A Final Warning of " Babylon’s" "Fallen" Condition

"And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit…. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are become rich through the abundance of her delicacies.’

Heaven’s Last Plea to God’s People in "Babylon"

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judges her.’

The Seven Angels with the Seven Plagues Prepare to Act

"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 chests girded with golden sashes. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who lives forever 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.

Spiritual Israel, God’s Faithful people Are Sealed

"And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 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 in their foreheads.’ And I heard the number of them, which were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand¹ of all the tribes of the children of Israel ².

Marked by the Beast: A Death Penalty Instated, Liberty Restricted

And the beast from the earth had power to give life unto the image of the blaspheming beast, that the image of the blaspheming beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the blaspheming beast should be killed. And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

The Seven Plagues Poured Out

"And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.’ And the first went, and poured out his vial…. And the second angel poured out his vial…. And the third angel poured out his vial…. And the fourth angel poured out his vial…and men repented not to give God glory. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness…and they repented not of their deeds.

Rulers of the Earth Unite for Battle

"And the sixth angel poured out his vial…. And I saw three evil spirits…come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the blaspheming beast, and out of the mouth of the Beast from the Earth. …They are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go out unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (‘Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his robes, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.’)

The Seventh Angel: "It is Done"

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done.’ And…the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague of it was exceeding great.

God Has Avenged the Blood of His Martyrs

"And…as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of Babylon’s burning, saying,…. ‘Rejoice over her, you heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets; for God has avenged you on her.’

"And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, ‘Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. …For by her deceptions and seductions of idolatry were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.’ "

The Marriage of the Lamb

"And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, ‘Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he has judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and has avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.’

"And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, ‘so be it; Alleluia.’

"And a voice came out of the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all you his servants, and you that fear him, both small and great.’

"And I heard as it were the voice of a great crowd, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thundering, saying, ‘Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his bride has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.’

"And the angel said unto me, ‘Write, blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said unto me, ‘These are the true sayings of God.’ And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, ‘See you do it not: I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Seal Seven: Silence in Heaven

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder…. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

The Word of God, Jesus, Comes For His People

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a garment dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

"And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should strike the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

The Entities Satan Empowered, and their Followers Destroyed

"And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, ‘Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That you 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, both free and bond, both small and great.’

"And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the Blasphemous beast was taken, and with him the Beast from the Earth that worked miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

The "Dragon" is Bound for a Thousand Years

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

The Saved Reign and Judge for the Thousand Years

"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. This is the first resurrection. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. ‘Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.’ "

1. 144,000: The number 144,000 is the square of 12 multiplied by 1,000. The number, twelve is significant. It is God’s kingdom number and represents completeness. Throughout the Old and New Testaments God comprises His people and things in groups using the number twelve. Here God uses the number again in multiples. By doing this God identifies "His servants" as literally, "His Servants", a unique, end time group, who acknowledge His rule completely in their lives. In the numbers’ meaning of completeness, this reference to 144,000 is also a promise. By using it God assures us that His group in the last days will include all the people who "call on Him." Jeremiah 30:7; Matthew 10:22; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13.

2. At this point in salvation history the title "children of Israel" refers to God’s faithful people, whether they are literally Israelites or not. As the New Testament says; "…They are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children…." Romans 9:6b-7a "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:12-13. "Know you therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." Galatians 3:7

REFERENCES

Revelation 18:1-5, 8; Revelation 15:5-8; Revelation 7:1-4; Revelation 13:15-17; Revelation 16:1-17, 19-21; Revelation 18:17b-18a, 20-21,24; Revelation 19:1-2, 4-10; Revelation 6:1; Revelation 8:1; Revelation 19:11- 21; Revelation 20: 1-4; Revelation 20:5b; Revelation 20:5a; Revelation 20:6.

EPILOGUE III.