Revelation
Study
Guide
Bible text along with commentary and study
notes
By:
Jerry Hood
An
in depth, critical verse by verse study of the book of Revelation with
complete King James Version text!
All scripture contained in this study, unless otherwise noted, is from
the King James Version.
Some references, definitions and alternate scriptures taken from:
Modern King James Version of the Holy Bible
Copyright
Ó1962,
1990, 1993, 1998, 1999.
Used by permission of the copyright holder, Jay P. Green, Sr.
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance; James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., 1890
Thayer's Greek Definitions
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions
Easton's Bible Dictionary; M.G. Easton M.A.; D.D. 1897
Young's Literal Translation Bible 1862, 1898
ALT Bible: Scripture taken from the Analytical -Literal Translation of
the New Testament of the Holy Bible. Copyright © 1999 - 2001 by Gary
F. Zeolla of Darkness to light ministry (www.dtl.org)
Foreword
Let me start by saying that I do not
claim to be a prophecy expert, only one who is interested in it.
Prophesy can be easy to interpret looking back on it, but can be very
difficult to see looking forward. Just ask ten people about their
interpretation of Revelation and you'll probably get ten different
answers. We must however keep in mind that Revelation, or the way we
interpret it, is not a salvation issue. We as the church study it in
an attempt to be prepared for things that are to come upon the earth
whether good or bad.
The goal of
this study guide is for it to be used as a tool to help in your own
studies and take some of the mystery out of the book. To show that
Revelation doesn't have to be a dark secret if we will just follow the
most important rules of interpretation, let the Holy Spirit guide you
and let the bible interpret the bible. If you will do that, I believe
that you will find that it isn't as hard to understand as you may have
thought.
Quick Overview
The book of
Revelation is a glimpse into the seventieth week of Daniel and events
leading up to the return of Jesus. In this book we find the conditions
of this world, the judgments of God upon a lost society and Satan’s
attempt to undermine God and His people. We see that this world’s
governments, or the majority of them, will join together under a
strong leader who most likely rises to power through diplomacy but
later proves to be a ruthless man that is possessed by Satan and tries
to wipe Israel out.
During the tribulation period we find
that God is still dealing with mankind, through the ministry of the
two witnesses and the angles who “preach the everlasting Gospel”,
warning people to turn to God and against taking the mark of the
beast. The Antichrist, being possessed by Satan, hates the saints of
God and persecutes those who keep the name of Jesus. This man of sin,
who Israel thinks is, or could be, their messiah, breaks a covenant
with her and declares himself to be god as he stands in the Holy
Place. This Abomination of desolation causes the wrath of God to be
poured out on this world and culminates with the return of Jesus and
the battle of Armageddon. The Antichrist and False Prophet are
destroyed; Satan is cast into the bottomless pit and Jesus sets up His
kingdom and ushers in the thousand-year reign.
There will probably be some major
event that will cause this man to be able to rise to power, when it’s
his appointed time, and the people call for a leader to unite this
globe. We must understand that there are three main reasons why
nations go to war: political, economic and religious. And in mans
attempt to bring world peace all three of these must be unified. Thus
we see a one-world system of government, economy, and religion in the
time just before Jesus’ return to this earth. We’ll see that the
Antichrist is the political and governmental aspect. The ‘mark of the
beast’ is the economic portion, and False Prophet unifies religion.
Being the Detective
Any serious bible student will, weather studying prophecy
or any other topic of the bible, approach the word prayerfully and
sincerely to see what the word is saying and not making the word fit
what we think it says. I urge every one to use an approach that I like
to call being the detective. Simply put it’s laying all the facts out
and letting the bible interpret the bible. Then we can put the pieces
of the puzzle together and solve the case. A good detective does not
go into a case knowing what the truth is and trying to prove it. He
goes in with the understanding that everyone is a suspect and begins
his process of examining all the clues and eliminating suspects one at
a time until he comes to a reasonable facsimile of the truth. So as we
start in the book of Revelation we are to be the detective, search out
and examine all the clues with the understanding that all of the
rapture theories are in fact suspects. Remember that we can make the
book of Revelation say just about anything we want it to. We must be a
detective and be unbiased in our search for clues.
There are four major views of teachings concerning the timing of
the rapture:
Pre-tribulation -
believes the church is raptured before the tribulation period begins
(since the church is not mentioned after the message to the churches.)
[Revelation 4:1]
Mid-tribulation
-Believes that the church will be here for a portion of the
tribulation period and then is taken out. [Revelation 11:11, 18]
Post-tribulation-
believes that the church will go through all of the tribulation period
and then will be raptured just before the battle of Armageddon, meet
the Lord in the air, return to fight the battle and go into the
millennial reign of Christ. [Revelation 20:4-6]
No rapture
at all (although the
word rapture isn’t in the bible...) view says that the book of
Revelation has been fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in
70AD and that the church will grow and grow until finally Jesus comes
back and sets up His Kingdom.
Some Prophecy Background
(1) Come, and
let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he
hath smitten, and he will bind us up. (2) After two days will he
revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in
his sight.
(8) Who has
heard a thing like this? Who has seen things like these? Will the
earth be brought forth in one
day? Or will a nation be
born at once? For Zion travailed and also brought forth her
sons.
Israel
was declared an independent state May 14, 1948
Israel reborn in one day! Thus fulfilling prophecy.
Foretelling of the rebirth of Israel
The
hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the
LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full
of bones, (2) And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold,
there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were
very dry. (3) And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live?
And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. (4) Again he said unto me,
Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the
word of the LORD. (5) Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones;
Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: (6)
And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and
cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye
shall know that I am the LORD. (7) So I prophesied as I was
commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a
shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. (8) And when
I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin
covered them above: but there was no breath in them. (9) Then
said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say
to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O
breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. (10) So I
prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they
lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. (11)
Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of
Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost:
we are cut off for our parts. (12) Therefore prophesy and say unto
them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your
graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you
into the land of Israel. (13) And ye shall know that I am the
LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up
out of your graves,
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
(28)
But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known
to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy
dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; (29) As
for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed,
what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets
maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. (30) But as for me, this
secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any
living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation
to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.
(31) Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image,
whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form
thereof was terrible. (32) This image's head was of fine gold, his
breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
(33) His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
(34) Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which
smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake
them to pieces. (35) Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the
silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the
chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away,
that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image
became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
[Kingdom of GOD]
(36) This is the dream; and we will
tell the interpretation thereof before the king. (37) Thou, O king,
art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom,
power, and strength, and glory. (38) And wheresoever the children of
men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he
given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou
art this head of gold. (39) And after thee shall arise another kingdom
inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear
rule over all the earth. (40) And the fourth kingdom shall be strong
as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things:
and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and
bruise. [Roman
Empire] (41) And whereas thou
sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the
kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of
the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. (42)
And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so
the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
[Revised Roman Empire]
(43) And whereas thou sawest
iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed
of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not
mixed with clay. (44) And in the days of these kings
[the 10 toes]
shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it
shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall
stand for ever. (45) Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut
out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the
iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God
hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the
dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
1) In the first
year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of
his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of
the matters. (2) Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night,
and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
[Sea being people
and nations] (3) And four
great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
[Wesley, Gill and Henry
all agree that these four beasts are: 1) Babylonians, 2) Medo-Persian,
3) Greek, 4) Rome;
the same as
Nebuchadnezzar's
Dream.] (4) The first was like
a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were
plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the
feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. (5) And behold
another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on
one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth
of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
[…had three ribs in the
mouth …Sir Isaac Newton and Bishop Chandler, to understand by them
Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt; which countries were ground and oppressed
by the Medes and Persians, ]
(6) After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had
upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four
heads; and dominion was given to it. (7) After this I saw in the night
visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong
exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in
pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was
diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had
ten horns.
[10 toes]
(8) I considered the horns, and,
behold, there came up among them another
little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in
this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great
things.[I believe
this to be the
antichrist]
(9) I beheld till the thrones were
cast down [rock],
and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and
the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery
flame, and his wheels as burning fire. (10) A fiery stream issued and
came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment
was set, and the books were opened. (11) 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. [Cast into
hell (at Armageddon) Rev 19:20]
(12) As concerning the rest of the
beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were
prolonged for a season and time.
[The millennium reign]
(13) I saw in the night
visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man
[Jesus]
came with the clouds of heaven, and
came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
(14) And there was
given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people,
nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that
which shall not be destroyed. (15) I Daniel was grieved in my
spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled
me. (16) I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the
truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation
of the things. (17) These great beasts, which are four, are four
kings, which shall arise out of the earth. [Breast
and his arms of silver (Media-Persia), his belly and his thighs of
brass (Graeco- Macedonia), His legs of iron (Rome), his feet part of
iron and part of clay (Last form of Roman Empire). This could also
be the four horns from the He Goat!]
(18) But the saints of the most High
shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for
ever and ever. (19) Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast,
which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth
were of iron
[Rome], and his nails of brass
[Greco- Macedonia];
which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his
feet; [Note: Rome
came to power but was still influenced by Greek thought, culture…]
(20) And of the
ten horns that were in his head,
and of the other which came up,
and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a
mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his
fellows. (21) I beheld, and the same horn [little
horn] made war with the
saints, and prevailed against them;
[Rev_13:7] (22) Until the
Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most
High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
(23) Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon
earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the
whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. (24) And
the ten horns out of this
kingdom are ten kings that shall
arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from
the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
[Feet part iron and part clay]
(25) And he shall speak great words
against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High,
and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his
hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
[3.5 years]
(26) But the judgment shall sit, and
they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto
the end. (27) And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the
kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the
saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and
all dominions shall serve and obey him. (28) Hitherto is the end of
the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitation's much troubled me, and my
countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
8:1 In the third
year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me,
even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the
first. 8:2 And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I
saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is
in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river
of Ulai. 8:3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there
stood before the river a ram which had two horns
[Media and Persia]:
and the two horns were high; but one was higher
than the other, and the higher came up last. 8:4 I saw the ram pushing
westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand
before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his
hand; but he did according to his will, and became great. 8:5 And as I
was considering, behold, an he goat
[Greece, Alexander the
Great] came from the west on
the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat
had a notable horn between his eyes. 8:6 And he came to
the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before
the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. 8:7 And I saw
him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him,
and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in
the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and
stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of
his hand. 8:8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was
strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable
ones toward the four winds of heaven.
[Alexander the
Great- kingdom divided to his four generals]
Al·ex·an·der III1
Known as “Alexander the Great.”
356-323
B.C.
King of
Macedonia (336-323) and conqueror of Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt,
Babylonia, and Persia. His reign marked the beginning of the
Hellenistic Age.[1]
8:9 And out of
one of them came forth a little horn,
which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east,
and toward the pleasant land.
[Out of one of the four
horns] 8:10 And it waxed
great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some
of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
8:11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host,
and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of
his sanctuary was cast down.
[Abomination of
desolation Dan_9:27] 8:12
And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by
reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and
it practised, and prospered. 8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and
another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How
long shall be the vision concerning the daily
sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the
sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 8:14 And he
said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed.
[6.3-6.6 years]
8:15 And it came to pass, when I,
even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning,
then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man. 8:16
And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which
called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the
vision. 8:17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was
afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son
of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. 8:18
Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face
toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright. 8:19 And
he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end
of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
8:20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are
the kings of Media and Persia. 8:21 And the rough goat is the
king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes
is the first king.
[Alexander the Great]
8:22 Now that being broken,
whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the
nation, but not in his power.
Gill
Notes:
four
kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation;
which were the kingdoms of Egypt, Asia, Macedonia, and Syria, into
which the Grecian monarchy was divided after the death of
Alexander; and the first kings of them were all of the Grecian or
Macedonian nation, and not Egyptians, Armenians, Syrians, &c.:
TSK
notes:
|
Alexander’s Kingdom Divided |
|
Four Generals |
Portion of
Kingdom |
|
1. |
Seleucus |
Syria and
Babylon |
|
2. |
Lysimachus |
Asia Minor |
|
3. |
Ptolemy |
Egypt |
|
4. |
Cassander |
Greece |
Out
of one of these will come the Antichrist!
Matthew
Henry- upon
Alexander's death his conquests were divided among his four chief
captains; Seleucus Nicanor had Asia the Great; Perdiccas, and
after him Antigonus, had Asia the Less; Cassander had Macedonia;
and Ptolemeus had Egypt.
8:23 And in the
latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the
full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences,
shall stand up.
[The vile person] 8:24 And his
power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy
wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the
mighty and the holy people. 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify
himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall
also stand up against the Prince of princes
[at
Armageddon]; but he
shall be broken without hand.
8:26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told
is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be
for many days. 8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain
days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was
astonished at the vision, but none understood it.
Seventy Weeks [490 years]
(24) Seventy weeks
are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to
finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and
to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in
everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and
prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
(25) Know therefore and understand,
that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build
Jerusalem [44BC]
unto the Messiah the Prince
[483 years]
shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks
[69 weeks]: the street shall
be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
[The command to restore… Neh chapter 2; Artaxerxes gave command to
rebuild (one of several) in 44BC. Seven weeks - 49years of rebuilding
+ 434 years to Christ (33AD)] (26) And after
threescore and two weeks
[62 weeks]
shall Messiah be cut off,
[crucified in 33AD]
but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come
shall destroy the city and the sanctuary
[70 AD]; and the end thereof
shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolation's are
determined. (27) And he
[the antichrist]
shall confirm the covenant with many for one week
[7 years, the final or
70th week]: and in
the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to
cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it
desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be
poured upon the desolate.
[There are those who say
that this "he" is actually Jesus and the "abomination" refers to
animal sacrifices after the cross. However there is NO place
that I can find where Jesus made a covenant for seven years. If Jesus
set up this abomination the timing is way off. See Daniel 12:11.
Therefore, this abomination of desolation could not be
referring to the work of Jesus!]
(14) Now I
am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the
latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. (15) And when he
had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I
became dumb. (16) And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of
men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto
him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are
turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. (17) For how can the
servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me,
straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath
left in me. (18) Then there came again and touched me one like the
appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, (19) And said, O man
greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be
strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said,
Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. (20) Then said he,
Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to
fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the
prince of Grecia shall come. (21) But I will shew thee that which is
noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with
me in these things, but Michael your prince.
(1)
Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm
and to strengthen him. (2) And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold,
there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall
be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he
shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. (3) And a mighty king
shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according
to his will.
[Alexander the Great] (4) And
when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be
divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor
according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be
plucked up, even for others beside those.
[4 generals]
(5) And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes;
and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion
shall be a great dominion. (6) And in the end of years they shall join
themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come
to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not
retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but
she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat
her, and he that strengthened her in these times. (7) But out of a
branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come
with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the
north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail: (8) And shall
also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and
with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall
continue more years than the king of the north. (9) So the king of the
south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.
(10) But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude
of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass
through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his
fortress. (11) And the king of the south shall be moved with choler,
and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the
north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude
shall be given into his hand. (12) And when he hath taken away the
multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many
ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. (13) For the
king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude
greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years
with a great army and with much riches. (14) And in those times there
shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of
thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they
shall fall. (15) So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a
mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south
shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be
any strength to withstand. (16) But he that cometh against him shall
do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he
shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.
(17) He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his
whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he
shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall
not stand on his side, neither be for him. (18) After this shall he
turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for
his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease;
without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. (19) Then
he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall
stumble and fall, and not be found.
(20)
Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of
the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in
anger, nor in battle.
The
Antichrist
(The events of the 70th week)
(21) And in his
estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the
honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the
kingdom by flatteries. (22) And with the arms of a flood shall they be
overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the
prince of the covenant.
[The covenant is not
made by the antichrist, but is confirmed by him]
(23) And after the league made with
him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become
strong with a small people. (24) He shall enter peaceably even
upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which
his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall
scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he
shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
(25) And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king
of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be
stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall
not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. (26) Yea, they
that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army
shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. (27) And both these
kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at
one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the
time appointed. (28) Then shall he return into his land with great
riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and
he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. (29) At the time
appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not
be as the former, or as the latter. (30) For the ships of Chittim
shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and
have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall
even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy
covenant.
The
Abomination of Desolation
(31) And arms
shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of
strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall
place the abomination that maketh desolate. (32) And such as do
wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but
the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
(33) And they that understand among the people shall instruct
many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity,
and by spoil, many days. (34) Now when they shall fall, they shall be
holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with
flatteries. (35) And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try
them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the
end: because it is yet for a time appointed. (36) And the king shall
do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify
himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the
God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished:
for that that is determined shall be done. (37) Neither shall he
regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any
god: for he shall magnify himself above all. (38) But in his estate
shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not
shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and
pleasant things. (39) Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a
strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he
shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for
gain. (40) And at the time of the end shall the king of the south
push at him: and the king of t
he north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and
with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the
countries, and shall overflow and pass over. (41) He shall enter also
into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but
these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief
of the children of Ammon. (42) He shall stretch forth his hand also
upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. (43) But
he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over
all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians
shall be at his steps. (44) But tidings out of the east and out of the
north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury
to destroy, and utterly to make away many. (45) And he shall plant the
tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy
mountain [Zion];
yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
(1)
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which
standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time
of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that
same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every
one that shall be found written in the book.[The Book:
Exo_32:32,
Exo_32:33; Psa_56:8, Psa_69:28; Isa_4:3; Eze_13:9; Luk_10:20;
Phi_4:3; Rev_3:5, Rev_13:8, Rev_20:12, Rev_20:15 Psa_27:5]
Mat 24:21
for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since
the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever
shall be.
(2) And many of
them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to
everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (3) And
they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and
they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
(4) But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to
the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be
increased. [Dan
5:4~ see Rev 5:1] (5) Then I
Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this
side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank
of the river. (6) And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was
upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these
wonders? (7) And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the
waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand
unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be
for a time, times, and an half;
[3 1/2 years] and when he
shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all
these things shall be finished. (8) And I heard, but I understood not:
then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? (9) And
he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed
till the time of the end.
[The final week;
Rev_5:1] (10) Many shall be
purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly:
and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall
understand. (11) And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be
taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there
shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
[1290 days = 3.5 years]
(12) Blessed is he that
waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty
days. [3.5 years
plus 45 days!]
(13) But go
thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy
lot at the end of the days.
Overview of prophecy background
-
Nebuchadnezzar's
Dream
-
Head of Gold -
Babylonian empire
-
Chest and Arms of
Silver - Meado-Persian empire
-
Belly and thighs of
Brass - Greek empire (Alexander the Great, kingdom divided)
-
Kingdom divided
-
10 horns of fourth
beast.
-
Little horn
-
Legs of Iron - Roman
empire
-
Feet of Iron and Clay -
Revised Roman empire
-
10 toes
-
10 horns of the fourth
beast
-
Little horn comes out
of
-
Vile person /
Antichrist / man of sin
-
Makes war with saints
-
Rock that broke the
image and grew to a mountain - The Kingdom of God
-
Seventy Weeks (490
years)
-
Finish transgressions
-
Make and end of sins
-
Reconciliation for
inequities
-
Bring everlasting
righteousness
-
Seal up the vision and
prophecy
-
Anoint the Most Holy
-
7 weeks and 62 weeks
-
49 years to rebuild
-
483 years from 444BC to
33AD (69 weeks)
-
Break in time
- Age of Grace - The Mystery
-
Final or 70th
week
-
Antichrist rises to
power (Vile person / Man of sin)
-
Doesn't make but
confirms the covenant
-
Abomination of
Desolation
-
Comes out of the
revised Roman empire
-
Seals
- Represents time from the resurrection of Jesus till the sounding of
the first trumpet, which starts the final seven years. Ch 4:1, 5:5
-
War in heaven
... (probably before the sounding of the first trumpet)… wrath of
satan
-
Trumpets...
wrath of the Lamb
-
First half of the final
seven years or, 3 ½ years.
-
Antichrist rises to
power.
-
Israel protected 3 ½
years
-
Persecution of those who
keep testimony of Jesus.
-
Abomination of Desolation ~ Midpoint
~ see Daniel 12:11
-
Antichrist stands in
temple and claims to be god.
-
Vials
... wrath of God
-
Last half of tribulation
-
Poured out on earth, air
and sea
-
Poured out on the beast.
-
Babylon destroyed.
-
Armageddon.
-
1,000 Year reign of
Christ
-
Final battle
-
New Heavens and Earth
Timing of the Rapture or Catching Away
What we do know
»
We know that the Tribulation lasts for 7 years. We are told that the
beast comes out of the bottomless pit at the 5th trumpet
(11:7) and that he continues for 3 ½ years (13:5). We also know that
the 5th vial is poured on the beast (16:10). So, if from
the 5th trumpet to the 5th vial is 3 ½ years,
then the seals could not be included in the final 7 years.
Also: “1:19
Write the things, which thou hast seen, and the things which
are, and the things which shall be hereafter. 4:1 I will
show thee things, which must be hereafter. 5:5 Jesus has
prevailed to open the book and loose the seals.” This would appear to
be referring to the work of the cross.
Rapture
Passages
I
Thessalonians 4:13-18;
John
14:1-3 ;
I
Corinthians 15:51-53;
Philippians
3:20-21;
I
Corinthians 1:7-8
Romans 8:19
Colossians 3:4
I Thessalonians
1:10
I Thessalonians
2:19
I Thessalonians
5:9
I Thessalonians
5:23
2 Thessalonians
2:1-9
I Timothy 6:14
2 Timothy 4:1
2 Timothy 4:8
Titus 2:13
Hebrews 9:28
James 5:7-9
I Peter 1:7, 13
Second
Coming Passages
Daniel 2:44-45
Daniel 7:9-14
Daniel 12:1-3
Zechariah 12:10
Matthew 24:15-31
Matthew 26:64
Mark 13:14-27
Mark 14:62
Luke 21:25-28
Acts 1:9-11
2 Thessalonians
3:13
2 Thessalonians
1:6-10
2 Thessalonians
2:8
I Peter 4:12-13
2 Peter 3:1-14
Jude 14-15
Revelation 1:7
Revelation
19:11-16
I Peter 5:4
I John 2:28-3:2
Revelation 2:25
Thessalonians 2:1-9
(1) Now we
beseech you, my brothers, with regard to the coming
[1Th 4:15-17]
of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our gathering together to Him,
[This verse is clearly
speaking of the rapture of the church.]
1
Thessalonians 4:15-17 MKJV
(15) For
we say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive
and remain until the coming of the Lord
["Coming"2Thes 2:1]
shall not go before those who are asleep. (16) For the Lord
Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of
the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ
shall rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain shall
be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air.
[the rapture of the church]
And so we shall ever be with the
Lord.
(2)
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit,
nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at
hand. (3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day
shall not come, except there come a
(1)
falling away
[apostate church]
first, and
(2)
that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
[Perdition = destruction, the Antichrist]
G646
apostasia
ap-os-tas-ee'-ah Feminine of
the same as G647; defection from truth (properly the state),
(“apostasy”): - falling away, forsake.
We can see
from Strong's that the falling away or apostasy does not refer to a
removing or taking out but a turning from truth. So then one can not
say that this refers to the rapture of the church. The rapture or
catching away of the church will not happen untill 1.) The apostasy
takes place and, 2.) The antichrist is revealed and possibly
3.) There is a third [Ezekiel's] temple (see verse 4)
Note the identifying marks of the Antichrist.
(4) who opposes
and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped,
so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself forth,
that he is God. [The Abomination of Dessolation (see also
Mat_24:15 )]
Dan 11:31 And
forces will stand from him, and they will profane the sanctuary, the
fortress, and shall remove the daily sacrifice, and they shall
place the desolating
abomination.
Dan 12:11 And
from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the
desolating
abomination
set up, a thousand two hundred and ninety days shall occur.
(3.5 years)
(5) Remember ye
not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things
[Many people say verses 6-9 is saying that since
it’s the Holy Spirit that restrains the antichrist, when He is taken
out of the way it is the rapture of the church. The only problem with
this is that it directly contradicts verse 3.]
(6) And now ye know what
withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. (7) For the
mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth
will let, until he be taken out of the way. (8) And then shall
that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit
of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming:
(6) And now you know what holds back, for him to be
revealed in his own time. (7) For the mystery of lawlessness is
already working, only he is now holding back until it comes out of
the midst.2
Thessalonians 2:6-7 MKJV
(6) And now,
you* know the [thing] restraining, for him to be revealed in his own
time. (7) For the secret [or, mystery] of lawlessness is already
supernaturally working, only the one [or, the One] now restraining
[will continue to do so] until he [or, He] comes [or, appears] out
of [the] midst.2
Thessalonians 2:6-7 ALT
(6) and now,
what is keeping down ye have known, for his being revealed in his
own time, (7) for the secret of the lawlessness doth already
work, only he who is keeping down now will hinder --till he may be
out of the way,2
Thessalonians 2:6-7 YLT
Verse 6:
We can not say that verse 6 is saying that the antichrist will not be
revealed till the church is gone! That would be a direct contradiction
of verse 3, which clearly states that the antichrist WILL be revealed
BEFORE the rapture or catching away of the church. I think that the
only safe way to interpret this verse is to say that he won't rise
up till it's his appointed time.
(9)
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power
and signs and lying wonders,
2 Thess 2:1-9
(KJV)
10
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked
shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the
wise shall understand.11
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be
taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there
shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Dan 12:10-11 (KJV)
[3 1/2 years +
30 days ...See
all of chapter 12]
Matt 24:15-16
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of
by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let
him understand)
16
Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
1 Thess
4:13-17 (KJV) 13
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them
which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no
hope. 14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also
which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are
alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent
them which are asleep.
16
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first: 17
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever
be with the Lord.
1
Cor 15:51-52 (KJV) 51
Behold, I shew you a
mystery;
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed.
ISee
Matt 13:24-30 (two harvests) before going any further
I
Chapter 1
Things which thou hast seen
In
chapter one John is seeing Jesus in His glory and majesty, not the
meek and lowly servant that he knew before, but the King of Kings and
Lord of Lords. I believe he is also seeing Jesus as High Priest over
His churches, notice that Jesus is holding the stars, or pastors, of
the seven churches in His hand; which would signify His control of
these pastors. Also note that Jesus warned that if these churches did
not line up to Christ's will they would be removed.
We are given a
blessing in verse three not just for reading the prophecy but for
reading and keeping those things written therein. The bible tells us
that we are not to be just hearers of the word, but doers as well.
1
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto
his servants1
things
»which
must shortly come to pass
2;
and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant
John:
1.
Notice that this revelation is given to the church. 2. John was told that these things were to shortly come to pass.
Notice
that the revelation was given to Jesus by God, then given to John to
give to the churches by Jesus' angel. Mar 13:32 but of that
day and hour no one knows, no, not the angels in Heaven, nor
the Son, but the Father.
[…To
declare to His servants Amo_3:7; must shortly come to pass
Rev_22:10]
Revelation
G602 apokalupsis
Thayer
Definition:
1) laying bear,
making naked 2) a disclosure
of truth, instruction 2a) concerning
things before unknown 2b) used of
events by which things or states or persons hitherto withdrawn from
view are made visible to all 3)
manifestation, appearance
Part of
Speech: noun feminine
A Related
Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number:
from G601
Citing in
TDNT: 3:563, 405
See also:
Rev_22:10 Dan_12:4-9
2
Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus
Christ, and of all things that he saw.
3
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of
this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for
the time is at hand.
4
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto
you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to
come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
[There are some that believe that these seven churches represent seven
church ages, however we must realize that these churches were actual
churches that were in existence at the time John received the
revelation. Also note that Antipas who was an actual martyr is
s