ACT TWO – Tribunal and Prayers of the Saints

Court Scene of Seal 7; Dan.7

Verdict by the Angel of Fire!

Middle Concentric Path Continues

Great tribulation Martyrs (and 144,000 Jews, living Firstfruit of the Endtime Harvest, redeemed from earth) will have entered the Temple for the Testimony and Praise to God and the Lamb in Act One of the Temple Drama.  Act Two continues the Middle Concentric Path for the Tribunal of Seal 7 and Daniel 7 (Please see my Meditations 38, 39 for the concept of three Concentric Paths).

The 7^th chapter of Daniel combines aspects of both the Outer and Middle Path Events:

1.  Presentation of the Son of Man to God (described in Rev.15:1-4). Dan.7:13.

2.  Court Scene of 7^th Seal indicts and convicts the Beast and the wicked.  Dan.7:22.

3.  Coronation of Christ (7^th Trumpet; Rev.11:15) on the Day He “comes to reward the Saints. He gives the kingdoms of this world to the people of the Saints and destroys the Beast's armies”. Dan.7:9-27; Rev.8:1-5; Rev.11:15-19. Dan.7:14.

Seal #6 launches events of the unknown “Last Day”. This Day of the Lord, one of 3½ days after the great tribulation, sees the Two Prophets rise up to heaven to witness in the Court of Seal #7. For that reason alone the Day of the Lord must be limited to a single 12-Hour-Day! The Lamb opens Seal #6 at the word “gegonen, It is Done”. Rev.16:17. He opens Seal #7 following the “presentation” of Rev.15:1-5 and the Testimony and Praise of Act One. Rev.7:9-17. In the Greek text only the 7^th Seal opens with the particle otan, “whenever” (instead of ote, “when”), an indefinite particle of time regarding events of this Last Day. It is the uncertain order of Lastday events that occasions the use of "whenever".

Before the Court sits in judgment, all the Martyrs come out from under the Altar; not only in Rev.15:1-5 before the Temple “opens”, but also in Rev.7:9-17 for Testimony and Praise to God and the Lamb. What determines the order? Seal #7 opens for Act Two with a particle of “indefinite” timing to indicate the uncertain order of Lastday events. Neither Daniel nor John describes its major events in strict sequential order. Using three Concentric Paths helps understand the sequence.

Daniel (7:9-11) mentions the court in session and the Books open for judgment before the “presentation of the Son of Man” in verse 13. He narrates the court action in verse 22. In verse 14 he anticipates the 7^th Trumpet’s immediate Coronation of Christ prior to the court's action. Revelation 7:9-11 sees the Martyrs standing before God eight chapters prior to the presentation of Rev.15 and four chapters before the Coronation of chapter 11. John reveals the Saints’ Testimony and Praise before the Tribunal and Prayers of the Saints; then the Coronation occurs.

Daniel convenes the Court to judge the Beast with God sitting on a blazing throne over a crystal river; then proceeds with the presentation.  John’s “presentation” on the crystal sea of fire (Rev.15:2) seems to occur after the Hour of judgment (Rev.8:1-5) as well as after the Coronation of Rev.11:15-17. But the court sits as a result of ten Outer Path events and Act One of the Middle Path Drama. Those attending the Son of Man coming to God on the clouds of heaven” (144,000 Jews) present Him to God prior to the Drama! The presentation’s timing is critical for knowing when God’s wrath begins. 

Lastday events follow the signs of Seal 6: the sealing of 144,000 Jews with the Lamb’s name, their rescue from Mt. Zion and meeting God in heaven with the Martyrs to sing the songs of Moses and of the Lamb. Then the Temple opens to allow the Drama of Testimony and Praise of Act One and the Tribunal and Prayers of Act Two ... prior to the Coronation!

The use of “whenever” to open Seal #7 puts this Temple Drama after the Outer Path; yet allows Act One of the Middle Path to occur between the Lamb’s “presentation” and the Tribunal of Act Two. The “Firstfruit to God and the Lamb present the Son of Man” first and then join the Martyrs and Two Witnesses raised up for the Tribunal of Seal #7.

This is the critical stage in Daniel and Revelation for God’s anger to fill the cup of wrath. After the great tribulation! After all the Martyrs exit from under the Altar and sing their song. The 144,000 Jews and Two Witnesses, raised up from earth, stand with the Saints before God and six of the 7 Angels introduce the evidence of rebellious mankind.

 The Purpose for Reading the Book of Revelation

Why does the “silence in heaven last for about ½ hour”? Why is it the first thing John mentions in Seal 7? The Hour of Judgment has come. This is the 2^nd reference to the prayers of the Saints. Rev.5:8; Rev.8:3-4. The Hour of Wrath is imminent for Jesus to “come in glory to reward every believer and to destroy earth’s destroyers”! Matt.16:27; Rev.22:12; Rev.11:18. The last Martyr has been killed who should be killed. Rev.6:11.

Jesus, yet to be crowned and given authority to include all the Martyrs in His glorious heavenly entourage, prayed in His high priestly prayer that “every one given Him by the Father might behold and share His glory. He did not pray that the Father take them out of the world” in advance. John 17:15,24. He desires every member of His Bride to be willing to die and thus be *worthy* of Him!!! Mark 8:38. Again and again Paul emphasizes the need to be “worthy of Christ on the day He is revealed from heaven with ALL the Saints”!  I Thess.3:13; 2 Thess.1:4-11.

Our Lord’s final test for Peter and John concerned the genuineness of their pledge to die for Him whether they survived to the end or not. Am I one who "loves not his life unto death"? There is a final testimony and special reward for all the Saints who display readiness to glorify Christ no matter the cost. The Son of Man will be unashamed of those who endure to the End ... until after He comes in Kingdom Power and Authority thru the Two Prophets. When they finish their task, “some” still must die for up to 3 days ...  until Jesus comes in glory to reward every Saint! Mark 8:38. Mark 9:1; Rev.12:10-11.      

Prayers accompany the evidence given by 6 of the 7 Angels who have already trumpeted before the 7^th Trump sounds. Six angels have blown their trumpets before the Angel of Fire mixes incense with Saints’ prayers and the smoke of that incense goes up from the Altar of burning coals unto God on His throne in the Temple. The description of the Trumpets follows the Seals; but the evidence given by six angels after Seal 7 opens reveals the events of six great tribulation judgments that have passed! About a half hour before Trump #7 sounds, John observes the “playback” of what had "passed by"! Rev.11:14

I am convinced the “evidence” of 6 of 7 Trumpets goes on display during the ½ hour of silence to incriminate the wicked and vindicate the Martyrs. This is my 10^th Reason for what has been hidden since our Lord’s final interview with Peter and John. (See Apostle John at www.lastday.net). “Whenever Seal 7 opens”, the inner contents of the Scroll are observed: the “written evidence inside the scroll” regarding 6 trumpets and with the 7^th Angel ready to sound that God’s wrath has come. The Hour of Judgment on the Day of wrath has come. The Temple Drama occurs the day Christ appears! Rev.7:9 to 8:5.

My view is innovative. God has promised to avenge the blood of the Martyrs as soon as the last one is killed. The seven Angels had “prepared to sound” long before the Scroll opens to vindicate the Martyrs. The 5th Trumpet alone requires five months to pass by with men seeking death because of their pains. The 7^th Trumpet follows the verdict of the Tribunal.

The Martyrs had just sung: “The Plagues exhausted God’s patience and manifested His righteous deeds”! The wicked are gathered to Armageddon. The Martyrs come out of great tribulation before Trump 7 proclaims God’s wrath has come. Act Two, the Tribunal of Seal 7 and Dan.7, anticipates the first of 3 soundings of the Last Trump to announce the “appointed time has come to judge and reward the Saints and to destroy the wicked”. It is anticlimactic to suggest God’s wrath destroys the wicked in 6 Trumpets or 6 Plagues while they could repent; but kill two billion people and invade Israel.!!

Over half of the Lastday’s 100 verses are fulfilled at the opening of Seal #7. While Jesus said: "No one knows the Day or Hour, except the Father," the last Plague signals the opening of Seal #6 with its awful signs. With the voice coming out of the Temple, God decrees "It is Done". Seal #6 begins the ten Outer Path events on the *Day* of Wrath. Shortly thereafter the Lamb opens Seal #7 during the Middle Path’s *Hour* of Judgment.

Six Seals highlight a definitive succession of events from Pre-Endtime events (White Horseman's victories and Mystery Babylon's rule) thru the 42-month Endtime. Plague #7 and Trump #7 demand God’s wrath upon those gathered to the Armageddon in Plague #6. They had slaughtered two billion people in Trump #6. Seals #6 and #7 engage the events of the Outer Path and two Acts of the Temple Drama. The Court of Seal 7 and Dan.7:22 issues from the presentation of Dan.7:13 and Rev.15:1-4 and Testimony of Act One. Act Two, the Tribunal, immediately prefaces Trump 7's triumphant Act Three.

Warnings of Seal 6 continue and Plague 7 remains suspended while Seal 7 displays the Scroll’s inner contents in the prelude to the 7^th Trumpet. Countless Martyrs witness the playback of 6 trumpet judgments. The angels "stand before God about a half hour” with evidence to convict the wicked. The 7^th Angel waits for the Verdict of the Angel of Fire.

Before the 7^th Angel can sound that “God’s wrath has come and the appointed time to reward the Saints”, the Angel of Fire mixes incense with the Saints' prayers. Taken from golden bowls held by 24 elders, their prayers complete the witness. God’s anger fills the Cup of Wrath. Rev.14:10. Coals of fire cast from the Altar to earth signal God's wrath has come. The first of 3 storm Theophanies occurs: Voices, thunders, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Two more storm scenes follow Trump #7 and the climactic implosion of Plague #7. I believe Plague #7 implodes at the sounding of Trump #7.

Text-wise, the events of 25 verses separate the 6^th and 7^th Trumpets. Rev.10:1 to 11:14. Time-wise, these events require God’s wrath immediately after the Tribunal of Seal #7.  The Two Prophets arise and ascend to heaven for the Tribunal and Christ’s Coronation. That explains why the Mighty Angel revealed the countdown of 1260 days of chronos-time doesn’t apply to the (3½) days; “the days whenever Trump #7 is about to sound." Rev.10:6-7. On one of these 2 to 4 days *after* the tribulation the Angel announces: "God’s wrath has come". This agrees with Jesus that He is coming "in the days after the great tribulation". Mark `3:24-27; Matt.24:29-31.

The Beast persecutes Saints for the 42 months of Rev.13. Then Rev.14 shows the *Hours* for judgment and reaping have come.  Babylon falls by history’s greatest quake as Trump #7 sounds and Plague #7 implodes. Her *Hour* of judgment is mentioned many times from Rev.14 to 19. [Rev.14:8; Rev.16:19; Rev.17:1,16; Rev.18:2, 6, 8-10, 17-24; Rev.19:2-3]. 

The setting for Lastday events begins with armies gathered to Armageddon. The Temple had opened much earlier for the 7 angels to dispense their Plagues. It would make no sense for the Armageddon gathering to occur at least five months after God's anger was exhausted (Rev.15:1) and His wrath had come. Rev.11:18. The reference to opening the Temple at Rev.15:5 occurs because the G&W Sign had just revealed God's anger was exhausted! Six Plagues are described after this sign just as Six Trumpets are described after Seal 7 opens! But the wicked are allowed to blaspheme God in the 6^th Trumpet before the Tribunal of Seal 7 convenes for the Hour of Judgment. Their rebellion and God’s anger occasions the Hour to Reap, the G&W Sign and Seal 7's Tribunal after the 7th Plague empties and the smoke clears from the Temple!.

The Temple clears of smoke because God responds to the Martyrs' indictment of the wicked. Rev.15:1-4. He responds because "the nations must now come to Jerusalem to worship God." Rev.15:4; Zech.14:16. It is time for the Feast of Tabernacles. Zech.14:16-19. Immediate wrath is due the wicked for their continuous rebellion. Six Plagues reveal their unyielding enmity. Plague #7 hangs in the air and Seal 6's warnings of impending wrath continue during several hours of darkness and fierce tsunamis that move the islands out of place in Rev.6:14 and Rev.16:20. The same great hailstones that accompany the storm scene of Trump #7 occur after Plague #7 implodes on the Lastday. Rev.11:19; Rev.16:21.

Seal 7's Tribunal arraigns the wicked based on the Trumpet judgments, upon refusal of the wicked to repent and after their armies gather to make war against the Lamb. Rev.17:14. "The Lamb, Lord of lords and King of kings, will overcome them".  Martyrs refer to the Plagues having "completed God’s anger" to show He was holy and just (not after but) before the evidence and verdict of Seal #7. Their song in Rev.15 is based on the Plagues of Rev.16 which provoke their indictment. The wicked had refused to repent in the 6^th Trumpet and 4^th and 5^th Plagues! They will blaspheme God while their tongues decay and their skeletons collapse on the Day for the Feast of Tabernacles! Rev.16:21; Zech.14:9,12,16.

The Evidence shows the wicked incorrigible! God's patience exhausted! “The nations wrathful”! The last Martyr arrives in heaven. The Plagues of Rev.16 document God's righteous deeds of their petition in song. The Tribunal delivers the Verdict. Seal 6's celestial omens of wrath begin 13 chapters before the Lamb treads the grapes of wrath. The wicked are condemned and God’s wrath occurs on the same day!  Not one believer will be left on earth during the *Hour* of God’s Wrath.

 Key Words in Revelation

The key word "whenever, otan" in Seal #7, instead of "when, ote" as in the first six Seals, introduces events that depend on the timing of Seal #7. God fulfills His promise in Seal #5 to avenge the Martyrs whenever the last one dies. Seal #7 opens for the Tribunal and their Prayers. Trump #7 reveals the Triumph and Portents of the *Hour* of God’s wrath!

"Whenever" is used significantly. *Whenever* the Two Witnesses shall have finished their task, the Beast kills them. Rev.11:7. “God’s mystery was finished *whenever* the 7^th Trumpet is about to sound”. Rev.10:7. God’s wrath awaits the Testimony and Praise of Act One, the Tribunal and Prayers of Act Two and Triumph and Portents trumpeted in Act Three. A Storm Theophany of “voices, lightnings, thunders and an earthquake” grows increasingly severe with Acts Two and Three and implosion of the last Plague.

Seals Two to Five embrace the entire 42-month Endtime. The 6th Plague exhausts God's patience toward wicked men. In that Plague, the evil trinity (Satan, Beast, False Prophet) finish gathering their armies to Armageddon ... after the 6th Trumpet judgment kills a third of mankind who “refuse to repent of their evil deeds”. The Beast kills the Prophets. And then the wine of God's *anger* fills wrath's Cup at the verdict of Seal 7's Tribunal.

Seal #6 is The Sign of that Day’s events. In the "Hour" the Two Prophets arise and the last Martyr dies, the Lamb opens Seal #7 … while the warnings of Seal #6 continue. The Martyrs had sung the song of Moses and 144,000 “Firstfruit to God and the Lamb” had sung the song of the Lamb. Bringing them to God after reaping the “grapes of wrath” to the Winepress of great *anger* constitutes the Son of Man's final act before the Temple opens! “They present Him to the Ancient of Days” for His Coronation as King of kings. It is appropriate to proclaim His authority to rule at the moment God’s wrath has come.

The timing of Seal 7 depends on factors that include the Son of Man waiting on a white cloud for three angels sent from heaven's Temple with an urgent message: "Reap! The " Hour to reap has come." Of the 100 verses fulfilled on the Lastday, 54 occur before Seal #7 opens. The "whenever" of Seal #7 and ten things that “have come” reveal a “Time Key” that sees the Scroll opening up for judgment, the prayers of Saints offered to God for vindication and the imminent execution of God’s wrath in retribution.  

 Review of what Precedes the 7^th Trumpet, Act Three

The last Plague suspends in midair during the Tribunal of Seal 7 and Dan.7.  Sixty verses will have anticipated the awesomeness of God's power and purpose for Act Three. His wrath “has come and the time to reward the Saints”. Rev.11:15-19.

1. Lastday has come with 7th Plague emptied; smoke leaves Temple. Rev.15:8 -- [1] verse.

2. God decrees the End has come to signal opening of Seal 6. Rev.16:16-17 -----[2]

3. “Signs” of the Day of the Lord launch multitudinous events. Rev.6:12-17 -------[6]

4. 144,000 Firstfruit sealed with the Lamb’s name (See Rev.14:1).  Rev.7:1-8 ----[8]

5. Lamb rescues Firstfruit who “follow Him wherever He goes”.  Rev.14:1-5 ----- [5]

6. Warnings of doom flashed across the sky by three angels. Rev.14:6-11 -------- [6]

7. The Martyrs will rest from pain from “Now”. Rev.14:12-13 --------------------[2]

8. Son of Man reaps the wicked to winepress of great anger.  Rev.14:14-20 ------[7]

9. In heaven song of Lamb by Firstfruit, song of Moses by Martyrs. Rev.15:1 -----[5]

10. Two Witnesses arise and ascend; Great quake in Jerusalem.  Rev.11:11-14 -- [4]

11. Act One. Testimony and Praises to God and the Lamb.  Rev.7:9-17 --------- [9]

12. Act Two. Tribunal and Prayers of Saints invoke God’s Wrath.  Rev.8:1-5 ---- [5]

It is remarkable that 8 of the above 12 events are described after Seal 7, yet occur prior to breaking this last seal. That order sees the wicked imprisoned in the Winepress of great anger under a shroud of darkness. Four fierce winds continue to rampage the earth with the 144,000 Firstfruit sealed, rescued and taken to heaven for the Temple Drama.

The Hour of Trial for mankind follows the 7th Trumpet and occurs at The Sign of Christ’s presence. Luke 21:27-35. The Hour to Reap and Hour of Judgment occur just before He appears. The triumphant role of the Lamb and Son of Man come together as 144,000 Firstfruit of the Lastday’s harvest “present Him to the Ancient of Days” and the Court sits before crowning Him King. The wicked have been incarcerated, indicted and the verdict has been rendered.

Exact countdown Time ends up to 3½ days prior to the Last Plague, Last Martyr, Seal Six and the Temple Drama. Seal 7’s “whenever” for the “Hour of Judgment” follows 55 of the 60 verses listed above. The “Hour of Trial for all those dwelling on all the face of all the earth” follows the 7^th Trump’s proclamation that God’s wrath has come. Rev.3:10; Luke 21:35.

With the 7^th Plague suspended, the darkness of God’s *Day of Wrath* continues! Events of the Outer & Middle Concentric Paths occur while the Last Plague remains suspended. The Martyrs’ petition to God is justified by their faithfulness unto death. They petition God in song before the Temple opens and the smoke of God's glory clears the Temple for its Three-Act Drama. The opening of the Temple on the Lastday, I believe, anticipates the eschatological fulfillment of Zechariah 14:16 for the universal observance of the full festival of the Feast of Tabernacles and/or of Ingathering. The role of Sukkot in the eschatological vision transfers from the fact that it was the leading festival during the second temple period.

Sixty of 100 verses (above) are fulfilled on the Lastday before the 7^th Trump sounds that “God’s Wrath has come”. Five more will be fulfilled in Act Three leading to the second occurrence of the Storm Theophany of Rev.11:19. The *Hour of Wrath* displays Christ’s glory and power. The outshining brilliance of His image may flash around the globe in pulsating laser-beams of light so that “every eye sees Him at once”! 

Next month, Act Three.   Mel Miller