REVELATION SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 12.10

Gleanings from the Book of Revelation:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

The

REVELATION TO JOHN

(The Apocalypse)

                                                                           

Chapter Twelve

The Great Tribulation

(Parenthesis)

The Seven Trumpets

Trumpet Number 7: Woe Number 3

Tribulation Characters

 

 

Preface

John 12:31 - Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world (Satan) be cast out.

As a result of the war in Heaven between Michael and Satan, Michael and his angels are triumphant. Satan and his followers are permanently expelled from the third Heaven to Earth. This defeat triggers a spontaneous outburst of praise from the tribulation saints and the redeemed people of God.

 

 

The Celebration

 

5. The Saved Remnant

(Verse 10)

 

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

 

The Apostle John hears an exceedingly mighty and great voice. The loud voices of the redeemed tribulation saints are proclaiming that the kingdoms of the earth have become the Kingdom of the Messiah. It is a sound of rejoicing when Satan is hurled down from Heaven once and for all. It truly is a song of victory.

 

Concurrently, the loud voice will technically announce woe on the inhabitants of the earth, simply because Satan and His fallen angels will wage total warfare upon them.

 

The Celebration Song

Now is come salvation, and strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ.

Opening the choral chant is the phrase, now is come. It is an answer to the specific prayer about Christ's Second Coming as clearly stated in the prayer Jesus taught His disciples:

Matthew 6:10 – Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

 

The Kingdom not only alludes to the Millennial Kingdom but synchronously looks ahead toward eternity. Independently, three additional long-awaited assurances soon shall come to pass as well:

1.   Salvation

Even though it is not fully consummated, the deliverance of all faithful creatures from the power of Satan is imminent.

1 John 3:2 - Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.

 

2.  Strength

Strength also means power. When Christ regains jurisdiction over the earth, all authority belongs to Him. Likewise, it was His strength that successively crushed Satan’s might.

 

3. The Power of Christ

Authority and jurisdiction: The preliminary blow to Satan came when Jesus Christ died on the Cross for the propitiation (atonement) for the sins of mankind – Power over death.

1 Corinthians 1:18 - For the preaching of the Cross is to them perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

 

For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night

The Accuser of the Brethren

Presently, embedded in the third Heaven, Satan has access to where God’s Throne exists. Acting as a prosecuting attorney, twenty-four hours daily, he accuses God’s people (the brethren). Found only one time in Scripture is the Greek word for accuser (katēgoros) means filing a complaint against one in the assembly, or one who brings a charge against another.

 

Rabbinical teaching and Talmudic tradition state that Satan accuses every day except for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) – the holiest day of all Jewish feasts in Judaism. On this once-a-year day of offering, fasting, and prayer, atonement is made for all Israel's sins by the high priest.

 

Diabolos, the false accuser, slanderer, or devil, like a prosecuting attorney, is currently accusing us before God of the sins we commit. However, as believers, we are not to be fearful because Jesus Christ appears to God in the presence of God as an advocate on behalf of the faithful brethren.

1 John 2:1-2 - My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

Job

Many scholars agree that the earliest recorded book in the Bible before the Pentateuch of Moses was penned, is the Book of Job.  Job’s name means the prosecuted one. It is a non-fiction story of a God-fearing blameless worshipper of God that experiences many unnecessary tragedies in his life despite his family and financial success. Hence, the book addresses countless human sufferings.

 

The narration opens with a scene in Heaven where Satan accuses Job before God. Satan insisted that Job only serves God not because of his pure motives, but because of his material blessings. To refute Satan’s accusations, God gave divine permission for Satan to strike His servant with a series of assaults shy of death. To this, Satan predicts that if Job’s blessings of health and wealth are seized from him, he will curse God and pay homage to him.

 

As a result, God allows Satan to subject Job to several distress:

1.  His oxen and donkeys are stolen

2.  His farmhands are killed

3.   His sheep and herdsmen are burned by fire

4.    His camels are stolen

5. His servants are killed

6. His sons and daughters die in a mighty wind

7. His body is stricken with boils

 

The question Job faced through his wife and friends is a profound one applicable to today: Why do the righteous suffer? So, Job sought a reason for his afflictions since he was just a man.

 

Question:

Why does God allow the righteous to suffer?

Answer:

The Lord God allows our faith to go through trials. The testing is likened to being refined by fire. For example, Fire removes the dross in silver and gold. Similarly, our faith is tested so its true character becomes pure.

Psalm 66:10 - For Thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried (refined).

 

Proverbs 17:3 – The [re]fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.

 

1 Peter 1:7-8 - That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

 

Other reasons for anguish include:

1.  Suffering keeps us dependent upon God

2.  Suffering exercises us unto righteousness

3.   Suffering produces godly attitudes and attributes

4. Suffering allows us to edify others

5.   Suffering promotes holiness

6. Suffering strengthens our faith

7.  Suffering recollects our Blessed Hope

 

Rewards of Job’s Faithfulness

Through all of Job's trials, travail, and being pressured by his wife and three friends, Job received several rewards for not waning from his faith. Several privileges are recorded in Job 42:7-17:

1.  Job was allowed to see the glory of God

2.  Job’s former health was restored

3.   Job was given double his former wealth

4. Job was given seven more sons and three more daughters

5.  Job was vindicated before his three friends

6.   Job discovered the joy of praying for his three friends

7. Job was given an additional 140 years of life

 

So, while Satan is the accuser, slanderer, and adversary, Jesus is our defender and advocate of the brethren.

 

 

(Verse 11)

 

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

 

Satan is a defeated enemy. His power has been broken and he no longer has the upper hand. The wise saints are seen resisting Satan.

 

The Overcomers

The official final blow befell Satan when God gave His only begotten Son to be the once-and-for-all sacrificial Lamb Who died on Calvary’s Cross for the forgiveness of mankind’s sins, that whosoever should believe in His death, burial, and resurrection shall inherit eternal life. Being washed in His blood triggers all accusations against the brethren to fall on deaf ears. Victory for the accused saints comes through three avenues:

1. By the blood of the Lamb

Initially, a victory for the overcomers is won by the wonder-working power of the precious blood of the Lamb who became a ransom for many. And by heeding the words of Christ:

Revelation 2:10 - Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

 

Subsequently, it is Christ Who provides a victorious life because He triumphed over death and Satan at the Cross.

 

2.   By the word of their testimony

Testimonies reveal martyrdom. Those who did not deny Christ during persecution augment strength in their testimony. By never wavering, they remain a truthful witness for Jesus Christ. Jesus previously taught:

Matthew 10:32 - Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven.

 

3.  By not loving their lives (Greek: psuchē, souls)

Loyalty to Christ not only means living for Jesus but also being faithful unto death. Jesus is quoted saying:

John 12:25 - He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

 

This principle also lies in the following passage when Jesus spake these words.

Matthew 24:13 - But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

 

 

(Verse 12)

 

Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

 

The celebration continues in Heaven for the multitude that is there at this present time. But an exclamation of great grief (woe) is a warning to all inhabitants who linger on earth. Furious from his expulsion, Satan no longer has power in the heavens. Therefore, Satan knows his time is short [three and one-half years (42 months = 1260 days remaining)], at which time, he and his angelic hosts are cast into the eternal Lake of Fire to be tormented day and night.  

 

Like raging wild beasts, Satan and his band of merry demons will do everything they can to destroy the remaining souls by unleashing all their spiritual ammunition on earth.

 

 

In the following study, Satan’s tactics will be revealed in targeting Israel.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1.   What is the cause of Heaven’s celebration?

2.   What was the first and main defeat of the devil?

3.   How does Satan accuse the brethren?

4.   Who advocates on our behalf?

5.   How did God permit Satan to test Job?

6.   Why was Job victorious?

7.   What are Satan’s tactics after being cast out of Heaven?

 

 

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REVELATION SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 12.9

Gleanings from the Book of Revelation:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

The

REVELATION TO JOHN

(The Apocalypse)

                                                                           

Chapter Twelve

The Great Tribulation

(Parenthesis)

The Seven Trumpets

Trumpet Number 7: Woe Number 3

 Tribulation Characters

 

 

Summary

The Book of Revelation is the revelation about Jesus Christ. In His revelatory treatise, the Lord desires to expose the inner workings of the spiritual realm in which He exists. Satan and his fallen angels are an integral part of that unseen world. Throughout the history of man, since creation, Satan’s modus operandi is to overthrow God and usurp His plans and purposes for mankind.

 

During the previous study, the earth’s timetable is seen rapidly coming to a close. Satan and his legions of fallen angels had waged war against Archangel Michael and the angels of God in the Third Heaven where God’s Throne exists. Most likely this confrontation is waged in the outer courts of God's heavenly Temple. The following verse announces the victors of this conflict.

 

 

V-Day

(Verse 9)

 

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

 

Michael and his angels victoriously defeated the fallen angels of God. Along with his followers, the great (red) dragon met their demise by being cast out of the third Heaven. However, this action does not end the conflict. The fallen beings are now embattled for total war on earth in an attempt to destroy God’s work during the last half of Tribulation.

 

Once again recall:

1.  The Fifth Trumpet released demonic locust beings from the Bottomless Pit (9:3) led by Satan (9:11)

 

2.   The Sixth Trumpet released an army of 200 million demonic horsemen (9:16-17) from the Euphrates River area (9:14)

 

 

3. The Seventh Trumpet, before the bowl judgments, demons of the air come hurling down along with Satan

 

Satan’s entire army is readily set for a global war to halt any attempts of Israel and new believers to follow the Lamb.

 

The Great (Red) Dragon

The great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.

Names of Satan

Just as there are many names for God throughout the Bible, so too are many names for Satan, at least forty-two. In this passage three alternative names are presented:

1.  That Old Serpent

Serpent (Hebrew: nâchâsh, Greek: ophis) of old is defined as a hissing snake. The first mention (cf. Genesis 3:1) identifies the creature as an upright animal known for having several abilities:

1. It was subtle (crafty, cunning)

2. It spoke (with the faculty of reasoning)

3. It was a beguiler [morally leading astray, mentally deluding, seducing (cf. Genesis 3:13)]

 

Not until God placed a curse upon the serpent, it transformed into a snake with new aptitudes:    

1.  It crawls on its belly like a reptile (cf. Genesis 3:14)

2.  It eats dust all its life (cf. Genesis 3:14; Micah 7:17)

3.  It is poisonous (cf. Psalm 58:4)

4.  It bites (cf. Proverbs 23:32; Ecclesiastes 10:8, 11)

5.  It is piercing (cf. Isaiah 27:1)

6.  It is crooked or twisted (cf. Isaiah 27:1)

7.  It can fly (cf. Isaiah 30:6)

 

2.  The Devil. No word equivalent is found in Hebrew. However, in the New Testament, the devil is primarily described by two Greek words:

   a.   Diabolos meaning a slanderer or false accuser

b. Daimonion, a devilish deity or a demonic being

 

3. Satan (Hebrew: ώâţân [pronounced saw-tawn], Greek: Satanas) means the adversary, opponent, the archenemy of good - The devil. The first mention is found in 1 Chronicles, however, he does appear several times in the first book recorded in Scripture – Job (cf. Isaiah 27:1 – Leviathan).

1 Chronicles 21:1 - And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

Job 1:6 - Now there was a day when the sons of God [angels] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

 

And so, up until this point, Satan not only has access to Heaven but also to God. And his main attributes are threefold:

1.  He is a Tempter (cf. Matthew 4:3)

2.  He is a Deceiver (cf. Revelation 12:9)

3.  He is an Accuser of the brethren (cf. Revelation 12:10)

 

Created Beings

Question:

When were angels created?

Answer:

Before God created the heavens and earth, and before the creation of mankind, He created spiritual beings. They were created for God’s glory, His will, and to carry out His work. But the primary function of angels is to worship God around His Throne.

Psalm 103:20 - Bless the LORD, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His Word.

 

Revelation 5:11–12 - And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the Throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

 

Good versus Evil

Question:

If God is a Holy God, then why did He create or allow evil?

Answer:

Evil is the moral absence of God. Philosophically, for example, darkness does not exist – It is the absence of light. So evil was not a creation of God. Since God did not want robots, He only allowed the possibility of evil to give angels freedom of choice to worship and serve Him without any due obligation. Hence, the opposite of free choice is evil. To choose good and reject evil is supposition.

 

And also, if there was no alternative, every created being would be incapable of having a real love relationship, because God is a God of Love. God is love. To clarify, the Apostle John penned this statement in an earlier epistle:

1 John 4:16b - God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

 

Consequently, love is an inherent human characteristic says, John:

1 John 4:8 - He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

 

Sin

Sin, in definition, is a lack of conformity, i.e., anything that is contrary, or a transgression of the moral law and character of God. Expressively, sin is anything that robs God of His glory and man of his good. Of sin the prophet Habakkuk writes:

Habakkuk 1:13 – Your [God’s] eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. (NASB)

 

The Origin of Sin in the Universe

Once a powerful angelic creature of the highest position named Lucifer led a revolt in the heavenlies against God in an attempt to dethrone the rightful King Jesus. While this treacherous endeavor was unsuccessful, Lucifer did, however, introduce an evil element into the universal sphere that was hitherto unknown. This perverted element was called sin.

 

Lucifer

The definition of Lucifer from the Latin Vulgate means star, day star, the shining one, or shining star. In Hebrew, the rendering is the Morning Star or the bright one. Note: The morning star disappears before the rising sun. Hence, he may appear as an angel of light (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:14) but in the end, he will disappear into outer darkness by the Son of God (cf. Revelation 20:10).

 

Many contemporary cartoonists depict Satan with horns, a tail, a pitchfork, and a red jumpsuit. Despite popular beliefs, God created Lucifer as a perfect mighty angelical creature. He also gave him the moral agency to choose to follow good or evil. In doing so, he degenerated into the source and strength of all sin – Satan.

 

The following passages chronicle the flow of events from the day of his creation to his rebellion:

Ezekiel 28:12b-13 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou [Lucifer] sealest up the sum [consummation, well-measured or pattern of perfect proportion], full of (complete) wisdom, and perfect [the perfection] in [of] beauty.

Thou hast been in [the Garden of] Eden the garden of God [Heaven itself]; every precious stone was thy covering (garniture, crown), the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle [stones match those on the high priest’s breastplate in Exodus 28], and [crafted and set in] gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets (tambourines) and of thy pipes [lit. holes, as in musical flutes] was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created [God’s first created angelic being is likened to the creation of Adam. Additionally, Satan had a built-in pipe organ to accompany him in singing praises to God].

 

Ezekiel 28:14-15 – Thou (Lucifer) art (were) the anointed cherub [The cherub with spreading wings consecrated to the Lord by the anointing oil] that covereth [in reference to the mercy seat]; and I have set thee so [God placed him in that position]: thou wast upon the holy mountain [in reference to God’s Throne and its counterpart - Mount. Zion] of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire [A depiction of the sparkling precious gems round about the Throne of God].

Thou wast perfect [blameless, i.e., prosperous, no defect in righteousness; but with underlying falsities] in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity [being lifted up with the sin of excessive pride] was found [exposed] in thee.

 

Ezekiel 28:16-17 - By the multitude of thy merchandise [trade; extortion, fraud, etc.] they have filled the midst (heart) of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane [opposite of sacred] out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy (expel, banish) thee [no longer to fellowship with the righteous], O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom [self-exaltation, lifted up with excessive pride] by reason of thy brightness (splendor): I will (have) cast thee to the ground [A place of dishonor], I will (have) lay (laid) thee before kings [God’s wrath against pride], that they may behold thee [become a feast for their eyes with contempt and disdain].

 

In summary, many cartoonists depict Satan with horns, a tail, a pitchfork, and a red jumpsuit. Against popular belief and mythology, Satan was the first angelic being created as the most beautiful and perfect angelical creature in the universe and he is alive and well today. Some even treat him as a god. However, his prideful heart caused his fall. His judgment is postponed, but his final demise will be when he is forever cast into the eternal Lake of Fire (cf. Revelation 20:10).

 

Luciferian Thought Processes

Recall, Lucifer had the agency of free will. The following passage illustrates the spirit of Satan and concurrently the spirit of Babylon. The next verse corroborates Ezekiel’s prediction.

Isaiah 14:12-15 - How art thou fallen from heaven [from the height of his glory], O Lucifer (lit. the shining one, Day Star), son of the morning [dawn]! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken [prostrate, overthrow, discomfit or decay with great force] the nations!

 

For thou hast said in thine heart [popularly titled: The Five I Wills. The number five represents God’s grace. However, here it demonstrates a false grace; thus, empowering him into something antithetical to God],

I will ascend into Heaven [the third Heaven, the abode of God to be worshipped as God],

I will exalt my throne above the stars [referencing the created angels] of God:

I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: [not only to control the galaxies but also to reign and be idolized as king during the Millennium, supplanting King Jesus]

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; [a higher glory, i.e., a clear reference to the Shekinah glory cloud as seen in Numbers 9:15-23]

I will be like the most High. [Satan wanted to be like El Elyon - The Most High God]

 

Therein lays an example of the differences between Satan and Jesus. Jesus came to do the will of the Father, whereas Satan decided to fight for his own will. And so, the two passages present a step-by-step anthology of sin entering the universe utilizing an angelic creature. Earlier John substantiated this about Jesus when he wrote:

1 John 8:8 - He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

 

So, in conclusion, Lucifer's fall was due to his ambition to ascend into Heaven and set his throne above the stars of God. His pride and self-exaltation against God were motivated by his passion to be worshipped like God; thus, leading to his adversarial separation.

 

One of the names for Satan is the Accuser of the brethren. This will be discussed in the following study.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1.   How was Satan defeated in the war in heaven?

2.   Name one characteristic of the devil.

3.   Name some characteristics of Satan.

4.   What was the original state of Satan??

5.   What were some of his earlier attitudes?

6.   How did God temporarily judge Satan?

7.   How will God ultimately judge Satan?

 

 

If this study was a blessing to you, make it a blessing to others.

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