Lastday Events Continued

DAY OF THE LORD - - - Twenty-Two Major Events in 100 Verses
Presented in 3 Concentric Paths – Outer, Middle and Inner
EVENT #5 - PRELUDE TO GOD’S WRATH - Final Ultimatums

I. Outer – Ten Events with armies at Armageddon – 40 Vs.
#1 - Plague #7 - “It is Done” - - - Rev.16:16-17
#2 - Seal #6 – Day of Wrath – “After G. T.” - 6:12-17
#3 - Sealing 144000 Jews – Firstfruit to God & Lamb - 7:1-8
#4 - Firstfruit rescued; Go to Heaven–Song of Lamb - 14:1-5
#5 – Angels flash warnings to mankind across sky - 14:6-11

The popular interpretation of the Seals, Trumpets and Plagues of Revelation sees all 7 of each series take place separately and in succession to one another. In my view the 7th of each series occurs on the Day Christ comes with all the Saints. I think the armies of the 6th Trumpet and 6th Plague kill a third of mankind and gather to Armageddon before the 6th Seal opens with its warnings of impending wrath.

A notable feature of Revelation is the repeated addition of details that lead to the Hour of God’s wrath about to occur during the signs of God’s Day of Wrath in Seal 6. A tsunami from a great quake, and its 4 winds let loose after 144000 Jews are sealed, causes “great perplexity around the world. Men’s hearts fail from fear of those things coming on inhabited earth; for the powers of the heavens are shaken.” Luke 21:25-26.

Events #5 thru #8 anticipate the “presentation” of the Son of Man to God on the Lastday by 144000 Harvest Firstfruit. Event #6 assures patient Saints there will be no more who suffer death for Christ. The Firstfruit will accompany the Lamb in His role as the Son of Man in Event #7 to reap the earth and cast the wicked symbolically into God’s winepress of great anger. They attend the Lamb as He takes them to heaven to join the Martyrs before God and they sing their two songs prior to praising God and the Lamb in the Temple. During this time 3 angels flash warnings of impending doom across the sky.

While rescuing the 144000, the 7th Plague remains suspended and warnings of Seal Six continue. Their rescue in Rev.14:1-5 immediately follows the sealing of Rev.7:1-8 and the Beast’s 42-month rule. Rev.13. But their song in heaven, anticipated by Rev.14:3, must wait until Rev.15:3 when they and the Martyrs sing before God. This progression results from a Present Active Participle and Aorist Active Subjunctive in the same verse. “They follow the Lamb (Part) wherever He should continue to go” (Sub). Rev.14:4.

These Firstfruit will have been redeemed from earth (Perfect Part.) and will then be “following the Lamb (Pres. Part.) wherever He Goes.” So the word “Go” anticipates further action. The subjunctive mood provides answers to crucial questions in Revelation. In Rev.20:3,5,7, it unmasks the false doctrine of A-Millennialism that there “should NOT be a 1000-year reign” of Christ on earth after He comes in power and great glory.

This Aorist tense, subjunctive mood in Rev.15:8, refers to the Plagues still being future; but only in retrospect to the 7 angels having come out of the Temple to empty the Plagues. The Aorist indicative mood of Rev.15:1 indicates the last Plague had emptied before the Martyrs and 144000 sing their songs! From the moment Seal Six opens, it’s the Day of Wrath; but not the Hour of Trial until the 7th Trumpet. The Plagues had “exhausted God’s anger” that waits to fill the Cup of Wrath while the 7th Plague remains in the air!

1. The last Plague must empty before the 7th Trumpet can sound and therefore before the Court sits and “God’s wrath comes” as announced within the open Temple! Rev.11:18.

2. The last Plague empties before John sees the Great and Wonderful (G & W) sign of Rev. 15:1 at which time the Martyrs and Firstfruit “present” the Son of Man to God.

3. The smoke of God’s glory and power must clear heaven’s Temple (Rev.15:8) for the 3-Act Drama of Testimony, Tribunal and the Triumph of our Lord and of His Christ as King of kings so He might reign forever. Rev.11:15-17. Then Trump 7 concludes with:

4. “The appointed Hour has come to judge (resurrection) and reward the prophets and saints and all who fear God; to destroy the destroyers of earth” and to see the Ark of the Covenant. Babylon’s fall by history’s greatest quake occurs.

The 7th Trumpet leads to “all heaven rejoicing” and the saints preparing for the Lamb’s wedding during the *Inner* Path. Rev.18:20-Rev.19:3. The Firstfruit attend the Lamb thru Event #5 of warnings in the sky and in Event #7 as the Son of Man waits on a cloud to reap the tares to the winepress of great anger. Tares must be separated from the wheat (Matt.13:30) before the Martyrs and Firstfruit “present” Him to God. Dan.7:13; Rev.15:3.

The Tribunal then sits in judgment before the Son of Man gathers the main harvest on the last day and, as millions mourn, before He sends the angels to complete the gathering from all 4 directions in the heavens. Dan.7:22; Rev.8:1-5. An amazing revelation is that Christ appears in Person (Matt.24:30) between the action of Mark 13:27 and Matt.24:31!

Until this last day the “patience of Saints” (Event #6) prevails. A special message, given by the Holy Spirit, concerns those dying in the Lord; for “from now, they shall rest from their labor and their work follows.” The last Martyr has been killed and their reward is certain.

The Firstfruit and Son of Man stop on a white cloud as He reaps the earth in Event #7 before they join the Martyrs and the two Witnesses arise for the Tribunal. He “sits” on that cloud and the 144000 wait with Him as the angelic messages warn mankind that impending wrath signified by Seal 6 has eternal consequences. The Day of Wrath has come and God’s great anger, undiluted, is about to fill up His Cup of Wrath! Rev.14:10.

The deadly consequences are introduced in Event #5 by the same “good news” the two Prophets had just finished “preaching” (same word) concerning the “mystery of God.” Rev.14:6-7; Rev.10:6-7; Rev.11:6-7. All men will “from now fear God and give glory to Him” or perish forever. The End has come. In event #9 the Firstfruit present the Son of Man to God and the Martyrs sing that “all the nations will come to worship Him.”

During the warnings of Event #5, while the armies are gathered below across the land of Israel for 180 miles, 3 angels flash ultimatums in the dark sky. The news is good for the Saints: “The Hour of Judgment has come.” The 2nd angel announces: “Babylon has fallen forever (by history’s greatest quake).” Its aftershocks will destroy earth’s mountains and cities. Rev.16:19-21. The 3rd angel proclaims that Beast-worshipers will “drink the wine of the cup of God’s anger and wrath and be tormented forever and ever.” Rev.14:6-11.

These warnings point to the climax of history, the good news of the destruction of Babylon the Great as told by O. T. Prophets. This good news is the supreme cause for rejoicing in heaven as soon as the 7th Trumpet sounds that God’s wrath has come. “The smoke of Babylon’s torment rises up forever and ever.” Rev.18:20 to Rev.19:3.

For all nations will now come to worship God alone! Rev.15:4. The last Plague suspends in air until God’s anger fills the Cup of Wrath. The 3rd angel announces this impending wrath on Beast worshipers and all who receive his mark (and refuse to repent). Rev.14:9-11.

Most translations see God’s wrath mixing with anger rather than His anger mixing with wrath! God’s anger must reach its apex in the Plagues before wrath begins at Seal #7 and Trump #7. Earth’s celebrations over the deaths of the Witnesses will be terminated by the darkening of the sun. In the same hour the effect of the warnings written in the sky will turn fear to consternation and the Two Witnesses will ascend to heaven for the Tribunal of Seal 7. A great quake kills 7000 VIPs in Jerusalem and Trump 7 will sound that “God’s wrath has come.” Rev.11:11-18. Trump 7 alone gives a proclamation of wrath!

Earth-dwellers in every nation, kindred, tongue and people will know: “The Hour of God’s Judgment has come. They must worship Him that made heaven and earth and the sea and fountains of waters.” All men must bow and worship God at the name of Jesus or perish! Phil.2:9-10. They will drink the wine of God’s anger and wrath and be tormented in the Lamb’s presence forever. The Son of Man reaps the wicked and the G & W sign appears! The declaration that all nations must worship God, or perish, is the focal point of the Sign, the Ultimatums and the Songs of Events #5 through #9. Rev.15:1-4.

The songs of the Martyrs and 144000 are so important in the progress of Lastday events that their joint meeting with God links the G & W Sign to Event #10 and the open Temple for the 12 Middle and Inner Concentric Path events that occur “after these things” in Rev.15:5 and Rev.7:9. The Sign and its songs climax the Outer Path of 40 verses and the Temple Drama begins immediately after the Martyrs and Firstfruit “present the Son of Man” as the Saints’ worthy Bridegroom and King of the Jews.

Having been presented to God, the Lamb meets the Saints in the Temple and attends to their Testimony, invokes the Tribunal of Seal 7 and is crowned in the Middle Path’s Triumph of Trump 7. That triumph (Event #15) leads to heaven’s rejoicing and the Concentric Inner Path of 7 events (38 vs). The 22 major events in these 100 verses fill “Day One” of the 1000-Year-Day of the Lord. 2 Pet.3:8.

The translation in our Bibles (except New Jerusalem Bible) that the Plagues “complete God’s wrath,” in my view, makes the Book of Revelation difficult to understand regarding the climactic nature of Lastday events. Wrath begins at the 7th Trumpet and the 7th Plague implodes. Wrath in the Plagues only seems true as Trump 7 is described 5 chapters before the Plagues. Trump 7 sounds after “time is no longer.” Rev.10:6-7.

We will see that the only G & W Sign in Revelation (Event #8; Rev.15:1) reveals why the Temple opens “after these things” as of Rev.15:5 and Rev.7:9. This Sign, described only in the 250th verse of Revelation, refers back to the things that begin with the Day of Wrath as of Rev.6:17. It sets the moment for the dramatic first meeting of the Saints in God’s and the Lamb’s Presence from Rev.7:9 to Rev.8:5 and Rev.11:11-18. It brings us back “full circle” to Rev.16:17 from which a voice out of the Temple, from the Throne, decreed: “The End has come.”

It signaled the Lamb to open Seal 6 for the climactic Day of Wrath as predicted by many O. T. prophets. The Last Plague had just emptied. The G & W Sign appears so they recognize His G & W deeds were manifested in the Plagues!

The Day of Wrath (Rev.6:17) begins at Seal 6 ten chapters before God decrees the “End has come” in Rev.16:17. But Rev.6:12-17 immediately follows Rev.6:12-17. Trump 7’s appointed (kairos) time for God’s wrath follows 5 Seals and 5 Trumpets and 5 Plagues that reveal the refusal of wicked men to repent. For God’s wrath involves the armies of Trump #6 and Plague #6 having killed a third of mankind at a given “year, day, month and hour” and of their being gathered> to Armageddon. Rev.9:14-16; Rev.16:14-16.

God responds with Seal 6 and angelic warnings to make all men know the Day of wrath has begun! Three Concentric Paths of 100 verses disclose the order of Lastday events. The decree that God’s wrath has come, 5 chapters before describing the Plagues which lead to His wrath, concurs with John’s method of describing the details after announcing God’s purpose in Rev.6:11. Again, the Plagues had “completed God’s anger” (Aorist Indicative; Rev.15:1-4) to start chapter 15 before they are described in chapter 16!

Also, Seal 7’s Court renders the verdict of God’s judgment before John describes the evidence of 6 Trumpets upon which that verdict is based! God judges 200 million wicked men who refused to repent and are gathered to Armageddon prior to the 6th Seal; prior to the 7th Plague; prior to the ultimatum of God’s Decree: “It is Done;” prior to the Decree that His “wrath has come” and prior to Christ’s “coming as a thief” at Armageddon.

The Martyrs and 144000 sing their songs in heaven on one of the days “after the great tribulation ends. “God’s mystery was finished”! Rev.10:6-7. Martyrs join the Firstfruit to God for the songs that precipitate the Court of Seal 7. The smoke of God’s power and glory clears the Temple after the G & W Sign to allow the Three-Act Drama. Angels have delivered their final warnings and the Son of Man has reaped the wicked in great anger. With the verdict of Seal 7, God’s wrath is announced in Trump 7. Rev.11:18.

The description of the Plagues follows that of the Trumpets as both Trump 6 and Plague 6 (Parts of the Great Tribulation) anticipate ten events and 40 verses of the *Outer* Path (after the great tribulation). Armies gather to Armageddon in the 6th Plague and the Son of Man reaps these wicked to the winepress just before the G & W Sign. This precipitates the Temple Drama in the *Middle* Path’s open Temple Drama of the Tabernacle of the Testimony. Upon concluding the Drama, the Ark of the Covenant appears. Rev.11:19.

As the Two Prophets arise and 7000 die in the great quake, the Temple opens at Rev.15:5 for the Drama of 22 verses from Rev.7:9 to Rev.8:5 and Rev.11:11-18. The Martyrs and 144000 sing their songs and present the Son of Man before God in the last scene of the *Outer* Path. Rev.15:2-3 and Dan.7:9-14.

But Rev.7:9-14 shows sudden surprise by an elder as they appear in the *Middle* Path’s open Temple to praise God and the Lamb! The elder knows, as John reminds him: multitudes have come out of great tribulation.

In the Court Scene of Seal 7 (Dan.7:22), God’s anger burns at its highest pitch and turns to wrath just before 38 verses of the *Inner* Path are fulfilled. Jesus identifies the timing for the “Hour of Trial and His Coming as a Thief” at The Armageddon (Rev.3:10-11; Rev.16:15-16). It coincides with the “suddenness” of the Day of the Lord “coming on all inhabitants on all the face of all the earth when He shall come in flaming fire to take vengeance and be glorified in all His Saints.” 2 Thess.1:10; I Thess.3:13; I Thess.5:3; Luke 21:25 to 27 as He appears and then Luke 21:34-35 for the sudden Hour of wrath.

The popular view equates that “Hour” with 7 years of Tribulation with the Church taken to heaven to escape great tribulation and be among O T Saints before Trib-Saints can be glorified! Paul is clear that our final “rest from tribulation, God’s vengeance upon the wicked, Christ’s glorification with the Saints and the admiration of all who believe will occur on the day Christ comes in blazing fire with His mighty angels to destroy all who refuse to obey the Gospel.” 2 Thess.1:7-10.

“At the Last Trump the dead in Christ will be raised up incorruptible – be changed from corruption to incorruption and those who survive from mortality to immortality.” I Cor.15:52. Death will be swallowed up in victory and only then will “all the Elect come with Christ”! I Thess.3:13; Rev.17:14.  

See next for more on the Concentric Paths..

 Mel