This document provides an overview and analysis of Revelation 19-20 from a Bible study on the Book of Revelation. It summarizes the key events in these chapters, including the celebration in heaven over God's judgment on Babylon, the marriage supper of the Lamb, the rider on the white horse defeating the beast and false prophet, and Satan being bound for 1000 years while the martyrs reign with Christ. The document uses the biblical text to draw connections between the imagery in Revelation and other passages about Jesus and his victory.
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Emperor Worshipers Judged, Saints Urged to Be Faithful (Rev. 19-20
1. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Lesson 13
Hallelujah! (Part 2)
Amen! Hallelujah! – A Study of the Book of Revelation
By Dale Wells
Rev. 19:1-22:21
“Emperor Worshipers Judged, Saints
Urged to Be Faithful” (Rev. 19-20)
The prayers have been
answered; the martyrs
have been avenged, the
Lord has been
vindicated!
The Wedding Supper of
the Lamb has come &
we’re preparing to meet
the bride
The news is so good that
John is about to worship
the messenger. He is told
to Worship God
Rev 19:1-10 WEB
After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a
great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation,
power, and glory belong to our God: (2) for true and
righteous are his judgments. For he has judged the great
prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her sexual
immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his servants
at her hand." (3) A second said, "Hallelujah! Her smoke
goes up forever and ever." (4) The twenty-four elders
and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God
who sits on the throne, saying, "Amen! Hallelujah!" (5) A
voice came forth from the throne, saying, "Give praise to
our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, the small
and the great!"
Lesson 13 1
2. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Rev 19:1-10 WEB
(6) I heard something like the voice of a great multitude,
and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of
mighty thunders, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our
God, the Almighty, reigns! (7) Let us rejoice and be
exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to him. For the
marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made
herself ready." (8) It was given to her that she would
array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is
the righteous acts of the saints. (9) He said to me, "Write,
'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper
of the Lamb.' " He said to me, "These are true words of
God." (10) I fell down before his feet to worship him. He
said to me, "Look! Don't do it! I am a fellow bondservant
with you and with your brothers who hold the testimony of
Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the
Spirit of Prophecy."
The Rider on the White Horse
(19:11-21)
Rev 19:11-21 WEB
I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and
he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In
righteousness he judges and makes war. (12) His eyes
are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He
has names written and a name written which no one
knows but he himself. (13) He is clothed in a garment
sprinkled with blood. His name is called "The Word of
God." (14) The armies which are in heaven followed him
on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen. (15)
Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp, double-edged sword,
that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them
with an iron rod. He treads the winepress of the fierceness
of the wrath of God, the Almighty. (16) He has on his
garment and on his thigh a name written, "KING OF
KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
Lesson 13 2
3. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Rev 19:11-21 WEB
(17) I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a
loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky,
"Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God,
(18) that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of
captains, the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses
and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men,
both free and slave, and small and great." (19) I saw the
beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies,
gathered together to make war against him who sat on the
horse, and against his army. (20) The beast was taken,
and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his
sight, with which he deceived those who had received the
mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.
These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns
with sulfur. (21) The rest were killed with the sword of
him who sat on the horse, the sword which came forth out
of his mouth. All the birds were filled with their flesh.
The groom rides home from victory
to take his bride
The picture is of a victorious
Roman general riding in his
Triumph
He rides a white horse –
symbol of victory
He is called Faithful & True
Rev 1:5 WEB Jesus Christ,
the faithful witness, the firstborn
of the dead, and the ruler of the
kings of the earth
Rev 3:7 WEB "To the angel of
the assembly in Philadelphia
write: "He who is holy, he who
is true, he who has the key of
David, he who opens and no
one can shut, and who shuts
and no one opens, says these
things:
Glimpses of Christ come together in
the description of this rider
He has blazing eyes & double-edged sword coming out of his mouth
He is the High Priest of chapter 1
Revelation 1:12-16 WEB (12) I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.
Having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. (13) And among the
lampstands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down
to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest. (14) His head and his
hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.
(15) His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a
furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. (16) He had seven
stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged
sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
Lesson 13 3
4. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Glimpses of Christ come together in
the description of this rider
He rules with a rod of iron
He is the child born to the woman in chapter 12
Revelation 12:5 WEB She gave birth to a son, a male child, who is
to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Her child was caught up to
God, and to his throne.
Glimpses of Christ come together in
the description of this rider
He treads the winepress of God’s wrath
He is the one who exercised God’s judgment in chapter 14
Rev 14:19-20 WEB The angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered
the vintage of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of
God. (20) The winepress was trodden outside of the city, and blood came
out from the winepress, even to the bridles of the horses, as far as one
thousand six hundred stadia.
Recall from chapter 1 that he has brass feet – he can stomp grapes
pretty good!
Glimpses of Christ come together in
the description of this rider
He wears many crowns (diademata – rulers’ crowns)
Rev 19:12 WEB His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many
crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but
he himself.
The only diadems before were worn by the enemies
Rev 12:3 WEB Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon,
having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.
Rev 13:1 WEB Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out
of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and
on his heads, blasphemous names.
Don't be surprised to find the bodies of dead kings somewhere in the picture
Lesson 13 4
5. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
He is unlike any other general and
any other king
His robe is covered in blood
Rev 19:13 WEB He is clothed
in a garment sprinkled with
blood. His name is called "The
Word of God."
But the robes worn by his
armies are white & clean
Rev 19:14 WEB The armies
which are in heaven followed
him on white horses, clothed in
white, pure, fine linen.
In most armies, soldiers fight &
the general stays behind. In this
army, the general does the
killing! I want to be in his army!
He is King of kings & Lord of lords!
Domitian thought he was king of kings & lord of lords. He was wrong!
“There is no greater drama in human record than the sight of a few
Christians, scorned or oppressed by a succession of emperors, bearing
all trials with a fierce tenacity, multiplying quietly, building order while
their enemies generated chaos, fighting the sword with the word,
brutality with hope, and at last defeating the strongest state that history
has known. Caesar and Christ had met in the arena, and Christ had
won.”
WILL DURANT, The Story of Civilization, vol. 3, ch 30, pt 1, p 652 (1944).
Two feasts: Entry or entrée?
Wedding supper of the Lamb, with saints as guests
Rev 19:9 WEB He said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to
the marriage supper of the Lamb.' " He said to me, "These are true words of
God."
Great Supper of God, with the enemies as entree
Rev 19:17-18 WEB I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud
voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, "Come! Be gathered together
to the great supper of God, (18) that you may eat the flesh of kings, the
flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of
those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, and
small and great."
Lesson 13 5
6. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Fall of the two beasts
Rev 19:19-21 WEB I saw the
beast, and the kings of the
earth, and their armies,
gathered together to make war
against him who sat on the
horse, and against his army.
(20) The beast was taken, and
with him the false prophet who
worked the signs in his sight,
with which he deceived those
who had received the mark of
the beast and those who
worshiped his image. These two
were thrown alive into the lake
of fire that burns with sulfur.
(21) The rest were killed with
the sword of him who sat on the
horse, the sword which came
forth out of his mouth. All the
birds were filled with their flesh.
Fall of the two beasts
This is The War. We’ve waited
to see it, but in a moment it’s
over!
The beast’s number is 666; He
can’t win! So both beasts
(second is called the False
Prophet) are taken & thrown in
a fiery lake of burning sulfur
(remember, sulfur is God’s tool
– remember Sodom).
The rest of the bodies on the
battlefield are the ones killed by
the rider on the horse.
Babylon, the Great Prostitute
has fallen. Now, the beast &
false prophet have fallen. There
is only one enemy left. I’ll bet
he’s next – Satan, the Dragon.
The Thousand Years
Lesson 13 6
7. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Rev 20:1-6 WEB
I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss
and a great chain in his hand. (2) He seized the dragon, the old
serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole
inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years, (3) and cast him
into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should
deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished.
After this, he must be freed for a short time. (4) I saw thrones, and
they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of
those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the
word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and
didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived,
and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (5) The rest of the dead
didn't live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first
resurrection. (6) Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first
resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will
be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand
years.
Binding of Satan
Rev 20:1-3 WEB I saw an
angel coming down out of
heaven, having the key of the
abyss and a great chain in his
hand. (2) He seized the
dragon, the old serpent, which
is the devil and Satan, who
deceives the whole inhabited
earth, and bound him for a
thousand years, (3) and cast
him into the abyss, and shut it,
and sealed it over him, that he
should deceive the nations no
more, until the thousand years
were finished. After this, he
must be freed for a short time.
Satan has been bound before
In the book of Job, Satan was limited & could do only what God
allowed
Job 1:12 WEB Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in
your power. Only on himself don't put forth your hand." So Satan
went forth from the presence of Yahweh.
Job 2:6 WEB Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand.
Only spare his life."
Lesson 13 7
8. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Satan has been bound before
Jesus bound Satan to cast out demons
Mat 12:24-29 WEB But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man
does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons."
(25) Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom divided
against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided
against itself will not stand. (26) If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided
against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? (27) If I by Beelzebul
cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they
will be your judges. (28) But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then
the Kingdom of God has come upon you. (29) Or how can one enter into
the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the
strong man? Then he will plunder his house.
Satan has been bound before
Jesus saw Satan fall in the work
of the 70
Luk 10:17-20 WEB The
seventy returned with joy,
saying, "Lord, even the demons
are subject to us in your name!"
(18) He said to them, "I saw
Satan having fallen like
lightning from heaven. (19)
Behold, I give you authority to
tread on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the
power of the enemy. Nothing
will in any way hurt you. (20)
Nevertheless, don't rejoice in
this, that the spirits are subject
to you, but rejoice that your
names are written in heaven."
Satan has been bound before
In the Cross, Christ triumphed
over the Satan’s minions
Col 2:15 WEB having stripped
the principalities and the
powers, he made a show of
them openly, triumphing over
them in it.
God always has the upper hand
Binding is not absolute, but
specific: “to keep him from
deceiving the nations any more”
– e.g. He won’t be able to use a
world-wide empire to try to
stamp out the church any more.
He can go after individual
Christians, but he can’t go after
the church as a whole any
more, like he did with Rome.
Lesson 13 8
9. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
The Thousand Year Reign
Rev 20:4-6 WEB I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and
judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had
been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of
God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and
didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand.
They lived, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (5)
The rest of the dead didn't live until the thousand years were
finished. This is the first resurrection. (6) Blessed and holy is
he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second
death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of
Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.
The book is filled with symbols – it is not literal
This is the only place it is mentioned
Without this text, there would be no pre-, post-, or a- millennialists
Avoid any doctrine that emphasizes something the Bible minimizes
All we know about the 1,000 year reign comes from this text
Four questions help clarify the meaning:
First question: Who reigns?
Christ & the Christian overcomers
Rev 20:4-6 WEB I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and
judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had
been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God,
and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't
receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived,
and reigned with Christ for a thousand years
We saw them under the altar in the fifth seal
Rev 6:9 WEB When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the
altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God,
and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had.
We saw them in the great multitude
Rev 7:13-14 WEB One of the elders answered, saying to me,
"These who are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and from
where did they come?" (14) I told him, "My lord, you know." He
said to me, "These are those who came out of the great tribulation.
They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb's
blood.
First question: Who reigns?
We saw them on Mount Zion
Rev 14:1-5 WEB I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and
with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and
the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. (2) I heard a sound
from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of a great
thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their
harps. (3) They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four
living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one
hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the
earth. (4) These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are
virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These
were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the
Lamb. (5) In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.
We saw them by the sea of glass
Rev 15:2-3 WEB I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and
those who overcame the beast, his image, and the number of his name,
standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. (3) They sang the song
of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and
marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty! Righteous and true are
your ways, you King of the nations.
Lesson 13 9
10. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
First question: Who reigns?
We saw them in heaven
Rev 19:1-2 WEB After these things I heard something like a
loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,
"Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God:
(2) for true and righteous are his judgments. For he has
judged the great prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her
sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his
servants at her hand."
We saw them following Christ, the Conqueror
Rev 19:14 WEB The armies which are in heaven followed
him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen.
Second question: Why do they
reign?
The reign is spoken of in terms of judging, so think in terms of
these who had been judged by Rome now being in a position to
judge Rome
Rev 20:4 WEB I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment
was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been
beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and
such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't receive
the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived, and
reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
With the defeat of Rome & the emperor cult, they have been
vindicated. They had been promised thrones & they now sit on
those thrones
Rev 3:21 WEB He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down
with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my
Father on his throne.
The last two questions:
Third question: Where do they reign?
Every time we see them, they’re in heaven.
There is nothing here about an earthly kingdom.
Fourth question: When do they reign?
Commencing at the fall of Rome, when Satan is bound to
prevent using a world-wide empire to try to destroy the
church – and continuing until the end.
The thousand years is no more literal than any of the other
figures in the book.
Lesson 13 10
11. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Satan’s Doom
Rev 20:7-10 WEB And after the thousand years, Satan will be
released from his prison, (8) and he will come out to deceive the
nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to
gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of
the sea. (9) They went up over the breadth of the earth, and
surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came
down out of heaven from God, and devoured them. (10) The devil who
deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the
beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and
night forever and ever.
The picture is simple.
Satan never gives up
He gets loose & tries it again
God says “No you don’t” &
throws him in the lake of
burning sulfur
Don’t fret about the picture.
It’s designed to tell us that
no matter what Satan tries,
God always has the upper
hand!
The Dead are Judged
Rev 20:11-15 WEB I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it,
from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found
no place for them. (12) I saw the dead, the great and the small,
standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was
opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the
things which were written in the books, according to their works. (13)
The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up
the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to
his works. (14) Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
This is the second death, the lake of fire. (15) If anyone was not found
written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
Lesson 13 11
12. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Two books by which every life is
evaluated
God looks in book of life to see if your name is there.
If it is, then he looks no further
If it isn’t, then he looks into the book of your life to see why
“Could there be some mistake?
Oh, no, I see, that you, like all others, have sinned & fall short of the glory of
God.”
The destiny of unredeemed is the lake of fire
The destiny of the redeemed is not discussed yet
“Congratulations, Dead Saints” (Rev.
21-22)
Perfect fellowship with God
Rev 21:1-8 WEB I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and
the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. (2) I saw the holy
city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready like a
bride adorned for her husband. (3) I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying,
"Behold, God's dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will
be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. (4) He will wipe
away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will
there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed
away." (5) He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things
new." He said, "Write, for these words of God are faithful and true." (6) He said
to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I
will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. (7) He
who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my
son. (8) But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers,
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that
burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."
New heaven & earth – i.e. new creation
No more sea – no more separation from God
New Jerusalem – city of God
Lesson 13 12
13. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Perfect protection by God – Plenty of
room for all
Rev 21:9-27 WEB One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls,
who were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with
me, saying, "Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb's bride."
(10) He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain,
and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven
from God, (11) having the glory of God. Her light was like a most
precious stone, as if it was a jasper stone, clear as crystal; (12) having
a great and high wall; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve
angels; and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve
tribes of the children of Israel. (13) On the east were three gates; and
on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west
three gates. (14) The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on
them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. (15) He who
spoke with me had for a measure, a golden reed, to measure the city,
its gates, and its walls. (16) The city lies foursquare, and its length is
as great as its breadth. He measured the city with the reed, Twelve
thousand twelve stadia. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. (17)
Its wall is one hundred forty-four cubits, by the measure of a man, that
is, of an angel.
Perfect protection by God – Plenty of
room for all
(18) The construction of its wall was jasper. The city was pure gold,
like pure glass. (19) The foundations of the city's wall were adorned
with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the
second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; (20) the
fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth,
beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, jacinth;
and the twelfth, amethyst. (21) The twelve gates were twelve pearls.
Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city
was pure gold, like transparent glass. (22) I saw no temple in it, for the
Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, are its temple. (23) The city
has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very
glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. (24) The nations
will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of
the nations into it. (25) Its gates will in no way be shut by day (for
there will be no night there), (26) and they shall bring the glory and the
honor of the nations into it so that they may enter. (27) There will in no
way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination
or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. Rev
21:9-27 WEB
Contrast the Heavenly City with
Rome
The city described in Revelation 22 would cover 2,250,000
square miles - about the same area as the Roman Empire in the
1st Century - and it would rise 1500 miles up in the air.
God's city is bigger than Caesar's empire.
Lesson 13 13
14. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
"I found Rome a city of bricks and left
it a city of marble" – Augustus
Nice touch, Augustus, but God made his city of precious stones, pearls
& gold!
The stuff we regard as so precious, he uses as building materials.
No temple, no sun, because God & the Lamb are there.
No need to shut gates because no fear
Only people there are those whose names are in book of life.
Perfect provision by God
Rev 22:1-6 WEB He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, (2) in the middle of its
street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve
kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the
healing of the nations. (3) There will be no curse any more. The throne of God
and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants serve him. (4) They will see his
face, and his name will be on their foreheads. (5) There will be no night, and
they need no lamp light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign
forever and ever. (6) He said to me, "These words are faithful and true. The
Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angel to show to his
bondservants the things which must happen soon."
Eze 47:1-12 WEB
He brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, waters
issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward; (for the
forefront of the house was toward the east;) and the waters came
down from under, from the right side of the house, on the south of the
altar. (2) Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward,
and led me round by the way outside to the outer gate, by the way of
the gate that looks toward the east; and behold, there ran out waters on
the right side. (3) When the man went forth eastward with the line in
his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass
through the waters, waters that were to the ankles. (4) Again he
measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters,
waters that were to the knees. Again he measured one thousand, and
caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the waist.
(5) Afterward he measured one thousand; and it was a river that I
could not pass through; for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a
river that could not be passed through. (6) He said to me, Son of man,
have you seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to
the bank of the river.
Lesson 13 14
15. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Eze 47:1-12 WEB
(7) Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river were
very many trees on the one side and on the other. (8) Then said he to
me, These waters issue forth toward the eastern region, and shall go
down into the Arabah; and they shall go toward the sea; into the sea
shall the waters go which were made to issue forth; and the waters
shall be healed. (9) It shall happen, that every living creature which
swarms, in every place where the rivers come, shall live; and there
shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters are come there,
and the waters of the sea shall be healed, and everything shall live
wherever the river comes. (10) It shall happen, that fishermen shall
stand by it: from En Gedi even to En Eglaim shall be a place for the
spreading of nets; their fish shall be after their kinds, as the fish of the
great sea, exceeding many. (11) But the miry places of it, and its
marshes, shall not be healed; they shall be given up to salt. (12) By
the river on its bank, on this side and on that side, shall grow every tree
for food, whose leaf shall not wither, neither shall its fruit fail: it shall
bring forth new fruit every month, because its waters issue out of the
sanctuary; and its fruit shall be for food, and its leaf for healing.
Tree of life
Rev 22:2 WEB in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on
that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every
month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Gen 3:22 WEB Yahweh God said, "Behold, the man has become like one
of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he put forth his hand, and also take
of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever..."
Fruit never out of season.
Leaves for healing. – Many of our medicines come from jungle leaves.
Bible begins with man in fellowship with God around a tree of life; ends the
same way!
No curse of death any more
Gen 3:14-19 WEB Yahweh God said to the serpent, "Because
you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock, and
above every animal of the field. On your belly you shall go, and
you shall eat dust all the days of your life. (15) I will put enmity
between you and the woman, and between your offspring and
her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his
heel." (16) To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your
pain in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children. Your
desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." (17)
To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's
voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you,
saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your
sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. (18)
Thorns also and thistles will it bring forth to you; and you will eat
the herb of the field. (19) By the sweat of your face will you eat
bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken.
For you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
Lesson 13 15
16. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
God & Lamb share co-rulership
1Co 15:20-28 WEB But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He
became the first fruits of those who are asleep. (21) For since death
came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. (22)
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. (23) But
each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ's,
at his coming. (24) Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the
Kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have abolished all rule
and all authority and power. (25) For he must reign until he has put all
his enemies under his feet. (26) The last enemy that will be abolished
is death. (27) For, "He put all things in subjection under his feet." But
when he says, "All things are put in subjection," it is evident that he is
excepted who subjected all things to him. (28) When all things have
been subjected to him, then the Son will also himself be subjected to
him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all.
Servants will serve, see his face & have his name.
This city is self-sufficient, because it
is God-sufficient
Unlike any other city of the 1st Century, it is not susceptible to siege:
Too big for any army to surround
Walls too thick for any siege works to penetrate
Walls too high for any catapult to invade
Twelve foundations too thick to dig under the wall
Water source cannot be cut off because it originates within the city
No famine – Fresh fruit every month, year round
This is God's description of the church
Matthew 16:18 WEB I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will
build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
This is the fulfillment of
Nebuchadnezzar's dream
Lesson 13 16
17. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Daniel 2:31-44 WEB
You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image,
which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent,
stood before you; and its aspect was awesome. (32) As
for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its
arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass, (33) its
legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay. (34) You
saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck
the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke
them in pieces. (35) Then was the iron, the clay, the
brass, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces together,
and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors;
and the wind carried them away, so that no place was
found for them: and the stone that struck the image
became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Daniel 2:31-44 WEB
(36) This is the dream; and we will tell its interpretation
before the king. (37) You, O king, are king of kings, to
whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the
power, and the strength, and the glory; (38) you are
the head of gold. (39) After you shall arise another
kingdom inferior to you; and another third kingdom of
brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. (40) The
fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, because iron
breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that
crushes all these, shall it break in pieces and crush.
(44) In the days of those kings shall the God of heaven
set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor
shall its sovereignty be left to another people; but it shall
break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it
shall stand forever.
Lesson 13 17
18. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Jesus is Coming Soon
Rev 22:7-21 WEB "Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who
keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." (8) Now I, John,
am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and
saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had
shown me these things. (9) He said to me, "See you don't do it!
I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the
prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book.
Worship God." (10) He said to me, "Don't seal up the words of
the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. (11) He who
acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be
filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still. He
who is holy, let him be holy still." (12) "Behold, I come quickly.
My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his
work. (13) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the
Last, the Beginning and the End. (14) Blessed are those who
do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree
of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.
Jesus is Coming Soon
(15) Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral,
the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and
practices falsehood. (16) I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify
these things to you for the assemblies. I am the root and the
offspring of David; the Bright and Morning Star." (17) The Spirit
and the bride say, "Come!" He who hears, let him say, "Come!"
He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the
water of life freely. (18) I testify to everyone who hears the
words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, may
God add to him the plagues which are written in this book. (19)
If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this
prophecy, may God take away his part from the tree of life, and
out of the holy city, which are written in this book. (20) He who
testifies these things says, "Yes, I come quickly." Amen! Yes,
come, Lord Jesus. (21) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be
with all the saints. Amen. Rev 22:7-21 WEB
Do not seal the words of the book.
Why?
Rev 22:10 WEB He said to me, "Don't seal up the words of the
prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.
Dan 12:4 WEB But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the
book, even to the time of the end: many shall run back and forth,
and knowledge shall be increased."
Dan 10-12 covers the 600 years from the Persian Empire to the
destruction of Jerusalem
Daniel 12:7 WEB I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above
the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left
hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it shall be
for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of
breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things
shall be finished.
Daniel was to seal his vision because it had to do with the
distant future – 600 years off; John was not to seal his vision
because the time was near. The vision was to be fulfilled in the
near future, from John's perspective
Lesson 13 18
19. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
We see the end of Rome, the faithful
& the wicked
Rev 22:10-15 WEB He said to me, "Don't seal up the words of
the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. (11) He who
acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be
filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still. He
who is holy, let him be holy still." (12) "Behold, I come quickly.
My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his
work. (13) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the
Last, the Beginning and the End. (14) Blessed are those who
do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree
of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. (15) Outside
are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the
murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices
falsehood.
An invitation & a warning
Invitation
Rev 22:17 WEB The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" He who
hears, let him say, "Come!" He who is thirsty, let him come. He who
desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Warning
Rev 22:18-19 WEB I testify to everyone who hears the words of
the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, may God add to
him the plagues which are written in this book. (19) If anyone
takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, may God
take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city,
which are written in this book.
In light of the warning, what would John say to the modern writers
who have taken it entirely out of its first century background & tried
to make it a book for the 21st century
How to recognize a false prophet
Deu 18:21-22 If you say in
your heart, How shall we
know the word which
Yahweh has not spoken?
(22) when a prophet speaks
in the name of Yahweh, if
the thing doesn't follow, nor
happen, that is the thing
which Yahweh has not
spoken: the prophet has
spoken it presumptuously,
you shall not be afraid of
him.
Lesson 13 19
20. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Hal Lindsay
The Late Great Planet
Earth was written in
1970 and purports to
describe the world
situation since May 14,
1948 when David Ben-
Gurion read the
Declaration of
Independence
announcing the
establishment of a
Jewish nation – the
State of Israel.
Hal Lindsay
But even though he was
writing 22 years after
the event, Lindsey was
not able to identify "The
Future Fuehrer" or the
"One-world Religion" or
the "ten-nations which
will come out of Rome,"
all of which are
essential to Lindsey's
theories.
Hal Lindsay
"Obviously, in context, the
generation that would see
the signs -- chief among
them the rebirth of
Israel. A generation in the
Bible is something like forty
years. If this is a correct
deduction, then within forty
years or so of 1948, all
these things could take
place. Many scholars who
have studied Bible
prophecy all their lives
believe that this is so." (The
Late Great Planet Earth, p.
54)
Lesson 13 20
21. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Hal Lindsay
"The decade of the
1980’s could very well
be the last decade of
history as we know it."
(The 1980’s:
Countdown to
Armageddon, p. 8)
We are 37 years after
Lindsey wrote his book
- 59 years into his 40
year countdown – and
there is no evidence
that these prophecies
are being fulfilled.
Hal Lindsay
His comment, when time
proved him wrong: ”I also
said that ‘if’ a generation
was forty years and ‘if’
the generation of the ‘fig
tree’ (Mat 24:32-34)
started with the
foundation of the state of
Israel, then Jesus ‘might
come back by 1988.’ But
I put a lot of ifs and
maybes in because I
knew that no one could
be absolutely certain.”
Hal Lindsay
Equating the Soviet
Union with Gog and
Magog, he said: "The
current build-up of
Russian ships in the
Mediterranean serves
as another significant
sign of the possible
nearness of
Armageddon" (The Late
Great Planet Earth, p.
145-146)
Lesson 13 21
22. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Hal Lindsay
"When the Russians
invade the Middle East
with amphibious and
mechanized land
forces, they will make a
'blitzkreig' type of
offensive through the
area."
John F. Walvoord
Lindsay was following the
thinking of John
Walvoord: "Today we see
precisely this setup:
Russia about to move on
the Middle East; Israel in
its place, regathered; the
wealth, the spoil of the
nations there; the need for
possessing the Middle
East perfectly obvious to
Russia; and the only thing
deterring her the fear of
our military might."
(Moody Monthly, 1959)
Tim LaHaye
"Magog" is an ancient name
for the nation now known as
Russia. "Gog" merely
means "the chief prince of
Magog," or more literally, the
chief prince of Meschech
and Tubal (38:2-3;
39:1). The name "Moscow"
derives from the tribal name
"Meshech," and "Tobolsk,
the name of the principal
state, from "Tubal." The
noun "Gog" is from the
original tribal name "Magog,"
which gradually became
"Rosh," then "Russ," and
today is known as "Russia."
Lesson 13 22
23. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
Tim LaHaye
"Russia is
unquestionably the
nation identified in the
prophecies of Ezekiel
38 and 39." ("Will God
Destroy Russia, in
Storming Towards
Armageddon: Essays in
Apocalypse, ed. Wm.
James (Green Forest,
AR: New Leaf Press,
1992), p. 259, 260-261)
Tim LaHaye
After the collapse of the
Soviet Union on
Christmas Day, 1991,
he said: "But world
domination -- as Ezekiel
makes clear -- was
never in the script for
Russia!"
Lindsey sidesteps his
false prediction now by
saying that the Soviet
collapse was inevitable
Tim LaHaye
He once predicted
that the Soviet
Union would be the
great enemy to the
north that would
swarm over Israel.
Now that the Soviet
Union is no more,
he amends his
interpretation to fit
the current scene.
Lesson 13 23
24. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
False Prophets
Lindsey, Walvoord, LaHaye,
and others, deal with history
selectively - drawing
attention to what confirms at
least part of their theories
and avoiding or glossing
over things that don’t fit.
How many errors or
mistakes must be shown
before these “prophets” and
their followers admit that
they are wrong?
A book you’ll never see: Why
Jesus Didn’t Come in 1988,
by Hal Lindsey
Jack Van Impe on 666
“The number “6” in Roman numerals is made up of the letters, “VI”.
The ancient Greek number “6” was taken from the sixth letter of
their alphabet, the letter “sigma” which looks like the English letter
“s.” Returning to the Babylonian empire and their sexagesimal
system of numbers, the [computer] programmer considered that
the possibility that their letter “A’ equaled 6. Thus, from the three
great world empires of history, he found that the composition of the
number “666” spells the word VISA – the exact name of today’s
most accepted and popular credit card” (11:59 and Counting,
pp.106,107)
Jack Van Impe on 666
Wrong, Jack!
Revelation was written in Greek, not Latin
Sigma is the 18th letter of the Greek alphabet, not the 6th – with a
value of 90
Why take a Roman numeral, a Greek letter and a Chaldean letter
and put them together to spell an English word?
Do you expect us to believe that God put something in the book
that could only be understood by an English literate audience in the
21st Century?
Lesson 13 24
25. The Book of Revelation 5/27/2007
A promise and a confident assurance
Rev 22:20-21 WEB He who testifies these things says, "Yes, I
come quickly." Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus. (21) The grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.
Lesson 13 25