IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
A STUDY OVER THE BOOK OF REVELATION & THE END TIMES: PART II
INTRO: This upcoming study on Revelation, is obviously a lot of guesswork. Although is information is entirely Biblical and comes from theologian type sources, it still cannot be correct 100%. But the following is only the best try considering all the details and facts as we know it in this year at such a time as this.
BACKGROUND:
The Table of Contents:
The Opening The Judgment
Seal #1 The Antichrist
Seal #2 War
Seal #3 Famine
Seal #4 Death
Seal #5 Martyr’s Prayers
Seal #6 Great Earthquake
Seal #7 Announcement of 7 Trumpets
BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:1
And when He broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
Silence in Heaven: When is heaven silent? Never. Heaven never had been nor ever supposed to be silent. This is because there is constantly praise going on towards the Father. But at this specific time at this specific hour, the rush gathered by those up in heaven will be so great that there will be silence. This is an amazing display of awesome reverence for what God is doing.
BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:2
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God; and seven trumpets were given to them.
Understanding: so inside the 7th Seal are 7 trumpets, and each trumpet is going to get us closer to the end.
Then the chapter goes into some imagery about the “Angel with a Golden Sensor” and the “Intercession of the Saints.” These have some imagery specifics that we are not going to deal with specifically. But it brings up a great question that non-believing scholars have asked:
What gives God the right to judge the world?
This question is not as profound as those scholars would like to make it, after all, God did create the world, why wouldn’t he have the right to judge it and rule over it if He so decided. But the issue of judgment has been a clear question in the bible for ages.
BIBLE VERSE: John 3:16-18
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has already been judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Explanation: See, using arguably the most famous piece of scripture memorized in USA (John 3:16), we are reminded that in these end times, God is not really judging. Judging has already been passed, that is what it says in verse 18. So what is God doing? He is punishing. And punishment from the hand of the Almighty void of any his children left in the world is going to be severe. And it should be.
1. BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:7
And the first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
The Physical: The burning up of 1/3rd of the world obviously increases the devastation. And of course the green grass refers not just to grass but to the vegetation including wheat, barley, rice, corn, etc. It is also a precursor to how the finale is going to happen (God destroyed the world once with water, this time it will be done with fire).
The Spiritual Meanings: But there are also spiritual meanings behind the whole deal.
Hail: It comes from above and naturally speaks of the source as well as suddenness (Isaiah 28:2)
Fire: Speaks of the consuming character of God’s wrath.
Blood: It is the natural descriptive of death.
2. BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:8
And the second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood; and a third of the creatures, which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.
What it does NOT say: It does not say “a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea.” Rather, it says “something LIKE A great mountain,” that’s a big difference. And it is a great picture of an asteroid being hurled down to earth.
Asteroid: Scientists have cataloged about 3500 asteroids and more are being discovered each year. Their orbits tend to be very elliptical—which means on one end they are much closer to the sun than on the far end. Some of these asteroids have recently taken on the name “dwarf planet” like Ceres, which is 620 miles in diameter. What would happen if even a small asteroid struck the earth? Well, have you ever seen the movie Deep Impact?
The Hit: When an asteroid enters our atmosphere, as with shooting stars, they begin to heat up and glow white with fire by friction. It would actually burn like the picture we get from John when describing the 2nd trumpet. When the 200 foot across asteroid hit the earth in Siberia in 1908, 1000 square miles was wasted and the shock was felt in Europe. What if the asteroid was a mile across? What would happen if it landed in the water (pause for answers)? That’s right, a world wide tidal wave taking out the coastlines of the world.
The Krakatoa Volcano: In 1883, a volcano erupted in Krakatoa in the oceanic region. A black cloud of ash rose 17 miles into the air. On the morning of the next day, tremendous explosions were heard about 2200 miles away in Australia. Ash was propelled 50 miles into the air blocking the sun and sending the region into complete darkness for 2 and ½ days. There were spectacular red sunsets throughout the rest of the year. But as far as the water goes, tidal waves or tsunamis reached all the way to Hawaii and South America with heights up to 120 feet in the air.
Tsunami 2004:
A Third of the Sea Became Blood: Nobody is sure whether this is figurative or literal. Could it be a description of the color of the water (after all, water reflects the atmosphere)? Or is it literally blood like when the Nile River turned to blood in Exodus 7:20?
3. BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:10
And the third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood; and many of the men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.
Wormwood: Wormwood was a type of wood that grew in Palestine, it had a strong and bitter taste. Evidently, when this star falls on the planet, it is going to have a poisonous effect on the water supply and make people fatally ill.
Bitter Water: Bitter water, perhaps even Wormwood, was used in the Old Testament. According to Numbers 5:11-31, bitter water was given to a woman if it was thought that she had had an adulterous affair on her husband. The belief was that the innocent woman would suffer to ill effects. But the one guilty of adultery would make their “womb swell and thigh fall away.” In addition, the woman would then live under a curse from that point forward. It is interesting to point out that at this moment of history, the human race is guilty of adultery by refusing to be the true bride of Christ, and their result is a guilty verdict, physical trauma to the body, and a curse.
4. BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:12
And the fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were smitten, so that a third of them might be darkened and the day might not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.
Whereas the first of the three trumpets is aimed against the earth, the 4th is aimed against the heavens (the atmosphere or farther). Isn’t it ironic that on the 4th day of Creation, God made the sun, the moon, and the stars and now God aims his 4th judgment at these heavenly bodies.
Smitten? Smitten means “to strike or smite” and the word is used for the time when God is going to strike down celestrial lanterns and their light-giving capacity. Could this be a daily eclipse? Could this be a change to a 16 hour day from a 24? We are not exactly sure.
Significance of the Number 4: Many Bible students believe that four is the number of the world. It marks God’s creative works. We might say that it is the signature of the world. Why?
A. On the 4th day God finished the material of creations (heavens and the earth) Genesis 1:14-19.
B. There are 4 divisions of mankind: nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues (Revelation 7:9).
C. There are 4 directions or regions: north, south, east, and west.
D. There are 4 seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall.
E. In presenting the Lord to mankind, there are 4 gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
F. There are 4 kingdoms: animal, mineral, vegetable, and spiritual.
G. And in Daniel’s portrayal of the time of the Gentiles, we are given 4 great world powers: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.
This 4th trumpet concludes a separation. The first 4 trumpets bring devastation to the world: God’s creation. The last 3 are aimed directly at man through mankind. Remember, today we have rebellion in some cases because evolution says the world was created by accident. Not so then. There will be no atheists, only people who know that God exists who have hardened hearts.
BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:13
And I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
The Eagle Flying in Mid-Heaven: Just as God used a donkey to speak to Balaam, God is going to use an eagle to speak to the human race here in the end times. The word “woe” is used, which is an example of onomatopoeia (a word that is written just like it sounds, examples include: buzz, shhh, splat, and unlimited others). “Woe” represents a strong interaction from listeners, and serves as a graphic warning of the nature of what is about to come.
5. BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 9:1-12
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. And he opened the bottomless pit; and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and the power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And they were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; and they will long to die and death flees from them. And the appearance of locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads, as it were, crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. And they had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. And they have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is the power to hurt men for five months. They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon. The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.
Satan: Throughout all of history, Satan masks himself as an angel of light. But from this point forward, the mask comes off and his true colors will be seen for the whole world to see (people will actually know that it is Satan who is leading them, and they will not seem to care). In this case, he is given certain powers that he has not had before (remember, he is the star that has fallen out of heaven, and this description is befitting him here).
Reasons for the Star Being Satan (for teacher purposes only)
A. The “star” is given to the key to the bottomless pit.
B. The “star” is seen performing the actions of a personality, like opening the abyss.
C. The “star” is given the appellatives of a person, such as the title “Abaddon.”
D. Other angels and fallen angels have been called “stars” in scripture.
What does Abaddon mean? Abaddon or Apollyon literally means “angel of the abyss.”
What is the Abyss? The abyss is a temporary abode and prison for a portion of the demon hosts where they wait for their eternal and final judgment to the lake of fire. 2 Peter 2:4 describes this as the abode of the judged.” It is sometimes referred to as Tartarus. A study of scriptural passages show us that the abyss is a place of judgment for demons of a specific sin (yup, that’s right, there are some demons who are so bad that they have to be confined…almost unbelievable). It is utterly black and the demons there are in total oblivion to the rest of the universe. Maybe they were put there because of their actions in Genesis 6. Others were cast there by Christ according to Luke 8:31-33.
Demons: In scripture, demons travel and seek habitats in waterless places, interesting enough that God used water as judgment way back in Genesis 6 which would have then been hated by the Demons. Therefore, is there some kind of relation between water and the abyss? Interestingly, the swine running into the water after Jesus cast them out of the man in the cemetery was perhaps a symbolic judgment of them being sent into the abyss.
At the End of History: All demons and Satan will be bound and thrown into the abyss once more at the end of the 7 year tribulation, and they will spend 1000 years there. After 1000 years, he will be allowed to be released again for a short period, then rounded up and thrown into the lake of fire forever.
ANGELIC HOST FLOW CHART
EVIL & FALLEN ANGELS GOOD ANGELS
A. Demons Permanently Confined Until the Lake of Fire (2 Peter 2:4-5; Jude 6)
B. Demons Temporarily Confined Release During Tribulation (Rev 9:1)
C. Demons on the Loose (All Throughout Scripture)
Here’s the Scary Thing: We humans have been attacked throughout the centuries by demons trying to overthrow God. But there are demons that are so bad that they have been bound for all of eternity—until now, in the time of the tribulation. I would imagine thousands of years have really ticked them off, and it is going to be bad for anyone who comes into contact with them. Furthermore, there are some demons that are so hideous, that they cannot be released during the tribulation because their wickedness is even too extreme for the people of the end times.
A Dark World: The atmosphere will become polluted, smoke will be everywhere, the world will be in literal darkness like that of a cave (ever go in one and turn off all the flashlights, its frightening). Do you think there are any chance of electricity working? And for those who have doubted demonic activity in the past, they will not doubt anymore, for it will be plain and simple before their eyes.
And About Those Locusts…That is where we will pick up next week.
Sources:
Keathley III, J. Hampton. Studies in Revelation: Christ’s Victory Over the Forces of Darkness. Biblical Studies Press: 1997. bible.org. hamptonk3@bible.org.
NAME: ___________________________
IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
A STUDY OVER THE BOOK OF REVELATION & THE END TIMES: PART II
BACKGROUND:
The Opening The Judgment What?
Seal #1 _______________________ He Arises & Starts the Whole End Times
Seal #2 _______________________ Possibly Russia & Arab States Unite: Not Certain
Seal #3 _______________________ A Denarius For One Quart of Wheat
Seal #4 _______________________ Sword, Famine, Pestilence, & Wild Beasts
Seal #5 _______________________ Midpoint of the Tribulation
Seal #6 _______________________ The Great Shaking & The Blood Moon
Seal #7 _______________________ More Trouble on the Horizon
BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:1 And when He broke the _____________________ seal, there was ___________________________________ in heaven for about half an hour.
BIBLE VERSE: John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not ___________________________________; he who does not believe has already been ________________________, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
1. BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:7
What happens to the physical world? _______________________________________________________
Spiritual meanings of:
Hail: _______________________________________________
Fire: _______________________________________________
Blood: ______________________________________________
2. BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:8
Something like a ______________________________ burning with fire was thrown into the ____________.
What could cause something like this? ______________________________________________________
How could the sea become blood? _________________________________________________________
3. BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:10
What is Wormwood? ____________________________________________________________________
What was Bitter Water Used For in OT? _____________________________________________________
4. BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 8:12
How can the atmosphere become “smitten?” _________________________________________________
Significance of the Number 4: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The Eagle Flying in Midheaven: ___________________________________________________________
IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT (CONTINUED)
5. BIBLE VERSE: Revelation 9:1-12
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a _______________________ from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the ____________________________________________ was given to him. And he opened the bottomless pit; and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. And out of the smoke came forth ___________________________ upon the earth; and the power was given them, as the ______________________________ of the earth have power. And they were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; and they will long to die and death flees from them. And the appearance of locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads, as it were, crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. And they had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. And they have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is the power to hurt men for five months. They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is __________________________________, and in the Greek he has the name ______________________. The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.
Satan: _______________________________________________________________________________
Abaddon: ____________________________________________________________________________
Abyss: _______________________________________________________________________________
ANGELIC HOST FLOW CHART
GOOD ANGELS
&
EVIL & FALLEN ANGELS
A. Demons Permanently ________________________ Until the Lake of Fire (2 Peter 2:4-5; Jude 6)
B. Demons ______________________________ Confined Release During Tribulation (Rev 9:1)
C. Demons on the ___________________________________________ (All Throughout Scripture)
The Scary Thing Is _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________