 
The Book of Revelation: Heaven's Warnings to Earth's Churches

By Lucas Dawn

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 Lucas Dawn

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Heaven's Seven Prophetic Oracles to the Seven Churches (Rev. 1:1-3:22)

Chapter 2 - The Seven Seals of the Lamb's Scroll of Life (Rev. 5:1-8:1)

Chapter 3 - Heaven's Seven Angels with the Seven Trumpets (Rev. 8:2-11:19)

Chapter 4 - Heaven's Seven Angels with the Seven Bowls (Rev. 15:1-16:21)

Introduction

Revelation fascinates and frustrates. Fascinating characters in heaven and on earth fight cosmic battles. But who are these characters? And how are battles between heaven and earth fought?

Popular interpretations of Revelation see literal wars and apocalyptic disasters on earth, signs that the end is near; they predict Armageddon, heaven's war to end all wars. My interpretation sees apocalyptic symbolism that portrays heaven's warnings to earth's churches; the risen Jesus and his heavenly host reveal to the prophet John why many churches must repent: churches that are deceived and captivated by false prophets and powerful lords of the earth are in danger of God's final judgment.

John's visions clearly include some symbolism: for example, in 1:20 Jesus tells John the seven lampstands he saw symbolize the seven churches; and the seven stars he saw symbolize the angels of the seven churches. These symbols, and what they represent, reveal truth about certain historical churches and heavenly beings: the churches are lampstands where light should shine (in the darkness); and the heavenly angels permanently shine like stars.

In 1:13-16, among the lampstands, is the brightest character of all. His eyes are like a flame of fire (1:14); his face shines like the powerful sun, and he holds the seven stars in his right hand (1:16). This majestic figure who is _like_ a son of man (1:13)—but much more—is identified in 1:18 as the living one, who died and now lives forever; his power includes having the keys of death and Hades (the place of the dead). He is the risen Jesus, the ruling Christ (king). Like the Lord God Almighty, the alpha and omega (1:8), Jesus Christ is the first and the last (1:17).

From the beginning, John's book highlights the revelation of Jesus Christ: the revelation comes from the risen Jesus—the faithful witness and firstborn of the dead; and it is about the ruling Christ, who forms a new kingdom of servants ("priests"), and prevails over the deadly kings of the earth (1:1,5-6).

In the two chapters that follow 1:20, however, it becomes clear that most of the lampstands are not fulfilling their purpose of shedding light; there is mostly darkness in five of the seven churches. Consequently, the bright fiery Jesus and the shining seven angels warn most churches to repent—to return to the true light. If a church refuses to repent, the foremost faithful witness (Jesus) will "fight" against it with the "sword" coming from his _mouth_ (2:16; see 1:16).

Heaven's confrontation against earth—especially the earth's compromised churches—continues to predominate in later visions, where Jesus and the seven angels (of the seven churches) remain at the forefront of heaven's "battles" against the earth. The battlefield gradually expands to encompass larger sections of the earth: the seven oracles of the faithful witness "attack" five of the seven churches of Asia Minor (2:1-3:22); the seven seals of the slaughtered Lamb include a warning about the danger of death and Hades over a fourth of the earth (6:8); the seven trumpets of the seven angels include throwing fire from heaven that burns a third of the earth (8:7); and the seven bowls of the seven angels involve pouring the final plagues of the wrath of God on (all) the earth (15:1; 16:1).

Jesus and the seven angels reveal and refute the idolatry and immorality in churches (as they expand over the earth); heaven unveils—for churches that have eyes to see—the deceptive and deadly lords of the whole earth. The apocalyptic symbolism of John's visions reveals heaven's earth-shattering witness against a wicked world, and heaven's final judgment against those who refuse to repent.

Misinterpretations of Revelation

Numerous recent interpreters have concluded that one of Revelation's main purposes is to give comfort to churches suffering persecution. But chapters two and three of Revelation reveal the main problem: most of the seven churches are wandering after other prophets and other lords. These churches are warned, not comforted; they are already too comfortable with greedy false prophets and violent domineering lords.

Throughout church history, a long line of "prophets" proclaimed that John's visions of cosmic battles were primarily about the earth and its literal end-time wars and tribulations. They predicted it would not be long before all these things happen; they were false prophets, for the end has still not come—after many centuries of such predictions.

Those same prophets and churches also usually supported (their own) "good" nations and leaders in their violent battles against evil empires. They thought these were the literal battles Revelation predicted. Just as they were wrong about the end being near, they were likewise wrong that their beloved nation was fighting heaven's wars against earth's evil nations. For in Revelation, all the kings of the earth—and their military officers (like their generals in 6:15)—are mired in darkness, and will face the wrath of the heavenly "Lamb" (6:16).

The gentle "Lamb" that was once slaughtered by violent kings of the earth is also the strong "Lion" king of heaven (see 5:5-6; also Acts 4:26-28). Of course the Lamb (and Lion) is a symbol of Jesus, whose blood liberated certain people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation; he made them a new kingdom—unlike any of the kingdoms of earth (5:9-10). It is they who confront the darkness around them with the light from above; this is the ongoing cosmic battle of heaven against earth; and in the end they will rule on the earth, the new heavens and new earth (5:10; 21:1). There will be no more night; they will reign forever (22:5).

Over the last few centuries, a "dispensational" view of Revelation, developed by John Nelson Darby in Ireland and England in the early nineteenth century, has become increasingly popular. This approach predicts end-time events like a secret coming of Christ—and the rapture of Christians from the earth—followed by a new dispensation that focuses again on Israel (instead of the church) and fulfills the Old Testament dispensation of the law and the prophets.

According to this approach, most of the "literal" wars and disasters of Revelation are supposed to happen after the rapture, during the seven years of tribulation, ending with a great tribulation due to an Antichrist that targets Jews and Israel. The final battle is Armageddon, viewed as a catastrophic war in Israel that is ended by Christ's visible return to earth (to Israel). Then begins the millennium, his thousand year reign.

Even in the nineteenth century, when some Jews began to return to Israel, this new prophetic emphasis on Jews in Israel in the last days became one of the main "signs" that (Old Testament) prophecy was being fulfilled and the end was near. Evangelists used such "prophecy" to urge people to become Christians quickly in order to escape (by means of the rapture) the fast approaching tribulation and Armageddon. And not incidentally, these prophets also often supported "good" nations (especially Israel, the U.S., and England) and their wars.

Despite the disappointing fact that the rapture still has not come over the last two centuries of this teaching, its followers continue to tweak the message. Sermons on prophecy about the end-time and best-selling books on Revelation continue to adopt and adapt this approach. But as time marches on, these late great prophets end up getting left behind; probably the financial profits from their words ease the pain of turning out to be false prophets.

Besides their predicting the end soon—and connecting that with contemporary wars—a big problem with all this is that most of the New Testament book of Revelation is being transferred to an Old Testament context. They find the New Testament "church dispensation" in only the first three chapters of Revelation. The rest of Revelation is supposedly about literal wars of earthly kingdoms, like those in the Old Testament (in the Middle East) that feature the role of Israel.

New Testament scholars in major universities seem to be more aware of the New Testament context of Revelation—and of the importance of symbolism in John's visions. Yet they still tend to see literal earth-shaking disasters behind much of the symbolism. Rather than focusing on Israel, however, they usually just highlight a few general themes like hope or comfort for Christians who face persecution (or apocalyptic disasters).

Until recently, many scholars thought Revelation was written when the Roman emperor Domitian threatened Christians in the late first century. One scholarly approach limits the "literal" disasters of Revelation to first century history; another approach sees both first century persecution and end-time wars in the future, but does not claim the end is near. The historical evidence, however, for Domitian targeting first century Christians in general is weak. Some scholars thus suggest Revelation (wrongly) expected persecution from Domitian to begin soon.

Apocalyptic symbolism and the purpose of Revelation

When one stops depending on secondary interpreters and returns to the primary text—Revelation itself—the first three chapters reveal a different focus. Only two of the seven churches are actually facing persecution; and that is mostly due to a (Jewish) "synagogue of Satan," not a Roman emperor.

The other five churches are warned about falling away because they have left their first love and fallen in love with others. They therefore need to repent: return to the words and works of Jesus and his apostles. The "wars" here mainly involve sharp prophetic warnings to dull disobedient churches—originating from heaven's primary witnesses, especially the risen Jesus; he "fights" (speaks) with the "sword" coming from his _mouth_ (see 1:16; 2:16). It is especially significant that later "wars" (of heaven against earth) in Revelation use similar symbolism (for example, 19:15).

Interpreters in general do see that Revelation is part of a special type of literature, a group of unique writings called apocalyptic literature. The Greek word for revelation is _apokalupsis_ ; this is the first word in the Greek text of Revelation. During the last few centuries before Christ there were many Jewish apocalypses; the Old Testament book of Daniel is an early example. Over the first few centuries after Christ there were then many Christian apocalypses; Revelation is the main early example. In all these apocalypses, fantastic visions are full of rich symbolism.

As in Revelation, some later Christian apocalypses strongly warn churches and Christians to repent. For example, symbolic visions in the _Shepherd of Hermas_ (one of the earliest Christian apocalypses) warn self-indulgent Christians and church leaders to repent. Detailed symbolic stories (allegories) reveal God's coming judgments (against Christians and false prophets who live in luxury) and call for simplicity and care for the poor.

Such symbolic stories about heaven's impending judgment on those who do not repent reflect the earlier witness of God's faithful prophets. Old Testament prophets used symbolic metaphors, similes, parables, or detailed allegories to warn Israel of unfaithfulness and demand repentance in order to escape God's curses.

Jesus also spoke like those prophets, using numerous parables to warn his disciples and others about being prepared for God's coming judgment. Yet with Jesus this preparation now involves the new righteousness of his new kingdom and new covenant; the eternal future of Jesus' kingdom is the new promised prize. Righteous disciples of Jesus speak as Christian prophets to challenge the unfaithful—and encourage the faithful—among the churches. Disciples who remain faithful are Jesus' new kingdom.

Most New Testament letters challenge various sins and shortcomings of the churches. Such challenges or encouragements are primarily what biblical prophecy is. True disciples of Jesus speak as true prophets among the false prophets and their loyal crowds in the churches.

So the prophetic warnings and symbolism of written apocalypses build on the words of Old Testament and New Testament prophets. Above all, both Jewish and Christian apocalyptic writings virtually overflow with cosmic symbolism, revealing the hidden mysteries of a universe full of conflict between heavenly beings and earthly "beasts." Readers who interpret most of Revelation literally are thus misguided; the old rule of interpretation that favors the literal meaning over symbolic meanings must be revised, especially for apocalyptic literature.

I think the symbolism of apocalyptic writings grows out of the imagery of Hebrew poetry, especially as used by Old Testament prophets. This poetry is known for its parallelism and imagery: the parallelism multiplies similar (or contrasting) images for the same reality. For example, Isa. 1:18 has similar parallel images of sins "like scarlet" and "red like crimson," and adds contrasting parallel images of sins that will be "white as snow" and "like wool."

Comparing (parallel) passages where the same or similar words, phrases, or images are repeated in a book helps clarify their meaning. After first studying the context of a word or phrase in its surrounding verses, the next step is to see how it is used in other passages throughout the whole book. For Revelation, it is crucial to see the relationship between heaven's warnings to churches in Rev. 2-3 and heaven's later judgments against earth and its false Messiahs and false prophets.

Beyond the context of the whole book of Revelation, the interpreter turns next to see how Revelation's warnings reflect other warnings in the New Testament. Emphasizing all these contexts (rather than "unfulfilled" Old Testament prophecies about Israel, or political developments in the first, nineteenth, twentieth, or twenty-first centuries) reduces arbitrary symbolic or literal interpretations.

Revelation's challenge to unfaithful Christians also includes encouragement for true prophets. Revelation is like the little heavenly scroll John eats in 10:10: eating (receiving) the true words of this scroll is sweet; yet digesting (incorporating) Revelation (in one's witness) causes bitterness. Only when true prophets are sure their bitter witness comes from heaven and leads to heaven will they have the courage to speak heaven's warnings; for many of the world's churches prefer "prophets" who are more pastoral (preaching the hope and comfort of heaven to loyal church members).

John is a prophet who writes this dramatic apocalypse with the purpose of warning churches to repent (turn) from their self-serving idolatry and immorality. The idolatry involves adoration for human power and material wealth—and leads to immorality like greed, slander, and violence. The initial prophetic witness of the historical Jesus exposed such idolatry and immorality in Israel, especially in its leaders; at the same time, he called his disciples to form a new kingdom (the kingdom of heaven) with a new righteousness. The powerful and wealthy leaders of Israel slandered Jesus and instigated his death, silencing his prophetic voice. But the risen Lord (king) then poured out the Spirit of prophecy on all his followers (his new kingdom).

Church leaders who give institutional stability and "success" more priority reject provocative words against the wealth and political power of their own society and churches. As for suspicious or dangerous national or ethnic enemies, however, various churches welcome "prophetic" words of judgment against such threats (to their comfortable way of life). Churches also often target the young and the restless, whom evangelists "boldly" challenge to be born again and become respectable church members and citizens.

"Christian" kings or presidents and patriotic churches sometimes think their wars against evil empires fulfill prophecy: during the second half of the twentieth century, a religious U.S. fought a "cold war" against "godless" communists; now the U.S., Israel, and the European Union are leading the way in fighting a (holy) war against Muslim "terrorists."

True prophecy, however, penetrates to the core: the favorite political and economic leaders of one's own society and churches—and the majority who basically trust (those idols) and obey them. True prophets speak heaven's judgments against that earth, call for repentance, and suffer slander or worse. This above all is what Revelation's heavenly battles against earth portray. While many in the churches look forward with hope to the future coming of Jesus, they must first see the truth of the prophetic Spirit's warnings. Otherwise, the final Day of the Lord will be darkness even for them, and not light.

Chapter 1

Heaven's Seven Prophetic Oracles to the Seven Churches (Rev. 1:1-3:22)

John is alone on the small secluded island of Patmos. He has either temporarily left his troublesome churches in order to hear (and see) the word of God and witness of Jesus afresh—or he has been banished by religious political leaders in Asia (Minor) on account of speaking the word of God and witness of Jesus. Either way, he has experienced the tribulation and patience that characterize Jesus' new kingdom (1:9).

Yet John is not really alone. Out of the silence of desolate Patmos comes a great voice like a trumpet (1:10). The voice tells John to write on a scroll what he will see and send it to the seven churches (1:11). John's prophetic witness to the word of God and witness of Jesus is about to take a major step forward. Hopefully, there will be someone in each church who is willing to read it aloud—that one will be blessed; and those who hear the words of John's prophecy, and keep the things written in it, will likewise be blessed (1:1-3).

The primary sources of John's prophecy (1:1-20)

In 1:4 John addresses seven churches in "Asia" (Asia Minor, presently western Turkey), and emphasizes the primary sources of this prophecy he is to write. John's first source is "the one who is and who was and who is coming." This is the name God revealed to Moses in Ex. 3:14. Usually translated there as "I am" or "I am who I am," the Hebrew can also be translated as "I was" and/or "I will be." John uses this same phrase—"the one who is and who was and who is coming"—again in 1:8 to describe the Lord God, who is the alpha and omega, the Almighty.

The God "who is" now comes to John in the present, and is the same God "who was" with (Moses and other prophets and) John in the past—and who will continue to come and speak to and through prophets like John in the future. In every generation, God comes anew through new true prophets.

John's next heavenly source is described as "the seven spirits, which are before his (God's) throne" (1:4). And the third source is Jesus Christ, the (definitive) faithful witness, the firstborn of (those raised from) the dead, and the (premier, heavenly) ruler of the kings of the earth (1:5).

Jesus' own prophetic witness once suffered tribulation from "the kings of the earth" (see Acts 4:26-27). But he is alive and well, risen from the dead, and ruling with God (on the throne); his rule includes his continuing words of judgment against the kings of the earth through the faithful witness of true disciples like John.

The future of the violent kings of the earth is not bright. John gives a brief preview of that future in 1:7—when Jesus comes in the end, every one who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth (including their kings) will mourn; for their final judgment has come.

Among the three primary heavenly sources of John's witness, who is the second source? Who are the seven spirits before the throne of God?

In 1:4 the number seven is found in both the seven churches and the seven spirits. What John will write to the seven churches will be from the seven spirits—and from God and Jesus Christ. When Jesus actually speaks to each of the seven churches in 2:1-3:22, near (or at) the end of each message Jesus says, "The one having an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

So in 2:1-3:22 Jesus and the Spirit speak seven prophetic oracles to the seven churches. The seven spirits (of 1:4), who will speak to the seven churches, turn out to be the one Spirit who speaks (seven times) to the churches. Thus the seven spirits introduced in 1:4—between God and Jesus Christ—are another divine source of prophecy; they are the sevenfold (fullness of the) Spirit of God, who will speak seven prophetic oracles to the sevenfold church (that represents all the churches). For what the Spirit says to each of the seven churches, the Spirit says to (all) the churches.

John's three primary sources—God, Jesus, and the Spirit—reappear soon in 1:9-10. John is on Patmos on account of the word of God and the witness of Jesus (1:9). But then he is "in the Spirit" on the Lord's day (1:10) and a voice tells him to write what he sees (in his visions) to the seven churches (1:11). The seven spirits that are a primary source for John's prophecy to the seven churches (in 1:4) become in 1:10-11 the (one) Spirit who will show and tell John what to write to the seven churches.

Throughout the New Testament, the main source of revelation sent by God and the risen Jesus is the Holy Spirit. The Gospel of John emphasizes this trinity and uses a symbolic name, the _Paraclete_ (a Greek word that describes the revealing or mediating functions of the Spirit), for "the Spirit of truth" (Jn. 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:7,13). This _Paraclete_ (not Counselor or Comforter, as in some translations) is sent by the Father and the Son (Jn. 14:26; 15:26; 16:7). The _Paraclete_ (Spirit) will be the main witness of Jesus to and through the disciples (Jn. 14:26; 15:26-27; 16:13-15).

John is the main true prophet among the seven churches he addresses in "Asia." Almost all the early church traditions say this same area, specifically Ephesus, is where the apostle John wrote his Gospel. And most early traditions say the apostle John wrote Revelation. Certain links between Revelation and the Gospel suggest these traditions are right (for example, the Gospel emphasis on the Spirit of truth and Revelation's emphasis on the Spirit of prophecy).

When John on Patmos (an island not far from Ephesus) sees a vision of Jesus (in 1:13-18), John is "in the Spirit" (1:10). Jesus' eyes are like a flame of fire (1:14). In 5:6 the seven eyes of the Lamb (Jesus) are identified as the seven spirits of God, which are likewise symbolized in 4:5 by seven torches of fire. These connections show that Jesus' fiery eyes in 1:14 symbolize the seven spirits of God, the sevenfold fullness of the Spirit. (Compare Acts 2:3-4, where separate tongues of fire on the disciples show that all were filled with the one Spirit. The multiple "fires" reflect one reality, the Spirit.)

The fiery eyes are similar to Jesus' fiery face that is "like the sun shining in its (full) power" (1:16). Both the eyes and face of Jesus are flush with the fiery Spirit; the vision is of Jesus and the Spirit.

Coming out of Jesus' mouth is a sharp two-edged sword (1:16). Unlike a literal sword in the hand, this portrays what Jesus' mouth speaks. In Heb. 4:12-13 the word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing and laying out bare before the eyes of God the inner thoughts and desires of the heart. Eph. 6:17 uses similar symbolism: "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Since in 19:10 the witness of Jesus is identified as above all "the Spirit of prophecy," Jesus' sword, coming out of his mouth, in 1:16 is probably another image of the Spirit of prophecy. What Jesus speaks against the churches with his "sword" is what the Spirit says to the churches.

The "sword" of Jesus returns in 19:15. Many interpreters consider Jesus' use of the sword here at the end as literal violent warfare. But, as in 1:16, the sword comes out of his mouth—a symbolic image of Jesus' words of judgment. While the imagery seems violent, the connection with 1:16 shows it is symbolic of prophetic words of judgment, a "war" of words.

Compare the symbolism used by the prophet Hosea against Israel, whose repentance disappears like the morning dew: in Hos. 6:4-5 Hosea says God will thus "cut" Israel with the prophets, "kill" them with the _words_ of his mouth, whose judgment goes forth like the light. Similarly, the prophet Isaiah speaks of the (sevenfold) Spirit on or in a son of Jesse, who will judge by striking with the rod of his mouth, "killing" the wicked with the breath of his lips (Isa. 11:1-4). To speak the judgment of God is like "cutting up" or "killing" an unrighteous people with a sword (rod).

In 1:13-16 John's vision of Jesus reflects certain heavenly figures from the apocalyptic book of Daniel. Jesus' clothing, fiery eyes and face, feet like "bronze," and voice like many waters all link with "the man" Daniel sees in a vision in Dan. 10:5-6. This "man" is then described as "one in the likeness of the sons of men" in 10:16, and "one having the appearance of a man" in 10:18. So he is not really a man, but a heavenly being.

Similarly, Jesus' white hair, like white wool, links with the hair, like pure wool, of the "Ancient of Days" in Dan. 7:9. The "Ancient of Days" looks like an old man; but he is really God on his fiery throne, with fire and myriads of heavenly hosts around him (Dan. 7:9-10).

When the prophet Ezekiel sees "visions of God" (Ezek. 1:1), he sees the "likeness of a human," whose lower body shined like gleaming bronze, and fiery brightness shone all around him; he sees the "likeness of the glory of the Lord" (Ezek. 1:26-28).

John likewise describes the risen Jesus as "one like a son of man" (1:13). This "title" (the son of man) is one Jesus often used to refer to himself on earth. Rather than reflecting his humanity, however, it reveals (to those with "eyes" to see) his heavenly glory; for it points above all to the "one like a son of man" in Dan. 7:13 (see especially Mk. 14:62). This heavenly son of man comes before the "Ancient of Days" and receives glory and an international kingdom that will not be destroyed (Dan. 7:13-14).

John's royal son of man is now more powerful than the kings of the earth who pierced him (1:7, which begins with the phrase "behold, he is coming with the clouds," from Dan. 7:13). He rules (in judgment) over those violent kings; and he creates a new kingdom on earth, where only he is king (1:5-6). John is part of this kingdom, a kingdom that endures hardship on earth, like their king before them (1:9).

The Jesus of the New Testament begins a new kingdom, different from the warring kingdoms of the earth (including Israel). Jesus tells the Roman governor Pilate in Jn. 18:36 that if his (Jesus') kingship were "of this world" his servants would fight (with literal swords); but his kingship is not "from this world" with its violent armies and guards. The main purpose of his coming to earth is to bear witness to the truth (Jn. 18:37). The kings of the earth, like Pilate (and the Jewish leaders), reject that truth (see Acts 4:26-27). Now the risen Christ appears to John in order to bear witness anew with the "sword" of his mouth (1:16). And in the end, Jesus will come to bear the final witness (judgment) against his enemies with the "sword" of his mouth (19:15).

Jesus' mouth is also associated with a voice like many waters (1:15). In 14:2-5 the sound of many waters is the voice of heavenly prophets bought or redeemed from the earth—the first fruits of God and the Lamb; their mouths speak only the truth. The sound of these many waters is like the sound of great thunder (see also 19:6). So the voice of Jesus like many waters in 1:15 includes the words of former prophets on earth who are now with him in heaven, and continue to speak.

The Old Testament background for this symbolism includes Ezek. 1:24, which links the sound of many waters with the thunder of the Almighty; it is a stormy scene of thundering clouds (waters) that can also include fiery lightning bolts coming down like a sword. In Ezek. 21:9-10 a sword is sharpened and polished to flash like lightning. The poetry of Ps. 29 multiplies these parallel images as it describes the voice of the Lord: seven times the voice of the Lord thunders over the waters, strikes with lightning, shakes the desert, and breaks the tall trees (Ps. 29:3-9).

Now John sees the ominous voice coming from the fiery face of the risen Jesus (and his heavenly prophets): his mouth strikes like a sword (lightning); his voice thunders like many waters (clouds).

The foundation for such imagery is the theophany—the revelation of God—on Mt. Sinai in Ex. 19. The skies are full of fiery lightning and smoke, earth-shaking thunder, dark clouds, and a loud trumpet (Ex. 19:16-20); the Lord descends in the fire, speaks in the thunder, and all the people tremble. Later prophets will use those stormy elements to warn of God's future comings, especially for judgment (for example, Isa. 30:27-28,30; Hab. 3:3-6; Ps. 18:6-15).

Similar to the sounds of Sinai, Jesus' voice like the sound of thunder (many waters) is also loud like a great trumpet (1:10). Later, the seven angels blow trumpets, bringing prophetic judgments from heaven to earth, in a context of thunder, lightning, voices, and an earthquake (see 8:2,5-6).

John's awesome vision of Jesus and the Spirit and their (many) voices causes him to fall down as though struck dead (by Jesus' sword) (1:17). The vision is hardly meant to comfort a persecuted John; it is another frightening divine theophany (revelation).

Jesus does encourage John by putting his (strong) right hand on John and telling him not to be afraid (1:17); he instructs John to write what he sees (1:19). Most translate 1:19 as "write what you see, what is and what is to take place after these things." Some then separate "what is" (in the churches) from "what is to take place" (in future cosmic battles). I prefer the few who translate "write what you see, what _it_ is and what is to take place after these things."

John will describe what he sees and sometimes identify what _it_ is, what the visions symbolize. The context favors this translation: in the next verse, 1:20, the mystery of the seven stars and seven gold lampstands he saw (back in 1:12,16) is solved; Jesus reveals what they are. The seven stars in Jesus' right hand are identified as the angels of the seven churches, and the seven gold lampstands are identified as the seven churches (1:20). The preceding context of 1:12-18 also combines what John saw (1:12-16) with an explanation of who it is—the risen Jesus—in 1:17-18.

The seven gold lampstands are like the gold lampstand with seven lamps on it in Zech. 4:2. In Zech. 4:3,12 two olive trees provide the oil for the gold lampstand; the same Hebrew word translated as gold in Zech. 4:2 is used twice in 4:12, and translated first as gold and then as oil. The (olive) oil is gold, and anoints two leaders in Zech. 4:14. In Zech. 4:5-6 the angel reveals "what these are:" the vision refers not to human power but to the Spirit of the Lord of heavenly hosts (Zech. 4:6). In Zech. 4:10 "these seven" (lamps) are interpreted as the eyes of the Lord, which go through the whole earth.

In John's vision, the Lamb's seven fiery eyes are identified as the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth (5:6). The seven torches (lamps) of fire burning before the heavenly throne in 4:5 are also identified as the seven spirits of God (4:5). So the gold (oil) that covers John's golden "lampstands" could be the Spirit that burns, shines, and anoints among the churches of the earth; in 3:17-18 the church of Laodicea is blind, and needs an anointing of their eyes so they can see.

The seven shining stars (angels) John sees above the churches are special "heavenly hosts," secure in the powerful right hand of Jesus, aglow with the empowering Spirit (1:16). John's vision is thus also not about human power; it portrays the Spirit of the Lord of heavenly hosts, the Spirit of prophecy that anoints and empowers prophets like John in churches on earth—and fires up the enduring faithful witness of heavenly prophets.

Heaven's prophetic oracle to the church at Ephesus (2:1-7)

Each of the seven oracles begins by addressing one of the seven angels of the churches. These seven angels will also be at the forefront of later judgments: the seven trumpets and the seven bowls. Who are they? And why are they so special?

Addressing heavenly hosts—as "witnesses" to prophetic messages for God's people—can be found in earlier prophets such as Moses and Isaiah. Moses, the prototype for later prophets, knows Israel will disobey and calls on heaven and earth to witness against them (Deut. 4:26; also Deut. 30:19; 31:28-29); heaven here is the host of heaven, as in Deut. 4:19. Moses then ends his warnings with a prophetic song that begins, "Hear, O heavens" (Deut. 32:1). Similarly, Isaiah begins his long prophecy that includes a covenant lawsuit against disobedient Israel by saying, "Hear, O heavens" (Isa. 1:2).

In John's vision, the seven angels are seven stars (1:16). The apocalyptic prophecy of Daniel (in 12:2) speaks of a future resurrection, and adds in 12:3 that the wise who turn many to righteousness will (rise and) shine like the stars forever. In John's vision, the risen Jesus, the firstborn of the dead (1:5), has the keys of death and Hades (1:18); he can open the door for faithful witnesses that die after him so that they join him in the heavens—and shine like the stars.

In Mt. 22:30 Jesus tells Sadducees who don't believe in resurrection that those who are raised will be like the angels in heaven. At the end of Revelation, Jesus refers to himself as the bright, morning star (22:16). As the risen Jesus is the firstborn—the morning star (angel)—so others will rise after him, becoming stars (angels) in heaven before the final resurrection of the body.

Resurrection in the rest of the New Testament is normally the final resurrection of the body at Christ's "second" coming (as in 1 Cor. 15:20-25). In general, the bodies of both the good and evil will be raised at the end (for example, Jn. 5:28-29). But John sees a "first resurrection" of souls who come to life and rule with Christ (20:4). The rest of the dead, however, do not come to life at this time (20:5); only those who share in the first resurrection are blessed and holy (20:6).

So the first "resurrection" John sees is not the final resurrection of the good and evil; it is life with Christ right after death, like Paul's desire in Phil. 1:22-23 to depart (die) and be with Christ, which is far better than life in the flesh on earth (compare 2 Cor. 5:8). After his provocative words in Acts 7:2-53, Stephen becomes the first Christian prophet who sees Jesus standing in heaven and, while being stoned to death, asks Jesus to receive his spirit (into heaven) (Acts 7:55-59).

John sees such departed "souls" in 6:9-10, those slain for their witness who cry out for (the final) judgment against those on earth. They are given white robes and told to rest until the number of their fellow servants is complete (6:11). It is not yet the final resurrection, but these (dead) souls are alive and vocal in heaven. In 20:4 these "souls" have come to life and rule with Jesus, sitting on heavenly thrones, symbols of their authority to rule (judge against) the unfaithful. Compare 4:4, where the heavenly council is seated on twenty-four thrones. This heavenly council is especially close to God: they are twenty-four "elders," whose thrones circle the throne of God.

When Jesus' disciples asked him what reward they would receive for leaving everything and following him, Jesus promised they would sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Mt. 19:27-28). So the (twelve times two) twenty-four thrones of 4:4 seem to include the original twelve disciples, plus others.

The reference to elders suggests priority and preeminence; Jesus' apostles are to be the primary link between the witness of Jesus and all faithful witness after him. They are most responsible for the written New Testament witness that remains the sure guide for the truth about Jesus. The twenty-four elders could include not only the original twelve but other apostles like Paul, who planted and nurtured many Gentile churches—including many in Asia (Minor), the place of the seven churches.

Eph. 2:20-22 and 3:5 portray Christ as the cornerstone of a holy temple (church), with the foundation being the "apostles and prophets." These foundational leaders of the churches are the primary heavenly council that now rules with Christ.

As the seven angels that oversee the seven churches are in the strong right hand of Christ, the twenty-four elders (of the churches) sit on powerful thrones near the throne of God. In the midst of the throne, and in the midst of the twenty-four elders, stands the slaughtered Lamb (5:6). The sevenfold fullness of the shining stars that are closest to the bright morning star thus appears to be a parallel image to the twenty-four elders around the throne of God and the Lamb.

These powerful elders, these shining stars, are the founding leaders of the churches, and now help lead the way in heaven's witness to and against the earth and its wayward churches. They are dead and "risen," continuing their prophetic mission on earth through new prophets in the churches—who pass on faithfully their former words of witness.

After addressing the heavenly angel (elder) of the church in Ephesus, Jesus introduces himself in the first oracle (2:1): he is the one holding securely the seven stars in his right hand (see 1:16) and walking among the seven gold lampstands (of 1:12-13). Then the all-seeing Jesus—with the seven eyes or spirits (the Spirit) of 5:6—says he knows their works. Some works have been good, like patient endurance and not tolerating evil men like the false apostles (probably the Nicolaitans of 2:6) sent to them from abroad. But Jesus also sees they have abandoned their first love.

In this context, the _first love_ connects with Jesus himself, who is the _first_ and the last in 1:17. It also connects with the preeminent angel (the heavenly elder or apostle) of the church, addressed at the beginning of this oracle and included among the seven stars of 2:1. The primary apostle of this church at first was Paul; he helped plant and nurture the church in Ephesus (see Acts 19:1-10) before dying and joining the heavenly council.

The church has now "fallen" from the works it did at first and needs to remember what it received and heard and did back then (2:5; see 3:3). They must repent and return to their first works and first love. The church has fallen away from the first faithful witnesses. Paul's last spoken words to the Ephesian church warned that wolves would come in after he left (Acts 20:29). While the church rightly hates the works of the evil Nicolaitans who came later, they need to return to their own first love.

1 Jn. 4:1 also warns about many false prophets and the need to test the spirits. The true spirit is the Spirit of God, which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (1 Jn. 4:2). Every spirit that does not confess this _Jesus_ is false, the spirit of "antichrist" (1 Jn. 4:3). Later witnesses are true only if they remain true to the first faithful witness, Jesus—his words and works in the flesh. In 3 Jn. 9, the elder accuses the church leader Diotrephes of loving to be _first_ and of rejecting the elder. But the elder is joyful that his "children," like Gaius, are faithful to the truth (3 Jn. 1-4).

The oil or gold (the Spirit) of the lampstand (church) in Ephesus is shining dimly. Will they repent and once again shine with the witness and works of Jesus and their first elder(s)? If they do not return to their golden days, Jesus is _coming soon_ to remove that lampstand from its place (2:5). Where there is no fiery oil (the Spirit of prophecy), there is no gold lampstand that gives light.

Jesus _comes_ now through this prophetic oracle of warning; and he could _come_ again soon through another oracle of even worse judgment. A church that is not continuing the witness and works of Jesus and the elders is not a true church (lampstand). Repentance is _what must come_ _soon_ (see 1:1). Removing a lampstand would mean a judgment like that of Mk. 6:11, where Jesus' witnesses leave those places that do not receive them. The church is in danger of being abandoned by Jesus, the Spirit, the angel (elder), and true prophets who have warned it.

By having the written New Testament, modern churches still have access to that _first love_ ; Jesus, the Spirit, and the heavenly angels (elders) continue to enlighten through these written words. Churches that disregard this truth must repent. Repentance means turning to this truth, and doing the first works and witness. Otherwise, the heavenly rulers will consider them fallen lampstands, unworthy of that name; true prophets will pass on this judgment against those churches.

Yet some in the church might repent. The time is near for some to read, hear, and keep the words of John's prophecy (see 1:3). Whoever has an (open) ear should hear what the Spirit says to the churches and conquer the evil in the churches by continuing the first works of Jesus and the angels (elders). Their reward in the end will be to eat from the tree of life in the paradise of God.

This reward is portrayed again at the end of Revelation (22:1-2): a river of living water comes from the throne of God and the Lamb and waters the tree of life. In 22:2 the tree of life has twelve kinds of fruit. This is a similar (parallel) image to the twelve foundations (apostles) of the new Jerusalem in 21:14. In the first oracle of 2:1-7, the first love includes the preeminent first faithful witnesses—Jesus and his apostles. Those who hear what the Spirit says and conquer by returning to the first love will forever enjoy the Lamb (Jesus) and the twelve fruits (apostles) of the tree of life. In Jn. 15:1-5 Jesus uses similar symbolism: he says he is the true vine and his apostles are branches (but the fruit in this case are the later followers the "branches" will bear if they remain true and abide in the vine).

This image of paradise and the tree of life at the end of Revelation also connects with the beginning of the Bible. It is thus fitting that in 2:1 Jesus is _walking_ among the seven gold lampstands (churches)—like Gen. 3:8 where God is walking in the garden (paradise). Adam and Eve hear the sound of the Lord and hide from God because they have disobeyed: they have eaten forbidden fruit; they have been deceived into seeking the knowledge of good and evil from a tree God said to avoid; now the day has come for reckoning.

Several versions translate Gen. 3:8 as God "walking in the garden in the cool of the day." The word cool comes from the Hebrew word _ruah_ , the word for Spirit, or wind, or breath. Translators think of the cool evening wind, but translating it as "the Spirit of the day" would point to the first theophany of God coming in judgment to people who disobeyed. The sound Adam and Eve hear (and hide from) is not a cool gentle breeze, but the coming of the Spirit, that blows like a blustery wind (see Jn. 3:8; Acts 2:2-4).

Some prophets use the "day of the Lord" to say that the Lord of the day is coming—via a "stormy" theophany—in judgment to a disobedient people (for example, Isa. 13:6 and its context, 13:1-16). When John sees his own theophany (of Christ), he is in the Spirit on "the Lord's day" (1:10). The Jesus he sees has the fiery eyes and face of the Spirit, and a thundering voice (1:14-16); this Jesus is walking among the churches in the "stormy" Spirit of the day and speaking mostly words of judgment against (the five) disobedient churches (via their heavenly elders, and the prophet John).

Heaven's prophetic oracle to the church at Smyrna (2:8-11)

One of the two exceptions to the five disobedient churches is the obedient church at Smyrna. John writes to the heavenly angel of this church with the words of Jesus, "the first and the last, who died and came to life." This refers back to 1:17-18, to the eternal (first and last) Christ—who like the Lord God in 1:8 is the alpha and omega—who came and died and now lives forever. This divine Jesus is omnipresent among all the churches; so he knows the tribulation and poverty of this church.

Jesus himself once spoke as a poor and slandered prophet on earth, and suffered and died; this church does those same (first) works and suffers tribulation. John likewise shares with them _in Jesus_ this tribulation, on account of (continuing) the prophetic word of God and witness of Jesus (1:9).

True prophets have Jesus' eyes (the Spirit) and mouth (the Spirit of prophecy): they can see evil in the churches and in the world, and they can continue Jesus' witness against that evil; so they suffer poverty and tribulation. (A rich, popular prophet is a false prophet.) The church in Smyrna is made up of true prophets.

Most of the other seven churches are warned to repent because there has been no tribulation for being true prophets. Is this not also true for most modern churches? At the present time the majority of church members are content to sit and listen to pastors who mainly try to please them—especially the more wealthy and powerful members—rather than upset them. Thus neither the members nor the pastors are speaking as true prophets; their only trials and tribulations are those common to non-Christians.

The tribulation at Smyrna includes their poverty. Actually they are rich, for they shine brightly with oil or gold (the Spirit), and share the faithful witness of Jesus and the seven angels (elders). Jesus' new teaching for all his disciples says not to store up earthly treasures now; instead, give to the poor, and the reward will be treasure in heaven (Mt. 6:19-20; Lk. 12:32-33). Such prophetic teaching and sacrificial love will both lead to tribulation. For many churches—as well as the world in general—think of wealth as a blessing, thank God for their many blessings, and slander poor prophets who say otherwise.

In contrast, Jesus tells his disciples, who have left much to follow him, "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God" (Lk. 6:20). The parallel beatitude in Mt. 5:3 also focuses on Jesus' disciples (see Mt. 5:1-2), and is best translated, "Blessed are the poor in the Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Besides the consistent earlier use of the Greek word _pneuma_ in Matthew for the (divine) Spirit, the Greek text of Mt. 5:3 has an article "the" before Spirit, so it's probably not just "in spirit.") In fact, one cannot serve (or enjoy) both God and mammon (wealth) (Mt. 6:24); the rich who enjoy wealth now are not blessed by Jesus (Lk. 6:24).

The poor in the Spirit prefer a more simple life; they pursue generosity to the poor rather than material "blessings" and avoidance of the poor. Most middle-class Christians thus need to move in the direction of poverty, pursuing a downward mobility that sells earthly treasures (expensive material "blessings"), lives more simply, and gives to the poor. By giving generously they become closer to poverty themselves.

The inheritance of (Smyrna's) poor disciples is also rich because if they remain faithful unto death, Jesus will give them the crown of life (2:10). Their "risen" souls will rule in heaven with Jesus (as in 20:4,6). What must come to pass first (see 1:1), before they join the long "thousand" year rule in heaven (of 20:4), is the short "ten" days of tribulation on earth.

The devil will use the "synagogue of Satan" to throw some of them into prison (2:9-10). The local Jewish synagogue of literal Jews claims falsely—Jesus calls it blasphemy—that they are Jews; Jesus now considers the name Jews to be a privilege no longer applicable to them. Originally, the word Jew was used for those who remained in the southern kingdom of Judah, especially after the Babylonian captivity (see 2 Kgs. 25:22,25; Neh. 1:2). Later, John will hear Jesus called the Lion out of the tribe of Judah (5:5); and some of Jesus' servants will come out of every tribe, starting with the tribe of Judah (7:3-5). These are now the true Jews.

Those who hear the Spirit and conquer (Satan) by remaining faithful unto death will not be harmed by the second death (2:11), identified as the lake of fire in 20:14. Before this final ultimate punishment, there are the "thousand years" (after Jesus' first coming) that include Satan being "bound (chained)" in the abyss (20:1-3). The abyss is a different kind of lake: "the waters under the earth" (Ex. 20:4), "the deep," the lowest depths. In the prophet Jonah's ordeal at sea the abyss is linked with the deep, the heart of the seas, and _Sheol_ (the Greek Hades, the place of the dead). (See Jon. 2:2-6; in 2:6 is "the pit," which the main Greek translation, the Septuagint, translates with the Greek word for "abyss"). The extended "thousand" year "imprisonment" of Satan contrasts with the limited "ten" day imprisonment of some from churches like Smyrna, due to a synagogue of Satan.

When Jesus and the Spirit are slandered by Pharisees (the leaders in the synagogues) for casting out demons, Jesus tells a parable about "binding" (the same Greek word John uses in 20:2) the strong man (Satan) and "plundering" his house (Mt. 12:24-32). After Jesus' disciples cast out demons, Jesus sees Satan fall "like lightning from heaven" (Lk. 10:17-18). These events come after Jesus' original battle and victory over Satan in the wilderness (Mt. 4:1-11). They all show the power and superiority of Jesus' kingdom over Satan's kingdom.

Compare John's story in 12:7-9 about the great dragon, Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, thrown out of heaven down to earth (after the Christ "child" ascends into heaven in 12:5). (This story comes after the end of history in 11:15-19, but returns to the beginning of the gospel, when the risen Jesus ascends from the earth. Similarly, 20:1-3 comes after the end of history in 19:11-21 but refers to Jesus' original overpowering of Satan; the description of Satan in 12:9—the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—is reproduced in 20:2.)

The result of Satan being tossed down from heaven is woe for the earth and sea, but joy for those ("risen") in heaven, who conquered their (banished) "accuser" through the blood of the Lamb and their own witness unto death (12:11-12). The dragon is then especially connected ("chained") to the sea: the sea serpent stands on the sand of the sea (the bottom of the abyss or the shore?) (12:17); from there he sends out the "beast" from the sea (13:1-2). (In 11:7 and 17:8 this beast comes out of the abyss, the depths of the sea.) Then another beast, from the earth, speaks like a dragon and deceives those dwelling on the earth (13:11,14). Yet Satan's own authority to deceive the _nations_ is now limited in a new way (20:3).

In Jn. 12:20-23 when Greeks (from the _nations_ of the earth) want to see Jesus, he says his hour to be glorified has come. His hour of glory means his return to his former heavenly glory (see Jn. 17:1,5), and begins with his death, which like a grain of wheat that is buried in the earth will produce much fruit (from the "earth") (Jn. 12:24). That hour is likewise the time for the ruler of this world (Satan) to be cast out (Jn. 12:31). Thus when Jesus is lifted up from the earth—by dying on the cross and returning to his heavenly glory—he will draw all men (even Gentiles from the nations of the earth) to himself (Jn. 12:32-33). When he is lifted up, whoever (throughout the world) is believing and obeying him will have the life of the new age begun by Jesus (Jn. 3:14-16,36).

This cosmic (world) power shift is the vision John sees in 12:7-9 and 20:1-3. Though the sea-bound dragon can still work woes on earth through its beasts, the new age of Jesus' kingdom will now draw people from every nation.

The new kingdom will not be a particular nation (like the Jews of the old covenant); it is disciples who come out of all the nations. Before Jesus, the nations or Gentiles were almost totally under the spell of Satan; after Jesus, disciples from every nation will conquer Satan (compare Eph. 2:1-16). Nevertheless, Satan can still use beastly false prophets who claim to be true and deceive those dwelling on the earth (13:14). The synagogue of Satan in 2:9 is most similar to the "beast" from the earth that looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon (13:11). In Mt. 7:15-17 Jesus compares false prophets to beastly wolves in sheep's clothing.

Heaven's prophetic oracle to the church at Pergamum (2:12-17)

The next prophetic oracle comes (first) to the heavenly angel (elder) of the church in Pergamum. Now the risen Jesus identifies himself as the one who has the sharp two-edged sword (2:12, as in 1:16). This oracle will cut to the core, exposing false prophets and false apostles, and warn many in the church to repent; if they do not repent, Jesus will come again soon and fight ("war") against them with the sword of his mouth (2:16).

Like the warning about coming soon to remove the lampstand in Ephesus (2:5), this current warning is about an imminent decisive word of judgment from Jesus, who comes and speaks through his true prophet(s). So the coming soon of Jesus is not about the final coming of Jesus at the end of history; it is about his coming through such prophets—and the "war" is a war of words.

Jesus does acknowledge certain good things in the church: Antipas was a faithful witness unto death among them, in the city where Satan's throne dwells (2:13); also, the church supported Antipas' leadership, continued to confess Jesus' name, and did not deny Jesus' faith. The faith of Jesus included his own faithful witness unto death (1:5); the faith of the faithful witness Antipas followed in those footsteps of Jesus.

The "throne of Satan" will reappear in 13:2, where the dragon (Satan) gives his power and his throne to the "beast" from the sea. Standing on the sand of the sea (12:17), Satan sends this beast to fulfill his deadly designs; in 13:2 the wild beast is like a leopard, a bear, and a lion. These wild animals reflect the three beasts in Dan. 7:4-6: they are identified in Dan. 7:17 as kings, and in Dan. 7:23 as kingdoms; in Dan. 7:12 they have dominion. The fourth beast of Dan. 7:7 is more terrible than the first three; its ten horns portray its great power—and are identified in Dan. 7:24 as ten kings. Likewise, the beast John sees has ten horns (and seven heads) (13:1).

So the beast John sees combines all four beasts of Dan. 7. The beast from the sea is a great kingdom with great kings: it is a world empire since the whole earth is full of wonder as it follows after it (13:3); it seems all worship it, glorifying it as the greatest kingdom (13:4); but those written in the Lamb's book of life know the truth, and glorify and follow the slaughtered Lamb (13:8).

The beast's violent power is unmatched, and the people ask (proudly or fearfully), "Who can fight against it?" (13:4). For the beast takes captive slaves whenever it chooses, and kills with the (literal) sword whenever it wants (13:10). But the church in Pergamum should be more concerned about Jesus coming to them and "fighting" against them with the sword of his mouth (2:16).

When all the people (on earth) also ask "Who is like the beast?" (13:4), it shows they think no one else is as great and powerful. Indeed the beast itself arrogantly speaks blasphemies against God and God's dwelling in heaven (this "dwelling" is then identified as "those dwelling in heaven") (13:5-6).

Pergamum was the first city in Asia Minor to build a temple for the Roman emperor (in 29 B.C.). Local authorities of this violent imperial power probably killed Antipas; yet he is the only such victim in the churches. There is no general imperial policy about persecution of churches.

In Pergamum, the problem after Antipas' death is that the church begins to support other leaders who are not faithful witnesses; false prophets have come in and passed on the teaching of Balaam (2:14). In the Old Testament, Balaam is a Gentile prophet who tells the Jewish king Balak to throw a stumbling block before the sons of Israel: the stumbling block is eating meat sacrificed to idols and committing immorality (see 2:14). In Num. 22-24 Balaam is more like a true prophet speaking against the wishes of king Balak. But Num. 31:16 also blames Balaam for leading Israel astray at Peor, where (in Num. 25:1-3) Israel begins to "play the harlot" with the daughters of Moab, who invite the Jews to sacrifice to their gods (idols) and eat the sacrificial meat and bow down to those idols.

The church in Pergamum also has a problem with the teaching of the Nicolaitans (2:15); already in 2:6 the Nicolaitans were introduced, and are probably the false apostles of 2:2. The names of both Balaam and the Nicolaitans are similar in meaning: the Greek name Nicolaitans means "conquering the people(s);" and the Hebrew name Balaam combines the words for Baal and people to suggest "Baal (Lord) of the people." If the teaching of Balaam points to local false prophets in the church, the Nicolaitans could be false "Christian" apostles from outside.

The church in Pergamum is now being conquered by these false apostles and prophets and their teaching about eating meat sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality. Yet there is still the promise "to the one conquering" these evil forces that (after they die) they will be given the hidden "manna" in heaven (2:17). (The Greek word for conquer is _nikao_ , which is also found in the name Nicolaitans).To remain under the false prophets and apostles is to be willingly conquered by them in order to enjoy their exotic food and pleasurable immorality.

Many interpreters connect the meat sacrificed to idols with the teaching of Paul about when Christians can or can't eat such meat; some think it contradicts Paul's allowing Christians to eat such meat from the markets when eating in the homes of non-Christians (1 Cor. 10:25-27). Paul's main point, however, is exhortation against eating such meat in the temples of idols (where it is sacrificed). (Meat that was not eaten right after it was used as a sacrifice in the temples was then sold in the marketplace.) Paul says that while the idols of the temples are not real, there is a fellowship with demons there; Christians should not be part of that (1 Cor. 10:19-21).

In Pergamum, the "throne of Satan" is probably the temple for the Roman emperor. Meat would be sacrificed there, as part of the fellowship that celebrates this (demonic) "beast" that kills with the sword whenever it wishes. So at one level, the false prophets and apostles in Pergamum could be teaching the church that it is all right to join in celebrating the awesome emperor. Thus Jesus says if they do not repent, he will come soon and "war" against them with the sword of his mouth.

Yet there is also a more symbolic "sacrificial meat" that could be in mind. In 6:9 John sees the souls of those under the heavenly altar who have been slaughtered for the word of God and witness they had. Antipas, the faithful witness in Pergamum, has been killed, where Satan dwells (2:13). Antipas could thus be considered "sacrificial meat," slaughtered by the sword of Roman officials; their arrogant emperor boasts that he is greater than the God of heaven, and most of the earth agrees with this idolatry and blasphemy (13:4-5). But because Antipas remained faithful to the heavenly Lion king, he insulted the earthly beast that has a mouth like a lion (13:2); so Antipas paid the price: he was "meat" sacrificed to the idolatrous emperor, who sits on the throne of Satan.

Some members of the church in Pergamum might now join in the temple's sacrifices partly because they do not want to become fresh "meat" sacrificed to the worshiped emperor. But then they will have to face the heavenly king's coming soon to fight against them with the sword (of words of judgment) from his mouth, via true prophets (2:16). And in the end, the final judgment is portrayed in 19:17-18 as the great supper of God, where heavenly "birds" eat the flesh (meat) of kings, captains, armies, indeed all men, both free and slave, both small and great. To celebrate the beast's violent forces now, and avoid his sword, nevertheless means they will then become "meat" in the end as they are "devoured" (condemned) by the "birds" (heavenly hosts) of the King of kings and Lord of lords, from whose mouth comes a sharp sword (19:15-16). The present dangers of the emperor's sword, and the princely delights of the emperor's meat, make church members inclined to listen to false prophets; the truth is that the hidden manna of heaven is food that will endure forever.

Those who conquer will also be given a white stone, with a new name written on it (2:17). Perhaps this refers to the pearly white gates of the new Jerusalem (21:21). Those who conquer in 3:12 will have the name of the new Jerusalem and Jesus' own new name written on them.

Heaven's prophetic oracle to the church at Thyatira (2:18-29)

In the oracle to the church in Thyatira, a prophetess "Jezebel" is teaching "my servants" (the prophets) to practice sexual immorality and eat meat sacrificed to idols (2:20). "Jezebel" would be another false prophet (like Balaam); the nickname Jezebel points back to the politically powerful queen Jezebel, who also promoted Baal worship and the prophets of Baal in 1 Kgs. 16:31-33 and 18:19. This nickname suggests the prophetess in Thyatira is a powerful leader in the church(es) and even the city.

While in 2:14 eating meat sacrificed to idols is mentioned first, followed by sexual immorality, here the sexual immorality of "Jezebel" is emphasized; it precedes eating meat sacrificed to idols in 2:20. As with the "meat" of 2:14, there are different levels to this immorality. While literal sexual immorality is a serious sin, the larger context of Revelation portrays a more common sin (among Christians).

The Greek word used in 2:14,20 for "to commit (sexual) immorality" is _porneusai_. This word is used later in 17:2 and 18:3,9—and a related Greek word, _porne_ (harlot or prostitute) is used in 17:1,5,15,16 and 19:2. The great harlot revealed there is in some ways parallel to "Jezebel" (who "commits adultery" with various others in 2:22).

The harlot sits like a queen over the "many waters" (17:1), identified in 17:15 as peoples and nations under her; she even has dominion over the kings of the earth (17:18). In 17:2 the kings of the earth commit immorality with her, and those dwelling on the earth are drunk with the wine of her immorality. Note the connection between immorality and wine. The harlot is dressed in expensive clothes and jewelry, and holds a gold cup full of the fruit of her fornication (immorality) (17:4); she is drunk with the wine (blood) of the saints and of the witnesses of Jesus (17:6). In 18:24, when the haughty and saucy harlot finally falls in the end, in her is found not only the blood of prophets and saints, but the blood of all those slaughtered on earth (by the violent kings of the earth).

So her intimate association, her "sexual immorality," with the violent kings of the earth leads to receiving much of the booty from their bloody conquests; part of that plunder is the blood of witnesses of Jesus (like Antipas in Pergamum in 2:13). That "wine" could be considered part of the (bloody) meat sacrificed to the idols—the great kings and beautiful harlot—whom the nations adore.

Jezebel is teaching and deceiving Jesus' servants (the prophets) in Thyatira to approve or tolerate such immorality and idolatry (2:20). But if these servants remain true to the royal son of God (2:18), he will make their mouths like a sharp sword (see the servant prophet of Isa. 49:2-3). Faithful witnesses who speak sharp prophetic words (using Jesus' "sword," the Spirit of prophecy, that comes out of the mouth) against such idolatry and immorality will be "cut down" by the slander of false prophets, like Jezebel (in a war of words), and sometimes slaughtered by the literal swords of her beloved kings.

The harlot is likewise intimate with the beast from the sea that represents the great world empire(s) and its series of kings (17:3, the same beast as in 13:1, with seven heads and ten horns). In 17:9 the beast's seven heads are identified as seven mountains, on which the harlot sits as she "rides" (commits "sexual immorality" with) the beast; then in 17:10 the beast's heads are also said to be seven kings. On the harlot's forehead is a name, "Babylon the great" (17:5).

This is a name of mystery because it is symbolic—another nickname, like Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. She is like the former great capital city of the Babylonian empire (that Daniel and other great prophets in the Old Testament spoke against). In 17:18 she is simply described as "the great city" that has dominion over the kings of the earth.

The great city is thus symbolized as a greedy ("lustful") harlot whose close ("sexual") association with the violent beast (empire) and the (other) kings of the earth pays off with great prosperity. There are thus parallels between "Jezebel" and "Babylon": both stand out among the "great" and "magnificent" of the world; but Jezebel would be a rich local leader in the city of Thyatira; Babylon is the great world city.

In John's day that city would have been Rome, the capital of the Roman empire. In Rome, some of the foundational apostles (elders) of the church (like Peter and Paul, according to early traditions) as well as other Christians become ("meat") "sacrificed" to the emperor Nero, scapegoats for the great fire Nero starts in Rome. Yet this is a more isolated event; there is no ongoing policy of persecution of Christians by an emperor. More permanent and prevalent is the great harlot city's "lust" (greed) that "embraces" the leadership of the glorified wealthy and powerful.

In 18:1-2 a bright shining angel from heaven tells John the great harlot (city) has fallen. Just before that (17:16), the beast from the sea eats her "flesh" (meat) and burns her up with fire (like a sacrifice). She herself finally ends up as dead meat for the idolized beast.

John then hears about another group that is even more closely connected with the harlot (city): the merchants of the earth who grow rich with the wealth of her immorality (18:3). While the kings who commit "sexual" immorality with the harlot (city) mourn her final fall (judgment) (18:9-10), the wealthy merchants mourn most of all (18:11-19); for they buy and sell (to her) the material treasures plundered by the kings of the earth. When the harlot (city) falls, no one is left to buy their cargo (18:11).

Their cargo includes the money, jewelry, and expensive clothes that decorate the harlot (city) (18:12; see 17:4). In 9:20 this cargo is referred to as _idols_ of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood. These idols glorify the idolatrous city; all the cities of the earth (including Thyatira and its "queen" Jezebel) desire (lust) to be like her. Indeed, the great harlot is the "mother of harlots" (17:5), the origin and "role model" for all the cities.

Those who bring the cargo by way of the sea speak blasphemy when they mourn the fall of the great city: they ask, "Who is like the great city?" (18:18). This is the same question asked by those worshiping the dragon and beast (from the sea) in 13:4: "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?" When John first sees the harlot, even he "wonders with great wonder" (17:6). The angel interrupts him and asks why he wonders (17:7); for the same language is found in 13:3, where the whole earth follows the beast with wonder. The glamorous glory of the great city seduces; all the nations are deceived by her "sorcery" (18:23).

In the city of Thyatira, wealthy and powerful Jezebel is trying to teach and deceive the servants of the son of God, whose feet are like fine bronze (2:18,20). In 1:15, the feet of the one _like_ a son of man are _like_ fine bronze, _as though_ refined by the fire of a furnace. The fire in 1:15 links with the eyes _like_ a flame of fire in 1:14; these fiery eyes are identified in 5:6 as the seven spirits of the Lamb; in 4:5 the seven torches of fire are identified as the seven spirits of God. Thus in 2:18, Jesus introduces himself to the church in Thyatira as the son of God, who has eyes _like_ a flame of fire, and whose feet are _like_ fine bronze. The one _like_ a son of man is the son of God, who has the true riches, the glory of the Spirit.

The great harlot's richest merchants are the "great men" at the heart of the great city (18:23). Their cargo includes gold, silver, bronze, costly wood, and expensive food and drink—"cinnamon and spice" and everything nice, such as wine, (olive) oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle, and sheep—as well as slaves and human souls (18:12-13). These literal luxuries come at great cost, the sacrifice of slaves (literally, bodies) and human souls.

The great men at the heart of the harlot city profit richly from the cheap labor of bodies and souls all over the world; the great men consort with the beast (who comes out of the sea to cities all over the earth) when their workers complain; it's usually a losing fight for the poor workers: "Who can fight against it?" (see 13:4). Yet John reveals their end in 6:15-17; the kings of the earth and the "great men," along with the generals, the rich and strong, and everyone, slave and free (who have joined the world's idolatry and immorality) try to hide from the face of God on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great (final) day of their wrath has come and "who can stand before it?"

The church (and city) leader in Thyatira, "Jezebel," is warned of a future fall like that of fallen Babylon, the harlot, in 18:2. Since Jezebel refuses to repent from her "sexual" immorality (her intimate, self-enriching alliance with political kings and wealthy merchants), Jesus, the "ruler of the kings of the earth" (1:5), will throw her down on a sickbed (or into prison, according to an early Greek manuscript) (2:22). Those in the church (and city) who commit adultery with her—greedily joining with her, along with certain other political and economic leaders—will also be thrown down into great tribulation (2:22).

This phrase great tribulation is mentioned only one other time, in 7:14. There, those clothed in white robes (the righteous deeds of the saints, as in 19:8) are the ones coming "out of" the great tribulation. Before this happens, they come "out of" every nation and now stand (in heaven) before the throne (of God) and before the Lamb (7:9). They are the answer to the question of 6:17 ("who can stand before it?), which the rich and powerful ask as they try to hide from the throne and the Lamb (6:15-16). It is the great day of the (final) wrath of the Lamb and God; but those who have come out of the idolatry and immorality of their nations also come out of the great tribulation of that great day of the Lord.

Those with dirty clothes (deeds), due to their immoral "desires" and idolatry of revered political and economic leaders (in the churches as well as in the world), will finally fall into great tribulation (2:22). Like the final fall of the harlot (city) in 18:2, the fall of "Jezebel"—and those "committing adultery" with her—into great tribulation in 2:22 is the final judgment and its eternal consequences. Christians who refuse to come "out of" Babylon (or away from "Jezebel") will share her plagues of (final) judgment (18:4; 17:15).

In 3:10 Jesus says he will keep the faithful church in Philadelphia "out of" the hour of trial (the hour of final judgment, as in 14:7 and 18:10) that is coming on the whole world. While most in the nations (and churches) continue their idolatry and immorality, those who now have come "out of" the nations (into God's kingdom) will also "come out" of the great tribulation (7:9,14).

In addition to these evil female images ("Jezebel," a female church and city leader, and the "harlot," the great imperial city), there are other female images in Revelation that contrast with them. In 21:2 the holy city, the new Jerusalem, comes down out of heaven like a bride adorned for her husband. When the angel tells John he will show him the bride, the wife of the Lamb, he goes on to show John the holy city in all its glory (21:9-26). Unlike the stolen gold of the great harlot city, the holy city is made of pure gold (21:18,21). All the gold lampstands (churches) that conquer the idolatrous and immoral power and glory of the world will become the pure gold new Jerusalem. At the marriage of the Lamb, the bride is clothed with bright (white) and pure fine linen (19:7-8)—in contrast to the harlot's (dirty) linen, purple, silk, and scarlet of 18:12. That pure linen is the (former) righteous deeds of the saints (19:8).

Another positive female image appears in 12:1. John sees a great sign in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She is pregnant and in pain (tribulation) as she prepares to deliver her child (12:2). The great red dragon (Satan) stands before her in heaven and wants to eat the child when it is born, since the child is supposed to rule (judge) all the (idolatrous and immoral) nations with a rod of iron (his sharp two-edged sword) (12:3-5). At "birth," however, the child is caught up to God and the throne (12:5); such a "birth" portrays Jesus' resurrection. His "birth" means he is the " _firstborn_ of the dead, the ruler of the kings of the earth" (1:5).

The background for this imagery is Ps. 2. In Ps. 2:1-2 the nations and kings of the earth plot against the Lord's anointed (king); but God in heaven on the throne laughs (Ps. 2:4) and tells his anointed king, "You are my son; today I have begotten you" (Ps. 2:7). This newly begotten ("born") king will then break the nations with a rod of iron and warn the kings of the earth (Ps. 2:8-11). In Acts 13:33 Paul quotes Ps. 2:7 and says God has now fulfilled it by raising Jesus.

As for the bright shining woman, Jesus' "mother" is the crowned queen of heaven. After Jesus' birth (resurrection), not only is Satan thrown from heaven to the earth and sea (12:7-9,12) but also the woman flees (from the dragon) into the wilderness (of earth) (12:6). After Jesus rises to heaven, his mother descends from heaven.

In 12:14 she is given (by God) the two wings of the great eagle so she can fly from the sea serpent (dragon) into the dry desolate desert. There she will have none of the luxurious food found in the great city sitting on many waters. The wilderness symbolizes poverty and tribulation; but those in heaven (God and the risen child) will nourish the woman while she is in the "desert" (12:6,14).

The dragon on earth is now "confined" in the abyss, the depths of the sea (20:1-3), and can only spit out a flooding river at her in the dry wilderness (12:15). Before, in heaven, the devil's mouth accuses "our brothers" day and night before God (12:10); then, on earth, in the depths, the dragon's mouth still spits a flood of accusations against the woman. But the earth (the desert) opens its mouth (like an earthquake, as in a theophany) to refute those evil waters (peoples, like those under the harlot city in 17:15) and banish them to their subterranean source (and deadly depths) (12:16). So the dragon turns toward the rest of the woman's children, those who keep the commands of God (against idolatry and immorality) and continue the witness of Jesus (12:17).

When John later sees the great harlot (city) sitting on many waters (peoples), the place of his vision is in the wilderness "in the Spirit" (17:3,15); John is one of the woman's children in the wilderness. If he remains faithful there (in poverty and tribulation), he will be "born" (raised) into heaven by his mother; presently, he remains in(side) her, in the Spirit.

The earlier imagery of the bright shining "woman" in heaven is best explained as symbolic of the Spirit. She shines (burns) like the sun (12:1)—just like Jesus' eyes and face in 1:14,16 that symbolize the fiery seven spirits (the Spirit) (see 4:5; 5:6). This heavenly queen who births (raises) her son Jesus is described by Paul as the Spirit of holiness that raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 1:4).

After the firstborn of the dead (see 1:5) rises to rule as Lord and Christ, he pours out the Spirit (the tongues of fire) on all flesh: both the sons and daughters, both the old men and young men, both the menservants and maidservants, will (all) prophesy (Acts 2:3-4,17-18,32-36).

When the child (Jesus) rises, the mother (Spirit) descends to the earth—and is sent by Jesus into all the earth in 5:6. As one sent by Jesus, "she" remains under the authority of her risen son, who helps "nourish" her, the Spirit of prophecy, as she multiplies the witness of Jesus through Christian prophets (her other children).

Compare the nourishing from a little scroll that John is told to eat in 10:9-11: this "nourishment" is sweet in John's mouth and symbolizes John receiving the words and visions of the scroll (10:11); it then becomes bitter in his stomach, symbolizing the suffering that results from his faithful witness (to the words and visions of the scroll).

The Spirit is the primary witness of Jesus (see 19:10); Jesus nourishes "her" since the Spirit of truth continues to eat (receive) the words of Jesus and pass them on to (and through) true prophets (see Jn. 14:26; 16:13-15). Like the tribulation of the woman and her first child before he is born (raised) (12:2), the woman's other children will suffer in her, in the Spirit. As the woman of 12:2 suffers birth pangs in her womb (belly) before she gives birth, so her child John will suffer bitterness in his stomach as a result of his sweet words of prophecy. Both images point to the suffering of true prophets who speak in the Spirit in the "wilderness" before they are born (raised) to heaven.

The strategic place for the woman (Spirit)—who shines like the hot sun—on earth is in the dry desert, in contrast to the sea dragon, its powerful beast from the sea, and the rich harlot that sits on many waters (peoples). Only true prophets like John, or those in the church at Smyrna, who suffer tribulation and poverty, are among the rest of the children of the woman (Spirit). Before they are born (raised) to join the firstborn of the dead, they remain in the "wilderness," keeping God's commands (against the idolatry and immorality of the powerful and wealthy beasts and harlot) and continuing the witness of Jesus.

Some scholars think all this symbolism of beasts, a harlot, and a woman (and her children) is mainly about the first century Roman empire, its capital Rome, and the seven churches in Asia Minor. Others think it's primarily about the end-time. But John attaches certain symbolic times to these symbols.

In Dan. 7:24-25 the fourth beast with ten horns (see Dan. 7:7) will rule for "a time, two times, and half a time." The beast John sees in 13:1 has ten horns like that fourth beast, but also is like the first three beasts of Dan. 7:4-6 (like a lion, bear, and leopard); this beast from the sea is allowed (by God) to rule for 42 months (13:5). This 42 months is three and a half years, a parallel to Daniel's three and a half times.

In the preceding story of the woman (mother), her time in the wilderness is 1,260 days (12:6), repeated in 12:14 in terms of "a time and times and half a time." The 1,260 days is three years (of 360 days each) and half a year. Thus the times of the Spirit in the wilderness when she "births" all the rest of her children (before the final end of history) are these three and a half times ("years"); all the future faithful brothers and sisters will join the firstborn in heaven after they die. When the full number is complete, the final judgment will come (compare 6:9-11). All these times (of years or days or months) are parallel, symbolic of the whole time the queen (Spirit) bears (raises) all her royal family.

Since the 42 months of the sea beast is the same time framework, its time will also continue throughout history after (the first coming of) Jesus, until the final judgment. This time is also parallel to the "thousand years" in 20:3, the time of Satan in the sea's abyss (where he sends the beast out of the sea), and in 20:4, the time of souls persecuted for their witness of Jesus to be "born," to "rise" and rule in heaven. The rest of the dead will not be "born" (into heaven) but remain dead (in the abyss, with Satan) until the end of the thousand years (20:5).

After the thousand years, those who remain dead (and did not rise) will then suffer the second death, the lake of fire, after the final judgment (20:6,14-15). Briefly at the end of the thousand years, Satan will be set free and try to lead the nations one last time in accusing the saints, but will be quickly quieted by the fiery final judgment (20:7-10). The sea dragon, sea beast, earth beast, and their nations will appropriately end up in a lake, the lake of fire. They will never escape the fiery judgment of the Spirit.

Just because the events of 20:1-6 are near the end of Revelation, after Jesus' second (final) coming in 19:11-21, does not mean they happen at that final time. Earlier, the final end comes in 11:18-19; yet immediately after that John sees events that go back to the beginning: Jesus' "birth" and Satan thrown down to the earth and the sea (the abyss) in 12:1-5,9-12,17.

So the 1,260 days of the woman and all her children, and the 42 months of the beast from the sea, are both like the thousand years between Jesus' first and "second" comings (when Satan is in the sea, sending out the beast); the sea beast will rampage throughout all that time. The sea beast has thus been present not only in the Roman empire of the first several centuries but in other great (and violent) beasts after that. When John writes, the "throne of Satan" (given to the sea beast of 13:2) is already present, in Pergamum (2:13). But the sea beast (empire) continues on, even when it seems to have died; sometimes a head or king seems to have a mortal wound, but it is healed and the beast (empire) continues (13:3).

When John sees the harlot and beast in 17:3, he is told more about the mystery of the beast with seven heads and ten horns (17:7): John hears that five of the heads (kings) have fallen, one is (ruling), and the other must remain for only a little while (17:10). 17:11 refers back to the beast in 13:3 with the mortally wounded head: it was and is not, but the head is healed so that it "is" again; nevertheless the beast goes to perdition (the second death).

Kings rule for awhile and then are defeated and replaced by other kings; empires expand all over the world for awhile and then are replaced by other empires. The sea beast has its "deaths" and "resurrections" as one world empire takes over another throughout this whole time period. Shortly after 17:10, John sees the great harlot (city) fallen in final judgment; so when John sees the beast in 17:10 is not necessarily his own time in the first century; it is a later time, when the beast is almost ripe for (final) judgment. (As the seven stars of the churches represent the sevenfold fullness of foundational "angels" or elders, all the foundational apostles and prophets in heaven, so the seven heads of the sea beast represent all the imperial kings.)

The present world empire, the United States, is the current "reincarnation" of the beast from the sea. It has crossed the sea(s), especially over the last century, and violently won new markets for its demanding harlot (city).

New York is now the empire's great city, the hub of many of the richest merchants of the earth: Wall Street, Madison Avenue, and Fifth Avenue have epitomized the great bankers and businessmen of the earth. New York has sat pretty as the great harlot whose wealth comes from the plunder of the earth. It seems almost everyone bows (in awe or fear) before the power of the wild beast and lusts for (the wealth of) the seductive harlot.

This "Babylon" has also been the mother of (other) harlots (17:5), having "given birth" to other greedy harlots (cities) in the empire—and all over the earth. The great city's international investment bankers (like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley) have invested their money in "developing" those other cities; they profit handsomely from their loans (via the magic of compound interest). While kings all over the world likewise profit from (their "commissions" on) those loans for showcase projects, these great debts cause many nations to suffer deeper poverty. Those other cities, especially those in the southern continents, also contain millions of "slaves," poor souls who work for almost nothing. As a result, millions of men, women, and children die every year from sickness (like diarrhea) due to poverty, malnutrition, and unclean water. The great men of "Babylon" could care less.

Those (children of the Spirit) in the "wilderness" see what results from all the idolatry and immorality of the earth's great cities, and expose and oppose that evil with prophetic words and merciful deeds, and suffer for it.

The wild beast now continues to come out of the sea (crossing seas and oceans) in the form of a vast international empire: American military bases, "intelligence" agents, private contractors, and "special operations"—as well as American "aid," arms, and training for allied foreign militaries, police, "intelligence," paramilitaries, and death squads. All these help protect and collect (steal) "American" assets around the world, the "national interests" that fuel the American way of life, the cargo that is valued more than people.

Those who fight or speak on behalf of the beast are part of its idolatry and immorality. Over the past several decades, a head of the beast proclaims war and calls on God to bless America. Most U.S. churches, with American flags in their "sanctuaries," pray for their "godly" nation and promote patriotic duty. This latest (American) beast calls itself the last, best hope of mankind (a light for freedom, democracy, and prosperity in the world); but this is false. Its long oppressive history against millions of Native Americans and African Americans within the U.S., and against millions of others outside the U.S.—including the millions of civilians killed in the Korean and Vietnam wars—reveals the truth. The U.S. is simply another (though not necessarily the last, worst) version of the sea beast of the dragon.

Those in Thyatira who have not learned (accepted) the deadly "depths" of Satan (in the abyss) will join the morning star in the heights of heaven (2:24,28). In 22:16 Jesus identifies himself as the bright morning star; he is the firstborn of the dead, the risen star (angel) who enlightens and empowers all other faithful witnesses who will join him (immediately) after they die. The one who conquers and keeps Jesus' works until the end (of his or her life) will also receive power and rule with Jesus, using the same rod of iron—the sword of the Spirit—to "crush" (cry out from heaven against) the evil of nations and churches (2:26-27).

Heaven's prophetic oracle to the church at Sardis (3:1-6)

To the angel (elder) of the church in Sardis, Jesus describes himself as the one having the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. The ruling Christ has the Spirit and the seven stars (angels) of the churches, including the heavenly angel (elder) of the church in Sardis. What Christ says to the angel of the church is what the Spirit says to the churches (3:6). This church—like those in Ephesus, Pergamum, and Thyatira—is called to repent (3:3).

Repentance means remembering and returning to what it received and heard from the foundational angel (elder) of the church (3:3). Jesus informs the angel that the works of the church are now almost dead (3:1-2). While the church has a name (in its city) for being alive, it is actually dead. This church has a good reputation in Sardis, but its works are not "perfect" in the sight of Jesus' God (3:2); it primarily pleases the false gods and false prophets of its city. Like the churches in Pergamum and Thyatira, this church is full of idolatry (bowing before the leaders of the city and empire) and immorality (profiting from its "association" with those leaders).

If the church does not awaken from its deadly sleep and return to its first love and works, Jesus will come like a thief (in the night) (3:3). While 16:15, along with Jesus (in Mt. 24:42-44) and Paul (in 1 Thes. 5:2-4), all use this image of Jesus coming like a thief in the night for Jesus' final (second) coming, the context here is similar to that of Jesus' coming in 2:5 and 2:16. In 2:5 Jesus will come to the church in Ephesus to remove its lampstand because it is part of the darkness of the city; in 2:16 Jesus will come soon to the church in Pergamum to war (speak) against it with the sword (Spirit) of his mouth.

These churches must repent soon. Jesus comes to them presently through these prophetic oracles from the Spirit; if they have no ear to hear what the Spirit says, Jesus will come again soon through new prophetic oracles that will speak unexpected words of judgment. Whether through John or other true prophets among the churches, Jesus will reveal the sad truth: they are dead and dark (without heavenly light), not worthy of any further attention from true prophets.

Yet a few in Sardis are worthy (3:4). Because they have not participated in the dark deeds around them, their future is bright; they will walk with Jesus in white—after their death and first "resurrection," like the souls of 6:9-11. Unlike most of those in the church, their names will not be blotted out of the book of life (3:5); as they continue to confess Jesus as exclusive Lord until death (and deny all the lords of the earth), they will then discover Jesus confessing their names as worthy before his Father and before his angels (including the angel of the church) (3:5).

Heaven's prophetic oracle to the church at Philadelphia (3:7-13)

Just as there are a few worthy in the church of Sardis, there are a few churches worthy among all the churches. Besides the church in Smyrna, the other such church is in Philadelphia. To the heavenly angel (elder) of the church in Philadelphia, Jesus refers to himself as holy and true, and as having the key of David; this royal key opens what no one will shut, and shuts what no one will open. This is repeated in 3:8 in terms of setting before the church an open door no one is able (powerful) to shut.

Because most of the rest of this prophetic oracle is about their future reward in heaven, this open door is the door to heaven (like the open door of 4:1). As Jesus' keys of death and Hades in 1:18 reveal his power to raise his faithful dead out of Hades, so Jesus' key of David reveals his royal power to raise them all the way up into heaven's open door.

Presently, the church in Philadelphia has little power (and "few resources," another possible translation for the Greek word for "power" here) (3:8). Like the tribulation and poverty at Smyrna (2:9), this is a good sign since it is a contrast with the powerful and wealthy of the world. This church keeps Jesus' word (against idolatry and immorality); it does not deny Jesus' name (as the holy and true Lord, the son of David who has the key of David). Jesus' key is powerful, opening the door to heaven, a door that none of the world's powers can shut.

Like the church in Smyrna, this church is threatened by a powerful "synagogue of Satan" (3:9; see 2:9). They claim to be Jews (who speak for God) but are liars. In the end the true Son of David will make them come and bow down before the feet of the church of Philadelphia (3:9); there they will learn that Jesus loved this church (of true prophets)—not those false prophets.

This will happen when the rest of the dead (who were not part of the first "resurrection") come to life in preparation for the "second death," the lake of fire (20:5-6). The one who has the keys of death and Hades will open that door for those dead false prophets; but it will lead to them standing before the throne—and bowing to the saints from Philadelphia—where they are judged and thrown into the lake of fire (20:12-15).

The beloved saints themselves will be kept safe from the "hour of trial" coming on the whole earth (3:10; see "the hour" in 14:7 and 18:10). This trial is the final judgment, the beginning of the great tribulation (see 2:22), a tribulation that then continues forever after the door is closed over the lake of fire (a door that no one can open).

When Jesus adds he is coming soon (in 3:11), this is different from his comings earlier to disobedient churches. There he would come to speak through true prophets that an unrepentant church will no longer be worthy of being sent true prophets; here he comes soon to an obedient church. The preceding context suggests he comes here to open the door to heaven (as soon as they die). His coming soon to welcome them into heaven is an encouragement to them to hold fast what they have (until his coming), so that no one will grab their crown (in heaven, where they will rule with Christ after their first "resurrection") (3:11). The Christ with the key of David is also the root of (king) David (5:5), so all who come to rule with him are outgrowths of that royal root.

This emphasis on their future in heaven with Christ immediately after death continues in the following context of 3:12. Those who have little power now—but who conquer the powerful of the earth by remaining faithful to the one true Lord—will become "pillars" in the (heavenly) temple (3:12). They will remain strong and secure (like pillars) and never go out of it because Christ has the key of David; no lesser power can open the door (of heaven) after he shuts it. The "temple" symbolizes the place of God's presence; a pillar in the heavenly temple is secure in God's presence; no dragon or beast is going to endanger it there.

The "pillars" are people, and the "temple" is a person (or persons). At the end (in 21:22), in the new Jerusalem that descends from heaven, there is no temple (building) for the "temple" is the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb. There is a "temple," but it is God and the Lamb (see Jn. 2:19-21).

Because the church belongs exclusively to God, and does not serve the world's powerful idols, Jesus will write the name of God on them (3:12). Because the church belongs exclusively to the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven, and does not join the greedy immorality of the great city of the earth, Jesus will write the name of God's city on them. And because the church belongs exclusively to the Lamb, and does not join the wild beasts of the earth, Jesus will write his own new name on them. In 14:1 the 144,000 have the name of the Lamb and his Father written on their foreheads (see 7:3-4); in 3:12 the whole church receives this promise.

It's all a matter of _authority_. To whom do you belong? Who do you really trust and obey? Just before 14:1, John mentions the mark or name of the beast (from the sea), and the number of its name (13:17). Unlike most of the earth, the saints do not worship this idol and refuse its mark (of authority) on their foreheads (20:4). While the beast assumes a blasphemous name that leads the nations to idolize it like a god (13:1), the number of the beast's name is really only a human number (13:18): 666.

John's vision of the beast emphasizes its _authority_ on earth: the whole earth follows the beast with wonder, and worships it, because the dragon (Satan) gives the beast its _authority_ (13:3-4); the beast has _authority_ over every tribe, people, tongue, and nation, and all worship it, except for the saints (13:7); the dragon gives its power, throne, and great _authority_ to the beast (13:2), on whose heads (kings) is the blasphemous name (13:1); the beast uses its _authority_ to speak arrogant, blasphemous words against God and those who dwell in heaven (13:5-6).

In 13:2-7 John thus uses the word authority four times to describe the beast from the sea; the Greek word for authority here is _exousia_. Just as the mark or name on the forehead symbolizes authority, so the number of the name points to authority. In 13:18 the number 666 in Greek is _exakosio_ (600), _exekonta_ (60), _ex_ (6). These three words that begin with "ex" in 13:18 could be a hint that points back to the repeated word _exousia_ in 13:2,4,5,7. The main subject in both contexts is the (sea) beast.

In Greek, each letter also has a numerical value; for example, the letter alpha equals the number one. By adding the numerical equivalents of the letters in _exousia_ the total is 746. Besides the last letter in _exousia_ , alpha (1), the letters and their numbers in order are epsilon (5), xi (60), omicron (70), upsilon (400), sigma (200), and iota (10). While 746 is not 666, when one subtracts the omicron (70) and iota (10) the total is 666. In 13:18 the number is said to be (only) a human number. So the number is meant to reveal the human weakness of the beast's authority; its number (authority) is not full, not divine, but human, finite, partial. Beastly world empires seem to be the greatest authority of all; but that authority is not so great after all.

The _exousia_ of this idol lacks an omicron and iota, and thus totals only 666. In 9:20 idols are not worth worshiping because they can neither _see_ nor _hear_ ; they lack eyes and ears. The same taunt applies to the beast from the sea. Unlike the Lamb and its seven eyes (5:6), the beast seems to have only a big mouth that speaks blasphemies (13:2,5-6). The Greek word for eye is _ophthalmos_ , which begins with an omicron. This beast can't see the truth because its _exousia_ has no omicron, no Lamb's eyes, no Spirit.

Likewise this idol can't _hear_ (what the Spirit says) because its _exousia_ has no ear, no _ous_ , which also begins with an omicron. Those in the churches who have no ear(s) to _hear_ what the Spirit says (2:7) are like their idols. But those who have the wisdom and mind (13:18) of the Spirit can see and hear the truth in the lesser number of 666.

As for the missing iota, the name Jesus in Greek, _Iesous_ , begins with an iota. (The "e" in _Iesous_ is the Greek letter eta, not epsilon, and equals eight. All the letters of that name then total 888.) The beast's _exousia_ lacks the full authority of Jesus—as well as his eyes, the Spirit.

In 17:12 the beast's horns (kings) receive _exousia_ and then give it to the beast in order to make war against the Lamb. Yet the Lamb will conquer them for he is "Lord of lords, and King of kings" (17:14; see also 19:16). In the Hebrew dialect Jesus spoke, Aramaic, the numerical equivalents of letters (like in Greek) in the phrase "Lord of lords, and King of kings" equals 777.

Heaven's prophetic oracle to the church at Laodicea (3:14-22)

In his seventh oracle, to the (heavenly angel or elder of the) church in Laodicea, Jesus introduces himself as the "Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation" (3:14). This relates back to 1:5, where Jesus Christ is the "faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth." Jesus' _exousia_ is now that of the risen Christ (king), who will rule (judge) all the kings of the earth, because he is King of kings and Lord of lords.

Like God Almighty, the Alpha and Omega (1:8), Jesus Christ is the Amen. The word Amen in John's Greek text begins with alpha; this word was used at the beginning or end of a statement to verify the truth of its witness; Jesus is the Amen: the first—and final (at the final judgment)—faithful witness.

The Amen is also the alpha beginning of God's new creation; Jesus is the preeminent firstborn of the dead. As the "root" of David, the risen Lion from the tribe of Judah begins the heavenly rule that will come to be shared with all his heavenly saints (see 5:5,10).

As the risen Lamb with the seven eyes (spirits) of God, Jesus sees and knows the works of the church in Laodicea (3:15). Jesus wishes they were cold or hot, but they are only lukewarm (3:16); so Jesus is about to disown them and spit them out of his mouth. Like a gold lampstand that has no fire, this lukewarm church now lacks the seven spirits (the Spirit) that are seven torches of fire (see 4:5).

Perhaps the cold refers to the heavenly sea of glass, like crystal—a cold icy sea—before the throne in 4:6; this is where the heavenly multitudes stand in 7:9. In 19:6 the voice of the heavenly multitudes is like the sound of many waters. In 7:16-17 the former blazing heat of the sun in the desert on earth (where they dwell "in the Spirit," their mother; see 12:1,6,14,17) is contrasted with the soothing springs of heavenly "living water" (in Jn. 7:38-39 a symbol of the Spirit). Enjoying the cool springs or cold sea of the heavenly Spirit—the source of their voices of heavenly praise—will be their reward for earthly tribulation (in the hot "desert") that results from sharing the witness of the fiery Spirit of prophecy; yet the latter must happen before the former. Neither will happen for those who are lukewarm.

The problem with the present witness of the church in Laodicea is that they say they are rich, have prospered, and need nothing (3:17). They lack the Lamb's seven eyes (Spirit) to see the truth: they are poor, blind, and naked. In contrast to the church at Smyrna, which is poor (but rich), this church is rich (but poor) (see 2:9). Instead of the (fool's) gold they have so much of now, Jesus advises them to buy from him gold refined by fire so that they may be truly rich (3:18); Jesus wants a gold lampstand that gives light via the fiery spirits (Spirit). This cannot happen unless they give up much of their temporary gold wealth and exchange it for the eternal gold (oil) (the Spirit). If they sell their treasured possessions, and give to the poor, they will have treasure in heaven; blessed are the poor in the Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus informs them they also need white garments to cover up their nakedness (3:18). As in 19:8, white garments are the fine linen that symbolizes the righteous deeds of the saints. Collecting treasured clothes on earth is not a blessing—or a reward for one's righteousness; it is the opposite: collecting these treasures replaces helping certain others in need, and thus neglects one of the righteous deeds that become the heavenly white garments. Expensive wardrobes also associate them with the elegant harlot (city) that is dressed in luxurious purple and scarlet fine linen (see 18:16) rather than with the poor woman (Spirit) in the desolate wilderness (see 12:6).

The church also needs salve to anoint their eyes so they can see (3:18). This image again relates to the Lamb's seven eyes, the Spirit: they need a new anointing of oil (gold) (the Spirit) so they can see the truth and become faithful witnesses. Because Jesus loves them, he calls them to repent, to return to their original fire and faithfulness (3:19).

Since they have turned away from Jesus, and are immorally serving idolatrous mammon (worldly wealth), Jesus stands outside the door of the church and knocks (3:20). If anyone in the church recognizes his voice—through the voice of true prophets like John—and welcomes back this faithful witness, Jesus will come again to them. This coming of Jesus would then not be a coming of judgment, giving up on the church (as in 2:5 or 2:16), nor a coming to welcome them to the open door in heaven at the end of their faithful witness (as in 3:11); this coming in 3:20 would be to renew their eating together.

As in 10:8-11, where Jesus will give John a sweet little scroll (his words, his faithful witness) to eat (receive), Jesus also wants the church in Laodicea to eat (receive) this scroll John has written so they can repent and renew the first faithful witness of the Amen. And as the woman (Spirit) is nourished in the wilderness by receiving from Jesus and speaking it to her children (12:14; see Jn. 14:26; 16:14-15), so her children are nourished by those same words (12:17; see Jn. 6:56,63,68). Otherwise, they will merely continue to eat meat sacrificed to idols and drink the wine of the immoral harlot city.

Anyone who conquers in this way will then sit with Jesus on his heavenly throne (3:21). After their faithful witness on earth, and rejection of the deadly kings and lustful (greedy) cities of the world, they will rule with Christ in heaven and praise only him (see 20:4). The risen, ruling Christ is the beginning of God's new creation of a heavenly kingdom of risen, ruling saints.

Only those who have ears to hear the truth will hear what the Spirit says to all the churches (3:22). All the rich churches of the cities look impressive. After the first few centuries, many churches decided to show their "devotion" by constructing "temples" that towered above or among other tall buildings of the city. Their false prophets were close friends with certain wealthy businessmen—who led the way in building those monuments (to themselves). Successful professional pastors moved up the ladder of serving larger churches with bigger buildings and budgets. To do that, they raised funds and worked closely with the most successful business leaders in their churches and cities.

Such churches think they are blessed (with their wealth), and would supposedly bless others with these works. This seductive gospel of success and wealth is welcomed by mainstream middle and upper-class churches—and seduces many poor churches as well. By keeping most of their wealth for their own building programs and staff salaries, proud churches cannot see the poverty of their unrefined gold and missing white garments.

I think Jesus and his fiery oil (gold) (the Spirit) would currently advise them to sell their buildings (treasures on earth) and meet in homes—like churches in the first few centuries. He would also call every member to be a faithful witness; don't just sit back and listen to paid professional preachers. They would use any wealth primarily to help the poor, especially other Christian brothers and sisters near and far.

Gold lampstands (churches), refined by "fire," would study the New Testament together in small informal groups in order to prepare all of them to be faithful witnesses of the courageous truth of Jesus and the foundational elders. That truth includes prophetic warnings to all the powerful politicians and proud plunderers of the earth; the truth is that only Jesus is Lord. All other lords and kings and presidents, along with their armed servants and wealthy businessmen, as well as their patriotic and greedy churches, will in the end bow before Christ and confess that he has the final authority to judge them. They thought they were good, decent, God-fearing people; the truth is they were wild beasts, wicked harlots, and lukewarm churches.

Chapter 2

The Seven Seals of the Lamb's Scroll of Life (Rev. 5:1-8:1)

After heaven's seven prophetic oracles to the seven churches, another series of seven soon appears: in 5:1 John sees a scroll sealed with seven seals in the right hand of God. It seems that in order to open the scroll, one must first open or break the seals on the outside of the scroll (5:2).

The slaughtered Lamb's scroll of life (5:1-14)

At first, John is crying because he has seen God's scroll, but no one is worthy to open it (5:3-4). Then one of the risen, ruling elders (see 4:4), tells John to stop crying; the strong Lion (king) of the tribe of Judah, the root of (king) David, has conquered—and can open the scroll and its seven seals (5:5).

When John turns to look at the heavenly throne (of God), he sees a Lamb, not a Lion (5:6). The Lamb looks like it has been slaughtered, but it is standing in the midst of the throne (and the four "living creatures") and in the midst of the (24) elders. So the former brutalized Lamb now stands in a position of power, and has seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God. The once lowly Lamb now stands tall like the strong Lion king; he has conquered the evil forces of earth that pierced him; he remained the faithful witness unto death (see 3:21). And in the end, the Lamb (with seven horns, the power of the Spirit) will conquer the beast from the sea (with ten horns, which are ten kings), for the Lamb is Lord of lords and King of kings (17:12-14; see 13:1).

No one else is worthy or strong enough to take the scroll from the right hand of God. So now the Lamb takes the scroll (5:8); the scroll of God then becomes the scroll of the Lamb. As a result, the "living creatures" and elders praise the Lamb as worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, for he was slaughtered and "bought" (ransomed, redeemed) people for God from every tribe, tongue, people and nation; he made them a new kingdom (5:9-10).

This same scroll of the slaughtered Lamb is referred to in 13:8 as "the scroll of life of the Lamb that was slaughtered." The names of all the earth's tribes, peoples, tongues, and nations that worship the beast (from the sea) will not be written in this scroll (13:7-8). In 21:27 nothing unclean (from the nations) shall enter the new Jerusalem; only those who are written in the scroll of life of the Lamb will enter.

This scroll is finally opened only at the end, at the final judgment (20:12). It will reveal (the names of) those who escape the "second death," the lake of fire (20:14-15)—all those who join the final, completed new Jerusalem of the new heaven and new earth (21:1-2).

Since the Lamb's scroll of life remains closed until the final kingdom of the new heaven and new earth, the seals of the scroll would be certain things that must happen (be opened) before the scroll is opened. Just as the Lamb was worthy because it was slaughtered for being a faithful witness, so his kingdom will be worthy "because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witness, for they did not love their life (soul) until death" (12:11).

The slaughtered Lamb's blood buys—ransoms, liberates—certain people out of every tribe, tongue, people, and nation in order to form a new kingdom (5:9-10). Jesus' blood frees them from their sins and makes them a kingdom and priests to God (compare 1:5-6, and Ex. 19:6); the Lamb's blood leads to their exodus out of bondage to the earth's evil forces. Everyone who conquers by not "soiling their garments" (with the dirty deeds and deceptive words of earth's evil forces) will be worthy; their names will not be blotted out of the scroll of life (3:4-5).

The Lamb opens the first seal (6:1-2)

When John sees the Lamb open the first seal, he hears one of the four "living creatures" cry out with a voice of thunder: "Come!" A voice of thunder recalls Jesus' own voice "like the sound of many waters" in 1:15, a sound connected with loud thunder in 14:2 and 19:6.

The thundering many waters (clouds) in heaven are a contrast to the many waters on earth (the latter identified in 17:15 as multitudes under the spell of the harlot). In 19:6 the voice of the heavenly multitudes is like the sound of many waters that thunder; in 1:15 they are part of the voice of Jesus, and now in 6:1 they are part of the voice of the first "living creature."

The four "living creatures" in heaven appear first in 4:6-7, right after John sees bolts of lightning and hears voices and thunder coming from the throne (of God) in 4:5. In 4:6 these four are "in the midst of the throne and around the throne;" thus the lightning, voices, and thunder "from the throne" (4:5) come also from these four "in the midst of the throne." (The Greek word meso used in 4:6 is usually translated "in the midst of" or "among" elsewhere in Revelation, and the New Testament, yet most translations shy away from that meaning here, using phrases like "on each side" of the throne or simply "in the center, around the throne.")

In 5:6 the Lamb is in the midst of the throne and the four "living creatures." Again, translators have trouble picturing the Lamb "in the midst of" the throne. How can the Lamb and the four "living creatures" be "in the midst of the throne"?

With the Lamb, the "living creatures" seem to be major figures with the one (God) who sits on the throne. Yet these "creatures" seem to get minor attention from interpreters; most interpret them as great angels, or cherubim. These four figures are highlighted in the theophany Ezekiel sees in Ezek. 1; then in Ezek. 10, these four are called cherubim. They are mysterious "creatures" indeed. What are they? Or who are they?

They first become prominent in Ex. 25:18-22. After describing how to make the ark of the covenant and its cover ("mercy seat") in Ex. 25:10-17, the Lord tells Moses to make a cherub of gold for each end of the cover; the two cherubim should have wings that spread out over the cover. It is there, above the cover, between the two cherubim, that the Lord will speak to Moses (Ex. 25:22).

This leads later writers to link the ark of the covenant with the presence of the Lord of hosts, "who is enthroned on the cherubim" (for example, 1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Kgs. 19:15; and Ps. 99:1). The Hebrew here can also be translated as the Lord sitting (or dwelling) on (or between) the cherubim. Ps. 80:1-2 calls on the one enthroned upon the cherubim to shine forth and come in power. So the cherubim are viewed as part of God's throne; they could thus be described as "in the midst of" the throne.

The Lord is linked closely with these cherubim. But hasn't the Lord said (in Ex. 20:4) not to make any graven image or likeness of anything in heaven above or on earth below? If the cherubim are great angels, why would the Lord tell Moses to make "graven images" of them and put them in the holy of holies over the ark of the covenant?

In Ezekiel's "visions of God" in Ezek. 1, his description of the four "living creatures" and God is full of similes (figures of speech comparing different things by using the word "like" or "as"). The appearance of the "living creatures" in the vision is described by saying what they look like; Ezekiel uses symbolism to describe the indescribable. For God and the "living creatures" are different from everything God has created—in heaven above or on earth below.

Ezekiel sees a large bright cloud blown by a stormy wind, with fire flashing inside—due to what appears to be glowing bronze (Ezek. 1:4). The same Hebrew phrase for this "glowing bronze" reappears in Ezek. 1:26-28, where a figure _like_ (note the use of simile) a man sits on what looks _like_ a throne, _like_ a sapphire stone, with what appears to be fire and glowing bronze around him, and a bright shining light, _like_ a rainbow; all of this is the appearance of the _likeness_ of the glory of the Lord.

Out of the midst of the bright cloud of Ezek. 1:4 comes the _likeness_ of four "living creatures": each has the form of a man; each has four faces; each has four wings; and their feet sparkle _like_ shining bronze (1:5-7). So, like God, they have the appearance of a man, and feature fiery bright bronze. Compare the vision John has of one _like_ a son of man, whose feet are _like_ bronze (1:13-14). So the "creatures" look more like divine figures than anything God created.

John's portrait of Jesus as a (strong) Lion and then as a slaughtered (sacrificial) Lamb is also shared by two of the living "creatures": in 4:7 the first living creature is _like_ a lion, and the second is _like_ a (sacrificial) ox or bull. Moreover, the third has a face _like_ a man, and the fourth is _like_ a flying eagle (compare Ezek. 1:10).

In 1:18 the risen Jesus is the "living one," who became dead but is now living forever. Likewise, the Greek word in 4:6 for "living creatures" is literally the "living ones." In 4:9, the one sitting on the throne (God) is praised as "living forever and ever" by the living ones. Thus the four living ones are described like the (eternal and divine) God on the throne and the risen Jesus. And Jesus and the four living ones are both at the very center of God's royal throne (rule).

The living ones John sees in 4:8 have six wings each (not four as in Ezekiel)—like the seraphim of Isa. 6:2. These seraphim (literally, burning ones) are part of another theophany: Isaiah sees the shaking, smoking presence of the fiery Lord of hosts in the temple (Isa. 6:1,4-5).

The only mention of cherubim in the New Testament is in Heb. 9:5—the worship of the first (old) covenant included the ark of the covenant in the holy of holies, above which were the "cherubim of glory" over the mercy seat. Ezekiel's vision of God and the four living ones (all shining brightly with fire) is also summarized as the appearance of the likeness of the _glory_ of the Lord (Ezek. 1:28). When John sees the heavenly temple in 15:5-8, after one of the four living ones gives the seven angels the seven bowls full of the (final) wrath of God, the temple is filled with smoke from the _glory_ of God and from his power. God's glory is the bright, fiery radiance that shines out, like glittery jewels (see 21:11); the fire (that produces the smoke) is thus the glory of God that John has seen in his visions; this bright shining fire is above all the Spirit of God; the fiery Spirit radiates the awesome presence and power of God.

The one like a son of man John sees is also fiery, with fiery eyes and a fiery face (1:14,16). Indeed, the Lamb in 5:6 has seven eyes, identified as the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth; in 4:5 are seven torches of fire before the throne of God; these also symbolize the seven spirits (the Spirit) of God. This fiery Spirit that is God's radiant glory is most likely who is symbolized by Isaiah's seraphim (burning ones) and by Ezekiel's cherubim (shining brightly with fire). They are mysterious because they are not really creatures; they are symbols of the seven spirits, the Spirit of God. In Dan. 7:9, the heavenly throne is "fiery flames;" the fiery cherubim are the throne—and thus "in the midst of" the throne.

In 4:6 the living ones are also full of eyes all over them. So these living ones are all-seeing, like the Lamb and his seven eyes. They are divine "figures," similar to the seven spirits (the Spirit).

In the new covenant, those faithful to God are God's "house" (Heb. 3:6). Paul tells Corinthian Christians that because God's Spirit dwells in them, they are now God's temple (1 Cor. 3:16). The "building" is now people, just as the "throne" in heaven is living ones. Now Gentile Christians, as well as Jewish Christians, have been built on the "foundation" (the apostles and prophets), with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone; this is the new holy temple, the dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Eph. 2:11-22).

As the Lamb's seven (fiery) eyes or spirits are sent out to all the earth (in 5:6), the four living ones (and twenty-four elders) sing a new song about the new kingdom the Lamb creates, a kingdom of people that comes from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation (5:8-10). The four groups of "peoples" compose this international kingdom. Like the Lamb's seven spirits (sent out over all the earth), the four living ones can be associated with the fourfold tribes, tongues, peoples, and nations.

Thus the fiery all-seeing sevenfold Spirit is also portrayed as the fiery all-seeing fourfold living ones. As the images for the risen, royal Jesus multiply (the Lion, the Lamb, the one like a son of man), so they also multiply for the divine Spirit. (The Hebrew plural for living ones in Ezek. 1 becomes singular in Ezek. 1:20-22 so that the multiple image becomes a single living one there.)

In 6:1 when the Lamb opens the first seal—and the first living one speaks with the voice of thunder (many waters)—this voice is the same as the one like a son of man in 1:15 (from whose mouth also comes a "sword" in 1:16). These voices and thunder come from the heavenly throne (4:5), in the midst of which is the four living ones and the Lamb (4:6; 5:6). The slaughtered but living Lamb, and the first living one, the Spirit of prophecy, are calling for a renewed heavenly witness to come to earth.

After the voice says "Come," a rider appears on a white horse, with a bow and a crown (6:2). In the end, Jesus comes on a white horse, and on his head are many diadems (19:11-12). Following him are the "armies" of heaven (the heavenly hosts), dressed in white and also riding white horses (19:14).

The imagery of final judgment coming from Jesus sitting on a white horse in 19:11 is similar (parallel) to the one like a son of man sitting on a white cloud in 14:14. So the heavenly white horse of 6:2 could also be like a white cloud, like the waters above, since there is a voice of thunder; the white horse could be another way to portray the white cloud that is the many waters above that roar like thunder via the voice of the first living one.

Compare the theophany in Ps. 18:13-14: it portrays the Lord thundering in the heavens and sending his arrows, the streaks of lightning. Similarly, Hab. 3:8-11 pictures God coming as a warrior, riding horses (chariots) and shooting arrows with his bow; the light of these arrows flashes as they speed to their mark. So the bow in 6:2 of the rider on the white horse (cloud), after a voice of thunder, also symbolizes a new sending of the fiery (flashing) Spirit of prophecy—with a witness that includes words of judgment against the earth (and many churches, who refuse to repent). As in Ps. 7:12, if someone does not repent, God prepares his bow and fiery arrows.

The first living one with the voice of thunder is the Spirit of prophecy calling the heavenly rider (a special prophet) to come and "shoot" the bow so that heaven's lightning (the Spirit of prophecy) will strike (speak) against evil on the earth—through new prophets there. The imagery develops further the earlier vision of Jesus and the Spirit speaking prophetic oracles to the seven churches via the heavenly angels (elders) and John.

Primary among the heavenly prophets are the seven stars (angels) of the seven churches, in Jesus' right hand in 1:16, mentioned right after Jesus' voice like many waters in 1:15. Standing out amidst the heavenly waters (and their multitudes) is the sevenfold fullness of the apostolic founders of the churches—the seven angels—who are also portrayed as the 24 foundational elders in 4:4.

In 4:4 these heavenly elders are around the throne with crowns on their heads. Like the rider of 6:2, they have been given a crown; and they now sit tall (on thrones) among the heavenly multitudes.

In 4:6 the four living ones are both in the midst of and around the throne. Perhaps the six wings of each living one are envisioned as extending out around the throne (where the elders are), so that those four times six extensions (of the Spirit) are thought of as the 24 elders. (Chapters 11-12 of _2 Esdras_ , a Jewish apocalypse also known as _4 Ezra_ , reveal an eagle vision where the twelve wings of the eagle symbolize human rulers.)

In 4:9-10 whenever the living ones give (their) glory to God, the 24 elders throw their crowns (of glory) before the throne—like an extension of the Spirit. Then when the Lamb receives the scroll from God, the four living ones and the 24 elders _together_ fall before the Lamb and bear witness to the worthy Lamb, who was slaughtered and then created a new kingdom from the fourfold tribes, tongues, peoples, and nations (5:8-10). Immediately before the Lamb opens the first seal, the four living ones say "amen" to all the praises of the Lamb (and God); the elders then respond by falling down and worshiping (5:13-14). This close coordination between the living ones and crowned elders could then be portrayed in 6:1-2 by the voice of the living one that calls a crowned rider to come.

The living Lamb comes anew via the thundering voice of the first living one and the foundational witness of the elders, the original apostles and prophets—as their spoken or written words, in the New Testament, are remembered and spoken anew through true prophets on earth. In that way, the rider (the elder) continues to come and conquer as part of heaven's ongoing ruling or judging of the churches (as in the seven prophetic oracles via the angels of the churches).

As the risen Jesus, the sevenfold Spirit, and the sevenfold stars (angels) are at the forefront of the seven oracles to the seven churches, likewise the slaughtered Lamb, the fourfold living ones (the Spirit), and the four times six crowned elders are at the forefront of the seven seals. Jesus, his Spirit, and the apostolic founders of the churches are the "first love" the churches need to remember (2:4); thus the first seal begins with them.

The rider then comes (from heaven) conquering and in order to conquer (6:2). Already, the Lion conquered the evil forces of earth and rules in heaven (5:5); likewise the 24 elders have conquered and wear white garments in heaven, where they rule with Christ (see 3:5 combined with 4:4). Now their faithful witness will continue to come and conquer through the voice of the first living one—that looks like a lion. Future oracles of Jesus and his Spirit and the elders will continue to warn unrepentant churches—via faithful prophets on earth like John. This is also what must happen soon (see 1:1).

The Lamb opens the second seal (6:3-4)

When the Lamb opens the second seal, John hears the second living one say "Come." What comes now is a red horse. The Greek word used here for red ( _purros_ ) is found only in 6:4 and 12:3; in 12:3-4 is the red dragon (Satan), who wants to devour the newly born child.

The second rider is given a great sword so that peace is taken from the earth and people slaughter one another. The Greek word used here for sword ( _machaira_ ) is found only in 6:4 and 13:10,14; it is not the word used for the sword ( _romphaia_ ) that comes from the mouth of Jesus in 1:16, 2:16, and 19:21. In 13:10 the _machaira_ is again associated with slaughtering—by the beast from the sea, who receives its power and great authority from the dragon in 13:2. In 13:14 the beast (from the sea) is itself wounded by the sword and yet lives.

So the second seal is about the slaughtering sword of the beast (empire) from the sea, where the red dragon dwells. The red horse could be the dragon (Satan), which empowers its beastly rider with the sword; the rider could be envisioned as the violent beast (empire), or more specifically as one of its heads (kings). The wild beast conquers the earth—taking peace from the earth—and the whole earth asks (with fear and awe), "Who can fight against it?" (13:3-4). Yet a head of the beast can also be wounded by the literal sword kingdoms use to overthrow other kingdoms (13:3,14).

The great sword of 6:4 leads to people (kingdoms) slaughtering one another. When John writes, the rider of the red horse is the beastly Roman empire, or its emperor(s). Yet the time of the beast (empire) is "42 months," the same time as all the woman's (Spirit's) children who will continue the witness of Jesus against such evil (12:6,14; 13:5). Throughout all this time (all of church history), Satan will instigate the slaughtering sword of all the world's empires.

In contrast, the bow of the rider(s) of the white horse is symbolic of heaven's warnings against such evil, including the evil of patriotic churches that support and help fight the wars of their countries. Churches or Christians today who think they can love both God and country need to see the truth about the slaughtering power of Satan and his kingdoms of earth. This is especially true now in the U.S., the present world empire.

Some of those slaughtered by the beast will be faithful witnesses of Jesus, like Antipas in Pergamum, where Satan's throne is (2:13; see 13:2). The fact that faithful witnesses against Satan and his beast will be slaughtered with the sword calls for endurance by the saints (13:10).

In the end the faithful prophets will finally appear in the scroll of life of the Lamb that was slaughtered—crucified by the Roman beast and its allies, Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Before that scroll is finally opened, these seals must be opened.

All this comes via the voice of the second living one—that looks like a (sacrificial) bull or ox (6:3; 4:7). The Greek word used in 4:7 ( _moschos_ ) is especially used for young bulls or calves, as in Heb. 9:12, where the blood of (slaughtered or sacrificed) calves is contrasted with the blood of Christ. The second living one (the Spirit of prophecy) empowers sacrificial prophetic witness that is faithful unto death, even death from the slaughtering sword of the great kingdoms of the earth.

The Lamb opens the third seal (6:5-6)

When the Lamb opens the third seal, the third living one says "Come." Now a black horse comes, and its rider has a balance scales in his hand. The Greek word used here for black ( _melas_ ) is found only in 6:5 and 6:12; in 6:12 the sixth seal is opened, there is a great earthquake, and the sun becomes black.

The imagery of 6:12 is again that of a theophany and leads to the appearing of God and the Lamb on the great day of their wrath (judgment) (6:16-17). This final day of the Lord is going to be darkness and not light for all the evil kingdoms of the earth—including their loyal patriotic churches. The earthquake and darkened sun of 6:12 are like the first major theophany in Ex. 19:16-18: the mountain quakes and the sky is filled with thick clouds and thunder and lightning. In like manner, the future day of wrath will be a day of clouds and thick darkness (as in Zeph. 1:14-15). Unlike the sixth seal, however, the third seal is not the final judgment.

In 6:6 John hears a voice in the midst of the four living ones; in 5:6 the Lamb is in the midst of the throne and of the four living ones; the voice of 6:6 is thus again the voice of the Lamb. While the rider of the black horse (cloud) might again be heavenly angels or elders, the focus of 6:6 is on the voice of the Lamb, coming from the midst of the four living ones; so the Lamb might be viewed as the rider.

This new voice of Jesus tells what the price is of two kinds of grain: the price of a quart of wheat is a (Roman) _denarius_ , and the price of three quarts of barley is also a _denarius_. The rider has a balance scales in his hand to measure or weigh the quarts of grain that are sold.

Then this selling is contrasted with "not harming" the oil and wine. This implies that selling the grain is harming it; only the oil and wine will not be harmed. The grain is being sold (sent) away from the rider; the oil and wine are being kept secure.

In Zech. 4 the gold of the gold lampstand can also be identified as the (olive) oil (the Spirit) that anoints two leaders: the Hebrew word used in Zech. 4 can be translated as either gold or oil; in Zech. 4:3,11-14 the two (branches of the) olive trees are identified as two anointed (with oil) leaders. In 11:3-4 John will see two faithful prophetic witnesses, portrayed as two olive trees (using Zech. 4) and two lampstands; in 11:5, if anyone wants to _harm_ them, fire comes out of their mouth and "consumes" (condemns) that one. In 2:10-11 those who conquer by being faithful unto death will not be _harmed_ by the second death. So the secure unharmed oil of 6:6 could relate to the Spirit and anointed prophets.

As for the wine of 6:6, the "wine" the harlot drinks in 17:2 is identified as the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses of Jesus in 17:6. Thus both the oil and wine of 6:6 can point to all the fired up faithful witnesses (unto death) who will remain secure with the Lamb and rider of the black horse. These anointed, persecuted prophets on earth will use the words of the (slaughtered) Lamb and the balance (measure) of the rider to "weigh the grain" and speak prophetically against the evil on earth—especially the evil in the churches.

The horse (or cloud, as in 6:2) is black because the focus now is on harming (judging) the wheat and barley: they are being sold (sent) away. This would be like Jesus coming and removing the lampstand from the unrepentant church in Ephesus (2:5). Unfaithful churches or Christians who have no gold or oil (the Spirit) are not true gold lampstands and must be (exposed and) removed (opposed). True prophets (like the two olive "trees" of 11:4) will risk shedding their blood (wine) by speaking the dark truth that Jesus comes now like a thief in the (black) night and removes their lampstand from its former place (see 3:3). Lukewarm churches that lack the hot oil (Spirit) will be spit out of the mouth of Jesus since they are not his faithful witnesses (see 3:16).

Unlike the olive (oil) trees that symbolize faithful prophetic witnesses in 11:3-4, the wheat and barley symbolize faithless churches, perhaps different levels of false prophets. The wheat costs more and so is more valuable to those who buy it; this could be the more major false prophets (like the Nicolaitans, "Balaams," and "Jezebels" in the churches). In 18:13 literal wheat (but not barley) is part of the more expensive goods bought—using Roman coins like the _denarius_ of 6:6—by the rich merchants of the great harlot (city).

So the "wheat" sold in 6:6 could be major false prophets—epitomized by the "adulteress" Jezebel of 2:20-22—bought (and used) by the great (harlot) city and other harlot cities, like Thyatira (where "Jezebel" is). At the end of the list of goods of 18:13 are slaves, those sold into slavery. This would also apply to the "wheat" of 6:6, but mainly to the "barley," the more lowly (minor) followers of those major false prophets. The (thundering) heavenly multitudes of the black horse or cloud speak anew to the multitudes of followers of the false prophets via faithful prophets—both major and minor—on earth.

It seemed the "wheat" and "barley" in the churches were bought by the blood of the Lamb (like those in 5:9). But since they "desire" the harlot (city), their dark day of judgment has come; they are being sold into slavery (captivity) to the captivating rich city merchants. The rich merchants in the churches will pay well for the (salaries of the) false prophets as long as their words are lukewarm, comforting, and pastoral (not prophetic).

The prophet Isaiah writes an allegory about "his beloved" who plants a vineyard and looks for grapes, but ends up with only wild grapes (Isa. 5:2); so the vineyard is removed and trampled down (Isa. 5:5). Isaiah then identifies Israel as the vineyard (of plants) (Isa. 5:7); and the grapes "looked for" are identified as justice and righteousness; the wild grapes are bloodshed and greed—adding large beautiful houses and more fields (Isa. 5:7-9).

The removal of the vineyard is interpreted as Israel going into exile (to Babylonia) (Isa. 5:13). This judgment from God will thus be _like_ a tongue of fire that devours the stubble, _like_ dry grass that shrivels in the flame (Isa. 5:24). God's disobedient people are portrayed as a wild vineyard, or as the rotten grass (or grain) of the field, that is removed (sold) to (slavery) exile because of their sins. As Isa. 40:7 adds later, "the grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath (Spirit) of the Lord blows on it; truly the people is grass."

In the New Testament, wheat is sometimes contrasted with its chaff or with weeds to signify the distinction between those who enter the kingdom of God and those who do not. In Jesus' allegorical parable in Mt. 13:24-30 about the wheat and the tares (weeds), wheat is a positive symbol (of faithful disciples); in John's vision it is a negative one (of false prophets). Jesus' parable is sometimes interpreted as meaning: let the evil "weeds" remain in the field (the church) until the final harvest (judgment). But Jesus says the "field" is the world (Mt. 13:38), not the church; the words against "gathering weeds" out of the field are a warning against violent removal of evildoers from the world now in order to produce a righteous kingdom on earth. Jesus' righteous kingdom of disciples does not uproot (kill) evildoers. A kingdom (like the U.S.) that claims to be righteous—and yet goes to war against, or slaughters, evildoers—is not part of Jesus' kingdom. Only Satan and his beasts use the literal slaughtering sword.

The context of John's vision is wheat that is harmed (sold). In 18:4 another voice from heaven will call to those sold (enslaved) Christians, calling them to "come out of her, my people" so that they do not share her sins or her punishment. The harlot (city) is portrayed as "Babylon the great" (18:2) and the Babylonian captivity of Israel is the background for this new slavery and bondage of some of God's people. The prophet Isaiah says to Israel in exile in Babylonia, "for your sins you were sold" (Isa. 50:1). This judgment is then portrayed as God clothing the heavens with blackness, and making sackcloth their covering (Isa. 50:3). Yet the judgment of the rider on the black horse in 6:5-6 is not the final judgment (that comes in 6:12); future calls to come out of slavery, as in 18:4, will also be spoken.

The third living one, who calls for the rider on the black horse, is described in 4:7 as having a face "like a man." This earlier dark judgment, that comes throughout church history, foreshadows the final judgment, portrayed in 14:14-15 as "one like a son of man" coming with a sharp sickle in order to reap the ripe grain harvest of the earth.

The Lamb opens the fourth seal (6:7-8)

When the Lamb opens the fourth seal, the voice of the fourth living one says, "Come." John now sees a green (not "pale") horse; the rider is death. The Greek word used here for green ( _chloros_ ) is found elsewhere only in 8:7 and 9:4. In 8:7 all green grass is burned from fire thrown from heaven; like the grain (wheat and barley) of 6:6, that green grass is harmed by heavenly powers. Remember the judgment symbolized in Isa. 5:24, where the fire devours the stubble (disobedient Israel), like dry grass that shrivels in the flame. In Mt. 13:26 Jesus' parable refers to wheat as "grass" (the same Greek word, _chortos_ , as in 8:7 for grass) that grows and bears fruit.

If the fourth and final horse is green like grass (grain), this seal is a continuation of the third seal (that ends with the grain). There is then a special emphasis again on heaven's judgments against disobedient churches—as in the seven oracles earlier. The "wheat" and "barley" of 6:6 are now seen as a green "horse" under the power of death. Death is personified not as sitting "on" the green horse, but as sitting "over" it, ominously hovering above it (6:8); and Hades (the place of the dead) follows after death. Being sold into captivity to the empire's economic and political leaders (6:6) could lead to death and captivity in Hades (6:8).

The second seal revealed the one riding the red horse, that takes peace from (all) the earth (6:4). Now in this fourth seal, death and Hades are threats over the fourth of the earth (6:8), especially the green "wheat" and "barley" over which they sit. The wheat and barley are false prophets and their followers that were (or are) among the churches that now cover this fourth of the earth. As the oracles to the seven churches in Asia strongly warned against such false ones among them, so the third and fourth seals continue those warnings for the churches on the fourth of the earth.

The inhabited earth at that time was centered around the Mediterranean Sea. In Rom. 15:19 Paul says the gospel has been fully preached (starting) from Jerusalem as far round (the sea) as Illyricum (northwest of John's seven cities in Asia). Not long after that Paul ends up in Rome. The area from Jerusalem to Rome covers approximately the northeast quadrant around the sea, or about one fourth of the earth (that surrounds the sea).

The authority of death and Hades over that fourth of the earth where churches have been "planted" includes killing with the sword, with famine, and with death (6:8). That authority and those weapons are used by the beasts of (all) the earth (6:8). The plural beasts points beyond the beast from the sea (the rider of the red horse) and focuses on the other beast (from the earth). This beast has all the authority of the first beast (from the sea) and makes (all) the earth worship the first beast (13:11-12). Unlike the wild first beast (like a leopard, bear, and lion in 13:2), this beast has two horns like a lamb, but speaks like a dragon; it looks like a lamb but speaks deadly words. This beast is all the false prophets of the earth who speak in support of the violent first beast.

The beast from the earth—such as the synagogues of Satan in 2:9 and 3:9—also speaks (like a dragon) against those in the churches (on the fourth of the earth) who remain faithful to the Lamb. One of the weapons of this beast (the false prophets) is a sword (6:8); the Greek word here is _romphaia_ , like the sword that comes from the mouth of Jesus in 1:16 and 2:16. False prophets "kill" by condemning those in the churches who refuse their idolatry—the opposite of Jesus, who in 2:23 says he will "kill" the "children" (followers) of the prophetess "Jezebel" with "death." It's a war of words. Those who refuse the idolatrous mark (authority) of the beast (from the sea) on their foreheads can be "beheaded" by this "sword" (see 20:4); note how prophetic words "cut" and "kill" in Hos. 6:5 and Isa. 11:4.

In the fourth seal, "death" rules over the green grain (horse) in the churches (on the fourth of the earth) via the beasts, especially the beast from the earth that "kills" (slanders) faithful prophets. Yet those false prophets (in the churches) are warned—by Jesus and his true prophets—that they will finally be "killed" (condemned) with "death" (the second death) if they do not repent (see 2:21-23 and 2:11). Hovering dangerously over those false prophets are death and Hades; and in the end death and Hades (including their captives) are thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death (20:14). Only those (the "oil" and "wine" of the third seal) who conquer these deadly forces and remain faithful to the end will not be harmed by the second death (2:10-11).

False "Christian" prophets (the green "wheat") lead the churches that are under the larger authority of the deadly beast from the earth. Their condemnation of others (who oppose them) in the churches would also "cut" and "kill." Such "murder" fits Jesus' new interpretation of murder in Mt. 5:21-22: Jesus says a brother (see Mt. 12:46-50) who slanders his fellow (Christian) brother or sister by calling them a fool has "killed" them and will be liable to the judgment of hell; a fool in this context is one who hears Jesus' words but does not do them (Mt. 7:26), like the evildoers of Mt. 7:21-23. So the one brother who condemns another brother as a faithless evildoer in Mt. 5:21-22 is actually a deadly false prophet. When Jesus says not to judge (in Mt. 7:1-3), he means not to condemn a brother (or sister) who has a small speck (sin).

False prophets use deception to fool their followers; the beast in 13:11 appears to be a lamb—but it speaks like a dragon. Jesus' disciples must watch out for such false prophets, hungry wolves who wear sheep's clothing (Mt. 7:15). Jesus himself spoke many words of judgment against false prophets during his own day; in Mt. 23:17 Jesus calls Pharisees "blind fools." This is not slander because it is the truth; these Pharisees are children of hell (Mt. 23:15).

In 1 Jn. 3:10 whoever does not love his (Christian) brother is a child of the devil. The message from the beginning—from Jesus and the elders—is that they should love one another (1 Jn. 3:11). Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer and abides in _death_ (1 Jn. 3:14-15); this is the "mortal" sin some brothers commit, and come under God's judgment (1 Jn. 5:16). Anyone who says he loves God and hates his brother is a liar (1 Jn. 4:20).

Another weapon in 6:8 is famine. The slander of the beast from the earth (false prophets, like the synagogue of Satan) can help cause the poverty of true prophets, like the church in Smyrna (2:9). The intimate associations between false prophets (both outside and inside the church) and rich merchants can cause financial difficulty for those slandered. In 1 Jn. 3:14-17 those abiding in _death_ —who hate (murder) their brothers—include those who have the world's goods, who see their brother in need, yet provide no help. Or, the "famine" from the beast(s) could (also) point to false prophets outside the churches overpowering and stealing the green "wheat and barley" in the churches, leaving true prophets in the wilderness without "grain."

The other weapon of 6:8, death, could include literal killing of faithful witnesses like Antipas in 2:13. In this case, the close association between false prophets and local officers of the violent beast from the sea can cause some of the slaughtering portrayed in the second seal.

The fourth living one, that calls for death and Hades to hover (with authority) over the green horse, is portrayed in 4:7 as a flying eagle. While death and Hades hover ominously above the green grain, the great "eagle" hovers over all; as the risen Jesus has the keys of death and Hades (1:18), so the "eagle" (Spirit) has authority over death and Hades; the image is similar to Gen. 1:2, where the Spirit of God hovers over "the deep" waters (the abyss).

The Lamb opens the fifth seal (6:9-11)

After all the death of the second and fourth seals, appropriately the fifth seal reveals the souls of those slaughtered (by the literal sword of 6:4 or the prophetic "sword" of 6:8) on account of the word of God and the witness they spoke. Despite the power of death and Hades over churches in the fourth of the earth in 6:8, Jesus has the keys of death and Hades (1:18)—and the fourth living one (the Spirit) hovers powerfully over death and Hades like an eagle.

When Jesus opens the fifth seal, John sees the slaughtered souls under the (temple) altar in heaven. They are now heavenly priests in the Lamb's new kingdom and temple (see 1:6; 5:9-10; 20:6); foremost among them are the 24 elders (5:8). The elders have gold bowls full of (priestly) incense (5:8); this incense is identified as the prayers of the saints; the gold bowls (like the gold lampstands) could be the (heavenly) saints from which the prayers come.

The opening of this seal also reveals there are still other fellow servants (prophets) and (Christian) brothers or sisters to be "killed" as they were (6:11)—before the scroll that lists all of them is opened. The Greek word for "killed" in 6:11 is the same as in 6:8 for those "killed" by the "sword" (coming from the mouth of false prophets); they were slandered ("killed") on earth because of the word of God and witness they had; yet they remained faithful until (literal) death.

Hades could not hold captive these souls; they live and cry out in heaven, asking God how long before the final judgment against their enemies (6:10). God responds that they must rest and wait until the full number of true prophets—their fellow servants (major prophets) and Christian brothers and sisters (minor prophets)—from all over the earth have finished their own faithful witness unto death. For the final kingdom (like the Lamb's scroll) will contain those from every tribe, tongue, people and nation (5:9); so far only some from the fourth of the earth have become part of this new heavenly kingdom.

The Lamb opens the sixth seal (6:12-17)

When the Lamb opens the sixth seal, the end has come; it is the great day of the wrath (judgment) of God and the Lamb (6:16-17).

All the evil forces of the earth now tremble and try to hide from this judgment (6:15-16; see 19:18). The list of those evil (human) forces begins with the kings of the earth. The Lamb is King of kings, the ruler of the kings of the earth (see 1:5); he now speaks the final judgment against them. These earthly kings and kingdoms were not as godly as they claimed; they always opposed Jesus' new kingdom of true prophets. They boasted they were shining knights on white horses, but true prophets exposed them as bloody barbarians in league with the red horse (Satan).

Next in line for final judgment are the "great ones" (6:15). The Greek word used ( _megistanes_ ) is found elsewhere only in 18:23, where the great ones are the richest merchants of the great (harlot) city; they marketed the luxuries that seduced the peoples of the earth—including many in the churches.

Next are less powerful and wealthy leaders, but still those near the top: the (military) generals, the rich (businessmen), and the strong (6:15). Greedy and patriotic churches, especially their major false prophets, served and honored these "heroes." Few churches or prophets warned the violent, wealthy, and strong among them that they needed to repent.

Finally, everyone (else), both slave and free—who served and supported the seductive and fearful forces above them—now fear the wrath of the Lamb (6:15). These slaves will include major false prophets ("wheat") in the churches and their followers ("barley"), sold into slavery by the Lamb (6:6).

When God, the Lamb, and the Spirit come for the final time, their appearing is portrayed as another theophany. All the cosmic upheaval in 6:12-14 also portrays the passing away of the first heaven and first earth (and the sea) (see 21:1; 20:13). All the previous shining witnesses of heaven (the sun, moon, and stars) against the evil on earth, now "fall" to the earth, like fruit blown down from a tree by a great wind (6:13). (The Greek word for wind here is _anemos_ , but the Greek word for Spirit, _pneuma_ , can also be translated as wind, as in Jn. 3:8. So the great wind of 6:13 is like the strong wind ( _pnoes_ ) of Acts 2:2-4, which filled the whole house, and all were filled with the Spirit. In 6:13, however, the Spirit is empowering the final judgment.)

The full number of faithful witnesses on earth has now been "killed," symbolized by the full moon becoming _like_ blood (6:11-12). The heavenly witness (words) from Jesus' face—shining like the fiery sun (the Spirit of prophecy) (see 1:16)—and from his stars (angels) now ends like a scroll (of written words) being rolled up (6:14). Their former heavenly words against evil on earth (via true prophets on earth) now fall directly to the earth, propelled by the wind (Spirit). All the evil forces on earth (including those in Hades) seek escape from this final day of the wrath of the Lamb; they ask, "Who can stand before it?" (6:17).

That question is answered in 7:9: people out of every nation, tribe, people, and tongue _stand_ before the heavenly throne (God) and before the Lamb, dressed in white garments; these are the ones who can stand on the final day. The full number of those in God's kingdom has come out of the kingdoms of the world; their white garments are the righteous deeds of those faithful witnesses (6:11; 7:9; 19:8).

Not one is missing; that is part of the point of numbering the 12,000 from each tribe (of "Israel") in 7:4-8. The last great gale (of final judgment) (7:1-3; see 6:13) is from the four "winds" (the four living ones who are the Spirit) from the four corners of the earth; the whole earth hears from the four living ones. Yet the last gale will not blow (harm) until all the major servants (prophets) are sealed and finish their witness, and until all their brothers and sisters coming out of the nations stand before the Lamb (7:3-9; see 6:11). All the true prophets, both major and minor, are accounted for. Because they washed their robes (white), they have come out of the great tribulation (judgment) that all the evil forces now tremble to face (7:14).

The synagogue of 2:9 claims to be Jews but slanders true prophets in Smyrna; so they are not worthy of the name Jew; the true Jews are now revealed in 7:4-8. Two groups will be distinguished: the first group is the 144,000, the "sons of Israel," composed of 12,000 from each tribe of Israel; the second group is the great multitude from every nation, from all tribes and peoples (7:9). The first group is described as servants who are _sealed_ on their foreheads (7:3).

In 2 Cor. 1:22 Paul connects God's seal on Corinthian Christians with God giving them the Spirit. Eph. 1:13 says those who hear and believe the word of truth are _sealed_ with the promised Holy Spirit. So the sealed foreheads of 7:3 probably signify hearing and knowing what the Spirit says to the churches—and thus continuing the faithful witness of Jesus. This prophetic witness will draw people from every nation, from all tribes and peoples (7:9), to become part of Jesus' kingdom.

In 14:4 the 144,000 are called "first fruits" for God and the Lamb; the great multitude they lead out from under earth's evil forces would be all other Christians, who become the rest of the "fruits." False Jews are false prophets who seek the glory of Israel; the first fruits are true Jews who prophesy about many peoples, nations, and kings (see 10:11) in order to call people from every nation to turn from the adoration of their powerful kings and wealthy leaders. Paul also could speak of a real Jew as being not outward or physical but spiritual (Rom. 2:28-29). The true Jew is the one in the Spirit, who receives praise from God rather than praise from human leaders (Rom. 2:29).

Jesus is the first of the first fruits, the Lion out of the tribe of Judah (5:5); in 7:5 Judah is the first tribe named. In 5:6 the Lion king turns out to be the slaughtered Lamb standing in the midst of the (royal) throne, and in the midst of the elders (around the throne). The first of the first fruits is thus especially associated with the (twelve times two) elders (the first "first fruits" after Jesus), who sit (and rule) on heavenly thrones in 4:4. This king and his elders (the foundational apostles and prophets) and later servants (God's servants the prophets), all sealed (on the forehead) with the Spirit of Jesus, will be at the forefront of a world mission that results in a new kingdom of "priests" from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation (5:9-10).

These major Christian prophets fulfill the role of the famous _servant_ of Isa. 42:1, on whom God puts the Spirit in order to enable his mission to the nations; this prophetic figure likewise represents Israel and its mission to be a light to the nations (see Isa. 49:3,6). Jesus saw his mission as a fulfillment of Isa. 42:1 (see Mt. 12:17-18), and Paul saw his mission to the nations as a further fulfillment of the servant of Isaiah (quoting Isa. 49:6 in Acts 13:47). Such servants fulfill the role of Israel on a new level; they can therefore be portrayed as the true Jews, the true Israel.

The "thousands" of sons of Israel in 7:3-8 thus portray special true prophets, the major Christian prophets throughout the "thousand" years after Jesus' first faithful witness. The servants of 7:3 are God's servants the prophets (see 10:7), who become souls in heaven after their witness on earth—waiting there until the number of their "fellow servants" (other major prophets) is complete (6:9-11). That final, complete number of fellow servants (prophets) is then symbolized in 7:4-8 by the 144,000. After the "thousand" years, the final judgment comes and all 144,000 are with the Lamb (14:1,7) and are part of the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven in 21:2.

The 144,000 appear in the new Jerusalem as the twelve thousand _stadia_ length, breadth and height of the city (21:16); this would be the dimensions of the walls, which are also measured as 144 cubits (in thickness, as in Ezek. 41:5?) (21:17). The main point of the portrait of the wall is about the numbers 144 and twelve thousand. These numbers are connected with the twelve times twelve thousand from the tribes of Israel, the 144,000, who are the "walls" built on the twelve foundations (the apostles) and around the twelve gates (other elders). They are major prophets who build on the Christian witness of the twelve times two elders, and help provide the "wall" (boundary) for who among the (gold lampstands in the) nations become part of the city of gold.

So the new Jerusalem is made up of living stones—not literal stones—(as in 1 Pet. 2:5): the foundations are the apostles; the gates are (other) elders; the walls are the 144,000 major prophets; and the streets of gold are those from the nations who became part of the gold lampstands. Just as the gold lampstands are symbols of the churches, so the pure gold city, and its pure gold streets (see 21:18,21), are symbols of those from the nations who come to be part of the pure and holy city. And there is no (literal) temple there, for the temple is now the Lord God and the Lamb (21:22). Nothing unclean (impure) will enter the city (21:27).

Throughout Revelation, the kings of the earth are primary opponents of the Lamb. But in 21:24, 26, the kings of the earth will bring "their" glory into the city; they will bring the glory and honor of the nations into the city. These kings would be the new kings of the new earth (21:1), who previously ruled with Christ in heaven for the "thousand" years; in the end the holy city comes down out of heaven to the new earth (21:2). These new kings are the apostles and elders and major prophets whose worldwide mission to the nations resulted in the international kingdom of God and the Lamb. The former (evil) kings of the earth have been "killed" by the "sword" coming from the mouth of Jesus (the final judgment); they have been thrown into the lake of fire (19:19-21; 20:14-15).

The similar (parallel) image of paradise that follows in 22:1-2 portrays the twelve foundations of the city as now twelve fruits of the tree of life. Here the leaves of the tree provide healing for the nations (22:2); the Greek word for leaves is _phulla_ , which looks and sounds like the Greek word for tribes, _phulai_. This could be another hint that John links the 144,000 from the _tribes_ of Israel with the _leaves_ of the tree. The 144,000 from the tribes lead to the great multitude coming out of every nation (7:4-9)—or are the walls of the new Jerusalem that, with the gates, allow the honor of the nations to enter (but not the unclean) (21:26-27)—or are the leaves that provide healing for the nations (22:2). The metaphor of 22:2 is also prefigured in 7:9; those from every nation have palm branches, the leaves (tribes) that healed them. As in Isa. 9:14-15, the palm branch could symbolize the head (leader) of the people.

In contrast to the synagogue (of false Jews) in 2:9, Jesus, the elders, and the major prophets throughout church history—who lead the way in continuing Jesus' witness—are depicted as the true Jews. Those coming out of every nation are followers of the major prophets and have a more minor witness (as minor prophets). Yet even the least in Jesus' new kingdom of prophets will be greater than John the Baptist, the greatest prophet before Jesus' time (Lk. 7:28). Jesus will pour out his Spirit on all his disciples, and all of them will become prophets (see Acts 2:17-18,33).

The saints out of the fourfold nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues are the outermost "extensions" of the fourfold living ones (the Spirit). The four living ones in the midst of and around the throne give life and voice to their "extensions." The extensions start with the four times six, or twelve times two, (wings) elders around the throne, then extend out to the twelve times twelve thousand servants (major prophets), and finally include the saints out of the fourfold nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues. These concentric circles around the throne encompass the full multitude of risen saints.

The Lamb opens the seventh seal (8:1)

When the Lamb opens the seventh seal, there is silence in heaven _like_ half an hour (8:1). The "hour" of trial (judgment) has come upon the whole world; all the evil forces of the earth have been sentenced and silenced (see 3:10; 18:19-23); their slanderous and blasphemous mouths have been shut. Moreover, the cries of souls in heaven about when the final judgment will come have been answered (see 6:10); there will be no more crying or tears. The silence of the seventh seal marks the end of this final judgment, and the beginning of the eternal sabbath, the seventh day of rest.

Chapter 3

Heaven's Seven Angels with the Seven Trumpets (Rev. 8:2-11:19)

After opening all seven seals that kept the scroll of the Lamb closed, one expects to see the scroll opened. But only 20:12 reveals the opening of the Lamb's scroll of life. What John sees next instead is another series of seven: the seven angels who stand before God are given seven trumpets (8:2).

_The_ seven angels (not just any seven angels) refer back specifically to the familiar seven angels of the seven churches (see 1:20). To and through these heavenly hosts—and John—the seven prophetic oracles of Jesus and the Spirit came to the mostly disobedient seven churches.

The seven churches represented all the churches: what Jesus says to each church is what the Spirit says to (all) the churches. The seven spirits portrayed the fullness of the Spirit sent to all the churches—and to all the earth (in 5:6). The seven angels represented the full number of original apostles and prophets of Jesus, the foundational faithful witnesses of Jesus (the first faithful witness). This preeminent heavenly council is then portrayed as 24 elders (Jesus' twelve apostles plus other foundational apostles like Paul); they have crowns and thrones and are closest to the throne of God and of the Lamb (4:4).

Now these seven angels (elders) stand before God and receive seven trumpets. In 1:10 the great voice (of Jesus) that speaks seven oracles to and through the seven angels sounds like a trumpet. As Ex. 19:16 combines the sounds of a great trumpet and thunder at God's appearing, so 1:10,15 combine the sound of a trumpet and many waters (thundering clouds) to signify Jesus' voice.

Right after Jesus' seven oracles to the seven churches via the seven angels, John again hears that first voice like a trumpet (4:1); that voice becomes part of the voices, lightning, and thunder coming from the throne (4:5), in the midst of which is the Lamb (5:6), and around which are the elders (4:4). In 8:2 the fullness of Jesus' (sevenfold) trumpet voice is given (again) to the same seven angels; as these angels (elders) prepare to trumpet, there are thunders, voices, and lightning (8:5-6).

Like most of the seven oracles to the churches—as well as most of the seven seals—most of the seven trumpets will emphasize prophetic warnings to unfaithful Christians and churches. The imagery will be similar to Isa. 58:1, where one (prophet) lifts up his voice like a trumpet and declares to God's people their sins. Similarly, in Ezek. 33:1 the watchman (prophet) sees the "sword" coming upon the land (of Israel) and blows the trumpet to warn the people. If the seven trumpets are seven rams' horns (as at Jericho in Josh. 6:4-5), the Lamb (ram) in 5:6 has seven _horns_ and seven eyes that are the seven spirits (the Spirit of prophecy) sent into all the earth.

In the fourth seal, enemies of the churches affect the fourth of the earth (6:8), where the churches have spread thus far. Now the seven trumpets will spread out a little farther—where new churches have been planted—and affect the third of the earth. The continuation and expansion of the foundational faithful witness of the Lamb and the seven angels (elders) among all the churches is another development that must come to pass soon (see 1:1).

There is thus continuity and expansion of the prophetic warnings that began with the seven churches in Asia Minor, moved on to the fourth of the earth, and now will affect the third of the earth. This shows the expansion of churches geographically and the ongoing warnings from heaven to those churches. The faithful witness must continue to expand, for the end will not come until the full number of fellow servants (prophets) and (Christian) brothers and sisters is complete, who come out of _every_ nation, tribe, tongue, and people (6:11; 7:9).

In 8:3 John sees another angel come and stand over (or upon, or at) the altar (of the heavenly temple); this angel would be preeminent over _all_ the heavenly souls under the altar (in 6:9). This great angel has a gold censer and is given much incense so that he might present it, with the prayers of all the saints, upon the altar before the heavenly throne (8:3).

In 5:8 the 24 elders have gold bowls full of incense (identified as the prayers of the saints). This leads to the new song of 5:9-10 about people from every tribe and nation becoming a new kingdom of priests. If the incense in the gold censer of 8:3 (as in the gold bowls of 5:8) symbolizes the _prayers_ of all the saints in heaven, it seems the gold censer—like the gold bowls—symbolize the heavenly saints themselves, similar to their being gold lampstands (churches) on earth. Out of the priestly censer (saints) comes their incense (prayers).

Out of the hand of the great angel rises up smoke from the incense, along with the prayers of the saints (8:4); the smoke shows that the fiery gold (oil) (the Spirit) that made gold lampstands shine on earth is firing up the incense (prayers) of the gold censer in heaven. The great angel then takes the censer (with the smoking incense or prayers), adds fire from the gold altar, and throws all of that to the earth (8:5). The fire from the altar (before the throne) is like the seven torches of fire before the throne in 4:5 (which are the seven spirits, the Spirit of prophecy). As in 4:5, the fire is linked in 8:5 with thunders, voices, and bolts of lightning (with 8:5 adding an earthquake). And as in Ex. 19:18, smoke, fire, and an earthquake add to the dramatic portrayal of the glory of God, the awesome presence and power of God.

The fiery gold Spirit lights up the heavenly altar, censer, and incense, and is thrown to earth (with the censer and incense) by the great angel standing over the altar. This angel is preeminent over the whole heavenly host, including the seven angels, and has power over (throwing) the Spirit (to earth). As the seven angels were portrayed as seven stars in the powerful right hand of Jesus (in 1:16,20), this even greater angel in 8:3-5 must be the bright morning star, Jesus (as in 22:16).

In 1:16, Jesus' face is "like the sun," a description matched by "another angel" that appears to John in 10:1. The same phrase, "another angel," introduces the great angel of 8:3, after mention in 8:2 of the seven trumpets given to the seven angels. Then, after the first six angels trumpet, "another angel" appears in 10:1; he commands John to prophesy again about (or against) many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings. Unlike in 1:17, this time John does not fall helpless (as if dead) at his feet, even though the angel roars like a lion (10:3); instead John prepares to write (10:4), as if Jesus again has told him to write (as in 1:11,19).

The great angel standing over the altar is the (sacrificed) Lamb, "standing as (though) slaughtered" (in 5:6), whose seven horns (trumpets) and seven eyes are the seven spirits (the Spirit) sent into all the earth (see 5:6). As the risen slaughtered Lamb over the heavenly altar, he renews the heavenly witness portrayed in the seven oracles to the churches in Asia Minor—and portrayed in some of the seven seals, that affect the fourth of the earth (where churches are). As the heavenly high priest, he offers the prayers of all the heavenly saints (priests) and answers their cries against the earth (like those in 6:10) with a renewed (and expanded) witness to (the third of) the earth.

The seven angels with the seven trumpets prepare to trumpet (speak) anew with the voice of Jesus (8:6). The heavenly priestly prayers, prophetic trumpets, and fiery Spirit will now impact the third of the earth where the churches are.

The first angel trumpets (8:7)

When the first angel (elder) trumpets, hail and fire mixed with blood are thrown to earth (8:7) by the great angel over the altar (as in 8:5). Under the heavenly altar in 6:9-10, souls cry out to God to avenge their blood by judging the evil ones on earth.

The result of throwing the hail, fire, and blood is that a third of the earth is _burned_ (8:7); so the fire becomes the focus. The ongoing prophetic witness on earth—that comes from the heavenly temple altar—will be portrayed more fully in 11:1-6 (at the end of the sixth trumpet, just before the final trumpet). For now, note that the prophetic witness on earth against their enemies will be depicted in 11:5 as fire coming out of their mouths.

The fiery Spirit from heaven—speaking through true prophets on earth—burns up (judges) the third of the earth, the third of the trees, and all green grass (8:7). The green grass is like the grain (wheat and barley) of 6:6 that becomes the green "horse" dominated by death and Hades in 6:8. I interpreted that grain (grass) as false Christian prophets (major and minor) in the churches, sold (judged) into slavery (to "Babylon"). In 6:8 they cover the fourth of the earth; in 8:7 they now cover the third of the earth, since the churches (and false prophets in them) have expanded to cover a larger fraction of the earth. Now all green grass (on that third of the earth) is burned (judged) by the renewed prophetic witness on earth of true prophets; compare the imagery of Isa. 5:24 and Mal. 4:1.

Jesus' allegorical parable about the wheat and the tares (weeds) uses the same Greek word ( _chortos_ ) for "grass" (as in 8:7): after introducing the seeds of wheat (and weeds) in Mt. 13:24-25, Jesus refers to the wheat in Mt. 13:26 as _chortos_ (grass, or plants) that grows and produces grain (fruit). But the grass (wheat) of 6:6 and 8:7 is not connected with "good" seed nor is it gathered in a barn, as in Mt. 13:30 (where the weeds are burned, not the grass); in 8:7 the grass is to be "burned."

Paul refers to _chortos_ burning (1 Cor. 3:12-15): he contrasts gold and silver with wood and hay (grass) ( _chortos_ ) that will burn. Paul uses the metaphor of "God's building" or "temple" to portray the church(es) (1 Cor. 3:9-16): Paul lays the foundation, which is Jesus (1 Cor. 3:10-11); the rest of the people in the church(es) are the rest of the "building materials." They are the "work" of those building, like Paul and Apollos (see 1 Cor. 3:5-9). But some are destroying God's temple—where the Spirit dwells—and acting like people "of the flesh" (1 Cor. 3:1-4,16-17). Such unspiritual people, who compete against each other for the status of having the wisest or most eloquent teacher, are _chortos_ in danger of God's final fire (judgment) (1 Cor. 1:11-13; 2:1-5; 3:3-4,13,17).

The images of John's vision emphasize the fire (Spirit) that burns (judges) all the grass (plants)—the wheat as well as the barley—and the trees, on the third of the earth where the churches (and their false prophets) are. The "third of the trees" would be the trees on that third of the earth. Unlike the green grass (false Christian prophets in the churches that are only on that third of the earth), the trees cover the whole earth. In 7:1-4 trees are contrasted with the servants of God, who are the 144,000 (the major prophets); in 11:3-4 the two faithful prophetic witnesses are portrayed as two olive trees.

It appears the trees of 8:7 are likewise major prophets, more major than the green grass (even the more "expensive" wheat in the churches) (see 6:6). If so, they would be part of the beast from the earth, all the false prophets of the earth who stand tall—like trees on the earth—with all the authority of the beast from the sea (13:11-12). The synagogues of Satan in 2:9 and 3:9 would be examples of powerful non-Christians who slander (and even promote imprisonment of) true prophets who do not serve the beast from the sea, the world empire. (In Mt. 7:15-18 Jesus portrays false prophets as bad trees that bear bad fruit.) These vocal promoters of the world empire are all over the earth, including the third of the earth where the churches have reached so far; they also must be "burned" (judged as evil) by the heavenly fire (Spirit of prophecy) coming via true prophets on earth.

The second angel trumpets (8:8-9)

The second angel (elder) trumpets and something _like_ a great mountain burning with _fire_ is _thrown_ into the sea (8:8). This is similar to the heavenly censer filled with _fire_ from the altar, that the angel _throws_ to earth in 8:5—and similar to the hail and _fire thrown_ to earth in 8:7; so something _like_ a great fiery mountain portrays another fiery heavenly reality thrown to earth by the angel (Lamb) on the fiery altar.

The only other heavenly "mountain" is found in 14:1 (Mt. Zion, on which the Lamb stands, with the completed number of the 144,000). In 14:1 Mount Zion is the heavenly new Jerusalem; the number of fellow servants (prophets) is now complete (see 6:11). Since all the divine persons and heavenly prophetic saints make up the new Jerusalem, it is a parallel image here to the temple altar—with all of its divine persons, including the angel (Lamb) and fire (Spirit), as well as the prophetic saints.

In 18:21 an angel throws a strong stone like a great millstone into the sea and says this represents Babylon the great city being thrown down (destroyed, in the end). In 8:8 the great burning mountain (rock) thrown in the sea is also a city, but now the heavenly city burning with fire (the Spirit).

The fiery cries (prayers) of the heavenly saints (in the Spirit) are thrown down again and again to earth (by Jesus), as portrayed by the thrown censer (containing their smoking prayers) in 8:5, the thrown hail and fire mixed with (their) blood in 8:7, and the thrown mountain in 8:8.

Jesus now throws (sends) that fiery mountain city into the sea; the third of the sea becomes blood (8:8); the third of the creatures in the sea die, the (human) ones having souls; and the third of the ships are destroyed (8:9). Several translations use the phrase "living creatures," but John does not use the Greek word for the living ones; he simply uses the word for creatures, and then identifies these sea creatures as "the ones having souls." As often elsewhere, he tells what he saw, and then says what it is, what it symbolizes. The Greek word for soul ( _psuche_ ) can also mean "life;" yet this (soul) life virtually always in the New Testament refers to human life (and the plural in 8:9 fits better with souls than with "lives").

In 6:9 John sees under the altar (of the heavenly temple) the _souls_ of those slaughtered for the word of God and for their witness. They are crying out for God to judge those on earth who shed their blood (6:10). Since this is similar to 8:3-7, where the prayers of all the saints are being offered on the (heavenly) altar, resulting in fire from the altar being thrown to earth, mixed with blood (8:5,7), the souls of 8:9 should be seen as the counterpart to those in 6:9.

The blood of the heavenly souls (thrown down to the earth in 8:7) is now part of the mountain city thrown into the third of the (Mediterranean) sea—the third of the sea around the third of the earth where the churches are. This blood causes the sea to become blood (red). Consequently, the "creatures" (the souls) in the third of the sea die from drinking this blood (the blood they were partly responsible for shedding). And the burning mountain (city) crashing into the sea destroys the third of the ships.

The first "sea creature" that comes to mind is the sea dragon, introduced later in 12:3, and portrayed as standing on the sand of the sea when a beast comes out of the sea (12:17-13:1). These are the red "horse" and its rider in 6:4, that slaughter with a great sword. This links with (some of) the blood of heavenly souls in 6:9 who have been slaughtered. So the bloodthirsty world empire that comes via war ships on the sea could be some of the souls now having to drink the blood from the blazing mountain.

The images of drinking blood and ships on the sea also link with the great harlot, the great city and its greedy international business that includes ships on the sea carrying bodies and souls of people (18:13,17-19,24). In 17:6 the harlot city is drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses of Jesus. The bloodied souls in heaven in 6:9 suffered on account of the witness they had. The appropriate punishment for the bloodthirsty city, and the nations that drank her "wine" (18:3), is to "kill" them with that blood.

The blood of the heavenly mountain city is bloodying and destroying (condemning) the souls and ships of the third of the sea. Some of the souls could be those on the ships. There could also be souls already in the depths of the sea, the abyss. The latter would be already dead, but now killed (condemned) by those in heaven they helped slaughter (with literal swords, or more often with the swords of their condemning mouths).

The bloodied heavenly souls still have a fiery voice that can extend their judgments to the deadly sea. If they are judging dead souls in the sea, this could be because many churches around that third of the sea are still enslaved, captivated, by the former words and works of those souls. If the souls are viewed as those on the ships, it would be a warning against joining the attractive (and deadly) great city.

As with earlier judgments from heaven, these cries are heard via true prophets on earth. The true prophets on earth (during the time of the trumpets) are especially revealed just before the seventh trumpet ends the heavenly judgments: in 11:6 these prophets have authority over the waters to turn them into blood. The blood of the heavenly souls that cries out against the enslaved souls on (and in) the sea is heard in the judgments of true prophets on earth. They expose and oppose the captivated souls (in and around the churches) that glorify the wealth of the great city, as well as the ships that grow rich from their (international) sea business with the harlot city. True prophets hold those "slaves" and "slave traders" accountable for their slander against former true prophets—who are now heavenly souls.

The third angel trumpets (8:10-11)

When the third angel (elder) trumpets, a great star falls out of heaven; it is burning like a torch (8:10). The Greek word here for torch ( _lampas_ ) is used elsewhere only in 4:5 (the seven torches of fire burning are identified as the seven spirits (the Spirit) of God).

Since the seven angels were first seen as seven stars (in 1:20), this great falling star, burning like a torch of fire, could signify the great angel that until now stands over the altar (in 8:3); he has thrown out of heaven first the censer filled with fire, then the hail and fire mixed with blood, and then the great burning mountain (city). Now the bright morning star (of 22:16) is burning bright with the fiery Spirit, like the eyes and face of Jesus in 1:14,16—and "falling" from heaven.

In 14:1 the Lamb stands on Mt. Zion, the great burning mountain "thrown down" in 8:8. Now that the great high priest has thrown down the heavenly mountain (city)—a parallel image to the heavenly temple altar (and censer)—over (on) which he stood, he "falls" from heaven as the next fiery figure of judgment. Jesus and the burning torch (the Spirit of prophecy) are again coming to speak prophetically against part of the earth.

The great star (angel), Jesus, falls on the third of the rivers and on the fountains of the waters (8:10). The rivers are the waters, and the fountains are the sources of those waters.

In 12:12-13, after the dragon is thrown down to the earth and sea, it hunts the woman (Spirit) that bore (raised) the child (Jesus). The woman escapes by flying with the wings of the great eagle (the fourth living one in 4:7) into the dry wilderness (12:14). Since the serpent is now "confined" to the sea—standing on the sand of the sea in 12:17—it can only spit water like a river (flood) from its mouth after the woman (12:15); but the earth opens its mouth (like an earthquake) and swallows the river (12:16).

In this symbolism, the accusing mouth (see 12:10) of the dragon, Satan, is a fountain of these waters (rivers) on earth. In 16:12-13, after the water of the great river Euphrates dries up, John sees only demonic spirits (like frogs) come out of the mouth of the dragon and beast (from the sea) and false prophet (the beast from the earth). So it seems the beast (from the sea) and false prophet (the beast from the earth) are also fountains of the waters. The river Euphrates of 16:12 links with the great harlot (city) of Babylon (on the Euphrates)—sitting on many waters in 17:1; in 17:15 those waters are interpreted as peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. The slanderous accusations of the dragon and its beasts are passed on through these tongues.

The woman in the dry desert has children who keep the commandments of God and the witness of Jesus (12:17). These true prophets will now be fired up by the great blazing star to confront the third of the rivers of the earth—the rivers that run through that third of the earth where the churches are so far.

Unlike true prophets in the wilderness, the "watery" multitudes speak with the mouth of their fountains—the dragon, the beast (empire) from the sea, and the beast (false prophets) from the earth. They all speak like an accusing dragon (see 13:11) against true prophets; they all want to drown out the true witness of the woman's children in the wilderness.

The name of the great star is Wormwood (in Greek, _Apsinthos_ ) (8:11). When Wormwood falls on the third of the rivers (peoples)—where the churches are—these waters become wormwood. Then many of the people die from the waters because they were made bitter (8:11).

Wormwood is very bitter, and the waters it falls in become bitter like wormwood. The many people who "die" from the bitter condemnation of the star (through prophets on earth) would be the many waters (peoples) that were made bitter.

The wicked waters would include lukewarm water like the church in Laodicea. Because they are not hot with the fiery Spirit, they speak with the mouth (of the fountains) of the waters (peoples) of the earth. So Jesus warns them in 3:16-19: he will spit them out of his mouth unless they repent; if they refuse to repent—to return to the words of Jesus and the Spirit—true prophets will make clear they are no longer part of Jesus' "mouth." Like the church in Sardis, that has the name of being alive, they are now exposed as "dead" (3:1).

The fourth angel trumpets (8:12-13)

After all that prophetic judgment, those exposed and embittered turn against the true prophets. When the fourth angel (elder) trumpets, the third of the sun was "plagued" (8:12). The sun is first mentioned in 1:16, where Jesus' face shines like the sun with its power; like Jesus' fiery eyes in 1:14, the fiery face like the sun points to the fiery Spirit. But now that this Spirit of burning prophetic judgment has plagued the third of the earth, sea, and rivers, the evil forces on earth now "plague" the third of the sun that burned and embittered them. The image of the sun's fiery judgment would be especially appropriate for the burning of the third of the earth, the third of the trees, and all the green grass in 8:7.

The Greek word for embitter used in 8:11 is elsewhere used only in 10:9-10. John sees a strong angel in 10:1 whose face is like the sun; this strong angel (like the great star of 8:10) is the risen Jesus—whose face is like the sun in 1:16. In 10:9-10 the strong angel gives John a little scroll to eat; he tells John it will _embitter_ his stomach but be sweet as honey in his mouth. Then Jesus tells John he must again prophesy about (against) many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings. The little scroll is John's renewed prophecy, probably the rest of the book of Revelation itself; he will now prophesy further about the peoples and their kings. The scroll or words in his mouth will be sweet (for him), but will lead to being _embittered_ because of the bitter reactions of the peoples (including many churches) and their kings.

The third of the sun shining has included the true prophets in the churches (the burning hot gold lampstands) on the third of the earth. Because these prophets _plagued_ the third of the earth (during the first three trumpets) (compare 11:6), the embittered evil forces (including many in the churches) react by plaguing—by slandering or slaughtering (condemning)—these prophets and their fiery Spirit of prophecy.

The imagery of the third of the moon and the third of the stars has to do with similar heavenly lights like that of the sun. In 12:1 the sun, moon, and 12 stars are all connected with the heavenly woman (Spirit). Although a third of (all) the stars of heaven are thrown to the earth in 12:4, they are thrown by the tail of the dragon; nevertheless this seems to be another "plague" against a third of the stars.

The seven stars of 1:16 are identified as the seven angels of the churches in 1:20. The seven prophetic oracles to those mostly unrepentant churches show that these heavenly lights have been darkened by various false prophets and apostles in those churches. In 8:12 the third of all these heavenly lights is darkened, so that the day (of the Lord, coming in judgment) should not shine its third (on the third of the earth where the churches are), and the night likewise. The image of the starry witness would be especially appropriate for the great star that falls on the waters in 8:10.

In 6:12, with the opening of the sixth seal—the final, great day of the wrath of God and the Lamb—the (whole) sun becomes black, the full moon becomes like blood, and the stars fall to the earth. The bloody moon links with the preceding verses in 6:9-11 about the heavenly souls of those slaughtered on earth for their witness; those souls cry to God to avenge their blood on those dwelling on the earth. They are told to rest until the full number of their fellow servants (prophets) who are to be killed should be complete; then 6:12 says the _whole_ moon becomes like blood (in the end). With the sixth seal the full number has now been "killed" and their blood covers the whole moon. If so, the moon would symbolize their faithful witness unto death. The image of the darkened or bloodied moon would be especially appropriate for the "mountain" that bloodies the bloodthirsty sea in 8:8-9.

When true prophets in churches on this third of the earth are slandered, imprisoned, or killed, the light on that third is darkened. By darkening these lights, they think they have won the final battle.

But the "battle" is far from over. John next sees and hears _one_ eagle flying in the midst of heaven, speaking with a great voice (8:13); this vision links with 4:7, where the fourth living one is like an eagle flying. Likewise in 12:14 the woman (Spirit) is given the two wings of _the_ great eagle so she can fly into the wilderness to escape the sea dragon and its mouth full of (embittered) rivers. If the Spirit of prophecy that shined over the third of the earth has been darkened, it has nevertheless hardly been silenced—for the eagle (Spirit) now returns as the living one that can never be silenced ("killed").

The eagle (Spirit) flying in the midst of heaven speaks of three more woes to come upon those dwelling on the earth, who darkened the heavenly lights. These woes will come via the rest of the sounds (voices) of the trumpets of the three remaining angels (elders) (8:13).

The fifth angel trumpets (9:1-12)

When the fifth angel (elder) trumpets, John sees a star that has _fallen_ out of heaven onto the earth (9:1). This would be the great star of 8:10 that _fell_ out of heaven burning like a torch. That star (angel) is Jesus; he has been given the key to the mouth (or shaft) of the abyss (9:1). In 1:18, after Jesus' faithful witness is darkened in death, he comes out of Hades alive and has the keys of death and Hades. The abyss, like Hades, is the place of the dead (see Rom. 10:7).

In 9:2 the star (Jesus) opens the mouth (shaft) of the abyss, and smoke comes up like smoke of a great furnace (fire). The only other use of the word "furnace" is in 1:15, where Jesus' feet are like bronze, "as refined by (the fire of) a furnace." That same fire is shining like the sun in its full power all around Jesus' face in 1:16, and is blazing like a flame of fire from his eyes in 1:14.

Just as Jesus died but now lives forever, and has the keys of death and Hades (1:18), the light and fire (Spirit of prophecy) of later prophets can be plagued or darkened by the powers of death and Hades (the abyss)—as in 8:12—but this living (burning) one comes back "smoking."

True prophets, whose light (fire) over the third of the earth is darkened—and ended sooner or later in literal death, are not left in the abyss, the place of the dead. Only false accusers, like the dragon (or those who speak like a dragon), are now "bound" in the abyss by the angel who has the key (20:1,3). When Jesus opens and frees the temporarily darkened lights, their fire has still not been put out; for smoke comes up out of the abyss, like smoke of a great furnace (fire).

The image of smoke rising up relates back to the scene that introduces the heavenly trumpets in 8:4; there the smoke of incense rises up with the prayers of the heavenly saints. In 9:2 recently darkened dead saints rise up to heaven out of the abyss (in their "first resurrection") and join the other saints whose prayers (voices) are smoking with the fiery Spirit of prophecy.

The sun and air are darkened by that rising smoke. This darkening of the sun is different from 8:12, where the third of the sun (the fiery Spirit of prophecy) is plagued. The darkened sun of 9:2, in contrast, portends a new plague (woe) _from_ heaven; the rising smoke with the rising saints prepares for a new round of prophecy. So the dark sun (and smoke) of 9:2 is most similar to the black sun of 6:12 (and the black horse of 6:5). This is a new theophany, a new coming of the Lord in judgment—via the fiery Spirit of prophecy and newly risen prophets.

Smoke is often included among the sights and sounds of theophanies, like the thunder, bolts of lightning, voices, and earthquake in 8:5 (following the smoke of 8:4). The famous theophany (revelation) on Mt. Sinai in Ex. 19:16-18 included literal thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, a loud trumpet, the Lord descending in fire, an earthquake, and smoke from the fire like the smoke of a furnace.

Later Hebrew poetry then used these sights and sounds to denote new comings of God. In Ps. 18:4-5 David weaves together deadly images: the cords of death, the (watery) torrents of perdition, the cords of _Sheol_ (the Hebrew word for the Greek Hades), and the snares of death all encompass or entangle him. But when he cries to God, God hears from his (heavenly) temple (Ps. 18:6). God's coming to rescue David from death is then portrayed as the earth shaking, smoke rising up from his nostrils, fire coming from his mouth, thick darkness under his feet while riding a cherub (or the wings of the wind), darkness and thick clouds around him, hail and fire as he thunders, and arrows of lightning bolts, all leading to the rescue of David out of many waters (Ps. 18:7-15).

Out of the smoking fiery Spirit come locusts onto the earth (9:3). This is like the eighth plague sent by God, through his prophet Moses, against the empire of Egypt (Ex. 10:12-15). But now the "locusts" are given authority _like_ the authority of the scorpions of the earth (9:3).

In Lk. 10:17-19, after his disciples cast out demons, Jesus says he has given them authority over "serpents and scorpions," and over all the power of the enemy. Thus most interpreters think of demonic powers from the abyss being unleashed with the fifth trumpet. But the authority of these locusts is only _like_ the authority of the evil scorpions of the earth (that accuse and condemn). In 11:6 the two (true) prophets have _authority_ to _plague_ the earth as much as they want. Such prophets on earth "echo" the heavenly voices and authority of the flying (rising) locusts (saints), smoking from the fiery Spirit, the great eagle flying in the midst of heaven (in 8:13).

In 9:4-5 these locusts (saints) with scorpion-like stings are told not to harm the grass of the earth, nor "every green thing nor every tree." They will not be stinging _all_ these "plants," but only the people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. So it appears these particular plants again symbolize certain people (as in 8:7 and 6:6).

In 11:4-5 the two (true) prophets are portrayed as two olive trees that are not to be harmed; this links with the (olive) oil not to be harmed in 6:6. In 7:1-3, again "every tree," as in 9:4 (not "any" tree, as some translate 7:1 and 9:4) is not to be harmed until all the servants (prophets) of God have been sealed—anointed with the oil (Spirit)—on their foreheads. Those trees to be harmed would be those not having the seal of God on their foreheads, as in 9:4.

As in 8:7, the trees to be harmed (judged) in 7:3 would be the major false prophets who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads; they oppose the major true prophets of 7:3-8 (the 144,000 true Jews, who have the seal of God on their foreheads). The bad "trees" would include the "synagogue of Satan" in 2:9 and 3:9, who claim to be Jews (like the major prophets of 7:3-8) but are false prophets who slander and cause tribulation for true prophets.

The harm, however, of 7:3 is the mighty winds of 7:1, like the strong gale of 6:13 at the final great day of wrath of God and the Lamb. The harm of 9:4-5 is only "torture" (torment) of certain trees (prophets) for five months—torment _like_ the torture of a scorpion when it stings a person; in 11:10 the two olive trees (true prophets) have been a torment (the same Greek word as in 9:5) to those on earth.

The flying locusts (saints) thus do not torment "every tree," since the two (true) witnesses or prophets of 11:3 are also portrayed as trees in 11:4. Only the bad "trees" (non-Christian false prophets like the synagogues of Satan) are to be "stung;" this would then be a renewal of part of the plague in 8:7 (against the third of the trees, minus the green grass or grain that are "Christian" false prophets). These "trees" would be powerful false prophets that stand tall above the earth and help darken ("shade") the heavenly lights (as in 8:12) that shine through true prophets on earth. In 2:9-10 the synagogue of Satan is full of such false prophets; they cause the most suffering and tribulation for the faithful church(es).

Like those "trees" at the final great day of wrath, these people will try to escape this torment (9:6; see 6:16). They would rather die than remember those they darkened with slander, imprisonment, or death—who now "rise" (like locusts) and speak anew through new prophets on earth. They will seek death rather than repentance (see 9:20). The torment is temporary ("five months") and meant to lead to repentance; this again shows it is torment via true prophets (as in 11:10), who call for repentance. Their true witness torments false prophets; they demand repentance.

The flying locusts (saints) that torment certain "trees" (via prophets on earth) look like horses, ready for battle (9:7). If these locusts were demons from the abyss, they would look like the red horse (Satan) of 6:4. But they are in the dark smoke that darkens the sun and air, and so look like the black horse of 6:5 (the heavenly multitudes).

On their heads are "like crowns, like gold." In 6:2 the rider of the white horse has a crown. As there, this is about the gold oil (the Spirit) giving authority to, and empowering a renewed witness of, heavenly saints. They are prepared to "battle" the evil forces of earth again.

Now all these flying locusts (saints) who have been faithful unto death have this crown (power)—as promised in 2:10. In 2:16 Jesus warns the church he will come soon and "war" (battle) against them with the sword of his _mouth_. In 2:26-27 those who conquer evil on earth will be given _authority_ over the evil nations and continue to conquer them in the heavenly "battle" against them. Compare the ongoing heavenly conquering by the crowned rider on the white horse in 6:2.

The faces of the locusts are like faces of humans, for they are risen saints. They were dead but now are living, through the power of the risen Lamb and the four living ones (the Spirit). Their teeth now are like the teeth of lions (9:8)—resembling the first living one like a lion in 4:7, and the Lion of Judah in 5:5. The wings of the flying locusts in 9:9 again resemble the four living ones (especially the fourth living one like a flying eagle in 4:7), who all have wings in 4:8; so they look most like the living ones (and not like demons). In 9:9 the sound of their wings is like the sound (thunder) of chariots of horses charging into battle (compare the sound of the wings of the living ones in Ezek. 1:24).

As they go to "battle," the locusts (saints) have breastplates of iron (9:9). Compare the seven angels of 15:6 who have gold girdles around their breasts; in 1:13 the risen Jesus has a gold girdle around his breast. Having been faithful unto death, they are now all protected and secure as they carry on their "war" (witness) against earth.

They have over them as king the angel of the abyss (9:11). This would be the angel of 9:1, who has the key of the abyss, and is the same angel as in 8:10. It is the great morning star (angel), Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Hebrew name of the angel in 9:11 is _Abaddon_ ; the Greek name is _Apolluon_. Compare the Greek name of the angel in 8:10: _Apsinthos_. All begin with alpha, and point to the Amen, the firstborn beginning of God's new heavenly creation (3:14). As the preeminent alpha, this morning star ( _aster_ ), or angel ( _angelos_ ), is the king of all the flying locusts ( _akridon_ ), including the flying eagle ( _aetos_ ).

Since the meaning of _Abaddon_ is destruction and _Apolluon_ is destroyer, most interpreters do not see this angel as Jesus. Yet another Greek word for destruction is used in 8:9 to portray heaven's judgment against the third of the ships; they are destroyed by the great burning mountain thrown into the sea by the great angel of 8:3-5, who is the same angel as in 8:10, 9:1, and 9:11. In 11:18 the final (seventh trumpet) woe of the wrath of God (and his Christ, in 11:15) includes _destroying_ the destroyers of the earth. This final destruction (condemnation) will be the "second death" of 20:14, the lake of fire—where the fiery Spirit will torment them forever, never letting them forget the evil they did (see 20:10,12,15).

The sixth angel trumpets (9:13-11:14)

In 9:12 the first woe (of the three woes of 8:13) has passed with the trumpeting of the fifth angel (elder); two woes are still to come. The second woe comes when the sixth angel (elder) trumpets.

Jesus tells the sixth angel (elder) to release the four angels who have been "bound" over (or at) the great river Euphrates (9:14). This depiction is similar to 7:1, where four angels stand over (or on, or at) the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds of the earth. Such awesome angels would be most similar to the four living ones, the four "cherubim" that portray the omnipresent fourfold Spirit over all (four corners of) the earth. (In 5:6 the seven spirits are the sevenfold Spirit sent by the Lamb into all the earth.)

Both numbers, four and seven, symbolize their (omni)presence over the earth. Seven times John describes those on earth as the fourfold "peoples, nations, tongues, and tribes" of the earth (5:9; 7:9; 10:11; 11:9; 13:7; 14:6; 17:15). (In 10:11 tribes are replaced by kings, and in 17:15 by multitudes.)

The great river Euphrates is the greatest of the rivers of 8:10. It is especially the many waters on which the harlot (city) Babylon the great sits (17:1,5); those waters (of the great river) are identified as the fourfold peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues under (the "spell" or seduction of) the harlot (city) (17:15). This could include lukewarm waters (churches) like the rich church of Laodicea—to the extent that they profit from their "association" with the great harlot (Rome). The rich merchants from all over the world who travel to the great city, flowing in and out of her like the great river and profiting from her greed ("lust"), could be especially in mind.

When the great harlot falls in the end, all heaven (the saints, apostles, and prophets) is told to rejoice _over_ her (18:20). But now the four heavenly angels of 9:14 are bound over her great river—waiting for the right moment to bring an earlier judgment (before the end) against the great river, the waters (peoples) that adore the luxurious city and "lust" for its wealth; that moment is now, expressed in terms of the fullness of time, the precise (fourfold) hour, day, month, and year (9:15).

The four angels are freed in order that they might "kill" the third of the people (not the third of "mankind" as in some translations) (9:15). In 2:22 Jesus warns that he will throw the immoral "Jezebel" and those full of the same lustful desires (greed) into great tribulation (the final judgment); in 2:23 he adds that he will also "kill" her "children," described further as meaning their final judgment according to their immoral works. In 11:5 anyone who tries to harm the two prophets must be "killed"—by the fire (Spirit) coming out of their mouths, symbolic of words of judgment (before the final judgment).

The third of the earth or sea or rivers in earlier trumpets relates to the third of the earth where the true prophets have reached so far. Thus the third of the people in 9:15 would be the third of the waters (people) of the great river, the third of those under (the spell of) the great city of that time, Rome—the third where true prophets have reached so far. The "killing" (judging) by the four angels will be _spoken_ through those prophets.

The precise hour in 9:15 is a preview of the great city's own final hour; in 18:10 her (final) judgment comes in one hour; in 18:17 and 18:19, all her wealth is destroyed in one hour. Indeed most of the trumpet judgments on _the third_ are previews of the final judgment on everyone (as shown later in the seven bowls). Those who do not repent due to the trumpet warnings will receive final judgment in the end from these same heavenly rulers (judges).

John hears the number of the "armies" of the (heavenly) horse(s) coming to join the "battle" (9:16): their number is two myriads of myriads. These would be the myriads of myriads of angels around the throne, the living ones, and the elders in 5:11 (compare Dan. 7:10). Heb. 12:22-23 distinguishes between these myriads of angels in the heavenly Jerusalem and the assembly of the firstborn ("risen" Christians) enrolled (in the book of life) in heaven. Jude 14 quotes the Jewish apocalypse _1_ _Enoch_ concerning the Lord's coming with his holy myriads to bring judgment on all.

But 9:16 is distinctive for its _two_ myriads of myriads. The number two seems to link with the two prophets in 11:3-4, who are part of this sixth trumpet woe (see 11:14). If so, all the ancient angels of heaven now join the four angels in order to inspire the "two(fold)" prophets on earth at this time (when the churches cover a third of the earth) who will "kill" (judge) the third of the people of the great river.

The myriads of ancient angels ride horses and have breastplates of hyacinth-colored fire and sulfur (9:17). The sulfur combines with the fire (and smoke) of earlier trumpets to point to judgment from the fiery Spirit. Later (in 19:20, 20:10, and 21:8), sulfur is found in the lake of fire, burning with fire and sulfur, a portrait of eternal torment (judgment). Sulfur is the brimstone that combines with fire all the way back to the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24). Thus the judgment against the third of the people of the great river (by the ancient angels) is comparable to the judgment of ancient Sodom.

The heads of the horses (on which the angelic "armies" ride) are like the heads of lions (9:17). Compare the locusts like horses, with teeth like lions' teeth in 9:7-8. So the horses of 9:17, like the locusts of 9:7-9, are the heavenly ("risen") saints.

The fire and sulfur of the breastplates of the riders then become the fire and smoke and sulfur that come out of the mouths of the horses (9:17). These three plagues—the fire, smoke, and sulfur from the mouths of the horses—kill the third of the people ("under" the great harlot city) (9:18); for the authority of the horses (heavenly saints) is in their mouth(s), and in their tails, that are _like_ serpents and have heads that harm (9:19). Harming with tails like serpents relates back to the tails of the locusts that harm like scorpions in 9:10.

The harming now is "killing," but this is a "killing" with the fire, smoke, and sulfur from the _mouths_ of the horses (heavenly saints). It takes effect on earth through the "killing" (judging) done by the "two(fold)" prophets of 11:5, via the same fire (Spirit) that comes out of their mouths. Compare also the final coming of Jesus—on the white horse, with his "armies" on white horses—who strikes down the nations with the sharp sword (Spirit) from his _mouth_ (19:13-15), a portrait of the final judgment.

When Jesus and the Spirit speak oracles of mostly judgment against the seven churches, these words are the sharp sword that comes from Jesus' mouth (1:16). This "warfare" (as in 2:16) is a war(ning) of words. The "deaths" of the third of the creatures in the sea (8:9)—and of many people embittered by the great star (8:11)—are likewise these deadly judgments against them.

Old Testament prophets use similar poetic imagery. In Isa. 30:33 the breath (Spirit) of the Lord burns like a stream of brimstone (sulfur). Amos 5:18-19 portrays the darkness of (the day of the Lord's) judgment as a serpent biting someone. In Jer. 5:14 God's words become a fire in the prophet's mouth, devouring ("burning") an unfaithful people like wood (trees).

The rest of the people (of the great river) who are not "killed" by these plagues refuse to repent (9:20). Before the final judgment, the purpose of the Spirit's judgments (warnings) is repentance. It appears the prophetic judgment against the third of the people reaches the ears of the rest of the people like them—people like merchants from the other (two-thirds) nations who travel to the great city and hear rumors, from the third who have been warned, about new provocative prophets; they too refuse to repent.

The purpose of the "killing" (words) of 9:18 (and 11:5) is in order that the people should not worship the demons and the idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood (9:20). These idols are the cargo of the rich merchants that sell to the great city: in 18:11, at the forefront of their cargo are gold, silver, and jewels (stones), followed later by expensive kinds of wood, then bronze, iron, and marble. True prophetic judgment "trashes" all these idols "in one hour" (9:15; a preview of the final hour of judgment in 18:17,19).

The demons of 9:20 reappear in the city's final judgment; when Babylon the great falls, it becomes a dwelling place of demons and unclean spirits (18:2). Unlike the flying eagle (Spirit) of 8:13, or the flying locusts of 9:3-11, the demons of 18:2 are portrayed as unclean birds. The demons of the sixth trumpet (9:20) are also found in the sixth bowl (16:13-14): after the water of the great river Euphrates dries up, there are only unclean (demonic) spirits, like frogs, that come out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast (from the sea), and the false prophet (the beast from the earth). In 13:11-12 the beast from the earth (the false prophet) speaks like a dragon and makes the earth worship the first beast (from the sea). This worship of the violent, domineering world empire—especially the idolatry of its great city's wealth—is the worship of demons. The myriads of angels who ride the heavenly horses battle against their ancient demonic foes.

The rest of the people of the great river also do not repent from their murders, sorcery, sexual immorality, or stealing (9:21). The worship of the wild sea beast and its wealthy harlot includes: joining or supporting their murders—"killing" (slandering) true prophets, or literally killing prophets or saints or all the others slaughtered on earth (see 18:24); being deceived by the sorcery of the great harlot (see 18:23); lusting immorally for more wealth; and stealing wealth (the cargo of 18:11-13) from weaker nations (and employing "slave" labor, who are paid slave wages).

These are sins that churches in daughter cities of the great harlot (city) must also be warned about, churches like those under the leadership of the lustful (greedy) prophet "Jezebel" (see 2:14,20). The great city on the Euphrates is the center for all these sins of the earth.

Most recently, New York has been the great city, the world center for the same sins. She has also been the "mother" of other "harlots" around the world; many of their merchants "consort" together with the great "harlot" because they share her "lust." The latest great harlot, with her international banks (banksters) and multinational corporations, has ridden the current sea (international) beast (empire), the United States—and enriched her great river of "associates" throughout the world. Together they have stolen and murdered all over the earth.

Many false prophets of the major media in New York (and "daughter" cities) try to make the U.S. empire look adorable: their television shows, movies, magazines, and newspapers spread her propaganda (sorcery) all over the earth. The U.S. supposedly stands for freedom, democracy, human rights, and prosperity. Many adore (worship) these false images and desire to be like, or part of, the great city. "All roads lead to Rome;" immigrants from all over the earth have poured into New York for centuries. But true prophets reveal the true judgment—and suffer slander, or worse.

Before the sixth trumpeting (the second woe) ends in 11:14, Jesus appears again to John (10:1-11). In 8:2-3, after the seven angels are given seven trumpets, Jesus is "another angel" that stands tall over the heavenly altar. Now in 10:1, after the four (omni)potent angels of the sixth trumpet, Jesus is "another strong angel" (whose face is like the sun, as in 1:16) that stands tall over the earth and sea and roars like a lion (see 5:5, as well as 4:7).

Seven thunders sound out also, another round of seven (that could follow the seven trumpets in what John writes); yet they are to remain sealed, for the focus now is on the final seventh trumpet (10:3-7), and on the little scroll John receives from the angel so that he can again prophesy about (or against) many peoples, nations, tongues, and _kings_ (10:8-11). I think the little scroll is the rest of Revelation, which will reveal even more about the kings (and queens)—especially in chapters 13 and 17-18—that dominate the earth.

Then, as at the beginning of the trumpet judgments in 8:3-4, John is told about the (heavenly) temple of God and altar and those worshiping there (11:1); now John is to measure these. Compare the measuring of the new Jerusalem in 21:15-17. The length, width, and height of the new Jerusalem are found to be equal, like a perfect cube (21:16); the city of gold is like the cubic gold holy of holies of the temple in 1 Kgs. 6:20. The temple and city are parallel images for the place (people) where God dwells.

The emphasis switches, however, to what John is not to measure (11:2); he is not to measure the court outside the temple. Those outside are not yet secure "pillars" in the heavenly temple (city) (see 3:12). The court outside the heavenly temple is presently on earth, given to the nations, who will trample the holy city for 42 months (11:2); the temple outer court is now parallel to the holy city on earth. They are the place (people) where God dwells on earth, and are "given to" or trampled by the evil nations of the earth. They are the true prophets who speak against and embitter the nations (and their kings) and suffer (bitterness) for it (see 8:11-12; 10:10-11).

Then the outer court or holy city _given_ to the nations in 11:2, by the angel (Jesus), turns out to be his "two" witnesses that he _gives_ (some translations add "power" here, but there is no Greek word for that) in 11:3. They will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth (suffering tribulation and poverty, the bitterness of 10:10). The 1,260 days of the two prophets is the same time as the 42 months of the trampling nations in 11:2. The 42 months is also the time when the beast from the sea has its authority (13:5). And 1,260 days is the time that the woman (Spirit) is in the wilderness (and "produces" all her children) (12:6,17). Thus this time is the full time for all the children of the Spirit who have the witness of Jesus; the time is symbolic of the time between Jesus' first and "second" (final) coming. Accordingly, the two prophets are symbolic of all true prophets who have the witness of Jesus; they are the outer court or holy city on earth.

In 11:4 the two witnesses become the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. Zech. 4:2-3 depicts one lampstand with an olive tree on each side; later these two olive trees (or their "branches") are identified as the two _anointed_ ("sons of oil") who stand before the Lord of the whole earth (Zech. 4:11-14). For Zechariah, the two anointed ones are the high priest Joshua, who stands before the Lord in Zech. 3:1, and Zerubbabel, a Jewish ruler. For John, the two olive trees are two anointed prophets, the two witnesses who will prophesy. As in Zech 4:6, the olive trees of 11:4 fulfill their task not by human power but by (the power of) God's Spirit (of prophecy), the (olive) "oil" that anoints and empowers them.

John's two olive trees are likewise two lampstands, a reference back to the imagery of 1:20, where the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Of those seven, only the two churches at Smyrna and Philadelphia are fully faithful and need no repentance; the two witnesses stand for all the faithful lampstands (churches) throughout church history.

Like John, they prophesy against the idolatry and immorality of the nations and their kings (see 10:11). As a result, the nations (and many churches) seek to trample them and harm them (11:2). Whoever wants to harm them, however, becomes an enemy consumed (devoured) by the fire coming out of their mouth (11:5). This is like the fire (and smoke and sulfur) coming out of the mouths of the horses in 9:18, that "kills" the third of the people (of the great river). This portrays prophetic words of judgment coming from the mouths of anointed prophets, empowered by the fiery oil (Spirit of prophecy)—as also, for example, in Jer. 5:14.

Since these two prophets represent all true prophets of Jesus, their witness on earth would be "echoes" of the judgments of Jesus and the heavenly saints. Thus when fire is thrown to the earth from the heavenly altar after the first trumpet, and burns the third of the earth, this process would include the fire from the mouths of true prophets on that third of the earth. The portrayal of the fire from the mouths of the two witnesses on earth in 11:5 confirms their participation in all the earlier fire that comes from the heavenly hosts. As usual, the fire is the Spirit of prophecy, the prophetic voice of Jesus and his heavenly hosts, found in all true prophets on earth.

These witnesses also have authority to shut heaven, so that no rain falls during the days of their prophetic words (11:6). James 5:17 refers to the prophet Elijah, a man of similar suffering and enemies as Christian prophets (see James 5:10), who prayed that it would not rain for three and a half years as a punishment for his enemies (including Jezebel). So prophetic words from the dry desert (as in 12:14-17) against the greed of the flourishing cities and their rivers (peoples) will be like the hot sun drying up their pride and joy (as in 16:12).

Moreover, these witnesses have authority over the waters (on earth, like the rivers), and can turn them into blood (11:6). This is similar to the third of the sea becoming blood in 8:9 and to the third of the waters (rivers) being embittered in 8:11—and to the third of the great river being killed in 9:14-15. As there, the "waters" are the peoples and nations (and churches) that are "threatening" (trampling) the holy city (the two witnesses) (see 17:15; 11:2).

The symbolism alludes to the literal plagues of Moses against Egypt (like turning water into blood). John sums up the prophetic authority of true prophets by saying they can smite (destroy) the earth with every _plague_ whenever they want (11:6). Earlier trumpet judgments are described as plagues in 9:20. These plagues from the great angel (Jesus), the seven angels (the foundational apostles and prophets), and the heavenly saints around the altar all come to earth via the Spirit of prophecy speaking through the (two) witnesses that plague the earth.

Only when prophets have finished (fulfilled) their witness on earth will they be killed by the beast that comes up out of the abyss (11:7). The wild beast is the world empire that kills with the literal sword, as nations slaughter one another (6:4); over the centuries, one empire (like Rome) dies out, and then another comes up out of the abyss. Those slaughtered on the earth (by the sword of the beast) include (the blood of) the prophets and saints (18:24).

Antipas is the only faithful witness John mentions by name who has recently been killed by the Roman beast (2:13). Jesus does tell the faithful lampstand (church) in Smyrna that the devil (through local authorities of the beast) will throw some of them into prison for ten days (2:10). Whether killed, imprisoned, or simply slandered, true prophets that expose and oppose the idolatry and immorality of the empire will suffer from this beast.

The dead bodies of the faithful witnesses are left in the streets of the great city (11:8); the great city is the great harlot, Babylon the great (17:1,5,18). The great city that is like a harlot or like Old Testament Babylon can also be called "spiritually" Sodom and Egypt (11:8). John adds that this is also where their Lord was crucified. As far as Old Testament cities go, Jerusalem itself was "spiritually" a harlot (Ezek. 16:15-58), playing the harlot with her lustful (greedy) neighbors the Egyptians (Ezek. 16:26), and with the Assyrians and the merchant land of Chaldea (Babylonia) (Ezek. 16:28-29). While Jerusalem's harlot sister Sodom was full of pride and prosperity and neglected the poor and needy, Jerusalem was worse (Ezek. 16:46-49; see Mt. 11:20-24).

When Jesus was ready to climax his faithful witness, he set his face toward Jerusalem—a prophet should not perish away from Jerusalem (Lk. 13:33); Jerusalem is infamous for killing the prophets (Lk. 13:34). Jerusalem would thus be spiritually a daughter city of the great harlot, "Babylon." Indeed all the cities of the earth (and many of their churches) adore, and desire to be more like, the great city. This remains true for the great cities of the world today. Prophets who reject that idolatry and immorality, and are outspoken about it, must be silenced. The harlot and her daughters drink the blood of those prophets so that they can continue their immoral lust for human honor and wealth (see 17:6; 18:24).

All the faithful witnesses after Jesus are part of the "holy city" that is trampled by the (harlot cities of the) nations for the 42 months (of church history) (11:2-3). When their dead bodies are left on the street of the great city for three and a half days, those out of the nations (in the great city) simply stare and gloat over those bodies, even rejoicing over them (11:8-10). Like the three and a half years of 42 months or 1260 days in 11:2-3, the three and a half days are a parallel way of referring to three and a half times (see 12:14). Throughout church history the bodies of all these witnesses will be ridiculed and rejoiced over because of their prophecies against the (mother) harlot and her daughters (and many of their churches). These "two" prophets are a _torment_ to those dwelling on the earth (11:10); they are the earthly messengers of the heavenly locusts (saints) that _torment_ in 9:5.

During all those (three and a half) times, the nations tormented by the prophets can only see where their dead bodies are; they think they have conquered those tormenters. They have no eyes to see the _souls_ of the dead prophets in heaven. At the end of the three and a half days (times), however, the Spirit (breath) of life from God comes into the prophets and gives them resurrection bodies (11:11). Only at the end do the nations see the awful truth; now the great city and its adoring nations are afraid (11:11).

A great voice from heaven tells the resurrected prophets on earth (in full view of the nations) to come up there (11:12). So they go up into heaven in the cloud, and all their enemies on earth see them. This is not a secret rapture; it is the final resurrection.

Similarly, in 1 Thes. 4:14-17, the same Jesus who died and rose (bodily) will come, bringing with him those (heavenly hosts) who fell asleep (died). The souls of the "dead in Christ" have been with Christ (since their first "resurrection," see 20:4-6), and will "rise" (again, receiving resurrection bodies in the "second resurrection") before those still on earth. They will come with the Lord in the clouds, and then be joined by those still on earth at the end, who rise up with their new resurrection bodies to meet them "in the air" and accompany them to earth. As the sixth seal portrays the great day of wrath of the Lamb, the final coming and judgment, so the end of the sixth trumpet now portrays the beginning of the end.

Near the beginning of the sixth trumpet, the hour has come for the third of the people of the great river to be "killed" (9:14-15); now near the end of the sixth trumpet, the hour has come for a great earthquake (11:13). When the tenth of the city falls from the earthquake—and 7,000 people are killed—the rest become afraid and give glory to the (true) God of heaven. The result of the earlier plague against the third of the river was that the rest of the people do not repent but continue to worship their false gods (9:20). Only in the end, after the resurrection of the bodies and the beginning of the final judgment, will it be very clear who is the true ruler (judge) of the earth.

The seven trumpets are introduced in 8:2,6 in connection with a theophany of thunder, voices, bolts of lightning, and an earthquake (8:5). That earthquake is mentioned last, and appears again at the end of the sixth trumpet (11:13) as well as with the seventh trumpet, which reveals more about the end of time (11:19). Likewise, the sixth seal has a great earthquake that introduces the final judgment (6:12). The only other time an earthquake is mentioned is in the seventh bowl, where a great earthquake causes the great city to split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fall (16:18-19). So the great earthquake in 11:13 is part of the final hour, the end of all things.

When the great earthquake produces fear of the great day of the wrath of the Lamb in 6:12-17, those listed as first to be judged are the kings of the earth (who lust for the great harlot, and her gold, in 17:2 and 18:3,9), the great ones (the rich merchants that are the core of the great city, as in 18:23), the generals, the rich, and the strong (6:15). Such ones will be the first fruits, the first tenth of the city that falls (under judgment), the first 7,000 to be "killed" (condemned to the second death) in 11:13. When the rest (everyone else, slave and free, as in 6:15) see and hear this judgment against their revered leaders, they become afraid and abandon those idols of the earth, giving glory to the (true) God of heaven (11:13). The truth is now obvious; yet they also will not escape the truth.

Another parallel image of the final judgment in 19:17-18 portrays the risen prophets as "birds" (like the "locusts" of 9:3-10) flying and gathering for the great supper of God—symbolizing the eating or devouring (condemning) of their earthly enemies, "meat" sacrificed to the one true God. Similar to 6:15, the list (of the menu) features kings, captains, the strong, their armies, as well as all people, both free and slave, both small and great. First, the beast (empire) with its kings of the earth and their armies (and captains), followed by the false prophet(s) (the beast from the earth), are thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur (19:19-20). Then _the_ _rest_ (of the people) are killed (condemned) by the sword coming from the mouth (of Jesus) (19:21). So _the rest_ of those who temporarily give glory to God in 11:13 are still condemned.

The fire and sulfur coming from the mouth of the horses that kill the third of the great river in 9:18 will in the end become the fire and sulfur of the lake of fire (19:20). Everyone not written in the scroll of life of the Lamb will be thrown into the lake of fire (20:15); there they will be tormented day and night forever (20:10). Hell, it seems, does not mean the absence of God (only the absence of the gracious presence of God). Rather, the fiery Spirit of prophetic judgment is omnipresent even there, and never lets those in this lake of fire forget what they have done on earth.

As Paul writes, when Jesus is finally exalted above every (other exalted) name, every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth; every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God (Phil 2:9-11). This future vision comes originally to the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 45:23). Yet Isa. 45:24 interprets this as including all who were against the Lord, who come to him and are put to shame. Paul, likewise (in Phil. 3:18-19) says the enemies of Christ, with minds set on earthly things, will meet destruction in the end.

The Greek word Paul uses for "destruction" ( _apoleia_ ) is used by the angel in 17:8,11 for where the beast from the sea finally goes; then 19:20 makes clear that this destruction (perdition) is the lake of fire. This word ( _apoleia_ ) is also used in Mt. 7:13, where Jesus refers to the end of the wide and easy road that many choose to take. In Lk. 13:24-29 Jesus similarly refers to the narrow door and says many will weep and be tormented when they see all the prophets in the (final) kingdom of God and they themselves thrown out. Jesus says those Jewish leaders who are always murdering the prophets are like serpents and will not escape the judgment (condemnation) of hell (Mt. 23:29-33); only the few who do not follow that way of the world will be saved (Mt. 7:14).

In 11:14 John says the second woe has now passed; since the first woe is the fifth trumpet (see 8:13 and 9:12), the second woe is the sixth trumpet. The focus of the sixth trumpet is the prophetic "killing" of the third of the people connected with the great river under the great city (when the churches have extended to the third of the earth). Yet before this woe passes, John sees the whole time of prophetic plaguing of the nations and the great city (by the "two" witnesses, for the "forty-two" months) as well as the beginning of the final judgment of the great city (in 11:11-13). Now the third woe is soon to come (11:14); it will reveal more about the working out of that final judgment.

The seventh angel trumpets (11:15-19)

When the seventh angel (elder) trumpets, great voices in heaven say, "The kingdom of the world of our Lord and of his Christ came, and he will rule unto the ages of the ages." (This is a more literal translation of 11:15.) That world would be the new heaven and new earth that come in 21:1. In contrast to the limited time of rule for the harlot queen and beastly kings of the earth, the Lord God and his Christ will rule the new earth forever and ever.

The great voices (probably the four living ones) are then echoed by the 24 elders (their "extensions") who sit on thrones before God (ruling with him) (11:16); the elders fall on their faces and worship God Almighty. In 4:9-10 whenever the living ones give glory to God, the 24 elders fall before God and worship him who lives forever; in 5:13-14, after all creatures give glory to God and to the Lamb, the four living ones say Amen, and the elders fall down and worship. This portrays the primary sources of true prophecy: God, the Lamb, the fourfold Spirit (the living ones) and the (four times six) 24 elders (the foundational apostles and prophets). The Spirit of prophecy will inspire words of worship forever in the wonderful new world of God and his Christ.

The time has now come for all the dead to be judged (11:18). On one side are the nations (and their leaders, especially the kings of the earth, as well as many churches) who raged against the anointed prophets who tormented (plagued) them (11:18; see Ps. 2:1-2; Acts 4:25-27). Now it is time to rule ("break") the nations with the rod of iron, the sharp sword (Spirit) (see Ps. 2:9).

On the other side are God's servants, the prophets and saints (11:18). With the seventh trumpet, the time has come to fulfill the mystery of God, as announced to God's servants the prophets (10:7). All God's true servants (prophets), the small and the great, will receive their promised reward (11:18). Not only the great foundational (24) elders or the major prophets (the 144,000), but all who come out of the nations and fear (revere) God will see the mystery hidden until now. They will all join the bright morning star (Jesus) and rule (judge) the nations with the rod of iron, the sword (Spirit)—and break them in pieces like an earthen pot (see 2:26-28).

With the second trumpeting, all the heavenly saints (the great mountain) so far are burning with the fiery Spirit and thrown into the sea; and the third of the ships (of the great city) are "destroyed" (8:8-9). With the seventh trumpeting, all the saints at the end will join in _destroying_ the destroyers of the earth (11:18). All the nations who revered and served the great destroyers of the earth will remain associated with them forever, tormented by the fire and sulfur (Spirit) (14:9-11). Everyone whose name is not written in the scroll of life of the Lamb will be thrown into the lake of fire (20:15). The fiery Spirit of judgment is the true eternal flame.

The seventh trumpet ends with the heavenly temple of God opened, and the ark of his covenant there is seen (11:19). In 15:5 the temple of the "tent of witness" is opened in heaven, and coming out of the temple are the seven angels with the seven last plagues (the final judgment). The foundational witness of the elders—the sevenfold angels—is above all the written New Testament (Covenant), the new "tables" of the (new) covenant in the ark of the heavenly temple. All the destroyers of the earth had no eyes to see the truth of those open little scrolls; all their servants and supporters (including many churches) dismissed that truth.

Now they see the heavenly temple full of bolts of lightning, voices, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail (11:19; see 4:5; 8:5,7). All of these reappear later in the seventh bowl, where the great hail is a terrifying plague from heaven against people on earth (16:18,21). As in the original exodus led by Moses, the great empire and its leaders who dismiss the words of God's prophet then face further plagues or judgments against them; in 11:19, it is the final judgment. They all see the awesome glory of God, the fiery presence and power of the Spirit of prophecy; the stormy theophany shakes the now fearful earth; the people on earth are being bombarded with "hailstones" (from the icy, crystal sea; see 4:6; 15:2).

Thus the third woe (the seventh trumpet) ends. But John's "little scroll" continues (similar to 8:2 after the seventh seal). In fact, John goes from the final revelation of God's mystery (the seventh trumpet, ending in 11:19) back to the beginning of that mystery (in 12:1). In 12:1-2 the woman (Spirit) prepares to give birth to her firstborn; the birth is the resurrection of the firstborn of the dead, Jesus, who rises to heaven, where he will rule the nations with a rod of iron (12:5).

Chapter 4

Heaven's Seven Angels with the Seven Bowls (Rev. 15:1-16:21)

The familiar seven angels—from the seven oracles and seven trumpets—return again in 15:1. As before, they help lead the way in speaking God's judgment against evil on earth, including the earth's evil churches and their false prophets. These sevenfold angels in heaven are the foundational apostles and prophets of Jesus. Their original faithful witness (on earth), now found in the New Testament, remains the written standard of true prophecy up to the very end. Now the end has come.

The seven last plagues (15:1-8)

In 15:1 the seven angels have seven plagues, identified as the last plagues that complete God's wrath. Earlier, the word plague was used in 9:18,20 for prophetic judgment against the third of the people (associated with the Euphrates river, and the harlot city there). In 11:6 the two prophets _plague_ the earth (throughout church history) with their witness. These plagues recall the plagues of Moses against Egypt.

Unlike those literal plagues against Egypt, however, the plagues of 9:18 and 11:5-6 feature fire coming from the _mouths_ of heavenly horses (saints) and prophets on earth. This symbolism reflects John's original vision of the risen Jesus, with his fiery eyes and a sword coming from his mouth (like a bolt of fiery lightning) (1:16).

The last plagues of the seven angels are the final climax and confirmation of all earlier prophetic plagues (judgments); they especially reflect the earlier trumpet plagues. They will reveal the final judgment of God.

At the beginning of the three earlier series of seven (mostly) judgments, there is always a scene in heaven that shows where the judgments begin (see 1:12-20; 5:1-14; 8:2-6). Before the seven last plagues, John sees one like a son of man sitting on a white cloud (14:14); the phrase "one like a son of man" describes Jesus, as seen at the beginning of John's first vision (1:13). Now Jesus has a sharp sickle in his hand (14:14), comparable to the sharp sword from his mouth in 1:16. The final hour has come; it is time to harvest, for the earth is fully ripe (for judgment) (14:15).

The final harvest has come for the grain of the field (the wheat and barley). In 6:6 the "wheat" and "barley" are unfaithful Christians sold into slavery to "Babylon;" they are also the grass (grain) of 8:7, _plagued_ by heaven in order that they will repent (as in 9:20). Any who do repent and "come out of" Babylon (see 18:4) will not share in her final plagues (judgment); those who fail to repent are the grain reaped (judged) by the sharp "sickle" of 14:15-16. (As the sharp sword of 1:16 symbolizes the Spirit of prophecy, coming from the mouth of one like a son of man, so the sharp sickle of 14:15-16, of one like a son of man, again symbolizes the Spirit of prophetic judgment.)

When the final harvest of all the earth comes, it begins with this "grain." This vision of the end will serve as another heavenly warning to disobedient Christians and churches. The special place given to this grain harvest (prior to the next vision of grapes) is due to the heavenly focus on warning the churches.

After the harvest of the "grain" of the earth, another angel comes out of the heavenly temple with a sharp sickle (14:17). Then yet another angel comes out from the heavenly altar—the angel (of 8:5) who has authority over the fire (Spirit) (from the altar) (14:18). Thus the latter angel is the great angel (Lamb) of 8:3-5, who comes in 8:3 as "another angel." That angel (Lamb) then calls (sends) the other angel (of 14:17), the one with the sickle, to harvest the grapevines of the earth (14:18).

The angel that harvests the grapevines is to throw them all into the wine press of the wrath of God, where they are trodden down (14:18-20). The image of treading the wine press of the wrath of God returns in 19:15; in that context, Jesus comes in the end as the faithful and true witness—judging the earth in righteousness (19:11). In 19:15 the sharp "sword" (the Spirit, as in 1:16) from his _mouth_ destroys (judges) the _nations_ (peoples).

Since the "grapes" (people) of wrath are not part of the heavenly new Jerusalem, they are trodden (judged) outside that (holy) city (14:20; see 11:2; 22:15). In 11:2 they are the nations (peoples) that trample the faithful holy city (prophets on earth throughout church history); so it is appropriate they themselves are "trodden" ("trampled") in this judgment at the end. Their "wine" (blood) flows like a river—as high as the bridles of the horses (14:20).

This relates back to the great river Euphrates in 9:14, the waters (peoples) under the great harlot (city) Babylon (as in 17:15). That context includes the mouths (bridles) of the horses (heavenly saints) of 9:17-18; from them come plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur against the great river. Now the end has come in 14:18-20. This final judgment will include the harlot (city) sitting over the river (peoples)—whose cup is full of the wine (blood) of the prophets and saints (17:6); she will be repaid with a double portion of wine: the blood of those who remained under her immoral seduction to the end (18:6).

The length of the bloody river (in the Greek text) is one thousand six hundred _stadia_ (14:20). The number six hundred is part of the number of the name or mark of the beast (from the sea) in 13:18. In 15:2, just two verses after the number of 14:20, the beast and its image and the number of its name are mentioned together. These "bloodied" people also belong to the deadly beast, as well as the harlot (city).

But what about the _image_ of the beast, linked in 15:2 with the beast and its number? In 13:14-17 all the earth (except the faithful) must be marked, as required by the _image_ of the beast. The beast from the earth (the false prophet) deceives all into making an image for the (sea) beast (13:14). Through the false prophet(s), the image speaks and causes those who do not worship the image to be slaughtered (13:15). This image requires all to be marked by the name of the (sea) beast in order for them to buy or sell (13:16-17).

I think this idolatrous and bloodthirsty image (of the beast)—that has authority over buying and selling—is the rich harlot (city) herself. In 17:3-4 the scarlet harlot sits draped over the scarlet beast; she is the attractive showcase "image" that partially hides the wild ugly beast.

The beast (empire) is itself a "deity," worshiped by all, due to its (supposedly) incomparable power (13:3-4). Everyone who worships the beast asks, "Who is like the beast?" Similarly, those mourning the fall of the great harlot ask (worshipfully), "Who is like the great city?" (18:18). Even John is temporarily full of wonder when he first sees the (glorious image that is the) harlot (city) in 17:6-7.

The scarlet harlot is the lavishly crafted idol—an image made with human hands—that represents the glorified wealth of that (false) "god," the scarlet beast. The false prophets (the beast from the earth) are the major spokesmen for these idols, convincing everyone that they can profit from flattering and catering to the powerful empire and its richest center of business.

The imperial city's towers and temples reach high towards heaven (like the tower of Babel). The voices of false prophets from those idolatrous high places strike like lightning ("fire") coming down from heaven to earth (13:13), a parody of the voices and fire that come from the true throne of heaven in 4:5 (and 8:5). It is not a true theophany; the "heavenly" voices are deceitful false prophets.

The voice(s) of the image glorifies her(self) (18:7). Yet in her is found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all those slaughtered on the earth—by literal swords or by "swords" (words) of false prophets—because they refused to worship or serve her (18:24; see 11:9). They are part of the bloody (meat) sacrificed to idols; such "sacrifices" are carried out even by false prophets in churches, due to their idolatry of the image of the beast (2:14,20).

The image is a mosaic of many idols of gold, silver, bronze, precious stones and wood (see 9:20), which are the cargo sold to her by the merchants of the earth (18:11-12). The image (city) requires all the merchants of the earth to submit to the authority (mark) of the beast if they are to buy and sell (13:16-17). When the image (city) comes to an end, all the merchants cry because no one now will buy their expensive cargo (18:11).

In 15:2 John sees (all) those who conquered the deadly beast and its deceitful image (the symbol of its wealth) and the number of its name (the symbol of its authority). They all stand on the heavenly sea of glass, mixed with fire, and have harps in their hands. This imagery relates back to 4:6, where a sea of glass—like (icy) crystal—is before the heavenly throne (of God); also before the throne are seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits (the Spirit) of God (4:5). So they have refused the throne(s) of Satan and stand victorious before the heavenly throne of God. Unlike the church at Laodicea, which is neither hot nor cold, they are now both: they stand on the cold, icy sea, which is mixed with the fiery Spirit. They are now safe and secure from the sea beast, its trophy image, and its demonic authority.

The harps are also introduced earlier in 5:8; there the elders each have a harp. In 14:1-2 the 144,000 (major Christian prophets) who have the name of the Lamb (and not the name of the beast) are connected with the sound of harpers playing harps. Now in 15:2 all who conquer the beast and its image and its number have harps.

In 15:2-3 all who conquer the beast and its image sing (with their harps) the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. The mention of Moses relates to the plagues of 15:1, and to conquering beastly empires. In Ex. 15:1-18 Moses and the people of Israel sing a song to the Lord; they are celebrating God's deliverance from the Egyptian empire.

The song John hears in 15:3-4 praises the Lord God Almighty for great and wondrous works, for righteous and true ways, as King of the nations. God's original wondrous plagues against the great nation Egypt, and its Pharaoh, were righteous judgments from the great King of all the nations.

In Ex. 15:4-5 the song of Moses remembers Pharaoh's armies being cast into the sea. In Ex. 15:11 the song asks, "Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness?" Now the song John hears asks, "Who should never fear, Lord, and glorify your name, because only you are holy?" (15:4).

Before these last plagues (judgments), the whole earth—including many churches—follow the beastly empire with "wonder" and ask, "Who is like the beast and who can fight against it?" (13:3-4). In contrast to such idolatrous worship of the beast, the saints affirm that only God's name is holy (15:2,4).

Jesus' prayer in Mt. 6:9 begins by addressing the one true Father, "the one in the heavens," and affirming, "let (only) your name be holy (hallowed)." All the so-called great fathers or authorities on earth, along with their holy (revered) names, too easily become idols that the nations (and churches) adore, trust, and obey. The Lord's prayer, and the song of the Lamb (in 15:3-4), worship only the one true God. In contrast to the elevated lords of the earth, who come and fight to expand their kingdoms of the earth, true saints seek only the coming of God's kingdom (see Mt. 6:10). Only when God rules in faithful disciples of Jesus is God's will done on earth as it is in heaven; that is when God's kingdom of heaven comes to earth—beginning with Jesus, the first faithful witness.

When God's kingdom comes into its fullness in the end, with the full number secure in the heavenly new Jerusalem, then the last plagues (judgments) will be revealed. Only when those final righteous judgments are revealed do all the nations come to fear God's name and worship the one true God (15:4). This relates back to the fear that led to glorifying God in 11:13; such fear and worship come only when the final hour of God's wrath has come; they have no other choice but to bow before the one remaining King and confess that only Jesus is Lord.

Like the "synagogue of Satan" in 3:9 that persecutes the saints on earth, all the nations who reject the true prophets on earth will finally be forced to bow before God and his heavenly hosts (saints) (3:9). Only then will they learn (acknowledge) the truth that God loved these true prophets, and not them (3:9); then they will tremble and be silent (see 8:1; Ex. 15:16). All the faithful saints, however, will be kept out of this "hour of trial" coming on the whole world (3:10).

After the fear-filled worship and final submission of the nations, they will be thrown into the lake of fire. Only the saints who conquer will not be harmed by that second death (2:11; see 15:2; 20:14-15).

Part of the imagery of the final judgment in 11:18-19 is opening God's temple in heaven and seeing the ark of the covenant. In 15:5-6 the temple (tabernacle) of the testimony (witness) in heaven is opened and out come the seven angels with the seven (last) plagues. As Moses wrote the testimony about his covenant on the tables of stone placed in the ark in the tabernacle (see Ex. 24:12; 25:16), the final testimony (witness) from the heavenly temple highlights the seven angels—the foundational elders most responsible for the written new covenant (testament). Now their final witness will be part of the final judgment.

In Ex. 25:18-22, above the ark in the holy of holies are two massive cherubim. When John sees the heavenly temple opened, one of the four living ones ("cherubim") gives the seven angels seven gold bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever (15:7); the temple is then filled with smoke from the powerful and fiery glory (Spirit) of God (15:8).

This relates back to the fire from the altar of the heavenly temple in 8:3-5 that empowers the smoke of the incense (the prayers of the heavenly saints). Likewise the gold censer of 8:3-5 relates to the gold bowls of 5:8, which are also full of incense (the prayers of the saints). The song (prayer) of the saints in 15:3-4 is that after God's judgments (plagues) are revealed, all the nations will come and worship the one true God.

Until then, no one can come into the heavenly temple (15:8); the time for repentance has passed. Not one among all the nations—and their churches—that displeased the one true God will be able to come and worship in the heavenly temple until after the seven plagues of the seven angels. Only after their evil works and eternal judgment have been revealed will they become afraid and glorify God in heaven. It will be too little, too late; they never truly repent.

The seven gold bowls of 15:7 link with the elders' gold bowls of 5:8 (and the gold censer of 8:3-5) that have incense, the prayers of the saints. These gold bowls could symbolize the heavenly saints, similar to the seven gold lampstands that symbolize churches on earth. Shining with the fiery gold (oil), the Spirit, the saints' prayers for final judgment (like the prayers in 6:10) will now be answered—as in 6:17, with the great day of wrath. Just as God's plagues (judgments) against the earth come throughout church history through true prophets (11:6), the two (gold) lampstands (11:4), now God's last plagues (judgments) against the earth are poured out of (the mouth of) the seven gold bowls that are secure in the hands of the seven angels.

The seven angels pour out the seven bowls (16:1-21)

A great voice from the heavenly temple tells the seven angels to go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God upon the earth (16:1). The close similarity between the seven angels' trumpet plagues (mostly over the third of the earth), and the seven angels' bowl plagues (over all the earth) shows that the earlier judgments of true prophets are confirmed and finalized in the final judgment.

When the first angel (elder) pours out his bowl on the earth, there is a plague of _evil_ sores on those who have the mark of the beast and worship its image (16:2). The nations—and many churches—of the earth have submitted to the demands of the image that they be marked ("branded") with the name (or number) of the beast (13:16-17). This mark signifies the great authority of the beast (empire): the nations (and many churches) belong to the beast because they submit to its authority; yet their devoted allegiance to it and its image (city) is idolatry (13:2-4). Now that the final judgment has come, their stately mark becomes an _evil_ sore because their violent empire is condemned and their rich proud city fallen.

In Ex. 9:10-11 sores (boils) break out on all the Egyptians—but not on God's people. Unlike those literal, temporary sores in Egypt, however, the sores of 16:2 are called "bad and evil" because God's eternal judgment uses the marks as evidence of their evil idolatry and immorality. These sores will remain on them as a reminder of their former loyalty to other gods.

The marks and sores symbolize the evil influence (authority) the beastly empire has established over their minds (on their foreheads) and their deeds (on their hands) (see 13:16). Thoughts and actions that are loyal to the beast mark their faithfulness to this political authority.

A major symbol of the empire's authority today is the current beast's banner: the American flag ("old glory"). Many U.S. Christians proudly pledge allegiance to it and promote its presence in their churches; their beloved flag symbolizes the empire that protects and prospers them—at the expense of the majority of people in the world. The false prophets of mass media and the richest businessmen of the great (harlot) city claim their empire's economic and political policies must be followed by the rest of the world; those who refuse face the full wrath of the inhumane beast and its insatiable whore.

When the second angel (elder) pours out his bowl into the sea, it becomes blood "as of (from) a dead person" (16:3). This is similar to the second trumpet where the third of the sea became blood and the third of the creatures (that have souls) in the sea died (8:9). Now the whole sea becomes blood and every "living soul" in the sea dies (16:3).

The dead souls in the sea (abyss) come to life only in the "second" resurrection—in order to die the second death (see 20:4-6). The souls in the sea in 8:9 were linked with the sea dragon, the deadly beast from the sea, and the harlot's ships on the sea; now these final "risen" souls similarly belong to these political and economic lords. In 18:13 the ships' cargo includes (human) "bodies" and human souls. In the end, these bloodthirsty businessmen and their political protectors, and all those captivated by their power and prosperity, become souls covered with blood in the "red" sea as a result of the blood poured out from the second gold bowl.

Many churches—like the rich church in Laodicea (see 3:14,17)—also profit from the bloody and greedy empire, and its allies all over the earth. When they celebrate that wealth, they collaborate with that evil; they have blood on their hands also. The final judgment will expose the truth: Jesus' warnings against the rich and powerful are continued in the faithful witness of true prophets; they will all have the final word in the end.

When the third angel (elder) pours out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters, they become blood (16:4). This is similar to the third trumpet, where the third of the rivers (waters) are embittered (8:10-11), and the fountains of the waters are affected. Those earlier prophetic judgments now come to full fruition in the end as all the true prophets condemn all the rivers and their fountains.

These waters that flow all over the earth are portrayed in 12:15 as coming ultimately from the mouth of the sea dragon. In 16:13 the mouth of the dragon is connected with the mouth of the beast (empire) and the mouth of the false prophet; all these mouths (fountains) have accused and slandered the saints. The waters (peoples) of the earth pass on the hateful, slanderous words of their fountains; all the mouths of the waters—including lukewarm waters that are churches like Laodicea—seek to drown out the mouths of true prophets.

The harlot (city) that sits on many waters (peoples) is likewise the beautiful image of the ugly beast; she is given the mouth like a dragon by the false prophet (the beast from the earth) (see 13:11,14-15; 17:1,15). The harlot's gold cup that is full of the blood of the saints and witnesses of Jesus (as in 17:4,6) is finally answered by the heavenly gold bowl poured out on all the rivers (and their fountains).

The woman (Spirit) in the dry wilderness tried to warn the waters (peoples) through her children—those keeping God's commands (against idolatry and immorality) (12:14,17). But Satan, the sea dragon, poured water like a river from his mouth to try and drown out that faithful witness (12:15). Like their fountains (mouths), the waters (peoples, including many churches) wanted to drown out all true prophets that plagued them (see 11:6,9-10). Now the second death comes; these waters and their fountains become blood (dead).

In 16:5-6 the angel of the waters affirms God's righteous judgments against the waters and their fountains. This angel is the great star (angel) that fell on the third of the rivers—and on the fountains of those waters (8:10). The name of that angel was _Apsinthos_ , who was then the star of 9:1, and also named _Abaddon_ and _Apolluon_ (9:11). This angel ( _angelos_ ) is the Amen, the faithful and true _Alpha_ witness, the risen Jesus (see 3:14); Jesus is the first and the last, the living one who once died (from the waters and their fountains) but now lives forever (1:17-18). He will have the last word.

The words of the angel in 16:5-6 reflect the song of the Lamb in 15:3-4; they praise God as righteous and holy, who gives (reveals) righteous judgments. In 16:7 some of the song of 15:3 is repeated "from the altar;" these added words from the altar would be all the saints who conquered (15:2) and sing the song of the Lamb in 15:3-4. In 8:3 the prayers of all the saints (in heaven at that time) are offered on the heavenly altar (see also 6:9-11 and the bloodied souls under the altar). Now the end has come, and the completed number of heavenly hosts (saints) repeats the faithful witness (song) of the Lamb from the altar; they praise the Lord God Almighty, the Lord God of heavenly hosts.

Jesus praises God as the holy and righteous judge, the one "who is and who was" (16:5). In 1:4 (also 1:8; 4:8), God is the one "who is and who was and who is coming;" but now the end has come, so God is not coming again in the future (as also in 11:17 after the seventh trumpet). In 16:6 God righteously judges that the slanderous and bloodthirsty waters (peoples) and their beastly mouths—which shed the blood of saints and prophets—are "worthy" of being given blood to drink.

When the fourth angel (elder) pours out his bowl on the sun, the sun is given authority to burn the peoples (nations) with fire (16:8). The fiery power of the sun relates to the fiery Spirit (as in 1:16; see 4:5). The fire of the (heavenly) sun in 16:9 is the Spirit's final judgment against all the idolatrous and immoral peoples (and churches) of the earth. They are all burned (condemned) with great heat (judgment); they will never again darken the fiery light (truth) of the sun (Spirit)—unlike before, in 8:12, with the fourth trumpet.

The final result is that they neither repent nor give glory to God (16:9); it is too late. Because they did not repent before the end, they will never repent after the end. There is a brief time when they come before the final Victor in the end and glorify the only true God (as in 11:13 and 15:4). But that trembling worship is a futile and fleeting formality; they are bowing in shame before their Judge and judges (as in 3:9); the hot sun (Spirit) will still burn (condemn) them.

When the fiery Spirit continues to burn (judge) them for their lives of idolatry and immorality, they revert to _blaspheming_ the name of God—who has the authority over these plagues (16:9). Just as before (in 13:5-6), they join the beast (empire) from the sea, that shows its great authority by _blaspheming_ the name of God and (slandering) those who dwell in heaven.

When the fifth angel (elder) pours his bowl on the throne of the beast, its kingdom ends up in the dark (16:10). The great world kingdom(s) that darkened the heavenly lights of the kingdom of God is now itself darkened (condemned) forever; its power failure is permanent.

In 13:2 the dragon gives the beast its power, its throne, and great authority; and the dragon gives the beast its mouth in order to blaspheme God and God's dwelling, those dwelling in heaven (13:5-6). Even after prophets end up in heaven, beastly boasts continue to slander them and their God. Now all who spread that false propaganda against true prophets will have to bite their blaspheming tongues for eternity (16:10-11). They, and the peoples (nations, including churches) who adored them and received the _mark_ of devoted allegiance to the throne (authority) of the beast, will remain forever embittered because of the pain and sores (see 16:2) of God's judgment; they will never repent.

The eternal darkness for the beastly kingdom(s) and its subservient peoples is the "outer darkness" Jesus warned about when he contrasted the kingdom of heaven with the kingdoms of the earth (Mt. 25:1,30). Those in the outer darkness will weep and grind (gnash) their teeth. As in John's vision in 6:12, when the sun becomes black (a symbol of God's coming in judgment), the guilty parties cry out for help (6:16). Jesus also compared the eternal punishment to an eternal fire (Mt. 25:41,46); the eternal fiery Spirit will never let the kingdoms of the earth forget what they did.

When the sixth angel (elder) pours his bowl on the great river Euphrates, its water dries up (16:12). With the third bowl the rivers became blood; now the sixth bowl focuses on the great river Euphrates, the river closely associated with "Babylon the great" (compare the third and sixth trumpets in 8:10 and 9:14). The final judgment against the great river (people)—that flows profitably in and out of the great harlot (city)—is portrayed as drying it (them) up.

This "drought" prepares the way for the kings "of the east" (16:12). A literal translation is the kings "of (from) the rising sun;" this phrase is used elsewhere only in 7:2, for the angel that comes "from the rising sun" with the seal of God. While most think of these kings in 16:12 as certain evil "kings of the earth," I think they are heavenly kings from the rising sun (Spirit) of 16:8-9 that burns people with fire—and now dries up the river (people) Euphrates.

As the hot sun (Spirit) of 16:8 _rises_ to burn (judge) all the people, it begins the final _day_ of the Lord, "the great day of God the Almighty" (16:14), the day of war (judgment) between the heavenly kings and earthly kings. The kings from the rising sun (Spirit) are the (crowned) heavenly kings coming to fight (judge) the kings of the earth. These heavenly kings are those in 20:4, seated on (heavenly) thrones and ruling with Christ throughout the "thousand years" of church history (see 3:21). Their reign in heaven especially involves judgment against the earth (20:4); now they are coming to earth—via their new resurrection bodies—for the final judgment.

As the sun (Spirit) leads the way for the coming of the heavenly kings, so the dragon (spirit) leads the way for gathering the kings of the whole world (16:13-14). Earlier, the sea serpent attacked the woman (Spirit) in the wilderness with a flood of water like a river coming from its mouth (12:15). Now, the rivers (peoples) have turned to blood, and the great river (people) has dried up. So coming out of the (three) former fountains of the rivers (waters) are three unclean spirits "like frogs" (16:13). The three fountains are the blasphemous mouths of the (sea) dragon and its beast (from the sea), and the slanderous mouth of the false prophet(s) (the beast from the earth). Now they can hardly speak; they have frogs in their throats.

The frogs are identified as spirits of demons that do signs that gather the kings of the whole world for the final battle (16:14). The rising of the sun (Spirit) and the coming of the kings from the rising sun will fight against the dragon and beasts and kings of the whole world. The great day of God the Almighty, the God of heavenly hosts (armies), has come (16:14; see 6:17).

Jesus tells John he is coming like a thief (16:15); the final day and hour come when people do not expect it, like a thief in the night (see Mt. 24:36-44). So Jesus says those who stay awake (on earth) and watch out (for the one true King) will be blessed (16:15). Such ones keep their (clean) clothes on so they will not be "naked" and thus exposed (as evil) when Jesus comes in the end.

Jesus interjects this brief warning for the sake of churches like the one in Laodicea, which prospered as lukewarm water in a greedy world (see 3:16-17). Jesus warns them that they are really naked, and need to "buy" from him white garments to hide the shame of their nakedness (3:17-18). Only by selling their earthly treasures can they "buy" (receive) from Jesus the bright (white) Spirit and its fruits (garments)—the righteous deeds of the saints, as in 19:8.

In 19:11 John sees Jesus coming to fight (judge) with righteousness; following him are the heavenly hosts (armies), dressed in white clean linen (19:14). This is a parallel image to the rising of the bright sun (Spirit) and the coming of the kings from the rising sun. Jesus comes in the end to fight with the sharp sword (Spirit) that comes from his _mouth_ (19:15; see 1:16); this "war" is the final judgment from heaven.

In 2:16 Jesus warned the church in Pergamum that if they did not repent, he would come soon (through true prophets on earth) to fight (war) against them with the sword (of 1:16) from his mouth. Now in 19:15 the end has come and all churches that did not repent throughout church history will be cut (condemned) with the same sword (Spirit) from the mouth of Jesus.

In 16:16 the place where the kings of the whole world are gathered for the final "battle" is called in Hebrew _Armagedon_ (spelled Armageddon in English). This is another _Alpha_ name, like Amen in 3:14, _Apsinthos_ in 8:11, and the Hebrew _Abaddon_ or Greek _Apolluon_ in 9:11—all of which are names for Jesus (the Alpha and omega, as in 22:13).

Since 16:16 is written in Greek, the Hebrew name _Armagedon_ is written in Greek letters and begins with a Greek rough breathing mark; thus it would be pronounced " _Harmagedon_." The first syllable, _har_ , sounds the same as the Hebrew word for mountain. In 17:9-10 the seven heads of the beast (empire) are identified as seven mountains, which are in turn identified as seven kings. So a mountain can symbolize a king.

Many interpreters connect the syllables after _har_ with Megiddo in Israel. But one could divide the last part of _Harmagedon_ more precisely into _mag_ and _edon_. The Hebrew word _mag_ (like the Latin word _magnus_ ) means great; and the Greek word for great ( _mega_ ) is an important word used often in Revelation. In the context around 16:16, _mega_ is used in 16:1,9,12,14,17,18,19,21.

The name "great mountain (king)" (" _harmag_ ") indeed fits the context: the focus is on the final battle between the heavenly kings—led by the great King of kings—and the earthly kings. The _place_ of that name ("great king") could be the same place where the name King of Kings and Lord of Lords is—namely, on Jesus' robe and thigh (in 19:16).

As for the final _edon_ , this is similar to the end of the Hebrew _Abaddon_ in 9:11. While _Abaddon_ literally means destruction or "the _place_ of destruction"—that is, the (Greek) abyss—in 9:11 it is the name of the angel of the abyss who is _king_ over the "locusts" (the great king given the key of the mouth of the abyss in 9:1). Thus the _addon_ ending of _Abaddon_ could point to kingship; in fact, the Hebrew word _adon_ means ruler or lord. So the final _edon_ of _Harmagedon_ could likewise relate to _adon_ (and would be closer to the Hebrew _magedon_ than the more popular Megiddo). If so, the _place_ of the final battle is the name of the great king who is Lord over all the lords and kings in the "battle."

When the seventh angel (elder) pours his bowl (from heaven) into the air (below), a great voice from the throne (of God) in the heavenly temple says, "It is finished" (16:17). These words conclude the final revelation from heaven; as before, this is associated with fiery lightning, voices, thunders, and a great earthquake (16:18).

A _great earthquake_ that shakes, kills (judges), and terrifies at the end is also part of the sixth seal (6:12), and the end of the sixth trumpet (11:13); in 16:18 this earthquake is depicted as the greatest ever. None of the earlier prophetic words of judgment on earth—depicted in 12:16 as the dry desert opening its mouth and swallowing the dragon's water—were as great as this final judgment of the whole earth.

The great earthquake (judgment) splits the (less) great city ("Babylon the great") into three parts (16:19). In 11:13 the great earthquake caused a tenth of the (great) city to fall (see 11:8); that tenth included 7,000 people, who were killed (judged) first; that final judgment focused first on the leaders of the city. The three parts of 16:19 could also point to the three "authorities" of 16:13, namely, the dragon, the beast (from the sea), and the false prophet(s)—all of whom are connected with the great city.

For the great harlot (city) sits on the beast (from the sea) (17:3); in 13:1-18 the authority of that beast—and of the beast from the earth—comes from the dragon. So all three help support the great city. Indeed the beast from the earth (the false prophet) speaks like a dragon and convinces the nations (peoples) to build the idolatrous image (city) for the (sea) beast (13:11-14). When these three "fall" under God's final judgment, the great city that rides them also falls.

The great earthquake (judgment) also affects the whole earth; all the cities of the nations fall (16:19). For Babylon the great is the mother of (other) harlots (cities) all over the earth (17:5). The rich and the strong of the earth build impressive cities that show off their wealth throughout the world—and slaughter or slander prophets who challenge them.

Besides the literal gold used to build those cities are the gold lampstands (churches) in the cities (see 1:20); yet the "gold" (oil), the Spirit, of most churches shines dimly since they desire (commit "sexual" immorality with) the harlot(s) and her (fool's) gold. Only gold lampstands that are poor and persecuted, like those in the cities of Smyrna and Philadelphia (2:9; 3:9-10), shine brightly through true prophets anointed by the pure "oil" (gold), the Spirit of prophecy.

Before her final fall, the great harlot (city) holds a gold cup (like a gold lampstand) in her hand that is full of the wine (blood) of the saints and witnesses of Jesus (17:4,6). Through the gold bowl poured out by the seventh angel (elder), God remembers bloodthirsty "Babylon the great" by bringing great wrath (judgment) against her—and her daughter cities, and their immoral churches (16:19). When Babylon the great is thrown down from her proud position of riding the beast (empire), and split into three parts, the all-seeing eyes (Spirit) of Jesus find "in her" the blood of prophets and of saints and of all those slaughtered on the earth (18:24).

The great earthquake (judgment) also destroys (condemns) all the islands and mountains (16:20). In 17:9-10 the heads of the (sea) beast, on which the harlot sits, are identified as mountains, which are in turn identified as kings. As for islands, they are (dead?) mountains (kings) in the sea (abyss). All these mountains connected with the sea beast finally fall (under condemnation) in the final judgment; all the great kings of the world empire, who sat high and mighty, are now brought down (see 6:14). In 6:15-16 all the earth's leaders under those great kings call on those mountains to protect them from the wrath of God and the Lamb; in 16:20 those mountains and islands can no longer be found.

As in Isa. 40:3-5, every mountain is made low to prepare the way for the revelation of the glory of God, which all flesh shall see. All the proud nations become like a drop from a bucket or like dust (Isa. 40:15); God picks up the islands like fine dust (Isa. 40:15); the people of the earth are like grasshoppers to God in heaven, who makes the rulers of the earth as nothing (Isa. 40:22-23).

Finally, great hailstones as big as humans come down from heaven onto all the people (16:21). Great hail is also part of the final judgment of the seventh trumpet (11:19). Earlier, hail and fire were part of the first trumpet on the third of the earth (8:7). The great city, and all the peoples (and churches) who shared its immorality, will be nothing compared to this extremely great plague (judgment) (16:21). All who praised the great city now curse God for this terrible plague of hail. Once they joined the bloodthirsty city in rejecting the true prophets; now those true prophets come back (from heaven, like human "hailstones") to bombard them with the final word of God's rejection of them.

As in 16:17, again in 21:6 the voice of God (from the throne) says "It is finished." The end has now come. Finished are the first heaven and first earth: the first heaven, full of judgments from above, has now finished its final judgment; the first earth, with all its tears, death, and pain, has now passed away (21:1,4). Those former things have passed away after the final judgment.

All the true prophets who conquered the evil forces of the earth—that included many churches—will now enjoy the new heaven and new earth (21:1,5,7). Because evil forces were so powerful and prevalent over the old earth, true witnesses remained faithful only through the courage given by the Spirit. All the others—the cowardly, the faithless, the sexually immoral (with the lusty harlot city), the idolaters (of the rich and powerful), and all liars (false prophets slandering true prophets)—end up in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur (21:8).

A similar list is found in 22:15: it adds "dogs" at the beginning, and concludes with all those loving and doing falsehood. Jesus portrayed false prophets as hungry wolves (Mt. 7:15); Paul depicted Jewish false prophets who require circumcision as dogs (Phil. 3:2; see Acts 20:29). So the emphasis of 22:15 is on false prophets who love and do falsehood.

John concludes his written witness by again affirming the blessing of those who keep the words of the prophecy of this book (22:7; see 1:3). In fact there are seven blessings all together in John's book. The final blessing comes in 22:14 for those washing their garments; clean garments symbolize the righteous deeds of the saints (19:8). Their blessing will be to enter the heavenly city via the gates (elders) (22:14). A similar blessing is found in 14:12-13 for those keeping the commands of God and the faith of Jesus: when they die in the Lord, they will rest, and those works will follow (with) them. In 20:6 blessed and holy is the one who has a share in the first "resurrection." So the emphasis of the blessings is entry into heaven (immediately) after faithful witness unto death.

When Jesus says he is coming soon in 22:12, he adds that his reward comes with him. He will give to each according to his work (soon after they die, as in 14:12-13). Compare the coming of 3:11. Jesus has the key of David (and the keys of death and Hades) and can open the door to heaven for those who remain faithful until death (3:7-8; see 1:18); the faithful one who conquers will then become part of the heavenly temple (city) (3:12). The thirsty who remained in the dry wilderness with their mother (the Spirit) will come and drink the heavenly water of life (22:17; see 7:16-17).

All the faithful saints will be the "bride" who prepared herself for the marriage with the Lamb (19:7); the bride prepares by washing her garments, which are the righteous deeds of the saints (19:8). Blessed are those who wash their garments for (after they die) they will enter the heavenly city (22:14). Jesus will come soon (after their death) and open the door to heaven so they can enter (22:12,14). Thus the Spirit and the bride (in her white bridal gown) say "Come" (22:17). They are ready—whenever their faithful witness on earth is finished. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

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