With all the turmoil in Egypt and across other countries of the Middle East and with all the talk of Israel's destruction, some believers are beginning to wonder if the end of the world is near. The author of this article wrote down notes from plausible interpretations of Revelation by Bible scholars. She became interested in doing so after hearing Rush Limbaugh recently say that he didn't want to say (presumably out of respect in not wanting to offend some of his listeners) what he thinks about the Book of Revelation.
John, usually assumed to be the youngest disciple of Jesus, claims to have been given a bewildering vision from God about events which would take place during the end times. His perspective about the events was written in 95 AD when he was exiled by Roman authorities to the island of Patmos off the coast of Asia. The horrors described are the result and tribulation upon a world which rejected God's laws. Most Bible scholars believe the Rapture of Christians precedes the tribulation.
Seals/Trumpets/Bowls
Beginning in Revelation 6, John sees a Lamb open a scroll. With the breaking of each one of the seven seals, there is a symbolic vision with a literal meaning.
1. White horse - Rider is the Antichrist who appears as a hero. He will be instrumental in a peace treaty between Israel and neighboring Arab countries and, later, he will become a leader of the world. During this time of peace, Israel feels safe enough to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Two people with the ability to perform miracles will be special witnesses to the Jews in Jerusalem. 144,000 Jews will become Christians. The Antichrist, at the 3-1/2 year mark, breaks his treaty with Israel and begins persecution of the Jews. He is killed but miraculously raised back to life to continue domination through bloodshed. The two witnesses are killed, left in the street for the world to view; but after 3-1/2 days, they are resurrected and taken to heaven. The Antichrist demands that everyone worship him and receive the "mark of the beast" as loyalty in order to buy and sell in the world's economy.
2. Red horse - Rider represents bloodshed from war.
3. Black horse - Rider represents famine.
4. Green horse - Rider represents death toll of 1/4 earth's population from war, famine, disease.
5. Souls under the altar - These are people who were not believers at the time of the Rapture and therefore were not reunited with their glorified bodies at that time. They later became believers and died a martyr's death. Their souls are waiting for the end of the tribulation period.
6. Natural disasters of the earth occur.
7. "And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets." Revelation 8:1-2
Next begins the blast of seven trumpets
1. Hail and fire which destroys 1/3 of the earth's vegetation.
2. A burning mountain drops into the sea causing 1/3 of it to become blood. One third of the sea animals die and one third of all ships are destroyed.
3. A star falls from the sky. One third of drinking water is contaminated.
4. Heavenly bodies collide. One third of earth's light is lost.
5. Locusts with poisonous stings attack people, causing torture for five months.
6. Two hundred million soldiers are on the attack. One third of mankind is killed.
7. The seventh trumpet brings victory with thunder, lightening, and an earthquake, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." Revelation 11:15
Bowls representing final plagues pour upon the earth
1. Malignant sores break out upon those who worship and received the "mark of the beast."
2. Everything in the oceans of blood dies.
3. The rivers and springs also turn to blood.
4. The heat from the sun is magnified, and everyone is scorched.
5. The earth is plunged into darkness.
6. The Euphrates River dries up. Armies from the east march toward Israel. "And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." Revelation 16:16 Military powers from the four corners of the globe will converge upon Israel to battle for world domination.
7. A great earthquake brings cities around the world to ruin. Islands disappear and mountains are leveled. Large hailstones come down upon the earth's inhabitants.
Before all of mankind is destroyed, Jesus will return. The Antichrist will be killed and his forces annihilated.
Chuck Missler came to the Capitol Theatre in Yakima a few months back to share his insights into World Affairs and Bible prophecy.
Comments
Good job Kara, it looks like we were on the same page today sister!! Keep on putting the word out there! We are surely getting close to the second coming of Jesus.
Are you sure this is the same John? He says the end is near...in his lifetime...guess he was way wrong. Rev. 1:5 says Jesus is the first begotten of the dead. Did John forget about Lazurus? If he were raised from the dead by Jesus...then Lazurus would be first. Maybe Lazurus was only "mostly dead"
Interesting question re Lazarus in regard to Jesus named "first begotten of the dead." KJV As far as Revelation being written by John the same disciple who walked with Jesus, I base that on what I've read from scholars whom I consider to be the most brilliant, one of them being Grant Jeffrey who convinces by showing how and where he gets his deductions. Without 100% certainty, though, there is open room for possible error if you know something I don't.
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