Bible Prophecy Master Class, Part 1

Bible Prophecy Master Class, Part 1

di Alvin Mitchell

Cristianità Religione

Stagione 1

Rev. 21:23-27; The Bride of Christ!

Side Bar Bride Of Christ/Wife Of The Lamb Sticks and Stones, with Streets of Gold? Is it the Body of Christ (made up of all the saints, from all the ages), or is she the city, the New Jerusalem (a literal city in Heaven)? Young Mr. K. C. Price Jr. spent several Sundays developing his thesis and proclaiming his point. It seems that Mr. Price has some serious issues, axes to grind and bones to pick, with any and all who take the position such that the bride of Christ mentioned in the Lord’s Revelation to the apostle John might be in any wise the church, or Christians. According to him, the bride of the Christ/wife of the Lamb is the New Jerusalem. Is it? Really?! A stone cold, heartless, lifeless collection of Heaven-built buildings and streets paved with ‘see-through’ gold?! Is that actually what God has been waiting an eternity to cozy up to, and spend the next eternity in a relationship with?! Is it rational to think that He sent His only begotten Son to die on a cross among men, to perpetuate such a thing? Does it seem rational in light of the costs (the drama and the trauma) associated with the Apocalypse? I should think not! Metaphor: the use of words or phrases with reference to someone or something, never literally, as rather the intent is to draw a comparison; any use of figurative or symbolic language not intended to literally portray actual or real things; using or considering one to be representative of another (from the Encarta World English Dictionary). It appears that, in doing his preparation for his sermon project, Mr. Price may have been less than thorough in his research. In his dissertation, he spent a colossal amount of time ranting and pounding out his thesis to the affect that a non-living “thing” is to be the Bride of Christ, not the saints (Jews and/or Gentiles). The text for his sermon was of course centered here in Revelation 21, with a botched effort to weed in corroborating evidences from elsewhere, including his own weak understanding. One of the first things he should have noticed is that the entire Book of the Revelation is heavily (although not altogether) metaphorical. Moreover, had he been the astute student of the scriptures he should have been, before entering the ministry (certainly after graduation from seminary, and, with a well-known preacher as his father/mentor), he would have not failed to realize that our God is a Master of metaphor. His word the Bible is replete with them from cover to cover. Thus, one of the first things of which this exuberant, neophyte preacher should have been fully apprised of (and contrary to his line of reasoning) is that the normal, usual usage and meaning of any given term does not necessarily depict or dictate, nor does it at all limit, confine or otherwise define God’s metaphorical intent or, usage of that term! Had He been using the term the way it was ordinarily intended, it would no longer have been a metaphor. Hence, to reiterate, as all serious students of Holy Writ are well aware (assuming you have walked with Him regularly, and/or systematically), God is well rehearsed, in which case He knows all about the use of metaphors. Therefore, when He chooses to express Himself through the use of figures of speech, one need not always look to Webster’s (or, Greek/Hebrew Lexicons), as much as to His own word (our only, and requisite window into the mind of God, aided by the guidance of His Holy Spirit), in order to ascertain the point the Lord wishes to convey.

Rev. 21:1-22: The New Heaven and Earth!

The New Heaven And The New Earth Chapter 21, Verse 1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. In keeping with God’s promise to “…make all things new…” (21:5) and with Jesus’ promise that while His words would never depart, “…heaven and earth will pass away…” (Matthew 24:35), John stood watching, as a New Heaven and a New Earth were unveiled. The old earth and the old heaven in/under which we now live will have vanished, as foretold, at the Great White Throne Judgment, after all the sinners were resurrected and accounted for. It was never intended that this world in which we live should continue forever. “You have laid the foundation of the earth formerly (in eternity past)”, the Psalmist writes, “and the heavens are also the work of Your Hands, yet, both of them will perish, while You endure; yes, each of them will grow old, like a garment; like a vessel, You will change them, and they will be changed…” (Ps. 102:25-27). “Look, observe and consider attentively!” Isaiah the prophet writes, quoting the Almighty, “I create new heavens, and a new earth; and the first will not be remembered—ever—never coming to mind again…the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, will remain before Me, says the Lord…” (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22). Furthermore, while the nature and structure of the present heaven and earth are such that they could continue virtually indefinitely (Psalm 78:69) “…the heaven will vanish like smoke, and the earth will grow old like clothing, while those who live in it will die in similar fashion…” (Isaiah 51:6). It should be noted and remembered that whatever the heaven’s and the earth’s capacity for aging, neither will be allowed to continue to reach its full potential in terms of age. The earth will be inhabited right up to the end of the Millennium, to the Great White Throne Judgment and the resurrection of the very last sinner, before it finally disappears, forever. In fact, truth is, our current heaven and earth will be in better shape than ever, at the end of the Millennium, when they are finally discarded at the coming of the Great White Throne Judgments. Interestingly, while this is not to imply that there will be no water at all on the New Earth, necessarily, John could not but observe that there will be no sea upon the face of the New Earth (he may well have been awe struck at the sight!). That is—or so it appears, at least—this new terrestrial facility will not have a surface which is 75% covered—as is our world now—by water. On the other hand, given that the sea in OT thought was often symbolic of discontentment and restlessness among the masses of humanity, the absence of any sea no doubt is also emblematic of the absence of unrest, strife, division and dissatisfaction—in spite of all the different nationalities and cultures, and personalities endemic to both. Verse 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev. 20:7-15; The Great White Throne Judgment and the Second Death!

The Second Resurrection The Great White Throne: Sinners Judged Verse 11 (see also chapter 21, verse 1) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. After the sentencing of the devil, John’s focus shifted, as his attention was then drawn to The Great White Throne, and to Him who sat upon it. It is here that the fourth and last judgment, following the fourth and final resurrection (that of sinners, the wicked, the Christ haters and rejecters) will take place. In God’s reckoning, only the resurrection to life eternal and the resurrection to eternal damnation matter, at the end of the day. Thus, by His count, there is only two: This is the second (the first included all the saints raised and raptured before the apocalypse begins and those raised at the end of the tribulation period.). At the appearance of the One seated upon that Throne, the heaven and the earth will flee, or vanish. Evidently, this act will be indicative of the austerity, and seriousness of the occasion at hand. It also signifies the, shall we say, eternality of the man being as a whole, a complete composite creature (of physical body, and invisible spirit/soul), as he will at this point not only not have, but he will no longer require, or be dependent upon the earth and its protective biosphere/ecosystem for sustenance. In addition, and in affirmation that righteous man’s next habitat will not be renovations of the old, we are told that the New Heaven and the New Earth will be characterized by the absence of any ocean—i.e., it will have no sea, or other large body of water (21:1). The Dead And The Books Verse 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Verse 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. Then, John saw the fruit of what will be the last resurrection, as those who had remained dead for the one thousand years, will be brought back to life so as to stand before God. In this case, God (the One seated upon the Throne) is the Son. That is, He is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, per the will and fore plan of the Father. “…For the Father is going to judge no one, insofar as, He has delegated that authority to the Son… (John 5:22, 27)”, Jesus told an already bitterly angry, hostile crowd of Jews who wanted to kill Him, then and there. Standing on Mars’ hill, preaching to the pagans of Athens, Greece, Paul the apostle confirmed the Lord’s words by noting that whereas “…in the past, God ignored men’s ignorance concerning Himself, He now commands that all men everywhere should repent: this, because He has established and set aside a day in which the world will be judged righteously by that Man whom He has ordained; of Whom He has given assurance (of this fact) to men, inasmuch as, He has raised Him (Jesus Christ) from the dead…

Rev. 20:4-6: The First Resurrection and The Thousand-Year Reign of Christ!

The First Resurrection Chapter 20, Verse 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Verse 4a And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: After witnessing the binding and imprisonment of the enemy of our souls, John studied more of the scenes unfolding before him, whereupon, he saw two distinct groups of people, each distinguished from the other by a specific criterion: That is, whereas one group sat upon thrones and were granted the privilege and responsibility to judge, the other group was recognizable as victims who lost their lives at the hands of the beast, having been killed for their faith in Christ, on account of which faith they refused to worship the beast. Looking forward to the day of the group sitting upon the thrones, Paul, in his exasperation with the un-Christian like conduct of the saints among the Corinthians is known to have exclaimed: “…do you not know that saints will one day judge the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). Jesus promised the apostles that they would be seated upon twelve thrones, next to Him ruling over the twelve tribes of Israel, in His Kingdom. The churches (specifically, but not exclusively, Thyatira) were guaranteed “…power over the nations: and he will rule over them with a rod of iron, so that like a potter’s vessels, they will be broken to pieces, just as I will be permitted to do by God My Father” (2:26, 27). Moreover, in response to His salutation and opening remarks to the churches, at the beginning of the Apocalypse, John returned praise and adoration, acknowledging that “…all whom He (the Lord Jesus) loves, He has washed clean from all their (our) sins by His blood, and has made us to be kings and priests to God, who is also His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1:5, 6). This same theme is repeated by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders when the Lamb, having been identified and singled out as the only One worthy, came and took the Scroll out of the hand of His Father, seated upon the throne, at which sight they fell down and worshipped before Him, each with a harp and bowls of incense (representing the prayers of all the saints), singing to Him a new song: “…You are worthy to take the Scroll and to open its seals; for, having been slain You have redeemed us by Your blood from all the nations and people and language groups all around the world; and, You have made us to be kings and priests, in which case we shall rule on the earth” (5:1-10). For these reasons, then, we can safely conclude that those whom John saw seated upon the thrones ready to do judgment are, on the one hand, none other than the pre-Apocalypse saints, the ones who rode, or, will ride back to earth with Him into the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:4, 10, 14; it will be kind of difficult to attend a Heavenly banquet, etc., and come back with the Lord, if we are not and have not been there already, to begin with!).

Rev. 20:1-3: Satan's Incarceration: In the Abyss, for One Millennium!

Of God Almighty, The Son At this juncture, another successful mission will have been accomplished; the fighting (in terms of actual battles between Creator and creatures) will have ceased, the birds (vultures and other scavengerous birds of prey) will have had their fill of whatever flesh will be left following the Lord’s Day of slaughter—while 1000 years of a mix of bliss and cold war linger in the wings. Satan’s Incarceration Chapter 20, Verse 1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. Verse 2, And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, Verse 3, And threw him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. To inaugurate the Millennial Reign, John watches as an angel descends from Heaven carrying a great chain and having in his hand the key to the abyss (the bottomless pit, from which the creatures called locusts, and the ‘beast’ will have ascended earlier in the Apocalypse). This angel proceeded to lay hold of the dragon (Rev. 12:3, 4, 7-9), also known variously as the serpent of old, the devil and as Satan, binding him with the chain in his hand. He will then take Satan, and throw him bound into the abyss, where he will remain for the duration of the Millennium (the 1000 Year period in which Christ will lead the world, on earth, from Jerusalem!). In this capacity, he will not be able to influence the nations anymore, at all, to any degree (rebel human souls a-plenty, notwithstanding!), until the one thousand years are ended. Also, in this capacity, the rebel nature of men over which the Christ and His saints will rule with “…rods of iron…” (19:15), cannot be blamed on him (no one will be able to say, “the devil made me do it!”). There will be no residual effects of his influence to contend with, as the incarceration will affect a sealed environment, creating a barrier of isolation, which will completely isolate man from the devil’s reach and leading (this means that his demonic forces will also be shut down; humanity’s natural rebel nature will be open and above board, albeit, constrained, absolutely unable to express itself in the least). Thus, the active Millennium rebellion will be purely man-centered—that is, it will be powered and sustained for one thousand years solely by the stubborn, unrepentant, unyielding spirit of man’s unaided will. Why a Thousand Years? But one may well be wondering, why the Millennium? What is the purpose? What is the point? Why must the devil be imprisoned for that long, and why must the Christ rule the world for precisely that amount of time? Both rebel man and rebel demon having been vanquished and subdued, why not just throw them all into hellfire and brimstone, and move from here on into a period of white clouds, harps and eternal bliss, leaving bygones, to be bygones? In the absence of any “official” argument for the Millennium, one might consider the following:

Rev. 19:20-21: The Battle of Armageddon, Phase 2 (Bowl #7, Continued)!

The Killing Field: Where Lamb and Lambs Fight like Lions The battle being set in array, the best that the beast and his forces can ever hope to accomplish having been done (it appears that, for the ‘heck of it’, they may be given the benefit of a preemptive first strike, as it were; hence, the aforementioned nuke winter!), He who was formerly slain like a lamb, as the Lamb, will then commence His duties with the fierceness of an angry Lion (from Judah), racking up huge casualties as Judge, Jury and Executioner. In a literally blistering counterattack, He will “…tread the winepress which is the fierce anger and wrath of God the Almighty. He will strike and kill with a sharp sword, which protrudes from His mouth—i.e., He being God Almighty Himself (but not the Father, rather, on behalf of the Father), will slaughter these His enemies merely by His utterance, administering death solely by His speech. His identity will be written both upon His robe and upon His thigh, for He is KING OF ALL KINGS, AND LORD OF ALL LORDS (19:15, 16)”. Of all that God will have done up to this point, it might be said that—whatever the degree of suffering and pain—He has been largely gentle and kind in His dealings with man. Here, however, His attacks will be decidedly brutal, and relentless. Chapter 19, Verse 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that worked miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a Lake of Fire burning with brimstone. As the drama of this the world’s final battle unfolds, now in earnest, the first order of business on the agenda for the Lion of Judah, is the decommissioning of the beast and his false prophet. Their judgment will be as swift as it will be merciless. There will be no great White Throne appearances for them—not even! There will be no occasion for excuses from them. Although they will be men, like the rest of us, they will never experience death (actually, the beast will have already died once). Unlike the rest of fallen mankind (who will be given space to plead their cases—to no avail—in a cause where there is no hope for them; not even the slightest), no further consideration will be allowed in their cases. God Almighty will show them no mercy; He will never hear their pleas for clemency, as He orders that they be thrown, alive, directly into the Lake of Fire burning with the eternal flames of yellow sulfur (brimstone is sulfur). This move facilitates several things: 1) it exposes the utter helplessness of the beast and his false prophet, even with the full support of the devil himself behind them, 2) it exposes the utter powerlessness of Satan to save or to rescue anyone, much less his own, 3) it cuts off Satan’s direct channels of communication with humanity, as he can only now stand by and watch, 4) it exposes the Almighty to the full wrath of man, who, being thus deprived, is now left at the mercy of the strength and genius of his own futility and folly, as he pits, effectively, not much more than his frustration against the Supreme wrath and righteous indignation of his Maker. Verse 21, And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Rev. 19:14-19: King of Kings_The Great Day of God! (Bowl #7 continued)

The Great Day of God Judgment Day Chapter 19, Verse 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Matthew Chapter 24, Verse 27 For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matthew 24, 28 For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Matthew 24, 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: Matthew 24, 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. It should be duly noted that when the Lord Jesus Christ comes again, He will not come alone. He will be accompanied by a heavenly army comprised of glorified saints, who are the “called, and faithful, and the chosen” (per Rev. 17:14; 19:14). That is, these armies of Heaven will be comprised of Christians, which in turn means that they will have to have been resurrected and in Heaven throughout the Apocalypse period, so as to come again with Him. Specifically, they will be the 24 Elders who first appear in Rev. 5:8-10, and who are shown repeatedly in Heaven, around God’s Throne, falling down in worship and praise throughout the Apocalypse (Rev. 7:11; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4). This army will also include an angelic component, per Matthew 24:31. It should also be noted that the return of Christ at Armageddon will be by no means ‘secret’. That is, it will not be entirely “like a thief in the night”, although His coming will indeed take all living at that time by surprise. Jesus Himself asserts that there will be plenty of indicators and telltale signs that point to His soon coming, beginning with the rise and reign of the beast, aka, the abomination of desolation (per Matthew 24:15-30). His sign of His coming will appear well in advance of His actual arrival (Matthew 24:27-30). Everyone’s attention will be riveted on the spectacular sight of that encroachment. All will mourn at the sight of what they will see. In addition, that physical re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere will find His beleaguered Jews (the elect) in a desperate battle for their lives (those who will have remained behind, in defense of Jerusalem). At His appearance, the startled beast and his armies will be headed back toward Jerusalem, still freshly victorious over the eastern kings and their decimated armies. All, including the beast, will know well by that time that he is anything but all-powerful, yet, being thoroughly deluded, will obviously not be prepared to concede defeat, receive and bow to One decidedly more powerful—without a fight (They will all see as John saw (his pre-occupation with resumption of his attack on Jerusalem suggests he is not the least bit concerned over the notion that God will show): Satan, however, will know quite well (per Revelation 12:12), knowing that his time will be almost up.)

Rev. 19:1-16: The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

The Marriage of the Lamb Verse 7, Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready. Verse 8, And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. Verse 9, And he said to me, Write, Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God. The voices of the great mass choir begun in verse 6 continues here in verse 7, “let us therefore be glad, and rejoice, as we give Him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, His woman (Grk., guna=specifically, a wife) having made herself ready. This she has done through faith—a “resting” of herself in Him, and Him alone, with all her trust and confidence—for her salvation and righteousness needful to stand before God the Father, up close and personal, sin-free. And it was given that she should be dressed in fine linen, clean and white; because the fine linen is symbolic of the righteousness of the saints”. At this point, John was instructed to write, “Blessed (fortunate, well-off) are all of those having been called (summoned) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. These words of truth are from God”, John was told, moreover. Verse 10, And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, See you do it not: I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. At this juncture, John attempted to pay homage to the angel guiding him through the Apocalypse. “Do not do that”, he was told. “I am as you are, a fellow-servant, of both you and your brothers in the faith, who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Rather, worship God: because the spirit (focus, or chief purpose) of all prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.” The Messiah The Second Coming of Jesus the Christ Throughout the Apocalypse, right up to the very last moment, God will have done everything possible to coax, cajole, and coerce man to his knees in recognition of His Sovereignty, in the interest of saving as many as possible. Angels will have preached the everlasting gospel, the 144,000 Jewish evangelists will have preached that same message, both of which, coupled with the seal and trumpet judgments will have produced two major harvests of precious souls which, coming dangerously close, might otherwise have been lost. The bowl judgments, in all their horror, will have produced nothing in the way of a harvest. Salvation will not have been the objective. Anguished, agonizing, severely beaten and battered, unrepentant men led by the devil in the beast will choose still to blaspheme the Hand they know now controls all their miseries (and their destinies!). That, as far as God is concerned, will be the surest and best indicator that ‘enough, is enough’!

Rev. 16:12-21: The Battle of Armageddon, Phase 1 (Bowl #7)

The Battle of Armageddon: Phase 1 THE GREAT DAY OF GOD ALMIGHTY The evil but “rifted” empire strikes back! Bowl #6: World War IV Verse 12, And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. The out-pouring of the bowl by the sixth angel, marks the beginning of the end. The last possible harvest of souls was actually completed during the first half of this, the last three point five years of time before the Return and Millennial Reign of Christ, our Savior. No further effort will be expended to save anyone, from the time of the rise of the beast and his murders of all tribulation born believers. Rebel man, having demonstrated his tenacity and determination to maintain his independence, thus far, has not been given much say in the matter, in terms of final outcomes. God has acted, shaking things up, making life uncomfortable; man has watched and suffered—having been given little room for any kind of substantive defense, or, direct response—except, to either repent and submit, or, indirectly retaliate by venting against all new convert Christians and/or the Jews. With what may well be termed a welcomed ‘turn of events’ for mankind, that, is about to change. For the first time in the tribulation period, humanity can fight back. He can now retaliate against further “acts of God”. This is to be the final round in what has thus far been at best a humbling and humiliating battle. Tensions will be as high as the stakes (for man! No matter the outcome of the battle, he loses, insofar as, he can never undo the damages inflicted already upon the very biosphere and the ecosystem within and upon which he must depend for survival!). Feelings of hatred and hostility will be mutual, between the primary combatants. Passions will be matched only by the absence of compassion. The air will be thick with animosity, in a face-off that will bring angry men face to face, head-to-head—mono au mono—with their equally inhospitable Maker. He who, in love and the utmost humility, gave His life in death to save them and all mankind two thousand years ago, will then authoritatively and with the highest austerity, speak death upon them, void of even the slightest pity. As the Apocalypse channels onto the last corridor leading to Armageddon, drawing history to a close, a representative faction of remaining mankind must be summoned to do the honors of fighting on behalf of all. At this point, he will never willingly submit to His Maker. Having been humiliated, and infuriated, by the last five judgments—win, lose, or die—the beast (even with egg all over his face!) and his subjects will yet without question be more than ever eager to ‘get it on’ in a mix-up with the Creator of all that is.

Rev. 15:1-16:16: The Beast's Kingdom Destroyed (The Bowl Judgments 1-6)!

Biosphere Demolished, Ecosystem Destroyed Beyond the Point of No Return Chapter 16, Verse 1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. Thus, then, the stage having been set, a command is issued by a great voice emanating from the Temple: “Go out and empty the bowls filled with the anger (hot displeasure) of God upon the earth”. Once again, where any Christian, physical representation is concerned, the presence of God will by this point have been for the last time vanquished from the earth in a horrendous flood of blood. All ordinary Christians will be dead. By all outward appearances, this will look like a major victory for the devil and company. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. The beast’s victory celebration will be brought to an abrupt halt—in total disfavor with all who will have hailed his, coming, his rise and his fame. Insofar as this, the Bowl Judgments, marks the beginning of the strictly punitive phase of God’s dealings with man—that is, this is not pressure applied with a view to squeezing out new converts; none will be sought—the death of all the precious souls who will die during the period just prior to the first of the last judgments (following the rise of the beast) will actually be a blessing that will spare them the horrors that will be unleashed hereafter. Only the unbelieving Jews will remain (and, they will be protected throughout this time of ordeal and agony, in the shelter of a safe haven known only to God). It is perfectly clear that these horrors are all generated and instigated, tailor-made, by the Hand of Almighty God—for this occasion. Furthermore, it is just as clear that, 1) these judgments while being targeted on the one hand (the biosphere will be totally destroyed), in that they are focused specifically on those who have received the mark of the beast and have worshipped his image, they are in nature global on the other, 2) no lives will be taken during the phase encompassing the first six bowls, nevertheless, none will ever repent, 3) although it is difficult to pin-point exactly where it is in the latter three and one half years before Armageddon that the Bowl Judgments start, it is perhaps quite rational to assume that somewhere near the middle or beginning of the latter one and three-quarter years might be the most logical place, given that some time has to be allowed for the 144,000 Jewish evangelists and the angel to finish their work, in addition to major events like the beast settling in, gaining global acceptance with the aid of the false prophet, including destroying potential competition and conflicts of interests brought on by the pope and his Vatican, dethroning and displacing the Jews as he nullifies the treaty he signed 3.5 years earlier, banning Temple worship while establishing himself as God, along with his worship-linked system of global identification, tracking and economics, etc., the wholesale slaughter and destruction of perhaps billions of Christian converts won by the 144k evangelists due to their joint refusal to bow the knee in acceptance of his “mark”, and given that the distance from here to Armageddon appears to be rather short and direct.

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