"How Near Armageddon": Q & A

Question: Will the world end in the year 2001?

Answer:

From the correlation of the history of the past two thousand years with the book Revelation, it seems that Revelation measures time accurately up to the year 2004.

The only way that we can know in 2001 if the end of our civilization is near is to take note of the words of Jesus Christ, concerning the end time and specific words of Revelation that relate to that time.

At the end of days man is going to experience the wrath of God. Revelation indicates through certain words why this will happen.

The word “hurt” appears seven times in Revelation and through its meaning we can begin to understand why there will be some catastrophic happenings at the end of days.

Rev 6:6
“And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, a measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine”

This verse is part of the information given concerning the opening of the “third seal”. The word “wine” combined with “oil” appears twice in Revelation. It indicates the time 1992 to 2004, for it is a product made from grapes which is a “fruit of the earth”; and it is regarded as a valuable trading product. We once again have to look at the chart of the division of the time 1860 to 2004.

In the Q&A – X, Q&A- XI and Q&A-XII, I explained that in order to interpret colour in Revelation, the second millennium has to be divided into fourteen equal sections. The colours of the gemstones of the foundations of the New Jerusalem have to be placed on twelve sections. Likewise the last 144 years, from 1860 to 2004 have to be divided into twelve sections and words that relate to “fruits of the earth” can then be interpreted. “Grapes” are “a fruit of the earth” and wine is not only a product of grapes, Revelation indicates that it is a trading product of the earth.

Rev 18:13 “And cinnamon and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil”

The combination of “wine” with the word “oil” in the year 2001, is of significance, for it seems as if Revelation is specifically indicating the importance of “oil” as a trading product in the time 1992 to 2004. Only time will tell if this product is going to play a crucial role in the following years.

“Wine” (See Revelation 14:20 “blood came out of the winepress”) relates to the death of Christian martyrs in the last time measurement of Revelation that is “the little season”. That season is measured from 1996 or 2000 to the end time. We know this from Revelation 6:11 and 20:3. It is the time of the revealing of the book Revelation, but also the time that the anti-Christian forces on earth will have reached their maximum.

“Oil” also relates to the time 1988, the “sixth thunder” (see Rev 10:4). There is a time measurement from 1988 to the time of the Second Coming that no one knows. From 1988 the nations have been moving to the final days – Rev 10:6 “time no longer”.

Christians who have washed their sins in the blood of the Lamb (taken Holy Communion and have the inner conviction to refrain from wrongdoing), can rest assured. For if they should die from floods, earthquake or wars during the end time, it will be they who will stand before the throne of God and receive “white robes”.

“And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea. Saying: Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”

“Four” (and “four angels”) in Revelation relates to the time, 2000 to 2004. See Q&A – VIII – the measurement of “heaven”.

The words “Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees” in the above verse indicate symbolically, three sections of the earth. Revelation divides the earth into Far East, Middle East and Far West. In the total meaning of Revelation, it also means the entire earth. It is of significance that in 1999 and up to January 2001, large earthquakes have occurred in these sections of the earth. According to the experts large earthquakes can be expected every year, but it is notable in the recorded history of earthquakes, that so many large earthquakes have hit cities, towns and populated areas in the whole world (“the great city”) since 1988.

September 1993 India 10 000
June 1994 Colombia 1 000
January 1995 Kobe, Japan 6 430
May 1995 Sakhalin Island 1 989
February 1997 Iran (2 quakes) 2 560

Populated areas hit since 1998
May 1998 Afghanistan 4 000
June 1998 Turkey 144
July 1998 New Guinea 1 000 (by tidal wave)
January 1999 Colombia 1 000
March 1999 India (2) 100
17 August 1999 Turkey 17 000
7 September 1999 Athens, Greece
21 September 1999 Taiwan 2 500
July 2000 Mexico City
October 2000 Japan
13 January 2001 El Salvador 700
26 January 2001 India 30 000
13 February 2001 El Salvador 400

If the floods and the large earthquakes that have occurred in recent times should increase in the following years, then it is a sign of the end. The world will never again be destroyed by water, but the floods will ‘plague’ the nations. In other words severe weather conditions will bring about illness and death. This is underlined by Rev 16:21 “And men blasphemed God because of the plague of hail; for the plague thereof was exceedingly great.”

Revelation indicates severe storms by the word “thunderings” (Rev 4:5; 19:6; 8:5 and 11:19) and “thunders” (Rev 16:18). A “great earthquake” will follow the “thunderings” (Rev 8:5,11:19 and 16:18).

It seems that in the last four years, Revelation symbolically combines ‘heaven’ and ‘earth’. This is done to show that God is directly communicating with man on earth. Also to show man finally that God has, and always has had a purpose with man on earth.

The word ”thunderings” and “thunder” in the various verses all indicate the same time, but in each instance Revelation, wants to reveal more about that time.

In Rev 4:5 the word “thunderings” is combined with “seven lamps of fire which are the seven Spirits of God”. This is specifically said at the beginning of Revelation for a reason. It means that storms, thunder and lightening don’t just happen, they are commanded by God himself and can serve as a way of communication (indicted by the word “voices”) to those who are in Spirit with God, those who believe in the presence of the Holy Spirit. In this way we know that certain great earthquakes indicate time measurement in Revelation.

In Rev 19:6 indicates that all Christians (voice of a great multitude) that were in Spirit with God on earth, will be in Spirit with him in heaven.

In Rev 8:5, it is also the time that the forces of darkness (“cast it to the earth”) will influence man.

In Rev 11:19 it is the time that the time measurement of seven years (Daniel 12:11-12) will come to pass.

Man is being punished for he has put in place a ruling of the nations that undermines the message of eternal life through Jesus Christ to the last generations.

Rev 9:3-4
“ And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power, and it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men which do not have the seal of God in their foreheads.

This verse falls in the section of the “second woe”. It indicates that the “locusts” will not effect Christians in the Far West (revealed by Rev 9:1, the star that fell from heaven), but also Christians in the entire earth (by the words “any green thing”). The subtle (“out of the smoke”) effects (“locusts upon the earth”) of the developing forces of evil (beast out of the sea and beast out of the earth) will spiritually not be able to effect true Christians.

Luke 10:19
“Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

Rev 9:10
“ And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months”.

“Five months” in Revelation is thirty years for a “month” is six years. “Five months” appears twice in Revelation, therefore it measures two periods of thirty years after the time 1896 (the time “of the key to the bottomless pit” - Rev 9:1) and 1900 (the time “a star fall from heaven unto earth” – Rev. 9:1).

It is therefore the time 1896 to 1956 and the time 1900 to 1960. Revelation does this to indicate the measurement of time of 2000 years from 4 BC and AD 1.

Revelation seems to indicate that up to 1956, the anti-Christian ‘spirit’ (the accumulative effect of the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the earth) would not be able to “hurt” the new generations (“green grass”) of Christians. But after 1956, the belief that Christianity, as the only way to the Father would be effected. The world would have “the Destroyer” - Rev 9:1- as king.

Therefore putting all the meanings of the word “hurt” together In the total interpretation of Revelation, the “hurt” that will be brought about to the world at the end of days will be, because man discarded the message of Jesus Christ. Through, for example, a ruling that would be in the interests of humanity (“faces of men”- Rev 9:7), a dependence on sophisticated weaponry (“breastplates of iron”- Rev 9:9), men would not place the accent on the importance of the unity of Christianity with the state. It would undermine the message of the redeeming blood of Christ, to the last generation.

Rev 9:13-19 has to do with one of the three sections of the earth, that Revelation indicates (to make interpretation possible), namely, the Middle East section of the earth. It is indicated by the word ”Euphrates”. The following verse that contains the word “hurt” appears in that section.

Rev 9:19
“For their power is in their mouth and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads with them they do hurt.”

In Rev 9:17 to 19, Revelation uses the image of the horses of the Apocalypse. The reason for this is to affirm the whole history of Christianity, the rise and fall of the Christian Church in the world. How the effect of that history would ultimately largely determine the end time (“fire and brimstone”).

Note that Revelation repeats the word “mouth”, three times, once in each verse. This is to indicate that world communication to the three sections of the earth (the entire earth) will ultimately have the greatest effect to ultimately undermine the message of Jesus Christ.

The wars that would be fought from 1980 (“jacinth” -Rev 9:17) in the Middle East section of the earth (including Eastern Europe), would be the result of all the nations of the world falling away from the unity of the Christian church and state. The Middle East section of the earth is also the section of the earth in which Armageddon will take place. This is conveyed through the repetition of the words “fire and brimstone” Rev 9:18, 19:20 and 20:10. Through world communication (mouth) and a prevailing world philosophy at the end of the twentieth century, that does not recognize the eternal message of Jesus Christ, Christians and Christianity will be “hurt”.

The nations will be punished for the death of true Christians “true witnesses”

Rev 11:5
“And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.”

Therefore, considering all the verses in which the word “hurt” appears it seems that the reasons for natural disasters and Armageddon at the end time are the following. The undermining of the message of Jesus Christ that was brought about through the effects on the entire earth of the “beast out of the sea” and “the beast out of the earth”. The deaths of true Christians that were also as a result of evil brought about by these forces. The Christian nations did not make provision that the youth of the late twentieth century would inherit the true message of eternal life through Jesus Christ. The Christian youth of the late twentieth century would not be totally lost as a result of the “drying up” of the “living waters”. The time in which the “drying up” occurs is indicated by the last three “foundations” of the time 1860 to 2004, that is the time1968 to 2004.

As I have mentioned in previous answers to questions, the words “small and great” in Revelation relate to the very end time and the time of judgement.

And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, freeman and slave, to receive a mark in their right hand or a mark in their foreheads.

In the total time measurement of Revelation these words indicate the time of 144 years, 2004 to 1860, with the midpoint 1932. Note that Revelation measures time BACK from 2004(“small and great”), 1932(“rich and poor”- the time of the great depression) and 1860 (“freeman and slave” – the time of the American Civil War). Note that Revelation brings these words in relation with the “beast out of the earth” in order to show how the equality of men and economic factors will intensify the effect of the “beast out of the earth”.

“Small and great, rich and poor, freeman and slave” that indicates two periods of 72 years: bring the time span of 144 years into relation with the time measurement of the total second millennium that is “three and a half days”.

996 (one thousand years after the birth of Christ) to 1284 = 288 years (one “day”)
1284 to 1572 = 288 years (one “day”)
1572 to 1860 = 288 years (one “day”)
1860 to 2004 = 144 years (half a “day”)

The words “small and great, rich and poor and freeman and slave” also bring the 666 years 1266 to 1932, that reveal the “beast out of the earth” into relation with that time measurement of “three and a half days” in the second millennium. 1932 is the midpoint of the last half a ‘day’ of 144 years.

Rev.11: 18
And the nations are angry and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou should give reward unto thy servants and prophets, and to the saints and to them that fear thy name, small and great; and should destroy them that destroy the earth.

Rev 19:5
Praise our God all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.

Rev 19:18
That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, great and small.

In the above verse Revelation is showing that death brought about by war that is going to happen in the end time (great and small) is for the SAME reasons as through the second millenium. The same as the reasons for the wars in the times when Christian kings had power.

[Note how Revelation moves across the time of the second millennium to indicate how the rule of the Christian nations changed – from “kings” to “mighty men”.]

The reasons for wars involving Christians were the same in the time that the captains (“captains”) of ships and of armies from European countries were in charge of wars across the seas (1500 to 1896). The time that leaders of nations (“mighty men”) were ordinary men and not from royalty (1896 to 2004). Man was following the dictates of the sinful nature within him. Man revolted against the unity of the Christian State and Christian Church and those upholding the message of Christ (“and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them”). Those in positions of authority, through the second millennium, were also falling under the influence of the “beast out of the sea” and “the beast out of the earth”.

Rev 19:18 “And the flesh of all men, both free and bond, small and great”. It seems from these words that Armageddon will be fought as a result of the breakdown of the unity of the Christian State and the Christian Church. The resulting equality of persons who have a say in the rule of the nations: “free and bond”(1860) and “small and great” (2004) may be a reason.

Rev. 20:12 “And I saw the dead small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened.”

“And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great.”

It is of importance that “small and great” is used in connection with the Sodomites that were stricken with blindness for, Revelation uses the word Sodom in Rev 11:8. Revelation says that “Sodom” and “Egypt” are used “spiritually” for they apply to the times 1500, (the midpoint of the second millennium), and 1932, (the midpoint of the time 1860 to 2004). It was from the year 1500 that Christians would flee from Europe as a result of the wars of the Reformation. Revelation regards the time 1932 to the end time as the time of Sodom. In that time men will be blinded to the influences of the “beast out of the sea” and the “beast out of the earth”. Man bears the ‘mark of the beast’ and no longer strives to the “mark for the prize for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

Rev 17:16 “And the ten horns which thou sawest on the beast, these shall hate the whore”

Like the “beast”, the “the great whore” is an enormous concept and its development spans centuries of the second millennium.

In the time that the nations (“ten horns”) would bring an end to the unity of the Christian king and the Christian State, men will “hate the whore” (those Christians who exploited fellow Christians for economic gain). We know from history that in the time that the unity of the Christian church and Christian State crumbled in Europe, exploitation of Christians, led to revolt

But the Christian nations who were gradually falling away from their belief could not know the ultimate results of their prejudice against the Christian church. In time, the ruling of the former Christian nations, without the Christian church would be transported to the ends of the earth (“the woman and the beast that carrieth her” - Rev 17:7).

In the new countries, exploitation of Christians and new converts to the Christian faith, for economic gain, would have devastating results.

Rev 17:16 “and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

How will we know that the end time has begun? How will we know when the carrying out of the true message of Christianity (Rev 12:1 “the woman clothed in the sun”) has reached the time of “the judgement of the great whore that sitteth on many waters” (Rev 17:1).

Revelation tells us what is meant by “waters” when used in relation to the “woman”.

Rev 17:15 “The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations and tongues.” In other words the “great whore” has to do with the way that Christianity was spread to the peoples, multitudes, and nations that speak many languages in the world.

Luke 22:27
For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serveth.

Therefore, what Revelation means by “sitteth on many waters” is that exploitation is to be found in a message brought to the nations of the world by Christians who were in a privileged position. Note how Revelation distinguishes between the “two witnesses” (Rev 11:3) that carry out the message in “sackcloth” and the symbolism connected to the great whore.

The use of the word “abominations” in relation to the “great whore” is of significance.

Revelation uses the symbol of the “great whore” to show how the Christian nations would during the second millennium under the influence of the “beast out of the sea” and the “beast out of the earth” ultimately promote a message of Christianity, influenced by world trade. (See Rev 18:17 below.)

[We know through history that one of the main reasons why a policy of equalization of world beliefs came into being at the beginning of the eighteenth century (about the time 1710), was to ease relationships between groups of peoples of different religious faiths within nations. Also to promote harmony between Christian nations and other nations that adhered to different faiths. The reasons were primarily to promote trade relations. What the Christians nations did not realize at the time or later even did not want to realize, was that this ideology would become law and would ultimately undermine the message of eternal life only through Jesus Christ. ]

Rev 17:4
“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of the abominations and filthiness of her fornication.

Rev 18:16-17
“Alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls. For in “one hour” so great riches is come to nought.”

The evolvement of the concept symbolized in “the great whore” spans centuries. The wealth of the nations reaches its zenith in the time of “one hour”, “purple and scarlet”, the time 1980 to 2004. If in the following years (2001 to 2004) world trade should collapse as a result of extreme weather conditions, or a great war (that must then be Armageddon), a great earthquake; we are in the end time.

Look at the chart of the “fruits of the earth” above, on which the colors of the gemstones of the New Jerusalem are placed on the periods of twelve years in the 144 years, 1860 to 2004. Revelation measures BACK, “purple and scarlet”: “purple” (1992 to 2004) and then “scarlet” (1980 to 1992).

“And except those days shall be shortened, there no flesh be saved: but for the elects sake those days shall be shortened.”

It is not impossible that circumstances may change dramatically in the next four years.

According to the words of Revelation it seems that the end time will be a time when we will experience extreme weather conditions. Strong winds will blow over the seas and land. In 2000 and 2001 we have seen that unusually cold temperatures have occurred in Russia and Mongolia. We have seen flooding in the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Northern Italy, Mozambique, Zambia, Thailand, Sumatra, Australia and countries in South America. If these conditions persist or get worse in the time to come it is a sign of the end time.

As mentioned the large earthquakes that occurred since 1999, that seem to take place in the in the three divisions of the earth according to Revelation, Far East, Middle East and Far West are a sign of the end time. If more large earthquakes should strike, it is a sign of the end of days.

The return of the Jews to Israel in the time since 1860 must be noted. The conflict concerning Jerusalem and occurring at the same time moves by nations to the creation of ‘missile shields’, the building up of stronger armies and reaction forces is a sign of the end time.

The opening of the book of Revelation is a sign of the end time. We have to look at the words of Jesus Christ and only then can we understand the full implication of the words of Revelation. The words of Revelation involve the New Covenant. Do not be misled.

Mark 13:14
But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not.

At the time that the nations have cast aside the faith that the way to the Father is through Jesus Christ, it will be the time that the nations of the world will be preparing for war concerning the holy places in Jerusalem. (See also Q&A XI – Jerusalem)

Hardship for mankind (“plague”) will also be as a result of unclean living and cloning (“three evil spirits like frogs” - see Q&A - XII).

“Plagues” will occur at the time of changing weather conditions. It seems that man will in only blaspheme against God more in these times rather than see that God has held all history in his hand. Man is deceived and blinded. Only those Christians that await the Return will know that the prophecy of Revelation is being fulfilled. Note the use of the word “great” in the following verse. In the total time measurement of Revelation it is used in “small and great” and relates to the time 2004. The repetition of the word “plague” indicates that in the time of extreme weather conditions man will experience another form of plague. A particular form of plague may ravage each cardinal point of the earth, north, east, south and west.

Rev 16:21
“ and men blasphemed God because of the plague of hail; for the plague thereof was exceedingly great.”