The Book of Revelation
Chapter Six
(Introduction)

Note: From this point on it will be difficult to be dogmatic regarding the placement of the various judgments of God during the Tribulation Period. Some of the conclusions presented may differ partially or substantially with what the reader has come to believe regarding this horrific time and various events in and around it. Several highly respected and truly notable prophetic Bible scholars have differences in regards to the same. What we can insist on though is that the Rapture, the Tribulation Period, the Second Coming of Christ, the 1,000 year Kingdom Reign upon the earth, the New Heaven and Earth and Holy City and Eternity with God Almighty will soon and in turn take place. The reader should avail himself of the prophetic writings of John Hagee, Tim LaHaye, Hal Lindsey, Jack Van Impe, Grant r. Jeffrey, Daymond R. Duck and other conservative Christian scholars in order to achieve a deeper understanding of God’s prophetic Word.

Chapters 6 through 19 covers the Tribulation Period, which is composed of the first three and a half years, commonly called “the Tribulation,” and the last three and a half years, commonly called “the Great Tribulation.” Whereas the first five chapters in Revelation are sequential in time (chronological), starting with Chapter 6 not all chapters follow in sequence. Inserted between these chapters are parenthetical chapters that either explain certain aspects that relate to the Tribulation or simply run concurrent with the events of other chapters. This complicates the placement of God’s various judgments (seals, trumpets and bowls) chronologically within the Tribulation Period. As these chapters are addressed in this study, an explanation will be made as to how each fits into the whole. But before a systematic (verse-by-verse) examination of these chapters begins, the following introductory remarks are submitted, some that should have been made at the very beginning of this book’s study and some that are applicable to only the Tribulation Period and a proper understanding of it in this last book of the Bible.

First, Revelation is the only book in the Bible that contains a majority of personal descriptions by Jesus Christ of Himself. Furthermore, each description is of Christ as He is today and not as He was during his earthly ministry. These descriptions may be gleaned from the following verses: 1:8, 17, 18; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14, 20.

Second, Revelation portrays a detailed description of salvation by Jesus Christ in the following verses: 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21.

Third, Revelation primarily depicts future events or “prophecy.” Does God consider prophecy important? Yes, for the following reasons:

1. Prophets wrote most of the books of the Bible. The “gift of prophecy” was a special first-century gift issued to several of the apostles and others. Jesus Christ, who knew all things, gave us the most definitive prophecy of things yet to come in His Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24). There are 16 books on prophecy in the Old Testament and 4 in the New Testament (1&2 Thessalonians, Jude and Revelation). Many of the other New Testament books contain prophetic passages or subjects. It is clear that God intended for us to study prophecy. If we don’t, we then neglect, at our own peril, about one-third of God’s Word.



2. Prophecy reveals Christ as He is today and not as He was during His earthly ministry. This allows us to see Christ in all His glory and power - a most encouraging image.



3. Prophecy properly understood equips the believer to detect and reject cults and false prophets, e.g., the “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” specific “time-setters” for Christ’s return, etc.



4. Prophecy promotes evangelism. The Apostle Paul fed the early Church a diet of prophecy, and it was an active, aggressive and outreaching Church. Later when paganism was introduced into the Church around the fourth century, the Bible and prophecy was no longer widely taught. In fact during the “Dark Ages,” the Bible was suited for museums and not for the people. After John Wycliffe (1330-1384) in the fourteenth century translated the Bible into the common language and prophecy was rediscovered in the nineteenth century, the greatest missionary and evangelistic emphasis of the modern church era was born. Over the years the most evangelistic churches have been those who have emphasized the prophecy of our Lord’s soon return.



5. Prophecy counteracts the materialism of this present age. Those who study prophecy realize that this world is quite temporary, and they realize that they may experience the Rapture at any moment. Believing this, it is difficult to be overly concerned with material gain and possessions.



6. Prophecy promotes the sanctification of the believer. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure1 John 3:3) Knowing that our Lord may come at any moment helps us to all make correct choices in our lives.



7. Prophecy gives the believer hope in a “hopeless age.” A study of history, of science (evolution, etc.), of sociology, of psychology, of current events will only lead one to despondency and suicide. Involvement in “religion,” i.e., a system of works will only do the same. Remember, Christianity is not “religion.” It is a unity or relationship with our living Lord Jesus Christ. By studying prophecy we know what God has planned for the earth and us. This brings joy to our hearts and a song to our lips. Prophecy encourages us to continuously praise our Lord and to look forward to being with Him.

Fourth, Revelation emphasizes the Second Coming of Christ. This is a recurring theme throughout the New Testament.

1. Matthew - two entire chapters (24, 25) are devoted to His coming.
2. Mark - chapter 13 is devoted to His coming.
3. Luke - the second coming is included in chapters 17 and 21.
4. John - see 14:1-3.
5. Acts - see 1:11; 3:19, 20.
6. Epistles of Paul (13)- Paul mentions baptism 13 times, the Lord’s Supper twice and the Second Coming of Christ “50 times.” 1 Thessalonians is considered his first epistle. In it he refers to the Second Coming in every chapter. All but two of Paul’s epistles contain one or more references to the Second Coming of Christ. There is no doubt that Paul placed maximum emphasis on Christ’s soon return.
7. Hebrews - see 9:28.
8. James - see 5:8.
9. 1Peter - see 5:4.
10. 2 Peter - see 3:10.
11. 1 John- see 2:28.
12. Jude - see 14, 15.
13. Revelation - from chapter 4 to the end of the book.

Fifth, Revelation is mostly concerned with the Tribulation Period, some 13 chapters covering it in detail. Is this period of “great distress” important to God and to us as Bible students? Well, consider this. In the Bible there is more space allocated to this period of time than to the Millennium Reign, Heaven, Hell and most every other subject with the possible exception of “salvation by grace” and the “second coming of Christ.” The Tribulation Period, which is called by various names, is mentioned approximately 49 times by the Hebrew prophets and about 15 times in the New Testament. Some notable examples are as follows:

The Time of Jacob’s Trouble	Jeremiah 30:7
The Seventieth Seven (Week) of Daniel	Daniel 9:27
Jehovah’s Strange Work	Isaiah 28:21
Jehovah’s Strange Act	Isaiah 28:21
The Day of Israel’s Calamity	Deuteronomy 32:35; Obadiah 12-14
The Tribulation	Deuteronomy 4:30
The Indignation	Isaiah 26:20; Daniel 11:36
The Overflowing Scourge	Isaiah 28:15, 18
The Day of Vengeance	Isaiah 34:8; 35:4; 61:2
The Year of Recompense	Isaiah 34:8
The Time of Trouble	Daniel 12:1; Zephaniah 1:15
The Day of Wrath	Zephaniah 1:15
The Day of Distress	Zephaniah 1:15
The Day of Wasteness	Zephaniah 1:15
The Day of Desolation	Zephaniah 1:15
The Day of Darkness	Zephaniah 1:15; Amos 5:18, 20; Joel 2:2
The Day of Gloominess	Zephaniah 1:15; Joel 2:2
The Day of Clouds	Zephaniah 1:15; Joel 2:2
The Day of Thick Darkness	Zephaniah 1:15; Joel 2:2
The Day of the Trumpet	Zephaniah 1:16
The Day of Alarm	Zephaniah 1:16
The Great Tribulation	Matthew 24:21; Revelation 2:22; 7:14
The Tribulation	Matthew 24:29
The Wrath to Come	Thessalonians 1:10
The Day of the Lord	1 Thessalonians 5:2
The Wrath	1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 11:18
The Wrath of God	Revelation 14:10, 19; 15:1, 7; 16:1
The Hour of Trial	Revelation 3:10
The Great Day of the Wrath of the
Lamb of God	Revelation 8:16, 17
The Hour of Judgment	Revelation 14:7

It is obvious from a study of all scriptures pertaining to the Tribulation Period that it has not occurred as yet in all of earth’s history. It must be in the future. The more literal one takes prophetic passages, the more one knows it is a coming event. I must agree with Bible scholar Hal Lindsey when he says that most of the prophecies of the Apocalypse apply only to this generation. He goes on to say that “this is the only generation in history that has witnessed the coming together of the whole predicted scenario to precede the Messiah’s Second Coming.” (Apocalypse Code, pg. 68). He points out in his insightful book many fulfillments of this “predicted scenario,” which, along with several others, I’ve listed as follows:

·
• The return of the Jews to their promised homeland, the land of Israel (1948)

·
• The recapture of Jerusalem by the Israelis (1967)

·
• The rise of Russia as a dangerous rogue military power, which maintains an awesome arsenal of lethal weapons inherited from the USSR

·
• The rise of Islamic nations with their relentless pursuit of Jerusalem and Israel’s destruction

·
• The rise of China as a world-class power

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• The rise of Asia as the most populated area in the world and which maintains a most technically skilled workforce

·
• The uniting of European nations into a single power after many years of fighting with each other

·
• The adoption of a common European currency

·
• The adoption of a world court

·
• The development of the United Nations and the European Union

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• The development and deployment of a world communication system via satellites and television

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• The development of information tracking systems, e.g., identification cards, credit cards, background investigation techniques, etc.

·
• The development and stockpiling of nuclear, biological and chemical weaponry

·
• The simultaneous increase in frequency and magnitude of war, earthquakes, plagues, famines, super storms and other global catastrophic weather patterns

God’s Word tells us that we cannot know the exact time of the “end of the age” (Matthew 24:36, 42, 44; 25:13; Acts 1:7), but it does allow us to know when the time is “near” (Matthew 24:33). Most creditable Bible prophetic scholars today are now in agreement that the “time is near.” They disagree on many of the chronological aspects as to how it all will take place, but they see it soon happening.

The major controversy between many well-meaning Christians is whether or not the Church will go through this horrific time. Ample reasons why the Church will not go through the Tribulation Period have already been presented in a prior study (Chapter 4).

Sixth, a number of Old Testament prophetic passages regarding the coming Tribulation Period should be studied in order to properly understand the order of events within this “time of distress” as is presented in Revelation. In fact, these studies will also reveal that there may be some time passage between the Rapture and the start of the Tribulation.

One passage we’ve already considered is Daniel 9:24-27.

"Seventy `sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven `sevens,' and sixty-two`sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two `sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one `seven.' In the middle of the`seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. "

It should be emphasized that the seven reasons for the “seventy ‘sevens’ (weeks)” being decreed for Israel and Jerusalem do not all individually have to be fulfilled by the Tribulation Period and the Second Coming of Christ, but they do all have to be fulfilled by the time of the Second Coming of Christ, which will be the end of the Tribulation Period. By this I mean some, but not all, of these reasons may have been fulfilled at Christ’s first advent. The remainder will be fulfilled at the end of the 490 years (seventy sevens or weeks) that have been decreed.

To completely understand this passage and its relation to the Tribulation Period, please go back to the systematic exposition of it in a prior study (Revelation, Chapter 4, Introduction - Daniel 9:24-27). A quick review of this passage in conjunction with all historical records tells us that the specified time frame stipulated to pass between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the coming of the Anointed One (Christ) was accurate. The time indicated leading up to the crucifixion (“cut off”) of Christ was also accurate. This has left only seven years remaining in God’s dealing with Israel in accordance with this passage. What has intervened has been the Church Age, now lasting about 2,000 years. Once the “full number of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25), the Antichrist will be revealed. He will then initiate the Tribulation Period by confirming a “covenant with many” for a period of seven years. Prior to this the Rapture of the Church will take place, but there is no requirement in Scripture for the Rapture to take place immediately before the confirmation of the “covenant with many.” In fact an unspecified period of time may in fact transpire between the Rapture and the covenant. More than this, other prophetic happenings may take place either before or after the Rapture, which leads us to Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39. I’ll not duplicate this protracted passage here, but please review them in your Bible. I will cover several salient points regarding this prophecy as they relate to Israel and the coming Tribulation Period (remember that the Tribulation Period concerns Israel and the whole world, but not the Church) as follows:

·
• In the “latter days” (“last days”) a mighty invasion from “the far north” will descend upon Israel, composed of forces from Russia and some, if not all, of the Muslim nations.

·
• This invasion can only happen after the State of Israel is reborn, i.e., after 1948.

·
• The participants can only come from the nation located in “the far north” of Israel, i.e., Russia, along with “many nations” in concert with Russia.

·
• The nation that is in “the far north” is descended from the Scythians, who are descended from the ancient tribe of Magog. This is Russia.

·
• Clearly it is God that places the “hook” in Russia’s “jaw” and forces it, almost as if against its own will, to attack in concert with “other nations” the Israeli nation. Yet, Russia has always been an expansionist power, and it has always had an interest in lands that lie directly to its south. I understand that even today it has been studying nuclear weapons’ cooperation with Iran, Libya, Iraq and Algeria - all believed to be part of the Magog coalition that will invade Israel. It is said that Russia is even working on a contingency plan for a full-scale military alliance with Tehran.

·
• Of most significance is Russia’s direct alliance with Iran, whose ultimate goal is to be the undisputed leader of the Islamic world by delivering Jerusalem to Islam.

·
• God will miraculously defeat this invasion by Russia and its cohorts.

·
• After this mighty battle and the defeat of the nations from “the far north,” (and this is key), the people of Israel will go out to the battlefield and use the defeated weapons of warfare left there as fuel for a period of 7 years. Israel will have no need for fuel from any other source.

· It will take Israel a period 7 months to bury all the dead from this most horrid battle, and they will be buried in a valley named “Valley of Hamon Gog.”

As mentioned previously, there is disagreement as to the placement of specific events, e.g., seals, trumpets and bowls, within the Tribulation. One very excellent prophetic scholar earnestly believes that only the first seal takes place during the first half of the Tribulation and then after the “abomination of desolation,” when the Antichrist enters the Temple and declares himself God, the remaining seals, trumpets and bowls occur. He presents a compelling argument that the Battle of Armageddon, which is actually a “campaign of many battles,” is represented by the second seal (2nd horse of the Apocalypse) and is the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38 and 39. The problem with this is that the entire Tribulation Period is a set 7 years in length and since the Israeli people will burn the implements of this battle for 7 years as fuel; it is unthinkable seeing them doing this during the Millennium Reign of Christ.

There appears to be no Scriptural mandate that this battle between Russia and Israel must take place during the Tribulation Period. It can take place before it. How long before, I have no idea. But if it did, the “7-year burn” could then take place during the Tribulation Period. Actually, the battle and the “7-year burn” could take place even before the Tribulation Period. In fact, this battle and time after it may even take place prior to the Rapture. We just don’t know for sure, and we can’t be dogmatic regarding the sequence of these and several other events.

We know for certain that the Antichrist will come and will establish a covenant with many nations, which will ostensibly insure peace with the Nation of Israel. We will see that the opening of the first seal reveals whom we believe is the Antichrist, and he will go forth and “conquer through diplomacy.” One way he may be able to do this is by offering peace and prosperity to all mankind, and this would be more easily accomplished if Russia and her cohorts were out of the way. In the wake of Russia’s destruction as seen in Ezekiel 38 & 39, the Antichrist could offer peace to the entire world in order to avoid any more wars between nations. Since we know that the “7-year burn” must take place subsequent to this war and we know that the Jews will be persecuted by the Antichrist during the last half (3.5 years) of the Tribulation, it is entirely possible that Russia and its Arab allies will be destroyed at least three and a half years prior to the beginning of the Tribulation.

In Revelation Revealed by Tim LaHaye, one of today’s foremost prophetic scholars, he states the following, “If the Antichrist signs a covenant with Israel immediately after the Rapture of the Church, thus beginning the Tribulation, it is highly probable that Russia will be destroyed before the Rapture. However, if there is a period of time between the Rapture of the Church and the beginning of the Tribulation, the Church could be raptured, Russia destroyed, and then the Antichrist set up his one-world government.” This last statement doesn’t seem likely if one believes that the end of Daniel’s 69th week starts the Church Age, which will end at the initiation of the 70th week (the Tribulation); and if one also accepts the fact that God will not allow His Church to proceed into the Tribulation. This being so, we could see the defeat of Russia by God, the emergence of the Antichrist on the world scene, the Rapture and then the “covenant with many” by the Antichrist - in that order.

So we see that there is any number of possibilities. It appears that to dogmatically declare the exact placement of the seals, trumpets and bowls during the Tribulation may be an exercise in imprudent futility. Many God-fearing believers hold that since chapter 13 of Revelation falls between the trumpets and the bowls and it is clear that this chapter reveals the “abomination of desolation,” which is the mid-point of the Tribulation Period, all but the bowls take place prior to this mid-point time. Yet as a parenthetical chapter, along with others, what takes place in chapter 13 can possibly take place at any time during the various judgments of God as represented by the seals, trumpets and bowls.

Another passage in the book of Daniel that sheds light on coming events is found in the 2nd and 3rd chapters. Read the chapters and understand that Nebuchadnezzar’s dream as revealed to him through Daniel concerns the progression of kingdoms from his day forward. The large statue he sees in his dream means the following: (1) The head of gold represents the Babylonian Empire, (2) The chest and arms of silver represents the Medo-Persian Empire, (3) The belly and thighs of bronze represent the Greek Empire, (4) The legs of iron represents the Old Roman Empire, and (5) The feet and toes of iron and clay represent the Revised Roman Empire, i.e., European Federation, such as the European Union or “EU,” composed of 10 autocratic (iron) and democratic (clay) nations. The dream also revealed a stone or rock cut not by human hands (Christ Jesus), which will crush the Revised Roman Empire and set up a Kingdom that will last forever. As we have seen in history, most of this has come true. The “ten toes” are now in formation, and with the Antichrist as their leader, will soon pass through the Tribulation Period to experience utter defeat at the Battle of Armageddon

Later in chapter 7 of Daniel we see the same empires represented by four beasts, the last one with “ten horns,” which correspond to the “ten toes” in Nebuchadnezzar”s dream. But in this prophecy we are also told of another horn, “a little one,” which caused three of the other horns to be uprooted. This “little horn” (Antichrist) will be allowed to control the entire federation of nations for a brief time, only to eventually end up in a “blazing fire.”

Next we find in chapter 11 of Daniel a total of 45 verses, the first 35 that are concerned with the “South” (Egypt) and the “North” (Syria) it is believed have already transpired, although, many also believe these verses foreshadow future events; and the last 10, which portray events of the “end time.” How you interpret this passage will also influence your understanding of the events in the book of Revelation.

To conclude this introduction, the only items about which we can be certain (and these too may change as we go into further study of this marvelous book) are the following:

      1.  The Rapture is yet to come.
      2.  The Tribulation is yet to come.
      3.  The Rapture will occur prior to the Tribulation.
      4.  The Tribulation will last a total of 7 years.
      5.  The Tribulation concerns Israel and the whole world, but not the Church.
      6.  The Tribulation will be a horrific time of God’s judgments upon the earth, which will include all the seal, all the trumpet and all the bowl judgments one after the other (in sequence), but there is uncertainty which ones will fall in the first half and the second half of the Tribulation.
      7.  The Second Coming of Christ to the earth to end the Tribulation Period and set up His 1,000 year Kingdom Reign upon it.

But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.". . . I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My Lord, what will the outcome of all this be?" He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. (Daniel 12:4, 8-10)

These instructions to Daniel confirm that the scriptures applying to the end times are especially encoded until a time near the end when only the “wise will understand.” It is told that the great scientist Sir Isaac Newton, after reading the above passage, remarked,” “Personally, I cannot help but believe that these words refer to the end of times. Men will travel from country to country in an unprecedented manner. There may be some inventions which will enable people to travel much more quickly than they do now.” Sir Newton even went on to speculate that man might travel at speeds exceeding 50 miles per hour. Year later, the French atheist, Voltaire, after reading Newton’s remarks, retorted, “See what a fool Christianity makes of an otherwise brilliant man! Here a scientist like Newton actually writes that men may travel at the rate of thirty or forty miles per hour. Has he forgotten that if man would travel at this rate he would be suffocated? His heart would stand still!”

This allows us to see how these “end time” prophecies have been sealed. Without today’s knowledge of history and technological advancements, it would be impossible for anyone to have understood such coming events. The literal translation of Daniel 12:4 indicates that during the end times an “explosion of knowledge” will occur. We are living in these times. If you could place the entire scale of history (human events) upon a yardstick, 99.9% of our scientific knowledge and achievements would be found in the last centimeter of the stick. Twentieth-century technology has increased exponentially. Just take a few minutes and review all the latest advancements you have witnessed in your lifetime. It wasn’t long ago when our great grandfathers and grandmothers were riding covered wagons across the plains of this great land. Now, with present day knowledge, we are beginning to understand God’s prophetic plan - but not all understand.

Most religious institutions and religious people of this day cannot make “heads or tails” from God’s numerous prophetic passages. They quickly push them aside as being too difficult to understand, or they relegate them to allegorical interpretation applicable to some earlier time. But sincere Bible students who are believers (Christians) and who seek God’s guidance by way of the Holy Spirit “will understand.” They know that there is an actual, literal 7-year period of time coming to this earth in which God will judge the earth and those upon it in a most unimaginable way. They will not fear this time, because they know that God will “snatch” them away prior to this horrible period of time. Additionally, they will find joy and comfort in knowing God’s coming events, and will work ever harder to please their Savior in view of them.

So regardless how you place individual judgments (seals, trumpets and bowls) chronologically within the Tribulation Period, we may all rejoice together knowing that the Rapture, the Tribulation Period, the Second Coming of Christ, the Millennium Reign, the final Judgment of Satan and his angels and the lost, the New Jerusalem, the New Heaven, the New Earth and our Eternity with God Almighty are all REAL and SOON TO COME. Even so, come Lord Jesus.