CENTERPIECE

The Sign! The sun refuses to shine in Israel at noon, the Lastday. Ten of the above 22 major events, the Outer Concentric Path, reach a climax as the Temple opens for the events of the Three-Act Temple Drama just before the Hour of Trial on that Day. The Drama includes the killing of 7000 Beast worshipers in Jerusalem and resurrection of the two Prophets. These 15 events constitute the Outer and Middle Concentric Paths.

Seal Six signals the Day Christ appears! Believers "watch" until the Day of Armageddon. Rev.16:15. There exists a supreme sense of imminence for up to 3½ days "after the tribulation." Trump Six and Plague Six describe the great holocaust that kills a third of mankind and the armies gathering to Armageddon. The Lastday occurs as the two Prophets lie dead for up to 3½ days.

The 7th Plague begins its suspension in the air at Rev.16:17 as the armies are gathered to Armageddon. Here the action goes to the opening of Seal 6. The 6 verses of Rev.16:12-17 precipitate and  therefore precede the  6 verses of Rev.  6:12-17. This retroactive transition introduces the 22 major events of the Lastday. 

According to Joel 2:31, "The sun will turn to darkness before that Day begins." According to Amos 8:9, "The sun goes down at noon...in broad daylight." As the sun turns dark in Israel, "the moon will turn to blood" at 6 AM on the east coast of America.

"The great quake in a tenth of Jerusalem kills 7000 men of names. In that same hour the Two Prophets arise from death and are caught up to heaven."  Rev.11:13-14. This spectacular event, seen by millions, coincides with the transition from Rev.15:5 to Rev.7:9 for the Drama in the Temple. This second retroactive transition introduces the Middle Concentric Path for the major events which occur within heaven's Temple. It introduces the climactic Hour  of Trial, the last 7 events of the Inner Concentric Path. This Hour includes the Three-Act Temple Drama, Heaven's Final Scene of rejoicing over Babylon's Fall and the descent of Jesus Christ to gather all the Saints to Himself and to destroy all of His enemies.  

The actions in #1 to #10 above encompass 40 of 100 verses for the OUTER concentric path of Lastday events. This path precedes the events of the Last Hour. While the last Plague remains suspended, this Outer Path takes us from Rev.7:1-8 and Rev.14:1 to Rev.15:5 where the Temple in heaven opens for the Three-Act Drama of 22 verses in the MIDDLE concentric path (#11 to #15). The Middle and INNER paths (#11 to #22) fulfill the Last Hour. After Christ is crowned and the Saints rejoice, all the Saints are gathered above and the armies disintegrate in their tracks. Cities and mountains disappear and the light returns at twilight. Zech.14:4-7,12.

Lastday events begin to occur as soon as the last Plague empties and a great voice, coming out of the Temple from the Throne, declares: "It is Done." Christ does not appear immediately! The warnings of the Day of Wrath continue to intimidate the armies gathered in Rev.16:12-17 by the Evil Trio to make war. The armies are immobilized by the calamities of Seal 6. The OUTER path requires acts by the Lamb, by the Son of Man, before the Temple opens for the MIDDLE and INNER paths of climactic events. 

The OUTER concentric path includes the rescue of 144,000 Jews who meet the Lamb on Mt. Zion after being sealed with His name in #3. Rev.7:1-8. The path continues in Rev.14, being positioned in the text after the 42-month rule of the Beast of Rev.13. In #4, the Lamb comes from heaven to rescue them on Mt. Zion and they "follow the Lamb, the Son of Man, wherever He goes." They accompany Him on the clouds of heaven, being prepared to sing their song before the Throne. Rev.14:2-4; Rev.15:2-4.

Warnings across the sky by three angels in #5 are part of this outer concentric pattern. The patience of the Saints in #6 stands out as they know the End has come and deliverance is imminent.  In #7 the Son of Man symbolically reaps the wicked to the Winepress of God's great anger. Rev.14:14-19. The reaping occurs before anyone can enter the Temple in heaven. No one enters after Plague 7 suspends in the air until the smoke clears from the Temple! Rev.15:8. (Rev.14:20 anticipates the Inner Path).

The final Outer Path events of #8 to #10 climax events in heaven before the Temple opens. A Great and Wonderful Sign (G&W) appears in heaven. Martyrs sing the song of Moses and the 144,000, rescued Firstfruits unto God and the Lamb, sing a song of the Lamb. The 7 last plagues, described after this sign appears, had demonstrated God's patience was exhausted. His wrath is imminent. Casting the wicked to the winepress of God's great anger in #7 symbolizes the end of God's patience. 

The Two Prophets arise bodily, a great quake kills 7000 VIPs in a tenth of Jerusalem and then the Temple opens! Great multitudes enter to praise God and the Lamb by name in #13...Act One of the Temple Drama. This MIDDLE path starts at the end of the G&W sign; but also after the Two Prophets rise up to heaven in the same hour as the great quake in Jerusalem. Text-wise, the Plagues were finished before being described in chapter sixteen (aorist indicative of 15:1,4 in apposition to the aorist subjunctive of 15:8 reveals the   Plagues are finished as of the G&W Sign). Being finished is future only to the angels exiting the Temple to receive the seven bowls. 

The songs reveal the Plagues manifested God's righteous deeds prior to the open Temple of Rev.15:5 and therefore prior to the Three-Act Temple Drama beginning in Rev.7:9. Rev.15:5 is pivotal, transitioning from the Outer to the Middle Path. Both verses begin with the Key Phrase: "After these things, I looked and Behold..." Plague 7 remains suspended thru event #15. The Storm Theophany of Rev.11:19 and Rev.16:18 reaches its greatest intensity after Seal 7's Tribunal and Trump 7's Triumph!

This great intensity launches the INNER path simultaneously at the Storm Theophany of Rev.11:19 in heaven and that on earth in Rev.16:18 and the rejoicing from Rev.18:20 to Rev.19:6. At the implosion of Plague 7, all heaven rejoices, the Hour of Trial on earth continues and heaven opens for Christ's glorious appearance with all the Saints in the clouds of heaven. Matt.24:30; Rev.1:7.

The action by the Lamb begins in the OUTER path as He rescues the Firstfruit of Harvest. Then, as the Son of Man, He reaps the wicked from the white cloud. The Firstfruit accompany Him to the river flowing from heaven's Temple throne where the Martyrs and 144,000 sing their songs. They present the Son of Man to the Ancient of Days, His throne ablaze upon a crystal-like river/sea of fire. Dan.7:9,10,13; Rev.15:2-4. This just before the Temple opens for the MIDDLE path starting in Rev.15:5 and Rev.7:9. Each verse is introduced by: "After these things, I looked and behold...." Significantly, it is the same Key Phrase as seen in Rev.4:1!

Before the Temple Drama begins, the Two Prophets return bodily to heaven and the Beast's elite guards are liquidated in #11 and #12. This begins the Middle Path. These two will have just joined the martyrs in spirit to sing the song of Moses while God sits on the Throne of Fire in #9. Now they rise up from earth and ascend bodily to heaven in time for the Temple Drama.

Apostle John, one of the two Prophets, will remind one elder that he, the elder, knows the origin and identity of the Firstfruit, and of those who have just come out from under the Altar, dressed in white robes, ready for the Testimony, Tribunal and Triumph of the Temple Drama. These two rise up in the same hour as the great quake in a tenth of Jerusalem that kills 7000 "men of names." It may be the same great quake of Rev.6:12 at the opening of Seal 6 ...at noon on the Day of God's wrath.    

The heart of the Centerpiece forms the MIDDLE path for a Three-Act Temple Drama in #13 to #15. This path is created by the repeated phrase: "after these things I looked, and behold." In the KJV, the exact same phrase ends the OUTER concentric path in Rev.15:5 (Dan.7:9-10,13) and begins the MIDDLE path in Rev.7:9. The action moves from the Throne over a sea/river of fire to within the Temple itself.

The smoke of God's glory and power has cleared the Temple so that all the Saints may praise God and the Lamb for the first time. During this Temple Drama, the last Plague of God's anger remains suspended in midair. God's anger was exhausted at Rev.15:1 (New Jerusalem Bible). His wrath is announced from heaven, Rev.11:18, after the Testimony of Rev.7:9-17 (Act One), Seal 7's Tribunal (Act Two) and Trump 7's Triumph (Act Three). 

The OUTER Path begins with the 7th Plague and Decree of Rev.16:17 which launches the Day of the Lord. This path fulfills the events from #1 to #10. It involves the activity of the Lamb and Son of Man and His presentation to God by the songs of Moses and the Lamb. The Temple Drama runs during the MIDDLE Path from Rev.7:9 to Rev.8:5 and Rev.11:15-18. Then Theophany #2 and #3 express the intensity of God's anger-induced-wrath and Babylon falls the second time in #16. This act of anger and wrath launches the INNER concentric path of wrath at Rev.16:19-21 and  the simultaneous rejoicing from Rev.18:20 to Rev.19:10 (#16 to #19). 

The contents of Plague 7 implode! The implosion seems to occur right after the Decree of Rev.16:17. But the Outer and Middle Concentric Paths must occur between Rev.16:17 and Rev.16:18. The 7th Plague must empty in midair prior to the drama in the 7th Seal and 7th Trumpet. The Inner Path and implosion of Plague 7 follow the 7th Trumpet. The full intensity of the Storm Theophany ending the MIDDLE path at Rev.11:19 actually coincides with that of Babylon's Fall in Rev.16:18.

The text comes full circle with the 2nd and 3rd instances of the Storm Theophany in quick succession. Its greatest intensity, described as the Cup of God's Anger and Wrath, coincides with the rejoicing in heaven as the Hour of Trial comes to all inhabitants of the earth. God's wrath reverberates with global violence...history's greatest quake and its aftershocks. Rev.16:19-21. But first heaven's rejoicing includes preparations for the Lamb's wedding in #18. A big question: Who will be the guests invited to the supper?

God's Wrath explodes with history's greatest quake to destroy Babylon a 2nd time in 42 months. First the City by Fire, then both the City and System of the cities of the nations. Final destruction causes rejoicing as of Rev.18:20 to Rev.19:6. At the execution of God's wrath on Great Babylon in #16, the action moves quickly in the INNER path with the final scene of rejoicing and the wedding preparations in Rev.19:7-10.

The Hour in which Christ appears includes a 3-Act Temple Drama, rejoicing in heaven, destruction of the wicked and the climax of the Trial upon all of earth's inhabitants in #20 and #21. Matthew's Sign of the Son of Man distinguishes between the Sign of that Day and the Sign of the Hour Christ appears. Matt.24:30. That Sign adds to consternation created by the quake that destroys 7000 of the Beast's elite guard in Jerusalem and by another that obliterates Great Babylon moments before Christ descends from heaven.

During the Hour of Testing, aftershocks affect mankind on all the face of all the earth. Rev.16:19-21.  The wine of the Cup of Anger and Wrath causes cities and mountains to disappear. Islands move out of place. At the greatest intensity of the Storm Theophany, 100 pound blocks of hail and giant waves surge over the seas and surfs and four great winds are released to devastate the wicked standing in defiance... refusing to repent. Luke 21:24,25,35. These winds were held back while the angel sealed the 144,000 with a second seal after that of the Father, that of the Lamb. Rev.7:1; Rev.14:1.

For the Millennial reward won by the Martyrs, please see the List of Subjects in Meditations. Meditation #48 raises the interesting prospect of a whole new class of people who become the Sheep Nations that "inherit the New Earth Kingdom" when the Goat Nations are separated from them and cast into Hell at the close of the Millennium. There will not be a separation of the goats until countless multitudes are deceived by Satan after the Saints and redeemed Israel reign over all nations with an iron staff for 1000 years. Rev.15:4; Rev.2:25-27; Dan.7:27; Rev.20:5-6.

© Copyright by Mel Miller,  1999 - 2008. All rights reserved.
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