December 29: Revelation 6-11

December 29, Revelation 6-11

Revelation continued…

The entire summary/commentary is from my wife Dana Parriera! 

Revelation 6 1-11. Jesus opens the first 4 seals on the scroll letting loose the judgments on earth. These seals could have been opened a hundred years ago, with World Wars and rising False Religions. Noting that everything that happens on earth, is in the hands of our savior. Whether it plague, famine, doubt, or financial instability - is all up to Jesus. It might look chaotic here on earth, but Jesus has got this and is in control of it all. As this is His way of bringing about the end the world. Always giving people time to turn to Him. And here we also see those who are going to die for their faith, is also planned out and controlled by Jesus. Just because people have to die for their faith in Jesus, doesn’t mean that Jesus isn’t aware or in control of it. Instead the opposite is true. Jesus has a time period for it. And instead of hoping it will stop, since He is in control of it, gives them robes of righteousness and tells them to be patient as more die for Jesus. Those who die for Jesus, will be rewarded greatly, and Jesus isn’t concerned about saving them, (Just like how Jesus didn’t save John the Baptist when He was on the earth, but instead planned it all out) but instead to wait until all who are suppose to die, die in Him and for Him. Their reward will be so great, that Jesus waits patiently for those who will die and comforts them in death. Although, it might not seem ‘fair’ - we have to understand that Jesus doesn’t think like a human. And living for Jesus is just as important as dying for Him. 

Revelation 6:12-17. Speaks of the rest of the seals being opened. Which I believe are the ones that we are waiting for. Which sounds like Climate Chaos to me... The beginning of the end. Here things can not be missed. A world wide earthquake. This will not only help us know when we are close, but notice how those against God will try to hide from Him. Not very smart, is it. But instead we are to turn towards Him. Although, it speaks of everyone hiding and cursing God. And through breaking of this last one, it seems as though it will start a chain of events that lead up to the Great Day of the Lord; the Wrath of the Lord. 

Revelation 7 We see that God is sealing a group for Him. We know that they are a part of the tribe of Israel to be saved. This would fulfill the promises of God - of saving those from the house of Israel. In an instant, these 144,000 are in heaven and John asks where they are from. The Angel states back that he should know, as he saw the 5th seal being opened and those with white robes were told to wait a little longer for God to take His judgment on earth. We know that these people have been killed for their faith, as those who are killed get to serve Yahweh in His Temple. People debate that these are the Raptured from Earth into Heaven. Others state that these are the martyred Jews. Either way, we know that they are now in Heaven. It is a promise to us, that if we die for Jesus - He will reward us and that He will wipe away the tears from our eyes... How beautiful is that.

Revelation 8 8:1-5. Things on Earth are going to get worse. With a silence in Heaven, we know that the Lord doesn’t take these things lightly, but these things are weighed and the timing is everything. Again, we see something Spiritual happening in Heaven; as an Angel grabs the prayers of the saints that are held in an alter before the Lord, and he takes it and throws it to Earth, the physical manifestation of that is there will be thunder, lighting, and an earthquake as the prayers collide to Earth during Judgment. 

The question: Will Christians be here on Earth for Judgment? The Truth is, we don’t know. People argue that Noah was saved from the flood and Lot was saved from the fires of Sodom. But the reality was that Noah endured in the safety of God through the Judgment. And Lot ran and hid, but endured living through the Judgment. They were both saved, true. But they also endured and had to go through it - seeing first hand the Judgment of God. When Babylon took over Israel and Jerusalem (Jeremiah 52), Daniel was captured (Daniel 1). Daniel endured the Judgment of God and had to deal with being taken captive. We need to understand that most of God’s people went through God’s Judgments. Look at the Judgments on Egypt when the Israelites were there. They had to endure the water turning into blood, and other plagues. Although they were spared a few if they obeyed (like the death of the firstborn if they smeared blood on their doors) they still had to endure the Judgments of God. But that the Lord also protects His people. And in that, we can Trust. That Yahweh will protect us, if we have to endure His Judgment. Through life and through death, Jesus will never leave us. 

Revelation 8:6-13. The Lord hands Angels some trumpets. These trumpets are more Climate Chaos. As the Earth is going to have its fill of Judgments from the Lord. You will notice a lot of ‘a third’. This reminds me, that ‘a third’ of the angels joined in a rebellion against God and joined Satan - the deceiver. And it seems that ‘a third’ is getting its Judgments and the Earth is being held accountable for the joining and acceptance of such evil. This all sets it up, for the 3 woes that are coming to Earth…

Revelation 9 9:1-6. An Angel blows the 5th Trumpet and an evil angel falls from Heaven. (We know that stars can represent angels because of the Book of Job uses these terms interchangeably.) This bad angel has the key to the bottomless pit and unleashes demons that were being held there. How are locusts demons? Well, look how John uses the word ‘like’. This means that he can not describe what he is seeing and is using something similar that he knows. Just as locust bugs eat and destroy the land, so these locust demons will destroy. We also know that in Joel 2, the locust army is mentioned and they have inhuman strength, yet are called an army. In Joel 2:6-11 we see that this locust army has inhuman strength and is demonic as they can climb walls and burst through weapons of earth.This might sound like a horror movie. But where do you think that people get these ideas that there will be a horde of zombies or demons will be unleashed onto Earth? Zombies are nothing but either possessed people with demons or demons themselves. Just know, that these aren’t new ideas. History is littered with zombies in pagan religions. Ancient Babylonian had this idea of Zombies coming to earth from the underworld and eating people. The Chinese Boxers were a group of possessed people, who believed that zombies would come out of the ground and kill their enemies. This isn’t a new idea. But the fact that the TV series ‘The Walking Dead’ has become so popular, shows that we are being prepared and programmed that this evil is real and coming. This is evil working through movie producers and writers. The enemy knows that these things will come upon the Earth. The enemy would just like it on his terms, but that won’t be the case. The enemy would also like his people prepared, but they will not able to stand against the Most High God and His Judgments. But look at verse 4. “(The demons) were told to only hurt those who DID NOT have the seal of God on their forehead.” This means that even the demon army has orders that they have to obey. And flip to Joel 2:11 - it states who’s army? The Lords. We know that even the enemies army is under the command of the Lord. As He can kill them with a breath of His Mouth. Nothing is too hard for the Lord. Instead, the Lord is using this demon army to do His will, just like He used the Babylonians and the Assyrians for Judgment in the Old Testament. It should give us great comfort to trust in Yahweh, as He will protect His people... 

Revelation 9:7-21. The First Woe from the Lord to the Earth. The appearance of these demons were described the best John could. He uses the word ‘like’ - which tells us that it is hard to describe and hard to put into words. But that the leader is unmistakable, which is a demon from Hell - named Apollyon. This ushers in another Trumpet blast that brings more death, destruction, and plagues on the Earth. Herald in by more tragic scenes of death and destruction. But instead of turning to the Lord during this tragic time, people hated God even more and did not stop doing evil in the sight of the Lord.

Revelation 10 Revelation 10 is the Mystery of the Angel. John wasn’t allowed to write it down, and thus the Lord has to reveal it to His modern day prophets. As the Lord does nothing without revealing His ways. This Angel is debated on being good or evil, as he speaks without being told. But I can’t help but wonder if this Angel wrapped in a rainbow is talking about the promises of God. I read about the rainbow and I think of God’s promise to not destroy the world by a flood again. 

The Angel is holding a scroll that is sweet but sour to the belly. This reminds me of Ezekiel 2-3 where Ezekiel has to eat the scroll and it tastes sweet. Through Ezekiel's obedience the words of God are sweet and he is commissioned to speak the words that the Lord has given him, words of ‘lamentation and mourning and woe.’ This also reminds me of Jeremiah 15 and how the words of God’s Judgments are mirrored in the beginning of Jeremiah 15 with the 4 Horsemen in verse 2-3. As well eating the words of the Lord in verse 16. 

This leads me to think that this might be a good Angel and that mystery of God is sweet to those who are saved and sour to those who are not. As Judgment is sweet to those who are waiting for death, sin, and evil to be finished. Yet at the same time it is sour to watch the Judgments hurled onto Earth. 

But until the Lord reveals what it really is, truth is - we just don’t know...

Revelation 11 11:1-6. The Lord will rebuild His Temple in Israel. With the building of the Temple, the Lord will send 2 Witnesses. These Witnesses are debated that the real Elijah and Moses, or Elijah and Enoch will come back in the flesh to speak God’s truths. But we don’t know. We also have to understand that John the Baptist was Elijah in spiritual terms as Jesus told us in Matthew 11:14. So it could spiritually be them, but physically be someone else. The Two Witnesses might just have the spiritual anointing of the former prophets. If that makes sense to you... But either way God is sending 2 Witnesses who will be clothed in mourning wear and will prophecy for 3 and a half years. These Prophets will have the power to do what Moses, Elijah, and others did. Such as turning the water into blood as Moses. Such as keeping the clouds from raining as Elijah did. And it seems that they can kill people with fire from their mouths, which will help us know who they are:) As many people can’t do that...

Revelation 11:7-14. When the 2 Witnesses are done with their warnings. The thing that rises from the pit in Revelation 9, will kill them in the streets of Israel, which is the 2nd Woe. We know that Jesus died in Israel and that it is spiritually as wicked during the time of this, as Sodom and Egypt. Those what love sin, evil, and death will hate the 2 Witnesses and rejoice around the death of the 2 ‘troublemakers’ of them. But the Lord God will give life to them after 3 days and the world will watch, as they rise from the dead and an earthquake will hit the city. 

Revelation 11:15-19. The last Angel blew his Trumpet and victory was claimed, even though the battle isn’t finished. As they know it will all be over very soon. 

To sum it all up: 

• Put your faith in Christ today! Time is of the essence. 
• Plan today to live and die for Jesus 
• These events will happen and we must be ready. Are you ready to stand firm in Christ?