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With slow Internet Speed, this page may take a minute to load BACK TO: INDEX OF BIBLE NOTES BIBLE
PROPHESY WHERE
ARE WE TODAY? World
events are such today that people everywhere are wondering just what the
future will hold. This is
brought about, not only by the violence, which is terrible indeed, but
also by the formation of two antagonistic parties in the world.
On the one hand there is the so-called Christian nations and on the
other there is Islam. A
number of questions are being asked, the main one being, what will the
future hold? To a certain
extent some are turning to the Bible for an answer.
Unfortunately we are in the Laodicean age and Christendom has
absolutely no knowledge whatsoever of the scriptures, therefore people are
left in the dark. We
could suggest that the born again believer of today, generally speaking,
is equally ignorant of the purposes of God as are the unsaved.
Indeed things may well be heading up to a crisis, and there should
be a desire on the part of believers to know the mind of God.
To do so requires a study of Bible prophecy.
This is indeed difficult without a knowledgeable teacher.
The problem is there are so very few in the world today, and
furthermore no good books have been written on prophecy for many years. If possible it is recommended that one should have at least
books like those written by Walter Scott, and William Kelly to assist in
this study. On occasions the
J N Darby Bible may be cited to assist in our understanding of the usage
of the original Greek words. In
order to understand our position in the prophetic calendar two books of
the Bible stand out in importance. The
first is Revelation and the second is Daniel.
It is the intention of these notes to commence with Revelation as
more information is given therein even though a number of other books have
enlightening passages. Where
necessary references will be made to the book of Daniel, and other books
to give more light. The
subject of these notes is to try and determine how the events of the early
2000’s have any relationship with prophecy in the scriptures, in
particular Revelation and Daniel. It
may so be that the book of Revelation is misused and least the understood
of all the books of the Bible. This
being so it is very important to note the divisions of this book outlined
by Walter Scott in his “Exposition of the Revelation of Jesus Christ”. An understanding of these divisions will greatly assist us in
rightly dividing the Word of Truth. TWO
PARTS The
book is divided into two parts: Chapter
1:1 to
chapter 11:18. Chapter
11:19 to chapter 22:21 The First Part Walter
Scott describes this part as “a prophetic sketch of the general
condition of things and events is a prophetic sketch from the close of the
first christian century till the introduction of the eternal state.”
William Kelly also puts it this way: “The seals and the trumpets
which follow one another conduct us from the time the church is seen in
heaven glorified till ‘the time of the dead to be judged,’ as well as
the day of wrath for the nations of the earth.
Evidently this is the end of the age.” The
Second Part In
this part we have a description of Israel and Christendom in their awful
judgemental history. William
Kelly makes this statement “And
he said unto me, Thou must prophesy
again before many
peoples,
and nations, and tongues, and kings.” Rev.10:11.
From this point onward, the prophecy becomes more specific. Having
noted these two parts, we must now fit three divisions and twelve
sections. This is best done
in table form. Fitting
in the Three Divisions The
three divisions are described in chapter 1 v19: Write
the things which thou hast seen,
1. past
The
vision of Christ. Ch1.12-16 and
the things which are, and the
2. present
successive
churches Ch2 & 3 things
which shall be hereafter;
3. future
the
world, Jews, and corrupt church The
Command The
apostle was caught up into the presence of the Lord of the Lord’s day
and should take careful note the actions of the apostle when he was caught
up in the Spirit and saw the Lord as the Ancient of Days: “And
when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.
And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am
the first and the last.” Rev.1:17. At
this point, it is very distressing indeed to see and hear the believers
speak and address the Lord in the most familiar and irreverent way is
distressing indeed. It shows
that the person concerned has no appreciation of who the Lord is, Holy,
Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! We
are not on His level. We are
His purchased possession. He
has blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in the heavenlies; He has
loved us with an everlasting love, but to bring him down to our level is,
to say the least, Satanic. It
is this raised up position that the Lord commands John to write three
things. Division
1 “Write
the things which thou hast seen”.
First part of verse 19. The
first division therefore is Chapter 1:10 to 18 He
was commanded to write what he had just seen concerning the Lord Jesus
Christ in His some of His heavenly glory.
Mortal finite man does not want to believe that God is infinite. Division
2 “the
things which are”. Second
part of verse 19. The
second division is chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation and it describes the
history of the church till the Lord comes for His possession as described
in 1Thes.4. Division
3 And
the things which shall be hereafter”. Third part of verse 19. The
third division commences at chapter 4 and ends at chapter 22:5, and it is
the prophetic part of the book and covers the Seals, Trumpets, Vials,
Babylon, the Marriage, the Reign all of which most emphatically are in the
future. The
Book Construction So Far. Part
1 chapter
1 to chapter 11:18
Division 1
The seen glory of the Lord
Ch 1:10 - 18
Division 2
History of the church
Ch. 2 & 3
Division 3
The prophesies to the end.
Ch.4 to 22:5 Once
again it is of utmost importance that we understand this book for it is
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. Unfortunately
in these last days almost nothing is known of this book, and particularly
its commands. Sections The
book is further divided into twelve sections.
1.
Introduction
Ch.1:1-9. 2. Christ
in judicial glory
Ch.1:10:18. 3. The
Church. God’s witness on
earth
Ch.2 & 3. 4. Believers
glorified in heaven
Ch.4 & 5. (1Thes.4:15-17.) 5. The
seven seals opened
Ch.6 to ch.8:1. Ch.7
not included. 6. The
seven trumpets sounded
C8.8-11 & Ch11.15 where the Lord
reigns Sections
cont. 7. Three
entities, woman, dragon, angels
Ch.12.
Two beasts Revived
Roman Empire
Ch.13.
Seven interventions by God
Ch.14. 8. The
seven vials of God’s wrath
Ch.15 & 16. 9. Babylon
the Great destroyed
Ch.17 & 18. 10.
Fall of Babylon to the eternal state.
Ch.19 to 21:8. 11.
The Lamb’s bride in governmental glory
Ch.21:9 to 22:5. 12.
Warnings and encouragement
Ch.22:6-22. Book
Construction So Far PART
1 Ch. 1:1 11:18 S.1
Introduction
Ch1:1 – 9
D.1: The seen Glory of the Lord
Ch.1:10-18 S2.
Christ in judicial glory
Ch.1:10-18
D.2: History of The Church
Ch.2 & 3 S3.
The church as witness on earth
Ch.2 & 3
D.3: The Things Hereafter
Ch.4 to 22.5 S4.
Believers glorified in heaven
Ch.4 & 5 S5.
The seven seals
Ch6 to end & Ch8.1 S6.
The seven trumpets
Ch8:8-11 & Ch11:15 PART.
2. Ch.11:19 to 22:21
D.3. cont. S7.
The woman, dragon, angels
Ch.12, 13 & 14. S8 The
seven vials
Ch.15 & 16 S9 Babylon
the great destroyed
Ch.17 & 18 S10.
Fall of Babylon
Ch.19.to 21:8 S11.
The Lamb’s bride in governmental glory
Ch.21:9 to 22:5 S.12.
Warnings and encouragement
Ch.22:6-22. Portions
in Parenthesis There
are six portions in the book that are distinctly marked as follows: P1. Chapter 7
between the sixth and seventh seals P2. Chapter
10 & chapter 11:1-13. P3. Chapter
11:19 to chapter 15:1-4. P4. Chapter
16:13-16 P5. Chapter
17 to chapter 19:1-10 P6 Chapter
21:9-12 and chapter 22:1-5. PART
1. Ch.1:1 11:18 S.1
Introduction
Ch1:1 – 9 D.1:
The seen Glory of the Lord
Ch.1:10-18 S2.
Christ in judicial glory
Ch.1:10-18 D.2:
History of The Church
Ch.2 & 3 S3.
The church as witness on earth
Ch.2 & 3 D.3:
The Things Hereafter
Ch.4 to 22.5 S4.
Believers glorified in heaven
Ch.4 & 5 S5.
The seven seals
Ch6 to end & Ch8.1 (P1.
Chapter 7 Two separate
companies Israel and Gentile
Ch7) S6.
The seven trumpets
Ch8:8-11 & Ch11:15 (P2.
Chapter 10 & chapter 11:1-3 between 6th & 7th
trumpets Ch.10 to Ch11.1-3) PART.
2. Ch.11:19 to 22:21 D.3:
The Things Hereafter
Ch.4 to 22.5 S7.
The woman, dragon, angels
Ch.12, 13 & 14. (P3.
Between 7th trumpet and bowls of wrath
Ch.11:19 - Ch.15;1-4) S8 The
seven vials
Ch.15 & 16 (P4
Between 6th & 7th vials
Ch.16:13-16) S9 Babylon
the great destroyed
Ch.17 & 18 (P5.
Between 7th vial,& Lord’s
advent
Ch.16:17 &ch.19:1-10) S10.
Fall of Babylon
Ch.19.to 21:8 S11.
The Lamb’s bride in governmental glory
Ch.21:9 to 22:5 (P6.
Eternal state
Ch.21:9-22 & 22:1-5) END
OF Division 3 S.12.
Warnings and encouragement
Ch.22:6-22. END
OF BOOK PART
1 Chapter
1:11 to Chapter 11:18 In
the table above we noted the first Part was made up of Three Divisions,
six Sections and two portions in parenthesis.
It covers Chapter 1:1 to chapter 11:18. Section
1 Chapter
1:1 to 9 Introduction This
section could more appropriately be called the Introduction.
It opens the book and is verse 1 to verse 9 inclusive.
It clearly states that this is the “Revelation of Jesus
Christ”, and John was shown these things “which must shortly come to
pass”. John says that he
“bare record of the Word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ,
and of all that he saw.” “Blessed
is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and
keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”
Rev.1:3. The
reader is blessed if he “hear and KEEP the words of the prophecy”.
John then addresses the seven churches, names Jesus Christ as the
Faithful Witness, also states the elevated position of the church age
believer, and then praises Him. Further
John announces the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ to this world,
and the resultant world’s woe because of it.
He then gives the appropriate names of the Lord in that activity. PART
1
DIVISION 1 Section
2 Chapter
1:10-18. In
this remarkable portion we see the Lord in judicial glory.
Particularly note that it is in the capacity of Judge that
He commands John to write and send the messages to the appropriate
churches. Yes, indeed it is
as Judge that He sends these messages.
It may be of interest to keep in mind the fact that the Lord is
“the Almighty.” He is
infinite, above and beyond anything we, as sheer finite mortals can even
remotely understand. Finally,
in this section he has the keys of “hell and death.” DIVISION
2 Section
3 Chapter
2 & 3 It
covers the history of the church on earth.
Most emphatically it is not the history of christendom, or
of groups of christians, but it is the history of christians gathered to
the person of the Lord Jesus Christ in local testimony.
No matter what, christians however sincere who gather themselves
together under whatever name or banner do not constitute a scriptural
church. The Holy Spirit only gathers believers who obediently obey
His Word around the person of the Lord Jesus. Therefore
Division 2, Section 3 describes the testimony of these churches,
from the Lord’s point of view as Judge, from the first assembly in
Jerusalem to the coming of the Lord for His redeemed ones.
This testimony, at His coming, is virtually non-existent. This portion is past, present, and future from our date.
Above all it shows the almost total failure of assemblies.
That should be evident to us in these last days. DIVISION
3 Chapter
4 to chapter 22:5. This Division spans some of Part 1, which ends at chapter 11 v.15, and all of Part 2, which are the “things hereafter”, and ends with the eternal state. PART
1 contains
Sections 4, 5, P1, and Section 6, and
P2. PART
2 contains
all the rest of the book except Section 12.
the final warnings. PART
1 DIVISION
3 Section
4 Chapter
4 and 5. Chapter
4
describes the heavenly glory of the raptured saints before the four and
twenty elders, and praise of the Lord Jesus Christ. Chapter
5
tells of the Lamb having the seven seals in His hands being praised. PART
1 DIVISION
3 Section
5 Chapter
6 Parenthesis
1 chapter 7 Chapter
8 verse 1 In
chapter 5 and 6 we have the Lamb holding seven seals opening them from
first to sixth. The result of
opening the seals are described and we find they are judgement on the God
hating world, which we must add describes some who are saved during the
tribulation. These
judgements are successive: 1. The
conqueror 2. War 3. Famine 4. Death 5. Martyrs 6.
Earthquakes etc. Chapter
7 is the first parenthesis before the seventh seal is opened.
It is the 144000 being sealed PART
1 DIVISION
3 Section
6 Chapter
8:2 This
chapter describes the angels sounding the seven trumpets.
Once again we find six trumpets sounded and then a parenthesis.
The trumpets introduce the following: 1. Fire,
hail and brimstone poured out on the earth 2. Burning
mountain cast into the sea 3. Burning
star falls into the rivers 4. A
third part of the sun, moon, and stars darkened Chapter
9 5. Smoke
out of the bottomless pit 6. Third
part of men slain. PART
1 DIVISION
3 Section
6 Parenthesis
2 Chapter
10 to Chapter 11:1-13. In
this parenthesis John is commanded to eat the book.
He hears the voices of seven thunders.
The inner temple is measured.
John eats the little book. PART
1 DIVISION
3 Section
6 Continuation
from chapter 11:4 to verse 15. The
seventh trumpet sounded. The
Lord reigns forever. This
followed by the time of judgement PART
2 Section
7 Chapter
12, 13, and 14 Parenthesis
3 Parenthesis
3 commences at chapter 11:19 and ends at chapter 15:4 This
includes all of chapters 12, 13, and 14, which is section 7.
Its commencement however, is immediately after the sounding of the
seventh trumpet, and ceases at the advent of the angel with the vials or
bowls of wrath. Please note
section 7 is part of parenthesis 3. Chapters,
12, 13, 14 form one prophecy, and because of this form the core of
parenthesis 3. It is
considered the one of most interest for past students and is extremely
important for us today. In
chapter 12 we have Israel and Christ portrayed as the woman and her child.
In the dragon we have Satan. There
is also a description of war in heaven, the flight of Israel to a prepared
place, and the judgement of Satan. In
chapter 13 we have the dragon and two beasts.
The first beast is the revived Roman Empire, and the second is the
religious beast, and rules in Israel.
This beast also serves the first.
At this time compulsory worship of the beast is initiated and all
commerce and trade is controlled. The
number of the beast is 666. Chapter
14 God’s
Sevenfold Intervention in Grace and Judgement. It
is indeed a chapter of the judgement of God.
In this chapter we have the Lamb and the heavenly chorus, and the
spared Jewish remnant of 144,000. We
also see another angel preaching the everlasting gospel, the fall of
Babylon. About the 144,000 we
read, they are “bought from men”, First fruits to God and the Lamb, in
their mouth was found no lie”, and that they are blameless. The
fall of Babylon is very interesting as we are assured of the fact that
“righteousness shall reign”. With
this we read the doom of the worshippers of the beast, and the endurance
of the saints. We also read,
“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth.”
In contrast we read of the harvest of the earth reaped for the time
has come. This judgement is
likened to grapes in a winepress. Section
8 Chapters
15 and 16 Parenthesis
4 chapter 16 verse 13 to 16 Chapter
15 commences with seven angels with seven plagues.
John has a vision of the victorious overcomers on a sea of glass
praising the Lord God Almighty. The
seven angels follow this. At
the end of the chapter he also sees seven angels with seven vials of wrath
or judgement. It is
interesting to note that in verse 4 there are three reasons why all should
fear the Lord. For He is holy, for He will be worshipped by
all nations, and for His judgement are made manifest. The
understanding of the prophecy in the book of Revelation is of utmost
importance. Almost all
prophetic error commences with this book even beginning with the clear
words of the first chapter. Sufficient
said about the book of Revelation. At
this stage of the notes we should note some of the prophesies in the book
of Daniel. The four beasts in
chapter 7 are interesting and the last beast will be noted very carefully
at a later stage. Chapter 9
follows this where the 70 weeks are mentioned, and then chapter 11 is very
interesting. What should also
be kept in mind is chapter 24 and 25 of Matthew, and other gospels.
Once again, with respect to any scriptural subject, never one but
many passages expand our understanding of the mind of God. There never is a contradiction. Some
Prophesy Fulfilled The
Temple in Jerusalem Not
only remote prophecies, but also note some chronology of Lord’s prophesy
about the temple in Jerusalem. Not
one stone would remain standing on another.
“And
Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to
him
for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say
unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall
not be thrown down.” Mat.24:1-2.
This event took place about 40 years after the Lord’s
resurrection. The
Return of Israel to the Land The
return of Israel to their God given land is clearly foretold in Mat.24:32,
in parable form with Israel being likened to a fig tree.
However two other events occur at the same time and are
prophetically in a number of books in the bible.
They are the formation of the combined Europe and the independence
of the vassal nations. Please
notice the absolute opposites taking place at the same time.
Both Daniel and Revelation describe the formation of the revived
Roman Empire by combining the ten nations of Europe who are diverse and
have been at war with each other from their beginning.
It is important to note that Europe combining is not in any way
connected with the world’s nations, and their independence because they
are a separate prophetic entity. Luke.21:29. “And
he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all
the trees;”
The
point of interest here is that not only the fig tree, but also all the
trees. Now
notice the vassal nations, tongues and people of the world have fought
fiercely to have their independence.
Surely this should make the bible student take note.
We see one group who hate each other forming a union, and others
fighting to be independent. The
point is that bible prophecy is fulfilled before our very eyes.
The list of fulfilled prophesies in the scriptures is quite
extensive therefore it behoves us to study the prophesies of future events
and “Therefore
be ye
also ready:
for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Mat.24:44. It
is possible that some believers would be thinking what next?
What may not be so clear is that the word of the Lord to Israel
was, “And
ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled:
for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers
places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
Mat.24:6-8.
The olive leaf (Jews) mentioned above took place in 1948 about 1900
years after their dispersal from their land.
Unfortunately, they return in unbelief, and therefore they are
subject to the chastisement of their God.
These wars are not specifically Israel’s problem; it seems to be
worldwide. Nevertheless, it
has specific application to Israel itself. One
should be aware that as we look at modern Israel we are watching bible
prophecy being fulfilled before our very eyes.
We have seen wars and rumours of wars, and we have seen small
Israel defeat all attempts to obliterate the Jews.
What we should have noticed that there is a group of nations whose
hatred of Israel is demonic in the extreme and we should also notice that
most of these countries are to the east of Israel.
The kings of the east are hereunder: “And
the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and
the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings
of the
east
might be prepared.” Rev.16:12.
Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four
angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
Re 9:14. CHAPTER
4 The
first problem for the bible student is to be thoroughly settled with the
fact that the letters to the churches cover the period from the birth of
the church as described in Acts chapter 2, after the resurrection of the
Lord and ends when the Lord returns for His purchased possession
“For
this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and
remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are
asleep. For the Lord
himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: Then we which are
alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,
to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1Thes.4:15-18 Verse
1 After
this
tauta; these things I
looked,
eido; perceived, saw and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard |