Understanding the Book of Revelation: The Praise and Armageddon

                 Chapter 19 describes the praise in Heaven and the war at Armageddon.

Hallelujah

                Hallelujah is two Hebrew words combined. Hallelu means praise and jah is a shortened form of Jehovah. Therefore, hallelujah means praise Jehovah. In contrast to the mourning of the world over the destruction of Babylon we now have rejoicing over her destruction by those in heaven. This burst of praise is in response to the answer to the saints’ prayers because God has judged the great city for the way she has treated them. God made Rome rightfully pay for killing and tormenting His people. 

The Marriage

                Verse 7 mentions the bride of Jesus. Christ’s wife is the church, all believers from all ages. We can see this in the parable of the virgins in Matthew 25. We can take a look at the marriage customs of the Hebrews. First is the betrothal. This is considered more binding than our 'engagement'. The terms of the marriage are accepted in the presence of witnesses and God's blessing pronounced upon the union. From this day groom and bride are legally husband and wife (2 Corinthians 11:2). Next comes the interval between betrothal and the wedding-feast. During this interval the groom pays the dowry to the father of the bride if this has not yet been done (Genesis 34:12). Sometimes the dowry is in the form of service rendered (Genesis 29:20). Then comes the procession at the close of the interval. The bride prepares and adorns herself. The groom, arrayed in his best attire and accompanied by his friends, who sing and bear torches, proceeds to the home of the betrothed. He receives the bride and conveys her, with a returning procession, to his own home or to the home of his parents (Matthew 9:15; Matthew 25:1). When the groom had to come from afar, the feast was at times spread at the home of the bride. Finally there is the wedding-feast, which includes the marriage supper. The usual festivities last seven or more days. The bride is the church and Christ the bridegroom. The church is betrothed to Christ and Christ has paid the dowry for her with his own blood. The interval of separation is the current dispensation during which the bride makes herself ready. At the end of this dispensation the Bridegroom accompanied by his angels comes to receive his bride and the wedding feast begins. It does not last a few weeks but throughout eternity. In Christ the bride was chosen from eternity. Throughout the Old Testament dispensation the wedding was announced. When Christ assumed our flesh and blood; the betrothal took place. The price, the dowry was paid on Calvary and now after an interval, the Bridegroom returns and the wedding supper of the Lamb begins Even now Jesus is preparing a place for his bride who he will come back for and who will be with him forever. The reason why the bride wears white in verse 8 is because of her purity and righteousness. It is just like at a wedding here on earth. The bride wears pure white during her first wedding because she is pure. 

The Rider on the White Horse

                In verse 11 Christ becomes the fighting General to fight against the Antichrist and his army at Armageddon. He designates himself as 'the faithful and true witness' in the letter to the church in Laodicea. His eyes are flames so that He may carry out judgment on mankind. He wears crowns because of His glory and royal authority. He has a name written which no one knows but Himself because there are certain aspects of Christ that we have not yet experienced and only He knows. He wears a garment dipped in blood in verse 13 because He has tread the winepress of God and he sacrificed himself for mankind. 

                The armies in Heaven are the overcoming believers. The sharp sword that comes out of his mouth is not an actual sword but it is words of judgment used against the nations. In verse 15, to shepherd is to rule. An iron rod signifies strong power. Therefore, Christ will shepherd with strong power. Christ’s garment signifies righteousness and his thigh represents standing strength. His title is on his robe so all can easily see it. 

The Feast of God

                In verses 17 and 18 the bodies of all types of people will be offered to the flying creatures. This is from Ezekiel's prophecy about Gog in Ezekiel 39:4, 17. You can also look at David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:46, 'Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel'. Verse 19 is referring to the battle at Armageddon, the valley of Jehoshaphat, near Jerusalem. The Antichrist and the false prophet will be the first cast to Hell with Satan. The rest will suffer the words of God’s judgment.

Understanding the Book of Revelation: Babylon is Fallen

                     Now we will delve into Chapter 18: the Fall of Babylon.

                In verse 1 the angel has great authority delegated to him by God, just as Satan gave beast great authority. The angel is going to announce the fall of the great city which is the city of the beast. The earth was illuminated by his splendor which comes from the glory of God when the angel was in God's presence in heaven. Just as Moses face shone with the glory of God after he had been in God's presence. The angel is similar in description to that in Ezekiel 43:1-2 in which the land was radiant with God's glory. The glory of the angel is appropriate to the greatness of his announcement and his authority to proclaim the word of God concerning the demise of Babylon. After her destruction she will be deserted, this is enlarged upon by the angel in 18:21-24. She is already inhabited by unclean spirits who provoke men into unclean acts. After man is no longer there the demons move around seeking rest (Luke 11:24).

                In verse 3 the angel gives the reasons for her destruction. She seduced the nations, kings and merchants to be unfaithful to God. The kings join in with her in her sins against God; they also share in her power and luxury. The merchants also get rich from her desire for greater and greater luxury. We see this now in the world: the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. What is condemned here is excessive luxury. The merchants will lament the loss of their profitable trade.

Verse 4 is clearly a warning to the saints. There are two meanings here: first to come out meaning to be separate from her in her sins and secondly to flee from her in order to avoid her judgment. Just as Lot fled Sodom before its destruction (Genesis  19:12 .); the Israelites fled Egypt; God's people fled Babylon (Jeremiah 51:45); and the early church fled Jerusalem to avoid persecution before her destruction; so God's people are told to leave Babylon before her destruction comes upon her. This is a personal command of God. This has an echo throughout scripture starting with Abraham who was told to leave his own country (Genesis 12:1). He was looking forward to a better country, a heavenly one, and God has prepared a city for him (Hebrews 11:8-16). This finds its fulfillment with the heavenly Jerusalem later in Revelation. It finds an echo in 2 Corinthians 6:16 in which God's people are called out, that is they are to be a holy people separate from the world and its sin. Note that the word church in the New Testament is ekklesia meaning an Assembly of God's called out ones. This should be read with the warnings to the churches at Pergamum and Thyatira in mind.

                In verse 6, we see that Babylon’s sins are piled up to Heaven, just as the tower of Babel was to be built to reach the Heavens. These people have not truly repented so therefore He remembers all of their sins. Double recompense, as seen in verse 6, was required according to Levitical law (Exodus 24:4, 7, 9). Here, it’s double for her double. She is just like the church in Laodicea. In Laodicea, they claimed they were rich and did not need anything. In verse 7, Rome claims to be queen and boast that they will not see sorrow. In verse 8 we are told that the judgment on Babylon will be sudden. In verse 7 she said that she will see no sorrow but on the day of judgment she will be filled with sorrow. She glorified herself but now she will see famine. She sat in luxury but now famine comes to her.

                The kings mourn their loss of power and luxury; the merchants and seamen mourn their loss of wealth through trading in the things of the world. Notice the merchants carry out their trade over the land while the seamen carry out their trade by the sea, thus covering the whole world. Jesus warns us that a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. They are terrified because their security is gone; they know they are next because they committed adultery with her. They had committed adultery with her and were thus united to her in her fate. Their sorrow is worldly sorrow not godly sorrow which leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10), their sorrow is totally self-centered. The merchants lose out on seven categories of trade:

-          ornaments

-          clothing

-          furniture/decorations

-          spices

-          food

-          transportation

-          employment

                The fruit they longed for are the things that are previously mentioned.

                In contrast to the mourning of the kings, merchants and sea captains those in heaven and God's people in heaven are called to rejoice over her because God has judged her for the way she treated the saints while they were on earth. God has paid them back for what they had done to his believers.

                Note the six fold repetition of never indicating the compete destruction of Babylon:

-          Babylon never to be found again.

-          The music of.... never to be heard in you again

-          no workman... will ever be found in you again.

-          The sound of the millstone will never be heard in you again

-          The light of a lamp will never shine in you again.

-          The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again

                The event in verse 21 is based on the scroll upon which Jeremiah had written all the disasters that would come upon Babylon, the staff officer Seraiah was to read it and tie it to a stone and throw it into the Euphrates, and say “So Babylon will sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring upon her. And her people will fall” (Jeremiah 51:60-64).  This should also remind us that Jesus said:

“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have

a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

-Matthew 18:6

                She persecuted the saints and got her just retribution. She is not just a persecutor but is responsible for the blood of all those killed on the earth. She is much more than just the apostate church. She represents that lust for power and wealth that causes nations to go to war for. She reigns over the kings of the earth and she is therefore, in her greed, responsible for all wars.

Understanding the Book of Revelation: The Woman on the Beast

                When reading chapters 17 and 18 we need to keep in mind that John is talking about the city of Rome. A harlot, or prostitute, has no husband. God never had a true relationship with the city of Rome. Rome has a sinful relationship with the leaders of the earth so she can make a profit. Rome, at one point, had conquered many nations and geographically extended over a large area of the globe. Rome was very immoral. The emperors were forcing people to bow down to them and worship them. The emperor lived extravagantly as did most of Rome and huge quantities of luxurious items and slaves were imported into Rome, hence the mourning over her doom by the merchants and ship masters who had lost their trade. By then there was great immorality within Rome and this had spread to surrounding provinces, for example, Corinth. The letters to the Corinthians were written to correct many of the problems this involved. We find in Revelation the woman Jezebel is given as an example of this within the church at Thyatira. Rome also persecuted the saints which is mentioned in this chapter; remember that John was on Patmos for his faith. However there is a deeper meaning because John is using the general term Babylon and not specifically Rome so it does not just apply to those times but extends forward in time to cover all future ungodly empires of which the Roman is his current example, but reaching its climax with the empire of the Antichrist.

• In considering the identity of the woman the following points need to be considered:
• She is described as the prostitute who is to be contrasted with the bride (the church).
• Babylon the earthly city is to be contrasted to the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem.
• The great city is described figuratively as 'Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified' (11:8).
• She sits on many waters which are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
• She is to be distinguished from the beast upon whom she sits and who destroys her.
• She is the city of power, excessive luxury and great wealth.
• She persecuted the saints.
• She rules over the kings of the earth.
• She is associated with music, trade, farming, marriage, merchants and persecution.
• With her the kings of the earth commit adultery and the inhabitants are intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries
• In view of the emphasis of the book that only God is to be worshiped she should be viewed as the temptress who tempts men away from God.

In verse 2, the adultery committed is when the leaders and peoples of the world give in to their sinful lusts and desires. The beast that the woman rides on is scarlet, which is a deep red. The Antichrist and Satan will be one in appearance. Since the woman rides the beast, this indicates that Rome has a close relationship with the enemy. The Babylon is not only Rome, but those influenced by her and who followed her laws. Purple and scarlet were expensive cloths and would only be worn by the rich. Gold, precious stones, and pearls are also expensive and only the wealthy would have access to them. Rome was very rich due to its fornication, selfishness, and ungodly relationships. This also signifies that Rome is not built in a solid way like the New Jerusalem. With Rome, it’s all about outward display and ornamentation. 

The Golden Cup

                

                Then we see that she holds a golden cup. In verse 2 we found that 'the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries' now we see the gold cup in her hand from which the people drank which was 'filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries'. The woman has the allure of being attractive but her golden cup is full of filth, Jeremiah 51:7. The gold cup looks attractive from the outside and succeeds in enticing men away from God, who thereby become filthy. John is describing the spirit of the world and 'all that glitters'. He sees her as God sees her, as she really is. The world and its allure are described by John in 1 John 2:16 'For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world'. Some also point out that purple and scarlet is the ecclesiastical dress of the Roman Church, which on occasions also involves glittering jewel and of course the gold cup. The ecclesiastical side to the whore is also found in verse 6 where she is drunk with the blood of the saints. In her hand is a golden cup, another symbol of luxury and wealth, from which one would expect a pure and delightful drink. Although Babylon offers the cup to the world, in turn she becomes a golden cup in the hand of God to madden the nations (Jeremiah 51:7). She holds in her hand the cup of her own self-destruction as the consequences of her sins are turned back upon her.

Babylon 

                In verse 5 we see the title that this woman carries. The name 'Babylon' is the Greek form of the Hebrew Babel, which is derived from the Hebrew balal, 'to confuse', which produced the noun Balbel, which evolved so that the first l was assimilated into the second (Genesis 11:9). The Greeks typically added endings on names, so they changed it to Babylon. Babylon was built on the site of Babel; they wanted to build a city with a tower, Genesis 11:4, the tower represents man’s religion of self-effort. It also represents the union of politics and religion. Babylon means 'the city of confusion'. When the languages of people of Babel were confused all their wickedness was spread around the world so that all her religions and idolatry were also spread around the world. In being called mother it indicates that she has caused others to slip and fall and become ungodly.

                The woman is drunk with the blood of the saints because the saints didn’t approve of her fornication. The Romans held “games” at the Coliseum where saints would be tormented and killed, their blood staining the dirt. The saints are martyrs who lived a holy life for God unto death, separated and sanctified. The witnesses are those who are a living testimony of Jesus and faithful until death. 

The Beast

                The beast that the woman rides is the Antichrist. It was once because Caesar Nero was alive before John wrote this but is dead by the time Revelation is written. His spirit is about to come out of the abyss to reign in the slain and resuscitated body. He will perish and be sent to the lake of fire. If one has wisdom, we can know who the prostitute represents. Here, seven heads represents seven hills on which the woman sits. Rome was a city built on seven hills:

 

-          Esquiline: The Esquiline was the largest of the 7 hills of Rome. Its claim to fame comes from the Roman emperor Nero who built his domus aurea 'golden house' upon it. Before the Empire, the eastern end of the Esquiline was used for dumping refuse and the puticuli (burial pits) of the poor. Carcasses of criminals executed by the Esquiline gate were left to the birds. Burial was forbidden within the city proper, but the burial area of the Esquiline was outside the city walls. For health reasons, Augustus, the first Roman emperor, had the burial pits covered over with soil to create a park called the Horti Maecenatis 'Gardens of Maecenas'.The Colossus, Temple of Claudius, and Baths of Trajan were all located on the Esquiline.

-          Palatine: The Palatine hill was the central hill of Rome. It was about 25 acres and the residence of Augustus (and Tiberius, and Domitian), the Temple of Apollo and temples of Victory and the Great Mother are there.

-          Aventine: The Aventine Hill became the home of the plebeians. It was separated from the Palatine by the Circus Maximus. On the Aventine were temples to Diana, Ceres, and Libera. The Armilustrium was there, too. It was used to purify arms used in battle at the end of the military season. Another significant place on the Aventine was Asinius Pollio's library.

-          Capitoline: The Capitoline Hill has the least amount of area. When the Gauls attacked Rome, the Capitoline did not fall because of the geese who gave warning. The temple of Juno Moneta, possibly named moneta for the warning of the geese, is also on the Capitoline. This is where coins were minted, providing the etymology for the word "money". The assassins of Caesar locked themselves in the Temple of Capitoline Jupiter after the murder. Criminals were dropped from the hill onto the Tarpeian crags below.

-          Quirinal: The most northern of the seven hills, the Quirinal hill is where the second king of Rome, Numa, lived.

-          Viminal: A small, unimportant hill, with few monuments. Caracalla's temple of Serapis was on it. To the northeast of the Viminal were the thermae Diocletiani, Baths of Diocletian, whose ruins were re-used by churches (now the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and the Museo Nazionale Romano) after the baths became unusable when the Goths cut the aqueducts in A.D. 537.

-          Caelian: This is the most south-eastern hill. During the Republic, the Caelian was densely populated. After a fire in A.D. 27, the Caelian became home to Rome's wealthy.

               

                The seven kings are seven Caesars. Five have “fallen” indicates unnatural death. The first five were Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius. The one who is was Nero and the one not yet to come who will only reign a short time is Galba. Galba only reigned for seven months. Nero will animate the eight king which is the Antichrist.

                Verse 12 tells us about ten kings who will rise up in power in the revived Roman Empire before the Great Tribulation. They will be one with the Antichrist in opposing God and persecuting His people. The war mentioned in verse 14 is the war at Armageddon. The ten kings and the Antichrist will leave the city of Rome poor, kill the citizens, and completely annihilate the city. It’s God’s will for this to happen. 

Understanding the Book of Revelation: The Seven Bowls

                   Chapter 16 tells us what the seven bowls of God’s wrath are. The seven bowls are the same as the seven plagues mentioned in chapter 15. The first plague is a direction reaction to the followers of the Antichrist. They will receive sores all over their bodies. The second bowl corresponds to the third trumpet. During the second trumpet, in Revelation 8:8, only 1/3 of the creatures in the sea died. During the second bowl, however, every living creature dies. The third bowl corresponds to the third trumpet as well. Here, however, the rivers turn to blood. The water is undrinkable like the first plague on Egypt in Exodus 7:17-19 where the fish in the water die and the third trumpet when the water became bitter. In verse 5 notice how it no longer says and who is to come. That indicates that Jesus has already come to the earth. Verse 6 explains the reason behind the plague. These people allowed the blood of saints and prophets to be shed. This is similar to the Levitical code “life for a life” in Leviticus 24:17-18.

                The eighth bowl is a counterpart to the fourth trumpet. Here, the sun will scorch man and cause them to burn. Compare with Deuteronomy 28:22:

“The Lord will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and

drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish.”

                Even after this punishment, the unbelievers that are left still do not want to repent to God. They still curse him. The fifth bowl is actual judgment is against the Antichrist. Not only will the Antichrist be judged but so will his kingdom and territory. No light will shine upon his kingdom, just as the earth was before God said let there be light. The sixth bowl involves the Euphrates River. The Euphrates River is where the four angels were sent out from during the sixth trumpet. Here, the kings of the east will have a travel route to Armageddon.

                There is a vision inserted between the sixth and seventh bowls. Satan, Antichrist, and the false prophet are in the form of frogs. The frogs are like the second plague on Egypt in Exodus 8:6. This trinity is the counterfeit of God’s holy trinity. They perform miraculous signs that counterfeit God to cause people to stand in awe of them. In verse 16 Armageddon is mentioned. So, what does Armageddon mean? It is two Hebrew words. Har means mountain and Megiddon (Megiddo) means slaughter. Therefore, it means mountain of slaughter, although there really is no mountain here.

                Everything in God’s plan is happening. The earthquake in verse 18 is the same as the one mentioned in Revelation 11:19. The great city divided into three parts is Jerusalem. Babylon the Great is the material Babylon, which is Rome. Rome gave the wine of her fornication to the nations so therefore God will give the wine of the fury of His wrath in vengeance. The hail will weigh about 100 pounds. 

Understanding the Book of Revelation: The Seven Plagues and the Temple

                Chapter 15 is a short chapter but it’s important in informing us about the seven bowls of God’s wrath. 

The Seven Plagues

                The seven plagues mentioned are the fury of God in the seven bowls. They are not separate from the bowls but they are what make them up. They are the third woe, which comes at the sounding of the seventh trumpet. The victors in verse 2 are the late overcomers who went through the Great Tribulation and did not follow the Antichrist. “Standing by the glassy sea” signifies that they’ve been resurrected and raptured to Heaven so they’re above the lake of fire with God. The song of Moses that these overcomers sing is in Exodus 15:1-18. It praises God for the victory over the forces of the Pharaoh by allowing him to part the Red Sea. In singing this song, the overcomers are praising God for their victory over the powers of the Antichrist. The song of the Lamb that is sung praises Christ’s redemption. 

The Song of Moses and of the Lamb

                In the song that they sing, God’s ways are His governing principles and His works are His judgments. Moses knew His ways but the children of Israel only knew His works (Psalm 103:7). The Greek word for holy in this case refers to the sum of qualities that are His divine character. Holy is His nature and righteous are His principles. 

The Temple and the Seven Angels with the Seven Bowls

                In verse 5 we see mentioned the temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony. The testimony is the law of God, and was put into the Ark (Exodus 25:16). The Ark was put into the tabernacle so therefore the temple in heaven is the Tabernacle of the Testimony. The seven angels that carry the seven bowls of God’s wrath are dressed like priests (Ezekiel 44:17). “Clean bright linen” indicates they are white garments. These angels are girded at the breasts with golden girdles. To be girded at the breasts is to indicate love and golden girdles indicate divine strength. No one can enter the temple until the angels release the seven bowls. This is so that no one can appease God’s fury with their prayers at this point until the seven bowls are poured out on the rebellious people influenced by the Antichrist. 

Understanding the Book of Revelation: The Three Reapings

                 Chapter 14 discusses the three reapings and some of the events that will take place during the Great Tribulation, including the fall of religious Babylon. In the first verse, this Mount Zion is the heavenly one. The 144,000 is the 144,000 mentioned in Chapter 7, the 12,000 Jews from each tribe of Israel. The name “His Father” on their foreheads signifies that they are one with Him.  The voice is tumultuous yet solemn and pleasant. No one can learn the new song because they don’t have the same experiences of Christ as these first overcomers. When verse 3 says “from the earth” it proves that they’ve been raptured at this point. They were “purchased” by God when He sealed them and they will be raptured before everyone else. 

The Three Angels

                Now we see three more angels, each with a different message to those still on earth. The first angel proclaims the eternal gospel. It tells man to return to worship God and not be deceived by the Antichrist. He will begin the eternal judgment on the world. The second angel brings forth the message that Babylon has fallen. “Who has made all the nations drink” indicates that the Babylon being mentioned here is Rome, which is again mentioned in Chapter 17 and 18. Babylon the Great is a reference to Dan 4:30 when Nebuchadnezzar congratulates himself on his achievement: 'Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?' Immediately he became a beast and was driven from men. Rome has always influenced the rest of the world. The fury refers to her fury when the saints do not consent her fornication. The third angel brings forth the message of what the punishment will be if man does not heed these warnings. “Mixed undiluted” in verse 10 means that God won’t be light in His judgment and wrath. He’ll give to each what they deserve. Torment will not cease to exist in the lake of fire. The endurance to suffer the Antichrist’s persecution will be needed by the saints who remain on earth. There are two peoples who make up the saints at this time: the Jews who keep the commandments and the believers who keep the faith of Jesus.

The Harvest of the Earth 

 

                The dead in verse 13 are those who are martyred under the persecution of Antichrist during the great tribulation. At this point, Christ is no longer clothed by a cloud but now He is on the cloud. The Lord’s coming is now in the open and everyone will know. He is still the Son of Man, therefore He is qualified to execute God’s judgment on everyone (John 5:27). The golden crown is His crown of glory and the sickle indicates that He is the one who will reap God’s people. All believers, who since Christ’s coming have received His seed of life, make up God’s harvest. They are made ripe through their sufferings in the great tribulation so therefore they will be reaped and raptured. In verse 16, the sickle represents the angels sent by the Lord to reap the harvest (Matthew 13:39).

                This next angel in verse 17 has a sickle to reap the ones who chose not to follow Christ and chose to worship the Antichrist. In the bible, the Jews are likened to the fig tree (Matthew 24:32), the believers are likened to wheat (Matthew 13:25, 30), and now the wicked are likened to grapes, which is a counterfeit of the true vine made of Christ and His followers (John 15:1-6). The grapes, being composed mostly of water, indicates that these wicked are ripe because they are filled to the brim with sin. The great winepress in verse 19 is the war at Armageddon in Chapter 16, which is the valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:9-16). All the Gentile worldly forces will be gathered there, and the Lord, with His overcoming saints, will destroy them there (Isaiah 63:1-6). The city that is mentioned in verse 20 where the winepress was trodden is Jerusalem. one thousand and six hundred stadia is one hundred and eighty-two miles, which is the distance from Bozrah (Isaiah 63:1) to Armageddon. 

Understanding the Book of Revelation: The Mark and 666

            

 

                Now we come to a part of the book that requires a lot of research and wisdom and understanding. This is a continuation of the previous post about Chapter 13 but I felt it was necessary to separate the beginning of the Chapter from the last 3 verses. There have been many different interpretations about verses 16-18. Some say that the mark is a microchip and that the beast whose number is 666 is Obama or the pope. 

The Mark 

                First we will talk about the mark that men will be forced to receive on their right hand or forehead.  He will try and make everyone worship him by making them get his mark in order to survive. The mark is not literal. It shows possession and it shows who the Lord over that person is. God marks the forehead and right hand in Exodus 13:9, 16 and Deuteronomy 11:18 to show that His peoples showed total obedience to Him. In Ezekiel 9:9, allegiance is shown by the mark. The Antichrist tries to mirror God! Revelation 13:16 says the Mark will be placed in the "right hand." Again, this is a symbolic term used to denote a position of power. The Lord is said to be at one's "right hand" (Psalm 16:8; 73:23; 121:5, Isaiah 41:13; 45:1; 63:12, Acts 2:25), so the right hand is symbolic for who your Lord is, who you obey. The "right hand" denotes the power of the Lord (Exodus15:6,12, Psalm 16:11; 17:7; 18:35; 98:1; 118:15-16; 139:10, Isaiah 41:10; 48:13; 62:8, Acts 5:31), and the power of Jesus Christ (Mat.26:64, Mark 14:62). Jesus is at the "right hand" of the Father (Psalm 110:1,5, Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36; 16:19, Luke 20:42; 22:69, Acts 2:33-34; 7:55-56, Romans 8:34, Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 3:1, Hebrews 1:3,13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2, 1 Peter 3:22). The "right hand" also denotes work (Psalm 78:54; 80:15), and the power of man (Psalm 45:9; 89:13). The "right hand" could be an adversary of the Lord (Psalm 21:8; 89:42, Lamentations 2:4, and Zechariah 3:1). A wise man's heart is at his right hand (Ecclesiastes 10:2), and whatever you embrace with the "right hand" is where your heart is (Solomon 2:6; 8:3). Similarly to how Jesus places the things he values on his right hand, and the things he despises on his left (Matthew 25:33-34), the right hand is symbolic for the things we value more than other things. 

Who Does 666 Refer To?

                Now we will take an in depth look at verse 18. Some claim that 666 refers to the Pope because the Latin title to the Pope of Rome is "Vicarius Filii Dei" (which, in English, means "Vicar of the Son of God"). When you add up the Roman numeral value of this Latin Title, it totals 666. Scripture is clear that 666 is the number of a man's name (Revelation 13:18; 15:2). Vicarius Filii Dei is a title to the pope's office, it is not his name. Therefore, this does not fulfill prophesy because this is not a name of a man, like scripture says. It is a title. Some claim that computers are the beast because they have "666" encoded in their programs. The Bible explains how to recognize this beast, by his number. Revelation 13:18 says that 666 "is the number of a man," and Revelation 15:2, going into more detail, says it's "the number of his name." So how can a computer become the number of the beast? Or how can any inanimate object be the number of the beast? How can any inanimate object be a sin? Some claim, "well, the first three digits of all computers are 666". So? What does it matter if it's the 1st 3 digits, the last 3 digits, the middle 3 digits, or if three 6's are scattered throughout the entire number? The Bible is clear that 666 is the complete number. The number is not 666395386669487302666, or 75682946009482654. The number is 666, period! Others say that no one knows the identity of the Antichrist, but it is clear that with knowledge and wisdom we can know. Verse 18 clearly says:

“This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him

calculate the number of the beast….”

            So, who is this beast? I know that there is a chance of error in my understanding but I will tell you who I believe he is: Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus. He is commonly known as Nero Caesar, who’s name in Greek is Neron Kesar. No Jew ever thought of Nero except as ‘Neron Kesar.’ The form Neron Kesar is the linguistically "correct" Hebrew form, is the form found in the Talmud and other rabbinical writings, and was used by Hebrews in the first century. Using gematria, where numbers represent letters, we can see that his numbers add up to 666. The letters we would use in gematria are NRWN QSR

-          N=50

-          R=200

-          W=6

-          N=50

-          Q=100

-          S=60

-          R=200

                The fact that Nero fits the description of the "beast" is well documented. He was a torturer, a homosexual rapist, and a sodomite. He even married two young boys and paraded them around as his wives. One of the boys, whose name was Sporus, was castrated by Nero. He was truly bestial in his character, depravity, and actions. He devised a type of game: covered with the skin of a wild animal, he was let loose from a cage and attacked the private parts of men and women, who were bound at stakes. He also initiated the war against the Jews which led to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. Revelation 13:14 says that the image was made to the beast, who had the stroke of the sword. How did Nero die? He drove a dagger into his throat, aided by Epaphroditus, his secretary.  

                Nero’s persecution, which was initiated in A.D.64, was the first ever Roman assault on Christianity. Their death was aggravated with mockeries so much that, wrapped in the hides of wild beasts, they were torn to pieces by dogs, or fastened to crosses to be set on fire, that when the darkness fell they might be burned to illuminate the night. Christians were crucified, beheaded, burnt alive, and used as torches to light the palace gardens. Historically, Nero is the one that persecuted Christians beyond all comparison. St. John’s banishment to Patmos (where he wrote the book of Revelation) was itself a result of the great persecution of Nero. The apostle Paul was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. The apostle Peter, who was crucified upside down, was another victim of Nero. Nero was the first of the emperors who showed himself an enemy of the divine religion. Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79) described Nero as "the destroyer of the human race" and "the poison of the world." 

            The Christians of the first century were under the military authority of Rome, a nation which openly proclaimed its rulers, the Caesars, to be divine. All those under the jurisdiction of Rome were required by law to publicly proclaim their allegiance to Caesar by burning a pinch of incense and declaring, "Caesar is Lord". Upon compliance with this law, the people were given a papyrus document called a "libellus", which they were required to present when either stopped by the Roman police or attempting to engage in commerce in the Roman marketplace, increasing the difficulty of "buying or selling" without this mark. This is exactly the kind of thing that Revelation 13:16-17 talks about, and Nero will bring it back to order once he returns as the Antichrist.

Understanding the Book of Revelation: The Antichrist and the False Prophet

The Beast Out of the Sea

                  In this segment I will be discussing Chapter 13, the Beast out of the Sea and the Beast out of the Earth. The beast out of the sea is the Antichrist. The sea is the Mediterranean Sea. When saying he will come out of the sea, it is telling us he will come from two sources: his spirit from the abyss and his body from one of the Gentile nations around the Mediterranean. The sea signifies Gentile nations (Revelation 17:15, Isaiah 57:20). The ten horns and seven heads are those of the dragon (Revelation 12:3); the beast is therefore one with the dragon. The ten horns are the ten coming kings (Daniel 7:24) and the seven heads are the seven Caesars (Revelation 17:10). The ten heads correspond to the ten toes in Daniel 2:42-4. The Roman Empire, Antichrist, and ten kings (represented by the ten crowns) are one with Satan. The seven Caesars, symbolized by the seven heads, claimed deity and ordered their people to worship them, which is a blasphemy against God.

 

                A leopard, characterized by swift and crucial movements, was the symbol of Alexander the Great, king of Greece. The bear, characterized by its destroying feet, was the symbol of the monarchy of Medo-Persia. The lion, characterized by its devouring mouth, was a symbol of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. The Antichrist will have their characteristics. He’s the totality of all evil powers in human history. Giving his power, throne, and authority to the beast, he makes the beast one with him so he can resist God and persecute God’s people on earth. Verse 3 refers to one of the Caesars who will be resuscitated, causing the earth to marvel. He is one of the Caesars who was assassinated or murdered because it says his face was slain. During the last three and a half years he will terminate all Jewish worship and service to God (Daniel 9:27), persecute the saints, and destroy Jerusalem. The saints that he will make war with are the believers that remain on earth.

The Beast Out of the Earth

                13:11 brings our attention to the beast out of the earth. This other beast is the false prophet mentioned in Revelation 16:13, 19:20, and 20:10. Since the earth signifies Israel, the false prophet will most likely come from the Jews. By saying that he looks like a lamb but talks like a dragon this verse is indicating his falsity. He is the ultimate of all the false prophets that we were forewarned about. He helps persuade people to worship the beast from the sea.  He will be able to do what Elijah did in 1 Kings 18:36-38 by bringing fire out of the sky. People won’t be able to distinguish the truth from the lies. In his being able to give breath to the statue of the beast of the sea he is doing something that has never been done before in human history. Psalm 115:5 tells us that no idol made by human hands has ever been able to speak. 

              

Understanding the Book of Revelation: The Woman and the Dragon

The Woman               

                   Chapter 12 is about the woman and the dragon. It can be difficult to interpret what this chapter is talking about but with the right outlook on it, it becomes clear. In Genesis 37:9 Joseph saw in a dream the sun, moon, and eleven stars plus himself, signifying the totality of God’s people. Based on this principle, the sun, moon, and stars here must signify all of God’s people as well, which is represented by a woman. The sun signifies God’s people in the New Testament because the world is no longer dark after Christ entered the world; there is hope for mankind. The moon signifies God’s people in the Old Testament. The moon is the age of law, which is not to be exalted over the stars; all these people are light bearers. The child, being a man child, signifies God’s stronger people. The bible considers them a collective unit fighting the battle for God here on earth. The cry mentioned is actually a prayer. When it says “…and cried out in pain…” it signifies the suffering that God’s people face. 

The Red Dragon

                The red dragon in verse 3 is Satan. The redness of the dragon signifies the shedding of blood caused by Satan’s murders (John 8:44). The seven heads and ten horns are those of the Antichrist (13:1). This indicates that Satan and the Antichrist are one; the Antichrist is an embodiment of Satan. The seven diadem crowns that the dragon wears indicate the glory of the seven Ceasers’ extraordinary kingship. Since each of them were one with Satan, each assumed deity, claimed to be God, and forced people to worship himself as God. The third part of the stars that are cast to the earth are the saints that backslide because of Satan and are therefore cast down to earth and now they must partake in the Great Tribulation and rapture.  That the dragon stood before the woman signifies that he is always against God’s people. Since Genesis 3:15 to this day he is always waiting to claim possession of God’s people and devour them. The man-child is the overcoming saints, the stronger followers. We know this because in Revelation 2:26-27 it says that the overcoming saints will help rule the nations during the millennial kingdom and here they are given an iron rod to rule the nations. God will protect the remaining believers during the last three and a half years before they are raptured on that last day. 

The War in Heaven

                The war in Heaven mentioned in verse 7 begins immediately after the strongest believers are raptured. They are always in a state of fighting for the Lord. With this war Satan and his angels are cast out of Heaven. Satan accused Job and Joshua and now he accuses the believers of God day and night. But, through fighting him, the kingdom of God can now come in full. Verse 11 refers to the overcoming believers who constitute the man-child in verse 5. They overcame the slander of Satan. The blood of the Lamb answers before God all the accusations of the devil against us and gives us victory over him. We need to verbally testify against the devil when we feel him against us. Unto death indicates martyrdom. They were martyred in Christ’s name. The devil is angry because he has been cast out of Heaven losing all of his territory. He will concentrate his hatred against God’s people during the last three and a half years with great strength, trying to turn them away from Him. 

The Woman in the Wilderness

                Because of this wrath of Satan, God will be the great eagle that protects her. The wings signify his strength to rescue (Exodus 19:4, Deuteronomy 32:11-12). He will protect His people from Satan just like He brought the people of Israel out from the Pharaoh’s persecution. A time and times and a half denotes three and a half years. The water that Satan will cast out in verse 15 signifies the armies that will be sent by Satan to try and destroy the children of God. God said that He would not use water again to punish His people; therefore, this refers to Satan’s attempt to destroy God’s people. The earth will open and swallow Satan (the depths of the earth often signify hell). The rest of her seed signifies the rest of God’s people who do not make up the man-child. Among them are the Jews that we saw in Chapter 7 and the believers who hold Jesus’ testimony. The sea in verse 18 is the same that we will see in 13:1- the Mediterranean Sea. The sand here represents the shore of the Holy Land, where Israel is. Satan’s persecution will be focused mainly on the land of Israel during the Great Tribulation. 

Understanding the Book of Revelation: Who Are the Two Witnesses?

 The Temple Measured

                 Chapter 11 reveals the two witnesses to us and the seventh trumpet, which produces the seven bowls that we will see further in chapter 16. In verse 1 John is given a reed like a rod to measure the temple. This is most likely meant to preserve the temple during the time of supernatural calamities and physical danger or for the reformation of the temple, while in Ezekiel the measuring of the temple was for the rebuilding of it. The altar mentioned here is the incense altar because the altar of sacrifice is in the court outside of the temple. The court is on earth. The holy city is the earthly Jerusalem. At the end of this age the Antichrist will make a covenant with the Jews for one week (7 years) during the last week of the 70 weeks (490 years) God appointed the Jews in Daniel 9:24-27 to end sin. During the last three and a half years, or forty two months, he will break the covenant and end the worship of God (Daniel 9:27). He will blaspheme God and persecute His people. He’ll destroy Jerusalem. This will be the Great Tribulation. 

               

The Two Witnesses      

          1,260 days is three and a half years. The two witnesses here are Moses and Elijah. The reason they wear sackcloth is because it’s funeral clothes. It’s a warning to mankind not to worship the Antichrist so they can escape eternal damnation. In verses 5-6, the actions are the same as what Moses and Elijah did. Moses had turned water to blood and brought plagues among men. Elijah caused the rain to stop due to his great faith. By saying they have the power to do these things again tells us they won’t do it but it lets us know their identity. Malachi 4:5 predicted Elijah’s mission.

“See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and

dreadful day of the Lord comes.”

                The prophet Zechariah, in Zechariah 4, received a vision of two olive trees at either side of a golden light stand. 4:13 says they are the two anointed to serve the Lord. In Matthew 17:1-3 both Moses and Elijah appeared before the Lord on the mount of transfiguration. Moses represents the law and Elijah represents the prophets (Luke 16:16). Olive trees produce oil for the lamps (like mentioned in Matthew 25:1-13). Oil signifies the Holy Spirit. Lampstands produce light through use of the oil. During the church age the churches are the lampstands for God’s testimony. During the 42 months the witnesses are the source of the Holy Spirit and the testimony. The Antichrist will kill these two witnesses and their bodies lie in the city of Jerusalem. It’s spiritually called Sodom and Egypt because even after the 1948 restoration they’re as sinful as Sodom and as wordly as Egypt. The torment that they brought upon the earth was the testimony that they spoke because mankind didn’t want to accept it. The three and a half days is included in the 1,260 or else it would extend past the Great Tribulation. In standing back on their feet they have been resurrected. Jerusalem then suffers an earthquake.

                The earth is no longer ruled by Satan and God’s judgment will now occur on the dead. The Ark of the Covenant is the center of all God’s accomplishments. The earthquake that then occurs is the fourth quake predicted in Revelation. The first occurred at the sixth seal, the second was before the seven trumpets, the next was at the rapture of the two witnesses, and now there is one during the seventh bowl which is the most sever calamity of the seventh trumpet.