Satan Is Gone

Revelation 20:1-10

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain.  And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.  The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.  Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.  And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

When a non-named angel comes down from heaven with the keys and a chain to bind Satan….hmmmm, makes you wonder, just how powerful is Satan anyway.  It’s not the Lamb of God, not Michael, not Gabriel, just an angel.  But, then again, is any angel “just an angel”?  I think not.  God’s army of angels is powerful and given authority when He deems necessary.  Keep in mind that Satan (Lucifer) was one of God’s angels, from before Genesis, but was cast down from heaven because he wanted to usurp God’s power and authority.  All he had to do was humble himself, and God could have given him great authority, but no.  Satan is bound and cast into the bottomless pit, the abyss, for 1,000 years.  

The angel will lock the pit and seal it.  Satan’s deceptive power on earth is taken away for a time.  Some say Satan has already been bound, and we are in the middle of the 1,000 years in the pit.  This can make no sense.  His evil is very evident today, and his minions, demons, and spirits are working daily in all of our lives.  This alone proves that He has not been bound yet.  

We must realize that there will be people who make it through the Great Tribulation and still live on earth.  They will carry on just as they have, with sinful natures, just as we are today.  They will have a righteous leaning, based on decisions to follow Christ, but still living temptation and a sinful nature.  Some will also have survived the tribulation, but not have committed to Jesus Christ yet.  They may be leaning that way, but still on the fence.  There will be a judgment of those who are still alive on earth (Matthew 25:31-34 ~ sheep and goats), and in Revelation 20, we are introduced to the thrones and judgment seats.

Seated upon the thrones are those given the authority to judge the souls of mankind.  These could very likely be the saints, referenced in 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 from Paul (those who die as believers), or it could be the elders referenced in Revelation 4, but it is unclear in the scriptures.  Either way, alongside them are the saints from the Great Tribulation, the martyrs who avoid falling to Satan and the antichrist.  Those who were killed for their resistance will now rule and reign alongside Christ on earth, while Satan, antichrist, and the false prophet are absent.  The unsaved dead are referred to as the “rest of the dead” and will not come before Jesus and the saints to be judged until after the 1,000 year millennia.  

The first resurrection is that of the saints.  This is why he says, “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection.”  These cannot be killed again; there is no power in death for this group.  They will be priests of God and reign with Christ for a thousand years.  But, as for the unsaved dead, they will experience the second death when they are cast into the lake of fire.  Woe to those who denied Christ when given every opportunity to follow Him.

Why was Satan set free after 1,000 years in solitary is a question that has been debated and discussed for centuries.  First, let’s imagine a world without Satan, the antichrist, or the false prophet.  There will still be sin because of our original sin nature, but it will be significantly diminished.  Jesus will reign and rule over the entire globe.  No Presidents, no Prime Ministers, no Dictators, no governments, all authority comes from Christ.  People living through that period, maybe even those born during the Millennial period, will have a strong firsthand experience of who Jesus truly is.  They will have every opportunity to follow Jesus and to give their life to Jesus of their own free will.  

What we find out in verse 8 is that there will be those who still rebel against Jesus, even though they have lived with him during that time.  Mankind’s sinful nature will still build up a rebellion and depravity that does not want the authority of God for eternity.  When Satan is unbound and released back into the world, he immediately brings together an army of millions if not billions, for a final battle against God.  Ezekiel 38 talks of Gog and Magog attacking God’s people in the end days.  Here again we see a reference to Gog and Magog as joining forces with Satan.

God allows this to happen in order to finally purge and eliminate every hard-hearted person ever to be upon the earth.  From Satan down through the least of his minions, they attack the people of God.  They encircle the camp of Jesus and the saints from all sides, and it appears as though they could be victorious, but God. 

God puts an end to it all.  He will rain fire down upon them, such that before the battle even begins, they are consumed and overwhelmed, so none shall escape.  Satan is then cast into the lake of fire (hell), along with the antichrist and the false prophet, forever and ever.  There they will be tormented forever, because they refused God.

Return of the Christ

Revelation 19:11-21

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.  And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.  From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.  On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.”  And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army.  And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.  And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

What a glorious day for those who believe in Jesus Christ, and what a terrible day for those who do not.

John’s vision, as captured in Revelation 19, shows us how Jesus will return after the Great Tribulation, seated upon a white horse.  If you recall the Passover story captured in the scriptures, Jesus was riding into Jerusalem on a donkey (Matthew 21:1-11), as prophesied in Zechariah.  Why is this important?  When Jesus entered Jerusalem, he came as a humble servant king, knowing that it was not the time for the final battle with Satan.  If his entry into Jerusalem had been upon a horse, it would have made a statement of royalty, kingship, and coming war.  Now, here in Revelation, we see Jesus coming back to earth as the groom to fetch His bride, riding upon a white horse of authority, power, and war, as shown in Daniel 7:13-14.  He comes in righteousness to wage war and judge mankind.  

His return is to bring the final battle upon Satan, Antichrist, False Prophet, and their followers, and to establish his rule on earth forever and ever.  The armies of heaven with him, clothed in white of righteousness, and also riding white horses.  This army is those who have given their lives to Him and His righteousness.  This body of faithful witnesses, overcomers, saints, believers, and martyrs will abide with Him through this battle.

Jesus, His eyes aflame, a crown of many diadems, clothed in a white robe dipped in blood, with a name written upon Him that no one knows, but his name is called the Word of God, with a sharp sword coming from His mouth, with a rod of iron, and written on His robe and thigh the words, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”.  Wow, what an image John portrays for us to imagine.  Literal or figurative is irrelevant.  The reality that this powerful, righteous conqueror and judge will come to battle Satan here on earth.  He alone will posses all power and authority over the earth, and Satan with his armies will stand no chance.  Jesus comes with a sword from His mouth to strike down the nations of Satan.  We know from Ephesians 6:17, that the Word of God is a mighty sword.  As a weapon of destruction in the spiritual world, we can see that this weapon in the hands of Jesus is a mighty weapon, and the only one He needs.

Babylon has fallen; now Satan and his armies gather to battle Christ and His army.  The antichrist (beast), and the false prophet are captured and cast into the lake of fire.  The abyss, Hell for eternity to be burned up by sulfur and endless fire.  Jesus treads the winepress (refer to Rev 14) to rain the fury of wrath from God upon those who still remain.  This figurative winepress to crush those who defied God (grapes), despite the many signs, and chose to follow the antichrist.  They were slain by the sword (the Word) and the birds above will gorge themselves on their flesh.  As we saw in Revelation 14, the blood of this battle will rise to the bridle of a horse for nearly 200 miles.

The world will then be cleansed of evil, except for Satan himself.  We will discover that outcome in Revelation 20 and 21, so stay tuned.  Satan doesn’t go away quietly as some might expect, but he is no match for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  

The final battle between these armies has a foregone conclusion for those of us who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  If you do not, you may be reading this as a wonderful science fiction thriller.  I can assure you that the testimony of the saints, the believers for over 2000 years, is evidence of the truth of these scriptures.  If you would like to discuss this in a deeper context, please feel free to reach out to me directly, and I would be happy to have a conversation.  It is the most critical decision you will make in your entire life.  Do not make it flippantly because someone told you it was a children’s story.  Every reader is in my prayers for a deep relationship revelation with the Holy One – Jesus Christ.

Rejoicing in Heaven

Revelation 19:1-4, 6-9

(1) After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
for his judgments are true and just;
for he has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality…

(6) Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”
—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

The great prostitute, Babylon, has been destroyed.  This causes great celebration in heaven, rejoicing, and praising God Almighty.  Her abominations, fornications, and immorality are extinguished.  The martyred saints, slain for the word of God, have been avenged.  

If you refer to Revelation chapter 6:9-11, the breaking of the 5th seal, a loud cry went up to heaven from those who had been killed for His name, asking, “How long, Sovereign Lord, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood”.  These saints during tribulation held onto the Lord’s word and were beheaded because of this.  Those who refused to take the mark and bow down to the beast, the antichrist.  With the removal of Babylon, the Lord has avenged them.

A marriage in heaven?  Well, let’s first look at the custom of the Jewish marriage in Jesus’ day.  The process of marriage consisted of an arrangement between the parents of the children.  Sometimes this happened very early, but generally it would have been when they were in their teens.  The son’s father would pay a dowry to the daughter’s father.  This could have been land, livestock, or money that had been saved up by the son’s father for this betrothal.  There would be a celebration at the betrothal (engagement) where the families would dance and have a feast for the bride and groom.  A contract was signed between the families, very much like a marriage license today.  It was a legal, binding agreement of a future together.

With the betrothal behind them, the young couple would then begin preparations for their life together.  This included readying a place to live.  They would separate until such time as the wedding would take place.  The groom would go with his father to prepare a place of residence, an additional room for him and his bride, often times, attached to his father’s house.  The bride would stay with her family, preparing the wedding clothes, and mastering the skills required for homemaking and raising children.  

At an unappointed time, sometimes months, sometimes years, the anticipation would come to an end.  The groom, having spent his time preparing a residence, would look to his father for the timing to go and get his bride.  The father would give the approval for the timing, and only the father.  As much as the son would want to accelerate the schedule, the father was the only one with the knowledge and authority to say, “Yes, now.

The bride and her family would be on constant alert for the coming of the groom.  Often, with great celebration in the streets, she would hear him coming when the time was finally approved.  She needed to be ready at a moment’s notice for he could come at any time, day or night, once the father provides his approval.  The groom would come to the door of the bride’s family’s house and knock on the door to fetch his bride.  This would be followed by a great celebration and feast in the streets by all of those in both families.

I think it is very obvious that the story of Jesus Christ (as the groom) and his followers as the bride is a direct parallel to this custom.  Christ was sent by His Father to earth, all in preparation for an eternal relationship.  The dowry was paid by the Father, in the death of His one and only son (Matthew 22:1-4).  Jesus then ascended from the Mount of Olives, outside of Jerusalem, to be with the Father and prepare a place for his bride (John 14:2-3).  We are the bride, awaiting his return.  Just as Jesus told of the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25, and the Wedding feast in Matthew 22, we are to be prepared when he returns.  We are to keep oil in our lamps, symbolic of remaining faithful, and spiritually ready; and to be clothed in white garments, referring to our walk with Christ to be in line with His righteousness, not dressed in rags and self-dependent or self-righteous.  We are to be patient in knowing that He will return for us, because through His blood, He has made a contract as such.  Just as in the parables found in Matthew 22 and 25, there will be those who are not ready; they have become self-righteous and indignant toward the groom, and there are those who have let their lamps run dry, their faith grow weary.  These will not be ready when He returns, and they will be left behind when He does.

Only the Father knows when the Son will return.  As portrayed in the Jewish wedding process, the time will come when the Father says, “Go, fetch your bride!” and with great celebration and fanfare, Jesus will come for you and me.  The bible tells us it will be like a thief in the night, as we discussed in Revelation 3:3, Jesus will return at an unknown time.  It is important that we remain vigilant, sober-minded, and prepared, for it could be at any time.  Please understand God’s timing is not ours.  He is outside of space and time, with an eternal perspective. Therefore, when we look at a watch, a calendar, or a lifetime, it is nothing more than a blip in his perspective.  He has an appointed time for Christ to return and “fetch” the bride.  Be prepared daily with your study of His word, your actions of love to your neighbor, and your faithfulness to share His gospel with all that you meet.  Actions won’t get you to heaven, but they may help others get there.  Be blessed as we await that hour.

The Economic Collapse in End Days

Revelation 18:1-2, 9-11, 20

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory.  And he called out with a mighty voice,

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!

(9)And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning.  They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

“Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon!  For in a single hour your judgment has come.

And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore

(20) “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”

In Chapter 17, we saw the fall of the One World Church under the new 8th kingdom, overtaking Babylon, the prostitute.  Likewise, we now see that a single world economy has come to be, under the great prostitute – Babylon.  All economic trade requirements will fall under her control.  She has lured mankind into materialistic possessions, living in abundance and luxury, and power associated with wealth.  The people will be intoxicated with an idolatry of those with plenty, and reach for that over the call and love of God, the Father.  God calls His people out of Babylon, and the addiction that exists within this materialistic society.  His wrath and plagues will fall upon Babylon in those days, just as they did upon Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament.  God warns His people to leave before the wrath falls upon them.

Many believe that the Spiritual fall of Babylon will take place in the first 3.5 years of Tribulation, while this fall of the Economic World system will happen in the second 3.5 years of Tribulation.  God’s plague of burning will fall upon the great city of Babylon, to the point where the economic system they had built will be useless to all of those involved in trade during those days.  None will purchase their merchandise anymore, and the luxuries will fall as their wealth is lost.

This economic collapse will impact the entire globe, and people will be thrown into extreme poverty and want.  What they have done to acquire their wealth will be gone.  The immoral and unethical actions that allowed them to gain wealth will be taken away.  The kings (referenced in Ch 17) will remain afar and watch as the people suffer the results of the economic collapse.  The kings remain covered in wealth, separated from the merchants and masses.  Today, we see the separation of the great wealth and the rest of us.  But, alas, there will come a day when even those who are wealthy by trade, by investment, and by hoarding their materialistic treasures will be swallowed up in the collapse, as well as the suffering.  In one hour, God can take it all away.

The realization that these material possessions do not last will become very real.  We are told to store up our possessions in heaven and not on earth.  This grants you eternal prosperity rather than wealth here on earth.  God will avenge the injustice of wealth on the earth in the end days.  Our focus needs to be on living for God, and not for wealth in this life.  Living for God means spreading His grace, His love, His salvation, and His promise to those in need.  We are called to step away from materialistic livelihood and sinful, self-righteousness to humility and servanthood to help others step away from sin.  The great harlot Babylon will one day be thrown down, and all of those who are tied to her seductive ways with her.  The economic wealth and power will not last in an eternal perspective.  It's not say that God detests wealth.  No, He owns it all, and can distribute in the best manner for His Kingdom growth.  Using these things for His purpose is the way to true wealth.  Wealth that extends beyond these worldly causes.  Focus your efforts there.

The Great Babylon - One World Order

Revelation 17

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.”  And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns.  The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.  And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.”  And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus

Revelation 17 and 18 discuss the evil that is coming upon the earth through the harlot – Babylon.  Without getting into a debate on if the reference to Babylon is literal, as in an actual city on earth, or if it is symbolic.  There are certainly plenty of references throughout the scripture on Babylon and the evil that comes out of that city.  This evil is antagonistic to God’s authority, and during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar (605 – 562 BCE) it was seen as an impenetrable city of grand temples, gardens, culture, arts, and luxury.  Nebuchadnezzar built Babylon, and leveraged his power against Jerusalem in 587 BCE.  His intent to set himself and Babylon as the true authority on earth has left an imprint even unto today.  Saddam Hussein in the 1980’s sought to reconstruct Babylon in what we know as Iraq.  Wanting the same power and perceived authority, he even minted coins with his image and Nebuchadnezzar together.  Of course, we know that his desire and intent came to an end after the turn of the century, but the influence of power and authority continues in the hearts of many of his subjects.

John’s vision continues as he is introduced to the great prostitute.  She represents Babylon, a corrupt system of nations and people, indulging in idolatries, immorality, and decadence.  In Revelation, she is seen as the prostitute, luring mankind away from God and towards worldly values, impurity, abominations, sexual immorality, and blasphemy.

The scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns carries the woman.  Their power sits under hers as we enter into Revelation 17.  The seven heads represent seven kings, or empires.  Later in the chapter, we see that five of these kings/empires have fallen, and historically, we can see the following 5 that have fallen: Persia, Greece, Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt.  It also references 1 kingdom that has yet to fall, which we see as Rome during the biblical days, and one that will yet come into place that we understand to be a revived Roman empire to be led by the antichrist.  All of these have been focused on worldly power, autonomy, and controlling the system on earth.  In the end days, the antichrist will work to establish a collective empire, seen as the 7th king, but will eventually rise above the 7 kings as the 8th king, a single global empire defying God through political power and authority.  

The ten horns are seen as 10 earthly kings who are established under the harlot’s authority.  A confederation of nations to 10 kingdoms, for a short period of time, with the antichrist.  The reality is that despite their perceived power and authority, they are simply executing what God has put in their hearts to carry out for His purpose, and the kings’ result in handing over their power to the antichrist, the scarlet beast.

With the antichrist in position as the head, they will first destroy the prostitute and establish the antichrist as the pre-eminent power and authority on earth.  With all of the shifting power on earth in those days, the people fell into line beneath the antichrist.  With such power, the antichrist and his kings will then make war on the Lamb of God.  

This vision of John paints a picture of rising spiritual war that is brewing in our world today.  We can certainly see kingdoms around the globe working towards a single global power, an aligned authority over all nations.  We’ve seen this in several ways: the European nation, the alignment of countries against Israel, and even in liberal and non-biblical policy changes within the Vatican.  It's not too far-fetched to see an aligned perspective on a single spiritual entity that is accepting of all worldly religions.  With the softening policies within many of the Christian churches today, we are pushing the biblical truth to the side and creating truth more relevant and acceptable in today’s social circles.

The day will come when the world will accept a single spiritual church as the way.  This will not be of God, but will be presented as such by those in authority, the antichrist and his kings.  There will be blasphemy against the true God, and abominations in the holy temple.  This will be applauded by the masses and revered as truth.  You can see in meetings between leaders around the globe an attempt to put our differences to the side and “live and let live” philosophies being adopted.  Nowhere is that biblical.  We are to stand firm on the foundation of Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and acknowledge that He alone is the only way to eternity with God, the Father.  Softening of this message is becoming widespread today as we attempt not to hurt others’ feelings.  To quote an old friend, this isn’t about your feelings; it’s about your eternity.  We need to stand firm on the foundation Christ built, not the foundation built by the world.

The Final Bowl is Poured Out

Revelation 16:17-21

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”  And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.  The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.  And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.  And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.

The finality of the bowl judgments and plagues upon the Earth in the last days of tribulation.  This vision of John’s in the Throne Room of God details the final bowl being poured out by the seventh angel, bringing cataclysmic destruction through natural events.  Lightning, thunder, and earthquakes shake the globe to its very core.  Mountains and islands disappear, and the city of Jerusalem is divided into three.  In Ezekiel 38, there is a reference to great earthquakes in Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives when the Son of God returns, stating His foot will land on the Mount of Olives as the city is split into two.  Hailstones will fall and bring death upon people who have rejected God throughout the final days.  His final plague of destruction and devastation will once and for all show His power and authority over all things.

The wrath presented here in Revelation 16 is very similar to the prophecy in Ezekiel 38, describing the end of days.  Both discuss the great wrath of God being poured out upon those who oppose Him.  Both discuss the mountains being thrown down, earthquakes as never before, pestilence, disease, and great hailstones.  Ezekiel 38 presents the foe of God to come from the North and West, whereas Revelation 16 presents the battle being formed in the Valley of Megiddo between the Lamb and armies from the East.  God’s word through the Prophets describes what John also sees in his vision.

God has no pleasure in bringing death to the wicked.  He desires that the wicked will turn from their evil ways and return to Him.  Throughout the scriptures, God expresses His love to His people and wants that none should perish.  Unfortunately, right up to the end of the Tribulation, Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet will have a stronghold on many.  These are the ones that will join in the battle against the Lamb of God in the coming verses.  They are following the liar, the deceiver, into battle, without recognizing the ending is already written.  

For these people have access today to the scriptures, to the prophecies, to the Word of God, and yet choose to ignore or deny its authenticity.  You may know someone or many who are like this.  They live in denial that God is sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, and the Creator.  They enjoy living outside of God’s authority because it allows for their sinful nature to go unchecked and unrepentant.  Mankind, in general, does not want to align with a supreme authority and desires only to live within their own self-autonomy.  This self-centered, prideful, arrogant, and debased lifestyle that so many have decided to follow will only lead them to the destruction described in Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 16.

God is intentional with each of us to reveal His truth and plan.  He has given each of us the free will to accept or reject Him, though, and this will lead to many being subject to the Great Tribulation and the final battle with Christ in the last days.  It is my prayer that anyone reading this will come to realize that there is a God in heaven who loves you enough to send His only Son as a sacrifice for your sins.  Accepting this and putting your faith in Him is the only way to avoid the inevitable death and destruction identified here.  You are all in my prayers for this revelation to hit home.  Be blessed today with the good news. 

Frogs in Armageddon

Revelation 16:8-16

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire.  They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east.  And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.  For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.  (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”)  And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

Global warming on an extreme scale.  When the Creator decides to end the world, it will become very evident who is in charge of the climate, the elements, and the universe.  God alone, controls the end of time.  Mankind can make bad decisions, and often does, but destroying the planet is not within our purview or authority.  God created the earth, the sun, the moon, the planets, the stars, and the cosmos (ref. Genesis 1) and knows exactly what can/cannot destroy them.

In the seven bowl plagues outlined in Revelation 16, we see God’s control over the sun, the waters, Satan, and even the demonic spirits.  Again, these plagues resemble the plagues in Exodus when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt.  Fire from heaven, sores on their bodies, frogs, and dried-up river beds are similar, but on a global scale.  All of this is to set up the final battle between God and Satan over mankind.  This battle will take place in the valley of Megiddo (Armageddon), in the north of Israel between Mt. Carmel and Mt. Tabor  

Since biblical times, the Euphrates has been a major waterway separating the Middle East from the Far East.  A major trade route and a sustaining water source for the inhabitants of that region.  Today, we see reports about the Great Euphrates River drying up.  Global Climate supporters blame this on global warming and mankind’s abuse of natural resources for political gain.  This has a significant impact on those in the region; farmers, wildlife, livestock, and health concerns are making headlines throughout the region.  In this, we still see mankind even denying the sovereignty and authority of God over all things.  Scientific communities and the media will tell us that these are all natural events caused by man’s abuse of the Earth’s resources.  Some of this is true, but why they refuse to see the biblical connection remains a mystery to me.

John’s vision in the great throne room paints a picture of a hard-hearted community.  Refusing to grasp ahold of the mercy and grace from the Father, they align their loyalties to Satan and his forces.  God grants these remaining individuals what they wish for – eternal separation from Him and instead an eternity of pain and suffering.  The plagues will fall upon them in these last days, and in their anger, they still curse God and deny His authority and sovereignty.  A debased mindset that only sees evil as good.  God’s sovereignty reaches as far as Satan’s throne room and the army he is building in the end days.

Satan’s call goes out to the kings all around the globe to join forces against the almighty Creator.  The stage is being set today as we see the political landscape leaning away from God in all reaches of the globe.  Succumbing to worldly desires, leaders around the globe push agendas focused on removing God from the spotlight and putting themselves into the spotlight.  We are living through the decline of the church age and nearing the entry into the tribulation years.  I hope you are remaining alert and ready for the return of Christ.  Again, we see Christ’s words that His return will be “like a thief in the night, just like in Matthew 24:43.  We must be prepared and ready on that day.

What this means for you and me is to be in the Word.  Daily walking with the Lord, so when He returns to call His children home, you know Him.  Jesus makes himself available to all of us through studying the word, prayer, and loving others.  He is not absent, though many would think so, because they haven’t met the real Jesus yet.  That’s where we come in.  Share your story, tell others about His love, His sacrifice, His grace, and His promise for eternity.  Be active in helping others know who your Lord and Savior is, and why they need to know Him as well.