Revelation, Stephen Picklesimer [summer reading list .txt] 📗

by comparing Revelation 13 and 17 and Daniel 7, with Daniel 2, can you fully understand the scope and magnitude of the beasts, and the system they represent. Numerous Old Testament scriptures refer to them, but these chapters describe them best.
(Read our free booklet Who or What Is the Beast of Revelation? for a more thorough explanation of the Roman system and the beast.)

Chapter 14: The 144,000

Chapter 7 introduced the 144,000, and the 14th chapter gives more details about their identity. Verses 1-5 give a nine-point description of them standing before God’s throne as “the firstfruits” (vs. 4) of God’s kingdom.
As when He protected Israel from the plagues of Egypt, God often protects His servants. We will see in the next chapter that the seven last plagues will soon be poured out on the earth. The 144,000, plainly the number of saints in the First Resurrection, are with Christ in His kingdom, and are therefore protected from these terrifying last plagues.
The Three Angelic Messages
Chapter 14 also pictures three angels bearing three messages (vs. 6-11). Examine these angelic messages, which include a warning not to receive the “mark of the beast.” Other prophecies show that most will ignore this important warning!
Those of the final great babylonish system will be deceived into receiving the much talked about, but little understood, MARK OF THE BEAST. These messages announce the fall of Babylon through the seven last plagues and warn against receiving the mark.
The final destruction of this system is an incredible event. Like so much of Revelation, many take phrases out of context in order to support the false ideas and doctrines of men. Verse 11 states, “And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever.” Many dismiss this as merely a reference to souls burning forever in hell, and misunderstand the point of the context.
The timeframe of this event is yet to come. It refers to “Babylon” (vs. 8), “that great city, because she made all nations drink of…her fornication.” This is the religious/political, end-time, final revival of the Holy Roman Empire also described in Daniel 2:42-43 as the “toes,” and in Daniel 7:7, 24 as the tenth horn. Revelation 13 describes it as the seventh and last horn. Revelation 17:12 describes it as the seventh head (which has not yet appeared), and having ten horns.
Revelation 14:9-10 states, “If any man WORSHIP THE BEAST [this final end-time revival and its leader] and his IMAGE, and receive his MARK…he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone…in the presence of the Lamb.” As long as those participating in this “beast” system continue to rebel against God, they will receive “no rest day nor night” (vs. 11). This does not say that they will be burning in hell for eternity. What it does say is that once their bodies are burned up, the smoke ascends forever. The fire extinguishes itself, but the gases from the smoke will continue to circulate in the atmosphere.
The fire that is talked about is here on earth, not in an “ever-burning hell.” Malachi plainly states, “And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says the LORD of hosts” (4:3).
Revelation 14:12 contains a description of God’s servants, who will not take the mark of the beast. These are only a relative few commandment-keepers in a sinning world that has followed a system that has rebelled against God. This verse explains that only the “faith of Jesus” (not merely faith IN Jesus) gives them the strength to resist receiving the mark. Typical human faith will be of no value!

Chapter 15: The Seven Last Plagues Introduced

We have now reached the last part of the seventh seal—which is the seventh trumpet, the third woe, or the seven last plagues (vs. 1). All four of these terms represent the exact same thing! As we have seen, they are synonymous. Let’s now examine what they mean.
Recall from chapter 11 (vs. 15-19) that the blowing of the seventh trumpet represents the moment when Christ returns to set up His kingdom. The time setting is that God’s WRATH has come!
Here is what John wrote: “And the nations were angry, and YOUR WRATH is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should give reward unto Your servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Your Name, small and great [the first resurrection]; and should destroy them which destroy the earth” (vs. 18).
John records that the nations “were angry.” But so is God! Notice it said, “YOUR wrath is come.” Keep this straight! The last part of the seventh seal, the seventh trumpet, the third woe, the SEVEN LAST PLAGUES—and the vials—are all one and the same event—GOD’S WRATH! It is this time that will have finally come to all surviving inhabitants on earth!
Notice: “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the WRATH OF GOD” (15:1)
Before this occurs, verses 2 and 3 show that the resurrected saints sing praise to God. God’s anger is about to be complete. If something is “filled up,” there is room for no more. This represents the final sum of God’s punishment.

Chapter 16: The Seven Last Plagues (Vials) Are Poured Out

Chapters 16 describes these plagues (called vials here—vs. 2-4, 8, 10, 12, 17). They reflect God’s final judgment against the false system, called “Babylon the Great” (17:5; 18:2, 8, 10)!
The first vial is poured out upon the earth, “…and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them who worshipped his image” (Rev. 16:2). These individuals belong to the great, false church-state system.
The second plague is similar to that suffered by the Egyptians just prior to the Exodus (Ex. 7:14-25). “And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea” (Rev. 16:3).
Read for yourself the next three plagues. The rivers and fountains will turn to blood; the sun will become so hot that it will scorch men with fire. Darkness and pain will become unbearable. Now look at verse 11. After all these plagues from God, men continued to “blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.”
This last generation is so vile, corrupt and contemptuous that God will subject them to the worst punishment possible—and they still will not understand—or repent!
Christ compared these days to Noah’s time: “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark” (Matt. 24:37-38).
How did God view that time? “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). We are entering that time again!
The Important Sixth Plague
The sixth of these last plagues sets the stage for the final battle to resist Christ at His Return. Forces of spiritual wickedness are released to force destruction and devastation on the inhabitants of the earth.
Notice how these forces are allowed to gather: “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared” (Rev. 16:12).
The Euphrates River begins in Turkey and flows south through Syria and Iraq, finally reaching the Persian Gulf. God will cause this river to dry up, enabling the “kings of the east” (leading the 200-million-man army) to easily cross over into the Holy Land. This is just a prelude—the setting of the stage—of even more significant events to come.
Verse 13 continues, “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon [devil—Rev. 12:9], and out of the mouth of the beast [civil end-time ruler influenced by the devil], and out of the mouth of the false prophet [religious leader associated with end-time ruler].” In Revelation 17:5, this system is called “Babylon the Great.”
Verse 14 states, “For they are the spirits of devils [demons], working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” These “spirits of devils” are the fallen angels who followed Lucifer (now Satan) in his insurrection against the Creator (Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:12-17; Rev. 12:4).
Notice! This leader will be accompanied by a charismatic religious leader, who will perform miracles with the power of the devil (Rev. 19:20; 13:11-14). When the peoples of the earth witness these miracles, they will be deceived into thinking that this false system is of God, and that they are able to successfully fight what they will perceive as supernatural invaders! These two men will no doubt be possessed by demons (16:13) or the devil himself, driving this religious-political-military system toward the final battle.
Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty
The final, seductive False Prophet will lead the world to worship the beast as God (II Thes. 2:3; Rev. 13:4, 16:2 and 19:20)! This deception will be so great, so widespread, that they will even deceive