INTRODUCING THE WRATH OF GOD

In the previous article in this chapter-by-chapter exploration of the book of Revelation, we explored chapter 14. We now leave that chapter and arrive at chapter 15. In Revelation 4-11, the Apostle John saw the rituals of Rosh Hashanah, the Festival of Trumpets. He saw God sitting upon his judgment throne with the “Book of Life” in his hand. He heard the trumpets in chapters 8 through 11. However, in the closing verses of chapter 11, he begins to describe the rituals of Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement.

It is here that the Mystery Babylon beast system that the world saw foreshadowed and witnessed its rise during the age of Grace is in full swing. It is here that an unsaved and condemned Christ-rejecting humanity on the earth will stand on the very precipice of experiencing the wrath of God being poured out upon the earth beginning in the next chapter (chapter 16). This chapter (chapter 15) is the introduction and solemn preparation in Heaven of what is about to take place. At this point, those who took the mark of the beast and those who didn’t have all been sorted out. Although we see that men and women still have the opportunity to repent by the time we get to chapter 16, we are told that mankind is no longer repenting at this point. Everyone has chosen his and her side. Those who did not take the mark of the beast find themselves in Heaven at this point. Those unsaved and damned who remain on the earth wait to be judged. It is here at the moment of chapter 15 when one of the four beasts of Heaven come forth to give to the seven angels the seven golden vials that are full of the wrath of God …

“And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled” (Revelation 15).

It is a solemn moment. Seven angels emerge from the Tabernacle of Testimony holding the seven plagues. One of the four beasts gives the seven angels seven golden vials of wrath to be poured out.

The Great Tribulation, introduced with the rise of the beast, is now in full bloom by chapter 15. The new global government gains uncontrolled power. The Antichrist shows mankind how it feels to be completely enslaved. His oppression is unparalleled in the annals of human history. The human race is dragged through the quagmire of humanism – the so-called “utopia” of a world without God. In 42 short months, he demonstrates the ultimate result of atheism, evolution or whatever other notion of reality that man harbors in his/her belief system. God lets Satan and his minions run roughshod over a Christ-rejecting humanity as a result of man’s willful rejection of the truth. Mankind will be made to see how it feels to live in a society completely devoid of any spiritual hope. The world will descend into the night of dark hopelessness as the prophet Joel so vividly describes …

“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains …” (Joel 2:1-2).

The Tribulation will be a time of great supernatural evil manifesting before the eyes of humanity with their elite globalist proxies at the helm of control. Just as the Babylonian captivity taught the Jews the fallacy of idolatry by sending them into the very heart of the caldron, the Great Tribulation teaches mankind the futility of living in a world without God. We are reminded that the Jews never again worshipped the evil demonic spirits behind the mythological gods of Baal and Ashtoreth. However, during the Tribulation hour, the result of the worship of these demonic entities will emerge into the sight of man, brought forth with the devices and ritual occultic sorcery of Satan’s machinations through his deceived proxies (see a previous article titled “RAISING HELL WITH CERN AND SATURN.” Likewise, the human race will regret that they ever denied God’s existence, or desired to live in a world without his divine assistance and participation. Examples of God’s participation and assistance in the affairs of man are too numerous to detail here of course, but should cause atheistic and God-rejecting man to realize just how foolish he/she really is without the spirit of the God of the Bible to enlighten his/her darkened soul …

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord. There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous” (Psalm 14:1-5).

By the time that the world arrives at this point in the Tribulation, it is time for Christ to take a firm hand in the affairs of man. The bowls of his wrath are full – completely full …

“And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God” (Revelation 15:1).

John’s Third Sign

This is John’s third sign observed in the heavens. The Greek term for “sign” is σημεῖον [semeion], translated twice previously as “wonder” (KJV). The first sign was that of a virgin, giving birth to the Son of God, likely having a dual meaning for the Church as well for it is a parenthetical portion of scripture (Revelation 12:1-2). The second sign was that of a great red dragon, enemy of the Son (Revelation 12:3). This third and final heavenly sign concerns seven vials or bowl-like vessels containing the wrath of God. These are the only three “great and marvelous” signs that John reports as semeion in the heavens.

Though there are a total of twelve major constellations, and another 36 sidereal sidepieces, John is only concerned with these three: Virgo and her Divine Son, Scorpio (the avowed enemy) and Crater (the bowl of Divine wrath) poured out upon the serpent in the constellation of Leo the Lion.

Virgo introduces the ancient star chart. Her seed, the Son of God, is depicted in several constellations: Coma, Bootes, Centaurus, Lupus, Ophiuchus, Hercules, Sagittarius, Aries, Taurus, Cepheus, Perseus, Auriga, Gemini and Leo the Lion. The old serpent, the devil, is also depicted in several constellations: Scorpio, Serpens, Cetus, Draco and Hydra. In each case, he is seen as the enemy of God’s Son. It takes all 48 constellations to tell the whole story of the conflict between Christ and Satan, but the final battle is given in the constellation Leo the Lion.

Christ, the Lion of Judah, is seen pouncing upon Hydra, the many-headed serpent, while Crater is dumping out those bowls of God’s wrath and Corvus, the bird, is eating his flesh – the very scenes described in the book of Revelation.

Though there are 60 visible stars stretching across a third of the circle of the heavens, making up the constellation of Hydra, he is no match for the Lion representing Jesus Christ.

John is not eliminating the other constellations, but simply abbreviating the story by moving straight to the seven-fold cup of God’s wrath, depicted here as seven vials, soon to be poured out upon the kingdom of the Antichrist. The zodiac (called Mazzaroth in the Hebrew text of Job 38:22) begins with Christ’s First Advent in Virgo and concludes with his Second Advent in Leo. Originally, the Zodiac was not a chart for demonic prognostications. However, in the days of the Tower of Babel, the message in the stars were perverted into something that God did not originally intend for it to be, thus becoming early mankind’s infamous idolatry.

Satan knew that if he could pervert God’s first Bible that was written in the stars, he might prevent its fulfillment. He guided Nimrod into changing mankind’s perception of the planets and constellations. I guess we could say that Nimrod was the first liberal theologian. In the Apocalypse, however, John returns to the original message set forth in the stars.

The Seven Angels

“And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled” (Revelation 15:5-8).

The seven angels in chapter 15 are actually introduced with the sounding of the seventh trumpet in Revelation 11:15-19. This heavenly scene picks up where chapter 11 leaves off. The seven vials are part and parcel of the third woe judgment …

“… the third woe cometh quickly.
“And the seventh angel sounded …
“And the temple of God was opened in heaven” (Revelation 11:14,15,19).

The concluding verse of chapter 15 continues this scene …

“And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God …” (Revelation 15:8).

The seven angels come out of the Temple, clothed in priestly garments, and receive seven vials from one of the living creatures (beasts,” KJV) at God’s throne.

The intervening chapters (12-14) were not intended to break the continuity of this spectacular event. Just as the seventh seal introduces the trumpet judgments, the seventh trumpet introduces the vial judgments. They are not the same judgments. The seals provide an introductory overview of the entire Tribulation Period; the trumpets represent judgments fulfilled in the first half of the Tribulation Period; and the vials represent judgments fulfilled in the last half – the “Great” Tribulation.

The Day of Atonement

When we first saw God’s throne in chapters 4-7, it was noted that those events follow the liturgy of Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets. But here, we are seeing the liturgy of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. These High Holy Days in the Jewish calendar are observed in the autumn, beginning with the new moon of September. In the Jewish calendar, the month is called Tishri.

Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first and second days of Tishri, while Yom Kippur is observed on Tishri 10. The ten days are known as “the Days of Awe” or “Days of Repentance.” Michael Strassfeld, in The Jewish Holidays (1985), admonishes the rabbis …

“It’s about time we [Judaism] dropped the anglicized, Christian-sounding names for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, High Holy Days or High Holidays, and reverted to the Jewish name, yamim noraim – Awesome Days, or Days of Awe, days of anxiety, trepidation, humility, soul-searching. These are the connotations we want. We do not want a Jewish ritual equivalent of going to the opera. Because that’s what we have, it reinforces those Jews who, for example, instead of wearing the traditional kittel or white robe, don the sort of dress they would wear to attend the opera (page 95).

Strassfeld emphasizes the solemnity of those ten days. It is an incredibly awesome and fearful time – thus depicting the future Tribulation Period. These autumn rituals foreshadow the Second Coming of Christ, while the Passover season, observed in the springtime (Nissan 14), present prophecies fulfilled at his First Coming. The Gospel of John follows the liturgy of the Passover, while Revelation follows the liturgical significance of the High Holy Days.

Vials of Wrath

Scripture reveals that God is “longsuffering … not willing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9). But judgment day will arrive. Wickedness cannot continue forever. Someday, God will decree that the Tribulation Period should begin. However, even then, God will wait until the reign of the Antichrist before he pours out his vials of wrath. Also, it appears from this chapter that all Tribulation believers are rescued before the vial judgments are poured out. As we shall see in the next chapter, they are similar to the judgments upon Egypt in the days of Moses, thus bringing the world down to Armageddon.

The Tribulation Saints

“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God” (Revelation 15:2).

John specifically deals with only two groups of saints in the Tribulation Period: 144,000 Israelites and an innumerable host of martyrs from all nations. This should give us a clue to the identity of those martyrs first mentioned as being under the altar when the fifth seal was broken …

“And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (Revelation 6:9-11).

Note that they cry out for their blood to be avenged upon those currently dwelling on Earth – that is upon the forces of the Antichrist during the Tribulation Period. Also, a reference to “fellow servants” and “brethren” indicates that they are the first group of martyred saints in the Tribulation Period.

The seal judgments appear to be an introduction to the entire seven-year period. Therefore, following the first four seal judgments, in which the Antichrist rides forth on the symbolic white horse; war joins him on the red horse; economic control is seen in the black horse; and wholesale death is depicted on the pale horse, we are introduced to the final martyrs of the Tribulation Period.

In the following chapter, John explains that 144,000 Israelites will be sealed and an innumerable host of converts from all nations will be martyred during the Tribulation Period …

“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” (Revelation 7:9).

They are distinctly connected to the Tribulation Period because the elder tells John …

“And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14).

This is a view of all the Tribulation saints, of which the souls under the altar were only the beginning. They depict those “fellow servants” and “brethren” mentioned to the souls under the altar. What we see in chapter 7 begins with 144,000 sealed Israelites, and concludes with their converts from all nations. This scene is picked up again in our current study of Revelation 15.

A special resurrection is planned for these martyrs at the close of the Tribulation Period …

“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. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:4-5).

This is not a resurrection of New Testament Christianity. We are specifically told that these resurrected saints “had not worshipped the beast … neither had received his mark.” Therefore, these saints, resurrected at the close of the Tribulation Period, include the souls under the altar and their “fellow servants” and “brethren.”

Why are we not among them? Search the book of Revelation and you will not find us specifically mentioned. Even in the letters to the seven churches, New Testament Christianity can be seen only by implication. As far as John knew, he was writing to seven local churches that existed in his day. He probably didn’t have a clue that those seven churches would represent the various stages in the development of New Testament Christianity from the first century to the last century of the Church Age by then-hidden divine decree of God. This revelation would be designed to be revealed only to the last era of the Church Age. But the Church was certainly not specifically mentioned in these letters, although intended to be representative of it as a prophecy of how it would all unfold in the Age of Grace before the rapture and Tribulation occurs (see the series titled “The Seven Churches In Time Ages of Prophecy Fulfillment” beginning with part 1 here).

The Lamb’s Book of Life

Why does John seemingly ignore the saints of the New Testament era, both those who died in previous generations and those who are still alive in the last generation, as he gives his discourse on the Tribulation Period? The answer can be seen in the Jewish rituals of Rosh Hashanah. The rabbis teach that Rosh Hashanah offers a prophetic view of the end of days. They believe that on some future Rosh Hashanah, God will sit down upon his throne of Judgment and bring the nations to task.

According to Jewish tradition, God will consult the “Book of Life” and the “Book of Death.” The first is the “Book of Life (which John later calls the “Lamb’s book of Life“) into which the names of the saints are written “… from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Apparently, the Old Testament saints are included in this book, having believed that some day, the Messiah would remove their sins by his sacrifice (see the section at the end of this article titled “THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN AND YOU“). This appears to be the meaning of the term, “from the foundation of the world.” Note that John does not say, before … “the foundation of the world,” but “from.” Though I hold to the doctrine of predestination, I am persuaded that this verse primarily teaches that the redeemed, from Adam forward, have been entered into the Book of Life.”

Upon his judgment throne, God will recognize that there are a great many people in the world whose hearts will be open to hear and receive the gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Therefore, he will allow a period of seven years, typified by the “Days of Repentance,” in the last chance opportunity of grace that they might repent before their fate is sealed.

Question: Must the saints of the last generation, who have received eternal life by grace and grace alone, have to endure the afflictions of the Tribulation Period? Must we, who have already repented and received the Holy Spirit as the “earnest of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:10-14) still have to add something to our repentance during the future “Days of Repentance?” Take heart. There is a scriptural, Holy Spirit-breathed promise of a pre-tribulation resurrection and rapture for all whose names were previously written in the “Lamb’s book of Life.”

On the other hand, the names of the unsaved are written in the “Book of Death.” They are doomed. With the coming of Yom Kippur, the names of the unsaved wicked will have been added to the “Book of Death,” and the names of the saved righteous (those who personally repented and received Christ) will have been added to the Book of Life.” By then, either a person has repented, or he/she has not. Hayyim Schauss, in The Jewish Festivals (1938), writes about how the Jews read the simple, yet expressive words that tell about God judging the world on that fearful and solemn Rosh Hashana (you may want to take a shot or two to deal with the “thees, thys and thous of the primitive English language, it almost made me want to go to the bar and get hammered through the floor – irritating yes, but the payoff of insight is probably worth the torture);

“We will declare the greatness and the holiness of this Day, for thereon Thy kingdom is exalted, Thy throne established in mercy, and Thou judgest in truth. It is true that Thou art the judge; Thou reprovest; Thou knowest all; Thou bearest witness, recordest and sealest: Thou also rememberest all things that seem to be forgotten; and all that enter the world must pass before Thee, even as the shepherd causes his sheep to pass under his rod. Thou numberest and countest, and visitest every living soul, appointest the limitations of all Thy creatures, and recordest the sentence of their judgment: how many are to pass away, and how many are to come into existence; who are to live and who are to die; who are to accomplish the full number of their days, and who are not to accomplish them; who are to perish by water and who by fire; who by the sword and who by hunger; who by earthquake and who by plagues; who shall have repose and who shall be troubled; who shall be tranquil and who shall be disturbed; who shall be prosperous and who shall be afflicted; who shall become poor and who shall become rich; who shall be cast down and who shall be exalted” (pages 147 and 148).

Is it just me, or does that sound like predestination? Though this Jewish concept is repeated every Rosh Hashanah with the new year in view, its message also refers to the final judgment upon mankind in the end of days. This accounts for the reason why the Lamb breaks the seals and opens the scroll.

John mentions both books in the Apocalypse. God gives the seven-sealed scroll to the Lamb in chapter 5. Christ breaks the seals in chapter 6 through 8, and holds it open in chapter 10. In Revelation 13:8, John reminds us that the names of the wicked “are not written in the book of Life of the Lamb slain …” And in Revelation 21:27, we are reminded that only “they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” are allowed to enter the New Jerusalem.

At the “great white throne” (Revelation 20:11-15), both books will be consulted. Death and Hell will deliver up the dead to stand before Christ, the great Judge. From the “Book of Death,” all will be judged “according to their works” (verse 13). And, in the end, “whosoever was not found written in the book of Life was cast into the lake of fire (verse 15).

This is the message of the High Holy Days. Could that seventh month be a symbol/type/shadow/picture of the seventh millennium of human history? If so, then the “Days of Repentance” should soon begin.

It has been said that the Jews believe that the final judgment will be set on Rosh Hashanah; the verdict will be rendered on Yom Kippur; and the execution of the unsaved wicked will occur on Hoshanah Rabbah – the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. Therefore, Rosh Hashanah introduces the Tribulation Period; the “Days of Awe” allude to the following seven years; Yom Kippur teaches the coming of the Messiah at the close of the seven years; and Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles) foreshadows that millennial kingdom. This will be followed by the execution of all the wicked in the lake of fire at the close of the seventh millennium.

Yom Kippur

In Bible days, on Yom Kippur, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies three times. First, he would take a pan of live coals from the Brazen Altar into the Holy of Holies, place them on the floor, and pour incense upon them, creating a large cloud of smoke. Then, he would collect two vessels of blood – one from a slain bull and the other from a sacrificial goat. The bull’s blood was offered for the sins of the priesthood (of whom the 144,000 are typified) and the blood of a goat for the sins of the people (of whom the Tribulation saints are typified). He would take the bowl that contained the blood of the bull and enter the Holy of Holies a second time and sprinkle seven drops upon the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant. Returning to the antechamber, he would exchange vessels and repeat the ritual with the blood of the goat.

Emerging from the Holy of Holies after his third ritual, he would return to the antechamber and mix the goat’s blood with the blood of the bull. With the bowls of mixed blood in hand, he and his assistants would come outside to the courtyard and dash the remaining blood upon the cornerstone at the base of the Brazen Altar.

In John’s view of this heavenly counterpart in Revelation 15 of our current chapter study, he sees seven angels emerge from the heavenly Temple, clothed in the garments of the heavenly priesthood.

They are given seven vials of God’s wrath, representing the final fulfillment of this incredible Jewish ritual. The blood that flows to the horses’ bridles in the previous chapter represents the fulfillment of the blood of Yom Kippur. The 144,000 seem to be those for whom the blood of the bull is shed; and the Tribulation saints seem to be those for whom the blood of the goat is shed. These are those whose names were added to the “Lamb’s Book of Life” during the Tribulation Period.

The Song of Moses

“And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest” (Revelation 15:3-4).

Two “new songs” are sung in this book (Revelation 5:9 and 14:3), but here, the Tribulation martyrs present another two songs – the “song of Moses” and the “song of the Lamb.” Some scholars would have these saints singing the song that followed the destruction of Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea (Exodus 15:1-19). In light of the fact that the vials of wrath are so similar to the plagues upon Egypt, it seems logical that they could be singing this song. Gleaning from the song, here are some interesting excerpts:

“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord …
“The Lord is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
“The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
“Thou in thy mercy has led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou has guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
“The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
“Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
“Thou shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thy inheritance, in the place O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
“The LORD shall reign for ever and ever (Exodus 15:1,3,9,13-18).

Such lyrics could easily refer to both the Egyptian Pharaoh and to the Antichrist. In Revelation 15, our chapter of study in this article of the Revelation series, Christ is about to pour out vengeance upon the kingdom of the Antichrist in the same manner that Moses brought the plagues upon Egypt. You may have also noticed the correlation with the same chapter numbers of both narratives in both books – Exodus 15 and Revelation 15. This is where I would encourage the reader to read the whole chapter of Exodus 15 and then read the whole chapter of Revelation 15 and see the amazing correlating theme.

Also, we might note that the “inhabitants of Palestine … Edom, Moab, and … all the inhabitants of Canaan” are replaced with the Hebrews. God will “plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance.” Are we looking at a prophecy of the Palestinians and Jordanians in the coming Messianic Kingdom? Could be.

Deuteronomy 32

I would also like to suggest that they could be singing the “song of Moses” in Deuteronomy 32, and Psalms 90-100. Moses wrote a total of 12 stanzas for this song, eleven of which were placed in the Psalms. They were presented near the end, perhaps on the last day, of Moses’ life as a prophecy of the future of Israel.

In the opening stanza, Israel is asked to “remember the days of old” and “consider the years of many generations” (Deuteronomy 32:7). Jewish commentators say that the “days of old” refer to the six days of Creation, and the “years of many generations” refer to 6,000 years reflected in those six days. The rabbis are convinced that the six days of Creation represent a prophecy of six millennia, and that the day upon which God rested, represents the seventh millennium – the “day of the LORD.”

It is remarkable that only the first stanza is recorded in Deuteronomy. The remaining eleven stanzas were left out of the books of Law and kept apart until David compiled the fourth book of the Psalms. He placed them as Psalms 90-100. We can determine that God had a plan for placing the first stanza, dedicated to Simeon, in the Torah, as if he was incarcerated under the Law.

To understand this, we should remember that Joseph incarcerated Simeon and sent the other brothers to fetch Benjamin. This set up a prophetic pattern to be fulfilled in the future of the Israelites. The name Simeon means “hearing,” and seemingly has a prophetic reference to the spiritual hearing of Israel, as seen in the prophecy of the ear of Malchus. To begin with, Isaiah was told to carry God’s message to Israel …

“And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed” (Isaiah 6:9-10).

Here is a prophecy that God will make Israel blind and deaf to certain spiritual truths, among them being the identity of their Messiah. Jesus invoked this prophecy as he spoke to the people in riddles or parables. After telling them the parable of the sower, Jesus said …

“Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Matthew 13:9-15).

This blindness was addressed by the Apostle Paul in the concluding chapter of the book of Acts. He met with the Jewish leaders in Rome and tried to convince them that Jesus was their Messiah. When they failed to believe, Paul quoted the Isaiah prophecy and declared that he would henceforth go to the Gentiles …

“And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it” (Acts 28:25-28).

At the end of each of John’s letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 he repeats …

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Revelation 2:7,11,17,29 and 3:6,13 and 22.). After the beast out of the sea is introduced, John writes …

“If any man have an ear, let him hear” (Revelation 13:9).

This is the reason why the first stanza of Moses’ song was incarcerated in the Torah. It speaks of Israel’s spiritual dilemma. That first stanza speaks of the fall of Israel. The other eleven stanzas, each also dedicated to a tribe, are in the Psalms because they refer to the rising again of Israel. We can see this in the story of Joseph and Mary bringing the Christ child to the Temple for his dedication. The priest who attended them was named Simeon! He held the Son of God in his arms and said …

“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against” (Luke 2:29-34).

As he spake, Anna, a prophetess from the tribe of Asher, came up and rejoiced in seeing Israel’s Messiah. The final stanza (Psalm 100) in the “song of Moses” was dedicated to Asher. The name “Asher” means “blessed” and stands for the rising again of Israel. The implication seems to be unmistakable. In the end of days, Israel’s spiritual blindness will be healed during the Tribulation Period as their destruction is imminent. Their spiritual hearing will be restored. Then, Israel will recognize Jesus as their Messiah.

I am convinced that the “song of Moses” is sung in Revelation 15 as a fulfillment of its prophetic significance. Beyond that, there is a demonstrable prophetic nature of the Psalms. It appears that each psalm holds a prophecy fulfilled in the year numbered by that particular Psalm. This concept was explored in the late J.R. Church’s book “Hidden Prophecies in the Psalms.“

Under this concept, Psalm 90 alludes to 1990. In this psalm, the second stanza written by Moses, the days of Creation are presented as representing a thousand years each. The concluding verses (14-17) speak of the seventh millennium as the great kingdom rest (see a previous two-article series titled “THE END AFTER THE END OF 6,000 YEARS: HAVE WE ENTERED THE 7,000TH YEAR? and “WILL THE WORLD END AT THE END OF THE 6TH MILLENNIUM?”

Psalm 91 became the favorite song of the American soldier in Operation Desert Storm, the first war against Iraq in 1991. By the way, the Psalms constitute the 19th book of the Bible. So, book 19, Psalm 91, became a prophecy fulfilled in 1991. It clearly speaks of a war in which Israel will be safe from the incoming “terror by night” and “arrow that flieth by day” (Psalm 90:5).

Psalm 94 alludes to the Peace Accord between Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Yassar Arafat, saying …

“Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?” (Psalm 94:20).

Psalms 96 and 98 speak of the “new song,” both of which are referenced in Revelation 5:9 and 14:3. This would be a continuing study unto its own in a different article, but suffice it to say, the “song of Moses” becomes the song of the Tribulation saints.

The Song of the Lamb

They also sing the “song of the Lamb.” Joining in the refrain of the first “new song” in Revelation 5 …

“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Revelation 5:9-13).

They will sing, “Thou art worthy to take the book” – the “Lamb Book of Life.” They are the last ones to be added to it. Having missed the rapture in chapter 4, they will be resurrected in chapter 20. They made the right decision. However, it cost them their lives. They had to reject the “mark of the beast.” They had to suffer as martyrs, most of them being beheaded. That is not a pleasant thought. So let us be busy winning people to Christ while we still have just a little more time left before the end of the age that will culminate in the rapture and the onset of the Tribulation Period.

THE RAPTURE AND YOUR ESCAPE FROM THE COMING WRATH: YOUR ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN

The demonstrable divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a coming horrendous seven-year Tribulation period of judgment upon Earth for all of mankind, no matter what your religion, belief or creed is, and even to those who don’t believe anything spiritual at all.  In this approaching time of judgment, it is certain that God’s judgment will indeed be unleashed upon the world and upon the global system of control called Mystery Babylon The Great as Revelation declares it will be.  We can now clearly see the signs of this approaching nightmare.  However, this same divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises an escape from this horrendous time of judgment only to a certain category of people…

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:8-9).

Put simply, an event is coming that will be so stupendous that it strains the mind to contemplate such an event happening.  It is an event that will see millions upon millions of people across the globe suddenly disappear without warning.  The millions of disappeared will have literally ascended into Heaven itself after instantaneously receiving a new glorified body fit for Heaven.  A body that will be able to withstand the atmosphere and glory of Heaven.  This event is known as the “Rapture.” But the promise of escape is only to those who are “born again” in Christ.  This is why it is crucial to understand what Christ meant when he declared in no uncertain terms that only those who are “born again” in him will enter the Kingdom of God.  For the explanation of this, keep reading below.

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of …

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death:  

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to perish eternally in the torment of Hell because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

The next article in this Revelation series can be read in the link below.
THE SEVEN VIALS OF WRATH

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