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Showing posts from December, 2018

Beast from the Sea

The Dragon begins his war on the seed of the woman by summoning his seed, the beast from the sea  – Revelation 13:1-5.  In chapter 12, the “ Dragon ” is poised to attack the “ seed of the woman ” as he stands on the seashore while summoning his “ seed ”; first, the “ beast from the sea ,” then, the “ beast from the earth .” Having failed to destroy the “ son ” and the “ woman ,” he sets out to annihilate her “ seed ,” the men and women who have the “ testimony of Jesus. ”

Seventh Trumpet - Third Woe

When the seventh seal was opened, a half-hour of “silence” ensued before the seven angels began to sound their “trumpets.” During that interlude, the prayers of the “saints” were heard ascending to the throne of God. Now, when the “seventh trumpet” sounds, “loud voices” declare the triumph of the kingdom and the possession of the nations by the “Lamb” as promised in the second Psalm.

Little Scroll

Next, John sees the scroll again, only now it is unsealed and open, signifying the time for his call to prophesy once more to peoples and kings  – Revelation 10:1-11.  The first six trumpet plagues  failed to cause the “ inhabitants of the earth ” to repent. Instead, they only hardened their hearts even more.  Something more is needed to complete “ the mystery of God .” The narrative now takes a new direction. Rather than another plague, John sees the scroll unsealed, then he is commissioned to prophesy to “ nations and kings .”

Multiple Final Judgments?

Final judgment scenes occur several times in  Revelation . The sevenfold series of “ seals ,” “ trumpets ,” and “ bowls of wrath ” all culminate in the final judgment, and each time it is punctuated by terrestrial and celestial upheaval. And these three “judgments” are in addition to the one that occurs as the “ Great White Throne of Judgement ” when the wicked are cast into the “ lake of fire .”

Churches of Philadelphia and Laodicea

Philadelphia ( Revelation 3:7-13 ): The city of Philadelphia lay fifty kilometers southeast of Sardis and between it and Laodicea. It straddled a major road into the interior; trade with other regions was vital to its economic life.

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