Revelation 12 -16

WAR IN HEAVEN

The Woman, Son, and the Dragon – (Revelation 12:1-5 – A “sign” appears in the heavens, a woman clothed with the sun and the moon beneath her feet)

The Shepherd of the Nations – (Jesus is the promised ruler from the line of David, the Shepherd of ALL nations – Revelation 12:5)

War in Heaven – (Defeated by the messianic “son,” the Dragon was expelled from heaven, while victory was declared for the saints – Revelation 12:7-12)

The Short Season – (The Devil will be granted a final “short season” to persecute the saints of the Lamb – Revelation 12:12)

War on the Earth – (After his expulsion, Satan waged war against the “seed of the Woman” – Those who hold the “testimony of Jesus” – Revelation 12:7-17)

An Ancient Beast – (The “beast from the sea” is the latest incarnation of an ancient creature that has been active since the fall of Adam)

WAR ON THE EARTH

Wild Beast from the Sea – (Revelation 13:1-5 – John saw a horrific beast ascending from the sea, a creature summoned by the Dragon to make war on the Woman’s “seed”)

War Against the Saints – (Revelation 13:6-10 – The Beast from the sea wages war on behalf of the Dragon to destroy the “saints,” the “seed of the Woman”)

Military Campaigns of the Beast – (Revelation uses “war” language to portray the Devil’s persecution of the saints)

The Beast from the Earth – (The beast from the earth mimics the Lamb. It is the mouthpiece of the Dragon, and the propagandist for the first beast – Revelation 13:11-15)

Counterfeit Religion of the Beast – (The “beast from the earth” mimics the Lamb by presenting a counterfeit to the true faith – Revelation 13:11-18)

Beastly Economics – (The False Prophet employs the economical means to coerce men and women to render homage to the “beast from the sea”)

The Mark of the Beast – (Revelation 13:16-18 – All men that refuse to follow the “Lamb” will render homage to the “beast” and take its “mark”)

Taking the Mark – (When we imbibe the values of the existing world order, we begin to take the “mark of the Beast”)

The Extent of the Beast’s Reign – (In Revelation, “all” means “all.” All rulers and nations that refuse to follow the “Lamb” will render homage to the “Beast from the sea”)

Mouth Speaking Great Things – (The “little horn” is found in Revelation’s description of the “beast from the sea”)

FINAL HARVESTS

The Priestly Company on Mount Zion – (The 144,000 “males” seen on Zion comprise the “first-fruit” of the final harvest, the priestly company that “follows the Lamb” – Revelation 14:1-5)

Everlasting Gospel – Final Harvest – (Revelation 14:6-7 – Another angel appears to announce the everlasting gospel to prepare for the coming harvest)

The Fall of Babylon Announced – (Revelation 14:8-11 – Two more angels appear and announce the judicial sentence of God on “Babylon” and the “inhabitants of the earth”)

The Final Grain Harvest – (Revelation 14:12-16 – Two different “harvests” are to occur at the end of the age – The reaping of the “grain,” and the ingathering of the “fruit of the vine”)

The Final Ingathering of “Grapes” – (The final ingathering of the “fruit of the vine” portrays the outpouring of the “wrath of God” on all men who take the “mark of the Beast” – Revelation 14:17-20)

The Final Day and Hour – (Revelation moves from the Death of Jesus to the final day when God vindicates the righteous)

SEVEN BOWLS OF WRATH

Seven Last Plagues – OVERVIEW – (An overview of the “seven last plagues,” the seven “bowls of wrath” that complete God’s judgment)

Song of the Lamb – (Revelation 15:1-4 – Having “overcome” the Beast, the saints stand on the Sea of Glass and sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb)

Test of Witness – (The “last plagues” echo the destruction of Egypt in the Red Sea – Revelation 15:5-8)

First Four Bowls – (The first four bowls destroy the economic infrastructure of the beast – Revelation 16:1-9)

Fifth Bowl of Wrath – (The fifth “bowl” targets the Empire’s political sphere)

Sixth Bowl – Armageddon – (The sixth “bowl” begins the final battle between the “Lamb” and the “Dragon”)

Kings of the East – (The “Kings of the East” are identical with the “kings of the earth“)

Seventh Bowl – Babylon Falls – (Revelation 16:17-21 -God passes judicial sentence on End-time Babylon)

Armageddon – Final Battle – (The several “battle” scenes all present the same final assault against the saints)

RELATED TOPICS

Lord of History – (Both Revelation and Daniel proclaim the absolute sovereignty of God over the course of history and the fate of nations)

The Victory of the Saints over the Dragon – (The followers of the Lamb overcome the Dragon through the blood of the Lamb and their faithful testimony)