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Getting Started with the Book of Revelation

“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of
the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait
for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”

       Habakkuk 2:3


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The Two Witnesses

The Two Witnesses are the Bible and the Holy Spirit, and the 144,000 will be the arms and legs of the Two Witnesses. The 144,000 will present Bible truth, and the Holy Spirit will convict honest-hearted people (in every religion) with the truthfulness of that testimony. The Holy Spirit will do everything possible to move people into submission to the will of Jesus; even empowering the 144,000 to perform miracles. They will present three simple testing truths from the Bible and these testing truths (found in Revelation 14:6-12) will separate those who listen to God’s Spirit from those who do not. Eventually, the influence of the Bible and the Holy Spirit will be killed during the Great Tribulation!

Jesus said the Father accepts the worship of those who worship Him in spirit and truth. (John 4:24) In other words, God accepts the worship of those who humbly submit to His demands. If our will is more important than His will, then we have become an enemy of God (anti-Christ), because our Creator has a higher claim over us than we have over ourselves! When we become willing to go, to be and to do all that God demands, Jesus said it is like being born again. (John 3) The Holy Spirit does His best to bring us into perfect harmony with God’s commands and will.

Because Jesus speaks for God, He is called “the Word of God.” (John 1:1) People who worship Jesus in spirit and truth must be open-hearted (to the Spirit) and open-mined (to the advancement of truth) so they can mature in Christ. When a person rejects the Spirit and refuses to accept the clearest evidences of truth, God can do nothing else to save that person. By the time the seventh trumpet sounds, the influence of the Two Witnesses will be terminated. Their work will end because everyone will have made their decision for Lucifer or Christ. Many people, like one-third of the angels in Heaven, will choose to follow Lucifer and believe his lies. Consequently, the Two Witnesses, the Holy Spirit and the written Word (the Bible) will condemn them to death. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Jeremiah 7:28; 9:5; Daniel 8:12; 2 John 1:1.2)

In Revelation 11, the two olive trees and two candlesticks (the Holy Spirit and the Bible) are personified as two human witnesses who will speak to the whole world. Personification is used in Revelation 11 for an important reason. In Bible times, a person could not be put to death on the testimony of one witness; a minimum of two witnesses was required. (Deuteronomy 17:6; Hebrews 10:28) During the Great Tribulation, the 144,000 will forcefully and clearly present the demand to worship God; every person who refuses to submit to the influence of the Holy Spirit and obey God’s fourth commandment will be condemned to die, because of defiance. No person will perish because he refuses to listen to one of God’s 144,000 servants. People who reject the Holy Spirit and God’s truth will commit the unpardonable sin and be condemned because of open rebellion. (Matthew 12:31) Many people think the Two Witnesses will be Moses and Elijah, but Revelation’s story does not have 144,002 spokespersons for God. Revelation’s story is about two divine witnesses from God (which cannot fail) empowering 144,000 servants.

The Rise and Fall of Babylon

After the “shock and awe” of the first four trumpets occur, chaos and lawlessness will follow. The mayhem that occurred after the war between the United States and Iraq in 2003 is a miniature example of this coming upheaval. Political leaders of all nations will immediately respond to God’s overwhelming destruction by imposing martial law. Fear and anxiety will rule the day. Religious leaders will declare those events as “Acts of God,” and they will move quickly to establish a coalition of religious and political authorities to discuss developments and options. The consuming issue will be the question of how to appease God so that His judgments will cease. Because every government will be on the brink of a collapse as a result of God’s judgments, religious and political leaders from all over the world will agree that a “crisis government” is necessary to deal with God’s demands. The Bible calls this coming crisis government, “Babylon.” 

Ironically, Babylon will immediately attempt to appease God by imposing “sin-less” laws. These laws will, at first, prohibit sinful behaviors that were previously permissible. Eventually, laws mandating the worship of God will be imposed, but the diversity of humanity will prove to be an insurmountable obstacle! How should God be worshiped? Which religion has the truth about God? Every religion has a different view of God’s requirements. To resolve this sticky problem, laws will be enforced in each nation that reflects the majority view of God. In other words, in countries where Catholicism is dominant, laws mandating the worship of God will favor Catholic theology. In countries where Islam is dominant, laws mandating the worship of God will favor Islamic theology. Because of the overwhelming destruction of the first four trumpets, in the United States, the Bill of Rights and constitutional freedoms will be suspended. The laws of Babylon will stand in direct opposition to the fourth commandment and juxtaposition of conflicting laws will put the people of Earth in an agonizing situation. If people obey God, the authorities will punish them for violating the laws of Babylon. If people obey the authorities of Babylon, God will punish them for violating His law. Babylon will severely persecute the saints for 42 months and ultimately, Jesus will destroy Babylon at the Second Coming.

The appearing of the Antichrist

About 890 days after the Great Tribulation begins (or two-thirds of the way through the 1,335 days of the Great Tribulation), the fifth trumpet will occur. This event will prove to be awesome. Lucifer will be allowed to physically appear on Earth. The devil will be allowed to leave the spirit realm to physically appear before human beings to bring sin’s drama to a close. Lucifer is the dreaded Antichrist. He will masquerade as Almighty God. He will perform great signs and wonders, and demand the worship that belongs only to God. Billions of wicked people will believe, on the basis of his miracles and signs, that he is really God. To ration scarce resources during the Great Tribulation, the devil will divide the people of Earth into groups of one thousand. Then, during the sixth trumpet, demons will kill a third of mankind to silence opposition against Lucifer, and he will assume absolute control over Earth. In order to buy and sell, the remaining two-thirds of the wicked will consent to wearing a tattoo on their right hand showing the number 666. This number indicates the bearer belongs to the two-thirds who were spared from death (666 is two-thirds of 1,000). The devil will then exalt himself as King of kings and Lord of lords, only to be destroyed by THE true King of kings and Lord of lords at the Second Coming.

The Seven Last Plagues

The seventh trumpet marks the close of the gospel call. The influence of the Two Witnesses will be terminated at the end of the 1,260 days. By that time, most, if not all, of the 144,000 will have been slain. Jesus’ offer of salvation will end and the seven last plagues will begin. The seven bowls will fall exclusively on people who have the mark of the beast. The seven last plagues will last for seventy days. Seven judgments will be poured out on the wicked for two reasons. First, Jesus intends to avenge the suffering of His innocent saints. He will punish the wicked for the cruel treatment and the murder of His saints during the seven trumpets. Second, Jesus will display the wrath of God against obstinate rebellion so that through eternity, everyone will know how God’s wrath against defiance is demonstrated.

The Second Coming

When Jesus appears, three events happen in quick succession. First, the Lord will resurrect the righteous dead. Second, the living righteous will be caught up with the resurrected saints to meet the Lord in the air while the wicked watch. Last, Jesus will cast the devil and his regime into a lake of fire. Then, Jesus will speak a powerful command and the wicked people of Earth will die. Ironically, the same voice that raised the righteous dead to life will put the wicked to death.

The 1,000 Years

During the 1,000 years, the saints will be taken to their home in Heaven to reign with Christ. (John 14:1-3) Reigning with Christ means the saints will share Christ’s authority. They will have the authority, along with Jesus, to determine the amount of restitution (suffering) that each wicked person must provide. The wicked will then be annihilated in the purifying fire that will fall on Earth at the end of the thousand years. In other words, justice will be completely extracted from every wicked person before he is allowed to die. This is the golden rule: As you did unto others, it will be done unto you. (Leviticus 24:19-22; Deuteronomy 19: 18-21)

A New Heaven and a New Earth

At the end of the 1,000 years, the saints will descend to Earth in the Holy City, New Jerusalem. The wicked will be resurrected to see their Maker and face their punishment, which was determined by the saints during the thousand years. The seventh seal will be broken and the contents of the Book of Life will be presented for everyone to see. A world of many languages and religions will see that Jesus Christ is Almighty God just like the Father. The lies of the devil will finally be proven false. The defiance of the wicked will be seen for what it really is, selfishness. Jesus will see to it that everyone understands why He judged them as He did. When the wicked discover there is no hope for recovery, the devil will arose them to make war against Jesus and His holy city. Jesus will then call fire down from Heaven and eventually the wicked will be annihilated. Fire will purify Earth of sin. When the greatest sinner (Lucifer) finishes suffering, Jesus will create a new Heaven and a new Earth and the saints will live happily ever after.





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