Tag: New Testament

Day 16

Revelation 12, the war in heavens.

VV 1-2, 1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.

Revelation 12 is colourful, dramatic, full of suspense, and interesting to read. John saw a great sign in heaven. The woman in labor speak of Israel, the 12 stars speak of the 12 tribes of Israel, and the child speaks of Jesus.

VV 3-6, 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

John saw another sign in heaven. The fiery red dragon speaks of satan. 7 heads speak of the 7 empires that occupied Israel in the past, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medes, Persia, Greece, and Romans. 7 heads also speak of Rome, the city of 7 hills. Most biblical scholars and commentators were of the view that the 10 horns speak of the revived Roman Empire, the EU, formed in 1950 with 6 member countries. This was increased to 9 in 1973 and 28 in 2013. On 31/1/2020, this was reduced to 27 with Brexit. It will be interesting to watch how history unfold between now and the 7-year tribulation. Will the final number of EU member countries be reduced to 10?

Satan’s tail threw out 1/3 of the stars from heaven to earth. This speaks of Satan’s rebellion against God in heaven and 1/3 of the angels followed him to become his demons. Satan was ready to kill Christ as soon as He was born but did not succeed. Christ was born in Bethlehem, died on the cross in Calvary, resurrected to life on Easter, and ascended to God’s throne in heaven forty days after Easter. During the last 3 1/2 years of the 7-year tribulation, God protected a remnant of the believing Jews by taking them into a special place in the wilderness.

VV 7-9, 7 And war broke out in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out to earth with him.

Archangel Micheal and his angels waged war against satan and his demons in heaven, defeated them, and cast them out to the earth. Satan is also called the dragon, serpent or devil. Michael means ‘’who is like God?’’ Satan or Lucifer was once an angel of God but he rebelled against God and was cast out from heaven. Isaiah 14:12-15, “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens, I will raise my throne above the stars of God, I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit”.

VV 10-12, 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

A loud voice from heaven said, satan, who accused Christian day and night before God, had been cast down. Satan’s accusations and condemnations drives us away from from church, from bible study, from prayer, and worship. The Holy Spirit’s conviction draws us closer to God. Romans 8:1, “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”.

Christians triumphed over satan’s accusations by the blood of Christ, by the word of God, by their testimonies, and by not living for themselves. The blood of Christ paid the wages of sin, Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Knowing that his time is short, satan became furious and started to persecute the people on earth with increased intensity.

VV 13-17, 13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a 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. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Satan persecuted Israel (woman) but God protected her by taking her to a special place in the wilderness and protect her. Most biblical scholars and commentators believed this place to be Petra, a fortified rock city in Jordan, and one of the 7 wonders of the world. God will feed, protect and look after her there during the last 3 1/2 years of the 7-year tribulation until the second coming of Christ. Satan will cause a flood to drown her but God will open up the earth to swallow up the flood. Satan was enraged will continue to wage war Israel with increased intensity.

Day 14

Revelation 10: 1-11

VV 1-4, 1 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”

A mighty angel came down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, a rainbow over his head, his face shone like the sun, his feet like pillars of fire, and his voice roaring like a lion. He stepped onto the world with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. This angel cannot be Christ, because Christ will return to earth at the end of the 7-year tribulation but not in the middle. After all the demonic attacks in Revelation 9, a mighty and powerful angel appeared on the scene. John wanted to write down what he saw but he was commanded not to do so. There are certain things that we are not supposed to know. Duet 29:29, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law”.

VV 5-7, 5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, 7 but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.

The mighty angel raised his hand to heaven and swore by Christ, the eternal creator of the universe. John 1:3, “Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made”. Colossians 1:16, “For in him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him”. The angel declared that there should be no more delay. When the 7th trumpet sounded, the mysteries of God will be revealed to His servants the prophets.

VV 8-11, 8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.” 9 So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” 10 Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. 11 And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”

The voice from heaven told John to take the little book from the mighty angel’s hand and eat it. John approached the mighty angel, took the book from him, and ate it. It was sweet as honey in the mouth but became bitter in the stomach. Jeremiah 15:16, “When your words came, I ate them, they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty”. Psalm 119:103, “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth”. Ezekiel 3:3, “And He said to me, ‘Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.’ So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness”. After John had eaten the book, the angel told him to prophesy to people, nations, tongues, and kings.

The word of God is sweet in the mouth but sour in the stomach. It is sweet because there is forgiveness of sin and salvation. It is bitter because it will lead to a conviction of sin, compassion for sinners, and a burden for lost souls. The word will cause spiritual heartburn in your stomach, which will only be relieved by sharing it with others.

Reading, meditating, and obeying the word is the key to successful living. Joshua 1:8, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful”.

Day 10

During the tribulation there will be 7 seal judgments, 7 trumpet judgement, and 7 bowl judgments. Revelation 6 is the opening of the first 6 seals.

Rev 6: 1-17, The seal judgments.

Rev 4 to 5 corresponds to the rapture of the church. Rev 6 to 19, corresponds to the 7-year tribulation on earth, also called the times of Jacob’s trouble, Jeremiah 30:7, “Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it”. Opening the seals will release judgments.

VV 1-2, 1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

When the 1st seal was opened, the 1st horseman of the apocalypse came riding on a white horse with a bow but no arrow. This is the anti-Christ, who come conquering in the name of peace but only a pseudo peace. Seemingly a man of peace, he established a 7-year peace treaty in the Middle East between the Jews and the Arabs. After 3 1/2 years, he will show his true color and trouble will break out in the Middle East.

VV 3-4, 3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.

When the 2nd seal was opened, the second horseman of the apocalypse came riding on a red horse, bringing war and bloodshed to the whole world.

VV 5-6, 5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”

When the 3rd seal was opened, the 3rd horseman of the apocalypse came riding on a black horse, bring a worldwide famine. Things will be very expensive. A day’s wage will only be sufficient to buy food for survival. He will not harm the wine and the oil, speaking of luxury goods. The wealthy and the rich will be spared.

VV 7-8, 7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

When the 4th seal was opened, the 4th horsemen of the apocalypse came riding on a pale horse. The rider’s name was Death and Hades. He had the power to kill. One-quarter of the world’s population will be wiped out. Will beasts and savage animals will be unleashed to kill the people.

VV 9-11, 9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

When the 5th seal was opened, John saw underneath the altar, the souls of the tribulation martyrs crying out to God for vengeance. God covered them with a white robe, speaking of the robe of righteousness. God told them to be patient because more martyrs had to come before He will brings justice. God will not ignore the cries of martyrs to go unnoticed. He will bring justice and avenge them.

VV 12-14, 12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.

When the 6th seal was opened, natural disasters broke out, by way of great earthquakes, cosmic blackout, cosmic phenomena cosmic trembling, and stars falling from the sky.

VV 15-16, 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

All the people whether kings or civilians, whether great or ordinary, whether rich or poor, whether slave or free, will be shaken and frightened to death. They hide themselves from God in caves and rocks of the mountains, instead of crying out to God for mercy. Today, everyone has the opportunity to believe in Jesus and be saved but many still hardened their hearts. Hebrews 3:15, “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”