THE SEALS, TRUMPETS AND BOWLS OF REVELATION

 The SEALS represent earthly events as mankind pursues his destiny under Grace, starting with Christ's interaction with earth, through the wars and apostasy of man into the anti-christ system,  the Abomination of Desolation being set up in Israel. This event triggers the 7 trumpets, after God seals the 144,000 which will proclaim Christ's coming kingdom, and the falseness of the anti-christ kingdom throughout the world until Christ begins His Kingly return as the 7th trumpet begins to sound.  The TRUMPETS represent the destruction that occurs under the anti-christ and those who support it.  The first  4 trumpets probably sound almost at once, considering that on each sounding 1/3 of something was destroyed (reasoning would assume that probably these 1/3 things were destroyed at the same time, and probably are destroyed in one part of the world where at the same time 1/3 of the sea and life within the sea, 1/3 of the rivers and streams, and 1/3 of the sky is blocked out during this mega world event.  This is followed quickly by the 5th trumpet which sees the "pit" being opened which releases the supernatural powers and the fallen angels back upon the earth...wherein also the Dragon tries to pretend to be the Messiah returned for the Christians, and the Messiah awaited for by the Muslims.  The 5th and 6th trumpet events are a continuation of the first 4 trumpets and the 6th trumpet reveals 1/3 of mankind being destroyed. (I personally believe that when John saw "his" world map it did not show the other side of earth, as in John's time they did not know the earth was round.)  That is why I believe that these "1/3 event may take place in one part of the earth...probably the Middle east part.....however the entire world will be affected by these events.....definitely in a spiritual manner as the Dragon reveals himself.  Many Christians who believe that they will be taken away before the Dragon and Antichrist have set up their rule will be deceived by this "messiah"....as he will be masked as an angel of light and will appear to be mankind's savior from the events that are happening during the trumpet period.  God actually uses this false messiah to test the hearts of mankind....and the tares will be attracted to and deceived by this "messiah", and once the tares are gathered together under the "dragons" banner, separated out from the "wheat", God will be able to complete His harvest and bring the wheat into His barn (blessed are those who wait until the 1,335th day {Dan 12:11-12} )....at the sounding of the last trump when Believers are transfigured.  The 7th trumpet is when the 7 angels are given the Vials of God's Wrath to pour out upon the earth, upon the tares that remain in the field.  The BOWLS represent God's Wrath on the anti-christ and those who support the anti-christ.  Ending in anti-christ's defeat at Armageddon.

 DANIEL 12: 11-12  And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be 1,290 days.  Blessed is he who waits til 1,335 days.  (45 days more.)  There has already been a pattern of events in the old testament that foreshadows the pattern that will be magnified at the End Time Days.  In the end times I tend to believe that there will be 45 days wherein the entire world will be tremendously tempted to believe in the dragon messiah that is on the earth during that time.  That is why if people can be kept from temptation and delivered from evil by the Holy Spirit....they will be totally blessed at the sounding of the last trump....by enduring to the end.  (Which is so why Jesus gave us the perfect prayer...the Lord's Prayer....a prayer that totally gives us the priority of what we should desire. ("......and lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil).  And Christ's prayer, given to us, is also the means as to how we remain humble and meek.....which is the key which keeps the door to our heart open for the righteousness and teachings of Christ through the Holy Spirit.  I am not saying that we meaninglessly mouth the words in this prayer, but i am saying that we need to imprint those words in our minds and our hearts, and that the message in that prayer should be our fondest desire......because it is the desire of God.

 

 
 

1ST SEAL:CROSS

White Horse, Rider has bow and crown. (Christ creates the earth and all that is on it.  He comes to die on the cross..He is the arrow that slays satan, and ultimately Hades and Death. )  Some think this seal is the anti-christ, but the pale horse, which color in greek is pale green, fits the anti-christ better, and God uses the white horse as a sign of purity.  God does not change.

2ND SEAL: WARS

Red Horse/Sword. Apostacy causes Conflict on Earth, Wars, Peace taken from the earth, People kill one another.

3RD SEAL: FAMINE

Black Horse/Scales.

Famine. One days wage for a quart of wheat. 3 quarts of barley for a days wage.

4TH SEAL: ANTI-CHRIST(DEATH/HADES)

Pale Horse/Death & Hades

The Spirit of the Anti-Christ with power over 1/4 of the Earth, to kill with sword, hunger & death & beasts.

The spirit of the anti-christ appeared right after Christ was crucified.

5TH SEAL: MARTYRS

Martyrs in Heaven cry out for revenge. They are given white robes, told to rest til more martyrs are taken from earth, during the Trumpet Period.

6TH SEAL: COSMIC DISTURBANCES

Abomination Set Up

Great Earthquake

Sun Blackened

Moon Blooded

Stars Fall to Earth

Earth Shifts

All Mountains move

Men Hide

This seal is all about mankind worshipping man and setting God aside!

 

7TH SEAL: SILENCE BEFORE TRUMPETS

Silence 1/2 Hour in Heaven as 144,000 are sealed; 7 Angels given trumpets; Saints prayers offered with incense upon altar by Angels; Censer thrown to earth-God's revenge; Noises, Thunder, lightning, earthquakes.

1ST TRUMPHET: EARTH

Hail & fire, Blood, thrown to earth.

1/3 trees destroyed

All grass burned up.

2ND TRUMPHET: SEA

Mountain on fire thrown into the sea.

1/3 Sea is blood

1/3 sea life killed

1/3 ships destroyed

3RD TRUMPHET: WATERS

Stars and fire from Heaven falls on

1/3 of the rivers

1/3 of the springs.

Wormwood poisons 1/3 of the waters for men.

4TH TRUMPHET: HEAVENS

1/3 Sun

1/3 Moon

1/3 Stars

Are darkened for 1/3 of the day and night.

5TH TRUMPET: SATAN  FALLS TO EARTH

A "star" falls to earth who owns the key to the Pit.  Pit is opened.  The sun and air is darkened. Locusts come forth with power to harm men who do not have God's seal on their forehead with torment, not death.  Satan is the locusts' king.

The Dragon comes to Earth.

6TH TRUMPHET:1/3 MANKIND DESTROYED

The 4 Angels bound in the Euphrates are freed to kill 1/3 of man.  There is an army of 200 million.  The rest of the idolators did not repent of their murders, sorceries, & sexual immorality & thefts.  The Seven Thunders and Two Witnesses occur.

7TH TRUMPHET: CHRIST RULES

(Christ's Believers  are transfigured as the 7th trumpet sounds.)

Christ receives rulership of earth and proceeds to defeat the anti-christ kingdom .  

Temple of God opened in Heaven.

Ark of covenant seen in temple.

Lightenings, Noises, Thunderings

Earthquake and Great Hail.

Angels are given the Vials of Wrath to Pour Out on Earth.

 

1ST BOWL: SORES

 

Worshippers of the Beast receive sore…a rotten sore.

 

2ND BOWL: SEA

 

All sea creatures die.

All sea turns to blood of a dead man (black and hard)

3RD BOWL: WATERS

 

All waters become blood.

4TH BOWL: HEAT

 

Sun scorches man with fire.

 

Man did not repent.

5TH BOWL: DARKNESS/PAIN

 

The Beast's kingdom becomes dark.

 

Many sores on man, pain worse then death.

 

Man did not repent.

6TH BOWL: EUPHRATES

 

Euphrates dries up.

3 Demons come out of Beast and gather man to fight the Lord at Armageddon.

7TH BOWL: EARTH SHAKES

 

Noise, thunder, lightenings.

Greatest Earthquake

Islands gone, mountains gone.

Hail falls

Babylon falls.

Beast & armies defeated.

 

 
 
 
I believe that Revelations should be approached with the understanding of a child, thus making the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls being a simple chronology.  As each seal is opened it remains until God's mystery is completed.  I believe the sixth seal has been opened and matters concerning the 6th seal will continue to enfold throughout the trumpet period.  The 7th seal is soon to be opened which ushers in the trumpet period.  The trumpets period of wars occur at a quick pace, within the fig tree generation (us), and after we are transfigured/changed at the beginning of the last trumpet sounding, the bowls/vials (WRATH) happen very quickly.  The fig tree generation, the Believers must stand as a witness against the anti-christ, as banners to encourage others.  Some of which will be the martyrs that come out of the Trumpet Period…although those Believers who endure to the end will be transfigured as the last trumpet (7th) begins to sound.  The bowls are all about the destruction of those who still do not accept Christ at His second coming and who are immersed in the dragon's heart.  The Believers are either martyred or transfigured before the bowls of Wrath start and enter into the Mellinium with their transfigured new bodies which can come and go as does Christ's.  My opinion is that those will be the ones who help restore the earth and help heal the earth and teach the perfect Word, as their minds will be aligned perfectly with Christ's.
 
 
 
My thoughts were on the above subject and I wanted to write out my thoughts/incomplete opinions so I could keep track of them as I learn more and see if  my understanding is correct as I have been led to understand to date.  I am not bound by the traditional teachings of what we are supposed to believe as passed on from man to man to man since man took over religion.  I am totally bound to Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay our debt, Who is mankinds Savior, and the only hope for salvation, redemption and eternity.  This is the pattern that i saw when studying these things in the prophecies of the Bible. 
 
When John experienced Revelations he was brought into God's dimension where there is no time.  When he saw the scroll and the seals, he was seeing the entire story of mankind that Christ is involved with.  It was not just the scroll that represents the end times as is taught by man.  As each seal was broken by Christ (the only one worthy of doing so) that which it represents came into the world and it stays until Our Lord and Mighty King commences to return upon the sounding of the 7th trumpet. When each seal is broken, John gets a glimpse onto a stage (so to speak) where the entire life of that seal is revealed.  That "life" includes all that occurs from that point of breakage....until Christ establishes His Millennium Period with mankind....no longer present with man in spirit only.....but in all His glory and perfection.  This view is overlapping.  Seal one is still present and active through to the 7th trumpet, and the vials of Wrath....because Seal one is Christ.  When, for example, the sixth seal (seal of man) is broken....John sees the events (many he did not comment on) of mankind that occurred right through to the end of the Vial period....when God has destroyed all those who looked towards the dragon for their leadership.  Without this knowledge any interpretation of the Seals and Trumpets and Vials does not fit into a perfect pattern.  The interpretation that has been developing within me......fits all into a perfect piece with no rough edges.  It is possible than, that when viewing an event that occurs in the 6th seal which seal overlaps the 7th seal and the trumpets, it is hard to say exactly when that event happens if it has not already occurred.  When looking to our past....it is much easier to see when events took place and seals were opened.
 
If THE FIRST SEAL, white horse,  represents Christ as Creator of the earthly realm and the creator of Eden containing Adam and Eve (which I firmly believe it does as God does not contradict Himself and only uses the white horse for purity....and the quiver empty of arrows that the rider carries needs no arrows because Christ is the arrow.)....it represents the beginning of Christ's involvement with us and the earth.  This seal and Spirit upon creating the earth and all that dwell in it went on to be the cure for our death sentence and is still with us.  After the arrow accomplished the eventual death of the dragon, and our release from eternal death, each Believer was able to receive the Spirit within that we may have discernment, guidance, and be a witness for Christ with His Eye within us.  This seal is also representing the "Alpha".....to come back at the end of days as the "Omega" also riding a white horse.  The Omega is clearly described in Revelations.  The First and the Last.
 
THE SECOND SEAL represented by a red horse and a rider carrying a sword stands for the dragon who came unto Adam and Eve and took peace from the earth, and caused a curse of death and the shedding of mankind's blood to enter the world....which also involved Cain murdering Abel.  The sword divided mankind from his God.....Apostasy entered the world, as did death, and the spirit of same still rides the earth today as powers struggle for dominance over one another.....just as the dragon struggled for dominance over God.  This spirit rides the world until Christ returns (hopefully with us riding the white horses in His army, as we are transfigured upon the 7th trumpet's beginning sound.) and ushers in the Millennium period of perfect teaching, and the binding of the dragon until the end of that period.  During the Perfect Teaching period the dragon's spirit will not be able to interfere until all in the Millennium have a perfect understanding direct from the source.  Then the dragon is let loose to test and attract those whose hearts beat in harmony with the dragon.....not in harmony with what they know about our King.
 
THE THIRD SEAL, represented by a black horse and a balance scale represents our getting kicked out of Eden where our food was supplied and having to work and scratch the dust of the earth for our food, starve, etc.  No longer would man be in a world of plenty and security, having rejected God's bounty for the false glory of the dragon.  This seal was opened after we lost Eden and the spirit remains in the world today and will be magnified during the trumpet period that precedes the return of Christ and the emptying of the vials of Wrath upon the earth.  (Thank you Lord, that we will be transfigured before the Vials are released upon those who worship all the dragon represents, and knowingly reject the beauty, knowledge, and glory of Christ.)
 
THE FORTH SEAL, represented by a pale horse (in Greek "pale" means a very light green).  This is the anti christ spirit which came upon the earth after Christ fulfilled His Purpose upon the cross....becoming our Salvation....becoming Jesus Christ.  (There cannot be an antichrist until the first and True Christ comes to earth in flesh, perfect, and dying without sin on the cross, rising again after revealing Himself for three days to those in another dimension which held all of those which died before Christ's sacrifice.)  This spirit of the antichrist which came upon the earth when Christ broke it's seal is still with us, and he has the power of eternal death to those that chose him.  His name is "death" and "hades".  He has power to destroy one forth of the earth by man fighting and killing man (sword); by hunger, by death (disease?); and by the beasts of the earth.  This process may happen over time, or accumulate during the 7 trumpet period....before the 7th trumpet sounds.  (Christ will protect His people if they are living meekly, humbly, justly and righteously.  If they step outside of these boundaries they will have to rely on their own means when it comes to protection of their earthly life.) 
 
THE FIFTH SEAL represents the martyrs for Christ.  It seems obvious that to be a martyr....Christ must first have died on the cross and given us the Truth so that we could stand on it and have the honor to die for it.  This fifth seal was opened soon after Christ departed....entered during the period of the Apostles and is still with us.....to be magnified during the end times.  Possibly after those who believe on faith have been transfigured, and may involve those who refuse to worship the dragon after Christ returns.  It could also be those who refuse to lay low and hide for a brief moment after the dragon returns during the 5th trumpet....which follows the first four trumpets sounding almost at the same time causing great destruction occurring to 1/3 part of the earth as seen by John via an image while he was experiencing Revelation.  It is entirely possible that John's image was of the part of the world that is on the opposite side of where the USA is.  He may well have been seeing 1/3 part of the middle east being destroyed only....(that was the world John knew) as apposed to the entire world as we see it now...being a round globe as apposed to a flat map.  This destruction of course would allow the messiah that Iran is seeking to return.  Odd that the Bible states that return comes during the 5th trumpet, following the destruction caused by the first four trumpets!  The verse (Rev. 6: 9-11) makes it clear that this seal includes the martyrs that lost their lives via persecution in the days of the Apostles and that this process continued throughout the times of Christianity on earth til now and beyond to the return of Christ when the numbers of those who would be martyred amongst their servants and brethren would be completed.  (There is no doubt in my current belief that when the dragon returns during the 5th seal that Christians are expected to lay low and rely totally on the Lord for their safety with prudence being given to our being warned of this time and being somewhat prepared to assist.  I think that this will be the time when man will seek true Christians but will not find them in the churches.  I think that during this period of time there will be righteous, kind and just people who have not accepted the dragon or his ways nor have they accepted Christ (because of the confusion within religion caused by man, ....supported by the dragon....which turns many good people away from "religion" of  churches) but they will help the "brethren" as mentioned by Christ in the New Testament when He was talking about the end times.  I think these people are amongst those that Christ referred to when He said that if you have helped one of the brethren ("Brethren" would be Christians!) you have done it unto Me.  (Matthew 25: 31-40 See below )
 
Psalms 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
 
Psalms 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
 
Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
 
Zephaniah: 2  Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger come upon you. 3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

 

Matthew 25: 31-40
(31)When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: (32)And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (33)And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.(34)Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (35)For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: (36)Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (37)Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?(38)When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?(39)Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?(40)And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.


 

When THE SIXTH SEAL was opened, (which I believe is the seal of man worshipping his own glory, the time when man believes in his own efforts in making the earth a place of his glory.....a time when mankind turns away from God's glory....a time of return to Babylon worship of self and our desires.....a time that is accumulating and coming to a head now.) a great catastrophe occurs during this seal just before the 7th seal is opened.  Could be something hitting the earth and causing the polarity to shift, could be volcanic eruptions, ....but I think it will be of natural origin...not from wars.  This catastrophe will enable a human to assume a powerful role....a role in flesh of the "antichrist", who will point towards the coming "dragon"....his "messiah".  I think that this antichrist human will take advantage of the fear that erupts in most of the world's humans, and he may very well claim to be their salvation.  It is during this 6th seal which was opened not long after the fourth and fifth seals, all three almost at the same time in man's history.....that the three "beasts" spoken about in the Bible start their "birthing" process and ultimately make their fully formed appearance during the latter time of the 6th seal period which overlaps, and continues on into the trumpet period.  The Sea Beast and the Land Beast will be backed by the Fallen Angels and supernatural powers.  The catastrophe that occurs during this 6th seal enables these beasts to succeed in their endeavors on earth....mostly during the "trumpet" period......but only until Christ returns at the sounding of the 7th trumpet.  After that sounding the vials of wrath are released upon these beasts.....we are no longer in our flesh bodies at this vial period or even during the period of the 7th trumpet....as we transfigure at the beginning of it's sounding. The Sea Beast and the Land Beast are destroyed.....but the Red Beast is confined until released once more during the end of the Millennium Period.
 
Here is what I wrote about the beasts a couple of years ago( my opinions at that time).....there are three of them that concern our latter times and the times we are in now.  I write during my studies so that i can review my understandings and conform them to new understandings upon further knowledge and study.
 
The sea beast is the one in Revelations, Chapter 13, and in Rev. 19: 19-20.  The land beast is also in Rev. 13: 11-18.  The red beast with the harlot rider is in Revelation Chapter 17: 3-18.
 
There is no doubt a link between all of these beasts, but we are also to consider them separately to come to the truth of it. 
 
SEA BEAST LEOPARD Revelation 13: 1-8,  1--And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.   2--And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3--And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4--And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5--And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6--And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7--And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8--And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world
Revelation 19: 19-20  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 beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought 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.

The above beast is not the Dragon, because the Dragon is not cast into the lake of fire until after the Millennium.  The beast above is supported by the dragon, and is probably the anti-christ and the system of the antichrist.  The beast above is perhaps also the False Messiah, pretending to be the Messiah that the Jews were waiting for, and the Muslims. (He may be possessed by the Dragon, however, and the Dragon may leave the body before the doodoo hits the fan, so to speak!  ;-)
 

THE LAND BEAST:  Revelations Chapter 13: 11-18  (11)And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.  (12)And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast (the one with the Leopards body, above discussed) before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.  (13)And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,  (14) And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.  (15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the (first) beast should be killed.  (16)And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:  (17)And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the (first) beast, or the number of his name.  (18) Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the (first) beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

(The above land beast is the false prophet, that points towards the False Messiah.  They will be immitating much of the prophesy that pointed towards Christ.  The scripture that states Ellijah will proceed the Christ.)

 

RED BEAST WITH HARLOT RIDER  (When you read the below it seems evident that the horns are separate from the beast. The horns being earthly kings.  Russia would be considered a king, not a beast.  The red beast ascends out of the bottomless pit....it is Apollyon....See Rev. 9:11 (And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.)  The Harlot who rides the beast is Babylon, but the red Beast is an angel, a son of God.  My guess is  that it is the Dragon......also represented in the 2nd seal (red horse) who deceived Adam and Eve in the Garden. 

The Red Beast is the dragon, in my opinion, and mankind is facilitated by riding the dragon, moving forth by the dragon's power and support (ie, Babylon (that part of mankind in the past, in the now and in the latter times which does not worship the True God, but worships themselves.) rides the red beast (dragon).  Before the 6th seal elapses (remember...in my opinion the 6th seal overlaps the trumpet period) there are many deaths caused in the world by those who are supported by the dragon....to those who will not worship the dragon.  Chapter 6 of Revelation ends with the 6th seal being opened.  Chapter 7 is below and represents things that occur when the 7th Seal is opened....as does Chapter 8.  John sees many of those who have died due to the tribulation of man and the dragon upon the earth, much of which happens during the 6th seal extending in to the 7th seal which includes the trumpet period. 

THE SEVENTH SEAL is broken open by Christ and it is an intaking of breath so to speak.  "Silence in heaven for about half an hour. Rev.7: 1-17 and Rev. 8: 1-6 speak concerning the 7th seal.  It is during this seal that God marks the 144,000 Jews that will make it through the trumpet period and/or the vial period and will enter the Millennium Period....having recognized their true God, finally upon His return....if not before.  I am inclined to believe that they recognize Christ's role during the time of the Two Witnesses that witness in Jerusalem against the false messiah before the vials occur.  It is also possible that due to the witness of the Two Witnesses, that this 144,000 recognize Christ upon His return based on what the Two Witnesses said.  I know that there is passages in the Old Testament prophets which state how they mourn as for a loss of a son when they realize what they did with Christ when he first appeared on earth.  I think that there is a reason that some are marked from each tribe as established through Israel's12 sons.  I am somewhat inclined to believe that these 144,000 are not Jews who converted to Christianity during our time......as at the point when they convert they are part of the brethren of Christians and automatically receive the seal of God on their forehead which is a testimony of their faith. Also...there are many more than 144,000 Jews that have to this date converted over to Christianity.  Another reason is after naming those sealed (8) the next verse (9) shows an image that John sees of the much greater unnumbered masses of Christians who came out of the great tribulation.  Those Christians still alive at the sounding of the 7th trumpet are transfigured out of and avoid the woe of the Vials and the Vials are no doubt the greatest of tribulation....no tribulation before the Vials can equal the destruction that occurs during the Vials of Wrath.  Prior to that many Christians died natural deaths, martyred deaths since the time of Christ......and in some ways we can consider all this life outside of Eden to be a tribulation period.....a death sentence.....a life where the earth has been cursed.  So.....I have not formed an opinion to support just exactly what these 144,000's role will be.

Revelation 7: 1- 17

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. standing Psa 34:7 four winds Dan 7:2

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. Hurt not Rev 6:6, Rev 9:4 foreheads Rev 22:4

And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. heard Rev 9:16 sealed Ezek 9:4, Eph 4:30 hundred Rev 14:1 tribes Matt 19:28, Acts 26:7, James 1:1, Rev 21:12

Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Aser Luke 2:36

Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

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;
nations Isa 2:2, Mal 1:11, Matt 8:11, Luke 13:29, Acts 10:45, Acts 11:18, Acts 14:27, Rom 15:9, Eph 3:6, Rev 5:9, Rev 14:6

And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Salvation Psa 3:8, Jer 3:23, Hos 13:4

And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. Blessing Rev 5:13

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? white Rev 3:5

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. washed Zech 3:3, Heb 9:14, 1st John 1:7

Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. before Matt 25:46, Rev 3:21

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Isa 49:10, Isa 25:8 Isa 49:10

Rev.8: 1-6  And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.(prayers Psa 141:2, Rev 5:8 )  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.  And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.  And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

The first four trumpets sound at the same time.....followed quickly by the fifth and sixth....which see the dragon's return and the fallen angels.  The trumpet period happens quickly.  It is during this period that I believe we are kept hidden and safe under the wing of our Lord, if we have the meekness and sense to stay there!  The trumpets are the second Woe.
 
The Seven Thunders which John saw and heard proclaim that the mystery of God as declared to His prophets would be finished in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound.  Being transfigured and returned to our original state through the glory and efforts of Jesus Christ would be the ultimate finish to the mystery.  At that time we will inherit full knowledge and understanding complete, along with our marvelous transfiguration.
 
After this sounding the third Woe begins.....the greatest Woe of all.  The Vials. 
 
I consider the first Woe the age of mankind riding and supported by the Red Beast, the dragon....starting with the breaking of the 2nd Seal.

 

Claudia

January 2010

 

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