Posted by Elana Janson on April 05, 2005 at 14:47:26:
The mighty angels (continued)
As John on Patmos wrote down what he saw his hand was directed by Divine guidance. For in 2005 every word of Revelation contributes to show that the Trinity was with the rise of the Christian Church within the nations and is also revealing at this time the signs of the end.
In 1996 when it was made known to me that the symbols of the riders of the four horses of the Apocalypse were linked to specific years in history the words of Revelation became indicators of particular events through history. The words of Revelation became symbols of what happened after the year AD 96. Because the words are taken from Scripture the definite link to time in history after AD 96 was hidden, and Revelation could be true to any time and place in the last two thousand years. It seemed to many to relate only to the first centuries after AD 96. There are many who still believe that to-day.
It was constructed in such a way that Christians and Biblical scholars could through the centuries partially understand its symbolism through references in Scripture. Through the references in Scripture its meaning ‘broadened’ to give greater insight into its symbolism. There was however a greater meaning within the words of Revelation, it was a prophecy of what was to happen after AD 96.
It could only be through a Divine intervention that insight into its ultimate meaning and total construction, could be revealed. When this happened to me in 1996, it was the time of the loosening of the seals of the scroll and the time that the Trinity wished the world to know that God was always in control of every war that was waged, every discovery that was made and every accomplishment of man. This is conveyed through the words of Revelation that link to times in history. In the recent past the times of ‘1260 days’ and ‘42 months’ link to events from 2001 to 2005. The linking of these events to the times of Revelation could only be accomplished by Divine insight. Particularly because they also relate to the words of Jesus Christ concerning the end time.
This knowledge is of particular importance in the understanding of the chapter on the fall of the "great city". Much of the symbolism used in this chapter comes from Ezekiel, chapter 27, Jeremiah, chapters 50 and 51 and Isaiah. All those who read Revelation, chapter 18, through the ages knew that this chapter indicates that excessive material wealth does not help to save souls, it contributes to easy living and spiritual desolation. However, with the occurrence of the “great earthquake” at Christmas time 2004 and an understanding of the times “1260 days” and “42 months” relating to the words of Jesus Christ’ - also the knowledge that “the mighty angels” are particularly linked to the present time - we should see to what degree the symbolism of the fall of the great city relates to the present time.
Revelation, chapter 18 - The fall of the great city
Compared to other chapters of Revelation, chapter 18 is not difficult to understand. For those who lived through the Great Depression it must have had a special significance.As mentioned in the previous post the ‘mighty angels’ feature in Revelation, chapter 18, the fall of the great city, Babylon. The mighty angels symbolically relate to this chapter for I believe God has provided that that world’s economic structure will, despite loss, remain stable to provide for the needs of the remnant of his followers. (This is revealed later through the word “millstone” in Rev 19:21.)
Time in history and the end time
It is important also to remember that the time measures used in this chapter, the times of a “day” and “hour” relate to two time measures each. The reason for this is that one measure relates to history and one measure to the present time. A “day” being 287 years and a “day” in the last days being the length of a day as we know it. An “hour” has two measures about 24 years and also an “hour” in the end time the time of ‘hour’ as we know it. The reason for this is that the “fall” of the great city indicates three times. Through the centuries past and because the words of Revelation are symbols, this chapter includes all cities that came to a fall where excessive wealth led to corruption, immorality and decadence. However after the Divine intervention with the knowledge that Revelation relates to the time of the last two thousand years, the great city is not just any city it falls into a specific time. It is the time of the Great Depression. The time of the fall of stocks on Wall Street and the Great Depression was from 1927 to 1933, which is the end of a period of 287 years (a day) in the time construction of Revelation. This was shown in How near Armageddon. It also relates to 11 September 2001, which is the beginning of the time measure of “1260 days” in the end time.
We will now take a closer look at Revelation, chapter 18, verse by verse.
Rev 18:1 "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. Rev 10:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies."
Jesus Christ revealed with his mighty angels.
As mentioned in a previous post it is of the greatest significance that the words of Jesus Christ concerning the coming of the end, in Matthew 24:17 “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be”, correlate with events in the time 2003 to 2005. As was shown in previous posts these events in turn, relate to the words of Revelation “thunderings lightning and a great earthquake”. Through the words of 2 Thes 1:7 “Jesus will be revealed through his mighty angels” the revelation that the words of Jesus Christ correlate with time measure in the total understanding and words of Revelation in 2003 to 2005, means that the time of “1260 days” and “42 months” is also the time of the chapters on the “mighty angel”.
In Rev 18:1 – 2, because it is an angel with “great power” that says “mightily with a strong voice”, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen” it verifies that the time of the final fall of Babylon is also the time of the understanding of the times “1260 days” and “42 months”. (The time that begins with 11 September 2001 – part of the time of the final fall of the ‘great city’).
The repetition of the words “come down from heaven” indicates that it is the same time as the “mighty angel” in Revelation, chapter 10:1. Through the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:17, time measure and signs of the end these words are now time bound to the time 11 September 2001 to 22 February 2005.
great
The word “great” in Revelation usually relates to the very end time. The word “great” is used seven times in the pouring of the vial (wrath) of the seventh angel (Rev 16:17-21). This mighty angel “having great power” is symbolically showing that in 2005 Almighty God is counteracting the forces of evil. As mentioned in a previous post I consider the “great earthquake” in the seabed near Sumatra on 26 December 2004, as being “great” not only because it was 9.3 on the Richter scale, but because it happened at Christmas time 2004 it was in relation to the time measures of Revelation, revealed to me, surely the greatest “sign” that has been given to all mankind.
And the earth was lightened with his glory.
You will recall that in the post “1260 days” and “42 months” the times of “1000, 200 and threescore days” were linked to the times of earthquake and molten lava from Mount Kilauea volcano in Hawaii flowing to the sea. These were also times linked to the words “thunderings, lightning and a great earthquake”, that feature in Rev 8:5 and 16:18. The times of “lightning” were linked to the unusual time of emissions from the sun in October 2003 (opening of the sixth seal) and the time of the molten lava from Mount Kilauea flowing to the sea in June 2004 and February 2005 (Rev 8:8 “A great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea”). These were times in the total time span of “1260 days” and “42 months”. It was significant that happenings in the Far East were linked to happenings in the Far West in these time measures. It was verified by the words of Jesus Christ Matthew 24:27 “For as the lightning cometh out of the east , and shineth even unto the west; so shall the coming of the Son of man be”. The words of Rev 18:1 “and the earth was lightened by his glory “ now has a profound meaning for this “mighty angel” comes at the time of the “lightning” of the earth. In other words in the time of the symbolic darkening of the earth the “mighty angel” lightens the earth with his glory. These words “the earth was lightened with his glory” also relate to Scripture, Ezekiel 43:2 “And behold the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.”
Fall of Babylon
The “mighty angel” comes with the final fall of Babylon. Readers should bear in mind that the chapters or certain sections of Revelation are often introduced by the end time and then the following verses introduce the ‘run up’ or preparation to that time. In other words Rev 10:2 and 3 are revealing that ultimately all the nations of the world have succumb to the deceptions of the “beasts” of Revelation. The symbols used in verse 3, indicate immorality, corrupt leadership and excess. The verse Rev 18:2 is similar to Rev 17:2, which tells of how the nations fell under the spell of the “great whore”. Rev 18:2 says that now in 2005 “For all the nations have drunk the wine of the wrath of her fornication”.
It was explained in How Near Armageddon (1999) that during the 144 years (1860 to 2004) there was a gradual symbolic darkening of the earth because man was being gradually led into ‘darkness’ by the forces of evil. The time “144 years” is the time of 2 “generations” of 72 years. The time of the Great Depression, the midpoint of this time was what I believe to be the ‘first’ fall of Babylon. The fall of Babylon was not only a financial ‘fall’ it was also near the beginning of the time of the fourth rider of the Apocalypse the time, 1947. This is the rider that is Death and followed by Hades. This was the time that the law of religious equality would be propagated throughout the world. We know from the words of Revelation that God allowed this Rev 17:17 “For God hath put it in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” 1932 was the beginning of a period of 72 years that there would be a “spiritual” fall.
Revelation 10:4 “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”
It was explained in How near Armageddon (1999) that this verse relates to the times in history that Christians fled to new lands to escape the turbulent times in Christian history such as the time of the Reformation.
Rev 10:5 – 7 “For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.”
“For her sins have reached unto heaven” As mentioned in the previous post the word “heaven” relates to the end time. At this point in time, in 2005, we have to take special note of the words “God hath remembered her iniquities”. I say this for in Rev 16:19 (after the verse on the ‘great earthquake’) “And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and Great Babylon came into remembrance before God”, Revelation reveals a “final fall”. That fall could come at any time.
The degree of disregard by the nations for the truth that God is in full control of all that man is and has accomplished is the measure by which the nations are punished. The “cup” relates to the disregard of the nations for the “cup” of Holy Communion which is the forgiveness of the sins of mankind through the death and blood of Jesus Christ. The word “double” relates to the degree to which the nations will be punished for beconing comfortable and sinful in the time of prosperity. God allowed a time of the “rule of the beast” (Rev 17:17 For God hath put it in their hearts, to fulfil his will, and to agree, and to give their kingdom unto the beast), the acceptance of the equalization of world faiths, in the time of the rider on the grey horse, that is followed by Death and Hades, 1947 to the present time. In that time the Christian nations would experience the greatest financial prosperity, but is would cause even greater moral decline (double) than in the time before 1947.
The second part of verse 7 can be understood through Isaiah 47:8 “ Thou that are given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart , I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children.” This is very apt for history and the present time. Both the nations of the world and individuals believe that they can disregard the existence of a higher power and the guidelines of Scripture.
Rev 10:8 “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. “
This verse relates to history and to the present time. It relates to all the wars in the “three days and a half” of the second millennium, but it also relates to the wars in the final time of the end time.
Rev 10:9 –19 “And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, 10Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.”
“11And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 12The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 14And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17For in one hour so great riches is come to naught.”
“And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 19And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.”
Hour
Note that in these verses the word “hour” is used three times. The word “hour” is repeated at the end of each section. As mentioned an “hour” is both the time of 24 years and as an “hour” as we know it. These verses lament all the energies of mankind that went into the vocations of trade and commerce through the centuries. Energies spent that would not lead to the wisdom of God.
Revelation is measuring a period of three ‘hours’ through the repetition the word “hour”. It is therefore a time of 72 years (24x3). It is the time of three ‘hours’ after the Great Depression. The times 1933 to 1957; 1957 to 1981 and 1981 to 2005. The last ‘hour’ 1981 to 2005 brings the final time that is only known to God. Rev 10:10 “For in one hour is thy judgment come”.
The lament is for the loss of the wisdom of the nations through living “deliciously”. This is revealed through the word ‘naught’ that is used in “For in one hour so great riches is come to naught.” The use of the word “naught” in 1 Cor 2: 5-6 explains that the nations placed their faith in the wisdom of men and not of God. “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. How be it we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught.”
Desolate
“For in one hour is she made desolate”. The repetition of the word ”hour”, three times, shows that the prosperity and the fall includes all three sections of the earth. In other words the entire earth has become materially inclined and lost the wisdom of God.
11 September 2001
The time measure of an “hour” was significant on 11 September 2001, the day on which within an hour, the United States, the most powerful nation in the Western World, was attacked, alerted to hostile invasion and put on a path to conflict. It was also the time when the world markets took a tumble. That “day” was the beginning of the final time measure of “1260 days” and “42 months”. In that time, there would be war in Afghanistan and in Iraq, the area of the Euphrates River, the area and time of the sounding of the sixth trumpet.
Rev 18:20 “Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.”
It seems that the material prosperity of the nations of the earth in particular, the second half of the twentieth century, contributed to the decline of the spiritual values of the Christian nations. This is mankind’s collective punishment for the death of the apostles and prophets through centuries past.
Rev 18:21 “And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.”
Stone
In order to understand the bearing of this verse on the present time, the time of the “mighty angels”, we have to look to Scripture to reveal the meaning of “stone”. Through the word “stone” in Revelation, the word “stone” becomes a symbol with various meanings. The meanings are only valid where they relate to the same word used in Scripture.
The angel rolled back the stone
Scripture relates to the stone that was at the entrance to the place where the body of Jesus Christ was buried. Matthew 28:2 “And behold there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it.” The words of this verse come from the time of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The angel rolled back the stone to show the world that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. Through the understanding of Revelation, these words also relate to the time 2005. The time 26 December 2004 was the time of the great earthquake, through time measure the words of Jesus Christ, Matthew 24:27 “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth unto the west; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be” and Matthew 12:39 and “And they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be”, relates to the time 2005. It is also the time, through knowledge of the time measures of Revelation, that the mighty angels ‘descend from heaven’ (Rev 10:1 and 18:1) and verify in 2005 that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and that all that he said is true. His words open the book of Revelation and also verify the time measures. He has been with his Church through all the turbulent times of the last two millennia and is soon to return and once again appear to mankind.
Euphrates River
The following reference: Jeremiah 51:63-64 “And it shall be when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it , and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates. And thou shall say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I bring upon her: and they shall be weary.”
It is in 2005 through the word “stone” that is used in Revelation and also in Jeremiah 51:63-64 that the words relating to the ancient city of Babylon in Jeremiah in the Old Testament are applied to the fall of “the great city Babylon” in Revelation. The great city Babylon is in 2005 the internet –linked “global village”, that spans the entire earth. Through linking the symbols of Revelation to history and the present time, the words of Revelation are given a new meaning (Rev 21:5 “I make all things new”). I believe that when the last time measures of “1260 days” and “42 months” are linked with the words of Jesus Christ concerning the end time, the book of Revelation (“the little book” Rev 10:2) has been opened. Through the words “Euphrates River”, Revelation links the words of Jeremiah to the time of the sounding of the sixth trumpet and the time of the casting of the sixth bowl of vial (the sections of Revelation where the word “Euphrates River “ occurs). It will be the time of happenings at the Euphrates River or concerning the “Euphrates River” as used in Scripture that will signal the final fall of the “great city”.
We see therefore that through the word “stone” in Rev 18:21, Revelation seems to confirm that the time September 2001 to February 2005, the times of the “1260 days” and the “42 months” are the times of the blowing of the first six trumpets as well as the times of the “mighty angels” of Revelation.
The third reference in Scripture is the place of the Second temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. Matthew 24:1-2 “And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down”. (Note the words “thrown down” in Rev 18:21).
The Ten Commandments on tablets of stone.
The word “stone” relates to the tablets of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written. It should be borne in mind that it is at the beginning of the twenty-first century that the courts of the United States were debating whether to remove various stones in public places with the Ten Commandments on them, because they seemed unlawful in a nation that propagated religious freedom world wide. In the total understanding of Revelation, if this is happening at this point in time, after all that the United States of America has enjoyed, I believe that we have reached the time that the will of God has been fulfilled. Rev 17:17 “For God hath put it in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree, and give his kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.”
Corner stone
Isaiah 28:16 and 1 Peter 2:7 “I lay in Zion a chief corner stone”. “The stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.” Jesus Christ is the cornerstone rejected by the Jews, but who became the cornerstone of the Christian Church.
The mighty angel took up a stone like a millstone
Deuteronomy 24:6 “No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man’s life to pledge.” The fact that the mighty angel takes a stone like a “millstone”, and the word “millstone” relates to this reference in Deut 24:6 I believe God has provided that that world’s economic structure will, despite loss, remain stable to provide for ‘the daily bread’ of the remnant of his followers.
Through the word “millstone” in Luke 17:2 “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck , and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” The insight into the word “stone”, that is relevant to the present time, reveals those things (the truth that cannot be equaled to other faiths: that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and will return; that Jesus Christ is the corner stone of the Christian Church and only through his blood can man enter the New Jerusalem; the Ten Commandments debate at the present time) that is fatally harming the message of salvation through Jesus Christ to the children of the twenty-first century. For this reason the signs of the end will now constantly be revealed.
Rev 18:22 – 24 “And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.”
These verses reveal what all the world will know when “the great city has fallen”. Some of these symbols are already apparent at the present time. Living ‘deliciously’ in a free and prosperous society has focussed attention on material possessions and led to calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).
Cry out
When the final signs of the end come upon us, it will be the symbolism of the “stone” that ‘cries out’ to the nations. Habakkuk 2:11: “For the stone shall cry out of the wall”. Luke 20:40 “If these (the disciples of Jesus) should hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out”.