The Faith On Earth

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#4)

Revelation Chapter 12

An Insert and Complete History!

This chapter is amazing. But not for the reason many believe. If it's not read as the insert it is, it is misread. (Unless it's a case of prophetic parallelism, but even if so, the message and insight gained by reading it as a complete history all its own - is too good to miss.)

Verse 1 - And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars,
  - crown - G4735 - stephanos - wreath honorary, not G1238 - diadema - kingly

2 - and having in womb. And she cries out, being in travail, and being in pain to bring forth.

3 - And another sign was seen in heaven, and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads, seven diadems (G1238).

4 - And his tail drags a third of the stars of heaven, and he cast them to the earth. (Jesus said - Luke 10:18 - "I beheld Satan as lightning falling from heaven". It being some time ago.) And the dragon stands before the woman being about to bring forth, so that when she should bring forth, he might devour [it]. (Matthew 2:16 - "Herod the Great was furious. and slew all the young male children of Bethlehem.")

5 - And she brought forth a son male who is about to shepherd all the nations with a rod of iron, and was caught up the child of her to God and unto the throne of him. (Hebrews 1:1-3; Mark 16:19)

 - rod of iron - the unbreakable laws of life? 

6 - And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place having been prepared there by God, so that they should nourish her there one thousand two hundred sixty days.

  - A migration (in large part) of the faith.

  - The numbers - 3.5 - are not all the same time span! They telescope. This, a first, I believe, is years.

7 - And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels warred against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels warred back.

  - After all, half the battle is manifest as won (see verse 10).

8 - And he had not strength enough and no longer was any place found in heaven for him and his angels.

9 - And the great dragon was thrown out, the ancient serpent, who is called devil ("diabolos") and Satan, deceiving the whole inhabited world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

10 - And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, the one accusing them before our God day and night.

11 - And they have overcome him by reason of the blood of the Lamb, and by reason of the word of their testimony; and they have not loved their life unto death.

12 - Because of this, rejoice O heavens, and those dwelling in them! Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil (diabolos) has come down to you, having great fury, knowing that he has a short time."

13 - And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who had brought forth the male child.

  - Persecuted (inquisitioned) the faith?

14 - And the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman (the faith) so that she could fly (sail?) from the face of the serpent into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished there a time, and times, and half a time.

  - Second level of 3.5, as centuries.

15 - And out of his mouth the serpent cast water as a river after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.

  - A flood spewed after the faith, in an attempt to wash the faith from off the earth.

16 - But the earth helped the woman and opened the earth the mouth of it and swallowed up the river which the dragon had cast out of his mouth.

  - Luke 23:28,29,31 - "And having turned to them, Jesus said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.. They will say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things (crucify Him) in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry leaf"?

  - (Joel 1:12)

17 - And the dragon was angry with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her children keeping the commandments of God and (by now?) holding the testimony of Jesus. And he stood upon the sand of the sea.

  - Revelation 16:14,15,16 - "..spirits of demons, performing signs, which go forth to the kings of the whole inhabited world, to gather them together unto the battle of the great day of God the Almighty. 'Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one watching and keeping his garments, that not naked he might walk and they might see the shame of him.' And he gathered them together unto the place called in Hebrew Armageddon."

Note: At verse 13:1 - "And I saw a beast out of the sea rising having horns ten and heads seven.." but here at 12:17 - the dragon stands upon the shore/sand of the sea.

- - -

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#1)

Why Read The Book Of Revelation?

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#2)

Revelation Chapters Seventeen And Eighteen - A Two Part Study

- Foundation to the Rest of the Study - Part One - The Beast and the Harlot

- Part Two - and Revelation Chapter to Chapter (#2b) - The City and Merchants

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#3) - HE is King

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#4) - The Faith On Earth

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#5) - The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#6) - Time Times And Half A Time

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#7) - The Iron And The Bronze

The City and Merchants

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#2b)

Revelation Chapters Seventeen And Eighteen A Two Part Study 

- Foundation to the Rest of the Study -

    Part Two - The City and Merchants

Verse quotes are, for the most part, from - http://biblehub.com/interlinear/revelation/17-1.htm and the "Berean Literal" or "Study Bible" - http://biblehub.com/revelation/17-1.htm

Revelation 18

Verse 1 - After these things I saw another angel descending out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

2 - And he cried out in a mighty voice, saying: "Fallen, Fallen is Babylon the great! And she has become a habitation of demons, and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean bird, and a prison of every unclean creature also having been hated.
 - the inner city? (which also imprisons the 'innocent')

3 - For of the wine of the wrath of the sexual immorality of her have drunk all the nations, and the kings of the earth with her have committed sexual immorality, and the merchants of the earth through the power of the luxury of her have been enriched.

4 - And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: "Come out of her, my people, so that you may not have fellowship in her sins, and so that you may not receive of her plagues.

5 - For her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
 - I think she shakes her fist at the heavens, and at God..

6 - Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup.

7 - So much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, inflict on her as much torment and mourning, because in the heart of herself she says I sit as a queen, a widow I never am, and mourning never shall I see.

8 - Therefore her plagues will come in one day, death and misery and famine; and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her."

 - Truth. Only what's built on The Rock can stand.

9 - And the kings of the earth, the ones having committed sexual immorality and having lived luxuriously with her, will weep and will wail for her when they see the smoke of her burning,

10 - standing from afar because of the fear of her torment, saying: "Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in a single hour your judgment has come."

11 - And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn for her, because no one buys their cargo any longer--

12 - cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory and precious wood, of bronze, iron, and marble;

13 - of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots; of slaves and souls of men.

14 - The fruit you longed for is gone from you, all your luxury and splendor have vanished, and you will find them no more.

15 - The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand afar from her because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,

16 - saying: "Woe, woe, the great city, having been clothed with fine linen and purple and scarlet, and having been adorned with gold and precious stone and pearl,

17 - For in one hour such great wealth has been made desolate. And every shipmaster, and all those sailing to a place, and sailors, and as many as trade by the sea, stood at a distance,

18 - And cried seeing the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

19 - And they cast dust upon their heads, as they weep and mourn, crying out, "Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, For in one hour she has been brought to desolation."

20 - Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her.

21 - Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: "Thus Babylon will be cast down with violence, the great city, and shall be found no more".

22 - And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, and the sound of the mill will be heard in you no more,

23 - The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because by your sorcery all the nations were deceived."

24 - And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of ALL those having been slain on the earth.

Part One / Chapter by Chapter (#2a) - Revelation Chapter 17 - The Beast and the Harlot

- - -

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#1)

Why Read The Book Of Revelation?

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#2)

Revelation Chapters Seventeen And Eighteen - A Two Part Study

- Foundation to the Rest of the Study - Part One - The Beast and the Harlot

- Part Two - and Revelation Chapter to Chapter (#2b) - The City and Merchants

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#3) - HE is King

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#4) - The Faith On Earth

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#5) - The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#6) - Time Times And Half A Time

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#7) - The Iron And The Bronze

Rev Chapter by Chapter - HE is King

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#3)

Revelation Chapter Four

John is lifted up to heaven to be shown things which must occur. He sees a throne and He who sits upon it. All is radiant like jewels. Magnificent creatures, each with six wings with eyes within and without surround the throne and cry "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, who is and was, and is to come" without ceasing. I think this scene is outside of and beyond time, as at the closing of the scene, every creature in heaven, earth and sea praise He who is on the throne and the Lamb (Jesus).

There are twenty four elders seated around the throne, they wear victory/overcomer wreaths (translated crowns) on their heads and every time the four winged creatures cry "holy, holy, holy" they cast their 'crowns' to the feet of He who sits on the throne.

[The crown(s) here is the word #G4735 - "stephanos" to twine or wreathe.
And the crowns Jesus is wearing in Revelation chapter 19, is #G1238 - "diadema" diadem, a king's crown.]

I've recently begun to think the 24 elders are meant to represent all believers, the vision being beyond time, and also because, unlike the heavenly vision of Revelation chapter one, there is no lampstands or candelabra, which are the seven churches. There's "seven lamps burning before the throne which are the seven Spirits (pneuma) of God".

Pneuma - #G4151 - breath, current of air, wind

When the twenty four elders worship and cast their crowns at His feet, they say,
“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”

Almighty - #G3841 - "pantokratōr" - "almighty, ruler of all" -- from words #G3956 /pas, "all" and #G2902 /krateo, "prevail" -- properly, almighty; unrestricted power, exercising absolute dominion

- - -

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#1)

Why Read The Book Of Revelation?

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#2)

Revelation Chapters Seventeen And Eighteen - A Two Part Study

- Foundation to the Rest of the Study - Part One - The Beast and the Harlot

- Part Two - and Revelation Chapter to Chapter (#2b) - The City and Merchants

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#3) - HE is King

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#4) - The Faith On Earth

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#5) - The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#6) - Time Times And Half A Time

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#7) - The Iron And The Bronze

The Beast and the Harlot

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#2)

(But not in order. I thought it would be in order, but it's not turning out that way.)

Revelation Chapters Seventeen And Eighteen A Two Part Study 

- Foundation to the Rest of the Study -

    Part One - The Beast and the Harlot

Verse quotes are, for the most part, from - http://biblehub.com/interlinear/revelation/17-1.htm and the "Berean Literal" or "Study Bible" - http://biblehub.com/revelation/17-1.htm

Revelation 17

Verse 1 - And came one of the seven angels having the seven bowls and spoke with me saying, come here I will show you the punishment of the prostitute great, the [one] sitting upon waters many.

2 - with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality (are in bed with her) and those dwelling on the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality.

3 - And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet/red beast being full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4 - And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls, holding a cup golden in her hand, being full of abominations and the impurity of the sexual immorality of her. (Side effects of her dissolution?)

5 - And upon the forehead (psyche?) of her a name was written Mystery Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes, and of the abominations of the earth.

6 - And I saw the woman being drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And having seen her, I wondered greatly.
 - fast forward to 18:24 - And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of ALL those having been slain on the earth.

7 - "Why are you astonished?" said the angel. "I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the (red) beast that carries her, which has the seven heads (empires) and ten horns (divisions ten, Daniel 2:42)".

8 - The (red) beast (of today, not yesterday) that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss (bottomless pit of potential of the wayward heart? how low can one go..?) and go into destruction; and those dwelling on the earth whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will wonder, seeing the beast which was, and is not, and yet will be.
 - wonder - #G2296 / the Greek - "to marvel, wonder  . . . to regard with amazement, and with a suggestion of beginning to speculate on the matter" - some will marvel and some will wonder..?

9 - This calls for a mind that has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains, where the woman sits on them (fast forward to verse 15 - The waters you saw, on which the prostitute sits, are nations, peoples, races, and languages.)

10 - and there are seven kings. The five are fallen, the one is, the other has not yet come; and when he shall have come, it behooves him to remain a little while.

11 - And the beast which was, and is not, is also himself an eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into destruction. (From God's perspective, it's all the same beast?)

12 - And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
 - The dream statue of (Biblically related) world empires, ended with ten toes. In the dream, the Rock, Jesus at His return, is thrown against the toes, breaking them up and the whole statue topples. These "ten" we can see, are of the 'last' hour, appear very late upon Earth's stage and have to do with the last empire of man.

13 - These have one mind: to yield their power and authority to the beast.

14 - They will make war against the Lamb (Armageddon) and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.
 - Revelation 16:14,15,16

15 - Then the angel said to me, "The waters that you saw where the prostitute sits are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues".

16 - And the ten horns that you saw, and the beast, these will hate the prostitute, and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh, and will burn her with fire.
 - The (red) beast of extreme, devout Socialism will (finally) devour and do away with (deplete) extreme Capitalism?

 17 - For God has put into their hearts to accomplish His purpose, and to do one purpose, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

18 - And the woman you saw is the great city, having dominion over the kings of the earth. (The kings / politicians of the earth, are in bed with her.)

Part Two / Chapter by Chapter (#2b) - Revelation Chapter 18 - The City and Merchants

- - -

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#1)

Why Read The Book Of Revelation?

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#2)

Revelation Chapters Seventeen And Eighteen - A Two Part Study

- Foundation to the Rest of the Study - Part One - The Beast and the Harlot

- Part Two - and Revelation Chapter to Chapter (#2b) - The City and Merchants

Book of Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#3) - HE is King

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#4) - The Faith On Earth

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#5) - The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#6) - Time Times And Half A Time

Revelation Chapter by Chapter (#7) - The Iron And The Bronze