire in the 1st century, as “<em>blasphemous names”:&nbsp;</em>To assign divine titles to the emperor was, to the Jewish and Christian mind, a blasphemy (<em><a href='B:50 11:16'>Deu 11:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:600 2:4'>2Th 2:4</a></em>). This would have made the Apocalypse an outlawed document in the first century. Consider too the clear references to the evil of the emperor worship cult later in Revelation 13 :&nbsp;<em>one of its</em>&nbsp;<em>heads. . .</em>is set up as the very opposite of the true Christ.<br/>Revelation 13 stresses the immense power of the final beast: "All the world wondered after the beast::. they worshipped the beast, saying::. who is able to make war with him?" (<em><a href='B:730 13:3-4'>Rev 13:3-4</a></em>). This kind of power has never really been exercised by any previous manifestation of the beast. "Power was given him over all kindreds, tongues and nations".</p>


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<p>13:2&nbsp;<em>And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were as the feet of a bear, his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority-&nbsp;</em>As noted on :1, the beast is the composite of all the beasts of Daniel 7. The dragon of chapter 12 is also the same ideology which speaks from the mouth of the earth beast in :11. The dragon may be damaged or apparently destroyed in political terms by the Lord's direct judgment, perhaps at the hands of Israeli or Western militia. But the jihadist philosophy re-emerges in another incarnation, just as has been witnessed so often in the war against various Islamic terrorist organizations.</p><p>The beast of Revelation 13 has elements of all the other beasts. And so does the fourth beast of Daniel 7. It had iron teeth and brass nails (<em><a href='B:340 7:19'>Dan 7:19</a></em>), alluding to the brass of the third kingdom and the iron of the fourth kingdom. It had “eyes of a man” and a human eye on its horn, (<em><a href='B:340 7:8'>Dan 7:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 7:20'>Dan 7:20</a></em>), just as the first beast, the lion, had a human heart and stood up like a man (<em><a href='B:340 7:4'>Dan 7:4</a></em>). The bear, the second beast, had three ribs in its mouth, representing its conquest of three other powers; the fourth beast features a little horn which conquers three other horns (<em><a href='B:340 7:8'>Dan 7:8</a></em>). The bear also ‘devoured much flesh’ (<em><a href='B:340 7:5'>Dan 7:5</a></em>); the fourth beast ‘devours’ the land (<em><a href='B:340 7:7'>Dan 7:7</a></em>). The third beast, the leopard, had four heads (<em><a href='B:340 7:6'>Dan 7:6</a></em>), rather like the fourth beast also has ten horns; and Revelation 13 explains that these are later located on seven heads. The fourth beast of Daniel 7 is therefore a composite beast; the other beasts merge into an entity which includes all of them, even though they still exist separately- for in the final Divine judgment, the fourth beast entity is destroyed, but the beasts have their dominion taken away although their lives are “prolonged for a season and time” (<em><a href='B:340 7:12'>Dan 7:12</a></em>). This may mean that the final entity is destroyed, but the individual components of it continue to exist “for a season and time”. The only other reference in Daniel to a period being “prolonged” is when the same word is used in <em><a href='B:340 4:27'>Dan 4:27</a></em> regarding the possibility of the king of the kingdom prolonging his life by repentance; it could be that the delay or prolonging is in order they repent:&nbsp; This may also explain why the first beast, representing Babylon, is pictured as having a man’s heart being given to it after its wings power are cropped. The historical king of Babylon had a beast’s heart (<em><a href='B:340 4:16'>Dan 4:16</a></em>), but his understanding a human heart returned to him on his repentance (<em><a href='B:340 4:34'>Dan 4:34</a></em>). So this feature of the first beast may be a hit at a repentance after the pattern of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 4.</p><p>It’s apparent that the four beasts of Daniel and of Revelation (dragon, sea beast, earth beast, scarlet beast) are full of allusion to the cherubim vision seen by Ezekiel- also whilst in captivity in Babylon, just as Daniel was. The cherubim were likewise four separate living creatures beasts which somehow were also one. The four beasts of Daniel 7 become comprehended in the fourth beast and in the one composite beast of Revelation 13, which includes all elements of the previous beasts within it. Note that the Hebrew / Aramaic for “beast” means literally a living one- the living creature of the cherubim vision. The cherubim featured the faces of lion, ox, man and eagle (<em><a href='B:330 1:10'>Eze 1:10</a></em>), and lion, ox and eagle feature in the descriptions of the four beasts; the ‘man’ element is found in that the lion has the heart of a man, and the little horn of the fourth beast has the eyes of a man. The first living creature has wings which are lifted up from the earth (<em><a href='B:340 7:4'>Dan 7:4</a></em>)- which is precisely the language of the cherubim wings being lifted up from the earth in <em><a href='B:330 1:19'>Eze 1:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 1:21'>Eze 1:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 10:16'>Eze 10:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 10:19'>Eze 10:19</a></em>. As the first beast is made to stand on its feet (<em><a href='B:340 7:4'>Dan 7:4</a></em>), so the cherubim caused Ezekiel to stand on his feet (<em><a href='B:330 2:2'>Eze 2:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 3:24'>Eze 3:24</a></em>). The second creature had a “side” which was “lifted up” (<em><a href='B:340 7:5'>Dan 7:5</a></em>), as the cherubim likewise had ‘sides’ which were ‘lifted up’ (<em><a href='B:330 1:8'>Eze 1:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 1:20'>Eze 1:20</a></em>). The third beast had four wings as each of the living creatures / cherubim did (<em><a href='B:340 7:6'>Dan 7:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 1:23'>Eze 1:23</a></em>). The first and fourth beasts / living creatures have feet (<em><a href='B:340 7:4'>Dan 7:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 7:7'>Dan 7:7</a></em>) as the cherubim do (<em><a href='B:330 1:7'>Eze 1:7</a></em>). The description of how these living creatures / beasts will be judged by the Lord Jesus includes language also used in Ezekiel’s cherubim visions- One seated upon a throne, wheels of burning fire (<em><a href='B:340 7:9'>Dan 7:9</a></em>).</p><p>Ezekiel’s vision was surely well known to Daniel and John. The connection is surely that throughout the course of human history, especially the course of Gentile domination of the land of Israel, the glory of God shone through it all, it was all going according to His purpose; and the various beasts were in fact manipulated by the living creatures of the Angel cherubim. Daniel 7 says this in different terms by opening with the statement that the four spirits / Angels of Heaven were responsible for the uprising of the four beasts (<em><a href='B:340 7:2-3'>Dan 7:2-3</a></em>). Events were not just taking their course, with everything spinning out of control; but rather, God through the Angels was powerfully in control. And His glory shone through the apparent cruelty, shame and randomness of the events that appeared to be happening to His land and people.</p>


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<p>.</p><p>The little horn represents the beast; the persecution of the saints by the horn is therefore also by the beast:</p><table><tr><td></p><h4>The Little Horn</td><td>The Beast</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"Diverse" (<em><a href='B:340 7:24'>Dan 7:24</a></em>) from&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; others</td><td>"Diverse" (<em><a href='B:340 7:23'>Dan 7:23</a></em>) from&nbsp;others&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"A mouth speaking great things” (<em><a href='B:730 3:5'>Rev 3:5</a></em>)</td><td>"A mouth speaking great things"&nbsp;<br/>(<em><a href='B:340 7:8'>Dan 7:8</a></em>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"He shall speak great words&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>against the Most High” (<em><a href='B:340 7:25'>Dan 7:25</a></em>)&nbsp;</td><td>"He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God" (<em><a href='B:730 13:6'>Rev 13:6</a></em>)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"The same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them (<em><a href='B:340 7:21'>Dan 7:21</a></em>).</td><td>"Make war with the saints, and&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; to overcome them" (<em><a href='B:730 13:7'>Rev 13:7</a></em>)</td><td></td></tr></table><p>Thus <em><a href='B:340 7:11'>Dan 7:11</a></em> speaks as if the beast and the little horn are interchangeable: " I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain”. <em><a href='B:730 13:5'>Rev 13:5</a></em> says that the beast makes war with the saints (AVmg:) for 3:5 years- as does the little horn in Daniel 7. The beast was "like a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion" (<em><a href='B:730 13:2'>Rev 13:2</a></em>). Again we see the elements of the various beasts of Daniel 7 and therefore the metals of the image of Daniel 2 all incorporated in this beast. It has "seven heads and ten horns" (<em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>)- which is the total number of heads and horns of the four beasts of Daniel 7. In harmony with this, <em><a href='B:350 13:7'>Hos 13:7</a></em> describes Israel’s latter day invader as a lion, bear, leopard and wild beast. All elements of the beasts are brought together in the final latter day invasion.</h4><p>One of the heads receives a deadly wound, but this is described as the beast receiving a deadly wound, thus identifying the beast with one of its particular heads (<em><a href='B:730 13:3'>Rev 13:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 13:12'>Rev 13:12</a></em>). The overall picture presented by the descriptions of the horns is of conflict with each other, whilst at the same time dominating the earth / land of Israel. The little horn ‘subdues’ to abase / humiliate / degrade three of the horns, and according to <em><a href='B:730 17:16'>Rev 17:16</a></em>, the ten horns hate the whore, the individual riding the beast entity, and bitterly destroy and burn her. And the fortunes of the entire entity ebb and flow- one of the wounds has a deadly wound but revives, the beast itself has a deadly wound from a sword but revives (<em><a href='B:730 13:3'>Rev 13:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 13:12'>Rev 13:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 13:14'>Rev 13:14</a></em>), the beast was, is not and yet is (<em><a href='B:730 17:8'>Rev 17:8</a></em>), and we are beginning to see this ebb and flow of the fortunes of the entity developing in the land / earth. This is precisely the picture that has more recently unfolded in the land promised to Abraham- a series of increasingly powerful and aggressive leaders and powers, morphing together&nbsp;<em>from the perspective of Israel and God’s people</em>&nbsp;into a system of abuse such as has never been seen and never will be. And yet from another viewpoint, they are bitterly divided against themselves.</p><p>The tendency is to want to clearly identity each of the ten toes / ten horns of the fourth beasts, the wings of the lion, the three ribs in the mouth of the second beast, the four wings and four heads of the third beast, the three horns who are plucked up by the little horn of the fourth beast, and then in Revelation we have seven heads found on the beast, as well as the ten horns, who in Revelation “hate the whore” and burn her; and the whore who rides the beast sits on seven hills or kings. Each of these attributes toes, horns, wings, heads refer to kings / kingdoms. Looking at the scenarios through half closed eyes, as it were, not sweating the details, we have the impression of a latter day entity dominating the earth / land promised to Abraham, which is comprised of a bewildering array of smaller powers and charismatic leaders who are often pitted against each other. This is exactly the position we see developing in that geographical area. We don’t need to interpret the fine details ahead of time- that is not how prophecy functions. When it all happens, then it will be clear. What we are seeing is the general picture developing- an array of aggressive powers, some strong and some weak, broadly grouped into four groups, matching the four beasts who will exist in the last days. They are all united around a desire to dominate Israel. It’s not hard to imagine how they will destroy each other, which is God’s preferred method of judging His people’s enemies. &nbsp;</p><p>The changing of times and laws by the antichrist figure of <em><a href='B:340 7:25'>Dan 7:25</a></em> sounds like the radical Islamist desire to impose the Islamic calendar and&nbsp;<em>sharia</em>&nbsp;law in the land promised to Abraham, which they see as their caliphate; and for sure, if Israel becomes part of an Islamic state, then the keeping of the Jewish calendar will be outlawed. The implementation of&nbsp;<em>sharia</em>&nbsp;law and changing legal structures to reflect it, is a major theme in their program. It’s clear that the three and a half year domination of Jerusalem and changing of the Jewish law and calendar had an initial fulfilment in the abuses of Antiochus Epiphanes, who desecrated the temple. There was a three and a half year period from the edict of Antiochus in June 168 BC to the rededication of the temple in December 165 BC:&nbsp; The little horn of Daniel 8 comes out of the Greek kingdom, but the horn of Daniel 7 out of the fourth kingdom. I suggest that this is because the prophecy could have been fulfilled totally at the time of Antiochus- Messiah could have come and destroyed him. But the various required preconditions weren’t met, and so there was another possibility of it coming true out of the Roman kingdom another possibility is that the four beasts and metals refer to Babylon-Media-Persia-Greece rather than Babylon-Medo Persia-Greece-Rome. Revelation uses the same imagery to describe the antiChrist of the last days, who will incorporate some elements of the previous historical fulfilments of the little horn in men like Antiochus Epiphanes.</p><p>The entire vision of the beasts of Daniel 7 is summed up in <em><a href='B:340 7:1'>Dan 7:1</a></em>: "the&nbsp;<em>rosh</em>&nbsp;of the words" (AV "sum of the matter"). And the&nbsp;<em>rosh</em>&nbsp;surely refers to the individual of <em><a href='B:330 38:2'>Eze 38:2</a></em> who will lead the latter day armies against Israel. The whole system of beasts is summed up in an individual&nbsp;<em>rosh&nbsp;</em>or leader, just as the metals of the image in Daniel 2 are in the form of a man with the face of Nebuchadnezzar. The little horn of Daniel 7 is actually called "the beast": "I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame" (<em><a href='B:340 7:11'>Dan 7:11</a></em>).</p><p><em>And the whole earth marvelled as they followed the beast-&nbsp;</em>One feature of the presentation of the beasts is that both John and "the whole earth / land" wonder at it and at the whore riding it (<em><a href='B:730 13:3'>Rev 13:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 17:6-7'>Rev 17:6-7</a></em>). This matches with the stress in Daniel 7 that the fourth beast is strikingly different from all the other beasts. The world will be in shock and awe at the entity which will suddenly develop- and we see the beginnings of that with the awe and fear inspired by the jihadists. This speaks not only of the fear inspired by the entity in its enemies on the ground, but implies a watching world onlooking in awe and fear, unable to do anything against it</p><p>Let’s not get caught up with the idea that Israel shall survive and defeat the invaders in her own strength. The beast must dominate Israel. Jerusalem will be taken. <em><a href='B:340 7:7'>Dan 7:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 7:21'>Dan 7:21</a></em> speaks of how the beast made war with the saints and prevailed against them- Israel-&nbsp;<em>until</em>&nbsp;the Ancient of days came; in <em><a href='B:340 7:23'>Dan 7:23</a></em> he devours the whole land as a beast and shall tread it down. The beast of Revelation is so powerful in the earth / land that "the world" wondered at it and at the whore riding it (<em><a href='B:730 13:3'>Rev 13:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 17:6-7'>Rev 17:6-7</a></em>), feeling unable to make war with it. This of itself requires the demise and degrading of America, Europe and the West generally. <em><a href='B:340 11:41'>Dan 11:41</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 11:45'>Dan 11:45</a></em> are likewise clear about the latter day King of the North: “He shall also come into the glorious land… He shall plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him”.</p><p>As the entire image was "terrible" (<em><a href='B:340 2:31'>Dan 2:31</a></em>), so the fourth beast system is described with the same word (<em><a href='B:340 7:7'>Dan 7:7</a></em>). As the image appeared “excellent” (<em><a href='B:340 2:31'>Dan 2:31</a></em>), so the strength of the fourth beast was ‘excellent’ (s:w. <em><a href='B:340 7:7'>Dan 7:7</a></em>). <em><a href='B:340 7:7'>Dan 7:7</a></em> emphasizes that this final beast is altogether more aggressive than any previous beast / dominator of the land: "Dreadful, terrible, strong exceedingly::. it was different from all the beasts that were before it". The original word translated “dreadful” suggests whoever sees it slinks away in fear- its strength and advantage over others is “exceeding”. This is the same awe we find in Revelation 13, where the world looks on at the beast, marvelling at this entity and feeling that nobody can even begin to make war with him. This speaks of an entity that is more aggressive and fear-inspiring than the aggressive Babylonians, Assyrians or abusive NazIsa. It implies too the eclipse of the West as the dominant world power block and power broker. The current Islamic jihadist movement may develop into an entity which fits this bill- a reign of terror involving cutting off children's heads and parading their actions on videos, live crucifixion of any who don't agree with them, but with a stranglehold advantage over any critics::. The same radical difference between this final beast and all previous ones is brought out by the way in which John, after all he had earlier seen, was in shock at the way the beast drunk the blood of the saints, i:e. the people of God, Israel in their land (<em><a href='B:730 17:6'>Rev 17:6</a></em>). The whole world likewise is in shock horror at this beast (<em><a href='B:730 13:3'>Rev 13:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 17:8'>Rev 17:8</a></em>). <em><a href='B:340 12:1'>Dan 12:1</a></em> puts it this way: "There shall be a time of trouble such as never was" for God's people, and they will be saved from it by the standing up of Jesus for His people, the resurrection of the dead and the destruction of the "king of the north". The "time of Jacob's trouble" from which he shall be saved (<em><a href='B:300 30:7'>Jer 30:7</a></em>) must be understood in the context of how the phrase "time of trouble" is used in the Bible to describe times of Israel's invasion and suffering at the hands of their neighbours (<em><a href='B:290 33:2'>Isa 33:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 2:27-28'>Jer 2:27-28</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 8:15'>Jer 8:15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 11:12'>Jer 11:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 11:14'>Jer 11:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 14:8'>Jer 14:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 14:19'>Jer 14:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 7:7'>Eze 7:7</a></em>). "There shall be a time of trouble such as never was" therefore suggests a time of abuse of Israel such as has never been seen. And this includes the Nazi holocaust, the death camps of Europe, the Babylonian and Assyrian atrocities::. It's purely wishful thinking to hope that the IDF and Israel's military technology will stave this off. It will not. Jerusalem is to be taken and the women raped (<em><a href='B:450 14:2'>Zec 14:2</a></em>). The beast is to dominate the earth / land of Israel.</p>


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<p>13:4&nbsp;<em>And they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast-&nbsp;</em>The dragon may be politically off the scene, but the jihadist philosophy continues. Or it may be that we are simply seeing in these visions different aspects of the same entity, in a kaleidoscope of images wherein some of the images overlap; and the connection between dragon and beast would then simply be that overlap, as it were.</p><p><em>And they worshiped the beast, saying: Who is like to the beast? And who is able to war with him?</em>- This will be the world's reaction to the Arab beast of the last days. They worship him because they feel he is invincible, and have not paid attention to the continued reminders in Revelation that all power, authority and strength is not with human empires but with the Lord Jesus. Seeing that the West has nuclear weapons, this could imply that the beast either deprives them of their weapons (a Muslim dominated and more politically powerful UN or EU could achieve this), or that a new paradigm of weapons, worse than nuclear, are possessed by the beast and used to hold the rest of the world to ransom.</p><p>The language is based upon the prototype of Goliath the Philistine / Palestinian, who likewise had a mouth speaking great things against Israel and Israel's God. That similarity is continued by the description of the small, finally repentant remnant of Jews who overthrow the beast as being like David (<em><a href='B:450 12:8'>Zec 12:8</a></em>). This is not to say that there will not initially be opposition to the beast- the horn recovers amazingly from a "deadly wound" which could likely refer to some form of Western operation against this entity (<em><a href='B:730 13:3'>Rev 13:3</a></em>). Likewise the beast was, is not, and yet will be <em><a href='B:730 17:8'>Rev 17:8</a></em> - i:e. it will be revived after apparent destruction. But the final picture is of the beast having free reign in the earth / land promised to Abraham. We must look, therefore, to Zion being forsaken of all her lovers, America particularly pulling out of supporting Israel. We already can see the beginnings of such a situation developing. The West will either collapse, perhaps financially, and become impotent; or will come to a policy position which refuses to support Israel nor get involved in on the ground operations within the land promised to Abraham. Their impotence is however described in terms of their 'worshipping' the beast and&nbsp;<em>therefore</em>&nbsp;fearing to make war with it (<em><a href='B:730 13:4'>Rev 13:4</a></em>). The Greek for 'worship' can mean to cower or fawn before a person; the West may be forced to this position by Islamic elements within their own nations, by an oil and energy embargo, or something similar. Another option is that the 'world' spoken of in Revelation 13 is specifically the world around Israel; but in our days of a global village, that would still require that the West is left impotent to intervene. It has been their background support of Israel which has kept the current situation in balance so far. But <em><a href='B:730 9:14'>Rev 9:14</a></em> speaks of the hordes of enemies being bound at the Euphrates River, and then being released by Angelic action. This restraint which is released could well refer to an Angelically-orchestrated removal of the West's restraining power. With no such power broker in the region, the forces of Islamic jihad will without doubt burst forth over the Euphrates, the boundary of the land promised to Abraham, and surge towards Israel.</p><p>However we interpret the beast and its horns, the point has to be accepted that it is radically different to any entity or empire which has ever dominated the earth / land of Israel before. It was "terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong::. it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it" (<em><a href='B:340 7:7'>Dan 7:7</a></em>). It is this same beast which led John in Revelation to be staggered and amazed. For such an entity to dominate Israel in the last days, the current geopolitical situation must change. The West will be powerless to stop it. The historical support of Israel by the West, and their continual involvement on the ground in the Middle East to avert catastrophe and protect their interests there::. will end. This could be because of their financial collapse, or an oil / energy stranglehold over them,&nbsp;or the uprise of domestic forces allied with Islam which leave them powerless to get involved; or maybe they genuinely turn against Israel.</p><p>Or perhaps the beast entity is in possession of military technology, just as Goliath was, which leads to the sense that nobody can make war with this beast: "Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" (<em><a href='B:730 13:4'>Rev 13:4</a></em>). And if 'all' that is required for peace is to let these guys have their way with Israel::. well, that will be a price which will seem cheap compared to the unleashing of nuclear, germ, chemical or some other kind of technology against the West. "Who is like unto the beast?" suggests that it is felt that nobody is comparable with the beast in order to make war with it; there is a superiority of military ability which is perceived which results in recognizing that this entity cannot be challenged. The language is very much of David and Goliath. The current dependency of Israel upon military technology to maintain the upper edge over their enemies must therefore come to an end. All those scenarios are well on the way to development. Nuclear technology is already in the hands of Iran, and can spread easily to irresponsible hands. It would also be typical of Russian foreign policy to spite the West by arming the West's enemies with such technology. Without the West as the power broker in the Middle East, such an entity will surely arise. The release of the restrained horsemen on the banks of the Euphrates may refer to this restraining influence being removed (Revelation 9, 16). The growth of the IS shows the potential for it, if nothing else. So the very prediction of such an entity arising in the land promised to Abraham has some radical implications for the West.</p><p>Judah’s invasion by the Babylonians is clearly a type of the latter day invasion by the Islamic entity or state. The Biblical record emphasizes Judah’s sense of betrayal, in that her lovers and friends i:e. other nations had not come to her aid as they had promised and as she had hoped (Lamentations is full of such language). This has its counterpart today, in that Israel depends upon the West to be the power broker deflecting any major strike against them by the Islamic powers around them. But that factor will be removed, the promises and undertakings will not come true- because the Biblical picture is of a huge state in power over Israel without opposition.</p><p>If we are looking for a power or ideology within the land promised to Abraham which focuses upon the destruction of Israel, then we do not have far to look. Radical Islam explicitly encourages Moslems to attack Israel and force Jews to either convert to Israel or be killed: Consider these passages from the Hadith: "You will fight against the Jews and you will kill them until even a stone would say: Come here, Muslim, there is a Jew (hiding himself behind me); kill him" (Book 41:6981). Book 19:4366 likewise: "I will expel the Jews and Christians from Arabia and will not leave any but Muslim". The 'Arabia' here is often interpreted as the Arabian Peninsula, but that was probably not in Mohammed's perceptual geography. By 'Arabia' he meant 'the lands where the Arabs live', and that area includes Israel, inhabited as it is by several million Palestinian Arabs.</p>


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<p>13:5&nbsp;<em>And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies-&nbsp;&nbsp;</em>The suggested allusion is to David overcoming the Palestinian Goliath, who all else feared to make war with as he spoke his blasphemy against God and Israel- exactly the language of <em><a href='B:730 13:4-8'>Rev 13:4-8</a></em><em>:&nbsp;</em>Then shall come to pass the word of <em><a href='B:450 12:8'>Zec 12:8</a></em>: "He that is feeble among them s:w. <em><a href='B:340 11:41'>Dan 11:41</a></em> about how many in the land of Israel will be overthrown or made feeble in that day shall be as David".</p><p>The idea of being given a mouth is taken from the Olivet prophecy; in the last days of AD70 and the final last days, the witnessing believers will likewise be given a mouth (<em><a href='B:490 21:15'>Luk 21:15</a></em>). They will be empowered to speak against this evil system. All the mouth and authority of this system will be given it from above, just as was the case with the Lord's sufferings at the hands of the Roman and Jewish systems.</p><p><em>And there was given to him authority to continue for forty two months</em>- The point of Revelation is that all authority and power in their utter totality is with the Father and Son. The persecution of God's people, both in the last days and historically, has been allowed and even empowered by them. The idea that the dragon empowered the sea beast is only true from an earthly perspective, and is not at all Heaven's view. And the purpose of Revelation is to help us perceive that. Historically, this might refer to periods like Nero's persecution (Nov. 64 - June 68). But the 42 months is the time, times and a half, the 1260 days, the three and a half years of the Elijah ministry, the period of witness by the two witnesses and the hiding of the infant Jesus in Egypt.</p>


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<h4>13:6&nbsp;<em>And he opened his mouth to blaspheme against God, to blaspheme His Name and His tabernacle, even those that dwell in the heaven</em>- The 42 months of the Jihadist beast's prolonged persecution of Israel is also aimed specifically at God's "tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven" (<em><a href='B:730 13:5-6'>Rev 13:5-6</a></em>), i:e. the temple (<em><a href='B:110 8:30'>1Ki 8:30</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:100 15:25'>2Sa 15:25</a></em>; <em><a href='B:650 7:26'>Heb 7:26</a></em>; <em><a href='B:140 30:27'>2Ch 30:27</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 20:2'>Psa 20:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 11:4'>Psa 11:4</a></em>). The figurative 'temple' is therefore the faithful of the last days (<em><a href='B:530 3:16'>1Co 3:16</a></em>;&nbsp; <em><a href='B:540 6:16'>2Co 6:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 2:21'>Eph 2:21</a></em>). The earthly temple in Jerusalem has been judged and marked out for destruction in chapter 11. God's tabernacle is in the hearts of the believing Christians of the last days. John is seeing a vision of the heavenly throne room, where all on earth has Angelic representation. In this sense those who are in heaven can be blasphemed and persecuted on earth.</h4>


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<p>13:7&nbsp;<em>And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation</em>- The concept of the court of Heaven is a major key to understanding the book of Revelation. Events on earth are described in terms of their connection with the Angelic system in Heaven which has arranged them. “The accuser of our brethren” being cast out of Heaven (<em><a href='B:730 12:10'>Rev 12:10</a></em>) would therefore refer to how in the court of Heaven, an Angel represents the system who accused the brethren on earth. This isn’t to say that the Angel representing the accuser is sinful. “It was given unto” the beast to have power to persecute the saints, just as the Lord had perceived that His persecutors only had the power that was “given” unto them thereby associating the saints’ final time of trial in the last days with the Lord’s sufferings. But the power was “given” by the Angels in the court of Heaven, empowering people on earth to carry out what they permit.</p><p>The overcoming of the saints a term appropriate to both natural Israel and the true Christians of the last days is spoken of in the murder of the two witnesses in chapter 11. They did not love their lives unto death (<em><a href='B:730 12:11'>Rev 12:11</a></em>); these are the "saints" who are overcome by the beast in <em><a href='B:340 7:25'>Dan 7:25</a></em>. Many will be slain, although some will be miraculously preserved by being snatched away, or even literally up into the sky (see on <em><a href='B:730 11:12'>Rev 11:12</a></em> and <em><a href='B:730 12:5'>Rev 12:5</a></em>).</p><p>The tribes, peoples etc. who give him authority are primarily those in the area of his provenance over the earth / land promised to Abraham, upon whom Babylon sits (<em><a href='B:730 17:15'>Rev 17:15</a></em>). But it is out of these very tribes, peoples etc. that some will convert to Christ, and they are singled out for especial notice and praise because of this (<em><a href='B:730 5:9'>Rev 5:9</a></em>); for it is they to whom the Gospel is preached in the very last days (<em><a href='B:730 14:6'>Rev 14:6</a></em>).</p>


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<p>13:8&nbsp;<em>And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name has not been written in the book of life of the Lamb that has been slain from the foundation of the world</em>- All inhabitants of the land promised to Abraham worship this entity; with the sole exception of those who shall be saved eternally, the true Christians in that area. This means that on the territory of what is today Syria, Israel, Iraq etc. there will emerge true Christian converts. Jihadists insist upon conversion to their form of Islam on pain of death. Hence the totality of support for them in this area.</p>


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<p>13:9&nbsp;<em>If anyone has an ear, let him hear</em>- The inhabitants of the earth / land consider the beast invincible and permanent, and therefore they worship him (see on :4). They have not paid attention to the continued reminders in Revelation that all power, authority and strength is not with human empires but with the Lord Jesus. This is the reason for this appeal, to 'hear' the words of this prophecy and to not assume that the beast is ultimately powerful, permanent nor invincible.</p>


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<p>13:10&nbsp;<em>If anyone is for captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints</em>- This speaks of the final desolation of Israel by the beast in terms of 'leading into captivity', associated with the beast having power over "all kindreds, tongues and nations" in the earth / land promised to Abraham. The remaining Jews will be taken into captivity in those areas; and the attitude of the Islamist jihadists, ever seeking as they are to incarnate Israel's historical enemies, is such that this scenario is now quite imaginable.</p><p>To resist his captivity and killing with the sword is "the patience and faith of the saints" (<em><a href='B:730 13:7'>Rev 13:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 13:10'>Rev 13:10</a></em>). The beast leading saints into captivity and death sounds like ghettos and concentration camps- our persecution may well be through our having to suffer along with natural Israel. Those who openly proclaim themselves to be spiritual Israel will be treated the same as the Jews. For this reason, the distinctively Jewish aspect of our hope should be appreciated by us now in this our time of spiritual preparation. The mad intensity of the beast's persecution of the saints in the last days has not yet been seen by us.</p><p>Goliath was the Arab "champion" (<em><a href='B:90 17:51'>1Sa 17:51</a></em>), using the Hebrew word 'Gibbor'. This connects with the description of Messiah as 'El-Gibbor' in <em><a href='B:290 9:6'>Isa 9:6</a></em>, and shows that the latter day Arab powers may well be headed up by one charismatic individual, who sets himself up as a pseudo-Messiah. The Hebrew word used for "champion" in&nbsp; <em><a href='B:90 17:4'>1Sa 17:4</a></em> literally means 'the man who goes between the two camps', again pointing forward to the mediatorial office of the true Messiah. The root meaning of 'Goliath' is 'to lead and to go into captivity', which fits in with his wager that the Philistines would go into Jewish captivity if they killed him, and vice versa. This may be the basis of <em><a href='B:730 13:10'>Rev 13:10</a></em> concerning the little horn and mouth of the beast: "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity" (AV). This power having "a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies" (<em><a href='B:730 13:5'>Rev 13:5</a></em>) certainly corresponds with Goliath's loud-mouthed blasphemy. "He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them" (<em><a href='B:730 13:6-7'>Rev 13:6-7</a></em>) is Goliath exactly (cp. his blasphemy of the Angels in&nbsp; <em><a href='B:90 17:26'>1Sa 17:26</a></em>). "All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him" (<em><a href='B:730 13:8'>Rev 13:8</a></em>) recalls Goliath's charisma, indicated by the Philistines fleeing once they saw that he was dead. "He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword" (<em><a href='B:730 13:10'>Rev 13:10</a></em>) nicely concludes this set of allusions- Goliath was killed with his own sword. These parallels indicate that Goliath is a prototype of the latter day 'mouth' or personal figurehead of the 'beast'. Note in passing how <em><a href='B:10 12:3'>Gen 12:3</a></em> may have hinted at this figure right at the start&nbsp;of God’s purpose with Israel: “Him that curseth thee will I curse” (RV). The method of persecution will be by leading into captivity and killing with the sword (<em><a href='B:730 13:10'>Rev 13:10</a></em>)- the house churches of the latter day "earth" herded into cattle trucks and hauled away to mini prison camps, sharing the sufferings of natural Israel? Once again, the account of the beast here is underpinned with hints of out Lord's sufferings (<em><a href='B:730 13:10'>Rev 13:10</a></em> = <em><a href='B:470 26:52'>Mat 26:52</a></em>; 'he that leads into captivity' recalls Jesus being led away by Judas and the soldiers; 13:7 cp. the disciples being 'overcome' in Gethsemane).</p>


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<p>13:11&nbsp;<em>And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon</em>- The beast of :1 arose from the sea, the area adjoining the earth / land promised to Abraham. This one specifically arises from within the land promised to Abraham. The beast of <em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em> was empowered by the dragon, and this next beast also speaks as the dragon. The same teaching or philosophy is being taught. But he has horns like a lamb. Lambs, newborn sheep, don't have horns. Goats do. So the idea is that this beast has two horns, perhaps two leaders or entities associated with it, which claim to be Christian, or perhaps claim to be as Jesus. Islam also believes in a return of Jesus, so perhaps these are false prophets, false Christs within the radical Islamist system, who claim to be the returned Jesus:&nbsp;</p><p>It’s worth mentioning that the Koran teaches that the final punishment of the Jews will involve faithful Muslims becoming as a beast of the earth to Israel: “And when the time for the fulfilment of our word against them will come, we shall bring forth for them a beast from the earth who will speak to them because people did not believe in our Sign” (Sura 27:82). Perhaps Mohammad was again getting his Bible references garbled (note how the Koran assumes Haman and Pharaoh lived at the same time, Sura 28:6); perhaps he actually had in mind “the beast arising from the earth” of <em><a href='B:730 13:11'>Rev 13:11</a></em> which has a mouth speaking great things against Israel. Radical Islamists seek to fulfil the Koran as literally as possible; but because it contains so many fragments of Bible prophecies, they are effectively striving to fulfil latter day Bible prophecy&nbsp;</p><p>The beast of the earth must look back to the common phrase "beast of the earth" in Genesis (e:g. <em><a href='B:10 1:25'>Gen 1:25</a></em>). The serpent is an epitome of the bestial desires found in the beasts, and is thus the prototype 'beast' of later prophecies:&nbsp;The serpent being the greatest of the beasts (<em><a href='B:10 3:1'>Gen 3:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:10 3:14'>Gen 3:14</a></em>) points to the latter-day beast being supreme over the other nations. The most basic principle behind the symbolism of the beast is found in <em><a href='B:10 1:28'>Gen 1:28</a></em>, where man is told to "have dominion over" (Heb. 'to break to powder', cp. <em><a href='B:340 2:35'>Dan 2:35</a></em>) the beasts:&nbsp;&nbsp; This was to teach him the need to dominate the bestial instincts of the flesh. Thus the beasts are set up as representative of the flesh. It is therefore understandable that the devil (sin), the beast and the serpent are linked in <em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em>, and that <em><a href='B:240 28:15'>Pro 28:15</a></em> parallels "a wicked ruler" with a wild bear or lion; the beast epitomizes the sinful person who controls it:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>As the serpent deceived Adam and Eve, so the beast will deceive the Jews and weak Christian believers of the last days. The serpent/beast in its first century Jewish manifestation is described as seducing the saints through the subtle reasoning of the Judaizers (<em><a href='B:540 11:3'>2Co 11:3</a></em>). These people used many "fair speeches" (<em><a href='B:520 16:18'>Rom 16:18</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:720 1:15'>Jud 1:15</a></em>), suggesting that their prototype, the serpent, persuaded Eve to eat the fruit after a lengthy series of discussions, albeit unrecorded. "Yea, hath God said::." (<em><a href='B:10 3:1'>Gen 3:1</a></em> AV) implies the continuation of an unrecorded conversation:&nbsp;The beast's agents of the last days will likewise use the tactic of extended public speeches using superficially deep arguments:&nbsp;Their political arm will be doing the same to destroy the morale of natural Israel, after the pattern of Rabshakeh's speeches to the Jews during the Assyrian invasion. Being an apostate Jew he may possibly have a latter-day equivalent in a Jewish leader, who deserts to the Arab cause, urging Israel to capitulate:&nbsp;Likewise there may be a specific "man of sin" who similarly tempts spiritual Israel:&nbsp;The description of him in <em><a href='B:600 2:3'>2Th 2:3</a></em> is framed in terms of Judas - implying that he will be an apostate Christian?</p><p>The judgment of the serpent was by the voice of God (cp. Christ, the word) walking through the garden, summoning the sinful parties to judgment:&nbsp;This easily looks forward to Christ's second coming, and the judgment by Him in His role as the word made flesh (<em><a href='B:730 19:13'>Rev 19:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:10 3:8'>Gen 3:8</a></em>). The beast has always been associated with a pseudo-spirituality, an aping of true God manifestation; the four beasts of Daniel 7 and Revelation (dragon, sea beast, earth beast and scarlet beast) are a pseudo-cherubim:&nbsp;There is a connection between the beasts of God manifestation and the cherubim in <em><a href='B:730 4:7'>Rev 4:7</a></em>;&nbsp;indeed, the Hebrew word for 'beast' seems to be the equivalent of the phrase "living creature" used in Revelation concerning the cherubim:&nbsp;The beast and beasts therefore represent systems which falsely claim that they are the vehicle of God manifestation:&nbsp;This most clearly fits the claims of jihadist Islam. With all this in mind, it must be significant that <em><a href='B:290 14:29'>Isa 14:29</a></em> speaks of Assyria as a "cockatrice" born out of "the serpent's root", i:e. she was the seed of the serpent. "His fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent" is the language of <em><a href='B:290 6:2'>Isa 6:2</a></em> concerning the seraphim. Thus the Assyrian seed of the serpent is associated with a pseudo-seraphim, and a false God manifestation. The Assyrian invasion is the prototype of the traumas of the last days in Israel.</p><p><em><a href='B:50 32:24'>Deu 32:24</a></em> connects the 'beasts' of the surrounding nations with the Genesis serpent:&nbsp; "I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust" (cp. <em><a href='B:10 3:14'>Gen 3:14</a></em>):&nbsp;There is also a connection between the serpent and beasts in <em><a href='B:290 30:6'>Isa 30:6</a></em>:&nbsp;"The teeth of beasts" coming down upon Israel will be finally fulfilled in the jihadist desolation prophesied in <em><a href='B:360 1:6-7'>Joe 1:6-7</a></em>, where the Assyrians of the future (<em><a href='B:360 1:15'>Joe 1:15</a></em>) are described as having Israel between their "cheek teeth" tearing the bark off the Israeli vine and fig (cp. <em><a href='B:290 9:12'>Isa 9:12</a></em> concerning the Philistines / Palestinians).</p><p>Israel being the sheep of God's pasture is a common Bible figure:&nbsp;&nbsp; Whenever their shepherds were negligent over a prolonged period, the figure was extended to describe the 'wild beasts' of the surrounding nations invading the land and mauling the flock:&nbsp; <em><a href='B:350 13:6-8'>Hos 13:6-8</a></em> is typical of those passages which speak in these terms:&nbsp;Verses 7 and 8 liken these nations to the lion, leopard and bear, all of which are nations mentioned in Daniel 7, which are constituents of the huge system of Arab domination described in Daniel 2. These three beast nations are all part of one "wild beast”, as the nations of the image in Daniel 2 are all part of the same latter-day confederacy headed by 'Babylon': "I will be unto them as a lion:&nbsp;as a leopard::. as a bear:::&nbsp;<em>the</em>&nbsp;wild beast":&nbsp;&nbsp; Likewise <em><a href='B:290 56:9-10'>Isa 56:9-10</a></em>;&nbsp; <em><a href='B:300 30:16'>Jer 30:16</a></em> and <em><a href='B:330 34:5'>Eze 34:5</a></em> feature the beasts of Babylon and the surrounding nations as preying on the flock of Israel due to their sleepy shepherds:&nbsp;&nbsp; After Israel's spiritual awakening&nbsp;<em>they</em>&nbsp;will become like a beast among the 'sheep' of the jihadist nations (<em><a href='B:400 5:8'>Mic 5:8</a></em>), continuing the theme of the Jews doing to the Arabs as they did to them. It is possible that <em><a href='B:50 28:26'>Deu 28:26</a></em> also refers to the beasts of the surrounding nations:&nbsp;"Thy carcase shall be meat::. unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away" (AV):&nbsp;This alludes to the fowls being frayed away while the covenant was made to Abraham:&nbsp;Thus while Israel abode in the covenant, the neighbouring nations surrounding them were kept away:&nbsp;Similarly <em><a href='B:330 34:25'>Eze 34:25</a></em> associates the making of the covenant with Israel in the last days, with the "evil beasts" leaving the land. Time and again Israel's neighbouring enemies are likened to "wild beasts". The list of references is impressive: <em><a href='B:350 2:12'>Hos 2:12</a></em>;&nbsp; <em><a href='B:330 5:17'>Eze 5:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 14:15'>Eze 14:15</a></em>;&nbsp; <em><a href='B:230 80:13'>Psa 80:13</a></em>;&nbsp; <em><a href='B:300 7:33'>Jer 7:33</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 15:3'>Jer 15:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 16:4'>Jer 16:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 19:7'>Jer 19:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 7:22'>Deu 7:22</a></em>. Job's Sabean invaders are called "the beasts of the earth::. the beasts of the field" (<em><a href='B:220 5:22-23'>Job 5:22-23</a></em>):&nbsp;It is possible that "beasts" in these passages can be read as an intensive plural - i:e. 'the great beast', which symbolizes all of Israel's various enemies:&nbsp;&nbsp;This equivalence of the multitude of these enemies with a singular beast is seen in <em><a href='B:330 34:28'>Eze 34:28</a></em>, which parallels "the heathen" (enemies of Israel) with "the beast of the land" (singular):&nbsp;Revelation 17 similarly exhibits&nbsp;<em>the</em>&nbsp;(singular) beast as comprising a number of nations (heads/horns).</p><p><em><a href='B:230 74:19'>Psa 74:19</a></em> RV asks God not to deliver His people “unto the wild beast”. This is one of the Asaph Psalms, written in the context of the restoration. The ‘beast’ threatening to destroy Judah then was a confederacy of her surrounding neighbours. <em><a href='B:230 73:13-14'>Psa 73:13-14</a></em> likens these enemies to a many headed dragon. Another such Psalm, Psalms 83 (<em><a href='B:230 83:1'>Psa 83:1</a></em>), asks for protection against a confederacy of 10 such nations. In all this we have a remarkable type of the last days after the pattern of Daniel and Revelation-a beast with 10 horns, seeking to devour the recently returned people of God from off their land:&nbsp;<br/>There is repeatedly the theme that Israel’s enemies are confederated together under one confederacy which has one leader. Psalms 118 can be shown to be relevant to Hezekiah at the time of the Assyrian invasion (see George Booker,&nbsp;<em>Psalm Studies</em>). He speaks of how “all nations compassed me about”, i:e. the surrounding Arab nations confederate with Assyria. And yet Hezekiah speaks about them as if they are really headed up by one individual: “Thou you singular didst thrust sore at me” (<em><a href='B:230 118:13'>Psa 118:13</a></em>). The beast is to punish people by beheading them (<em><a href='B:730 20:4'>Rev 20:4</a></em>)- and it's only Islam at the moment which legally practices beheading as a form of execution.</p><p>The symbology of the beast was particularly used concerning Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon's king, was given a beast's heart and lived with them (<em><a href='B:340 4:16'>Dan 4:16</a></em>) to show his personification of the beast:&nbsp;"The beasts of the field, i:e. the surrounding nations, were given into his control (<em><a href='B:340 2:38'>Dan 2:38</a></em>), thus they constituted part of the beast of Babylon, " the noisome beast" of <em><a href='B:330 14:21'>Eze 14:21</a></em>:&nbsp;Babylon's army is likened to "beasts" in <em><a href='B:300 34:20-21'>Jer 34:20-21</a></em>:&nbsp;As God gave power to Assyria and Babylon to achieve His will (Isaiah 10), so He will to the latter-day beast (<em><a href='B:730 13:5'>Rev 13:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 13:7'>Rev 13:7</a></em>). The description of the beast leading people into captivity (<em><a href='B:730 13:10'>Rev 13:10</a></em>) shows another connection with Assyria/Babylon, whose trains of captives were well known:&nbsp;&nbsp; The beast causing men to worship it (<em><a href='B:730 13:12'>Rev 13:12</a></em>) recalls Nebuchadnezzar's decree concerning the statue on the plain of Dura (<em><a href='B:340 3:1'>Dan 3:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 3:5'>Dan 3:5</a></em>):&nbsp;The historical "beast of the field" was associated with the wilderness (<em><a href='B:290 43:20'>Isa 43:20</a></em>), as the beast of <em><a href='B:730 17:3'>Rev 17:3</a></em> is a wilderness power.</p>


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<p>13:12&nbsp;<em>He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his sight. He makes the earth and those who dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose wound had been healed</em>- The earth beast demands worship for the wounded and healed sea beast, and to "the image of the beast". The beasts may destroy themselves by infighting, or by temporary victories against them by Israel and the West. But they continue reincarnating, repeating the ideology of the dragon system of chapter 12. The beast is identified with its notable wounded horn. Just as the dragon loses power but somehow continues in influence, so the sea beast is down but not out; for the earth beast operates "in his sight" or presence. This could refer to a very fast sequence of Islamist entities dominating the land in the last days. Or it could be that again we have a kaleidoscope of images, and the images revealing different aspects of the beasts overlap with each other as they rotate. All Daniel's four beasts must exist in the last days, just as the four beasts of Revelation co-exist with each other (dragon, sea and earth beasts and scarlet beast).</p><p>Those who dwell in the earth / land are forced to worship the first beast. The idea of forced worship fits exactly with the jihadist way of enforcing conversion to their brand of Islam.</p><h4>Babylon and the beast with which it is associated is said to have power over the nations of whole earth / land (<em><a href='B:340 7:23'>Dan 7:23</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 13:12'>Rev 13:12</a></em>). This is referring back to the way in which historical Babylon was praised by the whole earth / land (<em><a href='B:300 51:41'>Jer 51:41</a></em>), and had an army which included men from "the whole earth", the territory promised to Abraham (<em><a href='B:300 34:1'>Jer 34:1</a></em>). As Babylon of the last days will influence all nations of the earth with her wine, so Babylon of old is spoken of in the same way (<em><a href='B:300 51:7'>Jer 51:7</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:730 17:2'>Rev 17:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 17:4'>Rev 17:4</a></em>). Thus several prophecies speak of how Babylon's fall had effects on the whole earth (e:g. <em><a href='B:300 50:46'>Jer 50:46</a></em>); and latter day Babylon likewise (<em><a href='B:730 18:9-10'>Rev 18:9-10</a></em>). If we are correct in interpreting "Babylon" as a radical Islamic power of the last days, based on the prototype of historical Babylon, then we must look for a nation like Iran or Iraq to gather together the surrounding powers for an assault on Israel, and to somehow bring the whole world under the control of this confederacy. An Muslim-dominated UN or Muslim-fearful or other global political power could bring this about. "The Charter of Allah" makes it clear that Islam aims for world domination, within which "co-existence is possible with other religions, but only on Islamic terms and under Islamic domination". Thus the control of the other peoples within the earth / land, and even of the rest of the world may not be as difficult in practice as it may seem; if, for example, the Pope makes some suitable deference to Islam on behalf of all 'Christians', such a situation would come into existence.</h4>


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<p>13:13&nbsp;<em>And he does great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men-&nbsp;</em>The beast makes fire come down from heaven, just as Elijah did. The inference is that the latter day miracles of the Elijah ministry will be matched, to some degree, by the false claims of the beast. The miracles performed at Israel's deliverance from Egypt were likewise mimicked by the persecutors of God's people. The beast acquires a puppet beast (or "publicity agent" in the words of Peter Watkins) who does "great wonders" (miracles) which deceive many (<em><a href='B:730 13:13-14'>Rev 13:13-14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 19:20'>Rev 19:20</a></em>). These miracles must be impressive, seeing that they result in&nbsp;<em>all</em>&nbsp;that dwell on the earth / land, except the faithful, receiving the mark, of the beast. It is hard to make this prophecy of such impressive false miracles have a significant fulfilment in the past. Miracles of the credibility described here have not been seen since the first century. Again, remember that the Olivet prophecy describes false miracles being done in the last days, which almost convince the very elect. They must therefore really be something very impressive.</p>


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<p>13:14&nbsp;<em>And he deceives those that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which were given to him to do in the sight of the beast, saying to those that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image of the beast who was wounded by the sword but lived</em>- "The sight / presence" of the beast refers to the first, sea beast; see on :12.</p><p>The two beasts of Revelation 13 appear to effectively operate as one, just as the beast is identified with its horn which is mortally wounded and yet revives (the same language is used of the beast- <em><a href='B:730 13:3'>Rev 13:3</a></em> cp. 12,14). It seems that the beast has publicity agents- another beast which appears to be a lamb but speaks as the dragon. Perhaps the idea is that a religious entity like the false Christian / Catholic / Orthodox Church seeks to get people to worship the Islamic beast under colour of some compromise. There will be apparent miracles which encourage people to believe these entities have credibility. <em><a href='B:730 13:14-15'>Rev 13:14-15</a></em> speaks of an image being made to the beast and the image speaking. It was common in the first century to claim that statues could speak; the Simon Magus of <em><a href='B:510 8:9'>Act 8:9</a></em> is recorded in extra-Biblical history as being able to do this (see G:E. Ladd,&nbsp;<em>A Commentary on the Revelation of John</em>&nbsp;p. 184). God will ‘allow’ this to happen, in line with His way of deceiving the deceivers and confirming them in the way they wish to go. The bringing to life of an image recalls the way that God created Adam and then gave him the breath of life. The claim will be that resurrection and new life are in the power of the new entity and its leader; perhaps there will be a claim to be the resurrected Mahdi figure of Islam or something similar. And God will “allow” this, or give real power to make it appear that these miracles have really happened.</p><p>Perhaps all those living in the earth / land will be forced to make or have some image to the beast, some physical item which demonstrates their allegiance; perhaps worn as a necklace or ring. This would then have the mark of the beast upon it; see on :16-18 where we suggest this is the seal of Mohammed.</p><p>The beast of the earth in <em><a href='B:730 13:11-18'>Rev 13:11-18</a></em> seems to have some&nbsp;first century application to the cult of emperor worship which became so popular throughout the Roman empire: it speaks in the voice of the dragon (:11), from whom it receives its power; and like the first Beast, it attempts to mimic the Lamb (:12, 13). It seems to be a personification of an Antichrist embodied in the pagan priesthood, which endeavoured to draw all men to the cult of the emperor. In these thoughts we see just how radical was the Apocalypse in its first century context:&nbsp; “The image to the beast” (<em><a href='B:730 13:13'>Rev 13:13</a></em>) would refer to representations of the divinized Roman emperors. “The wound of the sword” (<em><a href='B:730 13:13'>Rev 13:13</a></em>) is possibly an allusion to the mortal wound Nero inflicted upon himself in ad 68. Nero was perceived to live again in the persecutor Domitian (Tertullian,&nbsp;<em>Apol.</em>&nbsp;5). Note how it is “the beast” who appears to have died or been wounded and then revives (<em><a href='B:730 17:8'>Rev 17:8</a></em>)- and yet these are references to what happened to Nero. The symbolism correctly perceives how the empire was incarnated in one man, the emperor:&nbsp;</p>


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<p>13:15&nbsp;<em>And he was permitted to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast should speak, and cause to have killed as many as would not worship the image of the beast</em>- I suggested on :14 that each person dwelling in the earth / land will be forced to make this image to the beast. He is "permitted", by God, to make these images of the beast appear to have real life. This will then be the great example of God confirming people in their misbelief, by allowing these images to have some kind of apparent life and power. Any who would not worship it would then be killed:&nbsp; <em><a href='B:730 13:10'>Rev 13:10</a></em> has said that he who kills s:w. with the sword shall be killed with the sword; and this will come true at the Lord's return (<em><a href='B:730 19:21'>Rev 19:21</a></em>). So the killing is by the sword or dagger / knife, which is typical of how jihadists kill those who refuse to convert and obey them.</p><p>The beasts of Revelation seem to be described in terms of the Kingdom of God, and the descriptions link within Revelation to the descriptions of God's Kingdom. The point is being made that these beasts, both over time and in the last days, are fake Kingdoms of God.</p><table><tr><td></p><h4>Beasts</td><td>The Kingdom Of God</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The dragon has Angels (<em><a href='B:730 12:9'>Rev 12:9</a></em>)</td><td>As Christ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>He figuratively comes from heaven to earth (<em><a href='B:730 12:10'>Rev 12:10</a></em>)</td><td>"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Speaks of us day and night before God's throne (12:10)</td><td>"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Has a name in his forehead (<em><a href='B:730 13:2'>Rev 13:2</a></em>)</td><td>"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Given power, throne and authority (<em><a href='B:730 13:13'>Rev 13:13</a></em>)</td><td>"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Does great miracles and signs (13:13)</td><td>"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Faithful followers have mark in their hands and foreheads (<em><a href='B:730 13:17'>Rev 13:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 20:4'>Rev 20:4</a></em>) and are " sealed" (13:16)</td><td><em><a href='B:330 9:4'>Eze 9:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 7:3'>Rev 7:3</a></em></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>All the world worships the beast (<em><a href='B:730 13:12'>Rev 13:12</a></em>)</td><td>All the world will worship God (<em><a href='B:730 15:4'>Rev 15:4</a></em>)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Followers as numerous as sand on the sea shore (<em><a href='B:730 20:8'>Rev 20:8</a></em>)</td><td>As the seed of Abraham</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Their followers have one mind (<em><a href='B:730 17:3'>Rev 17:3</a></em>), and are world-wide</td><td>How it should be amongst us</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The woman clothed with a blood red robe and a cup (<em><a href='B:730 17:4'>Rev 17:4</a></em>)</td><td>Cp. the sacrificial office of Christ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The beast is, was and will be (<em><a href='B:730 17:8-11'>Rev 17:8-11</a></em>); an allusion to the Yahweh Name</td><td>God is, will and will be (<em><a href='B:730 16:5'>Rev 16:5</a></em>)</td><td></td></tr></table><p>The beast systems, as Babylon and Assyria before them, were false Kingdoms of God. The beast has the power to give&nbsp;<em>pneuma</em>&nbsp;to the image / body of the first beast (<em><a href='B:730 13:15'>Rev 13:15</a></em>)- an evident mimicry of God’s creation of Adam. They appear to offer, here and now, the things of the Kingdom, and the fleshly-minded are persuaded by them. This is all playing out the drama of Eden again; the serpent offered equality with God, the wisdom of God, when it was actually the wisdom of the serpent. Adam and Eve grasped for what was offered, unlike the Lord Jesus, who refused to grasp at equality with God (Philippians 2 is full of allusion to the events of Genesis 3). What happened in Eden is in essence the epitome, the prototype of all temptation and sin (<em><a href='B:690 2:16'>1Jn 2:16</a></em> = <em><a href='B:10 3:6'>Gen 3:6</a></em>). Every one of our temptations has an element of this; we are tempted to grasp for&nbsp;what looks like the Kingdom here and now. Pentecostals are an evident example of this; they think they can obtain the full healing and physical ecstasy of the future Kingdom here and now. And on a more common level, there are many of us who reach out for the supposed fulfilment of hobbies, the supposed peace and 'security' of a nice home and bank balance, when these things are actually a false fulfilment, peace and security, the peace and security of Satan's Kingdom which is a counterfeit of the spiritual fulfilment, peace and security of Christ's Kingdom. A very evident example of this is found in Rabshakeh's offer to the inhabitants of Jerusalem: 'If you reject Yahweh as your God, the King of Assyria will give you a Kingdom where you will "eat every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree" ' (<em><a href='B:290 36:16'>Isa 36:16</a></em>); in saying this, Rabshakeh was quoting the very words of <em><a href='B:400 4:4'>Mic 4:4</a></em> concerning the Kingdom of God. The Jews were faced with the choice of God's Kingdom, or Satan's Kingdom, couched as it was in terms of God's Kingdom. Likewise, the world around us isn't passive. It is actively seeking to deceive. There is a tension between us and this world, including the apostate 'Christian' world, which is vital to recognize if we are to share the salvation of God's Kingdom and avoid the condemnation of Satan's Kingdom. There can be no half way position.</h4><p>Those who will refuse to worship the beast will be killed (<em><a href='B:730 13:15'>Rev 13:15</a></em>); but those (responsible) who try to avoid this death will themselves be&nbsp;<em>tortured</em>&nbsp;to death by the Lamb, because they worshipped the beast and did not openly testify to their faith (<em><a href='B:730 14:9-11'>Rev 14:9-11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 16:2'>Rev 16:2</a></em>). See on <em><a href='B:470 3:11'>Mat 3:11</a></em>.</p>


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<p>13:16&nbsp;<em>And he causes all, the small and the great and the rich and the poor and the free and the bondservant, to be given a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead</em>- The beast system will insist that all people receive the mark in their foreheads (<em><a href='B:730 13:15-16'>Rev 13:15-16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 14:11'>Rev 14:11</a></em>). This was an allusion to the way slaves were branded with a mark of ownership. And so in the very last days it will intensely cost to have the stigmata, the marks / brand, of being true servants of Jesus. It will cost and hurt to really believe His words, that we cannot serve two masters. This is why those who are slaves of others are pictured here as all becoming slaves of this beastly coalition:&nbsp;<br/>We either receive the mark of the beast and ultimately face torture and the wine of God’s wrath; or we refuse it and face Babylon’s wrath (<em><a href='B:730 13:16-17'>Rev 13:16-17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 14:9-10'>Rev 14:9-10</a></em>). Now is the time for self-examination.</p>


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<p>13:17&nbsp;<em>So that no one should be able to buy or to sell, unless he has the mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name</em>-</p><p>This is very much the language of how those excluded from the synagogues were treated for accepting Jesus as Christ (<em><a href='B:500 9:22'>Joh 9:22</a></em>). The figure of 666 (:18) is only found in the Bible concerning Solomon's Israelite kingdom. This of course was but an incipient fulfilment of the final terrorizing of Jews and Christians by the jihadist entity. Likewise it has been shown that in Nero’s time it was forbidden for Christians to use Imperial coinage, with its&nbsp;images of Caesar as Lord. It was in this sense impossible to buy or sell unless one was willing to accept the mark of the beast- exactly as in <em><a href='B:730 13:17'>Rev 13:17</a></em>. The next verse goes on to identify the number of the beast / man as being 666. And yet this is the sum of the Hebrew letters in ‘Neron Caesar’ Whatever other application these verses may be seen to have to Catholic persecution, there can be little doubt that their first century context applies to the persecution of the early converts. Later, Domitian demanded that he be worshipped as Lord and God, " Dominus et deus noster" (Suetonius,&nbsp;<em>Domitiani Vita,</em>&nbsp;13:4). John records how Thomas called the Lord Jesus “my lord and my God”, in active opposition to this kind of thinking (although Domitian came after Thomas). One couldn’t worship Caesar and the Lord Jesus. The Lord Himself had foreseen this when He warned that His followers couldn’t serve two masters. Domitian demanded to be called ‘Master’, but this was impossible for the Christian. Indeed, much of Revelation seems taken up with this theme of the first century refusal to worship the Caesars and deified Roman empire on pain of persecution (<em><a href='B:730 13:4'>Rev 13:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 14:9'>Rev 14:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 14:11'>Rev 14:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 16:2'>Rev 16:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 19:20'>Rev 19:20</a></em>). “Following the Neronian persecution, being a Christian was tantamount to being part of a criminal conspiracy, and Christians (unlike other religious groups) were punished simply for being Christians (Tacitus&nbsp;<em>Annals</em>&nbsp;15:44:5; Pliny&nbsp;<em>Letters</em>&nbsp;10:96:2-3). Their crime was an unwillingness to worship any God but their own, an exclusiveness the Greeks labelled "atheism." The refusal to sacrifice to pagan gods and on behalf of deified emperors was perceived as a threat to the harmonious relationship between people and the gods” (J:L. Mays, Editor,&nbsp;<em>Harper’s Bible Commentary</em>, (New York: Harper and Row, 1988). Although in many parts of the 21st century world the tension between the believer and the beast is not articulated so starkly, the essential realities of the conflict remain, and must be felt by us:&nbsp;</p>


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<p>13:18&nbsp;<em>Here is wisdom. He that has understanding, let him count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty six</em>- The first beast, representing Babylon, had "the heart of a man" (<em><a href='B:340 7:4'>Dan 7:4</a></em>). It was the embodiment of an individual person- Nebuchadnezzar. The latter day Babylon likewise will be centred around a person- the antiChrist figure of the last days, who in turn will profess to be the incarnation or embodiment of the false prophet Mohammed. Nebuchadnezzar in his madness became as a beast- with a body like a beast, hair like an eagle, and nails like those of a beast (<em><a href='B:340 4:33'>Dan 4:33</a></em>). This language is all used about the beasts in the later prophetic parts of Daniel's prophecy. They had features of eagles (<em><a href='B:340 7:4'>Dan 7:4</a></em>), bodies of beasts (<em><a href='B:340 7:11'>Dan 7:11</a></em>), and remarkable nails or claws (<em><a href='B:340 7:19'>Dan 7:19</a></em>). Nebuchadnezzar became like such a beast because the latter day beast would be the embodiment of him, just as the image of Daniel 2 had the face of Nebuchadnezzar and was in the form of a man. The beast is epitomized by a man- "the number of the beast:::is the number of a man" (<em><a href='B:730 13:18'>Rev 13:18</a></em>).</p><p>The little horn takes a stand against the Prince of princes and then is destroyed “but not by human power” (<em><a href='B:340 8:25'>Dan 8:25</a></em>), i:e. he will be destroyed by the stone Jesus cut out without human hands. This is just the language of 2 Thessalonians 2, of how the Antichrist will be destroyed by the Lord’s sudden return. Micah and Isaiah call this individual “the Assyrian” (<em><a href='B:290 10:5'>Isa 10:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 14:25'>Isa 14:25</a></em>). We have shown elsewhere that the description of Lucifer being thrown out of heaven can be read as describing the fall of a future King of Babylon in the last days. The most comfortable understanding of antiChrist as being an Assyrian / Babylonian is that he will be an Assyrian / Babylonian, and ruler of those areas. A leader of Iraq would ideally suit thIsa. And their leadership shows every sign of the aggression, megalomania and anti-Semitism which will characterize the antiChrist. Note too that Gog is the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal- areas identified by some as being in present Iran / Iraq. The number of the beast is the number of a man (<em><a href='B:730 13:18'>Rev 13:18</a></em>); he becomes personally identified with the system that persecutes the saints and Israel in the last days.</p><p>The black flags carried by the jihadists have a roughly drawn circle with a brief summary of the Moslem creed: 'There is none other God than Allah and Mohammed is His messenger'. The circle is roughly drawn because it is a replica of Mohammed's seal which he attached to his decrees and communications. To receive the mark of the beast may well refer to receiving such a stamp or carrying such an insignia, perhaps literally on the forehead. Because pictures of jihadist fighters show them with this symbol on their foreheads:&nbsp; The seal of Muhammad was held to have magic qualities, and the loss of the seal amounted to the loss of the caliphate and the loss of unity among Muslims. Now, the Islamists are popularizing the seal again, announcing a caliphate and urging Muslim unity- a unity which will ultimately be focused against Israel. The false prophet and beast are Biblically associated with false miracles, so something to look for would be the claims of false miracles or magic, as was once associated with the seal- see Muhammad Zafrulla Khan,&nbsp;<em>Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets</em>, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1980 (chapter 12). The jihadist flag has a name, just as the British flag is called 'the Union Jack', the Canadian flag ‘the maple leaf’, the French flag is called the tricolour and the American flag ‘the stars and stripes’. It is called The Black Banner or Black Standard, also known as&nbsp;<em>rayat al-`uqab&nbsp;</em>"the banner of the eagle". The final enemies of Israel are described as coming upon her "as swift as the eagle flies" (<em><a href='B:50 28:49'>Deu 28:49</a></em>). Babylon is spoken of as an eagle in <em><a href='B:300 48:40'>Jer 48:40</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 7:4'>Dan 7:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:420 1:8'>Hab 1:8</a></em> and <em><a href='B:330 17:3'>Eze 17:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 17:12'>Eze 17:12</a></em>, as is Assyria (<em><a href='B:350 8:1'>Hos 8:1</a></em>) and as are the Ammonites (<em><a href='B:300 49:16'>Jer 49:16</a></em>) and Edom (<em><a href='B:380 1:4'>Oba 1:4</a></em>). The IS flying the banner of the eagle therefore associates them with being a reincarnation of Israel's historical enemies. &nbsp;</p><p>The mark of the beast is to be worn on the hand, yet the Greek word for "hand" is the same as for "arm". Jihadist fighters are wearing this symbol, the seal of Mohammed, on rings and armbands- and we can expect this to become what they demand of their subject peoples too. We could expect the coinage and other symbols of any such beast entity to include it too, so that literally one could not buy or sell without it, in the earth / land under their control. The mark of the beast in the forehead is clearly intended to be understood as the inverse of the “seal of God” which is in the forehead of the believers (<em><a href='B:730 9:4'>Rev 9:4</a></em>). The word&nbsp;<em>sphragis</em>&nbsp;used there definitely means a seal, and it is matched by the “mark” of the beast. That mark can be understood, therefore, also as a seal- and what more likely than the seal of Mohammed? It may be that signet rings are used to stamp documents, or it forms part of an insignia without which no business can be done in the land- e:g. on the coins and gold of the earth / land under their domination. The Koran itself speaks of how true Moslems will have the mark of Mohammad on their foreheads as a sign that they worship: “Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves. Thou O Muhammad seest them bowing and falling prostrate in worship, seeking bounty from Allah and His acceptance. The mark of them is on their foreheads from the traces of prostration” (Surah 48:29). In <em><a href='B:730 14:9'>Rev 14:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 14:11'>Rev 14:11</a></em>, having the mark of the beast is connected with worshipping him. The Islamic jihadist movement set to take over Israel is a highly religious movement, seeking to strictly obey the Koran. They are highly conscious of these verses.</p><p>The Biblical data concerning the mark of the beast suggests that this will be used by "the beast" and will be enforced upon those who "dwell upon the earth" (<em><a href='B:730 13:14'>Rev 13:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 13:17'>Rev 13:17</a></em>). "The earth" Biblically refers to either the whole planet, or the land- the land promised to Abraham, from the Nile to the Euphrates. This promised land is the focus of the Bible. The beast of Revelation is another take on the beast of Daniel 7, which in turn is an amplification of the fourth empire of the image of Daniel 2. The empires or kings of Daniel 2 all refer to those entities who reigned over "the whole earth / land"- of Israel, as discussed further in my exposition of Daniel 2. The same earth / land is in view here in Revelation. The latter day Islamic entity can therefore be expected to gain control over that territory and to enforce the acceptance of Islam there. The mark is specifically the mark of a man (<em><a href='B:730 13:18'>Rev 13:18</a></em>)- and that man is clearly Mohammed, seeing that the ensign of the jihadists is the seal of Mohammed. And according to some usages of gematria whereby each letter in the Hebrew or Arabic alphabet has a numerical value, Mohammed in Greek, Mahomet, (Μ?α?ο?μ?ε?τ?ι?ς?has) has a value of 666:</p><p>Mu &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alpha Omicron&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mu Epsilon&nbsp; Tau &nbsp;Iota&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sigma&nbsp;<br/>40 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 70 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;40 &nbsp; 5 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;300 &nbsp;&nbsp; 10 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 200 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>TOTAL: 666</p><p>Don't dismiss gematria too quickly. The Bible itself uses it here in <em><a href='B:730 13:18'>Rev 13:18</a></em>. There, the number 666 is not written as it would normally have been, as a number, but rather as three Greek letters,&nbsp;<em>chi xi stigma</em>; which between them add up to 666 by gematria. So it would seem that we are being invited to work out the riddle through the use of gematria. There are some connections in form between the letters of the Greek and Arabic alphabets, just as there are between the letters of the Cyrillic and Latin alphabets (e:g. 'R' in the Latin alphabet is the inverse of '?' in the Cyrillic). When those three Greek letters are turned on their side, they read exactly as the Arabic letters which spell&nbsp;<em>Bis'm Allah</em>- "In the name of Allah", which is the credo of Islam and the jihadists. This appears to be another connection between Islam and the mark of the beast.</p><p>We note too from <em><a href='B:730 13:14'>Rev 13:14</a></em> that the beast system does apparent 'miracles'; and the seal of Mohammed was historically supposed to be able to perform miracles. We could expect such false claims to be made within the territory dominated by the latter day Islamists also. The Islamic State has already demonstrated how they dealt with areas they conquer- all economic life is controlled by them and people are forced into submission to the new system. Nobody will be able to buy and sell in the territory of the earth / land promised to Abraham without displaying the mark of loyalty to the jihadists- the seal of Mohammed.</p><p>The book of Revelation, like all Bible prophecy, will have particular and acute relevance to those who live in the very last days before Christ comes. There is a particular blessing repeated for those who refuse to accept the mark of the beast. That brave and tiny minority will be comprised of those Jews who refuse to convert, and instead convert to Jesus Christ in their desperation. And for them, the book of Revelation holds out particular blessing (<em><a href='B:730 14:9-11'>Rev 14:9-11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 15:2'>Rev 15:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 20:4'>Rev 20:4</a></em>).</p><p>The little horn of Daniel 7 is the beast of Revelation 13 :</p><table><tr><td></p><h4><em><a href='B:340 7:8-21'>Dan 7:8-21</a></em></td><td><em><a href='B:730 13:5-7'>Rev 13:5-7</a></em></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>"::. a mouth speaking great things" (verse 8) "And he shall speak great words against the most High ::." (verse 25)<br/>"I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them" (verse 21)</td><td>"And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies . . . And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven" (verses 5,6) "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them" (verse 7)</td><td></td></tr></table><p>Notice that the little horn of Daniel 7 is actually called "the beast": "I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame" (<em><a href='B:340 7:11'>Dan 7:11</a></em>).</h4><p>The little horn is also to be connected with the “King of the north” of Daniel 11, which is based upon Antiochus and the leaders of the northern part of the Greek empire, from Syria. The fact the current jihadist leadership has emerged from Syria is maybe significant in this context:</p><table><tr><td></p><h4><em><a href='B:340 7:1-7'>Dan 7:1-7</a></em></td><td><em><a href='B:340 8:1'>Dan 8:1</a></em> +</td><td><em><a href='B:340 11:1'>Dan 11:1</a></em> +</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1.</td><td>The little horn</td><td>The little horn</td><td>"The king"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2.</td><td>At the end</td><td>At the end</td><td>At the end</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>of the times</td><td>of the times</td><td>of the times</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>of the Gentiles</td><td>of the Gentiles</td><td>of the Gentiles</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>3.</td><td>Very aggressive</td><td>Very aggressive</td><td>Very aggressive</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4.</td><td>"A look more stout than his fellows"</td><td>Magnifies himself</td><td>Magnifies himself</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>5.</td><td>A mouth speaking</td><td>Speaks marvellous</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>great things against</td><td>things against the</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>the Most High</td><td>God of gods</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>6.</td><td>Makes war against the saints and prevails</td><td>Destroys the holy people</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>7.</td><td>Destroyed by the</td><td>Destroyed by the</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ancient of days</td><td>Prince of princes</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></table><p>The first beast, representing Babylon, had "the heart of a man" (<em><a href='B:340 7:4'>Dan 7:4</a></em>). It was the embodiment of an individual person- Nebuchadnezzar. The latter day Babylon likewise will be centred around a person- the antiChrist figure of the last days, who in turn will profess to be the incarnation or embodiment of the false prophet Mohammed. Nebuchadnezzar in his madness became as a beast- with a body like a beast, hair like an eagle, and nails like those of a beast (<em><a href='B:340 4:33'>Dan 4:33</a></em>). This language is all used about the beasts in the later prophetic parts of Daniel's prophecy. They had features of eagles (<em><a href='B:340 7:4'>Dan 7:4</a></em>), bodies of beasts (<em><a href='B:340 7:11'>Dan 7:11</a></em>), and remarkable nails or claws (<em><a href='B:340 7:19'>Dan 7:19</a></em>). Nebuchadnezzar became like such a beast because the latter day beast would be the embodiment of him, just as the image of Daniel 2 had the face of Nebuchadnezzar and was in the form of a man. The beast is epitomized by a man- "the number of the beast:::is the number of a man" (<em><a href='B:730 13:18'>Rev 13:18</a></em>).</h4>&nbsp;


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<p>14:1- see on <em><a href='B:620 4:17'>2Ti 4:17</a></em>.</p><p><em>And I looked, and beheld the Lamb standing on mount Zion, and with him one hundred and forty four thousand, each having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads</em>- See on :3. There is an important difference between the 144,000 in chapter 7 and those in chapter 14. Chapter 7 concerns the&nbsp;<em>sealing&nbsp;</em>of the faithful Israelite believers as the latter day tribulation in the land begins. They are marked as God's people, marked for protection, as were the Israelites whose houses were covered by the blood of the Passover lamb, and as repentant Jews were marked on the forehead in Ezekiel 9. In Revelation 14&nbsp;these redeemed Israelites are&nbsp;<em>harvested:&nbsp;</em>They are united to each other and to the Lord Jesus Christ at His return. They are called firstfruits, hinting at the&nbsp;great ingathering later in the same chapter. It seems this group of saints are resurrected before the great multitude from all nations; or perhaps they refer to the Jewish converts within Israel who are snatched away from persecution (<em><a href='B:730 11:12'>Rev 11:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 12:5'>Rev 12:5</a></em>). This would be another application of the principle, "to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile" (<em><a href='B:520 2:10'>Rom 2:10</a></em>). Again, there is an allusion to the events of the Lord's death here; for the graves were opened and Jewish believers who had recently died were resurrected and appeared as witnesses against the system who had crucified their Lord.</p><p>The Lamb comes to be on Mt. Zion with the believers in that they are snatched away there and judged there; see on <em><a href='B:730 11:12'>Rev 11:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 12:5'>Rev 12:5</a></em>. John maybe has the reverse image of Judas and Peter standing with the Lord's enemies in mind when he writes that the redeemed shall stand with Jesus on Mount Zion facing the hostile world.</p><p>The Name- i:e. God's character- has been engraved in their foreheads, in distinction to the name of the beast being upon the foreheads of his followers at the end of chapter 13. In <em><a href='B:730 14:11'>Rev 14:11</a></em> the name of the beast has to be merely 'received'- a rather passive verb, perhaps reflecting how the beast forces token conversion and worship. We either 'receive' the beast's name, or have God's name slowly engraved. We can't have a forehead / mind / underlying heartbeat which has both names. See <em><a href='B:730 14:9'>Rev 14:9</a></em> note. "His<em>&nbsp;Father's</em>&nbsp;Name" is used rather than simply 'God's Name', to show how we have God's Name placed upon us because of His revelation in the Lamb, His Son.</p>


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<p>14:2&nbsp;<em>And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and the voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers playing their harps</em>- They are the Heavenly antithesis to the harpers within the Babylon-beast system (<em><a href='B:730 18:22'>Rev 18:22</a></em>), just as the 144,000 sealed with the Lord's Name on their foreheads are the antithesis to those at the end of the preceding chapter 13 who have the beast's mark of 666 in their foreheads. Perhaps the harpers refer to the Angels John was beholding in the heavenly vision of the throne room? But in what sense are the harpers different from the four beasts and the 144,000 believers of :3? Or was God's one voice somehow like the voice of many harpers, unity in diversity? Or is it that the believers are each represented by an Angel before God, and so the voice and harping of the Angels is that of their charges on earth, those whom they represent? This is the option I prefer.</p><p>John often 'flits' between earth and Heaven in his visions, because he is demonstrating how situations and people on earth have their representatives in Heaven amongst the Angels who are before God's throne in the Heavenly court room. Here, John sees the 144,000 on Mount Zion, on earth. But he then hears a crowd in Heaven singing the song which only the 144,000 can learn. The voices in Heaven are those of their representative Angels; the singing of victory songs in Heaven with harps is likewise performed by Angels in <em><a href='B:730 5:8'>Rev 5:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 5:11-12'>Rev 5:11-12</a></em>. The 144,000 are "without fault before the throne of God" (<em><a href='B:730 14:5'>Rev 14:5</a></em>) because their representative Angels stand there before the throne acceptable to God (<em><a href='B:730 14:3'>Rev 14:3</a></em>). The Lamb, the Lord Jesus, is now&nbsp;<em>standing</em>&nbsp;on earth, on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, rather than&nbsp;<em>sitting</em>&nbsp;at the Father's right hand in Heaven. This surely speaks of the time of His return to earth. <em><a href='B:230 2:6-12'>Psa 2:6-12</a></em> anticipates the Messiah as being enthroned on Mount Zion; then will be fulfilled <em><a href='B:290 24:23'>Isa 24:23</a></em> "The Lord of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion".</p>


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<p>14:3&nbsp;<em>And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders-&nbsp;</em>Here we have the situation on earth merging with the situation John is beholding in Heaven. There's a frequent connection made between the Angels and the redeemed at the Lord's return, for He returns from Heaven with the Angels. It will be so appropriate for the believers to be united with their guardian Angels at this time. We shall stand before the presence of&nbsp;his glory with exceeding joy (<em><a href='B:720 1:24'>Jud 1:24</a></em>). <em><a href='B:730 14:3'>Rev 14:3</a></em> paints the picture of the righteous singing before the throne of judgment. In Him, in that day, will be fulfilled <em><a href='B:430 3:17'>Zep 3:17</a></em>: "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee::. He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. I will gather them that are sorrowful (us) for the solemn assembly", when the Lord will keep Passover with us again.</p><p><em>And no one could learn the song-&nbsp;</em>This implies there will be those who try to repeat the song, seek to enter the life eternal, but cannot. Eternal life, salvation, redemption, is likened to an eternally sung song.</p><p><em>Save the hundred and forty four thousand, they that had been purchased out of the earth</em>- The 144,000 refers therefore to those who had been redeemed from the earth / land promised to Abraham during the last day tribulation. The idea of purchased "out of" may refer to how some of these latter day Jewish converts are apparently taken out of the earth / land to some safe place (see on <em><a href='B:730 11:12'>Rev 11:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 12:5'>Rev 12:5</a></em>). Perhaps there will be a literal 144,000 who repent and convert to Christ, and seeing they did so in the face of the worst tribulation, they are worthy of special mention.</p>


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<p>14:4&nbsp;<em>These are they that were not defiled with women, for they are virgins-&nbsp;</em>The "women" are the prostitute women associated with the Babylon system. The contrast is with Babylon the whore who rides the beast system. We have not yet encountered her in Revelation; but as I have stressed so often, we do not have here a linear, chronological timeline being presented. Rather do images rotate and merge, as is typical of the apocalyptic genre.</p><p>The faithful Jewish remnant within the land will have resisted pressure to convert to Islam. Such Muslim pressure upon Jews living in the land to convert to Islam is easily imaginable. For the Koran teaches Moslems that they have a special duty to bring Jews to Islam: "O children of Israel::. Believe in what I have sent down to you (this Qu'ran), confirming that which is with you, the Taurat Torah::. and mix not truth with falsehood" (Surah 2:40-42). Indeed, much of the lengthy second Surah of the Koran is full of such demands for "the children of Israel" to submit to Islam. The reason given is that the Jews supposedly "conceal the truth while they know it" because the Torah supposedly supports Islam, although Muslims claim the Jews changed the original (Surah 2:146); and also that Mohammed was sent to the Jews but they rejected Him (Surah 2:151).</p><p><em>These are they that follow the Lamb wherever he goes</em>- Alluding to <em><a href='B:480 15:41'>Mar 15:41</a></em>, the women who followed Jesus around Galilee in the days of popularity and mass adulation, followed Him also to the rejection and loneliness of the cross. To follow "whithersoever" is a challenge:&nbsp; <em><a href='B:480 15:40-41'>Mar 15:40-41</a></em> makes the point that the women who followed the Lord in fair weather times in Galilee also followed Him to the darkness of the cross: “There were also women beholding from afar: among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the little and of Joses, and Salome; who, when he was in Galilee, followed him and ministered unto him”. <em><a href='B:470 13:55'>Mat 13:55</a></em> makes it apparent that Mary the mother of James and Joses is clearly enough Mary the mother of Jesus- for He had brothers of those names. She had followed Him to Cana, and now, she faithfully followed Him to the cross. But <em><a href='B:730 14:4'>Rev 14:4</a></em> alludes to all this by saying that all the redeemed follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Thus Mary and the ministering women, following even to the cross, become typical of us all. Not only following the Lord in popularity, but also in the real and radical demands of His cross:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><em>These were purchased from among men to be the firstfruits to God and to the Lamb</em>- The promise of greater harvest is perhaps implied in the subsequent presentation of the Gospel we meet here. At the time of the Lord's return, many others will be converted, far greater in number than those redeemed in this dispensation? Surely "firstfruits" implies that.</p>


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<p>14:5&nbsp;<em>And in their mouth was found no lie. They are without blemish</em>- The very language used about the Lord Jesus in <em><a href='B:670 2:22'>1Pe 2:22</a></em>. His personality and character, down to His way of speaking, are imputed to us. Only by imputed righteousness can it be said that a person has no guile (<em><a href='B:230 32:2'>Psa 32:2</a></em>). Guile / deceit / dishonesty is seen as the epitome of sin, and to be without guile is the height of righteousness. To be honest about who we are, not seeking to impress, being straightforward, who we are matching what we say- this, rather than dramatic works, is the height of righteousness. "Found" implies a process of searching- at the judgment? "Blessed is the man::. in whose spirit is no guile" (<em><a href='B:230 32:2'>Psa 32:2</a></em>) is picked up in <em><a href='B:730 14:5'>Rev 14:5</a></em>: "In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God". The picture of forgiven David in Psalms 32 (<em><a href='B:230 32:1'>Psa 32:1</a></em>) is what we will each be like after acceptance "before the throne of God". Yet David's experience can also be ours here and now; in those moments of true contrition, we surely are experiencing salvation in prospect.</p><p>The reference is to <em><a href='B:430 3:13'>Zep 3:13</a></em> concerning the repentant remnant of Israel. 'Guile' is an allusion to Jacob- this is the true Israel purged of Jacob's negative side. This confirms my suggestion that primarily the 144,000 refer to a group of Jewish Christians redeemed from the earth / land of Israel as a result of their righteous response to the tribulation which comes upon them and their land. It is of course the Lord Jesus who has no guile in His mouth (<em><a href='B:290 53:9'>Isa 53:9</a></em>)- they are counted as "in Christ" because by faith and baptism they have become in Him, as a result of the Elijah ministry of the last days. We should be beginning that work now.</p><p>"Without blemish" is the language of spotless sacrifice in the LXX Exodus 29 (<em><a href='B:20 29:1'>Exo 29:1</a></em>); Exodus 1 (<em><a href='B:20 1:1'>Exo 1:1</a></em>); <em><a href='B:30 1:3'>Lev 1:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 4:3'>Lev 4:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 5:15'>Lev 5:15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 43:22-23'>Eze 43:22-23</a></em>). As in <em><a href='B:580 1:22'>Col 1:22</a></em> and <em><a href='B:720 1:24'>Jud 1:24</a></em>, the faithful are presented faultless before God's throne- only by the Lord's righteousness being counted to them.</p>


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<p>14:6- see on <em><a href='B:340 4:17'>Dan 4:17</a></em>.</p><p><em>And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having eternal good news to proclaim to those that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people</em>- <em><a href='B:730 14:6'>Rev 14:6</a></em> describes the great latter fulfilment of the great preaching commission in terms of an Angel flying in Heaven with the Gospel of the Kingdom to be preached to all nations and languages. Surely the implication is that the latter day preachers of the Gospel are walking on earth in league with an Angelic system above them, empowering and enabling them. See on <em><a href='B:550 5:25'>Gal 5:25</a></em>. <em><a href='B:730 14:6'>Rev 14:6</a></em> appears to draw a distinction between “them that dwell on the earth” and the more general inhabitants of the world: “every nation, kindred, tongue and people”.</p><p>An Angel may be given a mission to preach somewhere, and success may be arranged by Him in prospect, but it is for us to put the work&nbsp;into&nbsp;practical effect, without which the converts will not be produced, despite the Angels preparatory work, although of course ultimately this is all foreknown by God Himself. Thus we read in <em><a href='B:730 14:6'>Rev 14:6</a></em> of an Angel being sent "having the everlasting Gospel to preach&nbsp;unto them that dwell on the earth (same word as 'land'- i:e. the land of Israel), and to every nation, kindred and tongue and people "(i:e. the whole world as well). However, this actual work of preaching to the Jews and to the world will be done by the saints; thus they will work out in practice what was achieved by the Angel in God's plan. In this context it is worth considering how the great commission as recorded in <em><a href='B:470 28:18-19'>Mat 28:18-19</a></em> is set in the context of other references in Matthew to world-wide preaching. We are to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations; and yet it is the Angels who will gather the harvest from “the world” (<em><a href='B:470 13:38'>Mat 13:38</a></em>), Angels who will “repay” us for our work at the last day (<em><a href='B:470 16:27'>Mat 16:27</a></em>), Angels who gather the elect from “the four winds” (<em><a href='B:470 24:31'>Mat 24:31</a></em>) and gather converts from “all nations” to judgment (<em><a href='B:470 25:32'>Mat 25:32</a></em>). The implication surely is that in our preaching work, the Angels are with us and will gather in the converts which we have made.</p><p>The whole scene in <em><a href='B:730 14:6-9'>Rev 14:6-9</a></em> makes more sense if we imagine the nations presently living in the land promised to Abraham, confederated against Israel under Babylon, now having the Gospel preached to them. They are told&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;to confederate under Babylon. The ‘earth dwellers’ in the OT (especially in Joshua) invariably refer to the nations dwelling in the land, not the whole planet. Yet Babylon will reign over “the kings of the earth” (<em><a href='B:730 17:18'>Rev 17:18</a></em>), another phrase so often used in the OT of the nations dwelling in the land. So it would seem that generally they will reject the warning given to them to keep separate from her. Yet Revelation ends with: “the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it”. The kings of the land, once confederate with Babylon, will in the very end come to Zion and accept her rather than Babylon as their capital.</p><p>This witness to the nations, tribes etc. living in the earth / land promised to Abraham is also a witness to the entire planet. For the world's attention will be riveted upon what is going on there. But this need not necessarily have to follow chronologically from the 144,000 appearing on Mount Zion. It may be explaining how it came about, that those 144,000 are there; for I have suggested that this group refers to the largely Jewish converts made during the tribulation period, those who responded to the witness made by the "woman" of <em><a href='B:730 12:1'>Rev 12:1</a></em> (see note there), whose preaching to them was represented by the Angel flying through the heavenly throne room which John is beholding.</p>


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<p>14:7&nbsp;<em>He said with a great voice: Fear God and give Him glory For the hour of His judgment comes, and worship Him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters</em>- Conversion is a call to worship our creator, not merely assent to a set of theology. In the latter day context, the call is to worship&nbsp;<em>God</em>&nbsp;rather than the beast, who demands total worship (<em><a href='B:730 13:12'>Rev 13:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 13:15'>Rev 13:15</a></em>). This is a last minute appeal: "For the hour of His judgment is come". Like many Old Testament prophets, is this a last minute appeal for repentance in order to avert Israel and the world's final judgment? Perhaps it will succeed, explaining why some potential judgments like the seven thunders do not come (see on <em><a href='B:730 10:4'>Rev 10:4</a></em>). "When your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness" (<em><a href='B:290 26:9'>Isa 26:9</a></em>); for "the Lord is known by the judgment which he executes" (<em><a href='B:230 9:16'>Psa 9:16</a></em>). Israel's condemnation was to be "an instruction" unto the surrounding nations (<em><a href='B:330 5:14-15'>Eze 5:14-15</a></em>). And Israel herself will know that "I am the LORD" in their final condemnation, as Ezekiel so often prophesied. This clearly associates God's judgment with a learning process. "When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise" (<em><a href='B:240 21:11'>Pro 21:11</a></em>). Thus the nations are intended to learn from the experience of Israel’s condemnation (<em><a href='B:350 2:10'>Hos 2:10</a></em>). The repentance of Egypt will be because "the Lord shall smite Egypt::. and they shall return to the Lord" (<em><a href='B:290 19:18-22'>Isa 19:18-22</a></em>).</p><p>Heaven, earth, sea and waters have all featured in the descriptions of the judgments which have so far fallen upon the earth / land promised to Abraham. The world is bidden accept that the God who brought such turmoil upon them was also their creator.</p>


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<p>14:8- see on <em><a href='B:730 16:12'>Rev 16:12</a></em>.</p><p><em>And another, a second angel, followed, saying: Fallen Fallen is Babylon the great, that has made all the nations to drink of the wine of the anger of her fornication</em>- The word "fallen" occurs many times in Revelation. Believers either fall before the Lord, or fall in condemnation. We must fall and be broken- one way or the other (<em><a href='B:470 21:44'>Mat 21:44</a></em>). Making others sin is the ultimate sin. To make just one brother stumble means we should be thrown into the sea with a millstone around our necks (<em><a href='B:480 9:42'>Mar 9:42</a></em>). And Babylon has made multitudes stumble. Just as "the beast" is introduced in <em><a href='B:730 11:7'>Rev 11:7</a></em> without introduction, so "Babylon" is spoken of here as if we know all about her; although she is only spoken of in detail chapter 17. Revelation is a kaleidoscope of images. It's not that Babylon or a beast is introduced, defined and then we have progressive development of the theme in a chronological sense. What we have, true to the apocalyptic genre, is a kaleidoscope of images, rotating before us.</p><p>In 18:4 we have the same cry, "Babylon is fallen" and there is then an appeal to come out from her- to leave the beast system which has been dominating the earth / land. This appeal is repeated here when <em><a href='B:730 14:9'>Rev 14:9</a></em> warns that those who receive her mark will be destroyed. This is therefore the equivalent to the urgent appeal in :6 to respond to the Gospel. Babylon has fallen from heaven's perspective, but the fact people are asked to separate from her suggests that on earth, she appears still standing.</p><p>The Old Testament source passages teach the same; it is a man on a watchtower who perceives from afar that Babylon has fallen (<em><a href='B:290 21:8-10'>Isa 21:8-10</a></em>); and Isaiah's first hearers were hearing this&nbsp;<em>before</em>&nbsp;Babylon fell. Likewise <em><a href='B:300 51:8'>Jer 51:8</a></em> suggests that at the time of the cry that "Babylon is fallen", she could still repent and avert her judgment: "Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: wail for her; take her balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed". And the context speaks of her&nbsp;<em>impending</em>&nbsp;fall and destruction as if it is yet future: "I will send to Babylon strangers who shall winnow her; and they shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her around::. They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans" (<em><a href='B:300 51:2'>Jer 51:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 51:4'>Jer 51:4</a></em>).</p><h4>Drinking a cup of wine is a double symbol. It's either "the cup of blessing" or the cup of condemnation. Hence the breaking of bread service leads us to a T-intersection, we take the cup either to our eternal blessing or eternal condemnation. And we can't flunk the choice. God's judgment of her is because of her fornication. Babylon caused the nations around her to drink her wine of fornication, making them "mad" (<em><a href='B:300 51:7'>Jer 51:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 14:8'>Rev 14:8</a></em>):&nbsp;Wine being a symbol of teaching, this must point to 'Babylon' spreading the idea of Islamic fundamentalism to the nations around Israel (as "the nations" seem to normally refer to), making them "mad" in their hatred of Israel:&nbsp;Iran and Iraq, geographical Babylon/Assyria, are already noted for thIsa:&nbsp;As Sennacherib relied heavily on propaganda and religious rhetoric, so Nebuchadnezzar and his latter-day equivalent will do even more so:&nbsp; <em><a href='B:300 51:55'>Jer 51:55</a></em> speaks of Babylon as "the great voice”, referring to her religious propaganda. This will be quite complex, carrying with it all the power and persuasion of a pseudo-intellectuality:&nbsp;"Your wisdom and your knowledge, it has perverted you" (<em><a href='B:290 47:10'>Isa 47:10</a></em>).</h4>


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<p>14:9&nbsp;<em>And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice: If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives the mark on his forehead, or upon his hand</em>- As noted on :8, this is an appeal not to continue part of the Babylon system, to be one of the brave who refuse to have the mark of the beast upon them (see on <em><a href='B:730 13:17'>Rev 13:17</a></em>). This is particularly an appeal to those dominated by the beast, within the territory of her dominion, which is the earth / land promised to Abraham. The mark on the forehead alludes to how prostitutes had their name on their foreheads (<em><a href='B:300 3:3'>Jer 3:3</a></em>). By using Babylon as a prostitute, they themselves became as prostitutes. The warning is to come out of the beast / Babylon whore system, or refuse to submit to it even on pain of death.</p><p>Daniel’s friends' refusal to obey the command to worship Babylon's King is alluded to, which prophesy how the saints of the last days will be tested just as Daniel was, with a like miraculous deliverance. Daniel's representative role is most clearly shown in the figurative death, resurrection and judgment which he receives in Daniel 10. In this Daniel is acting out the experience of each of the approved. The comforting "Fear not Daniel" (<em><a href='B:340 10:12'>Dan 10:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 10:19'>Dan 10:19</a></em>) slots in to many other instances of Angels saying these words to frightened men. This makes it appropriate to speculate that the latter day believers will hear the same words from the Angel who comes to gather them (and cp. <em><a href='B:290 35:4'>Isa 35:4</a></em>, which gives the same "fear not" message to the generation which sees the second coming):&nbsp;</p>


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<p>14:10&nbsp;<em>He also shall drink of the wine of the anger of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb</em>- The wine of Babylon's fornication is matched by the wine of God's anger. I will be "without mixture", maybe implying that some who are condemned drink wine mixed with water, i:e. are condemned with a lesser condemnation. To drink wine without any dilution at all was unusual in the first century. It would've been very bitter. But those who are told Babylon has fallen and yet still take her whore's mark into their foreheads with Angels flying overhead appealing for repentance- will be punished most severely. The grades of condemnation inversely reflect the grades of acceptance, one star differing from another in glory, one over five cities, another over two.</p><p>The sulphur is to recall the destruction of Sodom. Sodom is equated with Babylon. Those who refused to leave or who turned back Lot's wife represent those in the last days who will refuse the Angelic call to leave the Babylon system.</p><p>This destruction will be "in the presence of" the Lamb and the Angels. He will be back on earth to judge this system, bringing His angels with Him. The Angels John had seen in vision in heaven would come to earth, to the very situations they had as it were acted out in the heavenly throne room. The other Biblical information about condemnation suggests that the rejected will be taken quickly out of the Lord's presence. He takes no pleasure in their destruction. So maybe we have here a snapshot of their agony in His presence as they perceive their final rejection before they are cast out of His presence. The rejected will be punished in the Lord's presence, and then cast out of His presence (<em><a href='B:600 1:9'>2Th 1:9</a></em>) into outer darkness. This suggests two stages of condemnation: the slinking away, within the Lord's presence, and then bring cast out into outer darkness (perhaps literal darkness?). The rejected are handed over to the judge who then casts them into prison or fire. The branches are cast forth, and then (stage two) cast into the fire (<em><a href='B:500 15:6'>Joh 15:6</a></em>). There are verses which speak of the rejected being slain before Christ, cut in sunder (i:e. slain with the sword) (<em><a href='B:290 63:1-6'>Isa 63:1-6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:51'>Mat 24:51</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 19:27'>Luk 19:27</a></em>). This presumably suggests that some will be punished quite soon after their rejection (e:g. the unwilling Jewish 'subjects' of Christ's Kingdom, <em><a href='B:490 19:27'>Luk 19:27</a></em>), whilst others will be punished and yet expelled from the Lord's presence to suffer the agony of existing without any relationship with the Lord they once loved. Again, <em><a href='B:490 19:27'>Luk 19:27</a></em> has an example of both. Surely these are the "many stripes" of&nbsp; <em><a href='B:490 12:47-48'>Luk 12:47-48</a></em>, compared to the "few stripes" of immediate death. Likewise the degree of punishment for individual Israelites in the wilderness was surely reflected in how long they were kept alive until they were finally wasted away by the Lord's hand. Some of the nations / political systems of the world are immediately destroyed at the Lord's coming, whilst others have their suffering period extended for a season and time (<em><a href='B:340 7:12'>Dan 7:12</a></em>). The rejected amongst the people of God will in some ways share the condemnation of the world which they loved. It may be that there will be different geographical areas of punishment; some are cast into fire, others into outer darkness, into prison (<em><a href='B:470 5:25'>Mat 5:25</a></em>)::. or are these simply saying that there will be different kinds of punishment? Or are they different figures for the same thing?</p>


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<p>14:11&nbsp;<em>And the smoke of their torment</em>- The allusion is to how Abraham saw the smoke of Sodom's destruction from a distance. They themselves are consumed, but the smoke, the memorial of their condemnation, will eternally remain. Smoke is a memorial to destruction- the individuals are totally and permanently destroyed, but the memorial of that remains. We will remember the rejected, in some sense, for eternity.</p><p><em>Goes up for ever and ever</em>- This going on throughout the 'aion of the aions' would suggest that there will always be the reminder of the condemnation of sinners. How this will be achieved in practice is hard to envisage. But in some way, there will always be a reminder of the rejection and judgment of the unworthy of this present dispensation. This will serve as a powerful reminder to the mortals of any future age or dispensation; it may well be something which we use to remind them of the seriousness of sin.</p><p>A<em>nd they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image and whoever receives the mark of his name-&nbsp;</em>They are the antithesis of the worshippers of God, who have no rest day nor night in worshipping Him (<em><a href='B:730 4:8'>Rev 4:8</a></em>). But this doesn't mean they consciously exist, for the Bible is clear that death is unconsciousness. As noted about&nbsp;<em>the smoke</em>, it is the memorial of their destruction which remains, and the "rest" in view is that which they could have experienced. For the same word is used of the "rest" which the Lord Jesus promised to those who believe in Him ("I will give you rest", <em><a href='B:470 11:28'>Mat 11:28</a></em>); and although a different Greek word is used, the idea is the same in the descriptions of the Kingdom of God as a "rest"&nbsp;<em>for the people of God</em>&nbsp;(<em><a href='B:650 4:9-10'>Heb 4:9-10</a></em>). But these are not the people of God. The way they missed this eternal rest will be eternally remembered. Another possibility is that "They have no rest day nor night" has a different reference to "the smoke" ascending up "for ever and ever". It may refer to the awful moments, days, months, maybe years, the rejected have to exist after their rejection. Their rejection means that simply existing is mental torment.</p><p>This situation will be ongoing "day and night". In the new Jerusalem, there will be no night (<em><a href='B:730 22:5'>Rev 22:5</a></em>)- but they will be outside of it, where day and night still exist. This is another illustration of the way that the Kingdom of God starts as a little stone at the return of the Lord Jesus, and spreads to fill the earth.</p>


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<p>14:12&nbsp;<em>Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus</em>- Keeping the commandments and having the Faith in Christ are paralleled. To have the commandments is to keep them (<em><a href='B:500 14:21'>Joh 14:21</a></em> Gk:)- a true understanding leads to obedience in practice. Perhaps the emphasis is on the idea of 'keeping'; for under the beast's domination, the Christians within the territory dominated by it will be sore pressed to renounce their faith.</p>


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<p>14:13- see on <em><a href='B:520 14:8-9'>Rom 14:8-9</a></em>.</p><p><em>And I heard the voice from heaven saying: Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from this time forward. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours. For their works follow them</em>- "Yes, says the Spirit" may refer to a Spirit-Angel (<em><a href='B:230 104:4'>Psa 104:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:650 1:7'>Heb 1:7</a></em>) who was the "voice from Heaven", gasping as it were at the wonder of how those who die in the Lord will be saved. Their works "follow" them, literally 'walk alongside with them'. Actions are important, even if we are saved by faith. For faith without works is dead. We come to judgment with our works, our lives, standing next to us. Those who do not worship the beast or have his mark will be killed (<em><a href='B:730 13:15-16'>Rev 13:15-16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 14:11'>Rev 14:11</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:340 3:6'>Dan 3:6</a></em>); in this context we are told by a special announcement from Heaven "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth" (<em><a href='B:730 14:13'>Rev 14:13</a></em>)- as if there will be a special blessing for those who die in the tribulation. This is why the 144,000, representing those converted at this time, are singled out for such special attention and blessing. "Them that had gotten the victory over the beast::. his image::. his mark::. sing the song of Moses" (<em><a href='B:730 15:2-3'>Rev 15:2-3</a></em>)- implying that their persecution by the beast was like being in Egypt, and their deliverance therefore gave rise to a new song of Moses. Their "works" which followed them may simply refer to their enduring in their faith in Christ and refusal of the beast's mark; for in John's Gospel, the work of God is to believe in His Son (<em><a href='B:500 6:29'>Joh 6:29</a></em>).</p>


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<p>14:14&nbsp;<em>And I looked and beheld a white cloud, and on the cloud I saw one sitting like a Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle</em>- The white cloud may be representing Angels, or the faithful believers (<em><a href='B:650 12:1'>Heb 12:1</a></em>), or simply a reference to how the Lord ascended in a cloud and will return likewise (<em><a href='B:510 1:11'>Act 1:11</a></em>). He is now King, crowned, but on account of His humanity as "Son of Man", He is well qualified to judge men. He has intimate personal experience of what it is to be human, and can judge humans appropriately. His sickle is sharpened- He is about to harvest.</p>


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<p>14:15&nbsp;<em>And another angel came out from the temple, crying with a great voice to him that sat on the cloud: Send forth your sickle and reap. For the hour to reap comes. For the harvest of the earth is ripe</em>- The Lord Jesus reaps the harvest of the earth, what has been brought forth in spiritual fruit in the territory of the earth / land dominated by the beast. This is another explanation of how came about the opening scene of the 144,000 in :1. His emphasis is upon harvesting the good harvest; the second reaping of :18-20 is of the wicked. In the parable of <em><a href='B:470 13:30'>Mat 13:30</a></em>, both the wheat and the tares are "gathered", but to separate places.</p><p>The allusion is clearly to the judging of the inhabitants of the land of Israel once “the iniquity of the Amorites was full” (<em><a href='B:10 15:16'>Gen 15:16</a></em>). And they refer to the non-Israelite inhabitants of the land promised to Abraham. The "earth" here is 'the land'- of Israel. There is to be a spiritual harvest of repentant Jews now accepting Christ. This is the 144,000 of :1 (see note there):&nbsp; The harvest is (Gk:)&nbsp; over-ripe. The second coming will be delayed; wickedness and spirituality will be ripe for judgment but it will be delayed to allow yet more to repent, such is the Lord's grace?.</p><p>Both the cross and the final judgment (<em><a href='B:730 14:7'>Rev 14:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 14:15'>Rev 14:15</a></em>) are described in John’s writings as ‘the hour coming’; the parallel language indicates that he presents the cross as the essence of the judgment. Isaiah 53 speaks of the Lord as being “bruised" upon the cross. But <em><a href='B:290 42:4'>Isa 42:4</a></em> had earlier used this language about Christ, saying that He would be bruised with the result that he would “set judgment in the earth" (RVmg:). His bruising thus set forth judgment to all. There was a&nbsp;<em>sedile</em>&nbsp;or seat affixed to the cross, on which the victim sat in order to get temporary relief. Thus some accounts of crucifixion describe the victim as mounting the cross as one would mount a horse. This would make the cross capable of interpretation as some kind of seat or throne. And significantly, there are men on the right hand and left of the Lord, one rejected, the other gloriously accepted. See on <em><a href='B:500 19:13'>Joh 19:13</a></em>.</p>


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<p>14:16&nbsp;<em>And he that sat on the cloud cast his sickle upon the earth and the earth was reaped</em>- "He that sat::." is the Lord Jesus in <em><a href='B:730 4:3'>Rev 4:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 5:7'>Rev 5:7</a></em>. Now His throne is a cloud- of glory, seeing the time for His open glorification has come. The sickle is literally a gathering hook, designed to harvest fruit. It is the fruit of the Spirit which has been developed throughout the tribulation which is His primary interest. "Reaped" is a form of the word for "summer"- literally, 'reaping time'. It is spiritual fruit on the fig tree, the repentance of a remnant in Israel, which means 'summer' or reaping time has come (s:w. <em><a href='B:470 24:32'>Mat 24:32</a></em>). In the Olivet prophecy, this is the final and most certain sign that of His return (<em><a href='B:480 13:28'>Mar 13:28</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 21:30'>Luk 21:30</a></em>). All the possible sequences of events hinge around this- the repentance of a remnant within Israel. This remnant is the 144,000 (see on :1), which is why they are given such parade importance in Revelation. This is why we read of the 'reaping' of the earth, whereas the next harvesting is not spoken of in those terms; rather is it a gathering of bad crops to destruction.</p>


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<p>14:17- see on <em><a href='B:650 9:23'>Heb 9:23</a></em>.</p><p><em>Another angel came out from the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle</em>- See on :16. This is a gathering unto condemnation. John has been beholding the temple scene in heaven. But now Angels actually come out of it and go to earth in reality to perform things. We note that this Angel comes out of "The temple which is in Heaven" and another coming out of the altar. Does this imply that the one from the altar is responding to the death of God's people on that altar as sacrifices? Or is the altar in view the incense altar, suggesting that this action of judgment is in response to human prayer offered there?</p>


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<p>14:18&nbsp;<em>And another angel came out from the altar, he that has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying: Send forth your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth. For her grapes are fully ripe</em>- Notice the Angelic cooperation. One Angel calls to another, informing that the time has come for the action which that Angel had been prepared to. This recalls the mutual function between the two Angels of Passover night; one hovering over the doors with blood on them, so that the destroyer Angel did not go there. See on :17. Perhaps the picture here is of an Angel coming out of the incense altar, and triggered by the incense of our prayers, asking another Angel to do something dramatic on earth. This is how powerful prayer is, especially in the last days:&nbsp;And it would explain why the exact chronology and nature of events in the last days is to some degree open- because the more prayer, the quicker things will happen. The more the unjust judge was nagged cp. prayer, the more he responded.</p><p>The idea of gathering bad fruit and dead branches from the vine and throwing them into the fire is alluding back to the Gospel of John and the Lord's description of the rejected being branches broken off from the true vine, because of their lack of spiritual fruit (<em><a href='B:500 15:2'>Joh 15:2</a></em>). Thus it would appear that there is one Angel responsible for co-ordinating the punishment of the rejected, which he does with fire just outside Jerusalem. This suggests that the rejected will be punished by literal fire in the locality of the historical Gehenna. The judgment is of the wild vine of the earth. The people in view would therefore be apostate Israel, those who collaborated with the Islamic beast; and also of the beast itself, in that jihadist Islam presents themselves as the true vine, the true Israel of God, with the Jews and Christians as the rejected Israel of God.</p>


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<p>14:19&nbsp;<em>And the angel cast his sickle into the earth and gathered the vintage of the earth, and cast it into the winepress, the great winepress of the anger of God</em>-</p><p>The harvesting of the vine of the earth / land is different from the general judgment of all men and the Gentile world. The vine of the land may refer to specific judgment upon Israel- hence the reference to 1600 furlongs of judgment in <em><a href='B:730 14:20'>Rev 14:20</a></em>, which was thought to be the length of the land of Israel.</p><p>This passage is quoting from <em><a href='B:290 63:1-6'>Isa 63:1-6</a></em>, where the treading of the winepress "without the city" (:20) is clearly with reference to the Lord's crucifixion "without the gate" (<em><a href='B:650 13:12'>Heb 13:12</a></em>). As He said, in His death, there was the judgment of the Jewish world. Our response to the cross is a foretaste of our response to the judgment experience. The essential reason why the people of the earth / land will be trampled there is because they had not accepted the judgment of the cross of Christ.</p>


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<p>14:20&nbsp;<em>And the winepress was trodden outside of the city; and there came out blood from the winepress, even to the bridles of the horses, as far as a sixteen hundred stadia</em>- See on :19. Trampled in the winepress "outside the city", i:e. where Jesus was crucified (<em><a href='B:500 19:20'>Joh 19:20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:650 13:11-13'>Heb 13:11-13</a></em>) is as if to show that these judgments on Israel came because of what they had done to Jesus, and their refusal of the judgment of His cross. 1600 stadia was reckoned to be the length of the land. The Itenerarum of Antonius of Piacenza says the length of Palestine was 1664 stadia. It could be that the idea of the land becoming awash with blood, the whole length of it, could refer to the final conflagration there. It will be the Lord's judgment of the wild and fruitless vine, but will effectively be brought about by people themselves turning upon each other. And this has often been how God has preferred to have judgment executed throughout history, allowing men to judge themselves by their own actions and with their own swords, rather than by destroying them by bolts of Divine wrath rained down upon them.</p><h4>"The horses" are not defined. They could be the horses with the Lord Jesus (<em><a href='B:730 19:14'>Rev 19:14</a></em>), but they are "white and clean", and trampling in blood seems an inappropriate clash of symbolism and figure. The other "horses" are those of the jihadist dominators of the land of chapter 6 and <em><a href='B:730 9:17'>Rev 9:17</a></em>. "The horses" suggests there is indeed reference to some other horses mentioned in Revelation. So the idea would be, as noted above, that the fruitless or wild vine is trampled to destruction by the beast supporters destroying themselves and trampling upon each other. This kind of crazed hatred within the camp of Israel's enemies has been often noted; and it is the horns who hate the whore who become so incensed against her that they figuratively eat her, performing cannibalism against her (<em><a href='B:730 17:16'>Rev 17:16</a></em>).</h4>


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<p>15:1- see on <em><a href='B:730 19:11'>Rev 19:11</a></em>.</p><p><em>And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous. Seven angels having seven illnesses which are the last woe, for in them is finished the anger of God</em>- Revelation 15 is a short introduction to the vials, and features a picture of a victorious, rejoicing multitude standing on a sea of glass, having gotten the victory over the beast. The vials in chapter 16 explain how this situation came about. One assumes that these seven plagues or illnesses are the seven vials. They may be part of the "plagues" with which the two witnesses smote their opponents "as often as they wished" (<em><a href='B:730 11:6'>Rev 11:6</a></em>; s:w. "illnesses"). In which case we note that they only smote them seven times. The same word for "plagues" (s:w. "illnesses" here) is used in the vials (<em><a href='B:730 16:9'>Rev 16:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 16:21'>Rev 16:21</a></em>); these are the plagues brought upon Babylon "in one day" (<em><a href='B:730 18:4'>Rev 18:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 18:8'>Rev 18:8</a></em>). They come, therefore, in quick succession, or even all at the same time; for the fall of Babylon is presented as surprisingly fast and quick. the seven vials / bowls cannot therefore very well refer to events over an extended period of history in the past, as insisted by the continuous historical school.</p><p>The purpose of these seven last plagues is not punishment or bloodletting for the sake of it. They are in order to complete the necessary wrath of God, and to usher in the glorious Kingdom situation of :2. This is why in <em><a href='B:730 21:9'>Rev 21:9</a></em> it is mentioned that it was the Angel who carried the seven last plagues who was the one who also showed John the vision of the glorified bride. Those plagues were necessary for her final development and exhibition.</p>


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<p>15:2&nbsp;<em>And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those that had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God</em>- The sea has been whipped up by winds and by the emergence of the sea beast from it (see on <em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>). Now all is calm, and those "in Christ" can stand on stormy water, just as He did. But the sea water is strangely mixed with fire. This blessed peace could come about only through the fire of Divine judgment. Those paraded upon or by that sea are those who had overcome the beast and the command to make an image to him and have his name upon them. These again refer to the specific group of Christian converts who endure the tribulation, loving not their lives unto death; the 144,000 of <em><a href='B:730 14:1'>Rev 14:1</a></em> (see note there). They are now the harpers, as opposed to the harpers of Babylon (<em><a href='B:730 18:22'>Rev 18:22</a></em>). John himself had earlier stood by the sea observing the sea beast emerge (<em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>); now, those who endured the beast without losing their faith, and even came to Christian faith during his domination, stand in that same place as John, who himself had undergone tribulation from the Roman and Jewish beast of his day.</p>


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<p>15:3&nbsp;<em>And they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, singing: Great and marvellous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Righteous and true are Your ways, You King of the ages</em>- The saints will sing "The Song of Moses", which Exodus 15 records was sung after the triumph at the Red Sea:&nbsp;This indicates that Israel in Egypt prior to that represents the saints, just before the Lord's coming:&nbsp; <em><a href='B:730 15:2-4'>Rev 15:2-4</a></em> is all in the context of the Exodus:&nbsp; "I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire (cp. the calm Red Sea after it had returned over the Egyptians):&nbsp; and them that had gotten the victory (God was victorious at the Red Sea, <em><a href='B:20 15:1'>Exo 15:1</a></em>) over the beast (Egypt is the prototype beast, <em><a href='B:290 51:9'>Isa 51:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 29:3'>Eze 29:3</a></em>) ::. having the harps of God (cp. Miriam's timbrels) ::. they sing the song of Moses::. Who shall not fear You (cp. <em><a href='B:20 15:14-16'>Exo 15:14-16</a></em>) ::. all nations shall come and worship before You;&nbsp;for Your judgments are made manifest”, referring to how the local nations of Canaan, the earth / land promised to Abraham, were subdued as a result of the Red Sea victory (see <em><a href='B:20 15:15'>Exo 15:15</a></em>):&nbsp;There must therefore be a latter day equivalent of the Red Sea deliverance of the faithful.</p>


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<p>15:4&nbsp;<em>Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your Name? For You only are holy. For all the nations shall come and worship before You. For Your righteous acts have been revealed</em>- "Who shall not:::?" suggests that others now surely must agree to glorify the Lord's Name. The events outlined in Revelation so far have involved the complete destruction of all people in the earth / land promised to Abraham apart from the faithful. So this appeal is to the rest of planet earth. All those nations will therefore come and worship at Jerusalem because of the events in the land promised to Abraham which have unfolded before their eyes, exactly in accord with the prophecies of Revelation.</p><p>God's judgments are in all the earth right now (<em><a href='B:230 105:7'>Psa 105:7</a></em>). God judged nations in order that men might&nbsp;<em>know&nbsp;</em>Him as Yahweh (e:g. <em><a href='B:330 25:11'>Eze 25:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 28:22'>Eze 28:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 30:19'>Eze 30:19</a></em>). Yahweh is exalted in His judging of men (<em><a href='B:290 5:16'>Isa 5:16</a></em>). His judgments make His Name / character manifest. This harder side of God converts men, and will convert them at the final judgment. God judged nations often terribly in order that men might&nbsp;<em>know&nbsp;</em>Him as Yahweh (e:g. <em><a href='B:330 25:11'>Eze 25:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 28:22'>Eze 28:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 30:19'>Eze 30:19</a></em>). Yahweh is exalted in His judging of men (<em><a href='B:290 5:16'>Isa 5:16</a></em>). His judgments make His Name / character manifest:&nbsp; A number of OT passages (e:g. <em><a href='B:290 25:3'>Isa 25:3</a></em>) hint that a remnant of Israel’s latter day enemies will actually repent and accept Yahweh’s Truth-&nbsp;<em>after&nbsp;</em>their experience of His judgments. God is to be feared and worshipped because of the hour of His judgment (<em><a href='B:730 14:7'>Rev 14:7</a></em>); but even later, “when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness" (<em><a href='B:290 26:9'>Isa 26:9</a></em>).</p>


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<p>15:5&nbsp;<em>And after these things I saw the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven opened</em>- At the end of the saints' latter day tribulation, the Most Holy is opened, just as it was on Christ's death; as if His hanging on the cross is parallel to the saints' tribulation. The Angels comment "It is done" when the saints are finally delivered (<em><a href='B:730 16:17'>Rev 16:17</a></em>), as our Lord could say "It is finished" at the end of His sufferings. The great earthquake which is then described (<em><a href='B:730 16:18'>Rev 16:18</a></em>) matches the earthquakes at Christ's death and resurrection. See on <em><a href='B:480 13:13'>Mar 13:13</a></em>.</p><p>In <em><a href='B:290 6:1-4'>Isa 6:1-4</a></em> we have a vision of “the Lord high and lifted up", enthroned in the temple, with an earthquake, the temple filled with smoke, the doorposts that held up the veil being shaken (with the implication that the veil falls; 6:4). The Lord “high and lifted up" (6:1) is a phrase that occurs later in Isaiah (<em><a href='B:290 52:13'>Isa 52:13</a></em>), concerning the crucified Lord, lifted up and exalted “very high" by the cross. <em><a href='B:500 12:37-41'>Joh 12:37-41</a></em> tells us that Isaiah 6 is a vision of the Lord Jesus in glory; and in this passage John quotes both Isaiah 6, 53 together, reflecting their connection and application to the same event, namely the Lord’s crucifixion. So it is established that Isaiah 6 is a vision of the crucified Lord Jesus, high and lifted up in glory in God’s sight, whilst covered in blood and spittle, with no beauty that man should desire Him. Now <em><a href='B:730 15:5-8'>Rev 15:5-8</a></em>, building on this passage, has the veil being removed, the Most Holy opened, and the temple filled with smoke. This sends the mind straight to the rending of the temple veil at the crucifixion and the earthquake (<em><a href='B:470 27:51'>Mat 27:51</a></em>). Now the work of the cross comes to its ultimate term. Now all those who suffered with the Lord during the tribulation will likewise find heaven opened, the way into the holiest made manifest before their eyes.</p>


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<p>15:6&nbsp;<em>And there came out from the temple the seven angels that had the seven illnesses, dressed with precious linen, pure and bright and golden sashes around their chests</em>- The vials are poured out by angels "clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles" (<em><a href='B:730 15:6'>Rev 15:6</a></em>). This description is similar to that of the One like the Son of man of chapter 1- the Lord Jesus Christ. It could therefore be appropriately applied to those who have identified themselves with the Lord, that is to say, the saints. <em><a href='B:730 19:8'>Rev 19:8</a></em> says that fine linen is "the righteousness of the saints". These are perhaps the latter believers of whom we read in <em><a href='B:730 11:5-6'>Rev 11:5-6</a></em>: "If any man will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth, and devours their enemies" and "these have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues s:w. "illnesses", as often as they will". Their power "to smite the earth with all plagues" is exactly what happens in the vials, which are full of allusion to the plagues on Egypt. The Angels may therefore represent the believers, whose guardians they are- and it is those latter day believers who pour out the vials of the wrath of God, the seven last plagues.</p><p>Given all the allusions to Egypt, we wonder why there are seven plagues and not ten. Perhaps this is to suggest that potentially possible judgments will not happen; perhaps because of the prayers of the saints at the time, or the required repentance of Israel happening, or God's mercy in cutting short the days. See on <em><a href='B:730 10:4'>Rev 10:4</a></em>.</p>


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<p>15:7&nbsp;<em>And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the anger of God, who lives for ever and ever</em>- The idea may be that God's eternity is the backdrop to His judgments. They are temporal, but the God of love is eternal. His judgments are not the flash in a pan, red hot anger of an offended deity. They have been long planned and refined. Yet He does have wrath, for that is all part and parcel of being "love" itself. Verse 1 has spoken of the wrath of God being filled up or finished; and here the bowls are filled with His anger. The image of bowls helps therefore to get the idea over- that His wrath has now ended, in its fullness it has been poured out. And His people shall now bask only in His love.</p>


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<p>15:8&nbsp;<em>And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of the seven angels should be finished</em>- As noted throughout chapter 14, there is an amazing theme in Revelation of last minute appeals being made to people throughout the closing judgments. Such is the desire of the Father and Son for human salvation. But now, although the way into the holiest is open, into direct personal with God, it is open only to the redeemed. The seven vials must be poured out, and during that time, repentance will be impossible for those upon whom they are poured. The rest of the Gentile world must watch, and then on reflection, come to repentance and acceptance of the Lord. Nobody new can come into fellowship with God whilst the seven bowls / vials are poured out; there is no appeal for repentance in the pouring out of the vials, for it is too late. This totally writes off the continuous historical attempts to apply the vials to events in European history stretching over the last few centuries. For people could as it were enter into the temple in that period.</p>


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<p>16:1<em>&nbsp;And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels: Go and pour out the seven bowls of the anger of God into the earth</em>- The Old Testament basis for bowls used for pouring out is in the bowls for pouring out found on the table of shewbread (<em><a href='B:20 25:29'>Exo 25:29</a></em>; <em><a href='B:40 4:7'>Num 4:7</a></em>). But they were not for pouring out liquid, but for the frankincense which was to be placed upon the shewbread and burnt, in order to turn the bread into a memorial before God (<em><a href='B:30 24:7'>Lev 24:7</a></em>). The LXX calls these bowls "incense cups". The pouring out of the seven last bowls of judgment is therefore portrayed in terms of incense / prayer; because it is the prayer of the faithful, especially in the last days, which brings forth these judgments which herald the coming of the Kingdom. Our prayers trigger action by Angels in Heaven which result in major events on earth. That is the sublime power of prayer:&nbsp;<em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</em></p><p>Alfred Norris wisely observed in&nbsp;<em>The Apocalypse for Everyman</em>: “But if Trumpets are warnings, Vials or Bowls are outpourings. We have gone beyond mere disclosure, and again beyond the sounding of the alarm, and have reached the point where there is no return, nothing provisional: the end has come. God is pouring out His final judgements on the world, and there can be no turning back. There are a number of parallels in the Old Testament, where the verb&nbsp;<em>shaphak</em>&nbsp;is used in just such a way of the ultimate emptying out of God's irreversible judgements on His own or other people (see <em><a href='B:230 69:24'>Psa 69:24</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 79:6'>Psa 79:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 42:25'>Isa 42:25</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 10:25'>Jer 10:25</a></em>; <em><a href='B:310 2:4'>Lam 2:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:310 4:11'>Lam 4:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 7:8'>Eze 7:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 9:8'>Eze 9:8</a></em>, etc:; <em><a href='B:350 5:10'>Hos 5:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:430 3:8'>Zep 3:8</a></em>)”. This is why in between the trumpets of warning and the final vials, there is a final desperate appeal through the preaching of the Gospel (<em><a href='B:730 10:11'>Rev 10:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 11:3'>Rev 11:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 11:6'>Rev 11:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 14:6-7'>Rev 14:6-7</a></em>). But after that, the temple is closed and no man can enter it (15:5-8). Revelation stresses God’s creative power- He is the creator of heaven, earth, sea and rivers. In the vials, we see a reversal of His creative activity.</p>


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<p>16:2- see on <em><a href='B:730 8:7'>Rev 8:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 13:17'>Rev 13:17</a></em>.</p><p><em>Harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image</em>- This is after they have been appealed to, to rid themselves of this mark (see on <em><a href='B:730 14:9'>Rev 14:9</a></em>). There is no opportunity now for repentance (see on <em><a href='B:730 15:8'>Rev 15:8</a></em>). The sores recall the growths that appeared on the Philistines / Palestinians who captured the ark (<em><a href='B:90 5:6'>1Sa 5:6</a></em>). The destruction of Dagon in that passage perhaps looks forward to the image of the beast. Those who bear the mark of the beast are within the territory of the beast- which is exactly where the Philistines were. "Harmful" translates a Greek word which in all of its 50 other occurrences means "evil" in a moral sense (e:g. <em><a href='B:730 2:2'>Rev 2:2</a></em>). Their punishment was appropriate to their own evil. We wonder therefore if their usage of nuclear weaponry against Israel backfires upon them, and they themselves suffer the tumours associated with nuclear fallout.</p>


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<p>16:3&nbsp;<em>And the second poured out his bowl into the sea; and it became like the blood of a dead man, and every living thing died, even the things that were in the sea</em>- I suggested on <em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em> that the earth / land referring to the territory promised to Abraham, the "sea" refers to the areas immediately surrounding that territory- areas we now know as Iran, Egypt and Turkey. The allusion is to how the waters of Egypt were turned into blood (<em><a href='B:20 7:17'>Exo 7:17</a></em>)- not simply as punishment in itself, but as an appeal to let Israel go, to stop persecuting the Hebrews. Which admirably fits the latter day scenario we have suggested. The blood of a dead man is not liquid, but congealed. The picture is of mass death in these areas which gave birth to the sea beast of <em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>. Previously, a third part of the sea had become blood (<em><a href='B:730 8:8'>Rev 8:8</a></em>). But this failed to elicit repentance, and so now the other two thirds become blood too. The sea appearing blood red may allude to how a "part" of Israel were to be burned as if sea burned by fire (<em><a href='B:370 7:4'>Amo 7:4</a></em>); what had been done to Israel in 8:8 is now done to their persecutors from the neighbouring nations.</p>


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<p>16:4&nbsp;<em>And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters, and they became blood</em>- This is referring to judgments within the earth / land promised to Abraham; the surrounding sea has already been judged in :3. Again the allusion is to the judgments upon water sources which was part of the plagues upon Egypt in <em><a href='B:20 7:19'>Exo 7:19</a></em>. That plague is alluded to in another judgment upon Egypt found in <em><a href='B:330 32:6'>Eze 32:6</a></em>, where Egypt is told that she shall be covered with her own blood to the extent that her rivers will run with her own blood. And that prophecy goes on to state that her sun, moon and stars shall be extinguished, causing darkness (<em><a href='B:330 32:7-8'>Eze 32:7-8</a></em>)- ideas to be developed here in :8,10. It is unclear when this prophecy of Ezekiel had its fulfilment. The initial context is of Israel trusting in Egypt for help against the Assyrian. And latter day Israel may likewise look to Egypt for help against the latter day Assyrian. But Egypt too, part of the "sea", the territory immediately bordering the "land" promised to Abraham, is to be destroyed. Water turning in the blood of death may refer to some form of literal turning of water into the source of death- perhaps some form of biological warfare against Israel ends up affecting all within the land promised to Abraham. This is how God typically prefers to operate- allowing wicked men to be destroyed by the backfiring of their own devices, rather than by bolts of direct Divine judgment.</p>


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<p>16:5&nbsp;<em>And I heard the angel of the waters saying: Righteous are You, who is and who was, You Holy One, because You did thus judge</em>- Revelation abounds with examples of Angels talking and co-operating with each other in order to execute God's purpose; just as the Passover Angel hovered over the doors of the Israelites to as it were stop the destroyer Angel from killing the firstborns there. <em><a href='B:10 1:26'>Gen 1:26</a></em> "Let us make man::." is another example of Angelic cooperation:&nbsp; Here we have an Angel praising God on reflecting upon the wisdom of what has been done. The judgments of the Holy One are effected in practice by a specific Angel. This is the kind of thing we shall do throughout eternity. There is a recognition by the Angel that the awful judgments performed on earth at this point are a reflection of God's holiness and not of any evil or caprice ("You Holy One").</p><p>That a specific Angel controls “the waters” in an area is also implied by the way flood waters are described as praising God (<em><a href='B:230 42:8'>Psa 42:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 148:7'>Psa 148:7</a></em>), water trembling at God’s presence (<em><a href='B:230 77:17'>Psa 77:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:420 3:10'>Hab 3:10</a></em>), and the deep waters mourning (<em><a href='B:330 31:15'>Eze 31:15</a></em>). How else can waters sensibly be personified as having such feelings, unless these figures of speech are in fact based upon the real existence of a personal “Angel of the waters”?</p>


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<p>16:6&nbsp;<em>For they poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets, and blood have You given them to drink. They are worthy</em>- As the blood of the "saints and prophets" was poured out, so the Angel had poured out a bowl of judgment. The "saints" may refer to Israel as well as Christian believers, those trodden down by the beast (<em><a href='B:340 7:25'>Dan 7:25</a></em>). The "prophets" could refer to those killed by the beast system for their latter day preaching; for 'prophesy' is strictly just a speaking forth of God's word, and not necessarily a transmitting of new material by Divine inspiration. But perhaps the murder of the two witnesses is in view, who faithfully prophesied throughout the three-and-a-half-year tribulation before being killed (see on <em><a href='B:730 11:3'>Rev 11:3</a></em>). The pouring out of blood is the language of sacrifice upon an altar; perhaps literally the saints and Christian preachers will be killed and sacrificed by the jihadists. Which would explain why an angel from the heavenly altar now speaks (:7).</p>


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<h4>16:7&nbsp;<em>And I heard another angel out of the altar saying: Yes, O Lord God the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments</em>- As noted on :6, the jihadists may pour out the blood of their victims literally on altars, as if in sacrifice. Which is why now the angel associated with the heavenly altar agrees that the judgment of these people is in truth and righteousness. It is not the expression of the wrath of some capricious God; the judgment is appropriate and a reflection of righteousness rather than of evil intent.</h4>


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<p>16:8&nbsp;<em>And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given to it to scorch men with fire</em>- As noted on :4, the judgment of the sun is mentioned in <em><a href='B:330 32:7-8'>Eze 32:7-8</a></em> as part of the plagues upon latter day Egypt, whereby her water is turned to blood and darkness comes upon her as a result of judgment upon her sun. But before that happens, the sun becomes very hot and scorches those upon the earth / land; or perhaps this specifically happens to latter day Egypt. The language of scorching may suggest nuclear holocaust; if the attempts to destroy the state of Israel by nuclear weaponry backfire, or the weapons are turned against each other due to internal conflict, then such a scenario is imaginable. And it would be appropriate to the way that God prefers to let men judge themselves rather than judging by His direct bolts of judgment. The "sun" might refer to some particular leader within the beast's political leadership, which are often described as the sun, moon and stars of a nation or coalition. And this is just how they are used in <em><a href='B:330 32:7-8'>Eze 32:7-8</a></em> which is the source passage for these bowls of judgment. Again we note that "it was given to it::." to scorch men. All power is of God, the cataclysms of these very last days will not at all mean that earth has come adrift from God and evil has found its own momentum and power. All is and will be under His direct supervision and control.</p>


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<p>16:9&nbsp;<em>And men were scorched with great heat, and they cursed the Name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent and give Him glory</em>- The scorching is a plague, an illness. As noted on :8, this seems the language of nuclear holocaust. In their time of destruction, they will realize that all this is from God. But the tragedy of the rejected is that they will perceive God's hand, "know Yahweh" by His judgments, but all too late. See on <em><a href='B:730 1:7'>Rev 1:7</a></em>. Now is the time for repentance; the rejected will be brought to the point of recognizing God and His Son, but all tragically too late. Being scorched with great heat from the sun is the language only used elsewhere of the suffering of the faithful latter day remnant in Israel at the hands of the beast (<em><a href='B:730 7:16'>Rev 7:16</a></em>). What the beast members did to God's people shall now be done to them. Scorching by the sun is the idea used in the parable of the sower concerning those believers who stumble because the sun of tribulation and persecution scorches them (<em><a href='B:470 13:6'>Mat 13:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 13:21'>Mat 13:21</a></em>). This will have particular reference to the tribulation. Some will fall away because of it; but by doing so, they experience their final judgment. The condemnation process will therefore be a giving of people what they have themselves decided in this life. And those who scorch others and make them stumble shall themselves be scorched at the last day.</p>


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<p>16:10&nbsp;<em>And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened; and they gnawed their tongues for pain because of the pain</em>- As noted on :4, the judgment of the sun is mentioned in <em><a href='B:330 32:7-8'>Eze 32:7-8</a></em> as part of the plagues upon latter day Egypt, whereby her water is turned to blood and darkness comes upon her as a result of judgment upon her sun. The beast has a throne and Kingdom, just as the Lord has; the beast is an anti-Christ, a fake Messiah with a fake Kingdom of God on earth. "The throne of the beast" could refer to his capital city. His "kingdom" refers to his people, those recognizing him as their king; for it is they, as persons rather than just an abstract entity, who gnaw tongues for pain. His capital city or centre of rulership could be in Jerusalem, or part thereof. The gnawing of tongues recalls the Lord's pictures of condemnation as a gnashing of teeth. The faithful are comforted that they shall no longer experience "pain" (<em><a href='B:730 21:4'>Rev 21:4</a></em> s:w:), suggesting that the pain these beast worshippers now experience is the pain they inflicted upon the Lord's followers in the tribulation.</p>


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<p>16:11&nbsp;<em>They cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and they did not repent of their deeds</em>- As noted on :9, they recognize all too late that there is indeed a "God of heaven", a phrase often used at the time of Israel's exile in Babylon and whilst under Babylonian dominion. Their "sores" could refer to the result of nuclear radiation, brought upon them by the backfiring of their own devices against Israel; see on :2.</p>


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<p>). Historically, the literal drying up, or diversion, of the Euphrates was what led to the fall of Babylon. It may well be that we are intended to make this connection when we read in <em><a href='B:730 16:12'>Rev 16:12</a></em> of the drying up of the Euphrates. The logical deduction is: 'So Babylon is about to fall'. And the fall of Babylon is spoken of in Revelation as coming about at the return of Christ to earth.</p><p>But it may not be simply that the Euphrates dries up of its own accord. Now that the key dams could easily fall into the hands of the Islamists, it could be that they like Saddam Hussein before them, dry up the river in order to exert their power over others. And this will bring about the required fulfilment of the prophecy. We recall how the King of Assyria, another prototype of the latter day invader of Israel, boasted that he had dried up rivers and manipulated water sources, and therefore Jerusalem too would fall into his hands: "I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet will I dry up all the rivers" (<em><a href='B:120 19:24'>2Ki 19:24</a></em>).</p>


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&nbsp;<p>accessed 12:08:2014.</p><p>These huge marshlands are full of frogs The drying up of the Euphrates would be bad news for the frogs, who will have to leap and bound further afield in desperation. And so the idea seems to be that the Angel dries up the Euphrates, the hordes burst forth over that border towards the earth / land promised to Abraham; and the teaching of&nbsp;<em>jihad</em>&nbsp;against Israel, anti-Semitism in its final term, is spread by leaps and bounds out of the Euphrates basin, leading people from throughout the region and indeed the whole world, to come up against Israel. We note that there are even jihadist fighters from as far away as Australia fighting for the Islamists at the moment. <em><a href='B:360 3:9'>Joe 3:9</a></em> speaks of huge multitudes of people being 'awoken' and going up to Jerusalem. The postmodern daze in which many people now live has created a desire for reality, for action, for escape from the virtual world into something truly exciting and passionate. And this is why well-heeled young white Australians are getting caught up in Islamic extremism and heading off to fight for them. Young unemployed males are now seeing the opportunity to play their violent online games in reality::. they are awaking from the postmodernist haze of indifference. But sadly to the wrong reality. This awakening is likely to continue and become ever more attractive, likely fuelled by the media's hatred of Israel and desire to portray her as a situation needing radical resolution.</p><p>“The beast” has "the false prophet" with him as a kind of associated act (<em><a href='B:730 19:20'>Rev 19:20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 20:10'>Rev 20:10</a></em>), the scarlet beast has a whore riding it, the sea beast has a horn which becomes its representative, the earth beast has an image of the beast. These associated acts indicate that each of these entities has an individual controlling them- and this is the antichrist figure. The dragon is described as having “his angels” with him during the fight against Michael and His Angels- which suggests he is to be seen as representative of a person. We note that the dragon was used in the Old Testament not as a symbol of Egypt, but specifically as a symbol of the individual Pharaoh of Egypt (<em><a href='B:330 29:3'>Eze 29:3</a></em>); and likewise the dragon is used as the symbol of Nebuchadnezzar personally (<em><a href='B:300 51:34'>Jer 51:34</a></em>).</p><p>"The false prophet" is given no introduction; he is introduced just as is the beast (see on <em><a href='B:730 11:7'>Rev 11:7</a></em>). This may be because we have here in Revelation a kaleidoscope of images, according to the genre of apocalyptic. It is tempting to apply this term to the false prophet Mohammad. But perhaps there will arise an individual who claims to be a Divinely inspired Islamic prophet, the Mahdi. The dragon is still around, giving ideological support even if he has been politically destroyed in chapter 12, thrown out of political heaven as it were. And "the beast" suggests that the sea and earth beasts of chapter 13 are effectively one. The unclean spirits coming from their mouths are their teachings, beckoning people worldwide to come to the land promised to Abraham and fight against God's people. In the uprise of the Islamic State we saw for the first time this kind of thing happening on a global level. Babylon is the hold of these unclean spirits (<em><a href='B:730 18:2'>Rev 18:2</a></em>). Yet in the Gospels, to say a man had an unclean spirit or demon was to say he was mad. There will be a spirit of madness, extreme fanaticism, emanating from these three sources of propaganda.</p>


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<p>16:14&nbsp;<em>For they are spirits of demons, who work signs-&nbsp;</em>I suggested on :13 that the reference is to propaganda spread worldwide by three separate jihadist agencies, which stir up a frenzy, a mania, which John understood as the Gospel records do in terms of demon possession, a way of expressing madness. They work signs, false miracles, as noted on <em><a href='B:730 13:13-14'>Rev 13:13-14</a></em>. So far, chapter 16 has been full of allusion to the plagues upon Egypt; and Egypt therefore becomes a prototype of the beast system. Some of the plagues upon Egypt were countered by false miracles from Pharaoh's magicians, pointing forward to the false miracles which will be claimed by the beast system of the last days.</p><h4><em>These go to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty</em>- The "whole world" could refer to the world of the land promised to Abraham and its environs. But given the power of communication media today, there may well be a global reference. Radical Islam may pressurize the whole world system to give at least token support to their battle. The "war" or (Gk:) battle is that for which the jihadist locusts of <em><a href='B:730 9:7'>Rev 9:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 9:9'>Rev 9:9</a></em> are prepared- by the propaganda from the three sources of :13. This is the final battle against the Jews and Christians in the land spoken of in <em><a href='B:730 11:7'>Rev 11:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 12:17'>Rev 12:17</a></em> and <em><a href='B:730 13:7'>Rev 13:7</a></em>, a kind of "final solution". But it is effectively a gathering together to battle against the returned Lord Jesus (<em><a href='B:730 19:19'>Rev 19:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 20:8'>Rev 20:8</a></em>). The same word for war / battle is used in all these references.</h4><p>The previous invasions of Israel by her neighbour typify those of the future, and they also mention this 'gathering together':&nbsp; Sisera's forces did this (<em><a href='B:70 4:13'>Jdg 4:13</a></em>), as did those of Ammon (<em><a href='B:70 10:9'>Jdg 10:9</a></em>;&nbsp; <em><a href='B:130 19:7'>1Ch 19:7</a></em>), the Amorites (<em><a href='B:70 11:20'>Jdg 11:20</a></em>), the Arab powers with Assyria in Hezekiah's time (<em><a href='B:400 4:11'>Mic 4:11</a></em>), Gog's forces (<em><a href='B:330 38:7'>Eze 38:7</a></em>), the Arab-Canaanite tribes (<em><a href='B:10 34:30'>Gen 34:30</a></em>) and especially the Philistines (<em><a href='B:70 16:30'>Jdg 16:30</a></em>;&nbsp; <em><a href='B:90 13:5'>1Sa 13:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:90 13:11'>1Sa 13:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:90 17:1'>1Sa 17:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:90 25:1'>1Sa 25:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:90 28:1'>1Sa 28:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:90 29:1'>1Sa 29:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:100 23:11'>2Sa 23:11</a></em>). This is quite some emphasIsa:&nbsp;Thus while we can expect to see greater potential Arab unity developing around the Israel issue and perhaps a common allegiance to a charismatic 'Nebuchadnezzar' figure for a brief period, their complete meeting of minds will not be until the final push against Jerusalem.</p><p>We need not be concerned that this appears to happen after all the judgments upon the beast system which we have read of earlier in this chapter. Revelation is a kaleidoscope of images; it is simply not chronological. We are now being given to understand&nbsp;<em>how</em>&nbsp;the situation came about whereby the beast system is so permanently judged and destroyed, as explained in the preceding verses.</p>


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<p>16:15- see on <em><a href='B:690 2:28'>1Jn 2:28</a></em>.</p><p><em>Behold, I am coming like a thief Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed</em>&nbsp;- This is a call to those Christians who have not come out and testified under the beast's domination, thinking they can hide under the garments of nominal acceptance of the beast. They must keep their white garments around them. The paradox is that they will then be exposed as naked; they are apparently clothed, but not in the distinctive white garments of Christ, which publicize their position to all. His thief life coming is an idea used elsewhere about His coming being like this to those within His household who are unprepared. Clearly there will be true believers living under the domination of the latter day beast within its territory, the land promised to Abraham. This is a sober thought. Their numbers at this time are small, but perhaps the witness of the Elijah ministry and various gospel proclamations mentioned throughout the tribulation prophecies will result in many converts.</p><p><em><a href='B:610 5:24-25'>1Ti 5:24-25</a></em>&nbsp;implies a 'going through' of the good and bad works of men, with the added implication that it is done in the presence of others. Thus they will "see his shame" (<em><a href='B:730 16:15'>Rev 16:15</a></em>). “All that behold” the unfinished spiritual building of the wicked “will mock him” (<em><a href='B:490 14:29'>Luk 14:29</a></em>); and the accepted will praise each other for their humility in taking the lowest seat in ecclesial life (<em><a href='B:490 14:10'>Luk 14:10</a></em>). The rejected will awake to "the reproach and abhorrence of the age" (<em><a href='B:340 12:2'>Dan 12:2</a></em> Dr. Thomas' translation)- as if they will be reproached by some. "When the wicked are cut off, the righteous shall see it" (<em><a href='B:230 37:34'>Psa 37:34</a></em>). The 12 disciples will judge the tribes of Israel (<em><a href='B:470 19:28'>Mat 19:28</a></em>). At judgment day, the children of the Jews who criticized Jesus would judge them- "they shall be your judges" rather than Jesus Himself (<em><a href='B:490 11:19'>Luk 11:19</a></em>). "The wise shall inherit glory; but shame shall be the promotion of fools" (<em><a href='B:240 3:35'>Pro 3:35</a></em>) is looking ahead to the judgment. But "shame" must be in the eyes of someone; therefore the rejection of the wicked will be in the eyes of those who once knew them in the ecclesia. The men of&nbsp;Nineveh will condemn first century Israel (<em><a href='B:470 12:41'>Mat 12:41</a></em>); the folly of the rejected will be made manifest unto all men (<em><a href='B:620 3:9'>2Ti 3:9</a></em>). This is not so as to simply humiliate the rejected. It is so that the faithful&nbsp;<em>learn&nbsp;</em>something too. This was all foreshadowed in the way that Israel experienced their judgments in the sight of the nations, so that God's principles would be taught even to the Gentile world (<em><a href='B:330 5:8'>Eze 5:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 5:15'>Eze 5:15</a></em>). Indeed, the idea of God executing judgment on His people&nbsp;<em>in the sight</em>&nbsp;of others is quite common (e:g. <em><a href='B:330 5:8'>Eze 5:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 16:41'>Eze 16:41</a></em>). But we can learn the principles of God's judgments right now, from His word.</p><p>A read through <em><a href='B:730 16:13-16'>Rev 16:13-16</a></em> makes it evident that the 6th vial concerns the gathering of the nations to Armageddon; but right in the middle of this section we read: "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked"- clearly relevant to the saints. It's as if the punishment of the unworthy believers and that of the nations is to be connected. The collapsing of time at the judgment would enable this to actually happen- the events used to punish the world could fall upon the rejected from the judgment seat. These unfortunate individuals will be threshed, as will the world be (<em><a href='B:470 3:12'>Mat 3:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 16:16'>Rev 16:16</a></em>). This is foreshadowed by the way apostate Israel were treated like the surrounding Gentile world in the time of their judgments (<em><a href='B:300 4:7'>Jer 4:7</a></em>). Thus in the 'judgment day' of AD70, the 'rejected' Jews were sent back into Egypt as slaves. "They shall return to Egypt" had been God's earlier prophesy (<em><a href='B:350 8:13'>Hos 8:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:350 9:3'>Hos 9:3</a></em>). Their condemnation was expressed in terms of an undoing of the redemption from the world which they once experienced.</p>


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<p>. "The kings of the earth" can be interpreted as in <em><a href='B:450 12:3'>Zec 12:3</a></em>;”&nbsp;of the whole world" may refer to the world in relation to Israel (as in Daniel 2), or possibly to the fact that all nations literally will be incited to attack Israel, kidded by the beast that some "final solution" to the Middle Eastern problem is necessary. 'Armageddon' meaning 'the valley of Megiddo', takes us back to <em><a href='B:450 12:9'>Zec 12:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:450 12:11'>Zec 12:11</a></em>: "I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem::. in that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as::. in the valley of Megiddon". The conclusion from this is that although a minority within Israel have repented before their victory in the valley of Jehoshaphat (the same area in terms of prophecy), according to the typology of 2 Chronicles 20 and other passages, their full realization of the enormity of their sin of crucifying Jesus only comes home to them on seeing His complete rout of their enemies:&nbsp;Thus their returning to Jerusalem with joy (<em><a href='B:140 20:27'>2Ch 20:27</a></em>) will be preceded by, or mixed with, tears of pent-up emotional release. The similarity of the 'gather together' language has led us to associate the following:-&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; The gathering together of Israel's Arab enemies against her at various times&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; The gathering of the Arab nations into a valley near Jerusalem (<em><a href='B:140 20:16'>2Ch 20:16</a></em>, A:V. mg:) for destruction in Hezekiah's time&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; Joel's prophecy of all nations being gathered into the "valley of Jehoshaphat" (<em><a href='B:360 3:2'>Joe 3:2</a></em>)&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; The gathering together of the Arab nations into the 'valley of Megiddo' (<em><a href='B:730 16:16'>Rev 16:16</a></em>) to fight Israel in the last days.</p><p>It could be objected that the valley of Megiddo is in the North of Israel whilst that of Jehoshaphat is in the South, near Jerusalem:&nbsp;However, the other similarities of language and context are so great as to suggest that they must refer to the same place. It may be that Megiddo having been the scene of many previous Arab battles in Israel's history, it is being used symbolically in <em><a href='B:730 16:16'>Rev 16:16</a></em> rather than as a literal geographical reference. Back in Revelation 16, the sixth vial has described how the nations will be gathered to their place of judgment in Armageddon:&nbsp;The seventh vial then records the destruction of Babylon, who receives "the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath" in the form of huge hailstones (<em><a href='B:730 16:19'>Rev 16:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 16:21'>Rev 16:21</a></em>):&nbsp;This equates the nations who are gathered to Armageddon with Babylon, which heads up the coalition elsewhere known as the beast:&nbsp;The cup of the wrath of God alludes to <em><a href='B:450 12:2-3'>Zec 12:2-3</a></em>, where the peoples from the jihadist nations also are "gathered together" and have burdened themselves with Jerusalem are made to drink "a cup of trembling" by reason of doing so:&nbsp;The punishment with giant hailstones recalls how Israel's enemies were destroyed in the time of Joshua/Jesus (<em><a href='B:60 10:11'>Jos 10:11</a></em>). This confirms our interpretation of 'Babylon' as having a Middle Eastern context.</p><p>The unclean spirits or teachings released from the beast and his publicity agents gather the nations together to Armageddon. “Armageddon” (<em><a href='B:730 16:16'>Rev 16:16</a></em>) is from the Hebrew&nbsp;<em>har-magedon</em>:&nbsp;<em>Har</em>&nbsp;means ‘mountain’. The assumption has been made that&nbsp;<em>magedon´</em>is the same as ‘Megiddo’; but the problem is, Megiddo is a plain and there is no mountain there. Also, the word&nbsp;<em>magedon&nbsp;</em>would be spelt slightly differently if it were simply the place name Megiddo. The suggestion has been made and well argued that&nbsp;<em>magedon</em>&nbsp;is a form of the Hebrew&nbsp;<em>mo’ed</em>, and would literally mean “the mount of assembly / gathering”- the title of Jerusalem in <em><a href='B:290 14:13'>Isa 14:13</a></em> see Meredith Kline, ‘Har Magedon’,&nbsp;<em>Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society</em>&nbsp;39/2 (June 1996) pp. 207-222, available online. He explains the presence of the ‘g’ on the basis that the Hebrew consonant&nbsp;<em>ayin&nbsp;</em>is often represented by the Greek&nbsp;<em>gamma</em>. Revelation 16 says that all nations are gathered to Armageddon, but elsewhere we read of all nations being gathered to Jerusalem. The two localities are surely identical, quite apart from the linguistic arguments. We can expect, therefore, far more focus specifically upon Jerusalem. For this is to be the centre to which all are gathered. This makes perfect sense if we see&nbsp;<em>magedon&nbsp;</em>as a Greek rendering of the Hebrew&nbsp;<em>mo’ed</em>- the nations are gathered to the mount of gathering. The king of Babylon / Assyria so wished to come to the “mount of assembly / gathering” (<em><a href='B:290 14:13'>Isa 14:13</a></em>), and it was that desire, and executing it, which was effectively his gathering to judgment. And so it will be with the Islamist obsession with Jerusalem- their gathering there will effectively be their gathering to judgment. Associating Armageddon with Jerusalem would more naturally fit with the upcoming description of "the great city", Jerusalem, being judged by an earthquake (:19).</p>


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<p>16:17- see on <em><a href='B:730 15:2'>Rev 15:2</a></em>.</p><p><em>And the seventh poured out his bowl upon the air-&nbsp;</em>This could be purely symbolic, as if absolutely everything will now be affected, and there will now be a complete takeover of power above the earth. But this is perhaps another allusion to the plagues upon Egypt; for Moses sprinkled handfuls of ashes into the air which turned into a dust cloud in all the air, bringing forth sores and boils (<em><a href='B:20 9:8-9'>Exo 9:8-9</a></em>). Perhaps literally the air will be full of thunder, lightning and death, as stated on :18.</p><p><em>And there came forth a great voice out of the temple, from the throne, saying: It is done</em>&nbsp;- Now finally all is finished. But the Lord made a similar pronouncement from the cross. It is only John who records Him saying then: "It is finished" (<em><a href='B:500 19:30'>Joh 19:30</a></em>). The second coming will be our meeting with the Lord who died for us. To come before Him then will be in essence the same as coming before His cross. <em><a href='B:730 16:1-21'>Rev 16:1-21</a></em> describes the events of the second coming, and yet it is full of allusion back to the cross: “it is done", the temple of heaven opened (<em><a href='B:730 16:17'>Rev 16:17</a></em>); an earthquake (<em><a href='B:730 16:18'>Rev 16:18</a></em>), a cup of wine (<em><a href='B:730 16:19'>Rev 16:19</a></em>). The believers undergoing the final tribulation will have fellowshipped the Lord's crucifixion sufferings, that they might know His resurrection life once they are over.</p>


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<p>16:18&nbsp;<em>And there were lightnings and voices and thunders, and there was a great earthquake, such as has never occurred since men came upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty</em>- The lightning and thunder may be literal, and the result of the bowl poured into the air (see on :17). The Lord likens His second coming to lightning (<em><a href='B:470 24:27'>Mat 24:27</a></em>; <em><a href='B:450 9:14'>Zec 9:14</a></em>). The earthquake would be that associated with the second coming, when the Lord sets foot upon the mount of Olives in Zechariah 14.</p>


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<p>16:19<em>&nbsp;And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His anger</em>- The allusion is to the earthquake of Zechariah 14 at the point of the Lord's return. This makes the great city Jerusalem, and yet the great city is mystical "Babylon" in <em><a href='B:730 17:18'>Rev 17:18</a></em>. The fall of Jerusalem in AD70 was but a small fulfilment of what is envisaged here; although we note that Jerusalem at that time was divided into three opposing camps by internal strife- John, Simon and Elazar (<em>Wars</em>&nbsp;5:1:1,4). The division of the Jews and Jerusalem in particular into three parts for judgment is all Old Testament language (<em><a href='B:330 5:2'>Eze 5:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 5:12'>Eze 5:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:450 13:8-9'>Zec 13:8-9</a></em>). We are thereby encouraged to see Jerusalem as the great city which is judged. And yet it is paralleled with the fall of Babylon. The latter day Babylon entity will have made Jerusalem its capital, and this shall fall. This earthquake is that of <em><a href='B:730 11:13'>Rev 11:13</a></em>, where after the tribulation of the believers and Jews in the land for three and a half years, "the tenth part of the city fell" and clearly the city in view is Jerusalem, the "great city::. where also our Lord was crucified" (<em><a href='B:730 11:8'>Rev 11:8</a></em>). Perhaps the tenth part of the city destroyed by the earthquake refers to the encampment of "Babylon", perhaps a mosque complex built on the temple mount. For the abomination which will bring about the desolation of the temple mount will be placed there (<em><a href='B:340 12:11'>Dan 12:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:15'>Mat 24:15</a></em>), and this surely refers to something like a mosque complex or other visual symbol of jihadist Islam. The language of Babylon and the whore has some first century application to the Judaist 'satan' which was enthroned in Jerusalem until AD70, and the language used in chapters 17 and 18 is often allusive to Old Testament prophecies about Israel as the whore. In the latter day application to the "Babylon" entity, this all still is appropriate, in that "Babylon" will make her throne on the temple mount, in Jerusalem.</p><p>Perhaps the three parts refers to how three different subdivisions of the beast entity are enthroned in Jerusalem; for the call to come and fight there comes forth from three different entities, each with essentially the same message (:13).</p><p>The subdivision of the final invader into three groups will recall the original Assyrian battle plan whereby the Assyrian army was split up under three leaders, Tartan, Rabsaris and Rabshakeh. Previous invasions had this feature too:<br/>-&nbsp; "The spoilers of the Philistines / Palestinians (raided Israel) in three companies" (<em><a href='B:90 13:17'>1Sa 13:17</a></em>).<br/>-&nbsp; The Israelites fought their Ammonite enemies "in three companies", perhaps because there were three groups of Ammonites (<em><a href='B:90 11:11'>1Sa 11:11</a></em>).<br/>-&nbsp; The account of Gideon's victory over Midian, a clear type of the latter-day invaders, has a triple emphasis on Israel attacking them in “three companies" (<em><a href='B:70 7:16'>Jdg 7:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:70 7:20'>Jdg 7:20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:70 7:22'>Jdg 7:22</a></em>) - perhaps for the same reason.<br/>-&nbsp; The Chaldeans (Babylonians/Assyrians) attacked Job, symbolic of faithless Israel,&nbsp;in&nbsp;three bands (<em><a href='B:220 1:17'>Job 1:17</a></em>):&nbsp;The book of Job has many other links with the Assyrian invasion:&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>&nbsp;</p>


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<p>16:20&nbsp;<em>And every island fled away and the mountains were not found</em>- On <em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em> I suggested that the earth / land is the territory promised to Abraham, and the "sea" refers to the nations immediately bordering that land; areas we now know as Turkey, Egypt and Iran. The "isles of the Gentiles", islands within that "sea", would therefore refer to the nations of the world; mountains likewise refer to nations. But they flee away, retreating from the scene in the land, having been urged to come and get involved in the "final solution" of the Jewish / Jerusalem / Middle East problem.</p><p>The nations in this confederacy will turn against 'Babylon' in the ultimate 'time of the end';&nbsp;through them God's judgment against her is administered. Babylon "gathereth unto him all nations", but "shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him::. shall they not rise up suddenly (and) bite thee::. and thou shalt be for booties unto them?" (<em><a href='B:420 2:5-8'>Hab 2:5-8</a></em> AV). First of all the islands (nations) flee away from Babylon (<em><a href='B:730 16:20'>Rev 16:20</a></em>), the birds and animals scatter from under the big tree as it starts to totter. But fleeing away suggests they are not all caught up in her judgment; the same word is used in <em><a href='B:470 3:7'>Mat 3:7</a></em> of fleeing from the wrath to come in repentance. This is in response to the Lord's command to flee s:w. Jerusalem (<em><a href='B:470 24:16'>Mat 24:16</a></em>).</p>


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<p>16:21&nbsp;<em>And great hailstones, each about the weight of a talent, came down out of heaven upon men, and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail. For the plague was so severe</em>- There may have been a limited fulfilment in the catapults throwing stones of this size upon Jerusalem in AD70. But this all speaks of the final judgment of God against Israel's enemies in Jerusalem; again the allusion is to the plagues on Egypt for their abuse of the Hebrews, this time to the plague of hail. And again as noted on :9 and :11, these people recognize that all this is from God, they come to know "that I am Yahweh", but all too late. The Hadith speaks of extreme rain as a judgment to come upon the land in the last days: "Then Allah would send rain which no house of clay or (the tent of) camels' hairs would keep out and it would wash away the earth" (Book 41:7015). It is a feature of Divine judgment that the thing men greatly fear comes upon them. The jihadist beast will find itself the victim of the very features of Divine condemnation which their own writings say will come upon the condemned.</p>


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<h4>17:1&nbsp;<em>And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls and spoke with me, saying: Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute that sits upon many waters-&nbsp;</em>Babylon is another form of the beast which arose out of the sea (<em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>). The same Angel which had just poured out the final judgment upon Babylon at the end of chapter 16 now gives more detail about this "Babylon" entity. The waters represent nations and peoples; but I suggested on 13:1 that if the earth refers to the land promised to Abraham, then the sea would be the territories immediately adjacent to it- areas we now know as Egypt, Iran and Turkey. But "Babylon" has influence upon many such waters. Historically, Babylon's "sea", i:e. the nations local to Israel whom she had power over, dried up from her - i:e. she no longer controlled them (<em><a href='B:300 51:36'>Jer 51:36</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 17:1'>Rev 17:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 17:15'>Rev 17:15</a></em>), "the sea" (those same peoples which were once her power base) will then come up against Babylon to destroy it (<em><a href='B:300 51:42'>Jer 51:42</a></em>). This all looks forward to such support for the beast system of the last day. There may be a difference between the whore and the beast she rides; or within the genre of apocalyptic, we could simply take her as symbolic and representative of it. It could be that "Babylon" the whore speaks of some charismatic individual who will control the beast system- the personal anti-Christ which so many scriptures hint at, the chief prince of Ezekiel 38, the king of the north of Daniel 11, the man of sin of 2 Thessalonians 2 etc. This individual sits upon "many waters" (= peoples, :15), upon the beast (:3), upon the seven heads of the beast (:9). The beast is therefore a coalition of peoples, with seven heads- perhaps a succession of leaders, or seven leading elements all contemporary with each other. But upon all these, the whore sits; she is supported by them. She "sits" as a queen over them (<em><a href='B:730 18:7'>Rev 18:7</a></em>).</h4><p>Daniel's fourth beast with the ten horns equates with the legs or iron and ten toes of the image of Daniel 2. This entity will be in existence at the time of Christ's return, because it is to be destroyed by His coming. And we have that same picture in Revelation. Historically, the legs of iron represent Rome, but the beast is not a historical entity, it exists in the last days. So although there are parallels and outline similarities between the metals of the image and the beasts, this is not to say that they are all one and the same. The final beast has elements of all the previous beasts, it is a composite entity including all the elements of the previous systems which have dominated the land and people of Israel. Just as the image stands complete in the last days, so the final beast stands complete. The whore sits on many waters, representing various languages and peoples; and yet she sits upon the beast (<em><a href='B:730 17:1'>Rev 17:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 17:3'>Rev 17:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 17:15'>Rev 17:15</a></em>). The latter day beast is therefore not one nation but an amalgam of peoples.</p>


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<p>17:2&nbsp;<em>With whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and they that dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication</em>- The imagery of being drunk on her wine / teaching is similar to the idea noted on <em><a href='B:730 16:13-14'>Rev 16:13-14</a></em> of the propaganda from the beast system making men crazed and fanatically obsessed. This clearly fits the results of Islamic extremism. The kings of the earth / land suggests that there will be a fast sequence of different rulers over the latter day territory of the earth / land promised to Abraham; or maybe a group of such leaders who exist all at the same time. They along with those dwelling in the "earth" will be radicalized with the fanaticism of her teaching. This is exactly the picture of Islamic extremism.</p>


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<p>17:3- see on <em><a href='B:730 12:14'>Rev 12:14</a></em>.</p><p><em>And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness-&nbsp;</em>The wilderness is where the woman has fled in <em><a href='B:730 12:14'>Rev 12:14</a></em>; but the dragon has chased her there, she is before "the face" of the serpent / dragon / devil, in his presence, but miraculously preserved from him. The same word is used of how the Lord likewise confronted "the devil" in the wilderness, and overcame. That struggle will be reflected in the struggle of the Lord's people against the devil / dragon / beast in the last days. There is a difference in Revelation between the dragon and the beast, but the beast gives power to the dragon. Perhaps we are to see them as a sequence of entities which dominate the earth / land of the last days, or simply different takes on the same entity, true to the apocalyptic genre.</p><p><em>And I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast</em>- This is the fourth of the four beasts we meet in Revelation; the dragon, the sea beast, earth beast and now this scarlet beast. They are different but similar, perhaps incarnations of each other which arise in quick succession in the earth / land promised to Abraham, or different images of the same reality, which only appear separate from each other because Revelation is a kaleidoscope of revolving images. The four beasts of Daniel 7 are the four metals of the image of Daniel 2; and they all co-exist in the last days. Likewise the four beasts of Revelation co-exist, or are different angles on the same entity.</p><p>Israel's neighbours confederated with Babylon in their invasion of Israel:&nbsp;Jeremiah describes this in beast language:&nbsp;"I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar::. the beasts of the field have I given him::. to serve him::. to serve him::. all nations (around Israel) shall serve him" (<em><a href='B:300 27:5-7'>Jer 27:5-7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 28:14'>Jer 28:14</a></em>). <em><a href='B:230 79:1-2'>Psa 79:1-2</a></em>, a passage whose links with Revelation 11 give it a clear latter-day application, speaks of the beasts of the surrounding Arab nations being confederate with Babylon. As the horns hate the Babylon/whore and turn against her to destroy her (<em><a href='B:730 17:16'>Rev 17:16</a></em>), so the beast nations once confederate with Babylon will come and lie down in her (<em><a href='B:300 50:39'>Jer 50:39</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 13:21'>Isa 13:21</a></em>). Beasts lying down in a ruined city is representative of nations dominating another one (<em><a href='B:430 2:14-15'>Zep 2:14-15</a></em>). Note that the beast is "scarlet coloured" (<em><a href='B:730 17:3'>Rev 17:3</a></em>). Whilst this may have had reference in its time to imperial Rome, let's note that "The Canaanites::. derived their name from the purple dye which was produced there and used for making an expensive cloth" (R:E. Clements<em>, Exodus</em>&nbsp;(Cambridge: C:U:P:, 1972) p. 21). In the light of all this, it is difficult to read the latter day beasts of Revelation as referring to anything other than a conglomeration of Canaanite powers under the leadership of a revived Babylon, between them constituting the most powerful system of opposition to God's people which there has ever been.</p><p><em><a href='B:290 13:14-15'>Isa 13:14-15</a></em> shows the connection of Israel's neighbours with Babylon; people of these areas are urged to "flee every one into his own land (because) every one that is::. joined unto (Babylon), shall fall by the sword" in the day of Babylon's judgment:&nbsp;This sounds like a hint that they will be given the opportunity to repent and avoid God's judgments:&nbsp;Their previously being "joined unto" Babylon is the language of marriage/intercourse, showing the brief intensity of their association (remember Babylon is called a whore in <em><a href='B:730 17:5'>Rev 17:5</a></em>):&nbsp;The intensity of their joining together is shown by the fact that Babylon is spoken of as the 'hire of the north', although "the north" can refer to other neighbouring powers apart from Babylon (<em><a href='B:300 1:14-15'>Jer 1:14-15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 25:9'>Jer 25:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 46:24'>Jer 46:24</a></em>). Passages where "the north country" is Babylon include <em><a href='B:300 3:18'>Jer 3:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 6:22'>Jer 6:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 10:22'>Jer 10:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 16:15'>Jer 16:15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 23:8'>Jer 23:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 31:8'>Jer 31:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 46:10'>Jer 46:10</a></em>. The conclusion to be drawn from this is that these powers became part of 'the king of the north' for the purposes of Israel and Jerusalem's invasion and judgment. <em><a href='B:300 51:20-23'>Jer 51:20-23</a></em> speaks of Babylon as an individual controlling others, i:e. the other neighbouring jihadist nations - e:g. a rider of a horse, a shepherd over a flock, a ploughman over his oxen:&nbsp;This paves the way for Babylon being the whore who rides the beast (<em><a href='B:730 17:3'>Rev 17:3</a></em>):&nbsp;In similar vein <em><a href='B:290 49:26'>Isa 49:26</a></em> speaks of Israel's enemies being fed "with their own flesh", whilst Babylon's flesh will be eaten by the powers confederate with her (<em><a href='B:730 17:16'>Rev 17:16</a></em>):&nbsp;This shows their close association.</p><p>The woman sits upon the beast; she sits as a queen (<em><a href='B:730 18:7'>Rev 18:7</a></em>), whereas the Lord is repeatedly presented in Revelation as sitting enthroned as a King (<em><a href='B:730 4:2-3'>Rev 4:2-3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 4:9'>Rev 4:9</a></em> etc:). He is the real power, and not her. The seals of chapter 6 have presented Israel's jihadist invaders as seated upon horses; now there is a charismatic antiChrist individual seated upon a beast, far more powerful. She sits upon seven mountains (:9), headquartered in Jerusalem, the city of seven hills. As explained on <em><a href='B:730 16:19'>Rev 16:19</a></em>, latter day Babylon makes her capital in Jerusalem; and we note the shift in jihadist theology away from Mecca towards Jerusalem as the key city in their theology. And from there she sits upon all the nations and peoples of the land promised to Abraham (:15).</p><p><em>Full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns-&nbsp;</em>The beast was “full of blasphemous names”. Not only the heads of the Beast (<em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>), but its whole body is covered with them, indicating that the entire empire sanctioned the emperors’ arrogation of divine titles; such titles could be found throughout the Roman world, inscribed on public buildings and monuments. The&nbsp;golden cup which the whore has (cp. 18:6; <em><a href='B:300 51:7'>Jer 51:7</a></em>) has contents which would have been understood as&nbsp;idolatrous cults and the vices of Rome-all in sharp contrast with its outward beauty and the splendour of the woman. These prophecies were therefore in direct and open criticism of the Roman empire which surrounded the early ecclesia. And yet we can also interpret the whore in line with the Old Testament presentations of apostate Jerusalem and Israel as a whore (<em><a href='B:330 23:1-49'>Eze 23:1-49</a></em>, Hosea etc:). The Lord has earlier stated that He considered the Jewish satan / opposition to the Christians as being blasphemy (<em><a href='B:730 2:9'>Rev 2:9</a></em>).</p><p>In the latter day application, the beast system is full of blasphemy in that it persecutes God's people (<em><a href='B:730 13:6'>Rev 13:6</a></em>). Jihadist theology insists that the Jews and Christians are not the people of God and therefore should be persecuted and killed, claiming they are acting as God in judging His people. That is blasphemy indeed. The seven heads and ten horns (as noted on <em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>) could refer to how this beast is the composite summary of all the previous beasts of Daniel's visions; perhaps there will be seven leaders, or a succession of such leaders; and a coalition of ten groups who comprise the strength of the composite beast. But the seven heads are here understood as seven mountains (:9). Mountains can refer to nations or peoples. But a literal application would point to Jerusalem, well known at the time as the city of seven hills or mountains. The claim that Rome was such a city might have been relevant to those living under Nero's persecution; but there are many cities famed for being built on seven hills, not least Istanbul / Constantinople, and even my beloved Vilnius. I made a strong case on <em><a href='B:730 16:19'>Rev 16:19</a></em> that Babylon is headquartered in Jerusalem; and this is a city of seven hills, and was recognized as such in John's time. But within that city, wherever it is geographically, there may be seven heads / mountains / spheres of control or leaders.</p>


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<p>17:4&nbsp;<em>And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication</em>- The materials listed here were all associated with the tabernacle, and we can understand how for first century Christians under Jewish persecution this would have encouraged them. The Judaist system, with all its wealth, based in Jerusalem, was nothing but a whore in God's eyes.</p><p>Whilst the purple may have had reference in its time to imperial Rome, let's note that "The Canaanites::. derived their name from the purple dye which was produced there and used for making an expensive cloth" (R:E. Clements<em>, Exodus</em>&nbsp;(Cambridge: C:U:P:, 1972) p. 21).</p><p>Babylon is given a cup of condemnation to drink (16:19); but here she is pictured holding such a cup and passing it to others in order to make them drunk as she Isa. The wine would refer to her teaching, whipping up those who drink it into a rage of anti-Jewish and anti-Christian madness. This is clearly appropriate to the effect of jihadist propaganda. Babylon is therefore living out her own condemnation; the cup of wine she offers to others is that of her and their condemnation. Babylon<em>&nbsp;is</em>&nbsp;a cup, so closely identified is she with her teachings and condemnation; and she has made all the nations of the earth / land promised to Abraham drunk with her madness against Israel, both natural and spiritual (<em><a href='B:300 51:7'>Jer 51:7</a></em>). The teaching / wine she gives is not only propaganda; it is an invitation to fornicate with her, to closely and intimately associate with her personally.</p><p>We can observe that the description of the beast in Revelation 17 is very un-Islamic- in fact, the very opposite. The beast is ridden by a prostitute who is drunk- both abominations to radical Islam. The woman has a golden cup- drinking from golden cups is specifically forbidden to Moslems by the Quran. The cup is full of idolatry- and Sunni Islam particularly is passionately against any idolatry or worship of anything apart from God. An image is set up to the beast and worshipped- also abomination for Moslems. The false prophet does miracles- whereas Moslems claim that Mohammed did no miracles and the Quran itself is the one supreme miracle of Islam. The gaudy decoration of the beast and whore of Revelation 17 is far from the sobriety of jihadist Islam. Why the apparent contradictions? The similarities with what Islam is&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;are so pronounced that a point is surely being made. The beast of Revelation is how God views the Islamic State and radical Islam. From His perspective, they are the very and exact opposite of all they are claiming. And as has often been observed, the supposed 'religion of peace' is responsible for huge destruction and mass murder. Another possibility is that the more opulent descriptions of the beast actually match well with the Islamic conception of Paradise- as defined, e:g:, in the&nbsp;<em>Encyclopaedia of Islam</em>&nbsp;(Article 'Jannah'): "One day in paradise is considered equal to a thousand years on earth. Palaces are made from bricks of gold, silver, pearls, among other things. Traditions also note the presence of horses and camels of "dazzling whiteness", along with other creatures. Large trees are described, mountains made of musk, between which rivers flow in valleys of pearl and ruby". It may be that the jihadists seek to portray their caliphate as paradise come on earth.</p><p>The image is clearly presented as an idol- this is how the word translated "image" is usually used in the Old Testament. The chief deity of Babylon was Marduk who was considered to be the “god of gold”. Herodotus described the image of Marduk as a golden statue seated upon a golden throne before a golden table and a golden altar. Pliny also notes that the robes of Marduk’s priests were interlaced with gold. The word used for the breaking in pieces of the image (<em><a href='B:340 2:34'>Dan 2:34</a></em>) is that used frequently about the breaking in pieces of idols (<em><a href='B:20 32:20'>Exo 32:20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 9:21'>Deu 9:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:120 23:6'>2Ki 23:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:120 23:15'>2Ki 23:15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:140 34:4'>2Ch 34:4</a></em>):&nbsp; The sequence of metals (gold, silver, brass and iron) is found again in <em><a href='B:340 5:4'>Dan 5:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 5:23'>Dan 5:23</a></em> in describing the materials used by the Babylonian kings for their idols. It's as if they wanted to show that actually all the metals of the image were comprehended within their empire- and they would last for ever. The latter day entity will be distinctly religious, too. The jihadists are passionately against any idols or memorials, hence their destruction of any Shia shrines they take control of. But in a turn of irony which can only be Divine, their religious system is of itself an idol, which is to be destroyed by the Lord's second coming. The entity represented by the image of Daniel 2, which I suggest refers to an Islamic state established in the land promised to Abraham, is destroyed by the return of Christ as of a stone cut out without hands. But the Kaaba stone, the black stone of Mecca which is the central point of the grand mosque in Mecca towards which Moslems pray, is believed by Moslems to have been cut out without human hands and to have come to earth from Heaven, and will reappear at judgment day. And yet this stone, which serves as the focal point of Islam, will be shown to be but a parody of the ultimately true stone cut without hands, the Lord Jesus, who will return from Heaven as the stone to smash the image.</p>


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<p>17:6&nbsp;<em>And 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 wondered with a great wonder</em>- <em><a href='B:420 2:16'>Hab 2:16</a></em> describes how Babylon is punished at the Lord's return because of her drunkenness. <em><a href='B:730 17:6'>Rev 17:6</a></em> defines this as being "with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus", as if to imply that it is the Babylon/ beast's mad, drunken persecution of the saints in the last days that results in the Lord's return in judgment. The "saints" may refer to natural Israel as in <em><a href='B:340 7:25'>Dan 7:25</a></em> and the "martyrs of Jesus" to the witnesses for Him who are killed by the beast, as in chapter 11. Drunkenness is a process; the wine refers to the teaching of Babylon, but it is here the blood of Israel, natural and spiritual. There is the development of a progressive blood lust, the teaching is to kill Israel, and this is exactly the teaching of Jihadism. Once blood is tasted, it becomes the more addictive. Note how after all he has already seen, John marvels at this awful system he now sees portrayed. Although :7 could suggest that the marvelling is a reference to incomprehension.</p>


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<p>17:7&nbsp;<em>But the angel said to me: Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her</em>- John himself wrote: "Marvel not if the world hate you" (<em><a href='B:690 3:13'>1Jn 3:13</a></em>). Perhaps this is why he is gently rebuked for marvelling s:w. when he now sees the real dimensions of the world's hatred for the believers; for it is those who then dwell on the earth / land who will "marvel" whereas the Lord's people, armed with the book of Revelation, will not (:8). John "wondered with great admiration" at the scarlet beast (:6), just as the world had wondered after the sea beast (<em><a href='B:730 13:3'>Rev 13:3</a></em>). And yet we can read John's "marvel" or wonder more positively. The fear or awe of the Lord, our wonder at Him, is the beginning of wisdom. Wonder isn't a kind of intellectual resignation, giving up on the study of God and retreating into numb feelings. Quite the opposite. True wonder leads to a more earnest seeking after wisdom. The Angel told John that John had 'wondered' in amazement at the visions so that God could now reveal the mystery to him (:6,7). In our wonder we sense we are at the beginning of things of infinite significance, we feel we are starting to grasp something ultimate. And we wish to go further. We will glory in the understanding and knowledge of God which that wonder stimulates us to search out (<em><a href='B:300 9:22-23'>Jer 9:22-23</a></em>)</p>


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<p>17:8&nbsp;<em>The beast you saw was and is not, and is about to come up</em>- The allusion is to the Yahweh Name, He who was, is and is to come. The Name of blasphemy on Babylon is therefore a take on His holy Name. Babylon will think: "I am, and there is none else beside me" (<em><a href='B:290 47:8'>Isa 47:8</a></em>). She appropriates to herself the Name "I am" and characteristics of Yahweh; this is her blasphemy.</p><p><em>Out of the abyss, and to go into destruction-</em>&nbsp;This beast which arises out of the bottomless pit is therefore connected with the same beast from the bottomless pit as in <em><a href='B:730 11:7'>Rev 11:7</a></em>. The three beasts sea beast of <em><a href='B:730 13:1'>Rev 13:1</a></em>, earth beast of <em><a href='B:730 13:11'>Rev 13:11</a></em> and now this scarlet beast are all in the spirit and power of the dragon of chapter 12. I suggest the visions may be revealing different aspects of the same entity; or we may have the idea that the beasts will each be judged by God, or damaged by Israeli or Western attacks upon them, but regroup and reform into another incarnation of the same Jihadist principles. This kind of thing is quite imaginable given the geopolitics of the earth / land promised to Abraham.</p><p><em>And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was and is not, and shall come</em>- As noted on :7, those armed with the book of Revelation will not "wonder" at the beast as they will understand it. Perhaps only that generation will fully understand what we read here; because the purpose of prophecy is so that when it fulfils, then we perceive the meaning of the original prophecy. The idea is not that prophecy enables us to work out a timeline of events ahead of time. <em><a href='B:730 13:3'>Rev 13:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 13:12'>Rev 13:12</a></em> explain that the world here called the earth dwellers, those within the earth / land shall wonder after the beast because it recovers from a deadly wound; a wound which led to death. Here we read that the beast was, is not the deadly wound, and yet has revived. That deadly wound is upon one of the heads (<em><a href='B:730 13:3'>Rev 13:3</a></em>), which is identified with the beast; just as the little horn of <em><a href='B:340 7:1-28'>Dan 7:1-28</a></em>; <em><a href='B:340 8:1-27'>Dan 8:1-27</a></em> is spoken of as the whole beast. That little horn takes a stand against the Prince of princes and then is destroyed “but not by human power” (<em><a href='B:340 8:25'>Dan 8:25</a></em>), i:e. he will be destroyed by the stone Jesus cut out without human hands. So the deadly wound could refer to Western or Israeli victory against the beast, but it likely is the result of direct Divine intervention and judgment.</p><p>Like the Lamb, who was killed and then raised up (<em><a href='B:730 5:6'>Rev 5:6</a></em>), the Beast seems to disappear and then return to life. This passage may be a reference to some definite event, such as the murder of Caesar and the healing of the empire under Augustus, the legend of&nbsp;<em>Nero&nbsp;</em>redivivus, whereby Nero was believed to have returned from the dead. The marvellous cure of the Beast excites admiration and leads to the adoration of the dragon and the Beast (<em><a href='B:730 17:8'>Rev 17:8</a></em>). This is an allusion to the rapid progress of the emperor cult and to the ready acceptance of the immoral example of the emperors. Thus Caesar is set up as the very antithesis of the one true Lord and Master, Jesus. The latter day application is likewise to a specific individual, the equivalent of Nero in the very last days.</p>


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<p>17:9&nbsp;<em>Here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are the seven mountains on which the woman sits</em>- As discussed on :3, the city with seven hills may have in its time referred to Rome, and also to Jerusalem, the seat of the Jewish satan which so persecuted the early church before AD70. But the latter day reference is to the "great city" where Babylon shall be enthroned; and I have argued on 16:19 that this is literal Jerusalem. But the seven mountains may refer also to a system of seven supporting elements within the beast system which are to be found within the beast headquarters in Jerusalem.</p>


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<p>17:10&nbsp;<em>And they are seven kings. The five are fallen, the one is, the other is yet to come; and when he comes, he must continue a little while</em>- The seven mountains refer to seven leaders within the beast system, headquartered in Jerusalem, the city of seven hills. They may refer to a sequence of seven kings, or to a group of seven rulers gathered within Jerusalem. But they are photographed, as it were, at the point of the sixth king. The one yet to come provides the connection with how the beast was, is not, and yet is to come. The deadly wounded head will revive in the form of a seventh head. He continues "a little while", the same Greek used in <em><a href='B:730 12:12'>Rev 12:12</a></em> for how the dethroned devil / dragon furiously persecutes God's people, knowing that he has but "a little while". His dethronement would correlate with the head receiving a deadly wound in <em><a href='B:730 13:12'>Rev 13:12</a></em>, the beast 'not being' due to Divine judgment, and then reviving. The judgment and yet revival of Babylon is for a reason; and I suggest that the God who in judgment always remembers mercy does it this way because He seeks even Babylon's repentance. And that is why in the midst of the prophecies of Babylon's judgment, we read that God "would have healed Babylon", of her "deadly wound", but she would not; she refuses the ointment offered (<em><a href='B:300 51:8-9'>Jer 51:8-9</a></em>).</p><p>A pre-AD70 date for Revelation has been well argued by J:A:T. Robinson, H:A. Whittaker and Paul Wyns. John would've been pretty old if it was indeed given in AD96 as claimed by some. The many connections between Revelation and the Olivet prophecy and 2 Peter 3 all suggest that it too is a prophecy of AD70. The historical connections are too great to ignore, and seem of little value if the book is simply alluding at a later date to what happened in AD70. <em><a href='B:730 17:10'>Rev 17:10</a></em> speaks of the leadership of the Roman empire, speaking of “five that are fallen”- clearly referring to:&nbsp;<br/>1. Julius Caesar the first Roman Emperor (44 BC-26 BC).<br/>2. Augustus (27 BC – AD 14).<br/>3. Tiberius (AD 14 – 37).<br/>4. Gaius (AD 37 – 41).<br/>5. Claudius (AD 41 – 51)<br/>The leader who "is" would therefore refer to Nero (AD54-68), and the context of persecution would then be that of his reign. The sixth, Nero, was alive when John was given the Revelation; and the seventh was Galba who reigned only 7 months (June 68 - Jan 69). This order of the Caesars is that taken from standard works: Suetonius (<em>Lives of the Twelve Caesars</em>); Dio Cassius (<em>Roman History</em>&nbsp;5); Josephus (<em>Antiquities</em>&nbsp;19:1:11 cp. 18:2:2; 18:6:10). The beast's war with the saints for 42 months (13:5-7) would then refer to the Neronian persecution. Note how 13:12,14 interchanges the head with the whole beast. Mosheim confirms this: "The dreadful persecution which took place by order of this tyrant, commenced at Rome about the middle of November in the year of our Lord 64… this dreadful persecution ceased but with the death of Nero… in the year 68 June, when he put an end to his own life" L. von Mosheim,&nbsp;<em>Historical Commentaries</em>&nbsp;vol. 1, tr. Robert Vidal (NY: Converse, 1854) pp 138,139. In the same way as the first century believers could not have accurately predicted how all this would come about, but would have been wonderfully encouraged as they saw it all happening, and perceived then the interpretation- so we will see the Revelation come true, rather than be able to predict its precise fulfilment, in our final "last days".</p><p>The problem with the application to Roman Caesars is that the five kings "fall", the same word soon to be used about the fall of Babylon (<em><a href='B:730 18:2'>Rev 18:2</a></em>). The word doesn't mean to die, but to fall from power to destruction. The idea is that five kings will be killed, either together or in quick succession. Any application to the deaths of a succession of Roman Caesars is only a very shadowy fulfilment of the clearer, fuller reality which will be seen in the last days.</p>


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<p>17:11&nbsp;<em>And the beast that was and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goes into destruction</em>- We have noted several times the identity between the horns and the beast. The 'seventh which is the eighth' may mean that the final incarnation of the beast is in its seventh horn' as the horns were, are and shall be (:10), so with the beast itself. The apparent confusion between seventh an eighth in Hebrew thought is found in <em><a href='B:490 9:28'>Luk 9:28</a></em>, where "an eight days" means seven days, a week. The idea may be that he is the seventh, and even the eighth, reckoning inclusively, because after this 'seventh' there shall be no 'eighth' to follow. Going away into destruction is the same idea as in <em><a href='B:470 25:46'>Mat 25:46</a></em>, where the rejected one-time believers "go away into everlasting punishment". Their destruction will be along with the beast; those who in their deepest heart identify with the world shall share the world's judgment.</p>


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<p>17:12&nbsp;<em>And the ten horns you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority as kings with the beast, for one hour</em>- These ten kings would correspond with the ten toes of Daniel's image which stand upon the earth / land promised to Abraham just before the "little stone" of the returning Lord Jesus destroys them; the ten nations of the latter day confederacies of Psalms 83 and Ezekiel 38, the ten Canaanite nations which had to be driven out of the land / earth. The focus here is on the leadership; these ten kings may be located in Jerusalem along with the beast. Their actual possession of power over the land is very brief- just "one hour". And it is in "one hour" that Babylon is destroyed (<em><a href='B:730 18:10'>Rev 18:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 18:17'>Rev 18:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 18:19'>Rev 18:19</a></em>).</p><p>Radical Islam has a lot to say about the land promised to Abraham- what the Bible prophecies refer to as the&nbsp;<em>eretz</em>&nbsp;or land / earth. The Islamic State and al-Nusra Front speak much about it; their definition of the Levant or Sham is pretty much that of the land promised to Abraham. ‘Nusra’ is an acronym standing for the Front for the Defence of the Levant. They claim to be fighting to prepare the way for the coming of the Mahdi to establish God’s Kingdom worldwide; they call the land promised to Abraham “Land of&nbsp;<em>Malahim</em>,” or “epic battles”, and they expect there to be the&nbsp;<em>al-Malhamah al-Kubra</em>, the “Great Battle of the last hour”, at Jerusalem. This is what the Bible calls Armageddon. When the true Jesus appears in Jerusalem, all nations in the earth / land will be gathered together to battle at Jerusalem. And the jihadist theology is preparing them for thIsa. They consciously speak of their caliphate as being extended over the land promised to Abraham, and they are urging people to leave their native lands as Abraham left his, and journey to live in the caliphate, comprised as they wish it to be, of the territory promised to Abraham. They call their caliph or leader ‘Caliph Ibrahim / Abraham’, and urge migration or&nbsp;<em>hijrah</em>&nbsp;to the land promised to him. The pieces are all falling into place to fulfil the Biblical pictures of the last days. Jihadist theology makes much of ‘signs of the times’, leading up to the coming of the Mahdi and the final battle against the antiChrist. These ‘signs of the times’ they look for are often the same signs which are to be found in the Bible, e:g. the re-establishment of Israel as a nation before Armageddon. So as they apparently come true, Islamists are the more convinced that antiChrist who they call&nbsp;<em>Dajjal&nbsp;</em>and understand to be a Jew is about to appear in Jerusalem, and they must fight him in the last great battle, in order to enable the Mahdi to return. Who they consider to be the antichrist will in fact be the true Christ. They will rush to fight Him, believing Him to be the antichrist they are expecting. Their destruction by Him will presage the establishment of God’s&nbsp;<em>true</em>&nbsp;Kingdom on earth, the revived and restored kingdom of Israel. This would explain why many Biblical terms used about the very last days are also found in Jihadist theology. They speak of the events of the very last days before the Mahdi returns as being “the hour”; and yet Revelation speaks of how the kings of the earth / land will have power for “one hour” and be destroyed likewise in “one hour” (<em><a href='B:730 17:12'>Rev 17:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 18:10'>Rev 18:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 18:17'>Rev 18:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 18:19'>Rev 18:19</a></em>). These similarities are unsurprising because Mohammed clearly plagiarized the Bible and Judaism for his teachings.</p>


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<p>17:13<em>&nbsp;These are of one mind; and they give their power and authority to the beast</em>- Their "one mind" is another point of connection and contrast with the believers, who are of "one mind" with each other and their Lord, giving Him all power and authority in their lives. This is very much the language of John's other writings, and <em><a href='B:730 4:11'>Rev 4:11</a></em> and <em><a href='B:730 5:12'>Rev 5:12</a></em> speak of how believers will have given power and authority to Him. The beast is a veritable antiChrist, a fake Kingdom of God. Their unity is based upon their common acceptance of the Jihadist doctrine of destruction of Israel and Christianity within the earth / land. When that is achieved, they then start to squabble amongst themselves, just as the iron and clay elements of the 10 toes of Daniel 2 do not otherwise get along with each other.</p>


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<p>17:14&nbsp;<em>These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and they that are with him, called and chosen and faithful, these also shall overcome</em>- Overcoming is a major theme of the opening letters of Revelation. Those who overcame in their lives will now have been resurrected and will along with the Lord now overcome this final manifestation of sin. The "war" or (Gk:) battle is that for which the jihadist locusts of <em><a href='B:730 9:7'>Rev 9:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 9:9'>Rev 9:9</a></em> are prepared- by the propaganda from the three sources of <em><a href='B:730 16:13'>Rev 16:13</a></em>. This is the final battle against the Jews and Christians in the land spoken of in <em><a href='B:730 11:7'>Rev 11:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 12:17'>Rev 12:17</a></em> and <em><a href='B:730 13:7'>Rev 13:7</a></em>, a kind of "final solution". But it is effectively a gathering together to battle against the returned Lord Jesus (<em><a href='B:730 19:19'>Rev 19:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 20:8'>Rev 20:8</a></em>). The same word for war / battle is used in all these references.</p>


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<p>17:15&nbsp;<em>And he said to me: The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples and crowds and nations and tongues</em>- Babylon "sits" upon the kings of the earth / land; these are the ones she makes drunk with her teaching. The peoples and nations therefore primarily refer to those within the land promised to Abraham and the "sea", the 'waters' immediately surrounding that land, over which the beat has dominion. It is out of these very peoples that there will arise some genuine Christian converts during the tribulation; see on <em><a href='B:730 5:9'>Rev 5:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 7:9'>Rev 7:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 11:9'>Rev 11:9</a></em> and <em><a href='B:730 14:6'>Rev 14:6</a></em>.</p>


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<p>17:16<em>&nbsp;And the ten horns which you saw: they and the beast, these shall hate the prostitute and shall make her desolate and naked-&nbsp;</em>According to the prototype of the Old Testament invasions of Israel, their enemies turn against each other. We are to expect this in the last days, so that, e:g:, Ethiopia will turn against Assyria as happened historically at the time of the Assyrian attack upon Jerusalem. This may be part of the process whereby the horns "hate the whore" of Babylon/Assyria during the final stage of their persecution of God's people (<em><a href='B:730 17:16'>Rev 17:16</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:420 2:8'>Hab 2:8</a></em>):&nbsp; <em><a href='B:410 3:9'>Nah 3:9</a></em> points out that the real strength of Assyria against Israel was on account of the support she received from the smaller surrounding powers:&nbsp;Likewise the ‘Romans’ who destroyed the temple in AD70 were largely Arab and Persian mercenaries. Similarly no one nation presently has any likelihood of dominating the Middle East in terms of military power:&nbsp;Iran and Iraq (geographical 'Assyria') will need the assistance of the other surrounding nations to realistically invade Israel. "<em>Tidings</em>&nbsp;out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him" (<em><a href='B:340 11:44'>Dan 11:44</a></em>) uses the same word translated "rumour" in <em><a href='B:120 19:7'>2Ki 19:7</a></em>, concerning the 'rumour' Sennacherib heard of his Ethiopian allies turning against him:&nbsp;These 'tidings' can be interpreted in a last-days context as referring to news reaching 'Assyria' of her smaller allies turning against her - the horns hating the whore.</p><h4>Historical Babylon was not destroyed simply by "the Medes" but by her own former allies turning against her. In the same way as God puts this idea into the hearts of the ten kings (:17), so <em><a href='B:300 50:9'>Jer 50:9</a></em> says of Babylon's destruction: "I will stir up and cause to come up against Babylon a company of great nations from the north country":&nbsp; Babylon has just been pictured as sitting upon many waters, the nations within the land promised to Abraham (:15). But these waters are to be dried up from her, and those very waters come upon her in destruction. Thus <em><a href='B:300 50:38'>Jer 50:38</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 50:42'>Jer 50:42</a></em>: "A drought is on her waters, and they shall be dried up::. The sea has come up on Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of its waves". The nations who destroy her were from the borders of the earth / land promised to Abraham: "Many kings shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth (<em><a href='B:300 50:41'>Jer 50:41</a></em>):&nbsp; These are the ten kings of Revelation 17 who hate the whore and destroy her, the "nations" of "all the earth / land" whom Babylon had made drunk (<em><a href='B:300 51:7'>Jer 51:7</a></em>). Her destroyers are likened to locusts (<em><a href='B:300 51:14'>Jer 51:14</a></em>), a figure for the jihadist invaders in Revelation 9 who were once supportive of her. There is large emphasis in Jeremiah 51 that these destroyers of Babylon will have been "prepared" by God, raised up by Him; just as we read in :17 that God puts this idea into their hearts: "<em>Prepare&nbsp;</em>the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz:::&nbsp;<em>Prepare&nbsp;</em>against her the nations" (<em><a href='B:300 51:27-28'>Jer 51:27-28</a></em>).</h4><p><em>And shall eat her flesh and shall burn her completely with fire</em>- Eating the flesh of a victim is a Hebraism for total hatred. But within John's thought, the connection is with his record of the Lord's teaching that His followers are to eat His flesh (John 6). The idea may be that although they hate her, yet they are participants in her, as we are in the Lord, and they shall therefore not be saved on account of this but rather judged. Judgment by fire is very much the language of Divine judgment, but we see here how this judgment will actually be brought about by the infighting within the beast system. Under the law, prostitutes were to be burnt to death. So the idea seems to be that indeed Babylon refers to a charismatic individual who leads or rides the beast. As Babylon burnt Jerusalem with fire, so she must be burnt (<em><a href='B:300 21:10'>Jer 21:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 51:58'>Jer 51:58</a></em>).</p><p>The animals and birds were even under Babylon's control according to <em><a href='B:340 2:38'>Dan 2:38</a></em>. But it is the beasts and birds of the sky who later are prophesied as feasting upon Babylon (<em><a href='B:730 19:17'>Rev 19:17</a></em>). This is the equivalent of the horns on the beast hating the whore of Babylon who rides it; the destruction of the Babylon system will ultimately be more by Muslim infighting than direct bolts of destruction from God. Indeed, this was historically God's preferred method of destroying Israel's invaders in Old Testament times.<br/>&nbsp;</p>


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<p>17:17&nbsp;<em>For God did put it in their hearts to do his mind and to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished</em>- We see here clear evidence that God can act directly upon the hearts of people to make them be of one mind and do His mind. How much more is He willing to do so through the gift of the Spirit to His own people who wish to do His will. We noted on :16 that the nations under Babylon turn against her because God gives them a mind to do so- just as He initially gave them a mind to be supportive of her. We note that they gave their kingdoms to the beast, but the beast does not give them a kingdom until the final "one hour", which is the "one hour" of their destruction; see on :12. Perhaps it is an argument about power sharing and reward, how to carve up the earth / land promised to Abraham, which leads to their bitter hatred of Babylon.</p><p>God will make the various nations under Babylon’s rule to “agree” (<em><a href='B:730 17:17'>Rev 17:17</a></em>)- there will be an unprecedented unity amongst those nations located within the land promised to Abraham. Pan-Arabism will triumph in the end. This union will lead to economic prosperity for the region (<em><a href='B:730 18:3'>Rev 18:3</a></em>)- easy to imagine, given the huge oil wealth of these areas. Babylon will become a fake Kingdom of God; hence she is described in terms elsewhere applied to the people and land of Israel (<em><a href='B:730 18:22-23'>Rev 18:22-23</a></em>). Babylon is arrayed in fine linen (<em><a href='B:730 18:16'>Rev 18:16</a></em>) as a pseudo-bride of Christ.</p><p>The final "day of the Lord" will contain elements of all the previous 'days' of God's manifestation in the affairs of men:&nbsp;It will be the time when "the words of God are fulfilled" (<em><a href='B:730 17:17'>Rev 17:17</a></em>), when "all is fulfilled" (<em><a href='B:490 21:22'>Luk 21:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 21:32'>Luk 21:32</a></em>) - presumably referring to the prophetic word:&nbsp;It is therefore fitting that there are many Old Testament historical backgrounds to the prophecies which relate to the Lord's return; those events were types of the final last day:&nbsp;See on <em><a href='B:470 24:15'>Mat 24:15</a></em>. The last days will be the time when&nbsp;<em>every</em>&nbsp;prophecy has its ultimate fulfilment (<em><a href='B:490 21:22'>Luk 21:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 17:17'>Rev 17:17</a></em>); the ultimate climax of prophecy. Therefore we are justified in seeing every prophecy concerning Israel and her neighbours as having at least some latter day application.</p>


