PRAISE AND PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS IN HEAVEN’S TEMPLE
Purpose of
Flashbacks in Revelation
Each Flashback climaxes with the Lastday! Five
Flashbacks mix with various Pre-Endtime, Endtime and Lastday
passages. Seal #1 is a Pre-Endtime event; Seal #2 begins Endtime
events with "peace removed from the earth". Five Seals, 6
Trumpets and 7 Plagues occur before "God’s wrath comes" at the 7th
Trumpet! For while Rev.15:8 puts Rev.14:1 to Rev.15:5 before the
3-Act Temple Drama, that Drama leads to God’s wrath! The Five
Flashbacks add details to the Drama. I.Rev.8:6-Rev.9:21.
II.Rev.10:1-Rev.11:10. III. Rev.12:1-Rev.13:18; IV.
Rev.15:6-Rev.16:14 and V. Rev.17:1-Rev.18:19.
Lastday signs of impending wrath in Rev.6:12-17 quickly
follow the Decree of 16:12-17. Armies at Armageddon and warnings
of Seal 6 precipitate Lastday events! Mountains and Islands
begin to move in Seal 6 but disappear at the Cup of Wrath!!
Rev.6:14; 16:20. The Day of Wrath begins with Seal 6; the Hour
of Wrath at the 7th Trumpet!!! Rev.6:17; Rev.11:18.
We know the Saints enter the Temple in heaven "after the
great tribulation" and between Seals 6 and 7! Rev.7:9-17. They
praise God and the Lamb for their salvation!! But we need to
consider what they include in Praising God for their
"Salvation"!!! Rev.7:9-11.
They Praise God and the Lamb in Rev.7:9-11 after their Prayer
of Rev.6:9-11 while they were still "under the Altar"! They
Praise God and the Lamb because the shedding of their blood is
history!! The shedding of their blood by wicked men during the
third "Plague of God’s anger" has ended and God has demonstrated
His deeds were righteous during the 4th and 5th
Plagues and that these killers of the Saints had refused to
repent!!! Rev.16:9-11.
That means the "short time" left, after the Prayer of
Rev.6:9-11 and the Persecutions of Rev.16:9-11, has ceased as of
the Praise in Rev.7:9-11…12 chapters before they rejoice in
heaven! Rev.19:1-3. All Martyrs must be killed before they "come
out from under the Altar and enter the Temple to Praise God and
the Lamb!! Looking at the events of the Book of Revelation as if
they are in strict chronological order leads to nothing but
confusion!!!
The first mention of the Temple refers to the highest
possible Reward given to all who overcome! Rev.3:12.
Their Praise and final Prayers occur when they enter the
Temple!! The promise of this reward offered to the Church at
Philadelphia is announced to the Martyrs before Christ comes
with all the Saints!!! Rev.7:14-17. [Matt.16:27; Rev.20:4].
"Behold I come quickly: Hold that fast which thou hast, that
no man take thy crown. He that overcomes will I make a pillar in
the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out: and I
will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city
of my God, New Jerusalem, (before) it comes down out of heaven
from my God: and I will write upon him My new name"!
Rev.3:11-12. No temple exists in New Jerusalem when it actually
comes down over the earth. "God and the Lamb will be its
Temple". Recipients of this reward "serve God in heaven’s
Temple" 1000 years while Saints who "overcome to the End will
sit on thrones and reign with Christ on earth". Rev.7:15;
Rev.2:25-27.
The Elders Praise God constantly but must wait until
the Martyrs and 144,000 sing their songs and Seal 7 opens to
present their Prayers! Rev.5:8-9; Rev. 15:1-4; Rev.8:3-4.
God answers their Prayers held in 24 golden bowls by the
Elders who represent them until "Chronos-time shall be no longer
and God’s Mystery was finished!! It is finished "whenever Trump
#7 is about to sound that `God has begun to reign’"!!!
Rev.11:17.
The award recipients who will "serve God as pillars in the
Temple, and be shepherded by the Lamb in heaven" for 1000
years, finally offer their Praise and Prayers to God on
the Lastday! After the Temple opens…while the last Plague
suspends in the air!! Because "no one enters the Temple until
Rev.16:17…after the last Plague empties"!!! Rev.15:8.
That’s why Lastday events require the armies of Plague #6 to
invade Israel before the Lamb opens Seal #6 for the "Day of
Wrath"! First, Seals #2 through #5 describe the same period of
sufferings under Great Tribulation found in 6 of the 7 Trumpet
Judgments and 6 of the 7 Bowl Plagues!! Plague #7, with God’s
decree, "It is Done", signals the Lamb to open Seal #6 for
Lastday events; but the Saints’ Prayers go up to God when
they enter the Temple after the 2nd reference to the
Temple!!! Rev.3:12; Rev.7:15. [Rev.8:3-4].
The Martyrs’ Prayers are presented to God at the
Temple Altar before the Throne. The Martyrs’ reward is
announced at the 1st and 2nd mention of
the Temple! At the 3rd reference to heaven’s
Temple the 7th Trumpet proclaims "God has begun to
reign and His wrath has come and the appointed time to reward
Saints and the Prophets and to destroy earth’s destroyers"!!
Rev.11:17-18. Hiding this sequence of events are 5 Flashbacks to
Pre-Endtime and Endtime events which climax with earthquakes as
Lastday events continue during signs of Seal 6’s Day of
Wrath…until the Cup of Wrath pours out!!! Rev.16:18-21.
Opening Seal 6 starts the Day of Wrath during which the
Praise and Prayers of Saints are offered to God in the
Temple! The 2nd reference to the Temple occurs
after the Saints enter the Temple and occasions the 2nd
reference to Saints’ Prayers and their reward for having
"overcome"!! (Temple: Rev.3:12; Rev.7:15; Prayers: Rev.5:8;
Rev.8:3; Reward: Rev.3:12; Rev.7:15-17). It’s also the 2nd
specific reference to the Praise of the Martyrs having already
"come out from under the Temple Altar" and echoed in the Song of
Moses after the Seven Plagues had "exhausted God’s patience"!!!
[Prayers under the Altar: Rev.6:9-11; Praise in
Heaven: Rev.15:1-4; Praise and Prayers In the Temple:
Rev.7:9-11; Rev.8:3-4].
Note the reverse order in the Timing for Praise. At the 2nd
reference to the Temple (Rev.3:12; Rev.7:15) the Martyrs
Praise God and the Lamb after singing the Song of Moses in
Rev.15 over a sea mixed with fire! The Text shows they enter
after the 7th mention of the Temple in heaven!!
Rev.3:12; Rev.7:15; Rev.11:19 twice; Rev.14:15, 17; Rev.15:5. At
the 3rd mention of the Temple a double reference to
the Temple reveals the Ark of the Covenant…as soon as God has
"begun to reign and His wrath has come"!!!
Just as Plague #7 terminates God’s long-suffering patience,
so Seal #7 renders the Verdict of guilt and calls for Justice!
Immediately the 7th Angel trumpets the triumphal
Coronation of Christ and the imminent bursting forth of God’s
glory and power!! The "appointed time has come for the three
R’s: Resurrection, Rewards and Retribution!!! Rev.11:15-18.
I. Order of Lastday Events Begins after 4th
Flashback - Rev.15:6 - Rev.16:14
The order is set by the decree at the end of the 4th Flashback
that launches the Day of wrath. Rev.16:16-17. A 5th Flashback
(Rev.17:1-Rev.18:19) ends with Babylon’s final fall being
described after God’s wrath is announced by the
Angel of the 7th Trumpet on the Lastday. It seems
strange that, with the Day of God's wrath having come, the first mention of the 144,000 occurs right after
the signs of Seal 6 warn of God’s impending wrath. Even before
releasing the devastating force of the 4 winds over the earth, 4
angels, standing on the 4 corners of the earth, are ordered by a
5th angel to restrain the 4 winds! The "Firstfruits
unto God and the Lamb, 144,000 blameless Jews, are
sealed with the seal of the living God"!! Rev.7:1-8. This
sealing prepares for the Lamb's first act after opening
Seal Six and unleashing the Day of Wrath!!! Rev.14.
On the Day of Harvest, reapers gather the Firstfruits before
reaping the main harvest. The 144,000 are not yet in heaven at
Rev.7:8; but must be sealed with the Lamb’s name before He
rescues them in Rev.14. Martyrs join them in Rev.15:1-5 to
present the Son of Man to God sitting on a crystal sea mixed
with fire during the Presentation. Dan.7:9-11; Rev.14:3;
Rev.15:3. Retroactively, at Rev.15:5 (and Rev.7:9), after the
Flashback to the Trumpets at Rev.8:6, they enter the Temple to
Praise God and the Lamb! Firstfruits are rescued, join
the Martyrs in song and present the Son of Man to God!! Then
they enter the Temple and, appraised of the reward
(Rev.7:15-17), offer their final Prayers for revenge!!!
Rev.8:3-4.
Praise comes first in the Temple. Retroactively, the
answer to Saints’ Prayers is described 8 chapters before
the 7th Plague empties and the smoke of God’s glory
and power clears the Temple! Rev.7:14-17; Rev.15:1-8. The
Martyrs will know of their Reward to Serve God in
heaven’s Temple, never again to shed tears (a foretaste
of Rev.21:3-4), before they are seen in Seal 7 at the Temple
Altar!! Rev.8:1-5. The Beast’s armies first kill ⅓ of mankind
over a ¼ part of earth during the 4th Seal and 6th
Trumpet. Rev.6:8; Rev.9:15. The last Martyr had been killed.
Rev.6:9-11. The Plagues had exhausted God’s patience. Martyrs
come out from under the Altar. They and the 144,000 present the
Son of Man to God with songs of the Lamb and of Moses and then
enter the Temple to Praise God and the Lamb!!!
Only with Seal #7 does the Flashback to six Trumpet Judgments
reveal the cause for the Angel of Fire to offer incensed-filled
prayers to God and render the Verdict for Revenge! These Martyrs
and 144,000 Jews meet with God and the Lamb after the invading
armies have filled the plains of Armageddon!! Believers on earth
are "blessed by knowing Jesus is coming as a thief" at any
moment to destroy the Beast!!! Rev.16:15; Rev.19:15.
II. Purpose of the First Flashback - Rev.8:6 to Rev.9:21
Flashback #4 provides for events between Rev.16:17 (Last
Plague) and Rev.16:19 (Cup of Wrath), i.e., the signs of the Lastday
in Seal 6 and the announcement of God's Wrath having come at the 7th Trumpet! The purpose
of Flashback #1 is to reveal what causes God’s anger to "mix
full strength with His wrath"... while the 7th Plague
suspends in the air on the Lastday!! Rev.14:10. This order is
necessary since the Martyrs must wait to come out from under the
Altar and because "no one can enter the Temple in heaven until
the 7th Plague empties in the air!!! Rev.15:8.
Martyrs Praise God and the Lamb (7:9-11) because God
is ready to answer their most urgent prayer offered while they
were under the Altar in Seal 5 (6:9-11) and still being slain on
earth for the word of God and their testimony! Rev.16:6. They
are not resurrected yet!! John sees them in a minor flashback as
"souls sitting on thrones to judge"…just before revealing the
First Resurrection which will occur on the Lastday!!!
Rev.20:4-6.
The first thing observed in Seal 7, before the Flashback, is
"about a half hour in silence" so no prayers are offered! Four
verses prior to describing 6 Trumpets, 7 Angels appear with the
Trumpets!! Rev.8:2. [But only 6 sound from Rev.8:5 to Rev.9:21].
These 6 go on open display from inside the freshly opened Scroll
to present evidence upon which the Martyrs had voiced their plea
for God to avenge them. This first major Flashback reveals
evidence from 6 of 7 past Trumpet Judgments upon which the Angel
of Seal 7 renders the Verdict!!!
Scholars note the seemingly "out of place" reference of the 7
Angels in Rev.8:2; that only 6 Trumpets are described four
verses later from Rev.8:6 to 9:21. A 2nd Flashback,
prior to the 7th Trumpet, Rev.11:3-10, requires the
souls of Two Witnesses to join all the Martyrs in heaven to sing
the victory Song of Moses before they rise up on the Lastday for
the Tribunal of Seal 7! They only seem to rise up to heaven
long after the 7th Seal opens!! Rev.11:11-13. The 7th
Trumpet sounds right after Seal 7’s Verdict by the Angel of
Fire!!!
The Saints in the Temple include 144,000 Jewish Firstfruits
unto God and the Lamb and the Tribulation Martyrs, and the Two
Witnesses, Praising God in Act One! Now, with the Scroll
open in Act Two, Seal 7, the evidence from the 6 Trumpet
Judgments is supported by the 24 Elders offering golden bowls to
the Angel of Fire filled with the prayers of ALL the Saints!!
Their Prayers verify the evidence rendered by the open
Scroll’s inner video playback; for as Rev.7:9-11 responds to
Rev.6:9-11, Seal 7 responds to the Martyrs "sitting as judges"
after shedding their blood in the Plagues!!! Rev. 20:4.
III. Purpose of the Second Flashback …Rev.10:1 to Rev.11:10
The 2nd Flashback, Rev.10:1 to Rev.11:10, reveals
the need for the Endtime prophesying of the Two Witnesses! They
finish demonstrating God’s Kingdom Power to complete the
"Mystery of God" just before resurrection day!! Rev.10:6-7;
Rev.11:6-7. All Believers are raised up to meet Jesus on the
Last Day…"in the days immediately after the great
tribulation"!!! John 6:38-40, 44, 54; John 11:24; Mark 13:24-27;
Matt.24:29-31.
The First Resurrection occurs after the great tribulation
ends…"on the day whenever the 7th Trumpet
sounds...when Chronos-time shall be no longer"! Rev.10:6-7. The
"day and hour" of Christ’s coming will be expected at any time
after the Beast kills the Witnesses!! The Beast will be defeated
at the Last Trump…the dead in Christ arise and survivors changed
and caught up to meet the Lord…and Jesus "blesses" those who
know they will be gathered together above…to meet those whom
"God brings with Jesus on the day of Vengeance"!!!
I Cor.15:52; I Thess.4:13-17; John 6:40; 2 Thess.1:8-10.
IV. Purpose of the Third Flashback…Rev.12:1 to Rev.13:18
Pre-Endtime Events from Christ’s 1st Advent to War
in Heaven and the End of this Age.
A popular view of Revelation proposes a sequential Order in
the 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets and 7 Bowl Plagues. The 3rd
Flashback embraces the entire span of time from Christ’s birth
and ascension to the Lastday! Text-wise the Martyrs have come out
of "great tribulation" and the Last Trump has sounded!!
Time-wise, the 144,000 and the Martyrs must wait for events of
Rev.14:1 to Rev.15:5 to occur after the end of the Beast’s
42-month reign in Rev.13… because Martyrs enter the Temple
"after these things" of Rev.15:5 and Rev.7:9!!!
After the great tribulation, God uses a word, found only
twice in the Book of Revelation, to refer to the completion of
all things at the End of this Age (and Age to Come): "It
is Done" (gegonen; Rev.16:17; gegonan; Rev.21:6). The use of the
perfect tense at the end of this age signals the Lamb to open
Seal 6 for events of the Lastday. "All things happenS" as
predicted. Matt.24:34; Mark 13:30; Luke 21:32. Jesus uses this
word, genetai, as a singular Verb with a plural Noun for "all
the predicted things that happenS" including the Angels being
sent to "gather the Elect together out of the four winds" just
before He destroys all His enemies". Matt.24:31; Matt.24:39-51.
V. Plagues, Chronos-Time and God’s Mystery will be Finished.
Flashback #4, Rev.15:6-Rev.16:14, describes Plagues which
finish God’s anger before anyone enters the Temple. The past
tense describes what was "finished" before anyone enters
the Temple. One: The Plagues had "finished God’s anger"
(patience) to Beast-Worshipers". Rev.15:1. Armies have gathered
to Armageddon and the Last Plague has emptied. Rev.16:17. Before
the wicked are brought to Trial in Seal 7 in Act Two of the
Temple Drama on the Lastday, the Plagues must be finished for
the Martyrs to obtain audience with God, while the warnings of
His and the Lamb’s impending wrath continue!
Two: The Mystery of God was "finished" and 7 classes
of men acknowledge the "Day of Wrath has come"
(etelesthay; Rev.10:7; helthon; 2064; Rev.6:17; past tense). The
wicked are put on Trial via the Flashback to Six Trumpet
Judgments because God’s Mystery and patience were finished!
Rev.10:7; Rev.15:1. This Trial is described eight chapters prior
to the Plagues as God answers the Prayers of the Saints!!
Rev.8:1-5. His "great anger", exhibited at the Reaping of the
Earth, mixes in the Cup of Wrath; for the Reaping in "great
anger" occurs at Rev.14:19 on the Lastday after the Tribulation
ends!!!
The truth that the Day of Wrath will be fulfilled in a
single Day of 12 Hours has been lost since Early Church Fathers
adopted the "Tradition of Men" (Col.2:8; Col.3:8) that "God
cannot be affected by the changing perturbations of human
anger"! God's anger must be finished before His wrath sets
in!! The Latin Vulgate translated "makro-thumos" as
long-suffering; but English translators rendered "thumos" by
itself as "wrath"!!!
If the long-suffering of makro-thumos means
patience; then "completing God's thumos" by itself should NOT be considered
as "completing God’s wrath" as found in all
translations except the New Jerusalem Bible! Rev.15:1.
The KJV and NKJV, even when putting away human sins of "anger
and wrath", they translated thumos as "wrath" in Eph.4:26
and Col.3:8. Just one chapter after Paul warns against adopting
the traditions of men in Col.2:8, they translated "thumos"
as wrath and "orgay" as anger! This twists the truth and
wrongly makes the two words mere synonyms!! Even when predicting
God’s anger will "mix full strength in His Cup of wrath, they
translated "thumos" as wrath and "orgay" as anger!!! Rev.14:10.
[This fact has yet to be recognized by Biblical Commentaries].
The New Jerusalem Bible correctly translates: "God’s anger was
exhausted"! Rev.15:1.
Textwise, according to the 2nd Flashback passage
of Rev.10:1 to Rev.11:10, Chronos-Time will no longer be subject
to a countdown when the Beast kills the Two Prophets! "God’s
Mystery was finished" (past tense)!! Chronos-Time ends with 3½
days or so left before they "Rise Up to heaven" on the Lastday
in the hour of a great quake!!! Rev.11:11:13.
They remain dead until the 7th Trumpet is about to
sound that "God’s wrath has come"! It is the appointed
Kairos-Time" for 3 R’s, Resurrection, Rewards and
Retribution!! Act Three of the Temple Drama, described after
the 2nd Flashback, occurs after Flashback #1 reveals
the evidence from 6 Trumpets!!! [Trump #7, Rev.11:15-19, sounds
quickly after the Verdict of the 7th Seal. Rev.8:5].
Five Endtime Catalysts will have catapulted the Beast to
world power and tyranny! Two Catalysts are described in the 2nd
Flashback, i.e., War in Heaven and the manifestation of God’s
Kingdom Power to be demonstrated for 3½ years!! Rev.12:7-14. Now God’s Mystery was
finished!!!
The description of the Beast persecuting Saints for 42 months
(Rev.13) precedes the text of Rev.14:1 to Rev.15:5 with more
Lastday events added after those of Seal 6 and sealing of the
144,000! These events are required before the Temple "was open"
for the Martyrs to enter "after these things" at Rev.15:5 and
Rev.7:9!! The Temple remains open for Act Three of the Temple
Drama and the Last Trump sounds that "God’s wrath has come to
destroy the wicked; and also the appointed time to judge
(resurrect) the dead and reward the righteous" at the Last
Trump!! Rev.11:15-19; I Cor.15:52. [Rev.22:12; Matt.16:27].
Lastday events (Rev.14:1 - Rev.15:5, prior to the Temple
Drama) naturally follow the 3rd Flashback to Satan
having killed the Saints! Rev.12:12-Rev.13:18. Their Prayers
are now heard as they Praise God and the Lamb for
salvation!! Rev.7:9-14. The Day of Deliverance has come for
Saints and God’s "Day of Vengeance" on the wicked arrives!!! 2
Thess.1:8-10.
Text of Flashbacks (FB) in Revelation to be Studied
Further
Pre-Endtime includes: (1) Part of FB #3, First Advent,
Rev.12:1-5. (2) Part of FB #2, Little Scroll, Rev.10:1-11. (3)
Seal I, struggles of White Horseman, Rev.6:1-2. (4) Part of FB #5,
Mystery Babylon, Rev.17:1-10. (5) Part of FB #2, Jewish Temple,
Rev.11:1-2 =30 verses! Endtime includes:
(1) Rest of FB #5, Babylon’s Fall by Fire, Rev.17:11-18:19. (2)
Seals #2 to #5, Rev.6:3-11. (3) Six Trumpets, FB #1,
Rev.8:6-9:21. (4) Rest of FB #2, Two Prophets, Rev.11:3-10. (5)
Rest of FB #3, Rule of Beast, Rev.12:6-17; 13:1-18. (6) FB #4, 6
Plagues, Rev.15:6 to 16:14 =120 verses! Plus 100
Lastday verses = 62% of Revelation! Lastday
verses are not part of Flashbacks but mingle with them
and climax with
God's Wrath on Babylon and the Beast!
PRE-ENDTIME
ENDTIME LASTDAY
|
First Advent- 12:1-5 = 5 |
Babylon/Fire -17:11-18 = 8 |
7th Plague - 16:16-17 = 2
|
|
Little Scroll- 10:1-11 = 11 |
Babylon/Fire - 18:1-19 = 19 |
Seal Six - 6:12-17 = 6 |
|
Seal One- 6:1-2 = 2 |
Beast out of the Land |
144,000 Sealed - 7:1-8 = 8 |
|
Bab’s Rule- 17:1-10 = 10 |
Seals 2-5-Rev.6:3-11 = 9 |
Pre-Wrath Acts-14:1-15:5= 25 |
|
Jewish Temple-11:1-2 = 2 |
4 Trumpets - 8:6-13 = 8 |
Temple Act I - 7:9-17 = 9 |
|
Beast out of Sea |
Trumps 5-6 - 9:1-21 = 21 |
Seal 7 - Act II - 8:1-5 = 5 |
|
Peace-Time War of |
2 Witnesses - 11:3-10 = 8 |
Trump7-Act III -11:11-19 = 9 |
|
Gog/Magog-Ez.38-39 |
Persecution - 12:6-17 = 12 |
Babylon/Wrath - 16:18-21 = 4 |
|
|
Beast Rules - 13:1-18 = 18 |
Rejoicing- 18:20 - 19:10 = 15 |
|
Daniel’s 70th Seven
|
6 Plagues-15:6 -16:14 = 17 |
God's Wrath-19:11-20:6= 17
|
|
Total = 30 |
1260 Days - Total = 120 |
Total 100 |
|
March - FB #5 Completes God’s Mystery Just Days Prior to the
7th Trumpet - Mel Miller