Keys to Revelation - Chapter 1

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 1:1 The revelation of Jesus [revelation] - the unveiling or

Christ, which God gave him to show uncovering of the truth about

his servants what must soon take Jesus Christ. Showing Him is His

place. He made it known by sending Splendor and Power.

his angel to his servant John,

[his angel] - A special Angel was

used, possibly Gabriel (Dan 8:16;

9:2; 21-22; Luk 1:26-31).

[John] - The Apostle John

REV 1:2 who testifies to everything

he saw--that is, the word of God and

the testimony of Jesus Christ.

REV 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads Only Book in the Bible that promises

the words of this prophecy, and a Blessing to those who read, hear,

blessed are those who hear it and and take to heart what is written.

take to heart what is written in it, Truly, if you study this Book you

because the time is near. will be blessed (made happy).

REV 1:4 John, To the seven churches [seven churches] - Seven actual

in the province of Asia: Grace and churches that God chose because they

peace to you from him who is, and who were typical of all churches in all

was, and who is to come, and from the ages.

seven spirits before his throne,

[seven spirits] - Term for the Holy

Spirit (Isa 11 :2-3).

REV 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, who

is the faithful witness, the

firstborn from the dead, and the

ruler of the kings of the earth. To

him who loves us and has freed us

from our sins by his blood,

REV 1:6 and has made us to be a

kingdom and priests to serve his God

and Father--to him be glory and power

for ever and ever! Amen.

REV 1:7 Look, he is coming with the John is excited to reveal what he

clouds, and every eye will see him, has seen and reflects on the Coming

even those who pierced him; and all of Jesus back to earth in Judgment

the peoples of the earth will mourn and to set up His Kingdom.

because of him. So shall it be! Amen.

REV 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the [Alpha..Omega] - First and last

Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, letters in Greek alphabet, Jesus

and who was, and who is to come, the is everything. He is God, was God,

Almighty." and will always be the Almighty God!

REV 1:9 I, John, your brother and John was exiled to Patmos, a small

companion in the suffering and 6mi x 10mi island, to forced labor,

kingdom and patient endurance that for the crime of Preaching the

are ours in Jesus, was on the island Gospel and Testifying about the

of Patmos because of the word of God Beautiful Lord Jesus Christ.

and the testimony of Jesus.

REV 1:10 On the Lord's Day I was in [Lord's Day] - Sunday

the Spirit, and I heard behind me a [in the Spirit] - John was carried

loud voice like a trumpet, beyond the normal spiritual state

to a supernatural one in which he

could receive the Revelation.

REV 1:11 which said: "Write on a Jesus is speaking and simply tells

scroll what you see and send it to John to write a letter to the seven

the seven churches: to Ephesus, churches, telling them everything

Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Jesus reveals. These letters

Philadelphia and Laodicea." are written to all the Churches and

Christians of the Church Age.

REV 1:12 I turned around to see the [seven golden lampstands] - these

voice that was speaking to me. And are the seven churches (v.20).

when I turned I saw seven golden Churches, like Christians are lights

lampstands, and some are brighter than others.

REV 1:13 and among the lampstands [like a son of man] - looked like a

was someone "like a son of man," man but really different. Jesus is

dressed in a robe reaching down to dressed like the man of mercy in

his feet and with a golden sash Ezekiel 9:2, 11 before the judgment.

around his chest.

REV 1:14 His head and hair were Christ is given the same description

white like wool, as white as snow, ascribed to God as the Ruler and the

and his eyes were like blazing fire. Judge in Dan 7:9; 10:5.

REV 1:15 His feet were like bronze [bronze glowing] - portrays strength

glowing in a furnace, and his voice stability and judgment.

was like the sound of rushing waters. [rushing waters] - like the sound of

Niagara Falls (awe-inspiring and

powerful).

REV 1:16 In his right hand he held [seven stars] - the seven messengers

seven stars, and out of his mouth or Pastors of the seven churches

came a sharp double-edged sword. His (v.20).

face was like the sun shining in all [sword] - an instrument of judgment

its brilliance. with words, the Word of God, see

Isaiah 11:4.

[face] - shines like the sun, most

likely His whole body was brilliant.

Pictures His Great Purity and Glory.

REV 1:17 When I saw him, I fell at [fell..dead] - Proper response of

his feet as though dead. Then he fear when in the presence of the

placed his right hand on me and said: Holy God (Ezek 1:28; Dan 8:17, 10:9)

"Do not be afraid. I am the First and But Jesus assures John not to be

the Last. afraid, because He is All Powerful

and in Love with His redeemed!

REV 1:18 I am the Living One; I was [Living One] - Resurrected Christ

dead, and behold I am alive for ever who died and overcame death to live

and ever! And I hold the keys of eternally.

death and Hades. [keys] - Jesus decides when a person

will die and who goes into Hell.

REV 1:19 "Write, therefore, what you [have seen] - Chapter 1, the Glory

have seen, what is now and what will of Christ.

take place later. [what is now] - Chapters 2-3, the

Church Age.

[will take place later] - Chapters

4-22, the Rapture, Tribulation,

Millennium, Eternal State.

REV 1:20 The mystery of the seven [angels] - Messengers, that is the

stars that you saw in my right hand Pastors of the Churches.

and of the seven golden lampstands is

this: The seven stars are the angels

of the seven churches, and the seven

lampstands are the seven churches.

 

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 2

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 2:1 "To the angel of the [angel] - messenger, pastor

church in Ephesus write: These are [holds] - to have power over

the words of him who holds the [stars] - the pastors of the

seven stars in his right hand and seven churches (Rev 1:20)

walks among the seven golden [walks among] - patrolling His

lampstands: churches, intimately knowing

each one

REV 2:2 I know your deeds, your [deeds..hard work] - wearisome toil

hard work and your perseverance. I

know that you cannot tolerate [wicked men] - not the pagans, but

wicked men, that you have tested those who claimed to be Christians

those who claim to be apostles but but were not

are not, and have found them false.

REV 2:3 You have persevered and implies strenuous and exhausting

have endured hardships for my name, labor

and have not grown weary.

REV 2:4 Yet I hold this against [Yet] - The church was "doing" a lot

you: You have forsaken your first for Christ, but was lacking the

love. element of Love.

REV 2:5 Remember the height from [Remember] - recall the height of

which you have fallen! Repent and of the Love that used to exist

do the things you did at first. If [Repent] - to change one's thinking,

you do not repent, I will come to to think differently

you and remove your lampstand from [at first] - the way you used to be

its place. when first in love with Christ

[remove..lampstand] - take away the

light (ministry, effect, impact)

REV 2:6 But you have this in your [practices of Nicolaitans] - word

favor: You hate the practices of nikao means "to conquer" and laos

the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. "the people." Suspect they were a

Sect that imposed a clerical hier-

archy on the laity. Much like the

Roman Catholic Church and her Pope.

REV 2:7 He who has an ear, let him [has an ear] - everyone has ears but

hear what the Spirit says to the not everyone listens. Jesus is say-

churches. To him who overcomes, I ing take to heart what I am saying.

will give the right to eat from the [overcomes] - (1 John 5:5) Those who

tree of life, which is in the by Faith, and Repentance come to

paradise of God. Christ in humble submission.

[tree of life] - First given in Gen

2:9 is restored to man in his new

Paradise, the Eternal Home..Rev 22:2

REV 2:8 "To the angel of the [angel] - messenger, pastor

church in Smyrna write: These are

the words of him who is the First

and the Last, who died and came to

life again.

REV 2:9 I know your afflictions [afflictions] - imprisonment and

and your poverty--yet you are rich! death for the cause of Christ

I know the slander of those who say [poverty] - lack of wealth and jobs

they are Jews and are not, but are because of their Christianity

a synagogue of Satan. [synagogue of Satan] - no longer

God's place of worship since they

reject Jesus and the cross. Judaism

has become a false religion.

REV 2:10 Do not be afraid of what [devil..put] - much like Job's

you are about to suffer. I tell suffering, which tested his love for

you, the devil will put some of you God.

in prison to test you, and you will [ten days] - either a literal 10 day

suffer persecution for ten days. Be period or a set time of suffering of

faithful, even to the point of limited duration.

death, and I will give you the [Be faithful] - Don't recant by

crown of life. denying Christ, proving a lack of

true conversion. Hold firm because

Christ is on your side.

REV 2:11 He who has an ear, let [has an ear, overcomes] - Rev 2:7

him hear what the Spirit says to

the churches. He who overcomes will [second death] - The first death is

not be hurt at all by the second our physical death, but then the

death. Christian never dies again, however

the unbeliever goes to his second

death of eternal punishment in the

Lake of Fire (Dan 12:2, John 5:29,

Rev 20:14)

REV 2:12 "To the angel of the [angel] - messenger, pastor

church in Pergamum write: These are

the words of him who has the sharp, [sword] - The Word of God from the

double-edged sword. mouth of God Himself--Jesus Christ.

REV 2:13 I know where you live-- [his throne] - Satan is not omni-

where Satan has his throne. Yet you present and moves about the earth,

remain true to my name. You did not but there are places where his

renounce your faith in me, even in influence and power is more evident.

the days of Antipas, my faithful [Antipas] - A martyr of the early

witness, who was put to death in Church.

your city--where Satan lives.

REV 2:14 Nevertheless, I have a [Nevertheless] - God wants us to

few things against you: You have strive for perfection, even though

people there who hold to the we will fall short, but He never

teaching of Balaam, who taught will accept a compromise in His

Balak to entice the Israelites to Church or His people.

sin by eating food sacrificed to [hold to teaching] - Some there

idols and by committing sexual were into false doctrines that in-

immorality. cluded worship of idols and sexual

sins. (see Num 31:15-16).

REV 2:15 Likewise you also have [Nicolaitans] - see Rev 2:6

those who hold to the teaching of

the Nicolaitans.

REV 2:16 Repent therefore! [will..come..fight] - Jesus will

Otherwise, I will soon come to you fight against His own churches if

and will fight against them with they will not repent of their false

the sword of my mouth. doctrine. Even if 99 doctrines are

"right on" but one is false and the

church or christian is unwilling to

change then Christ will oppose them.

REV 2:17 He who has an ear, let [has an ear, overcomes] - Rev 2:7

him hear what the Spirit says to [hidden manna] - In Exodus 16:32

the churches. To him who overcomes, God had some manna hidden in the

I will give some of the hidden Ark as a testimony of God's grace

manna. I will also give him a white and faithfulness, likewise God

stone with a new name written on promises the new manna which is

it, known only to him who receives Christ in His fullness (John 6:31-

it. 33).

[white stone] - used in Bible times

as a token which provided many priv-

ileges. Normally received stone as

a reward for service or victory.

[new name..known only] - On this

stone, which most likely will be a

precious stone (large diamond) a

very private name will be inscribed

that will be special between Jesus

and each of His loved believers.

REV 2:18 "To the angel of the [angel] - messenger, pastor

church in Thyatira write: These are

the words of the Son of God, whose [blazing..eyes] - eyes of judgment

eyes are like blazing fire and and discernment, burning indignation

whose feet are like burnished [burnished bronze] - same as Rev 1:15

bronze. feet were glowing like in a furnace

which are feet of judgment.

REV 2:19 I know your deeds, your [know] - Christ knows our inner self

love and faith, your service and even more than we do (1SA 16:7).

perseverance, and that you are now [more than] - This church is really

doing more than you did at first. growing and active.

REV 2:20 Nevertheless, I have this [Nevertheless] - See Rev 2:16

against you: You tolerate that [Jezebel] - Probably not her real

woman Jezebel, who calls herself a name but rather a woman like Jezebel

prophetess. By her teaching she who is teaching false doctrine and

misleads my servants into sexual leading Christians into serious sin.

immorality and the eating of food

sacrificed to idols.

REV 2:21 I have given her time to [given her time] - The grace of God

repent of her immorality, but she with sinners, even wicked ones try-

is unwilling. ing to destroy God's people, He is

willing that they repent, but she

refuses.

REV 2:22 So I will cast her on a [cast on a bed] - Not unusual for

bed of suffering, and I will make God to judge or discipline a person

those who commit adultery with her in the same area as their sin. She

suffer intensely, unless they was involved in sexual sins in bed

repent of her ways. so she will not suffer pain in bed.

REV 2:23 I will strike her [children] - could be her own child-

children dead. Then all the ren, but most likely those she

churches will know that I am he who brought up in her false teachings.

searches hearts and minds, and I [repay..deeds] - Those who have done

will repay each of you according to deeds of wickedness get the payment

your deeds. of Eternal Hell, whereas those who

have done deeds of righteousness

will receive Eternal Life.

 

REV 2:24 Now I say to the rest of

you in Thyatira, to you who do not

hold to her teaching and have not [deep secrets] - the demonic teach-

learned Satan's so-called deep ings of Satan that promise power and

secrets (I will not impose any life but only bring utter chaos and

other burden on you): punishment.

REV 2:25 Only hold on to what you [hold on] - be steadfast and endure

have until I come. all your life until either you die

our Jesus returns. This is one of

the key evidences of salvation, that

a person continues in Christ to the

end of their lives.

REV 2:26 To him who overcomes and [overcomes] - Rev 2:7

does my will to the end, I will [will to the end] - If you endure to

give authority over the nations-- the end you will be saved and be

rewarded. The endurance is also a

gift, "God who gives endurance"

(Rom 15:5).

[authority over nations] - During

the Millennium (1,000 year rule of

Christ, we will rule and reign with

Him (Rev 20:6).

REV 2:27 'He will rule them with Quote from Psalm 2:9 about the

an iron scepter; he will dash them Righteous and Rigorous Rule of

to pieces like pottery'-- just as I Jesus Christ during the Millennium.

have received authority from my Father.

REV 2:28 I will also give him the [morning star] - In Rev 22:16 Jesus

morning star. declares that He is the "Bright

Morning Star," and for all that

overcome they will receive the

precious gift of Christ.

REV 2:29 He who has an ear, let [hear] - Again Jesus reminds those

him hear what the Spirit says to who have ears to hear to listen

the churches. carefully to His words and instruc-

tion.

 

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 3

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 3:1 "To the angel of the [angel] - messenger, pastor

church in Sardis write: These are

the words of him who holds the [seven spirits] - Term for the Holy

seven spirits of God and the seven Spirit (ISA 11:2-3). Jesus gives the

stars. I know your deeds; you have Holy Spirit to those who believe,

a reputation of being alive, but repent, and humbly submit to Him.

you are dead. [seven stars] - The pastors of the

seven churches. Jesus has total con-

trol over the church, the pastor,

and Christians for their blessing

and discipline.

[alive..but dead] - They appear as

a "right on" Christian Church on the

outside, but inside they are dead!

REV 3:2 Wake up! Strengthen what [Wake up] - A warning from Jesus to

remains and is about to die, for I to "fan into flame" the little spark

have not found your deeds complete that is left. The church is dying

in the sight of my God. spiritually because the majority of

its members are not saved.

REV 3:3 Remember, therefore, what [Remember..obey..repent] - They are

you have received and heard; obey to remember the Gospel message that

it, and repent. But if you do not was preached and repent and obey it.

wake up, I will come like a thief, [come like thief] - Suddenly He will

and you will not know at what time bring judgment on the church and re-

I will come to you. move the remaining light.

REV 3:4 Yet you have a few people [few] - There is a minority of saved

in Sardis who have not soiled their persons in the church, not many, but

clothes. They will walk with me, some.

dressed in white, for they are [dressed in white] - REV 19:8 "Fine

worthy. linen, bright and clean, was given

her {Christians} to wear. (Fine

linen stands for the righteous acts

of the saints {after salvation}."

[worthy] - Because we were bought at

a great price...the Blood of God!

REV 3:5 He who overcomes will, [overcomes] - (1JN 5:5) Those who

like them, be dressed in white. I by Faith, and Repentance come to

will never blot out his name from Christ in humble submission.

the book of life, but will [book of life] - Literal book or

acknowledge his name before my record in Heaven that has the names

Father and his angels. of the redeemed. Evidence that once

saved (overcomer), always saved.

REV 20:15 If anyone's name was not

found written in the book of life,

he was thrown into the lake of fire.

REV 3:6 He who has an ear, let him See REV 2:7 Comments

hear what the Spirit says to the

churches.

REV 3:7 "To the angel of the [angel] - messenger, pastor

church in Philadelphia write: These [key of David] - ISA 22:22 King

are the words of him who is holy determines who will be allowed in

and true, who holds the key of the Kingdom and who will be shut

David. What he opens no one can out. Jesus opens the doors of

shut, and what he shuts no one can salvation for His Elect, but shuts

open. out the Non-Elect for their willful

rejection of His mercy and grace.

REV 3:8 I know your deeds. See, I [open door] - Jesus has opened the

have placed before you an open door door of ministry to this church,

that no one can shut. I know that which means that they will have many

you have little strength, yet you opportunities to "bring in" God's

have kept my word and have not Elect.

denied my name. [little strength] - Possibly a small

church without social prominence and

at the poverty level. But they were

"big" in Spiritual strength.

REV 3:9 I will make those who are [synagogue of Satan] - The false

of the synagogue of Satan, who religion of Judaism. The true Jew

claim to be Jews though they are is one who truly acknowledges the

not, but are liars--I will make Messiah Jesus Christ.

them come and fall down at your feet [come and fall] - Ironic that those

and acknowledge that I have loved who had the truth (Jews) and would

you. not acknowledge that God also loved

the Gentiles, will someday come in

humility and acknowledge that God

loved others besides the Jews.

REV 3:10 Since you have kept my [endure patiently] - Something all

command to endure patiently, I will Christians will do because of the

also keep you from the hour of gift of faith within us.

trial that is going to come upon [hour of trial] - Short time of

the whole world to test those who suffering for the earth. The seven

live on the earth. years of the Tribulation Period as

compared to the time man has been on

the earth.

REV 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold on [Hold on] - Don't give up and turn

to what you have, so that no one back to your old way of life. The

will take your crown. true believer will "Hold on" because

of the Holy Spirit within them who

seals us till the end.

[crown] - 2TI 4:8 "The Crown of

Righteousness" given to all the

Christians who finish the race,

which will be every true believer!

REV 3:12 Him who overcomes I will [overcomes] - See REV 2:7 Comments.

make a pillar in the temple of my [pillar] - The temple is the Lord

God. Never again will he leave it. God Almighty and the Lamb Jesus

I will write on him the name of my Christ (REV 21:22). A pillar is

God and the name of the city of my a permanent part of the structure

God, the new Jerusalem, which is so we are again promised Eternal

coming down out of heaven from my Security in God.

God; and I will also write on him [names of God, city, new name of

my new name. Jesus] - We only know in part and

see through a dark glass, but some-

day we will know the complete names

of our God, City, and Our Savior.

[write] - Either on our skin or

clothes we will proudly and joyfully

wear the Names of Grace.

REV 3:13 He who has an ear, let See REV 2:7 Comments.

him hear what the Spirit says to

the churches.

REV 3:14 "To the angel of the [angel] - messenger, pastor

church in Laodicea write: These are

the words of the Amen, the faithful

and true witness, the ruler of

God's creation.

REV 3:15 I know your deeds, that [cold nor hot] - A cold drink on a

you are neither cold nor hot. I hot day refreshes. Likewise, a hot

wish you were either one or the drink on a cold day satisfies.

other!

REV 3:16 So, because you are [lukewarm] - A lukewarm drink is

lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I worthless on either a hot or cold

am about to spit you out of my day. Likewise, those who are

mouth. indifferent to the things of God

give evidence of their lost state.

REV 3:17 You say, 'I am rich; I [I am rich] - This is a wealthy

have acquired wealth and do not church who cares more for outward

need a thing.' But you do not appearances than for the condition

realize that you are wretched, of the soul.

pitiful, poor, blind and naked. [blind and naked] - Blind to the

gospel and without the fine linen

from God (acts of righteousness).

REV 3:18 I counsel you to buy from [buy..gold] - Instead of buying gold

me gold refined in the fire, so you rings and watches, buy the true gold

can become rich; and white clothes from Christ (The law from your mouth

to wear, so you can cover your is more precious to me than thousands

shameful nakedness; and salve to of pieces of silver or gold.

put on your eyes, so you can see. PSA 119:72)

[white clothes..salve] - Ability to

see the truth and have the Faith,

to Repent and Submit to Christ then

bearing fruit by doing righteous

acts (REV 19:8).

REV 3:19 Those whom I love I A warning to the church that does

rebuke and discipline. So be not feel that they have a problem

earnest, and repent. and sense no needs. If they were

truly God's children then they would

feel the discipline of God. The

lack of discipline means they are

not the loved children of the Father

and are in great need of repentance.

REV 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the Jesus calls all mankind to come to

door and knock. If anyone hears my Him, but only those who have been

voice and opens the door, I will elected before the foundation of the

come in and eat with him, and he earth can hear His voice. The Non-

with me. Elect are deaf to the Word of God

because of their willful sin. When

a person hears the "Knocking" of the

Savior then the Spirit will enable

them to get up and submit to Christ

in an intimate relationship.

REV 3:21 To him who overcomes, I [overcomes] - See REV 2:7 Comments.

will give the right to sit with me [sit with me] - Reference to REV

on my throne, just as I overcame 20:6 where the Christian is promised

and sat down with my Father on his the privilege of reigning with Christ

throne. for the 1,000 year Millennium.

REV 3:22 He who has an ear, let See REV 2:7 Comments.

him hear what the Spirit says to

the churches."

 

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 4

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 4:1 After this I looked, and [After this] - Reference to previous

there before me was a door standing seven letters to the churches, which

open in heaven. And the voice I had represented the Church Age that comes

first heard speaking to me like a to a end Chronologically as we enter

trumpet said, "Come up here, and I into the events of Chapter 4 and be-

will show you what must take place yond.

after this."

[door to heaven] - John literally

could look into the Third Heaven

from the earth and see the Throne

Room of God.

[voice] - It is Jesus speaking

[come up] - Jesus tells, rather

commands that John "come up" to

Heaven. This event ends the Church

Age and starts the Judgments and

could be a type of the Rapture, where

Jesus calls His Church to "Come Up

Here."

REV 4:2 At once I was in the [in the Spirit] - Transported from

Spirit, and there before me was a earth (most likely not with his body)

throne in heaven with someone through the first heaven (atmosphere)

sitting on it. then past the second heaven (outer

space) and into the third heaven

(location of God, Angels, and the

Redeemed).

[someone sitting] - Appears to be the

Father, since Jesus the Lamb, takes a

scroll from the right hand of Him who

sat on the throne in REV 5:7.

REV 4:3 And the one who sat there [jasper] - in ancient times this

had the appearance of jasper and stone would have been a translucent

carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an rock crystal like a diamond. This

emerald, encircled the throne. brilliant diamond represents the

purity, majesty, and holiness of God.

[carnelian] - A beautiful, ruby red

stone signifying the righteous

judgment and wrath of God.

[emerald] - Brilliant green color

representing the mercy of God.

REV 4:4 Surrounding the throne [24 Elders] - Representatives from

were twenty-four other thrones, and the Church, wearing crowns of victory

seated on them were twenty-four and their white linen robes.

elders. They were dressed in white

and had crowns of gold on their

heads.

REV 4:5 From the throne came [seven spirits] - Term for the Holy

flashes of lightning, rumblings and Spirit (ISA 11:2-3).

peals of thunder. Before the

throne, seven lamps were blazing.

These are the seven spirits of God.

REV 4:6 Also before the throne [sea of glass] - Same glass that was

there was what looked like a sea of seen by Moses in Exodus 24:10, "..and

glass, clear as crystal. In the saw the God of Israel. Under His feet

center, around the throne, were was something like a pavement made of

four living creatures, and they sapphire, clear as the sky itself."

were covered with eyes, in front This sea simply adds to the Glory

and in back. and Majesty of God.

[creatures] - Jesus only created two

kinds of intelligent and spiritual

creatures--Men and Angels. These four

living creatures are angels.

[eyes] - Seems strange to us, but we

are very limited in our knowledge and

understanding of heavenly things. The

eyes would make them all-seeing and

vigilant, not to mention enhancing

their ability to accomplish their

main purpose, to give God the glory

He deserves as they look upon His

Wisdom and Power.

REV 4:7 The first living creature Four creatures represent God's

was like a lion, the second was attributes in His creation:

like an ox, the third had a face [lion] - Majesty, Omnipotence

like a man, the fourth was like a [ox] - Strength, Patience

flying eagle. [man] - Intelligence, Rational Power

[eagle] - Sovereignty, Supremacy

REV 4:8 Each of the four living [six wings] - Matches description of

creatures had six wings and was the Seraphims in ISA 6:2, "Above Him

covered with eyes all around, even were seraphs, each with six wings:

under his wings. Day and night they With two they covered their faces,

never stop saying: "Holy, holy, with two they covered their feet, and

holy is the Lord God Almighty, who with two they were flying."

was, and is, and is to come." They were Unique Angels created to

give Glory to God forever.

REV 4:9 Whenever the living

creatures give glory, honor and

thanks to him who sits on the

throne and who lives for ever and

ever,

REV 4:10 the twenty-four elders Representing the Church in Heaven

fall down before him who sits on rightly acknowledging that God

the throne, and worship him who deserves their worship and honor.

lives for ever and ever. They lay

their crowns before the throne and [lay their crowns] - Acknowledging

say: that Jesus earned them their crowns

by His death on the Cross.

REV 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord

and God, to receive glory and honor

and power, for you created all

things, and by your will they were

created and have their being."

 

 

 

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

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RM79

Keys to Revelation - Chapter 5

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 5:1 Then I saw in the right [scroll] - Parchment had writing on

hand of him who sat on the throne a both sides, then sealed on the edges

scroll with writing on both sides in such a way that the seals must be

and sealed with seven seals. successively broken if the scroll is

to be unrolled and read.

REV 5:2 And I saw a mighty angel [mighty angel] - Possibly Gabriel

proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who

is worthy to break the seals and [worthy] - The scroll is like a title

open the scroll?" deed to the earth and can only be

opened by someone capable of being a

mediator between God and man.

REV 5:3 But no one in heaven or on [in heaven] - Redeemed men and women

earth or under the earth could open [on earth] - Living men and women

the scroll or even look inside it. [under the earth] - Condemned men and

women

REV 5:4 I wept and wept because no John was overcome at the thought that

one was found who was worthy to there was to be a delay in the open-

open the scroll or look inside. ing of the scroll and the resultant

judgment of sin, restoration of

Israel, and the reign of Christ.

REV 5:5 Then one of the elders [Lion of..Judah] - Refers to GEN 49:9

said to me, "Do not weep! See, the where Judah is called a conquering

Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Lion.

Root of David, has triumphed. He is [Root of David] - See ISA 11:1,10

able to open the scroll and its

seven seals."

REV 5:6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking [Lamb] - Jesus is the Lamb of God,

as if it had been slain, standing the perfect sacrifice (JOH 1:29,36;

in the center of the throne, ACT 8:32; 1PE 1:19)

encircled by the four living

creatures and the elders. He had [slain..standing] - The lamb has been

seven horns and seven eyes, which offered, yet it stands erect with

are the seven spirits of God sent visual evidence of the sacrificial

out into all the earth. slaughter, a clear reference to the

death and resurrection of Christ.

[seven] - A term used in Scripture to

denote fullness or completeness.

[seven horns] - Fullness of power.

Horn is a common symbol of strength

(DEU 33:17; PSA 18:2; 112:9). Refers

to the omnipotence of God.

[seven eyes] - In Zechariah 4:1-10

a lampstand with seven lights (v. 2)

is referred to as the Spirit (v. 6)

and the Spirit is the seven "eyes of

the Lord, which range throughout the

earth" (v. 10). Refers to the

omniscience of God.

REV 5:7 He came and took the [He took] - Jesus took the scroll

scroll from the right hand of him from the Father.

who sat on the throne.

REV 5:8 And when he had taken it, [fell down] -Elders fell down in

the four living creatures and the praise and worship of Jesus for His

twenty-four elders fell down before power and mercy.

the Lamb. Each one had a harp and

they were holding golden bowls full [harp] - There is music and singing

of incense, which are the prayers in heaven. Here praise is sung

of the saints. to the Sweet Savior Jesus Christ for

His grace and mercy.

[bowls..incense] - Throughout the

ages God's children have prayed for

judgment on sin and for the reign

of the Messiah Jesus Christ on earth.

These prayers have been as incense

before God for centuries and now are

about to be fulfilled (PSA 141:2).

REV 5:9 And they sang a new song:

"You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals, because you

were slain, and with your blood you

purchased men for God from every

tribe and language and people and

nation.

REV 5:10 You have made them to be

a kingdom and priests to serve our

God, and they will reign on the [reign] - In the Millennium with Our

earth." Lord Jesus Christ (REV 20:6).

REV 5:11 Then I looked and heard [numbering] - There were countless

he voice of many angels, numbering thousands of angels.

thousands upon thousands, and ten

thousand times ten thousand. They

encircled the throne and the living

creatures and the elders.

REV 5:12 In a loud voice they

sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was

slain, to receive power and wealth

and wisdom and strength and honor

and glory and praise!"

REV 5:13 Then I heard every [every creature] - A reference to all

creature in heaven and on earth and of creation which has been awaiting

under the earth and on the sea, and the moment in history when the curse

all that is in them, singing: "To will be lifted and the sons of God

him who sits on the throne and to revealed in full redemptive glory

the Lamb be praise and honor and (ROM 8:18-25).

glory and power, for ever and

ever!"

REV 5:14 The four living creatures

said, "Amen," and the elders fell

down and worshiped.

 

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 6

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 6:1 I watched as the Lamb [Lamb] - Lamb of God is Jesus Christ.

opened the first of the seven

seals. Then I heard one of the four NOTE: With the opening of the first

living creatures say in a voice seal, the beginning of the seven-year

like thunder, "Come!" tribulation period is described,

which is the time of judgment for

Israel and for the whole world.

[Come!] - This call is for the first

of the four horses.

REV 6:2 I looked, and there before [white horse] - It was customary in

me was a white horse! Its rider biblical times for a conqueror to

held a bow, and he was given a ride in triumph on a white horse.

crown, and he rode out as a

conqueror bent on conquest. [bow] - Typical weapon for a king to

carry into battle in that part of the

world.

[crown] - Greek word is "stephanos"

which is a crown of victory and not

a crown of a sovereign.

[conqueror] - This is the AntiChrist,

the "man of sin" who comes and tries

to conquer the world. See DAN 9:26-

27.

REV 6:3 When the Lamb opened the

second seal, I heard the second

living creature say, "Come!"

REV 6:4 Then another horse came [fiery red] - A color representing

out, a fiery red one. Its rider was bloodshed and sin.

given power to take peace from the

earth and to make men slay each [rider..given..power] - A reminder

other. To him was given a large that in all events it is God who

sword. allows and empowers mankind to carry

out His will.

[take peace..make slay] - This rider

follows the Antichrist who tries to

take over the world and the result is

war and bloodshed.

[large sword] - A long sword often

carried into battle that symbolizes

violent death and war.

REV 6:5 When the Lamb opened the [black] - The color of mourning,

third seal, I heard the third affliction, and famine.

living creature say, "Come!" I

looked, and there before me was a [scales] - A yoke or beam with a

black horse! Its rider was holding weight on one side and the substance

a pair of scales in his hand. to be measured on the other.

 

REV 6:6 Then I heard what sounded [quart of wheat] - Dry measure of

like a voice among the four living about a quart (1.92 pints). This was

creatures, saying, "A quart of daily ration of food for one man. And

wheat for a day's wages, and three he got it for his [day's wages]. This

quarts of barley for a day's wages, would indicate that the famine and

and do not damage the oil and the inflation levels after the first

wine!" series of wars was so severe, that a

man worked all day for just enough

food for himself, leaving his family

and those unable to work without

meals.

[three quarts of barley] - Poor man's

diet and cheaper than wheat. The

worker could chose it instead of the

wheat.

[oil..wine] - Staples of the society

and God in His judgment continues to

show mercy by not making the famine

as severe as He could.

REV 6:7 When the Lamb opened the

fourth seal, I heard the voice of

the fourth living creature say,

"Come!"

REV 6:8 I looked, and there before [pale horse] - The word means a

me was a pale horse! Its rider was yellowish green, but refers here to

named Death, and Hades was the color of a corpse or the look

following close behind him. They of a person struck with terror.

were given power over a fourth of

the earth to kill by sword, famine [Death] - This is the death horse and

and plague, and by the wild beasts right behind him is a fifth horse

of the earth. named Hades, which is another name

for Hell, the place of torment until

the Final Judgment.

[fourth of earth] - Today it would be

approximately 1.5 Billion people

killed.

[sword] - The wars and bloodshed

[famine] - Starvation of the masses

[plague] - Diseases from the war, if

they used "germ warfare" and/or the

simple judgment of God in the form of

a Divine ordered disease.

[wild beasts] - A revolt of the

Animal Kingdom, possibly caused by

the displacement of war and the

scarcity of an adequate food supply.

 

REV 6:9 When he opened the fifth

seal, I saw under the altar the [under the altar] - In the Levitical

souls of those who had been slain rite the blood was poured out at the

because of the word of God and the foot of the altar. John sees an

testimony they had maintained. altar in heaven with souls (people)

under it.

[slain] - They were Christians that

had been killed for their faith in

Christ. It is likely that these

Christians were killed during the

Tribulation Period.

REV 6:10 They called out in a loud [avenge] - They cry out like David

voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, for God to judge wickedness because

holy and true, until you judge the God is Holy and all sin is an affront

inhabitants of the earth and avenge to His Sovereignty.

our blood?"

REV 6:11 Then each of them was [white robes] - See REV 19:8 and

given a white robe, and they were 19:14

told to wait a little longer, until

the number of their fellow servants [wait] - God has a timetable for this

and brothers who were to be killed world and is very patient with the

as they had been was completed. wickedness of man, but the day is

coming when the evilness of man will

be completed and then Jesus will

judge the world.

REV 6:12 I watched as he opened [sixth seal] - The first five seals

the sixth seal. There was a great were the direct result of man's

earthquake. The sun turned black actions. A man tried to conquer the

like sackcloth made of goat hair, world (Antichrist-Seal 1). Men from

the whole moon turned blood red, this attempted takeover fought with

each other (War-Seal 2). The result

of this major war was a worldwide

food shortage (Famine-Seal 3).

Because of the war, famines, and the

problems that ensued many on earth

died (Death-Seal 4). The mass killing

of Christians by unsaved man.

Martyrs-Seal 5)

But the sixth seal is the direct

action of God, where He pours out His

judgments against man and his earth.

[great earthquake] - God often has

used earthquakes to introduce His

judgments. This was not a local

quake but rather one that likely

shook the entire world.

[sun..black] - A black sun is in fact

no sun! There would be total dark-

ness except for the red moon.

[red..moon] - The whole world sees a

blood red moon which causes fear and

panic in the hearts of sinful man.

Since the moon gets its light from

the sun, God somehow caused the moon

to emit it's own light of judgment.

REV 6:13 and the stars in the sky [stars..fell] - Literally, shooting

fell to earth, as late figs drop stars were observed to be "falling"

from a fig tree when shaken by a to the earth.

strong wind.

REV 6:14 The sky receded like a [sky receded] - Violent sights in the

scroll, rolling up, and every heavens that made the sky appear to

mountain and island was removed roll up like a scroll.

from its place.

[mountain..island..removed] - They

did not necessarily disappear, but

may have literally moved to new

locations by the violence of Nuclear

War or simply by the finger of God.

REV 6:15 Then the kings of the [man hid] - The events on the earth

earth, the princes, the generals, and in the heavens were terrifying to

the rich, the mighty, and every every man and woman on earth.

slave and every free man hid in

caves and among the rocks of the

mountains.

REV 6:16 They called to the [hide us] - God's judgments were to

mountains and the rocks, "Fall on not only judge sin, but also to cause

us and hide us from the face of him sinful man to repent and cry out to

who sits on the throne and from the God for mercy. However, they would

wrath of the Lamb! not acknowledge their sin but only to

hide from the wrath of God, wishing

that the rocks would crush and kill

them, rather than agree with God

about their sins and submit to Him.

REV 6:17 For the great day of [who can stand] - No one can ever

their wrath has come, and who can stand smug in their sins before God

stand?" when He comes to judge the earth.

 

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

Modem (318) 949-1456

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 7

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

 

REV 7:1 After this I saw four [after this I saw] - Introduces

angels standing at the four corners another part of John's vision.

of the earth, holding back the four

winds of the earth to prevent any [four angels..four winds] - Four

wind from blowing on the land or on angels are seen holding back the four

the sea or on any tree. winds of the earth: North Wind, East

Wind, South Wind, and West Wind. All

winds come from one of these four

directions and God has commanded that

His servants the angels prevent these

winds from blowing, making the entire

earth to experience calm winds.

[prevent..wind] - Another judgment of

God. More and more as we experience

energy shortages, man is developing

a greater reliance on wind power and

by the day of this judgment it could

likely be a significant source of

energy. Man also has enjoyed the

coolness of a breeze on a hot day and

has relied on the wind to move the

polluted air of major cities to pre-

vent a great build-up of smog.

But the greatest judgment will be in

the change of the weather. Without

any wind, the clouds and the rain

they bring will not be occurring and

the earth's food supplies will be

greatly reduced. Another judgment

would be to the reproduction process

of plants that rely on the wind to

carry the pollen and/or seed.

REV 7:2 Then I saw another angel [from the East] - Possibly because

coming up from the east, having the Palestine is east of Patmos.

seal of the living God. He called

out in a loud voice to the four [seal] - Word indicates the seal is a

angels who had been given power to signet ring, like that used by an

harm the land and the sea: Oriental monarch, to give validity to

the official documents.

[seal of God] - A special mark that

was painted, tattooed, or maybe even

applied with lasers in a such a way

that clearly showed who God's true

children were. It was done before in

Ezekiel 9 were God had an ink mark

placed on the foreheads of those who

hated sin, in order for them to avoid

judgment.

REV 7:3 "Do not harm the land or In addition to the Calm Wind judgment

the sea or the trees until we put a God prepares to pour out His wrath on

seal on the foreheads of the the land, sea, and trees, but only

servants of our God." after he first sealed those on the

earth who belonged to Him.

REV 7:4 Then I heard the number of [144,000] - Not a select group from

those who were sealed: 144,000 from among the Believers on the earth,

all the tribes of Israel. rather, they are the only faithful

Believers alive when this event takes

place. All the other Christians were

removed from the earth during the

Rapture, at the beginning of the

Tribulation Period.

[from..Israel] - God chose Israel to

bring the Good News to the lost but

she never fulfilled that command and

rather put up barriers to the lost,

preventing them from knowing the

the truth. But now God is causing

Israel to be faithful to their first

commission of reaching the lost

nations.

REV 7:5 From the tribe of Judah [From the tribe of...] - God chose

12,000 were sealed, from the tribe the twelve tribes of Israel for His

of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of witness during the Tribulation.

Gad 12,000, 12,000 were selected from each tribe.

When God was completed He had 144,000

Jewish Evangelists all preaching the

pure and holy Gospel of Jesus Christ.

REV 7:6 from the tribe of Asher

12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali

12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh

12,000,

REV 7:7 from the tribe of Simeon

12,000, from the tribe of Levi

12,000, from the tribe of Issachar

12,000,

REV 7:8 from the tribe of Zebulun

12,000, from the tribe of Joseph

12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin

12,000.

REV 7:9 After this I looked and [great multitude] - These are the

there before me was a great those who the 144,000 witnessed to

multitude that no one could count, and who were led to Christ by the

from every nation, tribe, people Holy Spirit (see REV 7:14). One must

and language, standing before the remember that these believers began

throne and in front of the Lamb. the Tribulation Period as wicked

They were wearing white robes and sinners in total rebellion to God,

were holding palm branches in their but God sent the 144,000 preachers

hands. with the Gospel message that brought

the Faith to them so they could then

Believe in Christ, Repent of their

sins and Submit to the Lordship of

the Lamb of God--Jesus Christ.

[white robes] - See REV 19:8 and

19:14

[palm branches] - The palm is a sign

of festive joy and also an emblem of

victory. Here they represent the joy

and the victory of those who have

been redeemed by the Blood of Christ.

REV 7:10 And they cried out in a [sits on the throne] - God the Father

loud voice: "Salvation belongs to (see REV 4:2 commentary).

our God, who sits on the throne,

and to the Lamb." [Lamb] - Jesus is the Lamb of God,

the perfect sacrifice (JOH 1:29,36;

ACT 8:32; 1PE 1:19).

REV 7:11 All the angels were [all the angels] - These are the same

standing around the throne and angels listed in REV 5:11 as "...many

around the elders and the four angels, numbering thousands upon

living creatures. They fell down on thousands, and ten thousand times ten

their faces before the throne and thousand." A number that literally

worshiped God, cannot be counted by man.

[elders...living creatures] - See

REV 4:4, 4:7 commentary.

[fall down...faces] - Proper response

of a creature to its Creator.

REV 7:12 saying: "Amen! Praise and [saying] - They respond to the cry of

glory and wisdom and thanks and the redeemed (v. 10) with "Amen" and

honor and power and strength be to sing praise and glory to God for His

our God for ever and ever. Amen!" great salvation to man. Compare this

doxology with REV 5:12-13.

 

REV 7:13 Then one of the elders [asked me] - One of the elders,

asked me, "These in white robes-- anticipating the question which John

who are they, and where did they is about to ask, poses a question to

come from?" him.

REV 7:14 I answered, "Sir, you [washed... made them white] - Both

know." And he said, "These are they verbs indicate a "once-for-all"

who have come out of the great action which took place in the past.

tribulation; they have washed their (See HEB 9:24; 1JN 1:7-9; ISA 64:6

robes and made them white in the and ISA 1:18).

blood of the Lamb.

REV 7:15 Therefore, "they are [serve Him] - All those whose sins

before the throne of God and serve have been washed in the Blood of the

him day and night in his temple; Lamb will perform worshipful service

and he who sits on the throne will to God forever.

spread his tent over them.

[day and night] - Heaven has no night

so the idea is from man's perspective

to indicate for ever and ever.

[spread His tent] - God's presence

will ever be with His saints as

though He lived in the same tent with

them at all times, as though He

spread His presence over them like a

tent.

REV 7:16 Never again will they [hunger...thirst...scorching] - These

hunger; never again will they were part of the Tribulation trials

thirst. The sun will not beat upon that they faced, but like us, they

them, nor any scorching heat. also hungered and thirsted for

righteousness (MAT 5:6).

REV 7:17 For the Lamb at the [Lamb...shepherd] - An intriguing

center of the throne will be their idea that a lamb would become a

shepherd; he will lead them to shepherd.

springs of living water. And God

will wipe away every tear from [lead them] - Jesus, our Shepherd, is

their eyes." currently leading all of His lambs

through this life, on a journey that

will ultimately arrive in Heaven at

the River of the Water of Life (REV

22:1).

[wipe away every tear] - Like a

mother who wipes away her child's

tears so they will smile and laugh

again. All of our sorrows of this

life on earth will be wiped away and

a permanent smile with laughter will

appear.

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

Modem (318) 949-1456

300/1200/2400/9600 Baud

 

Keys to Revelation - Chapter 8

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 8:1 When he opened the seventh [He opened] - It is opened by the

seal, there was silence in heaven only one worthy to open the seals

for about half an hour. --the Lamb of God (see REV 5:2-9).

[silence] - The silence is a dramatic

pause making even more impressive the

judgment that is about to fall upon

the earth. While thirty minutes is a

relatively short time, it makes for a

dramatic break considering the rather

quick moving pace of the events of

chapters 5-7.

REV 8:2 And I saw the seven angels [stand before God] - The fact that

who stand before God, and to them these angels stand before God would

were given seven trumpets. indicate a place of prominence such

as is given to the angel Gabriel

(see LUK 1:19).

[seven trumpets] - These were seven

literal trumpets that were to be

sounded to herald judgments of God.

REV 8:3 Another angel, who had a [golden censer] - A gold pan filled

golden censer, came and stood at with fire (like hot charcoal).

the altar. He was given much

incense to offer, with the prayers [incense] - Aromatic substance that

of all the saints, on the golden gives off smoke and aroma when placed

altar before the throne. on hot coals.

[with the prayers] - Our prayers to

God are mixed with incense and are

offered to Him as a sweet fragrance.

[golden altar] - This is the same

altar that was mentioned in REV 6:9

in reference to the saints under the

the altar.

REV 8:4 The smoke of the incense, [prayers of the saints] - Could it

together with the prayers of the be that our prayers, even in this age

saints, went up before God from the are so precious to God that they are

angel's hand. placed in golden censers and carried

by angels to be placed on the golden

altar before God?

REV 8:5 Then the angel took the [fire...hurled] - The censers that

censer, filled it with fire from carried the prayers of the saints are

the altar, and hurled it on the now used to carry God's judgments to

earth; and there came peals of the earth. Many of the prayers of

thunder, rumblings, flashes of Christians has been for God's

lightning and an earthquake. righteous judgment on earth, He now

answers these prayers.

[there came...] - The thunder,

rumblings, flashes of lightning, and

the earthquake are reminiscent of

Sinai when God came to earth to visit

with Moses, however, this time it is

a visit of judgment (EXO 19:16-19).

REV 8:6 Then the seven angels who [prepared to sound] - Most likely

had the seven trumpets prepared to means that they raised their trumpets

sound them. in readiness to sound.

REV 8:7 The first angel sounded [hail...fire...blood] - This could be

his trumpet, and there came hail a supernatural event of many gigantic

and fire mixed with blood, and it thunderstorms, which have a mixture

was hurled down upon the earth. A of hailstones of ice and bolts of

third of the earth was burned up, a fire called lightning. The blood

third of the trees were burned up, would be like the real blood that God

and all the green grass was burned gave the Egyptians to drink in EXO 7.

up.

The world has shed the blood of men

and women since the beginning and now

would be getting a judgment of blood,

but now mixed with fire!

NOTE: The hail, fire, and blood may

only be symbolic of destruction that

is caused by limited nuclear warfare.

[earth, trees, grass...burned] - This

first trumpet was an obvious judgment

against the vegetation of the earth.

Man will suffer greatly due to the

greatly reduced food supply, oxygen

source, and the obvious psychological

effects of such devastation.

REV 8:8 The second angel sounded [like a huge mountain] - It is not a

his trumpet, and something like a mountain, but like one, which could

huge mountain, all ablaze, was indicate something as devastating as

thrown into the sea. A third of the a meteorite or asteroid from space

sea turned into blood, impacting into the ocean.

This would kill a tremendous number

of fish from the concussion undersea

REV 8:9 a third of the living and of course the waves would disrupt

creatures in the sea died, and a the surface of the seas for thousands

third of the ships were destroyed. of miles causing ships to capsize and

sink. Then along with this God turns

one third of the waters into literal

blood as a fit judgment for a blood-

thirsty world (see EXO 7:20-21).

REV 8:10 The third angel sounded [great star...Wormwood] - John sees

his trumpet, and a great star, something ablaze like a "shooting

blazing like a torch, fell from the star" strike the earth at various

sky on a third of the rivers and on places polluting the fresh waters.

the springs of water-- Again, this could be a supernatural

act of God using special poisonous

REV 8:11 the name of the star is stars, but it also could be by men

Wormwood. A third of the waters launching a germ warfare attack and

turned bitter, and many people died using ICBMs as the carrier to the

from the waters that had become major water sources.

bitter.

REV 8:12 The fourth angel sounded [a third of the sun] - God simply

his trumpet, and a third of the sun reduced the hours of sunlight by one-

was struck, a third of the moon, third, so instead of sunlight from

and a third of the stars, so that a 7am to 7pm it would be reduced to

third of them turned dark. A third something like 9am to 5pm. He had

of the day was without light, and no problem stopping the sun from

also a third of the night. shining on the entire earth when our

Lord died on the Cross (MAT 27:45).

[a third of the moon] - Like the sun,

the moon was prevented from shining

for one-third of its normal time of

illumination. The night was darker

than before due to the reduced number

of stars and the lack of the normal

moonlight.

[a third of the stars] - God just

ordered them to cease from shining

and one-third of them went out like a

candle snuffed out.

NOTE: The net result of this fourth

judgment is to cause a collapse of

the balance of nature. The seasons

are thrown into chaos, many crops die

because there is too much night and

not enough day. Man thought he could

ignore God and still grow all the

food he desired.

REV 8:13 As I watched, I heard an [eagle] - The same word for eagle can

eagle that was flying in midair be translated "vulture" which in this

call out in a loud voice: "Woe! context would symbolize impending

Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the doom. It could be a clear warning to

earth, because of the trumpet the inhabitants of the earth or only

blasts about to be sounded by the serve as an announcement in heaven to

other three angels!" those observing the unfolding of the

Judgments of God.

 

Tony Capoccia

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 9

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 9:1 The fifth angel sounded [star] - Symbolic reference to an

his trumpet, and I saw a star that angel since the star was given a key

had fallen from the sky to the to open the Abyss. Most likely this

earth. The star was given the key star is Satan.

to the shaft of the Abyss.

[fallen] - Term has been used of

Satan falling or being hurled to the

earth (see ISA 14:12-17, LUK 10:18)

and includes other angels along with

Satan in Rev 12:7-9.

[key] - Jesus has the keys to Death

and to Hell (REV 1:18) and it would

fit that He also has the keys to

the Abyss, the place where the wicked

angels are detained. Satan does not

have any control over any place,

demon, or person unless Jesus gives

him that power.

[Abyss] - Means the "bottomless pit"

and is a place in the "underworld"

for certain wicked demons that is

made up of "gloomy dungeons"

(2PE 2:4).

REV 9:2 When he opened the Abyss, [smoke] - Part of God's torment on

smoke rose from it like the smoke wicked men and angels is fire (MAT

from a gigantic furnace. The sun 25:41 and LUK 16:24). The Abyss is

and sky were darkened by the smoke not only a "holding place" (2PE 2:4)

from the Abyss. but also a place of torment. The

smoke is so intense that it literally

blackens the sun and sky.

REV 9:3 And out of the smoke [locusts] - Throughout the OT the

locusts came down upon the earth locust was a symbol of destruction,

and were given power like that of and here are being used as a judgment

scorpions of the earth. from God on mankind. It is important

to remember that these creatures are

demon-possessed from the Abyss, much

like the demon-possessed pigs in MAT

8:31.

[power...scorpions] - The locusts

have the power of the scorpions which

is a wasp-like sting and the ability

to secret a poison into their victim.

REV 9:4 They were told not to harm [told not to harm grass] - This fact

the grass of the earth or any plant reveals that they are real locusts

or tree, but only those people who who normally would follow their

did not have the seal of God on natural desire to eat grass and

their foreheads. plants. God has to command them to

go against their natural instinct and

to harm unredeemed man instead.

REV 9:5 They were not given power [not given power to kill] - God has

to kill them, but only to torture sovereign control over Satan and the

them for five months. And the agony demons and God alone determines just

they suffered was like that of the how much power they will have. Demons

sting of a scorpion when it strikes are "set" on destruction and God

a man. merely uses them for His purpose.

[torture] - God is not being cruel to

the unbeliever, but the time has come

to judge wickedness.

[five months] - A limited duration

judgment allowing men and women to

turn from their wickedness and

repent. It is also interesting to

note that the life cycle of locusts

is five months. These locusts were

all created by Jesus when the Abyss

was opened and thus would all reach

five months of age at the same time.

REV 9:6 During those days men will [seek death] - A reminder that it is

seek death, but will not find it; Jesus who determines our moment of

they will long to die, but death death and man cannot change that.

will elude them. These people who are under the

judgment of God try to commit suicide

but Jesus prevents their deaths.

REV 9:7 The locusts looked like [looked like horses] - Locusts have

horses prepared for battle. On heads that are shaped like horses and

their heads they wore something here they were made to resemble the

like crowns of gold, and their protective armament of war and the

faces resembled human faces. eagerness to go into battle and

inflict damage to their foes.

[like crowns of gold] - They were not

crowns but looked something like them

which may symbolize their already

determined victory over mankind.

[resembled human faces] - These were

not the passive expressions of an

insect but rather the highly intel-

ligent cunning and cruelty of demonic

beings.

REV 9:8 Their hair was like [women's hair] - The Bible makes a

women's hair, and their teeth were distinction that women's hair is

like lions' teeth. longer in length than men's. These

locusts appear to have long hair

which could be longer than normal

antennae for some added capability.

This feature is extremely difficult

to define as to meaning.

[lions' teeth] - This feature would

emphasize the fierceness of the

locusts.

REV 9:9 They had breastplates like [breastplates of iron] - The scaly

breastplates of iron, and the sound backs and flanks of the locusts

of their wings was like the resembled coats of armor made of iron

thundering of many horses and which may stand for the hopelessness

chariots rushing into battle. of any effort trying to destroy these

messengers of judgment.

REV 9:10 They had tails and stings [tails] - These locusts are designed

like scorpions, and in their tails to carry out God's judgment by the

they had power to torment people unusual Scorpion tail with stinger.

for five months.

REV 9:11 They had as king over [angel of the Abyss] - This army has

them the angel of the Abyss, whose a leader whose task is to lead them

name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in to torment the unbelievers. The evil

Greek, Apollyon. angels have rank and structure as

indicated in EPH 6:12 and the locusts

have one known as the "Destroyer."

[Abaddon] - Hebrew word meaning

"destruction" or "ruin" and more

often "the place of ruin" in Sheol,

or "death," or "the grave."

[Apollyon] - Greek word meaning

"exterminator" or "destroyer."

REV 9:12 The first woe is past;

two other woes are yet to come.

REV 9:13 The sixth angel sounded [voice...from the horns] - Means from

his trumpet, and I heard a voice the center of the altar table where

coming from the horns of the golden the incense burned. It would be the

altar that is before God. the voice of God.

REV 9:14 It said to the sixth [four angels] - These are wicked

angel who had the trumpet, "Release demons who have been "bound" at a

the four angels who are bound at a particular place along the river

the great river Euphrates." Euphrates. They are held captive

until this moment in history when

they are released to accomplish their

evil deeds.

REV 9:15 And the four angels who [released to kill] - These demons

had been kept ready for this very are demons of death, in that, when

hour and day and month and year they are free to act, death occurs.

were released to kill a third of

mankind. [third of mankind] - The first kill-

ing occurred in REV 6:8 where one-

fourth of the earth's population was

destroyed. That would have been near

1.5 Billion people (assuming current

world population). In 9:15 we now

see one-third of the remaining 4.5

Billion or another 1.5 Billion

people killed.

REV 9:16 The number of the mounted [mounted troops] - Indicates that the

troops was two hundred million. I demon's weapon of death was a large

heard their number. army that they (demons) have caused

to attack other countries.

[two hundred million] - Some estimate

that at the time of the writing of

the Book of Revelation there were not

even 200,000,000 people on earth!

For centuries man has doubted this

verse that predicts a 200,000,000 man

army. Yet in 1968 the Chinese boasted

they could put on the battlefield the

Red Guard Army of over 200,000,000

men and women.

REV 9:17 The horses and riders I God presents to John a picture of the

saw in my vision looked like this: 200,000,000 army and it is in terms

Their breastplates were fiery red, that he would understand. It may in

dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. fact be that these are not really

The heads of the horses resembled horses, but rather modern weapons of

the heads of lions, and out of war. For example, a tanklike vehicle

their mouths came fire, smoke and with red, blue, and yellow markings.

sulfur. The fire, smoke, and sulfur could be

the actual discharge of the weapon.

REV 9:18 A third of mankind was [out of their mouths] - From the

killed by the three plagues of front of the vehicle.

fire, smoke and sulfur that came

out of their mouths.

REV 9:19 The power of the horses [power...in...mouths, tails] - Again

was in their mouths and in their I believe these are pictures of

tails; for their tails were like modern weapons of war. These weapons

snakes, having heads with which discharge their bullets, lasers, or

they inflict injury. fire, etc., from both the front and

the rear of the vehicle.

REV 9:20 The rest of mankind that [rest...still did not repent] - God

were not killed by these plagues is not only judging the sin of the

still did not repent of the work of earth, but is also trying to bring

their hands; they did not stop the sinner to repentance. Yet those

worshiping demons, and idols of not killed would not repent.

gold, silver, bronze, stone and

wood--idols that cannot see or hear

or walk.

REV 9:21 Nor did they repent of A very clear picture of the sins of

their murders, their magic arts, the last days of the earth.

their sexual immorality or their

thefts.

 

 

 

Tony Capoccia

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 10

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 10:1 Then I saw another [another mighty angel] - This angel

mighty angel coming down from is not one of the seven or the four,

heaven. He was robed in a cloud, but like the other strong angel in

with a rainbow above his head; his REV 5:2 and 18:21 or the other angel

face was like the sun, and his legs in 14:6,15. The angel could be the

were like fiery pillars. Archangel Michael, "the great prince"

in DAN 12:1, or more likely the angel

Gabriel as seen in a parallel passage

DAN 12:7 and DAN 8:16. Angel cannot

be the Christ, for angels are always

angels in Revelation, as well as in

the rest of the NT.

[cloud...rainbow...sun] - A cloud

surrounded his body and the glow from

a face like the sun could cause a

rainbow to appear in the moistness of

the clouds.

REV 10:2 He was holding a little [scroll...lay open] - Not like the

scroll, which lay open in his hand. great scroll of chapter 5 which was

He planted his right foot on the fastened with seven seals, this one

sea and his left foot on the land, lies open in the hand of the angel.

[on the sea...land] - The angel has

one foot on the sea and the other on

the land which most likely speaks of

a coming judgment that will be on the

entire earth, both land and sea. REV

10:6 includes reference to land, sea,

and heaven in relation to the time

having come for judgment.

 

REV 10:3 and he gave a loud shout [shout like...lion] - Angel had a

like the roar of a lion. When he voice with a deep resonance which

shouted, the voices of the seven would demand the attention of those

thunders spoke. who heard.

[seven thunders] - Actual voices that

sounded like thunder. In JOH 12:28-29

God the Father spoke as with thunder.

REV 10:4 And when the seven [about to write] - Just started to

thunders spoke, I was about to write what the seven thunders spoke.

write; but I heard a voice from John was commanded in REV 1:11 to

heaven say, "Seal up what the seven "write on a scroll what you see" and

thunders have said and do not write most likely was keeping some sort of

it down." record of everything that had taken

place thus far and was simply logging

what the voices said.

[do not write] - The seven thunders

gave descriptions of more plagues for

man and his earth, but God has not

allowed us to know what kind of wrath

is stored up in these plagues.

REV 10:5 Then the angel I had seen [raised his right hand] - In the OT

standing on the sea and on the land the lifting of the hand was a part of

raised his right hand to heaven. oath-taking and here he raises his

hand to heaven as part of a very

solemn oath.

REV 10:6 And he swore by him who [he swore] - When one makes an oath

lives for ever and ever, who it is always necessary to swear by

created the heavens and all that is someone greater than themselves, and

in them, the earth and all that is this is further proof that the angel

in it, and the sea and all that is is not Jesus because Christ would not

in it, and said, "There will be no need to swear by anyone greater than

more delay! Himself.

[no more delay] - All throughout the

history of man, God has delayed His

complete judgment on sin. But the

time has come for God to "stop the

ticking of the clock" for the earth,

the sea, and man himself will now

receive God's last phase of wrath--

the seventh trumpet.

REV 10:7 But in the days when the [mystery of God] - God's divine pur-

seventh angel is about to sound his pose in history for mankind. Jesus

trumpet, the mystery of God will be is the "Mystery of God" in COL 2:2,

accomplished, just as he announced and Israel's final destiny is the

to his servants the prophets." "mystery" in ROM 11:25. When the

seventh trumpet is sounded then God

unfolds the last part of the mystery.

REV 10:8 Then the voice that I had

heard from heaven spoke to me once

more: "Go, take the scroll that

lies open in the hand of the angel

who is standing on the sea and on

the land."

REV 10:9 So I went to the angel [Take it and eat] - Similar to the

and asked him to give me the little scroll given to Ezekiel in EZE 2:8-

scroll. He said to me, "Take it and 3:3. It was a scroll of judgment

eat it. It will turn your stomach but tasted as sweet as honey.

sour, but in your mouth it will be

as sweet as honey."

REV 10:10 I took the little scroll [tasted sweet...stomach sour] - Here

from the angel's hand and ate it. the scroll is sweet because it is the

It tasted as sweet as honey in my Word of God (PSA 119:103), but is

mouth, but when I had eaten it, my also bitter because of the judgment

stomach turned sour. and woes it contains.

REV 10:11 Then I was told, "You [prophesy] - In EZE 2:8-3:3 we see

must prophesy again about many that after Ezekiel ate the scroll

peoples, nations, languages and with written words of lament and

kings." mourning and woe, he was to speak to

the people of Israel who were very

obstinate and hardened in their

hearts. In this verse John speaks

to everyone about the coming wrath,

which would also include the offer of

salvation from a loving and forgiving

God.

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 11

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 11:1 I was given a reed like [reed] - Near the Jordan were many

a measuring rod and was told, "Go bamboo-like canes which were long and

and measure the temple of God and rigid, sometimes as long as 15 or 20

the altar, and count the worshipers feet, ideal for a measuring rod.

there.

[Go and measure] - Gives clear

evidence of a literal temple that is

to be constructed before or during

the Tribulation Period. God measured

Jerusalem in Zechariah 2, the Temple

in EZE 40, and the New Jerusalem in

REV 21:15-17.

 

REV 11:2 But exclude the outer [outer court] - The court which is

court; do not measure it, because outside the temple would be the Court

it has been given to the Gentiles. of the Gentiles. It would be an

They will trample on the holy city uncovered yard outside of the temple.

for 42 months.

[do not measure it] - The new temple

is still a place of false worship

that the Jews have rebuilt to return

to sacrificial worship, which is no

longer acceptable to God because of

the finished work of Jesus Christ.

And the Jews still are excluding the

Gentiles from access to what the Jews

believe to be the truth.

[Gentiles... they will trample] - The

Bible always contrasts two peoples,

The Jews and the Gentiles. The

Gentiles include all those not born

of Jewish heritage and most Gentiles

are unbelievers. These unbelieving

Gentiles will dominate and rule over

Jerusalem.

[42 months] - Equates to a three-and-

one-half-year period or half of the

seven-year period of the Tribulation.

The chronology of events would place

the 42 months as the second half of

the Tribulation.

REV 11:3 And I will give power to [I will give power] - God commissions

my two witnesses, and they will two persons to speak in a very direct

prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in way to the world.

sackcloth."

[1260 days] - 42 Months or three-and-

one half years (Bible uses 30 day

months and 360 day years).

[sackcloth] - Rough garb of the

ancient prophets made of fabric from

sacks and usually dark in color. This

garb was especially suited to be worn

as a mourning garment.

REV 11:4 These are the two olive [olive trees] - Source of olive oil

trees and the two lampstands that that is burned in lamps and used to

stand before the Lord of the earth. represent the Word of God. In ZEC

4:3, 11, 14, we see the same picture

used.

The Spirit used the symbols of the

trees and the lamps to represent two

prophets He will cause to testify on

the earth in the spirit and power of

Moses and Elijah.

REV 11:5 If anyone tries to harm [fire...from their mouths] - Not real

them, fire comes from their mouths flames but rather the Word of God

and devours their enemies. This is spoken in judgment that will cause

how anyone who wants to harm them their would be assailants to be

must die. killed. See JER 5:14 for a clear

use of God's Word as fire.

REV 11:6 These men have power to [power to shut up sky] - They will

shut up the sky so that it will not like Elijah be able to prevent rain

rain during the time they are from falling to the earth (1KI 17:1).

prophesying; and they have power to

turn the waters into blood and to [turn the waters into blood] - This

strike the earth with every kind of is real blood given to a blood

plague as often as they want. thirsty world. This same judgment

is seen in EXO 7:19 when Moses turned

the waters of Egypt into blood.

[strike the earth...plague] - These

two men have a message to speak and

they will perform various miracles

of judgment to try to get an unsaved

world to believe, but because of the

hardness of men's heart, mankind will

refuse God's grace and simply receive

His righteous judgments.

REV 11:7 Now when they have [finished their testimony] - In 11:3

finished their testimony, the beast we learned that the period of their

that comes up from the Abyss will testimony will be three-and-one-half

attack them, and overpower and kill years.

them.

[beast] - The Abyss is the place for

the very wicked demons and one of

them, referred to as the beast, will

inhabit a man, most likely the one

who will assist the Antichrist (see

REV 13:11).

[attack...kill them] - God removed

his protection from the two witnesses

because His purposes had been ful-

filled.

REV 11:8 Their bodies will lie in [bodies will lie] - Literally they

the street of the great city, which will be killed as they were speaking

is figuratively called Sodom and God's truth publicly and then left

Egypt, where also their Lord was on the street.

crucified.

[great city] - Clearly it is the City

of Jerusalem for it is where our

sweet and lovely Savior died for our

wickedness. By the time of the

Tribulation Jerusalem has become very

wicked, even earning the name Sodom

and being likened to Egypt, a country

of oppression and slavery.

REV 11:9 For three and a half days [three and a half days] - Literal

men from every people, tribe, time when the bodies were simply left

language and nation will gaze on on the streets to decay because of

their bodies and refuse them hatred of the two prophets by the

burial. unbelieving world.

[every...nation gaze] - Every people,

tribe, language, and nation gaze or

watch the bodies for three and a half

days. This means the whole world can

see the bodies, which could be easily

accomplished by satellite TV.

REV 11:10 The inhabitants of the [gloat...celebrate] - The world has a

earth will gloat over them and will fiendish glee over the death of those

celebrate by sending each other who preached words of judgment and

gifts, because these two prophets performed such dreadful miracles.

had tormented those who live on the

earth. [sending each other gifts] - What a

sick and wicked world that would kill

God's prophets and then give gifts to

celebrate the occasion.

REV 11:11 But after the three and [But] - God will now stop the sick

a half days a breath of life from rejoicing of sinful man.

God entered them, and they stood on

their feet, and terror struck those [breath of life entered them] - Jesus

who saw them. does the same to the two witnesses as

He did for Lazarus who was dead for

about the same length of time, He

brought them back to life, creating

new flesh and organs to replace those

already destroyed by three plus days

of decay.

[stood on their feet] - They did not

simply start breathing again as they

laid there, rather they had full

strength, just like many who were

healed in the the New Testament days.

[terror struck...who saw] - While the

wicked was rejoicing over the deaths

of God's anointed and opening their

presents as they watch the corpses on

International TV, suddenly the bodies

began to move and then stand up! The

wicked then knew these were God's

prophets and terror "set in" as they

fearfully awaited Divine Judgment.

REV 11:12 Then they heard a loud [Come up here] - Jesus commands them

voice from heaven saying to them, to "Come up to Heaven" and their

"Come up here." And they went up to resurrected bodies simply "lifted"

heaven in a cloud, while their off of the earth and most likely

enemies looked on. ascended slowly to "capture" the

moment.

REV 11:13 At that very hour there [terrified and gave glory] - This is

was a severe earthquake and a tenth not a turning from sin in faith to

of the city collapsed. Seven God, but rather they are simply

thousand people were killed in the compelled by overriding terror to

earthquake, and the survivors were recognize that God is to be feared

terrified and gave glory to the God and glorified.

of heaven.

REV 11:14 The second woe has [second woe] - The sixth trumpet

passed; the third woe is coming (9:12) with the two episodes attached

soon. (10:1-11:13).

[third woe] - The seventh trumpet

which includes the seven bowls of

God's wrath (16:1).

REV 11:15 The seventh angel [world has become kingdom] - With the

sounded his trumpet, and there were third woe come the final judgments

loud voices in heaven, which said: which open the way for the Glorious

"The kingdom of the world has Kingdom of Christ.

become the kingdom of our Lord and

of his Christ, and he will reign

for ever and ever."

REV 11:16 And the twenty-four See REV 4:4 and 4:9-11

elders, who were seated on their

thrones before God, fell on their

faces and worshiped God,

REV 11:17 saying: "We give thanks [great power] - Points to the final

to you, Lord God Almighty, the One conflict in which God overpowers all

who is and who was, because you of His enemies.

have taken your great power and

have begun to reign.

REV 11:18 The nations were angry; [nation were angry] - They were

and your wrath has come. The time defiant in their anger towards God.

has come for judging the dead, and

for rewarding your servants the [wrath has come] - God has been

prophets and your saints and those storing up wrath for generations to

who reverence your name, both small be poured out during the end times.

and great--and for destroying those

who destroy the earth." [judging the dead] - This takes place

at the Great White Throne in REV 20:

11-15. This is only for the wicked

dead, because the redeemed have

already been judged at the cross.

[rewarding...saints] - REV 21:1-4,

22:3-5.

REV 11:19 Then God's temple in [temple in heaven] - The sanctuary

heaven was opened, and within his of God in heaven. The temples built

temple was seen the ark of his on earth by Moses and Solomon was in

covenant. And there came flashes of likeness to the Sanctuary in Heaven

lightning, rumblings, peals of to include the Ark.

thunder, an earthquake and a great

hailstorm. This last verse pictures the love

and faithfulness of God as He reveals

His Ark of His Covenant, the promises

to His children. Likewise, the latter

part of the verse shows the wrath

being poured out on His enemies.

 

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 12

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New

York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible

Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 12:1 A great and wondrous [heaven] - This is the sky rather

sign appeared in heaven: a woman than the abode of God and the Angels.

clothed with the sun, with the moon Evidence of this is the fact that in

under her feet and a crown of 12:4 stars are flung from heaven to

twelve stars on her head. the earth.

[woman] - This is not Mary the

earthly mother of Jesus but rather

a woman used as a symbol to represent

the nation Israel. In the OT the

image of a woman is a classical

symbol for Zion, Jerusalem, and

Israel.

[clothed with the sun] - Display of

the glory and brilliance of her Lord

that she wears as a garment of

righteousness. Would have appeared

with the dazzling brightness of light

for a garment, meaning that her

clothes would have been glowing with

the intensity of sunlight.

[moon under her feet] - Could speak

of the permanence of Israel, see

PSA 72:5; 89:37. In Song of Solomon

the moon is added to bring more

beauty to the scene (SON 6:10).

[twelve stars] - May be an allusion

to the twelve tribes of Israel.

REV 12:2 She was pregnant and [pregnant...about to give birth] -

cried out in pain as she was about The whole scene is to picture the

to give birth. birth of the Messiah and the hidden

events that had taken place.

REV 12:3 Then another sign [enormous red dragon] - The dragon is

appeared in heaven: an enormous red identified in REV 12:9 as Satan. The

dragon with seven heads and ten description here makes it clear that

horns and seven crowns on his it is not meant to be a real seven-

heads. headed creature with ten horns, but

rather to serve as a symbol used to

more clearly communicate what God

would have us understand about the

role of the devil and his forces in

relationship to Israel.

[red] - The color red may indicate

the murderous characteristics of

Satan and his demons.

[seven heads, ten horns, seven

crowns] - These features are very

similar to the descriptions found in

REV 13:1 and DAN 7:7-8, 24. It is a

clear reference to the Antichrist and

the revived Roman Empire.

The seven heads and ten horns refer

to the original ten kingdoms of which

three were subdued by the little horn

of Daniel 7:8, who is to be

identified with the world ruler of

the great tribulation (the

Antichrist) who reigns over the

revived Roman Empire (United Europe?)

REV 12:4 His tail swept a third of [tail swept] - This passage gives

the stars out of the sky and flung insight of the great deceiving power

them to the earth. The dragon stood of Satan in that he is shown to cause

in front of the woman who was about one-third of the angels to "fall"

to give birth, so that he might from Heaven and become demons serving

devour her child the moment it was the father of lies.

born.

[devour her child] - The child of the

nation Israel was Jesus, the Messiah,

and Satan's one aim was to devour or

destroy the child. He tried through

Herod to destroy the Baby Jesus, also

by deception in attempts to tempt the

Christ in the desert, and of course

Satan's greatest effort to destroy

the child must certainly be the

Crucifixion.

REV 12:5 She gave birth to a son, [rule...iron scepter] - As a shepherd

a male child, who will rule all the defends his flock against the wild

nations with an iron scepter. And beasts of prey, so will Christ at His

her child was snatched up to God return strike the nations which

and to his throne. oppress and persecute His people (see

also REV 2:27 and 19:15).

[snatched up to God] - Satan's evil

plans were foiled by the successful

completion of Christ's ministry,

which culminated in His death,

resurrection, and ascension (see

Philippians 2:5-11).

REV 12:6 The woman fled into the [woman fled into the desert] - The

desert to a place prepared for her woman is the nation Israel which at

by God, where she might be taken this point in the Tribulation Period

care of for 1,260 days. sought refuge in the desert area. It

can be assumed that only those of

Israel who have become Christians are

included, for Satan has no reason to

attack those already deceived.

[1,260 days] - Equals three and one

half years. Appears that for the

first half of the Tribulation Israel

lives in relative safety, but when

the last half begins, Israel must

literally "run for her life."

 

REV 12:7 And there was war in [war in heaven] - A real battle takes

heaven. Michael and his angels place in the heavens, with Michael

fought against the dragon, and the the Archangel and the Holy Angels

dragon and his angels fought back. fighting Satan and the Demons. The

actual battle did not take place in

the bliss of the Third Heaven, but

in the heavenly realms (EPH 6:12).

The battle was in our atmosphere (1st

Heaven) and possibly in outer space

(2nd Heaven). God's timetable is

exact and Michael attacks Satan to

remove Satan and the demons from any

near access to God.

REV 12:8 But he was not strong Satan is powerful, but not greater

enough, and they lost their place than Michael nor the power that is

in heaven. within us (1JO 4:4).

[lost their place in heaven] - It

is obvious that Satan and the demons

fell into sin prior to the creation

of mankind, however, the evil one

still had a limited access to God as

evident in the events surrounding

Job's life (JOB 1:6-8). God allowed

this partial access to serve His

overall purpose.

REV 12:9 The great dragon was [hurled down] - It is the beginning

hurled down--that ancient serpent of the end for the evil one and the

called the devil, or Satan, who demons. Jesus saw this day coming

leads the whole world astray. He when in Luke 10:18 He said, "I saw

was hurled to the earth, and his Satan fall like lightning from

angels with him. heaven!" Satan's main habitat from

this point on is the planet earth.

[leads whole world astray] - We must

remember that this world is under the

direct influence of the wicked one

and his demons. The unbeliever is

blind and deceived by Satan, yet

fully responsible for their sins.

REV 12:10 Then I heard a loud [Now have come] - The casting of the

voice in heaven say: "Now have come devil to the earth is part of the

the salvation and the power and the last events that have to take place

kingdom of our God, and the in order to return the earth and all

authority of his Christ. For the creation to the peaceful rule of the

accuser of our brothers, who Lord Jesus Christ.

accuses them before our God day and

night, has been hurled down. [accuser] - For thousands of years

of mankind's existence on earth, the

devil has been accusing us before God

similar to the accusation that Job

only loved God because of what God

could do for him (Job 1:9-11).

REV 12:11 They overcame him by the [They overcame him] - These are the

blood of the Lamb and by the word accused of Satan. The devil tries

of their testimony; they did not to deny God glory by pointing out the

love their lives so much as to weaknesses of the flesh of God's own.

shrink from death. But because of the blood of the Lamb

and their testimony they died rather

than ever deny their Savior. Thus,

Satan is again proved a liar.

REV 12:12 Therefore rejoice, you [rejoice...heavens] - The evil one

heavens and you who dwell in them! is grounded and must now carry out

But woe to the earth and the sea, his wicked deeds from the earth and

because the devil has gone down to and sea. The heavens rejoice, which

you! He is filled with fury, would include the Holy Angels that

because he knows that his time is transit the heavenlies as they carry

short." out the will of God.

[knows that his time is short] - The

devil understands history and the

revealed plan of God and thus could

see that "his days are numbered" (see

MAT 8:29).

[filled with fury] - Satan is very

aware that he is beaten and all hopes

of overthrowing the Trinity have

faded, and thus he is extremely angry

at God and His people. Since Satan

cannot destroy God, he now turns his

full wrath on the Apple of God's Eye

--Israel.

REV 12:13 When the dragon saw that [pursued the woman] - Israel REV 12:1

he had been hurled to the earth, he

pursued the woman who had given

birth to the male child.

REV 12:14 The woman was given the [woman was given] - Israel is unable

two wings of a great eagle, so that to withstand the attack of Satan, so

she might fly to the place prepared God comes to her aid.

for her in the desert, where she

would be taken care of for a time, [two wings of a great eagle] - A

times and half a time, out of the symbol of the fact that God moved

serpent's reach. the remnant of Israel that loves

Jesus to safety in the desert. The

idea in the verse is that the people

of Israel were literally flown to

safety. It has been noted by some

that the phrase "two wings of a great

eagle" could refer to two Airlift

Wings (60-80 Transport Aircraft) of

the country represented by a Great

Eagle--America. This would be a very

plausible way of moving the numbers

involved here.

[time, times, half a time] - Means

one plus two plus one half, thus

three and one half, the same period

as found in REV 12:6.

REV 12:15 Then from his mouth the [spewed water like a river] - The

serpent spewed water like a river, place of safety in the desert must

to overtake the woman and sweep her be relatively close to a large body

away with the torrent. of water of some type, for Satan

tries to drown out God's saved people

by releasing millions of gallons of

water trying to cause flash flooding.

REV 12:16 But the earth helped the [earth...opening its mouth] - Jesus

woman by opening its mouth and commands the earth to split open and

swallowing the river that the swallow the "devil-made river" which

dragon had spewed out of his mouth. protects Israel's saved remnant.

REV 12:17 Then the dragon was [dragon was enraged] - With each new

enraged at the woman and went off defeat Satan becomes more enraged.

to make war against the rest of her He now turns to attack all Christians

offspring--those who obey God's wherever he can find them.

commandments and hold to the

testimony of Jesus.

 

 

 

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

Modem (318) 949-1456

300/1200/2400/9600 Baud

 

 

Keys to Revelation - Chapter 13

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York

International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 13:1 And the dragon stood on [dragon] - REV 12:3, 9 identify the

the shore of the sea. And I saw a dragon as Satan. In the last verse

beast coming out of the sea. He had of Chapter 12 we saw Satan enraged

ten horns and seven heads, with ten at Israel and going off to destroy

crowns on his horns, and on each the rest of God's people-- the

head a blasphemous name. remaining Jewish Christians and all

the Gentile Believers. The devil

now summons the rest of his "unholy

trinity" to help him in his efforts

to destroy God's people.

[beast] - This is the symbol used

for the description of the coming

Antichrist and his kingdom--the

revived Roman Empire.

[coming out of the sea] - Satan calls

the Antichrist from the sea which has

possible significance in that the sea

of prominence to John would have been

the Mediterranean, indicating that

the Antichrist would come from that

area.

[ten horns, seven heads] - Beast has

the same number of horns and heads as

the Red Dragon (Satan) of REV 12:3

and similar to the descriptions found

in DAN 7:7-8, 24. It is a another

clear reference to the Antichrist and

the revived Roman Empire.

The seven heads are a symbol of the

seven hills of the city of Rome (see

REV 17:9) from which the Antichrist

will most likely establish his throne

during this time. The heads also are

used to represent the kings of past

and future of this world empire (REV

17:9)

The ten horns refer to the original

ten kingdoms of the old Roman Empire

of which three were subdued by the

little horn of Daniel 7:8, who is to

be identified with the world ruler of

the great tribulation (Antichrist)

who reigns over the revived Roman

Empire (United Europe?), see REV

17:12

[ten crowns on his horns] - Initially

the Antichrist will come to power

over the ten nations of the old

empire and this seems to be somewhat

of a peaceful takeover, but later he

overthrows three nations and becomes

a dictator in total control (see DAN

7:7-8 and REV 17:12-13).

[blasphemous name] - Shows the nature

of the Antichrist and his kingdom as

being directly opposed to God by

assuming titles of deity much like

the former kings, such as, Augustus

who allowed his eastern subjects to

pay him divine honors and Nero who

was referred to as the Savior of the

World.

REV 13:2 The beast I saw resembled [leopard, bear, lion] - Daniel 7

a leopard, but had feet like those shows that the successive world

of a bear and a mouth like that of empires are described as the lion,

a lion. The dragon gave the beast referring to Babylon, the bear,

his power and his throne and great referring to Medo-Persia, and the

authority. leopard, referring to the Greek

Empire. The fourth empire is a

combination of the previous three

and is the Roman Empire which we

see revived as the kingdom of the

Antichrist.

[dragon gave...power] - It is clear

that Satan is the driving force

behind the Antichrist and the World

System. But we must always bear in

mind that Satan is on a leash which

Jesus holds in His hand. The devil

can only have as much power as the

Lord will allow for His purposes.

REV 13:3 One of the heads of the [fatal wound...healed] - In keeping

beast seemed to have had a fatal with the idea that the heads are

wound, but the fatal wound had been kings of the Roman Empire (REV 17:9)

healed. The whole world was it could be that the Antichrist is

astonished and followed the beast. killed but raised to life by Satan in

order to deceive the world by trying

to "upstage" the resurrection of the

Lord Jesus Christ.

[world astonished] - Truly if some

world leader would be killed and then

somehow raised to life by some great

power, then the entire world would

follow after him because it would be

their desire to have that power to

help satisfy their needs. One must

remember that the world does not want

the true power of God because of the

cost involved--the turning from sin

and the yielding of one's life to the

true Savior.

REV 13:4 Men worshiped the dragon [worshiped the dragon] - This has

because he had given authority to always been the goal of Satan to take

the beast, and they also worshiped glory from God so that he may receive

the beast and asked, "Who is like worship. Satan lost his position as

the beast? Who can make war against the greatest of all angels because of

him?" his desire to usurp God (see ISA

14:13-14). In Matthew 4:9 we see the

wicked one trying to get Jesus to bow

down and worship him.

[who is like the beast?] - The world

is greatly deceived at this point

believing that the Antichrist and the

revived Roman Empire are the solution

to all the world's problems. They

think there is no other force that

can overthrow this great power. But

they do not realize that the problem

with the world is sin and the mighty

Savior Jesus Christ will come and

destroy the entire evil world system.

REV 13:5 The beast was given a [beast given a mouth] - The spokesman

mouth to utter proud words and for the World Government is the

blasphemies and to exercise his Antichrist and he is given what to

authority for forty-two months. say by Satan the Father of Lies. For

three and a half years (42 months) he

boasts of his power and glory.

REV 13:6 He opened his mouth to [blaspheme...slander] - The words of

blaspheme God, and to slander his the Antichrist are directed towards

name and his dwelling place and God and His Kingdom. He hates all

those who live in heaven. that is good and pure.

REV 13:7 He was given power to [he was given power] - Just as God

make war against the saints and to gave Satan the power to harm Job in

conquer them. And he was given order to show to all that Job's

authority over every tribe, people, love was not based on greed, so here

language and nation. the saints will be given a chance to

testify by their deaths of their

devotion and love for Christ.

REV 13:8 All inhabitants of the [All inhabitants...worship beast] -

earth will worship the beast--all Every unbeliever worships the beast

whose names have not been written who is the Antichrist. But all the

in the book of life belonging to people who were elected for salvation

the Lamb that was slain from the before the earth was formed refuse

creation of the world. to worship the beast. No longer are

there the non-religious and the

religious in the world, for the one

world government demands worship as

a deity.

[book of life] - A book that has all

the names of those who were elected

by the sovereign choice of God for

salvation before the earth began.

[slain from the creation] - Jesus was

slain at the same time the Christians

were elected. Before there was an

earth or any man created God saw that

all men and women He would create in

the future, would reject Him, so in

love He planned for His own death, in

order, that He could save a remnant

for His glory. And what God plans

to do can be considered accomplished

because no power can stop Him.

REV 13:9 He who has an ear, let God now exhorts all readers to give

him hear. these verses their special attention.

They must listen to what the Spirit

of God is saying to them.

REV 13:10 If anyone is to go into God is calling the Christian to

captivity, into captivity he will display faith and patience in the

go. If anyone is to be killed with face of divinely permitted pre-

the sword, with the sword he will dominance of evil. The faithful in

be killed. This calls for patient Christ are assured that their

endurance and faithfulness on the captivity and martyrdom are in

part of the saints. Christ's will. Some believers will

be put into prison because of their

faith while others will be killed for

their allegiance to Christ.

REV 13:11 Then I saw another [another beast] - Just as the true

beast, coming out of the earth. He Messiah had a forerunner who pointed

had two horns like a lamb, but he others to Him, so also the Antichrist

spoke like a dragon. will have his own prophet, but one

that is a deceiver.

[out of the earth] - In contrast to

coming out of the sea, the second

beast's origin is not important,

out of the earth (mass of humanity)

versus the possible significance of

coming from a particular area (see

REV 13:1).

[two horns like a lamb] - The beast

has an innocent and harmless appear-

ance. It has two little horns like

a small pet lamb that appears very

harmless.

[he spoke like a dragon] - This false

prophet appears harmless and gentle

but when he speaks he is as dreadful

as a dragon. In fact, he speaks like

his father the dragon himself--the

devil.

REV 13:12 He exercised all the [authority of the first beast] - He

authority of the first beast on his carries out the desires of the first

behalf, and made the earth and its beast (Antichrist) and speaks in his

inhabitants worship the first name, much like the prophets of God

beast, whose fatal wound had been spoke with His authority.

healed.

[made...worship] - His task was to

make the world system (earth) and all

the earth's people (inhabitants) to

worship the Antichrist. Satan is

trying to mimic John the Baptist who

was to get the people to turn and to

worship the true Lamb of God -- Jesus

Christ.

[fatal wound...healed] - See REV 13:3

REV 13:13 And he performed great [he performed...miraculous] - Satan

and miraculous signs, even causing has his prophets perform deceiving

fire to come down from heaven to miracles throughout the history of

earth in full view of men. mankind (DEU 13:1-5; MAT 7:22; 24:24;

MAR 13:22, 2TH 2:9).

[fire from heaven] - The priests of

Baal could not bring fire down from

heaven because God was showing the

world that there was only one true

God--The God of Elijah. Yet here we

see Satan given the power to cause

real fire to come out of heaven.

God has promised that the wicked

will, "perish because they refused

to love the truth and so be saved.

For this reason God sends them a

powerful delusion so that they will

believe the lie and so that all will

be condemned who have not believed

the truth but have delighted in

wickedness" (2TH 2:10-12).

 

REV 13:14 Because of the signs he [the signs...deceived] - Satan

was given power to do on behalf of deceives the unbelieving world by

the first beast, he deceived the making them think his miracles were

inhabitants of the earth. He by the power of the devil, when in

ordered them to set up an image in fact it was by the power of God, in

honor of the beast who was wounded order to keep the unbeliever deceived

by the sword and yet lived. because they first refused to love

the truth about Jesus (2TH 2:10-12).

[set up an image] - God has declared

that man will not set up an image or

worship idols, yet Satan continues to

defy God. The false prophet uses the

fact of the resurrection of the first

beast (Antichrist) to be a cause of

worship and adoration.

REV 13:15 He was given power to [given power] - From Satan to the

give breath to the image of the false prophet but ultimately from God

first beast, so that it could speak to continue the earned delusion (2TH

and cause all who refused to 2:10-12).

worship the image to be killed.

[give breath] - Either the statue of

the Antichrist "comes alive" (which

seems unlikely) or through some more

deception he makes the idol appear to

be alive and speak. The technology

does in fact exist today for such a

feat (i.e. Disneyworld's Hall of the

Presidents).

[refused to worship] - The statue

commands that anyone who refuses to

worship it will be killed. It appears

to be very convincing, most likely,

after the first few folks "laughed it

off" and were killed the rest took it

serious.

REV 13:16 He also forced everyone, [forced everyone] - No person was

small and great, rich and poor, allowed to be free, for all must show

free and slave, to receive a mark allegiance to the Antichrist and his

on his right hand or on his government by receiving the "mark."

forehead,

[mark..hand or forehead] - The evil

one cleverly finds a way to show

allegiance--"The Mark." It could

be visible or invisible to the naked

eye, but would be effective in

determining who the Christians were.

REV 13:17 so that no one could buy [buy or sell] - All commerce would

or sell unless he had the mark, depend solely on whether you had the

which is the name of the beast or mark or not. Imagine our materialis-

the number of his name. tic society saying no to the mark and

thereby being unable to buy food or

any of their "wants."

REV 13:18 This calls for wisdom. [wisdom...insight] - This verse seems

If anyone has insight, let him to indicate that the reader could in

calculate the number of the beast, fact identify who the Antichrist is

for it is man's number. His number by a proper understanding of the

is 666. number 666. However, no one since

the writing of this book has been

able to discover the meaning of the

number. Some scholars note that in

both the Hebrew and the Greek

language the letters also have

numerical equivalents, therefore they

surmise that the Antichrist's name

will add up to the number 666.

Since different names can equal the

same total of 666 it would be next

to impossible to know his real name

until he is revealed. In 2TH 2:3-7

we learn that the man of lawlessness

will not be revealed until the Holy

Spirit's special presence on earth

(the Church) is removed by the event

called the rapture. Therefore, one

would waste their time trying to

determine who the Antichrist is.

God's Word will again be proved true

when the revealed Antichrist's name

adds up to the sum "666."

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

Modem (318) 949-1456

300/1200/2400/9600 Baud

 

Keys to Revelation - Chapter 14

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York

International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 14:1 Then I looked, and there [I looked] - In bold contrast John

before me was the Lamb, standing on sees the gentle and pure Lamb rather

Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 than the ugly and evil dragon and

who had his name and his Father's beasts of chapter 13.

name written on their foreheads.

[the Lamb] - The Lamb of God, Jesus

Christ.

[standing on Mount Zion] - We saw in

REV 13:1 that Satan was standing on

on the shifting sands of the seashore

but here the King of the Universe is

standing on Mount Zion!

[Mount Zion] - A sacred place known

for its divine deliverance (see JOEL

2:32).

[144,000] - These are the same group

of Jewish born believers found in

REV 7. They were evangelists that

were ordained by God to carry the

message of Salvation throughout the

Tribulation Period.

[written on their foreheads] - The

followers of the Antichrist have a

"mark" on their forehead or right

hand (REV 13:16). But the followers

of the Pure and True God have the

name of the Lamb and of the Father on

their foreheads to display the fact

that the 144,000 belong to both the

Father and the Son.

All believers will have inscribed on

them the Name of the Father and the

New Name of Christ according to REV

3:12. Just like a woman takes the

name of her husband as part of her

name so we will take the name of our

God as a permanent part of our new

identity.

REV 14:2 And I heard a sound from [sound from heaven] - John's point of

heaven like the roar of rushing reference seems to be the earth with

waters and like a loud peal of the 144,000 standing on Mount Zion.

thunder. The sound I heard was like The sound from heaven is very loud

that of harpists playing their and sounded like harps playing. The

harps. harpists could be angels or fellow

saints in heaven.

REV 14:3 And they sang a new song [they sang] - The 144,000 Jewish

before the throne and before the Evangelists standing on Mount Zion.

four living creatures and the

elders. No one could learn the song [new song] - There are numerous OT

except the 144,000 who had been references to the redeemed singing

redeemed from the earth. a new song (PSA 33:3; 40:3; 96:1;

144:9; 149:1; ISA 42:10). The new

song is like the new name (REV 2:17)

that is known only to its hearer.

The unbeliever with the old nature of

sin cannot learn the new song because

it is a song of redemption and

deliverance.

[learn the song] - The only persons

could learn the song are those who

have been redeemed from the earth.

In this verse the 144,000 are in view

and contrasted with the unsaved of

the earth.

REV 14:4 These are those who did [These] - The 144,000

not defile themselves with women,

for they kept themselves pure. They [not defile themselves with women] -

follow the Lamb wherever he goes. This is not to mean that they were

They were purchased from among men not married, for marriage does not

and offered as firstfruits to God defile anyone. These 144,000 men

and the Lamb. led pure lives and did not yield to

the seductions of the world. In our

age, sexual immorality is rampant,

but in the Tribulation Period it will

be much worse (REV 9:21).

[firstfruits] - After the Rapture

there were only Unbelievers on the

earth. Then God called 144,000 Jews

and gave them the faith to believe.

These were the firstfruits in that

they were the first of the many that

would be converted during these last

seven years before the Millennium.

REV 14:5 No lie was found in their [No lie] - Someone has said, "after

mouths; they are blameless. purity truthfulness is the most

distinctive mark of the followers of

Christ."

REV 14:6 Then I saw another angel [another angel] - In addition to the

flying in midair, and he had the angels already seen (REV 8:2; 8:3;

eternal gospel to proclaim to those 10:1).

who live on the earth--to every

nation, tribe, language and people. [flying in midair] - Like the eagle

in REV 8:13 it flies in mid-air to be

seen and heard by all who dwell on

the earth. No one on the earth will

have an excuse for not hearing the

gospel message since God has an angel

broadcasting it from the heavens.

[eternal gospel] - It has never

changed throughout time, for the

Gospel has called mankind to fear,

honor, and worship the Creator. The

NT Gospel showed that the only way

it was possible to fear God and to

honor and worship Him was through the

free gift of faith, along with true

repentance, and submission to the

Lordship of Jesus Christ -- the Sweet

God of the Universe.

REV 14:7 He said in a loud voice, [He said in a loud voice] - The angel

"Fear God and give him glory, is flying in the sky and cannot be

because the hour of his judgment stopped by the evil forces of the

has come. Worship him who made the world because God is showing mercy

heavens, the earth, the sea and the and grace by offering, the rebellious

springs of water." of the earth, an opportunity to make

peace with God, rather than receive

the full force of His judgments.

[Worship Him who made] - COL 1:16

"For by Him all things were created:

things in heaven and on earth,

visible and invisible, whether

thrones or powers or rulers or

authorities; all things were created

by Him and for Him." The Him of

course is the Lord Jesus Christ.

REV 14:8 A second angel followed [followed] - The second angel

and said, "Fallen! Fallen is followed the first and thus likewise

Babylon the Great, which made all flew in midair.

the nations drink the maddening

wine of her adulteries." [Fallen is Babylon] - The idea is

that Babylon's fall is still future

but it is so certain to happen that

the angel can announce it as fallen,

because no power can stop the fall

of Babylon.

Babylon is the name for the world

system that at this time is headed

by the city of Rome (See 1PE 5:13).

The ancient city of Babylon was the

religious and political capital of

of a world empire, renowned for its

luxury and moral corruption. Above

all it was the great enemy of the

people of God. For the early church

the city of Rome was a contemporary

Babylon.

[adulteries] - Primarily speaking of

the influence that Rome and the world

system has had on making mankind be

"unfaithful" to the true God. The

last world empire was the Roman

Empire and even though it fell, it

has left a tremendous influence on

world that earned it the title of

Babylon the Great.

REV 14:9 A third angel followed [If anyone worships] - Can you

them and said in a loud voice: "If imagine being on earth and seeing all

anyone worships the beast and his these mighty angels flying in midair

image and receives his mark on the giving warnings of coming judgments?

forehead or on the hand, The majority of mankind will not

respond to the message of the angels.

 

REV 14:10 he, too, will drink of [be tormented] - This is a direct

the wine of God's fury, which has reference to the Lake of Fire, also

been poured full strength into the known as the Lake of Burning Sulfur

cup of his wrath. He will be (REV 20:10-15). God is very clear

tormented with burning sulfur in about the fact that those who fail

the presence of the holy angels and to receive His Grace will receive

of the Lamb. His Wrath. The torments are real

and forever.

[in the presence] - The King over

Hell (Lake of Fire) is the Lord Jesus

Christ. Satan is only one of the

prisoners there. Jesus and His

angels can and will observe the

torments being levied there.

REV 14:11 And the smoke of their [for ever and ever] - To understand

torment rises for ever and ever. what eternity is, then think of the

There is no rest day or night for fact, that when a person has been in

those who worship the beast and his Hell suffering torment and agony

image, or for anyone who receives (LUK 16:24) for 10,000 years, that at

the mark of his name." the end of the 10,000 years he has

just as much eternity left as he had

when he started. There is never any

parole boards for those in Hell.

 

REV 14:12 This calls for patient [patient endurance] - The pressure to

endurance on the part of the saints take the mark of the beast will be

who obey God's commandments and great, for no one can buy or sell nor

remain faithful to Jesus. secure a job without the mark. To be

a Christian will be extremely costly

for the individual and his family.

But Our Lord Jesus will empower His

believers during that time with a

special grace, much like the dying

grace given to Stephen during his

stoning (ACT 7:55).

 

REV 14:13 Then I heard a voice [who die...from now on] - These are

from heaven say, "Write: Blessed the Tribulation Martyrs that will be

are the dead who die in the Lord killed for their love of Jesus and

from now on." "Yes," says the their refusal to receive the mark and

Spirit, "they will rest from their to worship the beast.

labor, for their deeds will follow

them." [deeds will follow] - Their testimony

will not be forgotten, but will be

rewarded in heaven by their Savior

Jesus Christ.

REV 14:14 I looked, and there [like a son of man] - This is the

before me was a white cloud, and Exalted Lord Jesus Christ whom Daniel

seated on the cloud was one "like a had prophesied, "coming with the

son of man" with a crown of gold on clouds of heaven" (DAN 7:13). Jesus

his head and a sharp sickle in his used the term "Son of Man" of Himself

hand. in MAT 8:20.

[crown of gold] - The golden crown

or wreath given to a victor and this

designates Jesus Christ as the One

who has conquered and thereby won the

right to act in judgment.

REV 14:15 Then another angel came [another angel] - Not in reference to

out of the temple and called in a "one like a son of man," but rather

loud voice to him who was sitting to the continuing series of angelic

on the cloud, "Take your sickle and beings carrying out the will of God.

reap, because the time to reap has

come, for the harvest of the earth [out of the temple] - A reference to

is ripe." the immediate presence of God the

Father.

[Take your sickle] - This angel came

directly from the presence of God the

Father with a message for the Savior

to begin to reap the harvest of the

earth, for sin has run its full

course. There is no problem with an

angel giving a message to Jesus, for

it is a command direct from God the

Father.

REV 14:16 So he who was seated on [earth was harvested] - Most likely

the cloud swung his sickle over the Jesus harvested the remaining Saints

earth, and the earth was harvested. from the earth (the wheat).

REV 14:17 Another angel came out [another angel] - An angel of wrath

of the temple in heaven, and he too whom God has called for this moment.

had a sharp sickle. He too will do some harvesting, but

will bring in the tares.

REV 14:18 Still another angel, who [charge of the fire] - His special

had charge of the fire, came from task as assigned by the Lord. Could

the altar and called in a loud fires of judgment from heaven to

voice to him who had the sharp earth or the fires of Hell.

sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and

gather the clusters of grapes from [grapes from the earth's vine] - The

the earth's vine, because its context of the next verses infer that

grapes are ripe." this is a harvest of the wicked. The

time is most likely the judgment of

the nations outside the city of

Jerusalem.

REV 14:19 The angel swung his

sickle on the earth, gathered its

grapes and threw them into the

great winepress of God's wrath.

REV 14:20 They were trampled in [blood flowed...1,600 stadia] - The

the winepress outside the city, and distance would approximate 200 miles.

blood flowed out of the press, The literal meaning would be a divine

rising as high as the horses' bloodbath of judgment. God crushes

bridles for a distance of 1,600 the wicked so that their blood would

stadia. be up to the bridles of the horses

and would extend for 200 miles. This

would be a real lake of human blood.

Some people do not believe that this

is literal, but God has spoken very

specifically here and has the power

to bring the necessary numbers in the

area for a judgment that would crush

their bodies to ensure a lake of

blood.

 

Tony Capoccia

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 15

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York

International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 15:1 I saw in heaven another [another great...sign] - Since the

great and marvelous sign: seven first chapter John has observed one

angels with the seven last plagues- amazing revelation after another.

-last, because with them God's

wrath is completed. [seven last plagues] - The anger of

God has been pent up until now, when

it is about to burst forth. These

plagues are the last warning God will

give to man. Mankind cannot say that

God failed to communicate His anger

over their sinful ways.

[wrath is completed] - These plagues

usher in the final phase of God's

judgment of mankind on earth.

 

REV 15:2 And I saw what looked [sea of glass] - Same glass that was

like a sea of glass mixed with fire seen by Moses in Exodus 24:10, "..and

and, standing beside the sea, those saw the God of Israel. Under His feet

who had been victorious over the was something like a pavement made of

beast and his image and over the sapphire, clear as the sky itself."

number of his name. They held harps This sea is before the throne of God

given them by God (REV 4:6) and simply speaks of His

great glory and majesty.

[mixed with fire] - Adds to the awe

of our Mighty God, speaking of divine

judgment proceeding from His precious

holiness.

[those...victorious] - The martyred

dead that have been destroyed by the

beast and his followers. They would

not worship the beast or receive his

mark.

[held harps] - These instruments

were seen in the hands of the elders

in REV 5:8 and the 144,000 in 14:2.

Harps are an instrument that pleases

God and can be expected to be played

all through eternity in praise and

honor of His name.

REV 15:3 and sang the song of [song of Moses...Lamb] - The Song of

Moses the servant of God and the of Moses has been identified in the

song of the Lamb: "Great and following two sections of the Bible

marvelous are your deeds, Lord God EXO 15:1-8 and DEU 31:30-32:47. But

Almighty. Just and true are your here a new song is listed, and titled

ways, King of the ages. (REV 15:3-4) the Song of Moses and of

the Lamb.

This song is a song of praise to God

for His great and marvelous acts.

The song does not rejoice in the

judgment of God upon His enemies but

the righteousness of His great

redemptive acts.

REV 15:4 Who will not fear you, O

Lord, and bring glory to your name?

For you alone are holy. All nations

will come and worship before you,

for your righteous acts have been

revealed."

REV 15:5 After this I looked and [the temple] - The tabernacle of

in heaven the temple, that is, the Testimony. In the OT it was called

tabernacle of the Testimony, was the "tent of the testimony" and

opened. contained the ark with the stone

tablets from Sinai (NUM 17:7; 18:2;

EXO 32:15; DEU 10:5). It was the

place where God met with man.

This earthly tent was modeled after

a heavenly tabernacle where God

dwelled. In this verse, it represents

the very presence of God.

REV 15:6 Out of the temple came [Out...came] - Out of the presence of

the seven angels with the seven God came the seven angels. These are

plagues. They were dressed in same angels mentioned in 15:1.

clean, shining linen and wore

golden sashes around their chests. [shining linen] - Like the garments

of the saints, they represent the

righteousness and holiness of the

wearer. Their robes also denote the

nobleness and sacredness of their

position.

[golden sashes] - These angels are

servants of the God of the Universe

and one would expect that they would

be adorned with precious garments.

The sash was used in both the OT and

NT times to hold up the long flowing

robes.

REV 15:7 Then one of the four [living creatures] - Guardians of the

living creatures gave to the seven Throne of God seen in (4:6; 5:6; 6:1;

angels seven golden bowls filled 7:11; 14:3; 15:7; 19:4) and they act

with the wrath of God, who lives as intermediaries between God and

for ever and ever. these avenging angels.

[bowls] - In REV 5:8 there were

golden bowls filled with incense

which represented the prayers of the

saints. God now answers these prayer

requests, for judgment upon sin and

"His Kingdom Come" by filling golden

bowls full of His wrath.

[wrath of God] - Our God is a Holy

and righteous God who must by His

nature punish sin and all who fail

to give Him the glory that He

deserves. Man can never "pay back"

to God for the wrong they have done

towards Him. Torment and agony for

ever and ever is what God has decided

will satisfy and yet even that never

will pay the price.

The wicked with their free wills have

willfully chosen to disobey God and

have refused His grace in order to

remain in their sin. The writer of

Hebrews said of God's wrath, "It is

a dreadful thing to fall into the

hands of the living God" (HEB 10:31).

REV 15:8 And the temple was filled [filled with smoke] - Symbolizes the

with smoke from the glory of God power and glory of God (EXO 19:18;

and from his power, and no one 40:34; ISA 6:4). The smoke here

could enter the temple until the reveals the presence of God and that

seven plagues of the seven angels He is glorifying Himself by judging

were completed. sin and a wicked world with the seven

last plagues.

[no one could enter] - The glory of

God was so dense and no one could

stop His final judgments for the time

for intercession is past.

Tony Capoccia

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 16

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York

International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 16:1 Then I heard a loud voice [the temple] - The tabernacle of

from the temple saying to the seven Testimony. In the OT it was called

angels, "Go, pour out the seven the "tent of the testimony" and

bowls of God's wrath on the earth." contained the ark with the stone

tablets from Sinai (NUM 17:7; 18:2;

EXO 32:15; DEU 10:5). It was the

place where God met with man.

This earthly temple was modeled after

a heavenly tabernacle where God

dwelled. In this verse, it represents

the very presence of God in Heaven.

[seven angels] - In REV 15:1 these

seven angels were identified as the

seven angels with the seven last

plagues. They bring God's final

phase of judgment to a close.

[bowls] - In REV 5:8 there were

golden bowls filled with incense

which represented the prayers of the

saints. God now answers these prayer

requests, for judgment upon sin and

"His Kingdom Come" by filling golden

bowls full of His wrath.

 

REV 16:2 The first angel went and [poured on the land] - The Apostle

poured out his bowl on the land, John sees the first angel tip his

and ugly and painful sores broke bowl and pour its contents on the

out on the people who had the mark land (vice the sea REV 16:3).

of the beast and worshiped his

image. [sores] - This is a very similar

plague to the one God caused to fall

upon the Egyptians in EXO 9:9-11,

where festering boils broke out. The

Christians alive at this point in the

Tribulation Period are exempt from

being "marked" by the boils because

they refused the mark of the beast

(see REV 13:16).

It is interesting to note that many

countries presently have canisters

and missiles loaded with Chemical

Agents which will cause painful

blisters to appear on mankind. They

are intended for use on the enemy in

a time of war. God may actually use

man's chemical weapons to effect His

purposes.

REV 16:3 The second angel poured [on the sea] - This judgment is upon

out his bowl on the sea, and it the waters of the sea.

turned into blood like that of a

dead man, and every living thing in [blood like...a dead man] - This is

the sea died. not like the bright red blood that

appears from a fresh cut on the skin,

rather, it is the coagulated and

rotting blood of a dead man.

[every living thing...died] - Because

of the blood all the creatures of the

sea died.

REV 16:4 The third angel poured [rivers, springs...became blood] -

out his bowl on the rivers and After a span of time, God then caused

springs of water, and they became the rest of the earth's waters to be

blood. turned to blood. When only the seas

were blood man still had drinking

water, but now all water was turned

into the rotting blood of a dead man.

REV 16:5 Then I heard the angel in [angel in charge of the waters] -

charge of the waters say: "You are Appears that certain angels are given

just in these judgments, you who particular assignments. In REV 7:1

are and who were, the Holy One, we saw angels in charge of the winds,

because you have so judged; in 14:18 we saw an angel in charge of

the fire, and of course the angel

Michael given the charge over Israel

(DAN 12:1).

REV 16:6 for they have shed the [blood to drink] - God has issued a

blood of your saints and prophets, a punishment tailored to fit the

and you have given them blood to crime, for the wicked had poured out

drink as they deserve." the blood of the saints and now

receive blood to drink. Since they

liked blood they now can drink it in

lieu of water.

REV 16:7 And I heard the altar [the altar respond] - Most likely the

respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, voices are the saints under the altar

true and just are your judgments." as seen in REV 6:9-10, for the blood

judgments would be a direct answer to

their "cries" of REV 6:10.

[just] - No one can fault God for His

judgments being too harsh when seen

in the light that He offered Grace

and Mercy to them first, but they

refused to repent, believe, and

submit to Jesus Christ.

REV 16:8 The fourth angel poured [scorch people] - Fire is commonly

out his bowl on the sun, and the connected with judgment in Scripture

sun was given power to scorch (DEU 28:22; 1CO 3:13; 2PE 3:7). Here

people with fire. the sun's power is greatly increased

to the point where people on the

earth a burn as with a fire.

REV 16:9 They were seared by the [cursed...refused to repent] - The

intense heat and they cursed the people on the earth are aware of the

name of God, who had control over source of the judgments, yet they

these plagues, but they refused to willfully chose to curse God rather

repent and glorify him. than cry out for forgiveness.

REV 16:10 The fifth angel poured [plunged into darkness] - Just like

out his bowl on the throne of the the ninth Egyptian plague (EXO 10:21-

beast, and his kingdom was plunged 29), it was a darkness that could be

into darkness. Men gnawed their felt and no one could see anyone else

tongues in agony nor be able to leave their place. I

would imagine that not only did God

cause the Sun to go black, but like-

wise all batteries and lighting would

also fail, in order to make God's

judgment complete.

REV 16:11 and cursed the God of [pains and sores] - The suffering

heaven because of their pains and from the previous judgments are

their sores, but they refused to cumulative and make the curse of the

repent of what they had done. searing heat and darkness all the

more severe.

[refuse to repent] - They will not

repent of their sins and therefore

will face the full force of the

wrath of God for an eternity.

REV 16:12 The sixth angel poured [water dried up] - Similar to the

out his bowl on the great river time when God dried up the Red Sea

Euphrates, and its water was dried to save the Jews from Pharaoh (EXO

up to prepare the way for the kings 14:21) and the drying of the Jordan

from the East. (during flood stage) in JOS 3:14-17).

Here, the Euphrates is dried up to

allow a devastating army cross over

into Israel.

[kings from the East] - This is the

same 200 million man army of REV

9:16. Many of the judgments actually

occur simultaneously even though they

are revealed separately.

REV 16:13 Then I saw three evil [looked like frogs] - Interesting to

spirits that looked like frogs; note that Satan is said to look like

they came out of the mouth of the a snake, these evil spirits like

dragon, out of the mouth of the frogs, but the Holy Spirit looks like

beast and out of the mouth of the a dove.

false prophet.

[out of the mouth] - These three evil

spirits come from the unholy trinity,

namely, Satan, the Antichrist, and

the false prophet.

REV 16:14 They are spirits of [gather them] - They go to the kings

demons performing miraculous signs, and cause them to desire to go to war

and they go out to the kings of the by working in their hearts. They

whole world, to gather them for the bring them together for that last

battle on the great day of God battle fought by mankind.

Almighty.

REV 16:15 "Behold, I come like a Jesus interrupts the description of

thief! Blessed is he who stays the end time events, to remind all

awake and keeps his clothes with peoples the need to stay awake, by

him, so that he may not go naked continuing in the faith and being

and be shamefully exposed." steadfast, being dressed with the

robes of righteousness (REV 3:18,

7:14).

REV 16:16 Then they gathered the [Armageddon] - Located in the Valley

kings together to the place that in of Megiddo. One of the world's most

Hebrew is called Armageddon. famous battlefields.

REV 16:17 The seventh angel poured [It is done] - God has begun the

out his bowl into the air, and out grand finale, for His judgments are

of the temple came a loud voice almost complete.

from the throne, saying, "It is

done!"

REV 16:18 Then there came flashes

of lightning, rumblings, peals of

thunder and a severe earthquake. No

earthquake like it has ever

occurred since man has been on

earth, so tremendous was the quake.

REV 16:19 The great city split [great city] - Most likely it is the

into three parts, and the cities of city of Rome, the new Babylon, and

the nations collapsed. God seat of the Antichrist.

remembered Babylon the Great and

gave her the cup filled with the [cities of the nations] - All the

wine of the fury of his wrath. major cities of the world are

destroyed by this earthquake, such

as, Paris, London, New York, Denver,

Chicago, Atlanta, Washington D.C.,

Los Angeles, Dallas, Shreveport,

Indianapolis, etc.

REV 16:20 Every island fled away [island fled away] - All the islands

and the mountains could not be disappeared, and only the mainlands

found. were left. Even the mountains were

made flat because of this earthquake.

 

REV 16:21 From the sky huge [hailstones] - Imagine 100 pound

hailstones of about a hundred hailstones falling from the skies!

pounds each fell upon men. And they What roof could withstand such force?

cursed God on account of the plague Many men and animals would surely

of hail, because the plague was so have died.

terrible.

[cursed God] - Instead of crying out

for forgiveness, repenting of their

sins, the unsaved people cursed God.

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 17

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York

International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 17:1 One of the seven angels [seven angels...bowls] - See REV 15:1

who had the seven bowls came and and 15:7.

said to me, "Come, I will show you

the punishment of the great [great prostitute] - Defined in REV

prostitute, who sits on many 17:18, "The woman....is the great

waters. city that rules over the earth." The

great city is best understood, in the

last days of the earth, as Rome.

Actually, it was the ancient city of

Babylon, that had the first major

worldwide influence for evil. This

influence impacted such areas as:

government, politics, commerce,

education, art, manufacture, labor,

amusement, etc. Eventually, Rome, as

the last world empire became the

symbol for the Babylonian system

which is opposed to the ways of God.

[sits on many waters] - REV 17:15

defines the waters, "The waters....

where the prostitute sits, are

peoples, multitudes, nations and

languages." During these last years

of the Tribulation Period it will be

the city of Rome which will be the

capital city of the world and will

have great power and influence over

the entire earth, leading it into

spiritual and physical adulteries.

REV 17:2 With her the kings of the [kings of the earth] - Represents all

earth committed adultery and the the nations of the earth that have

inhabitants of the earth were had illicit relations with the city

intoxicated with the wine of her of Rome. Rome, of course, being the

adulteries." final and last symbol of the worldly

system that began with Babylon.

 

[committed adultery] - Nations that

have not only committed immoral acts

and engaged in unlawful sex, but also

were involved in religious apostasy.

[intoxicated] - They were controlled

by the immorality and the powers of

the false religion.

REV 17:3 Then the angel carried me [carried me away] - John is trans-

away in the Spirit into a desert. ported in his vision to the desert.

There I saw a woman sitting on a

scarlet beast that was covered with [desert] - Not a place of blessing or

blasphemous names and had seven nourishment, but rather a place that

heads and ten horns. is appropriate for divine judgment.

[a woman] - This is the woman called

the great prostitute (17:1) and

continues to represent the city of

Rome and the entire Babylonian

influence throughout the ages.

[sitting] - A position by which she

can manage and guide the beast.

[scarlet beast] - Same beast that

rose out of the waters in REV 13:1.

It is the symbolic for the great

Christ-hating power of the Antichrist

and his revived Roman Empire.

[blasphemous names] - The leaders of

world systems have continually mocked

the name of God and even at times

made blasphemous claims of being

deity themselves.

[seven heads, ten horns] - Beast has

the same number of horns and heads as

the Red Dragon (Satan) of REV 12:3

and similar to the descriptions found

in DAN 7:7-8, 24. It is a another

clear reference to the Antichrist and

the revived Roman Empire.

The seven heads are a symbol of the

seven hills of the city of Rome (see

REV 17:9) from which the Antichrist

will most likely establish his throne

during this time. The heads also are

used to represent the kings of past

and future of this world empire (REV

17:9)

The ten horns refer to the original

ten kingdoms of the old Roman Empire

of which three were subdued by the

little horn of Daniel 7:8, who is to

be identified with the world ruler of

the great tribulation (Antichrist)

who reigns over the revived Roman

Empire (United Europe?), see REV

17:12

 

REV 17:4 The woman was dressed in [purple and scarlet] - Purple was

purple and scarlet, and was often the color of royalty and the

glittering with gold, precious color scarlet indicated luxurious and

stones and pearls. She held a haughty splendor. This world system

golden cup in her hand, filled with promoted pride, luxury, and self

abominable things and the filth of devotion.

her adulteries.

[golden cup...filled with...filth] -

Just like the woman and the world

system, they both glitter on the out-

side but are filled with the filth of

their spiritual and physical sins of

adulteries within.

REV 17:5 This title was written on [written on her forehead] - Roman

her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE prostitutes wore a label with their

GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND names on their foreheads. Likewise,

OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. this harlot proudly displays her

descriptive name.

[MYSTERY BABYLON] - Although once a

real city, it now no longer exists,

however, the influence of the "ways"

of the city and empire continue until

the last days of the Tribulation.

[MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES] - This city

has had the influence over all other

cities and cultures, as a mother's

ways would influence her daughters.

REV 17:6 I saw that the woman was [drunk with the blood] - One of the

drunk with the blood of the saints, great sins of the city and empire of

the blood of those who bore Rome was the slaughter of the saints.

testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, The history of the church reveals

I was greatly astonished. that a great many Christians were

martyred by the Roman Government and

later, by the Catholic Church of Rome

during the Inquisition. Of course, it

is the revised Roman Empire of these

last days that murder the Tribulation

Saints.

REV 17:7 Then the angel said to

me: "Why are you astonished? I will

explain to you the mystery of the

woman and of the beast she rides,

which has the seven heads and ten

horns.

REV 17:8 The beast, which you saw, [the beast] - Again it is the Revised

once was, now is not, and will come Roman Empire and its leader -- the

up out of the Abyss and go to his Antichrist. The Roman Empire's most

destruction. The inhabitants of the famous leaders was Nero, and he was

earth whose names have not been known for his treacherous treatment

written in the book of life from of Christians. This type of leader

the creation of the world will be and the Roman Empire was passing

astonished when they see the beast, from the scene and would appear to

because he once was, now is not, be gone forever. However, to the

and yet will come. utter amazement of the entire world,

the old Roman Empire, with its wicked

rulers, will be revived in the end

times. It will not be Nero who comes

back to life but the Roman Empire.

In addition, it could be that the

Antichrist is also killed but raised

to life by Satan in order to deceived

the world by trying to "upstage" the

resurrection of the Lord Jesus

Christ.

[world... astonished] - Truly if some

world leader would be killed and then

somehow raised to life by some great

power, then the entire world would

follow after him because it would be

their desire to have that power to

help satisfy their needs. One must

remember that the world does not want

the true power of God because of the

cost involved--the turning from sin

and the yielding of one's life to the

true Savior.

Both the resurrection of the Roman

Empire and the Antichrist would truly

cause a wicked world to be deceived.

 

REV 17:9 "This calls for a mind [seven hills] - The woman, the city

with wisdom. The seven heads are of Rome, sits on seven hills. Rome

seven hills on which the woman was known as the city on seven hills,

sits. these hills received the names of

Palatine, Aventine, Caelian,

Esquiline, Viminal, Quirinal, and

Capitoline.

REV 17:10 They are also seven [also seven kings] - The heads are

kings. Five have fallen, one is, not only symbolic of the hills of

the other has not yet come; but Rome but also of the kings of the

when he does come, he must remain Roman Empire.

for a little while.

[five have fallen] - These would have

the five emperors before John, that

is, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula,

Claudius, and Nero.

[one is] - The emperor ruling at the

time of the this vision would then

have to be Vespasian.

[the other has not yet come] - After

Vespasian came the emperor Titus,

who became the instrument in the hand

of God of destroying the holy city

and the temple.

REV 17:11 The beast who once was, [eighth king] - The last emperor was

and now is not, is an eighth king. Titus and the next one will be after

He belongs to the seven and is the revival of the Roman Empire and

going to his destruction. will be known as the Antichrist.

[belongs to the seven] - That is, he

also is a Roman Emperor.

[going to his destruction] - He will

not remain in power, but like the

rest, will die and face the his own

judgment (see REV 19:20).

REV 17:12 "The ten horns you saw [ten kings] - These are the ten kings

are ten kings who have not yet or leaders of the ten nations that

received a kingdom, but who for one will make up the revised Roman Empire

hour will receive authority as during the Tribulation Period.

kings along with the beast.

REV 17:13 They have one purpose [give their power] - They are raised

and will give their power and to power by God for the sole purpose

authority to the beast. of giving their power and authority

over to the Antichrist. These are

ten European countries that all were

original members of the old Roman

Empire.

REV 17:14 They will make war [will make war] - As allies of the

against the Lamb, but the Lamb will Antichrist, they fight with him in

overcome them because he is Lord of a war against Christ (see Rev 19:19).

lords and King of kings--and with

him will be his called, chosen and [with Him....His called] - When Jesus

faithful followers." returns at the end of the Tribulation

Period, He has with Him His redeemed,

dressed in fine linen and riding on

white horses. It is incredible to

realize that we Christians are in the

very pages of the book of Revelation.

We who have Repented, Believed, and

Submitted to the Lordship of Christ

will be with Jesus as He takes over

the earth from the wicked forces of

evil. Amen and Hallelujah!!

REV 17:15 Then the angel said to [prostitute sits] - The city of Rome

me, "The waters you saw, where the and the entire evil world system has

prostitute sits, are peoples, influenced and ruled over peoples,

multitudes, nations and languages. multitudes, nations and languages of

all the world.

REV 17:16 The beast and the ten [hate..bring...to ruin] - In the last

horns you saw will hate the days there is a one world government

prostitute. They will bring her to ruled by the Antichrist from the city

ruin and leave her naked; they will of Rome. There is also a one world

eat her flesh and burn her with religion that also headquarters in

fire. Rome. The alliance, between the

Government and this false church,

which no doubt helped the Antichrist

rise to power, is no longer needed.

Therefore, the government destroys

the religious system and sets up

Emperor worship (REV 13:8). Literally

the church system is burned and

destroyed.

[eat her flesh] - Probably not to

imply cannibalism, but rather to

destroy her people and system.

REV 17:17 For God has put it into [God has put] - God promised in the

their hearts to accomplish his letters to the Churches (REV 2-3) to

purpose by agreeing to give the destroy those churches that failed to

beast their power to rule, until remain true to His Word. Therefore,

God's words are fulfilled. this false church of the end was once

a true one that had "gone their own

way," following the teachings of men

rather than the truths of God's Word.

REV 17:18 The woman you saw is the [city that rules] - Again, Rome is

great city that rules over the this city, but represents Babylon

kings of the earth." of old, and the entire evil system.

 

 

 

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

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Keys to Revelation - Chapter 18

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York

International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 18:1 After this I saw another [After this] - The revelation of

angel coming down from heaven. He chapter 17.

had great authority, and the earth

was illuminated by his splendor. [another angel] - Not the same angel

of chapter 17:1, but one that has a

a special purpose of announcing a

revelation of judgment.

[great authority] - This angel has

the authority of the Almighty God

to herald the pending judgment on

the evil world system that has as

its seat, the city of Rome.

[earth...illuminated] - The angel

came directly from the presence of

God and just like Moses, he too

reflects the Glory of God (see

EXO 34:29-35). But Moses saw a

veiled Glory because he was human,

however, this angel is a spirit and

could experience more of God's

brilliant Glory.

So bright was the angel's reflective

light that the earth was illuminated

by it. It may very well be that all

Christians will someday, be able to

reflect the Glory of our Savior. In

fact, Revelation 21:23 reveals that

in the New Jerusalem, our final

home, all light will come from the

Glory of God and the Lamb, Jesus

Christ.

REV 18:2 With a mighty voice he [mighty voice] - It is not only a

shouted: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon voice that announces, but one that

the Great! She has become a home announces God's message, and in this

for demons and a haunt for every case, it is one of judgment.

evil spirit, a haunt for every

unclean and detestable bird. [Fallen! Fallen is Babylon] - The

evil world system is being judged

and the result is the collapse of

this antichristian world order that

was determined to defeat the purposes

of God throughout the generations of

mankind.

[home for demons] - The city of Rome

is to receive the same fate as the

ancient city of Babylon (ISA 13:20-

22). Although the original Babylon

was once destroyed, the Babylonian

sinful and wicked lifestyle lived on

in societies around the globe, but

finds its utter demise in the final

and complete destruction of the city

of Rome and its World Empire.

In the ruins of Rome, not only will

birds roost, but demons and evil

spirits will make their home. This

is fitting, since mankind was so

proud of Rome and its influence over

the rest of the world. Now she lies

utterly desolate, her beauty is

replaced with the horrible ugliness

of demonic beings.

REV 18:3 For all the nations have see comments on REV 17:2

drunk the maddening wine of her

adulteries. The kings of the earth

committed adultery with her, and

the merchants of the earth grew

rich from her excessive luxuries."

REV 18:4 Then I heard another [another voice] - Most likely another

voice from heaven say: "Come out of angel that speaks on behalf of God.

her, my people, so that you will

not share in her sins, so that you [Come out] - An urgent call for God's

will not receive any of her people to separate from the judgment

plagues; about to fall on Babylon. One should

note that up until this point it has

been God's will to have His people in

the darkness of Babylon, in order to

be light to the those living in sin.

But the time of God's grace is ending

for the world as He begins to unfold

His judgments.

This calling out of God's people

most likely is the physical removal

from the city of Rome that God is

about to destroy. This idea is very

similar to the calling out of Lot and

his family from the city of Sodom in

GEN 19:12-17.

 

REV 18:5 for her sins are piled up [sins...piled up] - God does remember

to heaven, and God has remembered sin, but only the sins of the unsaved

her crimes. person, of cities, nations, and the

world. However, when a person is

born again, God takes all of their

sins and charges them to the sinless

one Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is

impossible for God to remember the

sins of the redeemed since they have

been acquitted of every sin!

REV 18:6 Give back to her as she [her own cup] - In REV 17:4 we see

has given; pay her back double for her cup being a "golden cup...filled

what she has done. Mix her a double with abominable things and the filth

portion from her own cup. of her adulteries." Now this same

cup that she gave to the world is now

given to her, but now filled with a

double portion of judgment for her

crimes.

REV 18:7 Give her as much torture [torture] - Rome has given to itself

and grief as the glory and luxury much luxury and pleasure while giving

she gave herself. In her heart she to God's people torture and grief for

boasts, 'I sit as queen; I am not a many generations. Now the wrath of

widow, and I will never mourn.' God will give to this wicked world

a double portion of torment and grief

as a fitting judgment.

[I sit as queen] - Rome and the whole

antichristian system believed that

they were apart from God and had no

accountability to anyone. They had

not known that they were always the

creatures that Christ had created

(see COL 1:15-16) and that all of

their sins were being held against

them for a coming day of judgment.

[I will never mourn] - So typical of

the attitude of the world today. They

think that they are in control of

their lives. That they can avoid all

problems by their insurance and other

protection programs. They think that

even death will simply bring eternal

sleep. Little do they realize that

every breath and heartbeat is given

to them by the precious Lord Savior

Jesus Christ. Death will bring much

mourning and torment, that will last

forever.

 

REV 18:8 Therefore in one day her [in one day] - In one 24-hour period

plagues will overtake her: death, these judgments will come, much

mourning and famine. She will be like the sudden judgment that came

consumed by fire, for mighty is the upon Belshazzar the very night he

Lord God who judges her. saw the "finger of God" on the wall

(DAN 5:30). It could be an attack

by a nuclear missile or simply fire

from heaven, either way, it will have

come by the will of God.

REV 18:9 "When the kings of the [weep and mourn] - The nations of the

earth who committed adultery with earth mourn the passing of the great

her and shared her luxury see the world system of Babylon, symbolized

smoke of her burning, they will by the burning of the capital city of

weep and mourn over her. Rome. Note they are not weeping over

their sins, but rather over the loss

of the capitol city of sin.

REV 18:10 Terrified at her [terrified at her torment] - They see

torment, they will stand far off the devastation and realize that this

and cry: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, "city of power" was wiped out so

O Babylon, city of power! In one quickly, giving evidence of a much

hour your doom has come!' greater power.

REV 18:11 "The merchants of the [no one buys] - These are merchants

earth will weep and mourn over her who really mourn over the lost trade

because no one buys their cargoes rather than the millions killed in

any more-- the devastation.

REV 18:12 cargoes of gold, silver,

precious stones and pearls; fine

linen, purple, silk and scarlet

cloth; every sort of citron wood,

and articles of every kind made of

ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron

and marble;

REV 18:13 cargoes of cinnamon and [bodies and souls of men] - Could be

spice, of incense, myrrh and the prostitution of men and women in

frankincense, of wine and olive the last days, for surely this is the

oil, of fine flour and wheat; direction of this present world. It

cattle and sheep; horses and is also possible that in addition to

carriages; and bodies and souls of prostitution, that there is a return

men. of the slave markets.

REV 18:14 "They will say, 'The

fruit you longed for is gone from

you. All your riches and splendor

have vanished, never to be

recovered.'

REV 18:15 The merchants who sold [stand far off] - By satellite TV

these things and gained their they could stand "far off" and still

wealth from her will stand far off, see the destruction of Rome.

terrified at her torment. They will

weep and mourn

REV 18:16 and cry out: "'Woe! Woe,

O great city, dressed in fine

linen, purple and scarlet, and

glittering with gold, precious

stones and pearls!

REV 18:17 In one hour such great

wealth has been brought to ruin!'

"Every sea captain, and all who

travel by ship, the sailors, and

all who earn their living from the

sea, will stand far off.

REV 18:18 When they see the smoke [see the smoke] - So great is the

of her burning, they will exclaim, burning of this city that even from

'Was there ever a city like this such a distance these ships could

great city?' see the smoke and the glow of her

burning.

REV 18:19 They will throw dust on

their heads, and with weeping and

mourning cry out: "'Woe! Woe, O

great city, where all who had ships

on the sea became rich through her

wealth! In one hour she has been

brought to ruin!

REV 18:20 Rejoice over her, O [Rejoice over her] - While the world

heaven! Rejoice, saints and mourns over the destruction of the

apostles and prophets! God has capitol city of evil, the Christian

judged her for the way she treated is to rejoice! Surely, we have asked

you.'" God to judge this wickedness in each

generation and now God answers our

prayers. All of us agonize over the

abortions, adulteries, immoralities,

murder, thefts, and drug use of our

generation, however in this verse we

can find hope, for the day of justice

is coming.

REV 18:21 Then a mighty angel [With such violence] - Speaks again

picked up a boulder the size of a of the suddenness and completeness

large millstone and threw it into of the judgment.

the sea, and said: "With such

violence the great city of Babylon

will be thrown down, never to be

found again.

REV 18:22 The music of harpists

and musicians, flute players and

trumpeters, will never be heard in

you again. No workman of any trade

will ever be found in you again.

The sound of a millstone will never

be heard in you again.

REV 18:23 The light of a lamp will

never shine in you again. The voice

of bridegroom and bride will never

be heard in you again. Your

merchants were the world's great

men. By your magic spell all the

nations were led astray.

REV 18:24 In her was found the [found the blood] - God holds Babylon

blood of prophets and of the and this city of sin responsible for

saints, and of all who have been the deaths of all the saints and the

killed on the earth." prophets. Rome is also judged guilty

for all the murders on the earth.

Truly this evil world system deserves

all of these judgments. This passage

of Scripture holds much encouragement

for Christians when faced with the

overwhelming wickedness of this

generation.

 

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

Modem (318) 949-1456

300/1200/2400/9600 Baud

 

 

 

Keys to Revelation - Chapter 19

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York

International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 19:1 After this I heard what [After this] - Beginning in REV 17:1

sounded like the roar of a great we saw the introduction of the city

multitude in heaven shouting: of Rome, the capitol city of the

"Hallelujah! Salvation and glory world, and the head of the wicked

and power belong to our God, world system. In chapter 18, the Fall

of Babylon (Rome) is revealed and in

REV 18:20 we, the Saints of God, are

commanded to rejoice over her final

fate, because of the way she had

treated God's children in the many

generations previous.

[great multitude] - The redeemed of

God in heaven. Throughout the history

of man, it has only been a remnant

that has accepted God's message and

believed. One just needs to look at

our generation to realize that very

few of any society really believe and

are saved. It has been estimated

that since the days of Adam and Eve

that approximately 41 billion people

have lived on this planet. If only

a remnant equal to 1% was saved, that

would make heaven's population of

saints equal to about 400,000,000. Of

course, God is not finished calling

all of His servants yet so the number

will continue to grow.

[Hallelujah!] - There are only four

instances in the New Testament of the

term Hallelujah, all of which occur

in this chapter (vs 1, 3, 4, 6). The

OT word Hallelujah comes from two

Hebrew words (halal and Jah), and

means "Praise Yahweh!"

[belong to our God] - Salvation is of

God and not of man. All men turned

away from God and earned their place

in the torments of the Lake of Fire.

But, our God is a Gracious God, and

chose "some" to be saved (not many).

He also prescribed the exact manner

of salvation, it would not be of

works, but rather, of faith. A faith

that manifests itself in the three-

fold act of Believing in Christ,

Repenting of our sins, and Submitting

to the Lordship of Our Savior Jesus

Christ, the God of the Universe!

 

REV 19:2 for true and just are his [true and just] - There can be no

judgments. He has condemned the doubt that God judged rightly in the

great prostitute who corrupted the case of Babylon (Rome). In fact, He

earth by her adulteries. He has demonstrated great patience and

avenged on her the blood of his mercy waiting all these many years

servants." while she committed her acts of

adulteries.

[avenged on her the blood] - God had

declared in DEU 32:43 that He would

ultimately avenge the blood of the

saints, "Rejoice, O nations, with His

people, for He will avenge the blood

of His servants; He will take ven-

geance on His enemies and make

atonement for His land and people."

 

REV 19:3 And again they shouted: [smoke..goes up...for ever] - This is

"Hallelujah! The smoke from her not a reference to the city itself,

goes up for ever and ever." but will be fulfilled by the eternal

judgment of the people who sinned in

and through the evil world system of

Babylon. It will be literal smoke

rising from the burning of the bodies

of these unbelievers in the endless

torment of the Lake of Fire.

REV 19:4 The twenty-four elders [twenty-four elders] - See comments

and the four living creatures fell on REV 4:4-11

down and worshiped God, who was

seated on the throne. And they

cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"

REV 19:5 Then a voice came from [a voice] - Not the voice of the

the throne, saying: "Praise our Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, but

God, all you his servants, you who rather it is the voice of an angel

fear him, both small and great!" who commands us to praise "our" God.

[Praise] - Present tense and is a

command to "keep on praising" the

Lord.

[small and great] - Believers from

every socioeconomic level, and from

various stages of spiritual maturity.

 

REV 19:6 Then I heard what sounded

like a great multitude, like the

roar of rushing waters and like

loud peals of thunder, shouting:

"Hallelujah! For our Lord God

Almighty reigns.

REV 19:7 Let us rejoice and be [wedding of the Lamb] - For a proper

glad and give him glory! For the perspective of this event we need to

wedding of the Lamb has come, and remember the customs of the Bible

his bride has made herself ready. Times in regard to marriage. First,

there was the Betrothal, which was

a public declaration by the two

families that the two participants

were now betrothed, that is, legally

husband and wife.

Following the Betrothal came a period

of time that was used by the groom to

prepare a home for the bride (usually

a room in his father's house). This

could be a year or so. The bride also

used this time to prepare herself for

the wedding feast. When the time was

ready, the bridegroom would travel to

the bride's home and take her back

with him to the new home (room).

Shortly after the couple and the

families arrived at the new home the

wedding feast began and lasted for a

week or longer.

The Bride here is the Church (each

Christian from the Church Age) and

the Groom is Jesus. We were betrothed

on the day of our salvation as the

announcement was made on earth and in

heaven that we and Jesus were legally

married (committed) to each other.

Again, the Bride is the Church and

the guests are all the Old Testament

saints and the Martyred Tribulation

saints.

Jesus has been "preparing our rooms

in His Father's house" (JOH 14:2-3)

and came back for us in the Rapture

of the Church. The wedding feast was

delayed until the Lord had taken back

the earth from the control of the

evil one.

 

REV 19:8 Fine linen, bright and [given her] - Most likely at the Bema

clean, was given her to wear." Seat (Judgment Seat of Christ) the

(Fine linen stands for the brilliant garments of linen were

righteous acts of the saints.) given to each of the saints. When a

person is saved they receive the

righteousness of Christ, however,

their transformed life will be

evidenced by the actual righteous

acts they do by the Spirit (JAM

2:14-18).

 

REV 19:9 Then the angel said to [those...invited] - The Church is the

me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who Bride and the invited wedding guests

are invited to the wedding supper are the Old Testament saints (see

of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These MAT 8:11) and the martyred saints of

are the true words of God." the Tribulation.

 

REV 19:10 At this I fell at his [worship him] - John is overcome by

feet to worship him. But he said to the tremendous picture of the coming

me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow blessedness of the Kingdom of God,

servant with you and with your and falls down and worships an angel.

brothers who hold to the testimony This only shows the humanness of the

of Jesus. Worship God! For the Apostle John. The angel quickly

testimony of Jesus is the spirit of informs John that angels are also

prophecy." servants of God (HEB 1:4-14).

[spirit of prophecy] - The prophecy

that John was watching unfold was the

testimony of Jesus, not of angels,

therefore, God is the one who is to

be worshiped for such a revelation.

REV 19:11 I saw heaven standing [heaven standing open] - When a door

open and there before me was a is opened a person can see in or out.

white horse, whose rider is called John is now on the earth and can see

Faithful and True. With justice he into the third heaven, the residence

judges and makes war. of the Saints, the Angels and the

Throne Room of God. Remember, that

the First Heaven is the atmosphere,

and the Second Heaven is Outer Space

(see 2CO 12:2). John can see into

heaven as clearly as we can see a

cloud in the sky. The opening to

heaven is so wide that a whole army

can pass through.

[white horse] - A real horse, just

like the literal donkey that Jesus

rode into Jerusalem on (MAT 21). It

was prophesied hundreds of years

earlier that the Messiah would ride

into the city on a donkey (ZEC 9:9),

and here we listen to the spirit of

prophecy tell us that when Christ,

the Magnificent King, returns He will

be riding a white horse--Believe it!

[Faithful and True] - Our sweet Lord

and Savior is truly faithful. He is

faithful when we are faithless (2TI

2:13). He is faithful and true in

all of His promises to return to the

earth and establish His kingdom. He

will fulfill all of His promises made

to His people.

[judges and makes war] - The right-

eous vengeance that is about to be

enacted upon the Antichrist and his

followers will be harmonious with

truth and justice. He has judged

mankind and now makes war against

them.

REV 19:12 His eyes are like [eyes...blazing fire] - These are

blazing fire, and on his head are eyes of judgment that are burning

many crowns. He has a name written and all-penetrating, from which

on him that no one knows but he nothing can be hidden.

himself.

[many crowns] - The symbols of

royalty. These are kingly crowns

and should not be pictured as many

large crowns "stacked and balanced"

one upon another. Rather, they most

likely are various "bands" linked

together in a very lovely series of

crowns that is in proper proportion

to His head.

[name...no one knows] - It is foolish

to try to guess this name since it is

known only to Jesus. We could guess

that someday, when we are in our

eternal state, that we will be able

to comprehend what the meaning of

this special name.

 

REV 19:13 He is dressed in a robe [robe dipped in blood] - This is the

dipped in blood, and his name is blood of His enemies already defeated

the Word of God. by His wrath (see ROM 1:18 and REV

14:19-20). It will also be dipped or

splattered by the blood of those on

earth whom He fights against as He

returns (REV 19:21).

[name is the Word of God] - "In the

beginning was the Word, and the Word

was with God, and the Word was God"

(JOH 1:1). "For the Word of God is

living and active. Sharper than any

double-edged sword, it penetrates

even to dividing soul and spirit,

joints and marrow; it judges the

thoughts and attitudes of the heart"

(HEB 4:12). Jesus is the living and

active Word of God that has come in

judgment to judge the thoughts and

attitudes of the heart.

 

REV 19:14 The armies of heaven [armies of heaven] - Comprised of

were following him, riding on white both the holy angels (MAR 8:38) and

horses and dressed in fine linen, the called, chosen and faithful

white and clean. followers (REV 17:14).

[riding on white horses] - Literal

white horses just like the one that

Jesus is riding on. The white horse

has always been used by conquerors,

and also symbolizes purity.

[fine linen] - See Rev 19:8

REV 19:15 Out of his mouth comes a [sharp sword] - Christ conquers by

sharp sword with which to strike the power of His Word and not by a

down the nations. "He will rule sword in His hand. "For the word of

them with an iron scepter." He God is living and active. Sharper

treads the winepress of the fury of than any double-edged sword" (HEB

the wrath of God Almighty. 4:12). Literally, Christ does not

have a sword "sticking" out of His

mouth, rather this symbolizes His

Word, which will be used to strike

down the wicked on the earth. He

simply speaks their judgment and

they will die.

[rule...with an iron scepter] - This

rod is a shepherd's staff used to

make the sheep conform to the rules

of the shepherd. Jesus will rule all

the nations of the earth during the

Millennium with an unyielding, firm

and absolute government that demands

total allegiance to God.

[wrath of God] - "It is a dreadful

thing to fall into the hands of the

living God" (HEB 10:31). Mankind is

under the delusion that God either

doesn't care or is not able to deal

with man's willful disobedience. But

God has simply been storing up the

wrath that each person deserves,

"Because of your stubbornness and

your unrepentant heart, you are stor-

ing up wrath against yourself for the

day of God's wrath...." (ROM 2:5).

The day of God's fury has arrived

and for those who have refused His

mercy He has nothing left but wrath.

 

REV 19:16 On his robe and on his [one His robe] - Most likely on His

thigh he has this name written: robe near His chest.

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

[on His thigh] - Not a tattoo but on

something attached to His thigh, like

the sheath of a sword or on that part

of the garment which fell open across

the thigh.

[KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS] -

One of the most beautiful and most

powerful passages in all the Bible.

Now let those in our day, who say

that a person can become a Christian

without submitting to the Lordship of

Christ, be filled with shame. For

to advocate that one can come before

the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,

refusing to repent and submit, all

the while asking for salvation, is

a doctrine straight from the pit of

Hell!

 

REV 19:17 And I saw an angel [standing in the sun] - The angel

standing in the sun, who cried in a was located at a place where all the

loud voice to all the birds flying birds of the air could see him -- in

in midair, "Come, gather together the brightest part of the sky. Most

for the great supper of God, likely standing between the sun and

the earth.

[Come, gather] - The angel is calling

all the birds to a the great supper

of God where they can gorge them-

selves on the flesh of the fallen

enemies of God. This fulfills the

prophecy that was spoken through the

prophet Ezekiel:

EZE 39:17 "Son of man, this is what

the Sovereign LORD says: Call out to

every kind of bird and all the wild

animals: 'Assemble and come together

from all around to the sacrifice I am

preparing for you, the great sacri

fice on the mountains of Israel.

There you will eat flesh and drink

blood.

EZE 39:18 You will eat the flesh of

mighty men and drink the blood of the

princes of the earth as if they were

rams and lambs, goats and bulls--all

of them fattened animals from Bashan.

EZE 39:19 At the sacrifice I am

preparing for you, you will eat fat

till you are glutted and drink blood

till you are drunk.

EZE 39:20 At my table you will eat

your fill of horses and riders,

mighty men and soldiers of every

kind,' declares the Sovereign LORD.

EZE 39:21 I will display my glory

among the nations, and all the

nations will see the punishment I

inflict and the hand I lay upon them.

EZE 39:22 From that day forward the

house of Israel will know that I am

the LORD their God."

 

 

REV 19:18 so that you may eat the In the time of judgment it makes no

flesh of kings, generals, and difference if you were rich or poor,

mighty men, of horses and their famous or unknown, free or a slave,

riders, and the flesh of all the wrath will know no favorites.

people, free and slave, small and

great."

REV 19:19 Then I saw the beast and [beast...make war] - Even after the

the kings of the earth and their Lord God returns with magnificent

armies gathered together to make glory and power, Satan, through the

war against the rider on the horse Antichrist, tries to destroy Jesus.

and his army. But this time Jesus did not come to

die, but rather to rule with power

and authority.

One can imagine these evil armies

turning their weapons upon Christ and

His glorious army, thinking that they

will be easily killed as were all the

martyrs of the previous generations.

REV 19:20 But the beast was [beast was captured] - Before a laser

captured, and with him the false or a bullet was fired, Jesus had the

prophet who had performed the Antichrist and his false prophet

miraculous signs on his behalf. captured.

With these signs he had deluded

those who had received the mark of [thrown alive] - There is no soul

the beast and worshiped his image. sleep for the wicked. They will enter

The two of them were thrown alive the fires of torment with full

into the fiery lake of burning consciousness for all eternity.

sulfur.

[lake of burning sulfur] - The final

place for the wicked. It is a literal

place of torment and agony. God has

determined that these two evil men

deserved final judgment ahead of all

the others who will be thrown into

the lake of fire after the 1,000 year

rule (REV 20:15).

REV 19:21 The rest of them were [killed with the sword] - Here Jesus

killed with the sword that came out simply uses the words from His mouth

of the mouth of the rider on the to effect judgment and death upon the

horse, and all the birds gorged wicked.

themselves on their flesh.

 

 

 

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

Modem (318) 949-1456

300/1200/2400/9600 Baud

 

Keys to Revelation - Chapter 20

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York

International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 20:1 And I saw an angel coming [coming down] - John is most likely

down out of heaven, having the key situated on the earth looking up to

to the Abyss and holding in his heaven and sees an angel descending

hand a great chain. out of the Third Heaven.

[key] - A key allows the owner to

exercise authority over an object or

place. Here it is a symbol of God's

absolute authority over the Abyss.

[Abyss] - The place of confinement

for the wicked angels who are await-

ing the final judgment of the Lake

of Fire. Jude 6 reveals that it is

a place of darkness where angels are

bound with chains. It is a place so

terrible that the demons in Luke 8:31

begged Jesus, "...repeatedly not to

order them into the Abyss."

[great chain] - A real chain in the

hand of the angel, that was large,

long, and indestructible.

REV 20:2 He seized the dragon, [seized the dragon] - He is a mighty

that ancient serpent, who is the angel, which could imply the angel

devil, or Satan, and bound him for was Michael the Archangel, who has

a thousand years. great strength. He was the one in

DAN 10:13 that had to "free" another

angel of God who was being detained

by the wicked forces of evil, that

were the power behind the Persian

Kingdom.

[bound] - Satan is literally tied up

by the great chain that God has made

for the purpose of incapacitating the

Father of Lies.

[thousand years] - A literal period

of 1,000 years that coincide with the

thousand year rule of Christ on the

earth. In fact, Jesus had the evil

one bound to ensure Millennial peace

of His Kingdom.

REV 20:3 He threw him into the [He threw] - The angel bound Satan

Abyss, and locked and sealed it with the chain and then threw him

over him, to keep him from into the Abyss. This is the same

deceiving the nations anymore until way the unbeliever is treated after

the thousand years were ended. the judgment of REV 20:14. God does

After that, he must be set free for not merely "send" or "place" them

a short time. into torment, but rather, He has them

"thrown" into judgment. While our

God is a loving God, He is also a

God of judgment, who is an enemy to

those who refuse to love and obey

Him.

[after that] - After the 1,000 years

are over, God in His wisdom lets the

evil one go free for a short time. It

could be to show mankind that evil

still lurks in the heart of the

unredeemed of the Millennium, for as

soon as Satan is released, he leads

them in rebellion against God.

 

REV 20:4 I saw thrones on which [thrones] - These thrones are part of

were seated those who had been the King's Court that will rule over

given authority to judge. And I saw the earth for one thousand years.

the souls of those who had been Jesus is the king of the earth and

beheaded because of their testimony has given the authority to judge to

for Jesus and because of the word those seated on these thrones.

of God. They had not worshiped the

beast or his image and had not [seated] - The identification of

received his mark on their those seated on the thrones is not

foreheads or their hands. They came limited to one specific group. We

to life and reigned with Christ a can find numerous verses that speak

thousand years. of various groups that will rule

during the Millennium. In DAN 7:18

and 7:27 we see the Old Testament

Saints promised a part in the rule

of the Kingdom.

The Apostles are promised thrones

when Jesus sits on His "Glorious

Throne" (MAT 19:28). Every New

Testament Saint is promised the task

of judging the world in a coming day

(2CO 6:2). There can be numerous

thrones (millions) in the Millennium

replacing the civil courts of law

of this age. In this case John does

not tell us exactly who is sitting

on the thrones. But we do know it is

the redeemed.

[saw the souls] - Somehow in Heaven

souls (Spirits) are visible even

before the resurrection of the body.

Here, John sees the souls of those

from the Tribulation Period and then

watches as their glorified bodies are

resurrected and reunited with their

souls (end of verse 4).

[beheaded] - These Tribulation Saints

literally were beheaded because they

refused to deny Christ and worship

the Antichrist. It is interesting

that France, one of the nations of

the revised Roman Empire, has been

considering the revival of the old

guillotine style of capital punish-

ment.

[They came to life] - This is the

final phase of the resurrection of

the Righteous. The first phase was

the resurrection of the King of

Righteousness -- Jesus Christ, then

came the firstfruits -- the Rapture

of the Church, and finally this last

phase where the Tribulation Saints

are resurrected along with all

the Old Testament Saints (EZE 37:12;

DAN 12:2, 12:12; 1CO 15:23).

It might be noted that during the

Millennium there will be others who

become Christians, but they will not

die, rather they will be translated

into their glorious bodies at the

end of the 1,000 year Kingdom.

[reigned with Christ] - All the

Saints of all ages will rule and

reign with Jesus for the 1,000 years.

What a truly glorious time when the

name of Jesus will be honored and

those who try to do evil will be

judged instantly.

 

REV 20:5 (The rest of the dead did [rest of the dead] - These are the

not come to life until the thousand unbelievers from all ages (billions)

years were ended.) This is the that we see alive and standing their

first resurrection. final judgment in REV 20:11-15.

REV 20:6 Blessed and holy are [second death] - The first death is

those who have part in the first our physical death. The second death

resurrection. The second death has is the eternal torment of the Lake of

no power over them, but they will Fire (REV 20:14) reserved solely for

be priests of God and of Christ and those who refused God's Way of Grace

will reign with him for a thousand through Faith in Christ, Repentance

years. of sins, and Submission to the Lord

Jesus -- The Eternal and Holy God.

REV 20:7 When the thousand years [Satan...released] - God does not

are over, Satan will be released tell us why He allows Satan to again

from his prison exercise his wicked power on the

earth. It does show that man, whose

heart has not been changed by Christ,

is still easily controlled by the

evil one.

REV 20:8 and will go out to [the nations] - These are all the

deceive the nations in the four countries of the earth with the

corners of the earth--Gog and exception of Israel. They are given

Magog--to gather them for battle. the title of the enemies of God --

In number they are like the sand on Gog and Magog.

the seashore.

[number...like the sand] - Amazing

that after a 1,000 reign of peace by

Jesus and His Saints, there are still

multitudes who have refused to submit

to Him and try to destroy the Savior

and His people. These are the youth

of the Millennium, under the age of

100. Those who become Christians in

the Millennium will not die. But the

unbeliever will be allowed only 100

years to "come to Christ," after

which he will be killed (ISA 65:20).

REV 20:9 They marched across the [camp of God's people] - The city He

breadth of the earth and surrounded loves is Jerusalem (PSA 78:68; 87:2).

the camp of God's people, the city

he loves. But fire came down from [but fire came down] - These wicked

heaven and devoured them. forces never got to "fire a shot"

because to Mighty Savior Jesus Christ

called down fire from heaven to

destroy the attacking armies.

REV 20:10 And the devil, who [devil...thrown] - This is the last

deceived them, was thrown into the time Satan will ever be seen or heard

lake of burning sulfur, where the of again. He has plagued mankind for

beast and the false prophet had thousands of years and has been the

been thrown. They will be tormented constant troubler in the Bible from

day and night for ever and ever. Genesis to Revelation. But praise to

the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

that He has defeated the evil one.

[tormented] - This final place of

torment is a literal place of fire,

agony, loneliness, hunger, thirst,

etc., and never ends. After Satan

and the rest of the wicked have been

there 10,000 years, they will have

the same amount of eternal judgment

as they had when they first started!

REV 20:11 Then I saw a great white [great white throne] - This throne

throne and him who was seated on is the same one referred to in DAN

it. Earth and sky fled from his 7:10. It is massive, brilliant white,

presence, and there was no place flaming with fire, and is mounted on

for them. wheels of fire. There is a river of

fire coming out from the throne and

most likely pours into the Lake of

Fire.

The river of fire before this throne

of judgment is filled with the wicked

awaiting judgment (verse 12). There

is no rest from the torment the

wicked experience. An unsaved person

who died in 1930 would be placed in

in the fires of Hell until this time

of final judgment. They then would

be instantly placed in the River of

Fire before the Great White Throne,

only to be thrown into the Lake of

Fire.

[Him who was seated on it] - This is

Jesus Christ the Judge, "... the

Father judges no one, but has en

trusted all judgment to the Son"

(JOH 5:22).

[Earth and sky fled] - This is a

reference to the complete destruction

of the earth and heavens. 2PE 3:10

"...The heavens will disappear with a

roar; the elements will be destroyed

by fire, and the earth and everything

in it will be laid bare."

All mankind has been removed from the

earth. The righteous are in the

bliss of the Third Heaven and all the

unbelievers are standing in the River

of Fire awaiting judgment. There is

no need of the old corrupt earth and

heavens.

 

REV 20:12 And I saw the dead, [the dead] - These are the wicked

great and small, standing before from all ages past. They are called

the throne, and books were opened. dead because they have never received

Another book was opened, which is Life in Christ. They willfully have

the book of life. The dead were refused to repent of their sins and

judged according to what they had commit their lives to Christ. They

done as recorded in the books. are destined for the Second Death.

[great and small] - The rich and the

poor of the earth, the famous and the

undistinguished, the prominent and

the obscure, and the attractive and

the homely. It made no difference

what status they had in their life on

earth, they all are standing awaiting

judgment.

[books were opened] - There are three

books that are opened: The Book of

the Law (Bible), the Book of Sins,

and the Book of Life.

The Book of the Law - All mankind is

judged on the basis of whether they

obeyed the revealed Word of God. If

they did then they enter into Heaven.

For each sin they commit they receive

eternal torment, with increasing

intensity of suffering for each added

sin.

The Book of Sins - Throughout the

Bible we find verses that reveal that

man will be judged by his deeds (PSA

62:12; JER 17:10; ROM 2:6; 1PE 1:17).

Book of Life - The Book that has the

names of those who were chosen for

salvation before the world began.

 

REV 20:13 The sea gave up the dead [sea gave up the dead] - Here is the

that were in it, and death and the Second Resurrection. The bodies

Hades gave up the dead that were in of those drowned or buried at sea.

them, and each person was judged

according to what he had done. [death...gave up the dead] - This is

the grave (both under the earth and

out in space), giving up the bodies

of the unbeliever.

[Hades gave up the dead] - This the

spirits of the unsaved.

The bodies are resurrected from the

sea and death to be united with the

souls (spirits) from Hades.

[each person was judged] - Each of

the unbelievers has their "Day in

Court" where they are shown the Laws

they were responsible for (Bible),

and their records of violations.

Each sinner is found "guilty as

charged."

REV 20:14 Then death and Hades [death and Hades] - The reunited body

were thrown into the lake of fire. and spirit were thrown (not sent,

The lake of fire is the second placed or led) into the final place

death. of torment -- The Lake of Fire.

[second death] - This is a living

death. A place where the agony of

of a painful death continues forever.

 

REV 20:15 If anyone's name was not [name not found] - Another statement

found written in the book of life, of the fact that no man or woman was

he was thrown into the lake of ever capable of saving themselves.

fire. Only those who were elected by God

before the foundation of the earth

and given the Faith to Believe along

with a heart of Repentance and

Submission could be saved. Every

person listed in the Book of Life

will be in Heaven and every name that

is not in the Book will be rightly

judged to the Lake of Fire.

 

Final Note: It has often been said that this Judge on the Great White Throne

is much too harsh. He doesn't give them a second chance. And the fact that

He commands that the condemned be "thrown" into the Lake of Fire seems a bit

rough. Let it be clearly understood that this judge Jesus Christ is a God of

Love.

Look closely at the Judge's hands and feet to observe the scars from the nails

of the Roman soldiers. Examine also His side and see the place where the Roman

spear pierced Him. This judge offered forgiveness for every sinner before Him.

But they refused His Mercy and now justly receive His Wrath.

We also deserve this same wrath but were saved by the Grace of Election. There

was no good found in us to cause Jesus to choose us for such a marvelous gift

of salvation. We should be eternally thankful and humble for such a gift of

grace.

 

 

 

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

Modem (318) 949-1456

300/1200/2400/9600 Baud

 

Keys to Revelation - Chapter 22

 

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York

International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY

REV 22:1 Then the angel showed me [river] - A literal river that is

the river of the water of life, as called the "Water of Life River."

clear as crystal, flowing from the The name of the river agrees to the

throne of God and of the Lamb concept of "living water" found in

John 4:10. This river consists of

water that is the very essence of

life.

There is a similar description of a

river that flows from the Millennial

Temple out onto the land in Ezekiel

47:1-12.

The inhabitants of the eternal city

will drink from this special river

(REV 22:17) and it will somehow

provide them with life. Because

there is no death in heaven, we can

assume that no one will ever fail to

drink from this river. In fact, it

will be one of the many great pleas

ures of the eternal state.

[clear as crystal] - This gives the

picture of a bright pure river,

glistening like a liquid diamond. In

fact, the term translated as "clear,"

really means "brilliant." This

implies having a light bearing

quality, appearing like a liquid,

lighted, sparkling, diamond crystal.

[flowing] - The Water of Life River

is no still stream of water, rather

it flows from the throne of God and

"winds" its way throughout the

Golden City (1400 mi cube). I

believe that it continues to flow out

of the city onto the new earth.

[from the throne] - The source of the

river is the very throne of God and

the Lamb, Jesus Christ. During our

present age, most rivers have as

their source rain and/or snowfall.

But, the river of the Water of Life,

has as its origin, God the Father and

Jesus Christ, literally creating the

brilliant crystal water instantly

and thus causing it to flow into a

river.

 

REV 22:2 down the middle of the [down the middle] - In the city of

great street of the city. On each New Jerusalem there is a "Great

side of the river stood the tree of Street" that proceeds throughout

life, bearing twelve crops of every part of its vast area. The

fruit, yielding its fruit every street is literally split in the

month. And the leaves of the tree middle by this beautiful, life

are for the healing of the nations. giving river. Imagine, the street

is very wide and made of pure gold,

like transparent glass (REV 21:21),

and flowing down the middle is the

Water of Life river.

[on each side stood] - On both banks

of the river were trees. The picture

is the redeemed saints traveling on

the great street with a tree-lined

river flowing down the middle. The

saints on both sides of the street

can simply walk to the center of the

street and have access to the trees

and the river.

[tree of life] - Just as drinking

from the River of the Water of Life

brings life, so will eating from the

fruit of the Tree of Life. We first

saw the Tree of Life in the Garden of

Eden (GEN 2:9). It was right next to

a tree that brought death. Adam and

Eve could and did eat regularly from

the Tree of Life and they would live

forever as long as they continued to

eat from the tree.

But then they sinned against God and

He prevented them from eating from

the life-giving tree so that they

would not continue to live

indefinitely with their unredeemed

sins. However, in our redeemed state

in the New Jerusalem, we will never

fail to eat from the Tree of Life and

will thus live forever.

[bearing twelve crops] - These trees

that line the river bear fruit in a

regular cycle. Every month a new

crop of fruit is produced. This

seems to present a problem when one

considers the fact, that some say

there is no time in heaven. Actually,

while there is no day and night, that

is no reason to assume that there is

no time. God gave the Sun and Moon

to mark the day and night, but in

reality, time continues to advance,

whether they exist or not.

Take the astronauts into space with

their TIMEX watches and removed them

away from our Sun and they still can

mark the 24-hour day by their

watches. Likewise, God has revealed

that in eternity there will be a

measurement of time that will allow

for a monthly (30 day cycle) crop of

fruit.

One should note that in Ezekiel's

description of the Millennial Kingdom

there also appears a river with fruit

trees on each side. The river comes

from the temple and causes the dead

sea to become fresh water. The fruit

trees are said to produce fresh fruit

each month due to the water flowing

from the special river (EZE 47:12).

 

[leaves of the tree] - These trees

are to be pictured as looking very

much like the trees of this age.

They will have a wooden tree trunk

with branches with green leaves and

colorful fruit.

[healing of the nations] - A very

difficult phrase to understand.

Somehow the leaves are therapeutic

and bring about healing. But who

would need healing in the eternal

state? The word for "healing" is

therapeian, which would be better

understood to mean "health giving."

Therefore, the leaves provide a

healthy, enjoyable environment. It

could be like the Water of Life that

is to be drunk, although no one

thirsts. Also, the fruit of the Tree

of Life, which is to eaten, although

no one hungers.

God has determined that the redeemed

will drink and eat in the eternal

state. He has somehow "tied" our

eternal life to these two activities.

He will ensure that all will desire

to drink and eat for He desires it.

Likewise, these leaves will have some

life-giving effect to the saints and

we will not fail to use them for that

purpose.

[nations] - See REV 21:24

 

REV 22:3 No longer will there be [No longer...any curse] - The curse

any curse. The throne of God and of was placed upon man and the universe

the Lamb will be in the city, and when he sinned in Genesis Chapter 3.

his servants will serve him. The whole universe has been subject

to decay and death because of the sin

of mankind, but promised liberation

from this curse in Romans 8:21. In

the Millennial Kingdom there is a

partial lifting of the curse, for sin

and death do occur, but in a very

limited way (ISA 65:20). However,

in the New Heavens and New Earth,

there will be no curse at all.

[throne of God and of the Lamb] -

The Father will be visible as Light

and the Son in His Glorified body

that still bears the marks of cruci

fixion (JOH 20:27). We do not see

the Holy Spirit described, but can

assumed that He too will be there

with us. Oh, what a glorious time

living in the very presence of the

Almighty Triune God!

[servants will serve Him] - There is

purpose and function in Eternity.

Our great God has a purpose for each

of us and we will serve Him to that

end. There will absolute perfect

obedience to God in our service.

 

REV 22:4 They will see his face, [see His face] - We will have

and his name will be on their immediate access to the face of God,

foreheads. perpetually looking upon His Glory.

We will have perfect communion with

Him.

[His name...on their foreheads] - See

REV 14:1 for comments.

REV 22:5 There will be no more [no more night] - Night on this earth

night. They will not need the light is produced when the earth rotates

of a lamp or the light of the sun, away from the Sun. However, on the

for the Lord God will give them new earth the light comes, not from

light. And they will reign for ever the sun, but from the Lord God. This

and ever. is very similar to the light of GEN

1:3, when God created light, but had

not yet created any stars to include

the sun. God can and has created

light without a source!

[reign for ever and ever] - The

"they" spoken of is the redeemed.

We are to reign as Kings with Him

forever, ruling over the Kingdom of

Heaven (DAN 7:18, 27). I am not sure

what we will rule over. It could be

angels and the various plans and

programs of God.

 

REV 22:6 The angel said to me, [angel] - Same one that showed John

"These words are trustworthy and the New Heavens and the New Earth to

true. The Lord, the God of the include the New Jerusalem.

spirits of the prophets, sent his

angel to show his servants the [words are trustworthy] - Possibly

things that must soon take place." John was overwhelmed with all the

beauty and reality of the coming

eternal state that the angel felt a

need to reassure to John the truth of

all that has been expressed.

[spirits of the prophets] - Referring

to all the prophecies of the Old and

New Testaments that spoke of these

coming events. They, along with

what has been revealed here, testify

to the truth of what God has

revealed.

[show his servants] - God gave the

Revelation as an encouragement to us

in our Christian Walk. This Book

gives us the "Big Picture" so we can

focus on our assigned task on this

earth. We do not need to focus on

acquiring wealth and position, for

that is waiting for us in the eternal

state. We can gain hope from these

verses as we struggle with the

wickedness of this age and our own

personal weaknesses.

[soon take place] - In the whole of

the history of man (10,000 to 12,000

years) these are the last events, for

it is the final phase. We can see in

the world today that we are waiting

for the Rapture of the Church. And

that event will begin this last phase

which ends with the redeemed possess

ing the New Earth.

REV 22:7 "Behold, I am coming [I am coming soon] - These are the

soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the risen Christ. He is

words of the prophecy in this saying that the time is near and for

book." His saints to live in the expectation

of His return. Again, the very next

event on God's timetable is the

visible, physical return of Christ

with the Rapture of the Church.

[blessed is he who keeps] - God is

declaring a special blessing for

those who keep the prophecy of this

Book of Revelation. In other words,

those who read the book and take it

to heart, allowing it to affect their

actions in this age. See additional

comments on REV 1:3.

 

REV 22:8 I, John, am the one who [fell down to worship] - John became

heard and saw these things. And overwhelmed at what he had heard and

when I had heard and seen them, I seen and felt very humble before such

fell down to worship at the feet of a great person and started to worship

the angel who had been showing them the angel (see REV 19:10).

to me.

REV 22:9 But he said to me, "Do [fellow servant] - The angels are

not do it! I am a fellow servant serving God as we also try to do.

with you and with your brothers the They are confirmed in righteousness

prophets and of all who keep the and therefore cannot sin against God.

words of this book. Worship God!" Thus, they serve Him with perfect

obedience, as we will someday do.

REV 22:10 Then he told me, "Do not [Do not seal up] - In verse 10:4 John

seal up the words of the prophecy was told to "seal up what the seven

of this book, because the time is thunders have said..." He was not

near. allowed to write it down for our

reading, but here John is reminded to

write down everything else that was

revealed to him. The churches of

John's day needed desperately to read

these words to encourage them in

their persecution.

 

REV 22:11 Let him who does wrong [Let him who does...] - This is

continue to do wrong; let him who another difficult passage. God is

is vile continue to be vile; let not commanding wickedness, but saying

him who does right continue to do that we cannot and should not make

right; and let him who is holy the unbeliever (those doing wrong and

continue to be holy." the vile) correspond to Christian

lifestyle and commands. It would be

impossible and could make them

either resentful of the Gospel or

to think themselves "saved" because

they keep the external rules.

The Holy Spirit will convict them of

sin and lead them to salvation if

they are willing. However, for the

saved (those doing right and holy),

His command is for them to persevere.

 

REV 22:12 "Behold, I am coming [I am coming soon] - See REV 22:7

soon! My reward is with me, and I

will give to everyone according to [reward...I will give ...according] -

what he has done. This passage speaks of the Mercy Seat

where the saints will be rewarded for

their works of righteousness done on

earth by the power of the Holy

Spirit. It is possible that there

will be varying rewards for the

diversity of works performed by the

different saints. However, it may

also be possible that all Christians

will receive the same rewards as

pictured in the Parable of the

Workers in the Vineyard (MAT 20:1-

16).

 

REV 22:13 I am the Alpha and the See REV 21:6

Omega, the First and the Last, the

Beginning and the End.

REV 22:14 "Blessed are those who [Blessed are] - In light of the many

wash their robes, that they may judgments and blessings depicted in

have the right to the tree of life this book, it is truly a blessing not

and may go through the gates into to suffer the described wrath and

the city. to be a partaker of the bliss and

beauty outlined by John.

[wash their robes] - God described

the situation of lost man as being

clothed with filthy rags (ISA 64:6).

In REV 7:14 He stated clearly the

process by which we could solve our

problem, "...they have washed their

robes and made them white in the

blood of the Lamb." Only those who

<1> Believe in Jesus Christ, <2>

Repent of their sins, and <3> Submit

to the Lordship of Jesus Christ will

have their robes washed in His pre

cious, precious Blood!

 

[right to the tree of life] - The

only ones who can live eternally in

the glorious bliss of Heaven with the

Triune God are those who eat from the

Tree of Life. Those who have been

washed in the Blood of Christ gain

access to the life-giving tree.

[may go through the gates] - The home

of the redeemed is in the New

Jerusalem with God, and only those

who have come to Christ by Believing,

Repenting, and Submitting have the

right to enter the pearly gates into

the city.

 

REV 22:15 Outside are the dogs, [Outside] - This is outside of the

those who practice magic arts, the the New Heavens and the New Earth

sexually immoral, the murderers, in the place called the Lake of Fire

the idolaters and everyone who (REV 20:15).

loves and practices falsehood.

[dogs] - Not literal dogs but those

who are evil, "Watch out for

those dogs, those men who do evil,

those mutilators of the flesh" (PHI

3:2).

 

REV 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent my [sent...for the churches] - Jesus has

angel to give you this testimony specifically given this Revelation of

for the churches. I am the Root and Himself for the churches. Yet, this

the Offspring of David, and the Book of Revelation, is one of the

bright Morning Star." most neglected books of the Bible.

[Root and the Offspring of David] -

Jesus is the fulfillment of the

promise of a Messiah that would come

from the "stump of Jesse" (ISA 11:1,

10; ROM 1:3).

[bright Morning Star] - When the long

night of darkness is about over, the

first sign of day is the bright

morning star. Jesus is the promised

star (NUM 24:17) that will end the

darkness of this age.

 

REV 22:17 The Spirit and the bride [The Spirit] - This is the Holy

say, "Come!" And let him who hears Spirit, equally God in every way to

say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, the Father and the Son. He is our

let him come; and whoever wishes, sweet helper and teacher in this age.

let him take the free gift of the

water of life. [the bride] - The saints currently in

Heaven waiting for our coming. See

REV 21:9 for comments.

[Come!] - The Spirit and the Bride

call out to all who would read or

hear the words of this Book to come

to the bliss of Heaven and the

presence of the Almighty God.

[free gift] - Salvation is free but

it is not cheap. It costs no money

or works, but simply the giving up of

oneself to Christ, by believing who

Christ claimed to be, by repenting of

one's sins, and by submitting our

will to His.

 

REV 22:18 I warn everyone who [I warn] - God warns everyone who

hears the words of the prophecy of would hear this revelation about

this book: If anyone adds anything Jesus Christ, not to tamper with it.

to them, God will add to him the This severe warning is for those who

plagues described in this book. would willfully tamper with the

message that is contained here.

This warning is similar to the one

in Proverbs 30:6, "Do not add to His

words, or he will rebuke you and

prove you a liar." Likewise, like

the warning given in Gal 1:8-9, "But

even if we or an angel from heaven

should preach a gospel other than the

one we preached to you, let him be

eternally condemned!"

[if anyone adds] - For those who

would add to God's words in this

book, God will ensure they will

receive the judgment described in

this Book of Revelation.

REV 22:19 And if anyone takes [if anyone takes words away] - For

words away from this book of those who would take away from God's

prophecy, God will take away from words in this book, God will ensure

him his share in the tree of life they will not taste of the Tree of

and in the holy city, which are Life, that would have been theirs,

described in this book. had they not refused to Believe,

Repent, and Submit to Christ.

It becomes obvious that those who

would willfully add to or take away

from the Book of Revelation are not

Christians.

REV 22:20 He who testifies to [He who testifies] - This book is the

these things says, "Yes, I am testimony of Jesus Christ, revealing

coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord who He is and what He will do in the

Jesus. future.

[I am coming soon] - Jesus promises

that He is in fact coming soon. We

must realize that each generation is

actually closer to the return of

Christ than the previous ones. The

next event on God's timetable is the

return of Jesus for His Church.

[Come, Lord Jesus] - this should be

our response to the reading and

hearing of this book. There is no

family, career, home, car, etc., that

can compare to the glories of an

eternity with God. We should all cry

out, "Come, Lord Jesus!"

REV 22:21 The grace of the Lord John ends this marvelous letter with

Jesus be with God's people. Amen. a benediction.

 

 

 

 

Tony Capoccia

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD

Box 130

Shreveport, LA 71110

Modem (318) 949-1456

300/1200/2400/9600 Baud


Index of Preacher's Help and Notes      

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