Compelled By Reality

Revelation: 5 Chronological & 5 Angelic Explanations

Filed under: Christianity, End Times, Jesus, Life, Prayer

Revelation: 5 Chronological & 5 Angelic Explanations

In the last article in this series I laid out the 4 Part Overview of the Book of Revelation. Part 4 is the story line of the book unfolding here on earth. It spans from chapter 6 to 21, so putting it into one part of a 4-part overview doesn’t help much unless we unpack it. So that is where this next part comes in.

5 Chronological Sections

As the story line unfolds, there are 5 sections of the book that happen in chronological order, we call these the 5 Chronological Sections… very clever, I know. These 5 sections give the details, as they happen in succession, in which God’s judgment on the Antichrist’s empire unfolds on earth.

5 Angelic Explanations

During the process of unveiling the story as it happens in order, from one thing to the next, there is a pause in the story line. There is a pause after each of the 5 Chronological Sections. This pause allows for further explanation to give details and insight into what happens to God’s people. These sections answer some of the tough questions such as “Why is God’s wrath so severe?” and “What will happen to the saints?”

Chronological Section #1: 7 Seals (Rev. 6:1-17)
- Angelic Explanation #1: Protection (Rev. 7:1-17)
Chronological Section #2: 7 Trumpets (Rev. 8:1-9:21)
 - Angelic Explanation #2: Direction (Rev. 10:1-11:13)
Chronological Section #3: Rapture & Jesus Replacing All World Governments (Rev. 11:15-19)
 - Angelic Explanation #3: Confrontation: Antichrist and False Prophet (Rev. 12:1-14:20)
Chronological Section #4: 7 Bowls (Rev. 15:1-16:21)
 - Angelic Explanation #4: Seduction (Rev. 17:1-19:10)
Chronological Section #5: Jesus Enters Jerusalem as King Over the Nations (Rev. 19:11-21:8)
 - Angelic Explanation #5: Glorification: Victory and Reign of the Bride (Rev. 21:9-22:5)

In the next article in this series I’ll go over the 7 Primary Symbols that occur in the Angelic Explanations.  

Tags: 5 Chronological, 5 Parenthetical, 7 Bowls, 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets, Antichrist, Babylon, Christianity, End Times, Eschatology, God's Wrath, Great Tribulation, Jesus, John, Prophecy, Rapture, revelation, The Bride

Revelation: The Basics

Filed under: Christianity, End Times, Jesus, Life

Here it is in its most basic form. It’s not difficult, and it’s not my opinion mixed in with interpretations, it is just a plain sense reading of the book of revelation and breaking it down into 4 parts.

4 Part Overview of the Book of Revelation:

1. John’s Prophetic Commission (Chpt. 1)
2. Letters to the 7 Churches (Chpts. 2, 3)
3. Jesus’ Heavenly Commission (Chpts. 4, 5)
4. Jesus’ Action Plan to Cleanse the Earth of Evil (Chpts. 6 - 21)

Simple. It is of course missing the details, but its a great way to approach the book. 

So now that we’ve figured out that it isn’t so difficult to wrap our minds around, let’s just look at these 4 sections  and break it down a little further.  

Part 1: John’s Prophetic Commission (Chpt. 1): In chapter 1 John is given a commission to prophesy in writing the things he has seen through the lens of Jesus’ majesty. 

Part 2: Letters to the 7 Churches (Chpts. 2, 3): In chapters 2 and 3 Jesus is speaking throughout the 2 chapters and giving the 7 churches exhortations to be overcomers.

Part 3: Jesus’ Heavenly Commission (Chpts. 4, 5): In chapters 4 and 5 Jesus is given the scroll and given His mandate to take over the earth. In these chapters we also get a glimpse of the throne room of heaven.

Part 4: Jesus’ Action Plan to Cleanse the Earth of Evil (Chpts. 6 - 21): In these chapters we are taken through the story line of Jesus’ actions to cleanse the earth (Great Tribulation). In these passages there are 2 main literary sections:

1. 5 Chronological Sections (the chronological order in which God’s judgments unfold on earth)
2. 5 Angelic Explanations (the story line is put on “pause” to answer important questions)

Tags: 7 Churches, Christianity, End Times, Eschatology, Great Tribulation, Jesus, John, Overview, Prophecy, revelation

The Book of Revelation is for Everyone

Filed under: Christianity, End Times, Jesus, Life

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants - things which must shortly take place.” (Rev. 1:1)

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” (Rev. 1:3)

“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.” (Rev. 1:7)

I’m not a super theologian. I also haven’t yet heard the audible voice of God. Yet I know that the book of Revelation is meant to be read and meant to be understood. It’s the only book in the Bible that has both a blessing for those that read, hear and keep the words of this book, and a curse for those who add to it or take away from it.

This book is one of those in the Bible that many avoid. People read the good parts of course; Many times when they start to read the Bible in any regular fashion most want to see what happens in the end. They see that we win and many times that’s it. That’s good enough for them. They don’t hear about it too often from the pulpit, and they aren’t encouraged to study it. 

If however, they decide to push a little farther, they then come upon the seals, trumpets, and bowls, the beast with 7 heads with 10 horns, and some woman and a dragon who wants to kill her offspring.  Usually, because of the symbols, people think they can’t really understand the symbols and start to avoid those parts because they think they don’t apply to their life today.

So many say to themselves (even if they aren’t aware of it) “I’ll take the good stuff and not worry about the stuff I don’t get” and they leave it at that.

However, this is a dangerous place to be. From this place people may begin to take scripture out of context and misunderstand the very truths Jesus wanted us to know. Also a very deep motivation for living for the age to come lies dormant and people fail to develop vision to live for more than this life, believing that either “we won’t be here” or “it will all pan out in the end”.

I’ve heard people say “It’s too difficult to understand” or “it’s not meant for general reading.” 

All of the Bible, including the book of Revelation, was meant for everyone to read and understand. Sure, you may not get it on the first go-around, but go back a 2nd time and a 3rd (The Bible isn’t meant to be read once). Also, throughout history the majority of the people in the world have been uneducated peasants. This book, as well as every other book in the Bible, was meant to be understood in its plain sense reading of the text as read by an average reader. It is NOT meant for only the elite, PHD, highly intelligent, super theologians of the world and then explained to the rest of us. 

However, it does help having a road map of the book going into it. It’s not necessary, but makes the book of Revelation so easy to understand that a 6 year old can get it. So in the next few posts I am going to be laying out a road map of the book of Revelation. It’s pretty basic, but makes for a great guide in your journey through the book.

Tags: Christianity, End Times, Eschatology, Jesus, revelation

Revelation: A Series

Filed under: Christianity, End Times, Featured, Jesus, Knowledge of God, Life, Prayer

The book of Revelation is meant to be read and understood by everyone not just the scholars. This book gives us more information about the severe coming crisis than any other book in the Bible. As the body of Christ, we are responsible to know and act on this information. 

Below is a series of articles to jump start you in your journey through the book of Revelation and ultimately help you to pursue knowledge of God. By reading and praying through this book you will get to know the leadership of Jesus at the end of the age. 

1. Revelation: Is For Everyone
2. Revelation: The Basics
3. Revelation: 5 Chronologicals & 5 Angelic Explanations
4. Revelation: 7 Primary Symbols

Tags: 5 Chronological, 5 Parenthetical, 7 Bowls, 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets, Antichrist, Babylon, Christianity, End Times, Eschatology, God’s Wrath, Great Tribulation, Jesus, John, Prophecy, Rapture, revelation, Series, The Bride

Top 3 Reasons You Should NOT Study the End-Times

Filed under: Christianity, End Times, Jesus, Satire

3. We’ll all be strumming harps on clouds for thousands of years anyway… what’s the point?

Once we finish standing in the long lines at the pearly gates, are introduced to all of our favorite bible characters, and say hello to the big guy and ask him all the questions nobody had answers for here on earth, and we have full knowledge and understanding… we will be given a harp and a cloud. It will be a very special harp, and a very special cloud, because to God… you are very special. Yes, you will not get bored and will have no need to do anything of value… just think of it as a fully-funded retirement; the American dream times 100. So why bother?

Is God is going to bring heaven and earth together at the 2nd Coming of Christ? Having made known the mystery of His will, will He gather together in one ALL things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in Him? Seriously, if heaven and earth were joined together and believers could interact with both the heavenly supernatural realm and the earthly physical realm that would be rather mind blowing… and very distracting from the harps and clouds reality everyone is so excited about.

What I want to know is who started the rumor that Jesus is coming back to rule and reign as King of Kings on the earth and that we would be here with him forever? Somebody needs to investigate this and get back to me!

2. Jesus is a heavenly Santa Claus and is committed to making my life easy in this age.

Jesus understands my needs and desires and as long as I am going to church, giving to the poor and doing more than my other Christian friends, He is committed to giving me the desires of my heart. I am working hard to make sure the house I live in and the car I drive matches up with the church culture around me and makes me happy. Jesus wants to make me happy. Why would I need to study about the end times if Jesus is just as committed to me obtaining the American Dream as I am?

It’s not like I would learn anything about Jesus by studying His leadership and heart at His 2nd coming. I’ve heard some of those who talk about this Jesus who is a zealous Bridegroom King coming to establish His Father’s glory, vindicating His persecuted Bride and replacing all evil governments on earth by dashing nations and executing heads of nations that refuse His leadership… but that doesn’t sound at all like anything I would go through as a Christian. Jesus wouldn’t allow me to suffer persecution, so I have no idea where they got their information. Besides that would totally wreck my lifestyle if I actually had to believe that.

1. Studying the end-times will not affect my Christianity today. It’s irrelevant, a waste of time, and distracting.

If I studied the end-times in a focused way it would distract and pull me away from other subjects in the Bible that are more important and pressing in the day we live in NOW. This subject takes would-be kingdom workers and makes them into theoristic, eccentric Christians who seem to put the topic of Jesus and His coming to be with us and our desire to be with Him AHEAD of loving our neighbor and bringing others to the knowledge of Christ.

… wait a second …

[goes and reads Mark 12:28-31]

… now this is awkward.

Tags: 2nd Coming, Christianity, End Times, Eschatology, Jesus, revelation, santa claus, Satire

Jesus’ One World Government

Filed under: Christianity, End Times, Jesus, Knowledge of God

What I’m going to attempt to do in this article is to provide the framework for the real establishment of a real government whose leader is God Himself in human form. This will take place at a future point in time and will be a progressive time of preparation for the earth as a whole.

This framework will take on these 2 assumptions:

1. Jesus is coming again to the earth at some point in the future (2nd Coming)
2. There will be a literal 1,000 year period of time starting soon after Jesus returns to the earth (2nd Coming).

For the past 2 months I’ve been studying Psalm 50 (a Psalm of Asaph). We’ve been looking at it in a small group I lead as well as singing through the passages each week. I’ve developed an insatiable desire to see Jesus break into this world set the wrong things right and setup a righteous government all the while believers getting to be with Jesus and work along side of Him.

(more…)

Tags: 2nd Coming, Christianity, Eschatology, Government, Jerusalem, Jesus, Zion