LET’S STUDY REVELATION # 22

The events covered in the book of Revelation are spoken of throughout Scripture. They are described in Joel 1:15 “Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.” See also, “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;… And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.” (Joel 2:1, 11, 31).  “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.” (Joel 3:14).

             That time is called, “Jacob’s Trouble” (see Jer. 30:7). And in the Book of Daniel it is called the “seventieth week” (see Daniel 9:27). During that final “week,” the fourth beast in Daniel’s vision; the ten kings come to power. The Lord Jesus said it would be a time of trouble like the world has never seen (see Matt. 24:21). Therefore, these four horses represent the progression of sorrows that leads to the full-blown wrath of Satan upon the earth, which is primarily in the land of Israel, and directed toward the Jews.

In Matthew 24, Jesus’ disciples ask Him about the future signs of His return and the end of that age. His first warning was the need for vigilance against deception, “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5).

The condition in Israel today is ripe for false messiahs’. The Orthodox Jews find themselves abandoned by their own secular nation as more and more of their promised land is given away to their enemies. They are being imprisoned daily by their own government for refusal to accept these conditions. They pray and speak passionately of the coming of the Messiah. Not since A. D.70 have circumstances been so perfect for false messiahs’ to present themselves in Israel. These false Christs’ will make war on the true saints of God. No doubt, Matthew24:5 describes the opening of the first seal.

Events leading up to the Day of the Lord were impossible for the past 2000 years. Israel must be in the land prior to the fulfillment of Matthew 24. Verses 6-7 describe devastation brought on by war and by “natural” causes. Israel has experienced continuous war since becoming a nation over fifty years ago. War will continue until Christ returns. Only a blind man could fail to see the increased destruction around the world caused by earthquakes and violent weather. One must not confuse today’s events with what Jesus prophesied. These are only a precursor and illustrate with what ease these riders will accomplish their purpose.    Jesus says, “All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8).

The increased pressure on Israel compels them to give away land for peace, and will force them to accept protection from a coalition of nations within the area of the old Roman Empire. The union of ten kings, spoken of in prophecy, will probably consist of a union of Moslem, Jewish and Roman Catholic nations. These ten are symbolized in Daniel by the ten toes (Daniel2:40-45), and ten horns (Daniel 7:7-8, 19-24), and the ten horns in Revelation 12:3; Revelation 13:1; Revelation 17:9-17. “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast” (Revelation 17:12).

In the beginning, these ten kings form a loose alliance. Their government will be a forced democracy (this is probably the outcome of white horse and his rider). The ten horns or kings constitute the seventh head on the beast. There will be infighting within and between radical religious groups within their kingdom. This will force a tighter cohesion between them. It is from within this alliance that a man, called “the little horn,” will arise to take control of that kingdom. Since the union of those ten nations does not exist today, that man cannot rise to power.

These ten kings, with the “little horn” ruling over them, (constitutes the eighth kingdom “And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.” Revelation 17:11) will be unable to provide protection for Israel from the radical element within their kingdom. Daniel 7:8 says, “I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” He will go forth, conquering in the name of peace. Out of one of these nations comes, “…a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, (Egypt)… toward the east,(Jordan)  and toward the pleasant land (Israel)” (Daniel 8:9). This “little horn” rises to power, and it appears that Israel makes a covenant with the Antichrist and the remaining seven nations within his kingdom. “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:27).

Rather than being Israel’s messiah, he becomes “that man of sin” and would destroy all Jews if Jesus Christ delayed His coming.  “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). The first seal introduces steps which lead to his rise to power.