Signs of The Revelation #1

John Fenn, Signs of The Revelation #1

Hi all,
There is such a noise being made about end time prophecy but most (Bible teachers) are talking about words they think the Lord has shown them for the future, and little actual Bible is being shared.

The book of The Revelation is a sure word, but full of symbolism which results in ministers making it hyper-spiritual or bent towards their own biases, which removes the practical, down to earth prophecy presented.

What I've been doing in my own study is looking at the political, economic, scientific, and natural disaster part of it. The Lord gives us a very logical progression of events in a time yet future. I want to condense it for you below, so I hope it will be a blessing.

After the messages to the 7 churches, Jesus opens a scroll the Father gave him in chapter 5, which is what most of the rest of the book revolves around. So if we lay down in order the 7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 vials as a foundation the basic framework is easy to understand. What I've done is list them in groups as they will occur, and you will see a logical progression.

First Seal: White horse; rider with bow, crown given him, went forth conquering and to conquer. 6:1-2
First Trumpet: Hail and fire mixed with blood, 1/3 of trees/grass burned up, green grass burned. 8:7
First Vial: Sores on those who have the mark of the beast and worship his image. 16:2

Look at these passages like they were in the newspaper or nightly news. A new leader will begin conquering other nations, while at the same time a disaster of world wide proportions will happen that will burn up 1/3 of the vegetation. Additionally, a skin ailment will reach pandemic level.

A leader conquering we can understand, but what is the source of the 1/3 of vegetation burned up, and are the skin sores related? Here are some answers in the second grouping:

Second Seal: Red horse; power (kratos) to rider to take peace from the earth that they kill one another, and he had a great sword. 6:3-4
Second Trumpet: Burning Mountain cast into sea, 1/3 of sea became blood, 1/3 of animals in the sea died, and 1/3 of ships destroyed. 8:8-9
Second Vial: Sea poisoned and looks like blood, life therein dies. 16:3

Now we are getting some understanding. The ruler starts a war(s), but around the same time a "mountain" which we would call asteroid, lands in the ocean. This explains why 1/3 of the vegetation dies, and 1/3 of sea life dies, and 1/3 of ships at sea are destroyed. You may recall that when there is a lack of oxygen in the water there is a red algae bloom, called a red tide, which kills and poisons all sea life in the area. The word presented here is that this asteroid will land in the sea and cause just such a catastrophe over 1/3 of it. Skin sores can be explained as a result of these events as well.

Now...start thinking logically as to what is next. What would happen if in the midst of war, an asteroid hit the ocean and poisons sea life? Could we expect starvation and/or malnutrition for those dependent on a diet from the sea, economic turmoil, political turmoil? All the above! But there is more.

Third Seal: Black horse; rider had a pair of balances. In the midst of the 4 horses a voice calling for inflation/high price of wheat, barley, but not for oil and wine, or no hurt to oil and wine. 6:5-6
Third Trumpet: A burning star, burning like a torch, fell on 1/3 of fresh water (rivers), and on the "fountains of waters". It is called 'wormwood', and 1/3 of the fresh waters were poisoned. 8:10-11
Third Vial: Fresh waters poisoned, look like blood. 16:4-7

Whereas a white horse may stand for deception/false righteousness as the rider goes forth to conquer, and the red horse clearly stood for bloodshed in the conquering, now we have a black horse with balances, indicating economic chaos - things are very bad, but a common sense result from a natural disaster of this magnitude while having some possessed leader taking advantage of the situation to make war.

Look at the history of any war and you will see the disruption of food supplies, diseases, starvation/malnutrition - now throw in an asteroid hitting the earth (but wait, there's more)

The Lord tells us here there will be hyper-inflation/shortage on grains, but not for oil or wine. Logical - if you can't eat any fish the demand for grain products goes up, but if 1/3 of the grass and trees are burned, there will be food shortages - extremely high prices for what little is available.

Note the burning star that looked like a torch to the apostle John. The first was a 'burning mountain', and the 2nd may be a comet, or I lean towards the differences in appearance being a matter of perspective. If an asteroid is coming more or less right at you, you won't see a long tail.

If it skims through the atmosphere at an angle before hitting, it will have a long tail like a torch. It may very well be one comet or asteroid that splits in 2 upon nearing earth due to colliding with the atmosphere or gravity. (Not because Bruce Willis and his band of dysfunctional spaced rangers blow it in two) :)

Either way, the 'burning mountain' and the 'star burning as a torch' poison water; the first affects 1/3 of the ocean, the second 1/3 of all fresh bodies of water, which leads one to think the 2nd will hit land. The effects of these 2 impacts are one of the most fascinating parts of what is presented by the Lord, because the next effects are exactly in line with what science says would happen if this occured.

Fourth Seal: Pale horse; name of rider is Death, and Hell rides with him. Has authority to kill 1/4 of the earth with sword, hunger, death, wild animals. 6:7-8
Fourth Trumpet: 1/3 of sun, moon, stars darkened. 8:12 (Light in day and night cut by 1/3)
Fourth Vial: Sun scorches people. 16:8-9

Now the pale horse; death being the result of war, disruption of economics, food shortages, disease. A full 25% of the population of the earth dies. Think of this in terms of numbers. There are over 6 billion people on the earth now. 25% of that number is 1.5 billion (dead). This means that 75% will live, or 4.5 billion.

The reference to wild animals is easy to think through. If cities are vacant (limited or no food or water service) the animals move in. I remember living in Colorado and when food was scarce in the mountains we'd see elk, bear, coyote, and mountain lions in the city of Boulder. If there is 1/3 less grass/fruit/water/fish for them to eat - you bet they'll coming to your house for dinner!

Back to the double impact from what I'll call the burning "meteors" (for lack of knowing exactly what's being described): Here we see what science says would happen; the massive dust and water vapor cloud darkens the earth by 1/3 as all that dirt and water is thrown into the atmosphere circles the earth.

But here is something interesting - the sun scorches people. Scientists say one result of a massive impact would be the disruption or destruction of the earth's magnetic field, which shields the earth from solar flares. Take away the magnetic field and we get burned. 16:9 says it will be "great heat" that will scorch the earth.

Wow...what a time. A possessed man starting wars, focusing on Israel and disciples of Jesus, 2 impacts from celestial bodies slam into the ocean and somewhere on land, sunlight is blocked, solar flares scorch the earth, food shortages and disease abound, 1.5 billion dead.

Fifth Seal: Souls of those slain for Jesus in heaven asking how long until they are avenged, and told to wait until the full number of martyrs is fulfilled. 6:9-11
Fifth Trumpet: A star fell from heaven to earth, and he had the key to the bottomless pit. A smoke came up like a large furnace, and the sun and air were darkened by the smoke. (remember the 1/3 cut in natural light) From the smoke came locusts that stung like scorpions. They could not hurt green plants or trees, but only those who don't belong to God. The disease/attack lasts 5 months, and burns like a scorpion. 9:1-12
Fifth Vial: "...the seat of the beast" (city/place of control) receives contents of 5th vial, his kingdom is full of darkness, and in great pain, but still won't repent. 16:10-11

Remember that while all this is going on, disciples of Jesus are being martyred in great numbers and we are given a glimpse of those in heaven asking how much longer will it go on - they are told when their number is fulfilled it will be over.

The fifth trumpet is a bit of a mystery and 12 verses in it's description. Hal Lindsay has suggested the 'locusts' with stinging tails are modern attack helicopters. I rather think it is related to the natural events that have occurred as this disease/stinging occurs when the sun and sky are darkened by what John describes as smoke rising from a furnace, and these come from that smoke. Could he have seen the pillar of dust/smoke from the 2nd meteor hit?

Scientists have speculated that new diseases could occur from all the dirt thrown into the air, as many diseases like Anthrax for instance, occur naturally in the soil but rarely get breathed in by people - but what if it's all thrown into the air? (History channel has run shows on the massive asteroid impact subject)

It is clear the Lord places limits on how much plant life will be destroyed (1/3) because here we see the command not to hurt (any more) green plants or trees. Either way, the 5th vial indicates these 'stinging' locusts (demons bringing illness?) inflict great pain, whatever the ailment.

Sixth Seal: Great earthquake, sun darkened, moon red, stars fall to earth, the sky/heavens depart like a scroll rolled up, and every mountain and island shaken. The wrath of the Lamb. 6:12-17
Sixth Trumpet: 4 angels loosed at Euphrates, and an army released of 200 million men who will kill 1/3 of (remaining) mankind. 1/3 of men killed by the smoke, brimstone. 9:14-21
Sixth Vial: Euphrates dried up to prepare the way of the "kings of the east". Deception goes out to other 'kings'/rulers to bring them to the final battle. 16:12-16

This my friends, is the return of Christ - the 6th seal, trumpet, and vial are the final battle and his return, and we'll see the 7th seal/trumpet/vial are the setting up of his kingdom.

Jesus described the same signs: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (6th seal above) And then will appear the sign of the Son of man in Heaven; and then will all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Mt 24:29-31 (Note, he doesn't gather his elect from one end of the earth to the other, but from heaven)

So the 6th seal above is clearly the return of Jesus - but he is returning to the great final battle described in the 6th trumpet and vial; a 200,000,000 man army assembled by the '5 kings of the east' as they invade Israel through Iraq/Syria over the dried up Euphrates (do you know how many dams are on that river? - 22 in Turkey, at least 1 in Syria, 7 in Iraq) - just a turn of a few valves and it dries up to make the way for them)

Seventh Seal: Silence in heaven 1/2 hour.
Seventh Trumpet: Many voices in heaven loudly crying out: "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our God, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."
Seventh Vial: A voice from heaven saying "It is done" while on earth there are voices, thunder, lightning, the greatest earthquake the world has ever seen. Jerusalem divided into 3 parts and huge hail stones fall. (Massive hail has been seen in history as a result of volcanic eruptions that throw tons of water and dust into the air, I wonder if between the final battle and everything else going on, that is another indicator for us)

Zechariah 14 describes this earthquake and battle in more detail, which will actually split the Mount of Olives in two with 1/2 moving north and 1/2 moving south, presumably cutting right through the city (Zech 14:4).

Zechariah 14:6-7 also says something interesting about the atmospheric conditions - he says at night it won't be dark, but in day the light won't be clear. Perhaps the glory of the Lord which I'd like to believe, but perhaps his description of the strange atmospheric conditions from the 2 impacts and final war - observers describe similar conditions after Krakatoa blew up August 27, 1883, there was no night nor full day on parts of the earth after the dust cloud circled the earth. The dust over the lit part of the earth reflected the sunlight to the dark side, so that it never got fully dark or had a basic glow at night, but in day never fully light due to the dust, and the clouds turned green/blue.
(NY Times, 2/10, 1889 (online), www.space.com/scienceastronomy/strange_clouds_030219.html), others.

But please understand these events are NOT World War III, which will happen at least 7 years before the events described above. World War III is about Russia and Iran attacking Israel - I think we'll cover that in 2 weeks, so stay tuned. Hope this made sense and was helpful.

Next week 666, 2 witnesses, etc...
(I sure hope nobody takes offense because I express some thoughts I have about this and try to be a blessing to others so they can make sense of it)

Building Jesus' church, His people.
Blessings,
John Fenn
www.iFaithhome.org
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