Saturday's Prayer 06DEC25

Revelation Friday Night Bible Study 05DEC25 (Revelation 10:1-4)

 

REVELATION

          John, the last of the apostles, was on the Island of Patmos after having been banished there. Early Christian writers recorded that John was boiled alive in olive oil during the reign of Emperor Domitian in Rome, but he did not die. He had not been allowed to die as a martyr like the other disciples because God had a special work for him to do. God wanted the prophetic book of Revelation to be written to encourage, rebuke, warn, and give hope to the church of that era, as well as the church of today.

          In this next lesson, John continues to describe the events he saw in his vision. These events are warnings from the throne room of Heaven about what will take place during these last days. Much of what John had seen parallels events that have occurred throughout history, but darker days are coming. We are living in a world that would rather worship foreign gods than the God above. These gods come in the form of money, sex, drugs, alcohol, greed, murder, and more. Not only are these things taking place in the world, but many of these ungodly acts are taking place in the church and in many of today’s pulpits.

          God sent these warnings to John so that His people would not be unprepared in the last days and as a witness to those who do not know Christ. Unfortunately, so many people are asleep, and they keep pressing the snooze button on God’s time clock. God is sending sign after sign to alert people to get ready, for the day of the Lord is near. Despite the clock's ringing, many act as if they never heard it chime. However, the hitting of the snooze button does not stop the clock from ticking. Time is running out!

  

Quick Review from Lesson 5

 

a.) There was silence in Heaven for half an hour.

 

b.) Seven angels were given seven trumpets to blow.

 

c.) Another angel had a golden censer and was given much incense to offer, which was for the prayers of the saints.

 

d.) At the sound of the first trumpet, hail and fire mixed with blood came down on the earth.

 

e.) At the sound of the second trumpet, something like a mountain all ablaze was thrown into the sea.

 

f.) At the sound of the third trumpet, a great star fell from heaven on a third of the rivers and water named Wormwood.

 

g.) At the sound of the fourth trumpet, a third of the sun, moon, and stars turned dark.

 

h.) At the sound of the fifth trumpet, the fallen star was given the key to the Abyss, and it was opened.

 

i.) At the sound of the sixth trumpet, the four angels who were bound at the river Euphrates were loosed.

 

The Angel and the Little Scroll

 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.” (Revelation 10:1-4).

 

Throughout John’s vision, he saw many angels carrying out God's judgments. So, in chapter 10, John describes seeing another great angel descend from Heaven. This angel was from God, not one of the devil’s fallen angels. He was clothed in a cloud with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like fire. This description signifies God’s presence as we see the rainbow as a promise, the sun’s glow signifying His brightness, and fire embodying purification and judgment. After the exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt, a cloud led them by day, and a pillar of fire by night. The Bible says: “By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night” (Exodus 13:21). Just as God was with Israel, the Lord is with His children today to lead, guide, comfort, and protect us.

Due to there being no night in Heaven, God’s brightness shines over all who are in His presence. For example, Moses’ face shone with God’s glory when he was given the Ten Commandments upon returning from Mount Sinai. The Bible says: “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD” (Exodus 34:29). Also, his face was so bright that the Israelites begged him to cover his face because they could not bear to look upon him. Won’t it be amazing when Jesus returns, and we will never have to use any lamps, lightbulbs, flashlights, or experience darkness of any kind in Heaven?

 

 The rainbow above the angel’s head represents the everlasting covenant that God has with mankind and his mercy even during judgment. Not only does this represent God’s promise to never send a flood to destroy the world again, but it is a covenant that if we remain faithful unto Him, we will receive Eternal Life. The Bible says; “Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth” (Genesis 9:16). Therefore, this angel was a representation of who God is and His everlasting covenant with mankind. This angel embodies God’s faithfulness to His people, even amid the judgments of His ability to redeem and save, which is a message of hope for God’s faithful ones. Just think that even if God’s faithful were here during the Great Tribulation, we can be assured that there would be an ark of safety in God’s arms, where we would not have to worry about our earthly bodies because we would pick up heavenly ones. The Bible says: “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:1-7).

 

Then John saw that the angel had a small scroll in his hand, with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. The scroll he was holding was the word of God, and the sea represented people, while the land represented the earth itself. Let’s take a moment to examine this scroll. Do you remember when Ezekiel was told to eat the scroll in His vision? The Bible says: “ But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe” (Ezekiel 2:8-10). God had chosen Ezekiel to be a prophet for His people. The office of the prophet was not one to be taken lightly, and Ezekiel had to give them every Word that God told him to speak, whether they accepted or rejected it. The eating of the scroll meant the internalization of the Word for the one who had to deliver it. Ezekiel had been given words of warning and sorrow for the Children of Israel, as John had been given words of warning and sorrow for modern times.

 

God is in control over all the inhabitants of the earth and sea because He created them. The Bible says: “You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them” Psalm 89:9). Man has often taken credit for having control of the earth, and even though God gave dominion to man, he has usually abused it in his blatant unwillingness to surrender and submit to the One who created him.

John describes the angel as having the roar of a lion and the voices of seven thunders. We know that the number seven means completeness, and thunder means judgment, which seems to be a prelude to the seven bowls of God’s wrath to be discussed in the upcoming chapters. “Those who oppose the LORD will be broken. The Most High will thunder from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth. "He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed” (1 Samuel 2:10).

Once again, John was about to write down what he had heard the seven voices of thunder say, but he was told not to do so by a voice from Heaven. Sometimes God reveals things to an individual, but for His own reasons, He does not allow them to be revealed to others at that time. This took place with Daniel when he was shown a vision but was told to seal it up for a future time. The Bible says:  “But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge” (Daniel 12:4). There’s a time and season for everything. The time of revelation was not at that moment, but God is revealing more and more to His people during these last days.

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Revelation Friday Night Bible Study 07NOV25 (Revelation 9:1-12)

Revelation 9:1-12

 

“Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.

 

When he opened it, smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace, and the sunlight and air turned dark from the smoke.

 

Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions. They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

 

They were told not to kill them but to torture them for five months with pain like the pain of a scorpion sting. In those days, people will seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them!

 

The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. They had what looked like gold crowns on their heads, and their faces looked like human faces. They had hair like women’s hair and teeth like the teeth of a lion. They wore armor made of iron, and their wings roared like an army of chariots rushing into battle. They had tails that stung like scorpions, and for five months, they had the power to torment people.

 

Their king is the angel from the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon—the Destroyer. The first terror is past, but look, two more terrors are coming!” (Revelation 9:1- 12).

 

            Numerous events are currently unfolding that are leading us toward the prophecies foretold in the Book of Revelation. We are seeing partnered nations become enemies, capitalists turn to socialists, Israel increasingly becoming an agitation to her neighbors, radical Islamists winning political offices at the ballot box despite their agendas, government and media deceptive gaslighting tactics being sewn as truth, people taking from those who have to give to those who want, and church leaders who are mostly motivational speakers rather than watchmen on the wall, failing to sound the alarm and call people to repentance. We do not have to wonder if we are living in the last days because the evidence of the times is all around us. Yet, there are even more things to come, and we as believers in Christ must be ready for what’s to come until Jesus comes to get us.

 

 

 

 

The Fifth Trumpet

In John’s vision, he saw the fifth angel blow his trumpet, and a series of events ensued. We will dissect and simplify the verses to best understand their meaning as they pertain to the end times.

 

a.) John saw a star that had fallen to the earth and was given the key to the Abyss (bottomless pit). According to biblical scholars, this star represents Satan, who was once Lucifer, also known as the morning star. The Bible says: “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit” (Isaiah 14:12-15). Lucifer had fallen from Heaven in the beginning and is ready to wreak havoc with an extreme force that he has already unleashed on humanity, knowing that his time is short.

Many biblical scholars debate the timing of Satan’s fall. Some theologians argue that Satan has already fallen from Heaven, which took place immediately after His rebellion, while others suggest Satan’s fall is yet to come, as he still has limited access to Heaven as the accuser of the brethren, as described in Revelation 12:10. This verse will be discussed in greater detail later. For now, we will align this lesson with the previous verse from Isaiah, in which Satan’s fall has already taken place, with the exception that he still has access to make accusations against the people of God and needs God’s permission to do evil. The Bible says: “One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it” (Job 1:6-7). This verse in Job allows one to understand that Satan is no longer presiding in Heaven as Lucifer but has been kicked out as a fallen star. Nevertheless, he still has access to the first and second heavens, but not to the place where God resides.

In John’s vision, the fallen star was given the key to the abyss, also known as Tehom (תְּהוֹם), which in Hebrew means “the deep” or “deep pit.” Satan did not already possess the key to the abyss, but it was given to him upon God’s timing. Therefore, many evil things that could have occurred on earth have only been delayed and thwarted because God holds the devil at bay. However, just as God allowed Satan to release his whole force on Job, except for taking his life, Satan wants and must have permission to do the same thing with all mankind. And sadly, that day is quickly approaching, for he looks to take out the saints of God and destroy souls in the process. The Bible says: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32-33). During biblical times, as part of the sifting process, wheat went through a large strainer to remove debris and other impurities that clung to the grain during the threshing process. This separated the usable grain from the inedible grain. Therefore, Jesus used this analogy to warn Simon Peter that the enemy wanted to shake his faith to the core, and he would fail the test, but the Lord prayed for him that even after the test, Peter’s faith would be reestablished, and his testimony would strengthen others. (This test was referring to when he was confronted about knowing Jesus upon His arrest, but he denied knowing the Lord three times. This story can be found in Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-62, and John 18:15-18, 25-27).

b.) John saw that when Satan opened the Abyss, smoke came out and darkened the sun and sky. This bottomless pit is a place with no bottom or end, otherwise known as hell. Furthermore, it is a place where demons do not want to be, as seen in the story of the exorcism that Jesus performed with the possessed man living in the graveyard. The Legion of demons wanted to be cast out into the pigs instead of being sent to the Abyss. This story can be found in Luke 8.  

As we continue to elaborate on this verse, it is essential to note that some biblical scholars interpret the darkening of the sun and sky as a literal event, while others view it as a symbolic representation of dark times to come on the earth's surface. For the sake of understanding the text, both views are biblically plausible. The Bible says: “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD” (Joel 2:31). The prophet Joel spoke of the sun being darkened right before the return of Jesus, and Jesus, himself, gave this warning of what was to come. The Bible says: “Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29).

The sun being darkened in the Bible was a sign of judgment upon the land. Therefore, before Jesus’ return, darkness will fall just as it did in one of the plagues in Egypt. Darkness can also refer to the experience that will be present in the hearts and minds of men as the judgments unfold. Furthermore, the wicked will suffer in accordance with their evil deeds, and their hearts will be black as an unlit sky, but they will refuse to repent. The Bible says: “Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you to repentance? But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:4-5). What does the Lord desire from the wicked? Repentance! Yet, most will refuse to do so because their hearts have been hardened just as Pharaoh’s was.

 

 

 

c.)    John described locusts coming out of the smoke onto the earth and being given the power of scorpions. Yet, they were not allowed to harm vegetation, but only those who did not have God’s seal on their foreheads. The Bible says: “Having believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is a guarantee of our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit seals those who are in Christ, but those who reject the Lord will have the mark of the enemy. Therefore, the locusts in John’s vision are no ordinary pests but demons, demonic entities, and hordes of wickedness that come from the Abyss, and they were given the power to cause great suffering to those who did not have the seal of God.

 

There are going to be plagues and other judgments that take place on the earth where there will be no cure or escape. Yet, God will not allow those whom he seals to experience His wrath. Only those who do not have the seal of God will receive just punishment for their rebellion and wicked ways. The Bible says: “But the wicked will perish: Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke” (Psalm 37:20). Once again, just as God did not allow His people to suffer the judgments that were put on the Egyptians, the same mercy will happen in the end for those who belong to Him and are here during the Great Tribulation.

 

Remember, this does not mean that the saints will not have to endure persecution, which is from the enemy. But the saints of God can be comforted in knowing that the wrath of God does not doom His people to the same judgments and destination as those who are not saved. The Bible says: “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11). As this verse reminds us, we do not have to fear the wrath that will come upon the whole world because Jesus is our protection, and His blood shields us just as the lamb’s blood did upon the Israelites’ doorpost, which was a sign of protection from the death angel to pass over their homes.

 

John saw that these locusts were given the power of scorpions. A scorpion’s sting can cause symptoms from mild to severe. We will dig into why this may cause many to wish for death in the next verse.

 

 

d.)   The scorpions were allowed to torture the people who were not sealed with the mark of God. The people would long to die, but God would not let them, and this would be for a total of five months. The sting of a scorpion can produce many symptoms. Now, many symbols in Revelation are symbolic of something to come. However, this seems to represent a plague or event, such as war, that will cause many to wish they were dead.

Let’s breakdown the symptoms of a scorpion’s bite (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017).

Mild signs and symptoms might include:

a.       Pain, which can be intense

b.      Numbness and tingling in the area around the sting

c.                   Slight swelling in the area around the sting More-severe signs and symptoms might include:

d.      Muscle twitching or thrashing

e.       Unusual head, neck, and eye movements

f.        Drooling

g.      Sweating

h.      Vomiting

i.        High blood pressure (hypertension) or low blood pressure (hypotension)

j.        Accelerated heart rate (tachycardia) or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)

k.      Restlessness or excitability or inconsolable crying (in children)

These symptoms can make an individual wish for death if magnified to an extreme level. These plagues would indeed be without mercy for those who are unsealed with the mark of God. This is not to say that the scorpions that John saw in his vision will be the actual plague, but even if symbolic, it would mean that there would be extreme suffering and physical pain. John the Baptist had them as part of his diet along with wild honey. Therefore, they can be a blessing to those under God’s protection and a curse to those without.

The prophet Joel spoke of locusts being a destroyer as an act of judgment. The Bible says: “What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what

the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten. Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine; wail because of the new wine, for it has been snatched from your lips. A nation has invaded my land, a mighty army without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste my vines and ruined my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white” (Joel 1:4- 7).

 

Again, this plague could very well be that of locusts, or it could be a plague even brought on by war, such as the after-effects of nuclear weapons. Many try to debate what it will be, but one thing that should be made clear, this will be a plague that will have people begging for death.

 

 

e.)    John described the locusts as looking like they were prepared for battle. They looked like gold crowns were on their heads and had the face of a human.

They had women’s like hair and lion’s teeth. They wore armor made of iron and had wings that sounded like chariots. They had tails that stung like scorpions that tortured people for five months. What

is John describing here? Some have described this as military gear and planes used in war. The description of crowns and human faces could

represent governmental leaders coming against each other.

The woman’s hair and the lion’s teeth would be the appearance of peace and calm only to cover up the true intentions of calamity and war. The iron armor with wings could be helicopters made of iron and the propellers that sounded like chariots.The tails that stung could be the bombs and missles that come down, causing harm to the people. Could this be a five-month battle? Could this be people will be in pain from the after-effects for five months?

The Word of God says that there will be wars in the last days. The Bible says: “This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths” (Zechariah 14:12). The description of this plague in Zechariah seems to describe nuclear war. One can only pray God’s mercy on those who have been rebellious and will suffer this judgment.

 

f.)   Their king is the angel that unlocked the bottomless pit. His name is Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek, which means the Destroyer. The devil is called the destroyer of all mankind. The Bible says: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

 

g.)    The first woe (harsh judgment) was complete, but two more woes (harsh judgments) were to come.