Fifth Angel's Message

Fifth Angel’s Message - 7th Seal, 7th Trumpet and 7th Plague

Fifth Angel’s Message
1. “ And the third angel (of Rev. 14) followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Rev. 14:9-11.
2. The beast and his image are the two beasts of Rev.13. It is important to understand the origin of these beasts and why they are introduced in the Book of Revelation before elaborating on the 5th message.
The first beast (See Article 10 for full coverage) – 7 heads, 10 horns, 10 crowns, blasphemy- leopard, feet of bear, mouth of lion, power from dragon – one head wounded and healed.
3. This beast is a reference to the Hebraic leaders at the time of the pre-Babylonian O.T. Bible temple-history.
4. Commencing with Saul, David, Solomon, the children of Israel increasingly fell to idol worship and rebellion. The twelve tribes of Israel divided. Ten tribes in the north became kingdom of Israel. They are the ten horns with crowns. Two tribes in the south were called the kingdom of Judah. Their last seven kings apostasised exceedingly and Judah was taken captive by Babylon. The seven kings are the seven heads of this beast. Rev. 13:1, 2.
5. In highly emblematic writing using animals, lion (Saul), bear (David) and leopard (Solomon) and non-descript ten heads (Israel) and little horn (Judah), Daniel also projects forward the substance in O.T.’s ancient narratives. See Dan. 7.
6. John was shown, in vision, the churches of the Christian era replicate the form of the Bible temple-history. Here concludes the sketch showing the first witness to perfidy, a breach of faithfulness, introduction to treachery.
The second beast (See Article 11 for full coverage) – two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon
7. Here the second beast’s biblical activities commence in the latter part of O.T. prophetic books, and in some smaller books, e.g. Joel, Zachariah, Haggai and Malachi to name a few. Firstly note, 1 Macc. 1-16 written, not by vision but, as history and seeing the hand of God as operative. This little book shows apostate Jews join Antiochus Epiphanes to persecute law abiding citizens of Jerusalem and plunder their temple. Following Maccabean victory and rededication of the temple 2 Macc. 10:1-8 the scene of Rev. 13:11-18 applies. A peaceful lamb-like society was established – see 1 Macc. 14:8-15 & Zech. 8:1-5. Soon the Pharisees and Sadducees appear hoping to restore Judaism, lost during Antiochus Epiphanes destructive reign. Pharisees controlled the oracles of God, Sadducees the civic leaders, attracted the wealthy. This religio-commerce combination constituted the two horns on the lamb-like beast. And did the beast speak as a dragon? The account of this beast concludes in the gospel-days. These two beasts are witnessed as apostates in John’s vision. There must be at least two witnesses as we are told, “At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness shall he not be put to death.” Deut. 17:6. 11. The two beast types need to be kept in focus when considering the fifth angel’s message. Return now to the 5th message. Rev 14:9-11.
5th Angel’s Message
8. The 5th angel’s message is a warning against blind persuasion. This call is to resist groundless, superstitious, dogma. It is a matter of showing yourself approved, that it cannot be said, “Thy silver has become dross, thy wine mixed with water.” The Patmos fugitive sees the wine becoming the wrath of God. It is poured out for those who worship powers that are as iniquitous as those expressed in the two beasts, who have been given power by the dragon in Rev.13:4. The two beasts have power “to make war with the saints.” The image beast performs great wonders of deception and miracles especially in regard to hypothetical “prophetic” periods. Such prophesying was condemned in Deut. 12-13 and Matt. 7:21,22. False prophesies derived from a literal association of the times of “days” that applied to the old sanctuary service during the sacred year of special offerings and feasts over a seven-year period, were however, only a type thrown forward for guidance. These modern-day prophetic pretenders, followers of the beast’s literalism, failed to investigate the true God of the Scriptures and give him glory. Little question is required as to why John should write the title, “false prophet.”
9. The Revelator’s keen perception, in vain, exhorts the churches to their last chance of edification. They continue to heed lies of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet - three unclean deceivers. These woes have been replicated in: 1. Early denominationalism based on dogmatic decrees, 2. A reformation that lost its way and darkness ensued, and 3. Latter-day small revivals resulting in mushrooming spores with great phenomenal predictions stretched over centuries. Follow any one of these and you will meet your Water-loo.
10. This message also warns against receiving the mark of the beast. Now what is meant by the word “mark”? The beast and the power he has given to the image beast caused all to receive a mark in their right hand (indicating manual dexterity) or in the foreheads (in their minds). You cannot trade or participate without this mark as identification. We are told the mark is either the name of the beast or the number of his name. His number is 666. Who in O.T. days had this number? Just as the beasts were identified in O.T. times, the number 666 is likewise able to be substantiated for projection.
11. Mankind has always recognized human status by wealth and possessions, e.g. Abraham, Job. You may be worth billions, millions, thousands or nothing. “Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and three score and six talents of gold,” and numerous possessions. 1 King 10:14-29. Here is the O.T. type. But there must be a reason why Solomon is a bogey man? To elaborate according to the report, Solomon king of Israel, built the temple. But, Solomon also defected and went after other gods. “For as much as this is done said the Lord, “I will surely rend the kingdom, I will rend it out of the hand of thy son (Rehoboam).” Solomon through rebellion caused the break-up of the 12 tribes of Israel. The northern 10-tribe kingdom of Israel fell into decline and oblivion. Kingdom of Judah consisting of 2 tribes later followed the same path of destruction, and was captured by Babylon. This ended the dominion given to David.
12. The example of Solomon’s deterioration and corruption was set. In a latter era history repeated itself, when the Kingdom of the Jews quelled the Messianic Body. This was the Jew’s capital crime - Judaism collapsed.
13. The 5th Angel’s message has now been covered.

John’s Vision
14. John throughout Revelation has likened the churches to horrific events of bygone days. John saw Christendom’s failure in its early days. Attempted reparations waned. The EKKLESIA, by one tenet upon another built the true Jerusalem and recorded their message. They met with ferocious opposition, and the book was closed, the covenant broken. The Patmos fugitive saw religious bodies, sinking further into disarray and follow their estranged king. Revelation’s narrative clearly sees those who refuse to accept “the mark”, refuse the false authority of instituted thought, refuse to worship the image of the beast, “should be killed.” This has happened literally and figuratively. “Killed” from APOKTEIMO figuratively speaking, is to destroy: - put to death, kill slay and from APO – separation, departure, cessation.
15. Claiming piety, the dogmatic are devoured by impropriety. They will not be told. Gladly they will wear the badge of beholden conscience. Unaware the Solomon of today is replaced by the king of Babylon for they have become inebriated with Babylonian wine. John is highly sensate to, “Babylon made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,” and the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.
16. John’s 5th message is now to be clearly spelt out through the 7th Seal, the 7th Trumpet and the 7th Plague. Beware. Be. There is no doubt that the little book is open now. It is time to gather the clusters of the vine of the earth.

7th Seal
17. “And when he (the Lamb) had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.” Rev. 8:1 and 3 and Rev. 7.
18. Why was there silence in heaven? The story of Revelation is a story of the spiritual day of atonement, the Lord’s day (Rev. 1:10) – not dwelt with here. When the Lamb opens the seventh seal another angel comes and stands “at the altar, having a golden censer” and is given much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar. According to the custom of the priest’s office (speaking of Zacharias, father of John the Baptist) his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.” Luke 1:10. This would account for “Silence in heaven” in archetype. Confirming this setting is a statement from Lev. 16:17 regarding the conduct of the people during the sin offering, “And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he (high priest) goeth in to make atonement in the holy place…” Rev. 8:4,5 shall be studied following the sealing presentation in Rev. 7.
19.. “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” Rev. 7:1-3.
20. Chapter 7 opens with four angels standing on the four corners of the earth. “Four,” bringing to light a universal account. They must hold back the winds of judgment from the earth, sea and trees yet a little while. The sealing work has been proceeding for endless ages. Ezekiel makes mention of the sealed by using the word “mark”. “Set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” Eze. 9:4. Referring to a Gospel parallel read John 6:27. Early missionaries agreed, see 2 Cor. 1:21, 22 and Eph. 1:13.
21. John of Patmos looked forward, “And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. This is the last seal. “Ascending,” Yes, this is the day star - Luke 1:78, “the bright and morning star. Rev. 22:16. This illuminous light is declaring; Wait before you finish the sealing work. There may be yet a sown seed about to germinate, or a ripening olive tree, perhaps a tardy contrite soul in “the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.” Lev.16:16. This quote alludes to the closing work of the great high priest at the sin offering. Of course John is shown archetype – a closing of mankind’s probation. Some upright could be in danger, hence the atonement. See Num. 16:46-50. When a plague came upon Israel for complaining, fault-finding – atonement was made for the just – atonement was preferred for special occasions.
22. Continuing John’s insight – the fugitive “heard the number of them which were sealed: an hundred and forty and four thousand…and a great multitude.” Rev. 7:4, 9. 144,000 is an important symbolic number representing perfection. “And the city (new Jerusalem) lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.” Rev. 21:16. There were 12 tribes consisting of 12,000 sealed = 12,000 X 12 = 144,000. This represents a plumb, precise, perfect city. Each had taken up the cross, uprightness and lateral compassion, and followed the Lamb, Faithful and True. Precept upon precept they built their city of peace, the new Jerusalem. Rev. 21:2. They are virgins, pure, the Lambs bride, the first fruits. The great multitude of unswerving followers are “the tabernacle of God, with men.” Rev. 21:3. The voice of equity, the echoes of magnanimity, the reflection of vertical excellence, these bare record of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Continue reading from Rev. 8: 1, 3-5.
Rev. 8: 4, 5
23. “And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.” Rev. 8: 4, 5
24. Taken from the model in Leviticus the atonement procedure differs. The high priest takes the censor full of burning coals of fire from off the altar with hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and brings it within the vail. He puts the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not. Lev. 16:12. In Revelation’s account, the sun is setting on propitiation. Instead of taking “the censor of burning coals, and hands full of sweet incense and bring it within the vail and put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud would cover the mercy seat, the angel in Rev. 8:5 “took the censor and filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth.” Climax reached, mission accomplished, “and there were voices and thundering, and lightnings, and an earthquake.”

7th Trumpet
25. The seventh trumpet commences in Rev. 11.15, “And the seventh angel sounded…” and continues throughout Rev. 12. Written as though in vision, Revelation 12 commences, “And there appear a great wonder in heaven…” This chapter gives a preview of the Christian church from its inception, until the ultimate victory of the upright when the true saints triumph. This is the Book of Revelation in a chapter. The churches turbulence, foreseen, is the subject of Revelation and is least expected. This chapter gives preliminary and partial pictures of both sides, the controversy between the trustworthy and the iniquitously paralyzed beholders of certain knowledge.
26. John perceived circumstances in ancient times would recur in essence in a new era. This the seals and trumpets have borne-out. The fugitive applied the thoughtlessness that comes with apostasy, and rebellion, to denominations that would arise and stout the stage. Revelation designates the symbols “she” or “the woman” to the churches.
27. Rev. 12: 1 “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.” Clothed in the light of redemption, her feet are bristling with illumination in anticipation of success. She is wearing a crown of twelve glittering stars. Twelve from Greek DODEKA meaning “two”:- both, twain, two – such as 2+10. The meaning was not literally twelve or a dozen. In Hebrew, see Strong’s lexicon 6240 it is ASAR, “ten (only in combination), i.e - teen; also (ordinal) - teenth:- [eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-] teen (-th), + eleven (th), + sixscore thousand, + twelve (-th).” ASARAH (ten as an accumulation of the digits) meaning to the extent of the accumulation of digits - 10+. It was a loose reference number – not 10 or 12 as such – one could say the sun and the moon plus 12 sons…a combinaion. The 12 tribes of Israel, was not referring to 10 or 12 people but many. It is symbolic writing and in Strong’s lexicon “ten”, states also “eighteen, fourteen, nineteen, sixteen, ten’s, tens.” The 12 stars of the Zodiac give 12 lights to the heaven. Why not have 12 guiding lights on earth. The example of the twelve glittering stars had wide connotations. The “twelve stars” are an innumerable host of little contributing illuminaries, light generators. They are the resurrected Body, the Pauline missionaries who had taken the good news of liberal free creativity, born of sacrifice and love, to the Western world. The etching is somewhat suggestive of the adolescence of Israel which the new epoch reflected.
28. Rev. 12:2 “And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.” The woman clothed with the sun was full of new life. In the vision a new creation was imminent. What would the woman usher in and experience?
29. Rev. 12:3 “And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. Here appeared the enemy, the great red dragon, his name is the Devil and Satan, the great mischief-maker of Rev. 13:4. The dragon gives power to the beast having seven heads and ten horns etc. This presentation is a play on O.T. recollections. The old structural form now appears in quintessence.
30. Rev. 12:4 “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.” As the dragon deceived the indolent of O.T. days in Jerusalem, he is about to beguile the vulnerable, less spirited souls of a new generation. This new generation unbeknowingly lapses into stupendous concoctions. The spoor from the dragon’s tail satisfied the third part of (Jerusalem’s) bright lights. The dragon cast Jerusalem amongst the secular, dragging them from raised exuberance to the depths of meaningless inadequacy.
31. Rev. 12:5 “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” “She”, the great life-giver, gave birth to a man child - gave birth to the new law-giver. This new law-giver is a principle, “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” This law, a new message, a new concept, given to majestic heights, was exalted by excellence.
32. Rev. 12:7 “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,” “War in heaven”? The heavenly warrior of the highest rank, given the name Michael, and his adherents contend Satan and those bidding the annihilation of the mindful advancing heralds.
33. Rev 12:8 “And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.” The destroying element was not victorious and, lost its place in the morally prestigious pinnacles of life. Satan was confined to the lowest common denominator, to the lowest level of the ethical scale. A scene somewhat reminiscent of John 12:31, “Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this earth be cast out.” The end of the world of Judaism was here referenced.
34. The Revelation perceives the just rejoice at Michael’s triumph Rev. 11:15-17 and Rev. 12:10. This shall be considered in a later chapter on the work of the saints.
35. Return to Rev.6 “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” To avoid involvement in the heavenly conflict, the just, with a vital communiqué in its infancy, fled to a solitary place. The sons/daughters of God would tutor her there, to be the cleansed temple of our God’s dwelling place, for 1260 days. The 1260 days is plucked from O. T. sanctuary service. Six months, 180 days of each year from Passover 15/1 to feast of tabernacles 15/7 was the sacred time of feasts and special offerings over a seven-year-period which included the sabbatical year amounted to 180X7 = 1260 days. Time to represent spiritual food for ancient Israel. Now the woman of the new era was to be fed wisdom and understanding. No more is said of the woman for a while.
36. Rev. 12:12 “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.” Woe comes to those who reject the fifth angel’s message “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea!” the places from whence came the two beasts of Rev. 13. “The devil (cast out into the earth) is come down unto you, having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” How does he know this? “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound (the trumpet), the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” Rev. 10:7. What did I read, the mystery of God finished! Finished? God the Father! The Lord our Maker! What is the mystery? We have been taught for centuries, God is our Creator. John, are you saying “We have been deceived?” Mystery implies that what we have believed, what has befuddled us, some will no longer believe. Momentarily our crutch falls. Is the mystery resolved?
37. The seals and trumpets have shown, traditions and orthodoxy march into to the deepest inpenetrable darkness. Babylon had alighted (perched) on Jerusalem. Confusion and error had made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Can we expect veracity from turmoil and fraudulence? The dragon is watchful, ever mindful for those whom he can ensnare in his web of lies. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,” ripping many from the path of integrity, that brightly lights “the way” of independent self-analysis.
38. As previously stated, a Pauline missionary to the Romans asked, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature (KTISIS – the thing – creature, noun, object) more than the Creator,” (KTIZO and KTISTES – founder, creator-maker-verb-movement). Rom. 1:25. In other words, “who changed the comprehension of God the Father, Creativity, the power bringing to mankind the ascent of concept, that springs from the compatability of nature’s ever-present transformation? Who introduced the creature, an icon, the horrible, an intoxicated hang-over from the ruction of the nihilistic. People “become vain in their imaginations, darkness followed, they became fools, changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man…” - see Rom. 1: 21-23. Is the stilted wanderings of fundamentalism the acceptance of Babylon’s meandering poison against self-knowledge good enough? For those who claim the basis for their conviction is the Bible and the Bible only, is this aforesaid description what you want? Evil powers know they have a short time. The hour of temptation comes to all. Do you wish to contribute to knowledge, be alert, have holy presence. It’s your choice, honour or idolatry.
39. Rev. 12:13 “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.” Yes this woman represents purity of character, as did the city of peace, in its early days. “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion.” Ps. 48:2. Innocence and blamelessness had brought forth maturity “the man.”
40. Rev. 12:14 “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” The woman fled again to the wilderness, where she is fed the hidden manna (Rev. 2:17), until the time appointed, from the face of the serpent. Time appointed is sourced from Dan. 12:7 -“Time, times and a half.” Daniel is informed of a state of affairs as a time of terror draws to a close, the tyranny of Greek/Selucid Antiochus Epiphanes. Daniel heard one say, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders.” Dan. 12:6. Answer. “It shall be for a time, times and a half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all the things shall be finished.” Dan. 12:7. “Time, times and a half” is from Hebrew MOWED signifying, a fixed time or season, an appointed time, solemn feast, (perhaps a wedding) assembly, congregation. In Greek the word is KAIROS – fixed special occasion.
41. What happened to the woman? Take time to study the ingenuous woman, who fled to the wilderness to be strengthened. Would she become the Lamb’s wife? Rev. 17: 1-6 tells the sad irreversible story of rapid declension.
42. Rev. 17: 1-3 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have commiteth fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.” Seven heads is again akin to the seven decadent kings of Judah, ten horns remindful of the ten tribes of Israel as they sank into corruption. The woman, in the wilderness, had become a whore and was taken captive by the scarlet coloured beast’s filthy lies – Unbelievable, not publishable. How is the faithful city become a harlot! It was full of judgment, righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.” Isa. 1:21. The faithful city was once arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls. See Ezekiel’s description of the image in Ezekiel 16:10-13. Now this fallen woman is holding a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. Yes, a “Mystery,”! she is Babylonian now, and is proudly wearing the title on her forehead “Babylon…the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations Of The Earth.” “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her I wondered with great admiration.” Rev. 17:6 The word “admiration” here does not mean to respect or adore. It is from THAUMA – intended as wonder, to think about and try to decide, and THEAMAI to look closely to perceive, to discern intensively, to experience knowledge. Consternation is more the word.
43. Rev. 12:15 “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.” The corrupt powers, personified as Satan, made aggressive attacks against the Just, hoping they would be exterminated by the warfare of contention.
44. Rev. 12:16 “And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.” Surprise. Those who, once by decree, supported the Babylonian power, are called the earth, for they were not of heaven. They aided the woman. They had been liberated when the sixth angel’s trumpet loosed the four angels who were limited in the waters (people) of the Euphrates River. Rev. 9:13-19. These once deprived souls, now arbiters with reasoning, powers, flowing in a new direction, robbed Babylon of its fortress. The emancipated former bondsmen sent their warriors to annihilate the dragon’s (Babylon’s) offensive, of which Jerusalem (the third part of men) had remained apart. These soldiers are seen in Rev. 9:16-19. They opposed Babylon and those who chose to stay within her confines. By this undertaking, these fighters helped the small loosely untethered loyal group, still under the banner, “woman.” There is no mention of victory for the dragon.
45. Rev. 12:17 “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” The dragon unprepared to accept defeat is indignant with the woman, true to anti-Christ’s ways. He goes to make war with the little faithful few, the true EKKLESIA – those called out by the Spirit. This setting is the end of the age of Christendom. The EKKLESIA are the genuine cleansed Soul temple. Precious rescue, they have the evidence of their King of peace, which is the Spirit of honest judgment for a meaningful future of the creative-minded human race.

7th Plague
46. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. Rev. 16:17 The fifth angel’s message has been ignored.
47. “The seventh angel poured out his vial into the air,” – AER – those breathing unconsciously, and PSUCHO – those who have waxed cold. The setting broadens here with the many disturbing issues, continually concurrent, intensifying. Revelation is not a chronicle but a magnificent, intermixing, panorama. The messages, set in motion, gather velocity as the seals explain their observation, the trumpets play a confirmation, and the plagues fall upon the indifferent. The angel caused a crisis according to the heavenly host. Each time, by different paradigm, the Apocalypse reaches the successful conclusive height, inevitably, such words as , voices, thunders, lightning, earthquakes appear. The seventh plague is saying, “this is momentous.” Foundations crumble, luminaries light the heavens with great vibrations amidst much articulation. The great city (Jerusalem Rev. 11:8) divided into three parts (Eze. 5:2), and the cities of the nations fell: the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven.” Rev. 11:13. Populace here and populace there were left with nothing but a crumpled pile of old dead theories. Where could they turn? There was nought to build upon after centuries of lolling a false foundation. Suddenly all is gone, the slate is ready to start again. And the great monster, Babylon, with her despicable lies, deceiving many trusty souls, leading them to unconsciousness with a drunken stupor, she is not forgotten before God. Give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. What kind of thoughtful shaking could cause the demolition of a two-thousand-year-old God-fearing world? “And there fell upon men a very great hail out of heaven, and men blasphemed God because of the hail that was exceedingly great.” “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.” Isa. 28:17.
48. No more seals, no more trumpets, no more plagues. “And there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.” This is the sixth angel’s message.
49. It is here the angel of Rev.8:5, “takes the censer, and fills it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth.”

Sixth Angel’s Message
1.“It is done.” Rev. 16.17.


Pending Chapters
Work of the Saints - the return of the Fourth Angel – see plan at front of Part 3.
Seventh Angel’s Message

Fourth Angel's Message

Fourth Angel’s Message

Rev. 14.8 “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

John's message was an emphatic warning to the seven churches of Asia – yes to all the churches in time, for their hypocritical, dreary, enigmatic attitude. He proceeds to lambaste each individually. With Rev 14.8 we are reminded of the decline by stark narrative. Far from being judgmental, it is our being reflected, our interdependence compromised and fallen. After being blindly lead into captivity unknowingly, having disassociated from any divine moral sentiment, the finalé is near, as all collapses. The “chosen” are fragmented having abandoned the temple with self-imposed evil manifestations. Churches have foreclosed on life, wrapped-up exclusive truth in a bundle of insensate lies. Convinced they have sole proprietorship of the Bible their minds are bankrupt closed, with falsehoods proliferating year-in and year-out. The true divine God of being, Lord of hosts, reflected to us in all and past recollections, is not recognizable. The zeal of the soul has been quenched, rectitude foregone. If we create we can exist, ending the clatter of regulated diatribe, ending the famine of the uncourageous churches.

John’s glossary in this fourth angel’s message can be bulleted:
- Babylon - symbol of confusion and error
- Fallen - PIPTO alighted on
- That great city - Jerusalem, where the Lord was silenced Rev. 11.8
- Nations - ETHNOS races, tribes, nations
- Drink - POTIZO, make drink, feed
- Wine - OINOS, something that intoxicates
- Wrath - THUMOS, indignation
- Fornication – PORNEIA, harlotry, fig. idolatry

The third angel’s message is shown to be the manifestation of false, rigid judgment. This falsity comes from the decaying church prophesying historical inclinations and teachings that are not from the soul, obliterating the power of individual foresight. The high pulpits abnegate all reason, shun all light, and by verbatim espouse the sameness times over, indoctrination upon indoctrination. Creation is lost to he who can create. No new revelation is deemed necessary, our God’s divine law of nature is trodden underfoot by those espousing to have it all. The revelation of the heart is squandered, rejected and deemed heretical, blasphemous and seditious. Presence, the beneficiary’s sole right, our lasting freedom, is ram-shackled. To think, is worlds away. Don’t think, don’t ask a question. With divine nature misplaced declension fills its empty place. Fundamentalist trivialities are to the left, and to the right, up and down, inside and outside, far and near.

The fourth messenger hastily arrives to warn and alert the divine impulse, that distraction, cowardice laborious readings, and great lengthy days of prophecy are to be exposed as fake. Lukewarm mashes of piety, manifold encumbrances and, retrogrades made into brisk pass-me-downs, fail to convince.

The fourth messenger is saying, distraction and fallacy (represented as Babylon throughout Scripture) had alighted, PIPTO = fallen on what was to be an edifying communication. Gross indolence and blurred vision, enshrouded a very bright shining beacon.

Bringing a quick short caution to the Christian people and countries of the world the angel urges, baleful, baseless teachings have fallen, alighted on you. Jerusalem, “that great city,” where our Lord (justice) is rapaciously silenced, snuff-out. The satanic host hate every earnest voice of dissent.

Jerusalem, you were offered a bright ray of light. Deception came, and with magic and wonders blew out all light. The veracious haters of verity give heat that is cold. But the indwelling Supreme Spirit cannot be squenched, dismissed, or thrown out-of-class. The doctrine of innateness, heartfelt inspiration, will never be lost to barren wastelands of the materialist iconoclast, the nominalists. All the churches now inebriated with their own learnings are indignate to challenging a putrifying overturned bin. Their persuasions implanted, they wrathfully deny the title, “harlotry”, but defensively resist the Creator’s flame. This fourth angel later returns to further warn piety of very stormy encrustations.

For a clearer insight read Jer. 50 & 51, a depiction of this condition in our age. A more in depth coverage will follow later.

The Sixth Seal

Rev. 12-17 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

The sixth seal unveils mind-shaking news. All former believers, the pew-warmers of today, become afraid pleading, “hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” They question their former beliefs. Have they been belied? What was, is no longer. Cherished mantelpieces fall to the floor. No longer are adornments sacrosanct. “Vanity of vanity for all is vanity.” The mystery of God is set in motion. A few shock tremors quiver, the bow (covenant) is strung-out, the globe vibrates and shatters. Rocks fall. Citadels which were, are no longer, they are jolted, unplugged. Seismic convulsions erupt, gas clouds enfrighten. Light becomes black as sackcloth and ashes. No memory of the universal nature could be recognized, nor reflections of light. Blood could not produce illumination.

Small sparks fall from grace. Defect exposed upon defect. All inspiration gone, the great ought lost and, obliteration of hovel doctrine, once overstepping the voice of the soul. Divine impulse baffled and blunted, bruised and battered, as though rolled up and put out of sight. “For the day of the Lord of hosts (judgment) shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon everyone that is lifted up…and upon all the high mountains. The haughtiness of men shall be made low.” Everything is questioned. Great pillars fall.

Contempt is narrated, another expression of reproof comes from the pen, “Israel is an empty vine…the sin of Israel shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.”

“A sword is upon the Chaldeans, (the magic men) saith the Lord, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men. A sword is upon the liars…a sword is upon her mighty men…A sword is upon all the mingled people that are in the midst.” Jer. 50:35-37. The evils of the church are now made manifest.

The Sixth Trumpet

Rev. 9:12-21 “One woe is past; [and], behold, there come two woes more hereafter. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.” And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.”

The third part of men referring to Jerusalem of old for her apostasy, as a type. Eze. 5:1,2,5-17. John of Patmos is writing to the Christian church now in servitude to enchantment with a false god, an idolish behaviour. The narrated must be correlative to within each individual to be credible.

As the four angels, four depicting world-wide scope, were loosed they unbound the flow of waters of Euphrates. These people, waters represent peoples, attaining self by unencumbered perception, became a large army of two hundred thousand thousand. Their renewed application was turned against the Hebrew captives who had choosen death to life – preferring not to be. These blindly-lead captives unwittingly changed God’s (Jehovah’s) judgments into wickedness. “They have not walked in them. Therefore saith the Lord, I am against thee, and I will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.” In Babylon the Hebrews had Bel the sun god, and Merodach god of war so they were oblivious to the call, “Babylon has alighted on you.” The large liberated army’s love spontaneously attacked. Old Testament stories are only narrated type. It is realization today, everyday, always. All types become an individual private experience, fables our eternity, in the creative principle of each and every moment.

Rev. 9:17-21 covers the awesome scene that followed. In apocalyptic language there were men on horses. These men had breastplates of fire, jacinth and brimstone. Note the colours there, red, blue, yellow; the colours of a ferocious fire. The heads of the horses were as the heads of lions. They were strong. Their mouths issued fire, smoke and brimstone. Quite a formidable army you could say. By this consuming fire, these emancipating words, the abominations of sanctimonious sectarianism were annihilated.

The power of the horses was in their mouths and their tales, for their tales were like serpents. Fortified armour from front to rear. Jeremiah writes, “saith the Lord of hosts, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.” Very frightening.

“And the rest of the men which were not killed by those plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

The Sixth Plague

Rev. 12:16 “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs [come] out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, [which] go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed [is] he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”

With the waters of the great river Euphrates dried up, Babylon lost the support of the peoples who made of her a great empire. John writes as he follows the phenomenal figuration in the Book of Jeremiah. Babylon with no buttress has provided a way for the kings of the east to be prepared. Here the Patmos fugitive is visualizing the kings of Media and Persia as they conquered Babylon so long ago. But this story is about Jerusalem, city of peace, through indolence refusing to believe, she is taken captive by persistent lies. The application is today, not yesterday. Today becomes our biography, our battle. Fraudulence and subservience, too long controlling lethargic minds, are aiming to conquer purity. Happy is the person that finds wisdom and understanding, today. She is a tree of life now and always.

John, the fugitive, sees unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. The Revelator is writing in advance, understanding, recalling epochs of insidious indoctrination. These spirit-devils work deceptive wonders and miracles today. They go to the whole world inciting them to battle. Satanically inspired they egg on nation against nation to the great day of SHADDAY. The Patmos fugitive sees the truth of evil fallacy become obvious.

An enlightening prediction of sectarian meddling in international affairs is offered in the story of Josiah king of Judah. Jerusalem, its king and people are a symbolic miniature of humanity in O.T. days, the narrative even sublimely pointing forward. 2 Chron. 35:22 uses the word Meggido for Armageddon, where Josiah interfered in the battle between Egypt and Assyria at Carchemesh. It was none of his business. Josiah was killed. See 2 Chron. 35:20-22. Rev. 19 & 20 in its metaphorical language tells us, the three unclean spirits are finally cast into the lake of fire.

The great Creator-God through messengers, warns the saints to be vigilant. An unexpected revelation appears. As a thief steals, lies are stolen away, replaced with unprecedented light, coming out of the east and shining unto the west.

Seeing no hope for the impenitent, the kings of the whole world, already provoked, are allowed to gather at the great valley of deception where they are about to destroy each other.

Second and Third Angel’s Message

Second and Third Angel’s Message

Fifth Seal, Trumpet and Plague
The continuing saga of Heavenly workers sees the church in pitch darkness. Opening of four seals has shown after the zeal of the first seal waned, a declension in inspiration of a living philosophical presence deepened and deepened. Darkness, Death and Hell recited the atrocious predicament of the rejection of ever-being consciously present. The old sanctuary/temple service reflected this sacrificial being. Gospel inscription vivifies the Messianic Body continually fulfilling this achievement. If such a high ethical standing sparked, it would erase the despair of squandered time. Individuals could arise to the great heights if our ability would translate into application. John’s wonderful vision casts persistent indifference and apathy towards any remnant of elegant saintly enlightenment.
The impressive heralding of each trumpet-call, warning of catastrophy if the messages went unheeded, was to no avail. Consequently, John’s strong psyche penned the plagues that emasculate amidst total unawareness, unknowingly. What should be done to awaken the dormant, innate, hybernated God-given spiritual soul?
2nd Angel’s Message
John writes the second angel’s message:
“And I beheld and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe to the inhabiters of the earth by the reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound.” Rev. 8:13.
Here the second angel is saying that the three angel’s messages, each with a painful excruciating woe, are the voices of the trumpets which are yet to sound.
Rev. 14 portrays a three-fold message broken into three angel’s messages. This series of papers takes the messages one at a time, the first being the 3rd angel’s message and relates what was seen as the corresponding seal was opened, the trumpet sounded and the resultant plague. The 4th and 5th messages will be presented in subsequent papers.


3rd Angel’s Message
Note the third angel’s message that is to become the first woe.
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven , and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Rev. 14:6,7. This message does not sound like a calamity or a great tribulation, does it? But is it?
Many times this message has been presented, unfolding, amplifying diffusing each with extant implications. John’s entire vision is directed at the grand finalé – a global fulfillment, the archetype, thus it is all encompassing.
A False God
Unfortunately it is the nature of mankind to cling, with firm grip, to tradition. When a message is heard or even revived it is viewed from a pre-conceived, prejudiced stance. Translations of the third angel’s message were built upon error, based on a false god! Yes a misconception! Hebraic writings are trenchantly symbolic. The word “god” is from tribal-god – ruler, magistrate, ELOHIYM. It is a design or something created by the mind. This is conceptual thought at work. It is self-knowledge evolving. Only in a poetic way can ideas be explained. Metaphors, representations, images can describe truth-justice and symbolism makes effigies.
The Great Creation – the coming of concept – light out of darkness
When our great God of nature lifted us from the rest of the animal kingdom, with concept, then we became our God-Creator’s or Active One’s greatest helper. We, with unique thought, free from egotistical outward encumbrances, could intellectually relate. Comprehend such transcendence. God now abides in us, we are the true Temple. John writes to tell us, the third angel cries, the hour for judicious verdict has come, the hour to judge this indwelling permanence, “God” is here now, “the hour of judgment is come.”
Adoptive consciousness constantly becomes, by natural preference, a wanting to be truthful. Maxim upon maxim, here a little and there a little, one step upon another, in-built by the all-powerful SHADDAI, Almighty.
With the coming of a phonetically articulated alphabet the human could write, formulate even metaphorically. Written articulation was a giant leap forward. This embrace was characteristically personified by the name Enoch meaning tutor, the tutor within. Tutor teaches, and we learn. Enoch, through gradual insight was translated from the oral through hieroglyphs and cuneiforms to the written word, leading to the world of visual. This gracious gift, an adornment, arose to such dignity that it survives with our God of nature, forever. Living from generation to generation it is everlasting life, surviving as part of the whole.
Some Early Missionaries Teachings
1. Missionary to the Romans
Very early in this dispensation the pattern of God, the creating power, was lost. “Who changed the truth of God?” Rom. 1:25, rings loud and clear. “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Rom. 1:22.
“Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever Amen.” Rom. 1:25. The word “creature” in this text, is from Greek KTISIS meaning the thing (noun) = the created, not the action of creation. The word “Creator” is a doing word from KTIZO, akin to KTAOMIA, and is a primary verb. Is the God of the Scriptures likeable to a verb or a noun? The hour has come to judge the word “God”, verb or noun - a subtle distinction. Worship of the Creator-created, is reverence of the life-giving act through consentient ongoing presence.
This context is spelt out in many ways e.g., “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so they are without excuse.” Rom. 1:20.
“For this cause,” of worshipping the noun, the object, instituted Christendom has abominably failed, being tied down to dogmatic cliché. Just as ancient Israel collapsed through the veneration of idols, “God gave them up unto vile affections:” Rom. 1:26. Delineatingly written, consciousness, executed through inborn freedom, when not bonded to accomplishment, reverts to unfruitfulness. This is when it lapses into worshipping idols of all sorts, doctrine, stage performances and fails to translate to higher plains. Read Rom. 1:26-32.
2. Missionary Teachings to Galatians
Another example is from Galatians. A missionary wonders why the Galatians have so soon left the truth. “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel:” “Know ye therefore that they which are of faithfulness (PISTIS), the same are the children of Abraham. So then they which be of faithfulness are blessed with faithful Abraham.” Gal. 3:7, 9. Only the doing through a congruous spirit of love, is this application of good deeds possible. Faithfulness embraces deeds, action, knowledge and wisdom. It does not lie in the realm of this belief, or that belief, in this theory or that theory, or the institutions of yesterday. “Faithfulness is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” It does not comprise rites, ceremonials, objects, or works, but deeds which arise in the heart and mind.
3. Missionary Peter Chapter 2
Keeping in mind “God the Father” (symbolically speaking) “the Creator”, is a predication and not a creature, not an image made like to corruptible man, by “fools”. In 2 Pet. 2 is a vividly painted record of false teachers, “false prophets among the people…who bring damnable heresies…follow their pernicious ways…their damnation slumbereth not…which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray…wells without water.”
4. Missionary – See also the Book of Jude
There are several statements that can be quoted from the Book of Jude, “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the Grace of God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” “But speak evil of things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.”
All these statements of warning pertained to the early days of Christendom. They are not some Johnny-come-lately, “last-day-only” application or dogma. Staunch fixated beliefs have always existed.
The above missionary teachings, when repeated in archetype, cause great fragmentation, creating two societal groups. As a coin has two sides likewise the trilogy of Rev. 14 has one side, rejecters, and the other side acceptors.
The threefold message is the “morning star” to the saints who continue their heavenly harvest around the throne. To those having sprung from the wayside, stoney places or thorns, the communication is confusion. Opposition to irradiation causes the third angel’s message to become a penetrating woe. This will be shown in the fifth trumpet, below.
Firstly, it is the rejecters. Distress befalls those who recoil from mind-shaking radiance, and will face an evil enemy. Secondly, and later, the fruitful workers, the acceptors, will be seen to have the final victory. They will sing a new song.
Concluding the Third Angel’s Message
Some believe the message of Rev. 14:6,7 is informing us of a god-ship-entity, a being (noun), somewhere in a secret place, set apart, holy place, making an investigation of our lives, and will judge accordingly. Such a belief is denounced in Matt. 24:26. Luke 17:20 was not in favour of literalising the coming of the kingdom of God or proceeding circumstances. “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither say they, Lo here! or lo there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Our God of mercy dwells in the heart and mind. The third angel is announcing “Worship the Creator, the Maker (not the creature – the noun) for the hour of his (Maker personified) judgment is come.”
Heavenly workers, once dead in trespasses and sins, are quickened. Arising to lofty affirmation with compassion, one direction, optimism and fortitude. This is to revere a Creator – creating God, Maker, doer, God of action. This God gave us conceptual thought, then rested.
Now righteousness and peace enters the heart and mind – the true holy of holies of the soul-temple in Heaven, an ennobled tranquil elevation. This is our rest. It is the salvation rest to commemorate benign creativity.
The word “hour” from HORA means, instant or season. “Judgment” from KAISIS means decision. “Is” from ESTI means, third person, singular, present tense, and from EIMIA a defective verb (not perfect or complete). “Come” is from ERCHOMIA used only in the present and imperfect tenses. Imperfect tense is when a verb tense expresses action in the past that is not complete. It is progressive (no historical starting time). It is past continuous, eternal. It is the day star arising in the heart.

The Fifth Seal
“And when he (the Lamb) had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto everyone of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” Rev. 6:9-11.
This seal reveals a time of great torment past, present, and future. Divine (creative), souls “through faithfulness…waxed valiant in fight…they were stoned…wandered about in sheepskins (of whom the world was not worthy)…And these all, having obtained a good report through faithfulness, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” Taken from Heb.11:33-40.
John writes, “I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God (Rectitude) and the testimony (witness) which they held.” The third angel’s message is a part of their evidence, having the power to cause great division. This seal is showing us the message, “Judge this day, God. Maker, or creature”, infuriates the three unclean spirits (Rev. 16:13).
The altar is referring to the brazen altar at the door of the tabernacle. It was at the foot of this altar that the blood of the sin-offering was poured – see Lev. 4:7. The lamb slain (then type) represented the blood of those who repented of a wrong course and having influenced others. “Just who do these people think they are?” What audacity! Persecution is the only measure to maintain tranquility, declare the “qualified”.
This token of a lamb pointed forward in the scriptural narrative, to the antitypical sacrifice of the Messianic Body recorded so strikingly in the Gospels. Great immolation was required, to oppose inflexible routines, ceremonial and outward show of piety. More enlightened ideas of a life of grace and goodwill, morally strengthening the soul, were ruthlessly trodden underfoot, crushed and silenced. This practice has recurred timelessly. Now John visualizes the great forward archetype.
Self explanatory, the saints cry, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on earth?” A psalmist wrote, “How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.” “White robes were given unto every one of them…” “Arrayed in fine linen, clean and white is the righteousness of saints.” Rev. 19:8. These souls are one side of the great divide. Conversely others are referred to as “the earth”. Rev. 6:10.
As we proceed through the Apocalypse, the cry, “How long?” shall be unveiled.

The Fifth Trumpet
Rev. 9:1 Star and bottomless pit.
“And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless it.”
John tells us the star is called Wormwood in the third trumpet, Rev. 8: 10, 11. Isaiah 14:12 refers to Babylon’s failed exploits and aspirations, and writes, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!...” Wormwood is poisonous, bitterness, a curse, a calamity. The bottomless pit is a hole in the ground, for holding water. Bottomless pit from ABUSSOS and PHREAR = an abyss of mind or place or both.
Rev. 9:2 Smoke, the sun and air were darkened.
“And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
In explaining how the lights of the inner citadel were darkened (fourth trumpet, Rev. 8:12) the revelator observes the tragedy has spread to the air suggesting the smoke brought about a wider waxing cold of spiritual virtues.
Rev. 9:3 Out of smoke, locusts given power of scorpions.
“And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.”
Revelation is a multitude of indicators all converging in antitype only to diverge in archetype. Has there been previous mention of locusts, as a model, given power in ancient description. Yes. Isaiah with readiness of pen, publishes the following, “Lucifer… didst weaken the nations!” Isa. 14:12. Ask, “How?” With a flight of locusts.
“Weaken” from CHALASH means overthrow discomfit. The word “the” from KIY indicates there was, casual relations between those of rationality and the preposterous. The answer to the word “nations” from GOY being foreign nations, Gentiles, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts.
Already mentioned in the fifth seal, the third angel’s message has power to cause great division of opinion even amongst friends…e.g. the word “earth”, Rev. 6:10. “Earth” is a place, in the mind, where worldly acclaim is a passing aberration versus heaven, those given white robes. However, in this heaven and earth nook, there remains, in a societal manner, a “casual relations” with many members of congregations. If Wormwood can “weaken” hospitable respect within different groupings, his venom “as the scorpions of the earth” can concentrate on illogical unqualified, untutored subjects.
Joel’s typical contribution is as follows:- “Tell your children…that which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten.” Joel 1:4. “In those days shall I bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem” Joel 3:1. Not Babylonian captivity this time, but Grecian. At that time Judah’s enemies, apostates, sell their (Judah’s) children to the Grecians. Joel 3:3-6,
Rev. 9:4 Do not hurt the grass or any green thing only those which have not the seal of God.
“And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.”
The grass of the earth, the new green growth, is just what a flight of locusts love. The earth here, is representing those where, “the air was darkened by reason of the smoke out of the pit.” But the moment of resolution was penetrating many minds now. They had heard the third angel’s message. The tender new mindful growth-thought of innocent souls, unaware of eons of denuding deception, hearing, “the hour of his judgment is come,” God - noun or verb – distant, or here now? “Worship him that made heaven and earth”…must be allowed presence. “Do not hurt,” “for in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth (of equity), the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.” Eph. 1:13.
Only hurt those pig-headedly resigned to ignorance or fraudulent make-belief. Ezekiel quite emphatically stated the imperative, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. (The word “mark” here is “seal” in Revelation.) And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city and smite: let not your life spare neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young…but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient man which were before the house.” Eze. 9:4-7.
Rev. 9:5 Should not kill, torment five months with scorpion sting.
“And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.”
Five Months
Understanding the symbols of scripture-writing is very important to exposition. One of the most outstanding recalled epics of the Old Testament is the story of the flood.
“There were giants in the earth in those days.” Giants of power. They were “mighty men which were of old, men of renown,” indicating men of Shem. Now they had intermixed. “When the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them the same became mighty men…” Gen. 6:1-4. The earth was also corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” Gen. 6:11,12. And behold, I even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh…” Gen. 6:17.
Waters are symbolic of people, fighting people: e.g. Isaiah, writing in the days when Hezekiah was a child, and his father Ahaz had plunged Judah into idolatry, tells that the Lord will bring judgment upon them. “For as much as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah (a quiet refreshing fountain in Jerusalem), and rejoice in Rezin, King of Assyria and Remaliah’s son (Pekah king of Israel). Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah; and he shall overflow…” Isa. 8:6-8. Jeremiah is telling of Egypt about to fight Nebuchadrezzar at Carchemish. “Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers. Egypt rises up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and I will cover the earth;…” Jer. 46:7,8. And the Revelator’s vision of “the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon the waters.” “The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” Rev. 17:1, 15.
The Genesis flood was a flood of violent fighting warriors. “And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged. The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped and the rain from heaven was restrained;…and after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.” This is the O.T. type of five months before the warring factions ceased. Gen.8:1-3. This was a scene of demoralized fighting. A perfect illustration.
The Apocalyptic battle with the torment of the locusts against those which have not the seal of God was similarly to last five months. This is John’s way of drawing from form to impress upon the concept the essence of the archetype.
Rev. 9:6 Men seek death – do not find it.
“And in those days shall men seek death and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”
The power of the locust’s torment to sting as scorpions, becomes violent. Men question, why? Could there not be a permanent cessation to this pestilence. The answer deludes them. Then they desire to die, in other words they solicit, they beg, a lasting peace. This request is denied them. The depraved locust armies avert any proposition, on behalf of those who have not the seal of God, to cease inflicting mental anguish upon them.
Rev. 9:7 Locusts like horses – crowns of gold – faces of men.
“And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.”
Joel 2:4 referring to locusts who represented Grecian forces writes, “The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses…” - a little bit here, a little bit there. John’s vision also noted a parallel in 1 Macc. 1:7-10 regarding “crowns like gold.” “So Alexander reigned twelve years, and then died. And his servants bare rule everyone in his place. And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied in the earth. And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome…” “Their faces were the faces of men.” The locusts were pretentious kings with the intelligence of men. Rev. 9:8 Hair of women – teeth as the teeth of lions.
“And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth as the teeth of lions.”
Here the word “hair” most likely from KOME , indicates locks as ornamental…”and their teeth as the teeth of lions.” This too refers to many O.T. tokens.
Rev. 9:9 Breast of iron, horses running to battle.
“And they had breastplates; as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.”
Breastplates or THORAX of iron – quite a formidable natural armour for locusts…”and the sound of their wings (which we all know so well) was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.” Again the Revelator likens this horror-picture to Joel’s story of the Syrian/Greek attack on Judah. The locusts, “Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap…” Joel 2:5.
Rev. 9:10 Tails like scorpions, stings in tails, power to hurt men 5 months.
“And they had tails like unto scorpions, And there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.”
This verse recalls important issues already mentioned.
Rev. 9:11
“And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath the name Apollyon.”
“They had a king over them.” We are about to be told his name. He is the angel of the bottomless pit, the abyss. Angel from ANGGELOS means messenger. Not always with good tidings.
In the Hebrew tongue his name is Abaddon, a destroying angel. Babylon was the Hebrew vandal in pre-exilic days. This is Jeremiah’s warning to the kings of Judah. “Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoil out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith, he Lord, that this house shall become a desolation.” Jer. 22:3&5. “And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life…even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans.” Eze. 22:25.
But who do the Scriptures record, is Apollyon, from APOLLYUON, the Greek destroyer (i.e. Satan)? The Revelator, recalling by-gone figures, and understanding their oneness in nature, gathers this answer from Dan.8, 1 Macc.1 and Eze. 38.39.
Daniel 8:5-11 commencing with a he goat, when recording details of a little horn (Dan. 8:9) which arose from one of the four divisions of Greece, continues his interpretation of these verses from Dan. 8:20-27. “The ram (Dan. 8:3-7) which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Greecia: And the great horn that is between his eyes is the first-king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation but not in his power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.” Dan. 8:20-23. See 1 Macc. 1:7-10 for confirmation – “…he shall destroy wonderfully” “but not by his own power.” Dan. 8:24. The latter phase here explains the word “they” in Rev. 9:11. Those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads, unable to stop the Selucid/Grecian attack, have joined them.
Contemplate Ezekiel’s report. Ezekiel states, the people of Israel will finally be delivered from the hand of the destroyer – see Eze. 38:14-23. Apollyon, the Greek destroyer, gathered his armies from the Japhetic nations of the north, and the Hamitic from the south. Gog, from GOWG means northern nations, mainly consisting of Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Gomer and Togarmah. From the Hamites came Ethiopia, Libya (Phut) and a small tribe from northern Persia. Eze. 38:2-6.
Foremost, instruction, “son of man, set thy face against Gog (a northern nation), the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. And say, Thus saith he Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:…” Eze. 38:2-4. The chief prince of Meshech and Tubal was Antiochus Epiphanes. Already confimed in Dan. 8:23 and 1 Macc. 1:7-10. These nations John sees as locusts. They certainly devoured everything in their path, “It was in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem.” See Joel 3:1.
The Apocalypse reveals such a similar terror arises between rejectors of intellectual light and a violent power seeking dominance in a world hungering after control of the minds of confused souls. The scripture writers juxtaposed them.

The Fifth Plague
Rev. 16:10,11 “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.”
The beast is the beast of Rev. 13:1-3. Shown in earlier papers to be a replica of Daniel’s vision in chapter seven. Daniel’s dream in figurative language can be biblically interpreted as:- Leopard – Solomon, Bear – David, and the Lion - Saul, the kings of Israel. The ten horns Dan. 7:7 with ten crowns Rev. 13:1 are the ten tribes of Israel after the division of the twelve tribes. These ten tribes were taken captive by Assyria never to rise again. The seven heads Rev. 13:1, were the last seven kings of Judah that followed after Hezekiah’s great reforms. These seven were unable to turn Judah from idolatry.
It is Hezekiah, Daniel sees as a “little horn,” Dan. 7:8. This horn arose as Israel fell. Hezekiah was king of Judah at the time. Hezekiah’s reforms caused three of the northern tribes to return (“plucked up”) to Jerusalem to celebrate the revival of the Levitical services. These tribes were Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulum – see 2 Chron. 30:1,2,5,10-11. The seven heads progressive regression and downright rebellion, according to the story, brought God’s judgment upon them. Their last king Zedekiah, was blindly led into Babylonian captivity.
Regarding Hezekiah, the little horn, it had “eyes like the eyes of a man,” Dan. 7:8,20. Eyes from AYIN, the outward appearance and knowledge of man. “And a mouth speaking great things,” RAB, very great things, mighty, plenteous, princely things. In Chaldeans RAB indicates he (Hezekiah) was a captain, a chief, a great man, lord, master, prince. Isa. 9:6 describes Hezekiah as a “Prince of Peace.” Such a statement would make Hezekiah, an impeccable prefiguration of messianic deliverance.
As for Rev. 13:3, “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast:” - this refers to Jehoiachin, previously taken captive to Babylon before the complete captivity – study carefully Jer. 52:31-34.
Daniel’s dream is type. The beast Rev. 13:1-3 is antitype in Gospels along with many other illustrations. The Apocalyspe, however, is archetype.
“The seat of the beast” (Rev. 16:10) in form was Jerusalem, the capital of Judea. Note, “the kingdom”, inscribes John, “was full of darkness.” Revelation’s Jerusalem, Christendom, is true to form, already having said, “We will not hearken to the sound of the trumpet,” are bitter now. They, in descriptive language, corrode the great illumination offered them. Realising their day is drawing to a close they vilify the great God of an uplifting plateau. Their powers of resolution are seriously weakened, mental palsy has set in. Determinately they refuse to re-consider their waywardness.

The First Message, 4th Seal, 4th Trumpet and 4th Plagu

The First Message, 4th Seal, 4th Trumpet and 4th Plague

The Fourth Seal
“And I looked and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them (or to him) over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” Rev. 6:8.
These four-fold calamities were promised to ancient Jerusalem. “The elders of Israel had set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face.” “So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; I will bring a sword upon thee.” See Eze. 5:5-17 and 14:1-23.
The pale horse comes with four curses. This is a very grim picture. To begin, the word “pale” is from CHLORIS and means greenish. The same as “green” grass is in the first trumpet. The rider is bringing malediction to those who are verdant, inexperienced, naive, people who make no effort to understand anything. The word CHLORIS is derived from CHOLE, a female Christian name. So the seal is clearly directed at the churches of our dispensation. A female name is used as woman is symbolic in scripture of the life-giver. Such a symbol is taken from actuality. The pale horse is used to bring punishment to those who have blindly and without question or effort accepted maxims. His rider’s name is “Death and Hell followed
with him.”
The writers of the seals proceed to relate the four torments. Sword, hunger, death and beasts. Why four? Four illustrates the four points of the compass, meaning global, e.g. “the four winds of the earth.” This seal reveals a world-wide judgment
within ecclesiasticism.
Sword. This sword is a counterfeit. It is not the word of the Spirit of God, the God of true wise determinations. Coming from the word RHOMPHAIA meaning sabre/cutlass, it is a very malicious ravaging weapon, spitefully triumphing over torpidity or those who have ignored the Spirit of progress.
Hunger. From LIMOS is a scarcity of sustenance for the soul. The previously mentioned famine (3rd seal) has intensified. There is a longing for the food of mercy. Is it genuine? Isaiah vividly assigns the following. “Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for a time to come forever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophecy deceits.” Is this the food the “green” grass will accept? “…Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in the high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.” Isa. 30:8-13.
Death. Literal death means permanent cessation. Intellectual death is loss of spiritual life. John is writing in the spiritual sense. It is interesting to consider Old Testament quotes regarding life and death in the flesh. The ancient writers are exemplifying and imperishable life. They uplift the food of the Spirit that the faithful hand to others. As they ingest their gift and develop, they in turn offer honourable sustenance. This is everlasting life. But death – how is death presented in O.T.? Many quotes could be given, but a few shall suffice.
“In death there is no rememberance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?” Ps. 6:5. “Consider and hear me. O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I should sleep the sleep of death.” Ps. 13:3. See Ps. 115:17, Eccl. 9:5,6,10.
Ezekiel has much to say concerning death. This Book mainly uses the word “pestilence”, in a vision of the four-fold punishment brought upon Jerusalem. Ponder the reason why this calamnity befell Jerusalem for this is our exampler. Today those professing godliness are the corresponding part of ancient Jerusalem, being the entire conformity in essence.
Cogitate in more detail Ezekiel’s words of warning, for they are important. About “the elders of Israel, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and have put a stumbling block of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?...Every man of the house of Israel that setteth his idols in his heart, and putteth before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Repent and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.”
“For thus saith the Lord God; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? Yet behold therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it. And they shall comfort you, when you shall see their ways and there doings, and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord God.”
Beasts The beasts of the earth are the beasts of Rev. 13. A typical vision of these beasts was taken from Old Testament Bible-history and from prophetically written Dan. 7-9 as well as other foretellingly written books. The prophetic books thrust the temple-history forward to show the Bible’s continual correlation of moral purity versus resultant iniquity.
Both beasts of Rev. 13 show powers that arose quite unpretentiously, but declined into treacherous corruption and tyranny. The symbolic beasts in Dan. 7 meet antitype in the Gospels and archetype in Revelation.
Reiteration. With careful O.T. study it can be shown that the kingdoms of Israel and Judah (pre-captivity) and the Kingdom of the Jews (post captivity) are replayed in the New Testament, bolstering the principle of type and antitype leading to archetype.
John writes, these two beasts worship the dragon which gave power unto the first beast. The second beast with two horns, said, they should make an image to the first beast.
Egypt was the dragon in O.T. according to Eze. 29:3. As the story goes, the Hebrews left repressive Egypt (probably in little groups) and journeyed to Canaan where they settled as a boisterous, rebellious, brutalized mob.
Early Christendom, a Jewish-Gentile mix, in an immature state emerged from rigid Judaism to establish small communal groups.
Israel of old was unrefined even to the time of king Saul. Then the kingdom of Israel was given to David and progress began. Israel divided into two kingdoms, ten tribes to the north and Judah two tribes to the south.
In modern time, societal fragmentation has encompassed the Christian church.
Israel apostasised and was assimulated into Assyria never to rise again. Judah followed the Davidian line with many ups and downs. Some continually backsliding into idolatry and repenting, only to be forgiven and restored. Others passed off the spectrum and into oblivion. Will the imprint of moral history on the modern-day exposé indelibly glaze the foot-prints of time?
Thus the two pre-exilic kingdoms:
1. Israel - destroyed
2. Judah - two captivities to Babyon - in Jehoiachim’s reign 606 B.C. and secondly in Zedekiah’s reign 588 B.C.
There is more - the second beast of Rev. 13. The example of this beast with the two horns is the Kingdom of the Jews. Post-captivity saw the kingdom rise to power, prepared to start anew. All was quiet for some time. Gradually Jews took an interest in idolatrous Hellenism – see 1 Macc. 1:11-15. Their own culture began to wane. The renegrade Jews hardened their hearts, and blinded with literalism joined Antiochus Epiphanes (the Greek-Syrian leader) to plunder the temple and exterminate faithful souls. Daniel termed the idolworshipping Jews as, “an host that was given him (Antiohcus Epiphanes) against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced and prospered.” Dan. 8:12. Daniel confirms this conspiracy in Dan. 8.24.
Here in Greek days the first era of the Jewish Kingdom originating in all sincerity, but because of the rebellion, ended in turmoil and hostility.
The second era commenced with victory over Antiochus Epiphanes. The temple repaired and re-dedicated 2 Macc. 10:1-8. So peaceful a nation Zechariah records, “There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man and his staff in his hand for every age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.” Zech. 8:4,5.
The Hasmonean Kingdom of the Jews in time introduced the Pharisees and Sadducees. Pharisees claiming keepers of the oracles of God, and unwaivering retainers of Levitical law. The Sadducees held the civic power. Both tyrannical and oppressive. Both responsible for silencing the Messianic Body. The two-horned beast of gospel-days “spake as a dragon.” Judaism came to a permanent end then as there was not one valid stone upon another, of her teachings, left standing.
The Kingdom of the Jews had two eras. Both commenced in all innocence but owing to rebellion, unfaithfulness and idolatry failed hopelessly. John was shown a fitting example of the two-horned beast which persecuted its own people as a retributive punishment for willful ignorance and intolerance. Enough said about the beasts of the earth.
Fourth Trumpet
And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.” Rev. 8:12.
Total darkness, total blindness, total ignorance, what better way to set forth the meaning of a terrible plight. Death and Hell, hail and darkness.
Was this moral blindness a configuration borrowed from the Old Testament model, to show us similarity of circumstances in a by-gone age? Turn to the Book of Joel.
Joel, a nom-de-plume, uses an invasion of locusts to relate aggressive Greek/Syrian forces who attacked Judah. (The locusts will be dwelt with in the fifth trumpet.) Implemented by Antiochus Epiphanes this assault upon Judah was seen as a punishment to God’s people for transgressing the law of love, the law of liberty.
Judah had become a kingdom of drunkards. Joel 1:5. Not literal drunkards. The scriptural world is a world of symbolic writing. “Drunkards” from SHIKKOR is derived from SHAKAR meaning influence. Simple people were conditioned, or trained to a certain response. “Influenced” was a requirement convincingly imposed on others by “authority.” Drunkeness defied the understanding that all are intrinsically a free spirit.
Conditioning is also an affront to concept, the great achievement of our God. Conceptual thought, this amazing advance, must forever be reverenced. This is when our God rested. As we faithfully apply this wonderful gift to betterment we also rest. Will we, through the Spirit of love, contribute to creativity and partake of spiritual tranquility?
As with antitypes and archetypes more than one type embraces a predicament or elevation. Certainly the plagues of Egypt, e.g hail and darkness played a big part in understanding the fourth trumpet. This paper will concentrate on Joel’s report as to why “the sun and moon shall be dark and the stars” withdraw their shining. The writers, in retrospect, observed Judah, a very small kingdom surrounded by the Grecian army and turbulent races. This is a picture of gloom and darkness, if ever there were. All the one-time lights of heaven now devoid of moral dignity departed to the depths of despondency. Not an atom of equity or rightful discernment left amongst the “supposedly avowed.” This no doubt explains darkness, total darkness.

The time of drunkenness, reported by Joel, is the time when apostate Jews joined with Antiochus Epiphanes to plunder the temple, and exterminate loyal Jews. Drunkeness had influenced Jews and they were depicted as “an host”…that by reason of transgression …cast down the truth to the ground;” and together with Antiochus Epiphanes “practiced and prospered.” Dan. 8:12, and confirmed in 1 Macc. 1:11-15.
The book of Daniel, prophetically noting powers that ruled in the days of post-exilic Judah tells of the rough goat; king of Grecia (Dan. 8:21). Then the kingdom divided and later a king of fierce countenance stood up – Dan. 8:2,3. This was Antiochus Epiphanes. 1 Macc. 1:7-10.
Daniel emphasizes, Antiochus Ephiphane’s exploits triumphed only with the help of drunken Jews. “And his power shall be mighty but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.” Dan. 8:24.
Is this the portrait the Revelator recalled in the fourth trumpet. Maybe the following statements also coloured his vision.
“In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow. So this device pleased them well. Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the heathen: Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen.” See a Macc. 1:11-15. There is a repetition of Bible texts (re Daniel and 1 Maccabees) in the 4th seal section “beasts of the earth” and drunkenness (Joel) or darkness (Rev. 7 in the 4th trumpet). These were sourced from the same type showing the similarity of thought in the two visions.
Enough said about the typical darkness that came to Judah of old. The parallel with Revelation appears to be clearly drawn.
4th Plague
“And the fourth angel poured out his vail upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.'
The sun did not scorch men with fire, as many have taught. The trumpet rhythmically sounded – “the sun was smitten, and was darkened, and the dayshone not.” No scorching power here. It was the fourth angel with the vial, “and the power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.” The angel was/is a servant of our God, “Our God is a consuming fire.” Men scorched with great heat, blasphemed the name of God.” The name of God from ONOMA meaning, they reviled the name of God. Reviled his authority, his character and they repented not to give him glory. Repented not? Is this darkness? Oh! Thyatira, what have you done?

The First Message, 3rd Seal, 3rd Trumpet and 3rd Plague

Structure of Revelation

The First Message, 3rd Seal, 3rd Trumpet and 3rd Plague
Third Seal
“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” Rev. 6:5,6.
Throughout the Old Testament the overwhelming message to ancient Israel and Judah was the condemnation of the worship of idols -“Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods.” Continually they regressed to the veneration of lifeless and transient objects, visible images or invisible doctrines of false gods. Faithfulness towards humanity was/is a high ethical standard above the adoration of pre-conceived ideas, established orthodoxy and dogma. Such wasteful good for nothings, together with homage paid to neighbouring gods brought stern judgments to God’s people, in the characteristic writings of old.
Ezekiel described such idolatry as playing the harlot. Time and time again, only to be delivered by uprightness, God’s peculiar people habitually degraded into aridic idolatry, be it abominations, whoremongering, divinations, sorceries, lies or soothsaying. Uprightness was usually personified by a merciful forgiving leader. The judges were an example. They were personifying types, real life learning. Led by compassion and loyalty ever showing mercy, the sons and daughters of our Maker endeavour to lead us to the path of light and call us from entrenchments and hindrances known as “that curse of the flesh.”
Zechariah 6:6 reports “the black horse went forth into the north country” - north from TSAPHON = hidden, unknown, darkness. North symbolizes a dark power, regressiveness, opposed to the south, the Negeb, Judah. According to Zech. 6:8 “those that go toward the north country (darkness) have quieted my spirit.” No missionary spirit, arises in the third seal - it is all very black. In a country where men loved darkness rather than light, there is no food for thought. Hence a pair of balances in the hand of the black horse-rider. This confirms a great famine of a kind in the land.
The man with the balances in his hand is cunning and deceitful. Israel and Judah are represented as Ephraim in Hosea 12:7,8 where the balances are found “in the hand” – the phraseology relied upon in John’s recollection. In Hosea it is said, “He is a merchant (Canaan), the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.” And Ephraim admittingly said, “Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find no iniquity in me that were sin.” Intellectual stimulus was charmed by self-importance, self-sufficiency and the shadows of darkness stretched wayward.
John, in vision, saw this arrogant condition recur. “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing” boasted the Laodiceans. Rev. 3:14-18.
In these words the cry is heard “Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.” Joel 1:5. Be ye ashamed, O ye husband men; howl O ye wine dressers, for the wheat and barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.” Joel 1:11. In the language of a portrait, their judgment is given. “Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing the word of the Lord:” Amos 8:11,12.
However, we leave the third seal with the eternal flicker of light - “See thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” The servants of God are not yet sealed.
Oil was for lighting of the lamp as well as the anointing of the light-bearers. The wine was to be kept for the celebration of the victory of the saints who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb and his wife.
Third Trumpet
“And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.” Rev. 8:10,11.
John, constantly referring to the old pattern for authenticity is quoting the likes of Isa.14:12. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifier, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!”
Son of the morning - SHACHAR = light. How art thou cutdown - GADA = fallen. This personate unveils a conviction that once understood honesty, purity. Now long forgotten as rigidity had taken hold in formalisms. John was highlighting the recurrence of serving prescribed customs in the age of Christendom.
In Revelation, burning “as it were” a lamp this great one-time star was only a counterfeit, a ploy of total distraction. Yes, Wormwood came with lies, and did weaken the nations. These peoples and nations are ecclesiastical or pastoral in the kernel of the Patmos fugitive’s dissertation – the so-called insiders, proclaiming a false gospel message. “Weaken” from CHALASH means overthrow cause decay. “Nations” from GOWY means GEVAH (in the sense of massing). Figuratively speaking means, a troop of animals (symbolically human), or a flight of locusts. Hence the word GOWY is referring to how the nations were weakened. Later both types will be applied
Yes, the fallen angel, Wormwood, made many souls bitter, even the “fountains of water” – the source of “life”, the preachers and they became bitter. And many men died of the bitter waters. “Many men died.” Died from APO, APOTHNESKO meaning separated or departed from the Church.
Oh my people! Wrote Jeremiah, God will arise, “they be all adulterers an assembly of treacherous men.” “They proceed from evil to evil.” “They will deceive everyone…and not speak the truth.” “Shall I not visit them for these things?” Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “ Behold I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink,” Jer. 9:2-15. Every sprouting idea becomes an idol, according to their understanding.” Abandoning virtue, “ they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver” Hos. 13:2. These idols are nought, good for nothing, worthless born of conceit and a judgmental show-piece. This is the trumpet’s version of “a famine in the land.”
Third Plague
“And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of water, and they became blood…” Rev. 16:4-7. The message of the third trumpet becomes an overwhelming plague. The blood, of course, was as the blood in Pharoah’s day. Because of his obstinacy in recognizing the true God, the Nile, an object of worship was turned to putridity. Now there was only stinking rottenness to be consumed. The plate was empty, the cupboard was bare.
The intolerant of the religious world have shed so much blood (literally and figuratively), the blood of faithful innocent souls. John writes, “I heard the angel of the waters (people) say, “Thou are righteous, O Lord which art, and wast, and shall be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.” Rev. 16:5,6. John, when writing, was bringing to vision a great future age where questioning begins from within Jerusalem the south country. Doctrine after doctrine, endlessly doctrines are closely investigated.
The angel of the waters, representing upright fervor, examining the folly and deception of Christendom’s never ending opinions see the cause of bewilderment and turmoil, stifling consciousness. Literalism! It has brought only universal disorder.
“And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.” Rev. 16:7. Whilst the angel is at the golden altar, the day of atonement is not completed. The angel is saying, there is still time to make a stand, “which way forward.”
The shadows are lengthening, and the darkness is deepening, the hour is late.