Revelation 14-Angel number one!

The Three Angels and Babylon's Fall

6Then I saw another angel flying overhead, with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. 7He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the One who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and the springs of waters.”

“Because the judgment of God is so evident on the earth in great tribulation, it is no wonder why the crowd of those saved through the great tribulation can’t be numbered (Revelation 7:9-14).” (Guzik)

Many past and present believe they are or were the means as described; “another angel flying overhead, with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth”. A past society that printed the Old & New Testament in many languages and distributed them throughout the world. 

John Wicliff, who wrote more than two hundred volumes against the pope.

Or a broadcasting company who named its satellite as Angel One.

Philippians 2:9-11 says, Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God.

In the great tribulation many will turn and come to God. Every time there is a natural disaster the church pews fill, but there are many more who flat out refuse God. Jesus said the gate to heaven is narrow but the gate to hell is wide. 

The number that come to God during the tribulation is can’t be numbered, but those that refuse Him and are cast into hell far out number the heavenly crowd.

Two more angels are coming!

Blessings, David 

Revelation 14-The 144,000!

The Lamb and the 144,000

1Then I looked and saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred forty-four thousand who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and the loud rumbling of thunder. And the sound I heard was like harpists strumming their harps.

3And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth. 4These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5And no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.a

Who are the 144,000?

David Guzik answers it best.” The 144,000 are like the young Jewish men who survived the fiery furnace in Daniel 3:19-25. They prove God’s ability to preserve His people.”

“And who were these people, ‘having his Father’s name written in their foreheads?’ Not Bs for ‘Baptists,’ not Ws for ‘Wesleyens’ not Es for ‘Established Church.’ They had their Father’s name and nobody else’s. What a deal of fuss is made on earth about our distinctions! We think such a deal about belonging to this denomination, and the other. Why, if you were to go to heaven’s gates, and ask if they had any Baptists there, the angel would only look at you, and not answer you, if you were to ask if they had any Wesleyans, or members of the Established Church, he would say, ‘Nothing of the sort;’ but if you were to ask him whether they had any Christians there, ‘Ay,’ he would say, ‘an abundance of them: they are all one now – all called by one name; the old brand has been obliterated, and now they have not the name of this man or the other, they have the name of God, even their Father, stamped on their brow.’ ” (Spurgeon)

“3And they sang a new song before the throne”....

“Heaven is not the place to learn that song; it must be learned on the earth. You must learn here the notes of free grace and dying love; and when you have mastered their melody, you will be able to offer to the Lord the tribute of a grateful heart, even in heaven, and blend it with the harmonies eternal.” (Spurgeon)

“4These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins.”

God called the 144,000 to a literal celibacy for the kingdom’s sake.

Blessings, David 

Revelation 13-Mark of the beast!

The Mark of the Beast

16And the second beast required all people small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of its name.

18Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is six hundred sixty-six.c 

Mark of the beast, some say this is imaginary but I take it literally. We are moving to a digital world with digital currency. You may be using it now! Your work or retirement funds are deposited into your bank account. You go to the store and buy food and you pay with a debit card. Some are using Apple Pay or Chase Pay, Google Pay....... Scan a bar code on your smartphone and the transaction is completed. 

I heard of a business implementing implanted chips in the employees hand, using it to clock-in and out of work recording their time, breaks and a GPS tracking their whereabouts.

I believe, the mark of the beast may be an implanted chip allowing purchase of food or products and debiting your account and keeping track of your movements.

So what does the number 666 mean and how was it derived?

The truth is we don’t know the mystery of the number, other than God assigned this number to the beast.

“Here is the solution of this mystery: let him that hath a mind for investigations of this kind, find out a kingdom which contains precisely the number 666, for this must be infallibly the name of the beast. ‘H Latinh basileia, The Latin Kingdom, has exclusively this number.” (Clarke)

Blessings, David 

They'll Know We Are. Genesis 39:1-6 NLT

Remember that old song with the lyrics " they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they will know we are Christians by our love. " 

From Wikipedia:

They'll Know We Are Christians" (also known as "They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love" or "We Are One in the Spirit") is a Christian hymn written in the 1960s by then-Catholic priest, the late Fr. Peter Scholtes. It is inspired by John 13:35. The title of the hymn They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love originates in a phrase that non-believers used to describe Christians believers of early Church: "Behold, how they love one another."

Do those who see you know you're a Christian by your actions, love and speech or do you leave people wondering? Do you turn them off to the Church? "If that's what Christianity is all about......" Or do you draw people in, wanting what you have? I want to be one of the latter. 

It's interesting that Potiphar, an Egyptian, "noticed and realized that the Lord was with Joseph. " Potiphar would not have followed, believed or worshiped Joseph's God yet he couldn't deny the Lord was with Joseph, "giving him success in everything he did." 

Genesis 39:1-6 NLT

Joseph in Potiphar’s House

1 When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

2 The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the LORD was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the LORD began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!

Blessings, Cecilia

Revelation 13-The anti-holy spirit!

The Beast from the Earth

11Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon. 12And this beast exercised all the authority of the first beast and caused the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed.

13And the second beast performed great signs to cause even fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people. 14Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived. 15The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image would also speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed.

The second beast is called the false prophet and completes the unholy trinity. The dragon is the anti-father, the beast from the sea is the anti-christ and the beast from the land is the anti-holy spirit.

Behold here they come, false prophets!

2 Thessalonians 2:9 (NKJV)

9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,

Matthew 24:15 (NKJV)

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),

“so that the image would also speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed.”

This will be a totalitarian style government who put up images of their leaders similar to Mao and Stalin killing those who refuse to fall in line. 

“He shall cause also that a golden image of Antichrist shall be placed in the temple at Jerusalem, and that the apostate angel should enter, and thence utter voices and oracles.”

People have a choice, the Holy Trinity or the unholy trinity.

Blessings, David 

Revelation 13-The antichrist!

The Beast from the Sea

1Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and throne and great authority.

3One of the heads of the beast appeared to be fatally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?”

5The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for forty-two months. 6And the beast opened its mouth to blaspheme against God and slander His name and His tabernacle—those who dwell in heaven.

7Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. 8And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

9He who has an ear, let him hear.

10“If anyone is destined for captivity,

into captivity he will go;

If anyone is to diea by the sword,

by the sword he must be killed.”b

Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.

John now concentrates on earth with his visions. In ancient Israel’s time the sea was considered untamed, wild and dangerous. 

So we have the antichrist rising up out of the sea. Anti means opposite, antichrist is the opposite of Christ. He is the satanic messiah!

He will lead humanity in the end times in a rebellion against God!

The antichrist had ten horns, meaning he will rule over ten nations.

Does Satan enter a man like he did with Judas or is it an evil spirit that possesses a man? Either way the antichrist (beast) is a despicable human being!

“Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and conquer them”. Why would God allow this? I am reminded by this verse, Isiah 57:1 Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.

Revelation is a book of the end times and judgement. God has had enough of sin and of Satan. His ways are His own and we don’t see the whole picture. 

When we read through Revelation we realize the importance of salvation. We all have an unsaved family member or friend, pray for them, pray that God softens their heart and draws them to Him. 

Blessings, David 

Revelation 12-Satan comes like a flood!

The Woman Persecuted

13And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.

15Then from the mouth of the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent. 16But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that had poured from the dragon’s mouth. 17And the dragon was enraged at the woman, and went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore.b 

Satan begins an all out persecution of Israel in the last 3-1/2 years of the tribulation period. He also seeks to destroy those who come to Jesus. 

Isaiah 59:19 (NKJV)

19 So shall they fear

The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

Satan comes like a flood, drowning everything in his path. 

“It is precisely when Satan has lost the battle for the souls of saints in heaven that he begins the fruitless persecution of their bodies.” (Farrer)

Time is short and Satan knows it. He is enraged and wants to destroy all of God’s people. Many will die and many will be martyred.

Blessings, David