Revelation 7:15

15 For this reason they are [now] before the [very] throne of God and serve Him day and night in His sanctuary (temple); and He Who is sitting upon the throne will protect and spread His tabernacle over and shelter them with His presence. 

Once again Jesus tells us that these people, the people who are dressed in white and washed by His Blood, are before the Throne, not that they are seated in the Throne with Him. Jesus also shows us that He will protect them and shelter them. The Bride of Christ is Jesus’ actual Body, so let me ask you, what does Jesus need protected from? There is no weapon that can harm Jesus and there is no weapon that can harm us, Romans 8:37. But we are told that these people need protected. The only reason that they must need to be protected is because they are not the Body of Christ. These people that fill up eternity are our guests, just as Matthew 22:10 teaches. These people have been raised up and they have been given back their flesh and flesh needs protected, or in other words, flesh needs provided for. 

We are shown later in Revelation that the New Jerusalem will have a River flowing through its middle and along its shores will be twelve manner of tree’s, bearing twelve manner of fruit, for the healing of the nations, Revelation 22:2. These people will have flesh that will need provided for and we are shown that they will be. The Bride of Christ, or the born again, have never been of this world, even though we have been in the world. We are not in need of the healing that the nations will need. Jesus bore our sins and sicknesses and by His stripes we are healed. 

Repeatedly we are told that these people will serve our Father from before the Throne. The born again will be transformed to be just like Jesus when He returns, 1 John 3:2. Our bodies will be as our Lord’s body is and we will rule, or serve, these guests who have not been transformed to be just like Jesus. Jesus ever lives to intercede for people and we are one with Him, Hebrews 7:25. So we too will ever live to serve. We will be used for all of eternity to serve an uncountable number of people.

Now think about this: the number of people who have ever lived can be counted. I Googled it and it is estimated that around 107 billion people have been born on the earth. So we can count the number of people. But, Jesus tells us that we cannot count the number of guests that serve our Father from before the Throne. The only way for this to be True, is if people continue to be born for all of eternity and they all live forever. Our Father told Abraham that his descendants will be as the number of the grains of sand of the sea, Genesis 22:17. All of the people who have ever lived only would amount to a very very small portion of the number of grains of sand. So according to our Father there is going to be far more people and the only way that can happen, is if these people continue to live and have children forever. 

You may be thinking to yourself: but Jesus said that no one is married or given in marriage in eternity? That is not what He actually said. Jesus said that only those who have been resurrected will not be given in marriage, Matthew 22:30. Jesus never says that the living, who never have to be resurrected, cannot stay in their marriage and continue to have children, who will have children, for ever and ever. 

In Revelation 20 we are told about Judgment Day and in Revelation 20 Jesus only talks about the dead being judged. He never tells us that the living will be judged, only the dead. There are going to be millions upon millions of people alive at the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ when the Judgment Day occurs. These people will have been married and having children during the thousand years of Christ’s Rule. So why would they ever stop? Our Father will end death for them, take away all pain, and sorrow, Revelation 21:4. Jesus will extend His Tabernacle over them and they will never see death and there will be a population explosion! Jesus’ Blood will be applied to them and they will continue to have children and our Father will fulfill His promise to Abraham that his descendants will be counted as the number of grains of sand of the sea. 

Our Father will also fulfill His promise to Jesus and allow Him and His Bride to serve these guests forever.    

And there shall be no more night; they have no need for lamplight or sunlight, for the Lord God will illuminate them and be their light, and they shall reign [as kings] forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities). Revelation 22:5

Revelation 7:13-14

13 Then, addressing me, one of the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] said, Who are these [people] clothed in the long white robes? And from where have they come? 

14 I replied, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are they who have come out of the great tribulation (persecution), and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

There are a couple of key points here, the first being that verse 9 tells us that these people stand before the Throne, they are not in the Throne. We are told in Ephesians 2:6 that the Bride has been raised up together and made to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Jesus sits on the Throne, at the right Hand of the Father. We are now and forevermore one with Jesus. We are flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone. But we are told that these people are before the Throne, not in the Throne as the Bride is. 

We are also told that they came out of the Great Tribulation. The Truth is that the Great Tribulation is the wrath of our Father being poured out on His disobedient children. Our Father’s wrath is not for the Bride of Christ, it is only for the disobedient, 1 Thessalonians 5:9. The Bride has only been appointed to our Father’s righteousness through Christ, not His wrath. These people came out of His wrath though. 

We are told that these people have been gathered from every nation of the earth. There are so many of them that they cannot be counted and they all have come out of the Great Tribulation. These people are no longer the recipients of our Father’s Wrath, they have come out of His Tribulation! Which means that they were in His Tribulation, but now they are removed from it. Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:14 that many are called to be His Bride but only a few are chosen to be. So these people have to be something other than the Bride, because they cannot be counted, there are untold billions of them, not just a few. But amen the Blood of Christ still applies to them and they are still able to hold the palm branches and proclaim the glory of Jesus and all of Heaven rejoices over them. 

These untold billions of people have to be the guests of the Bride.  

And those servants went out on the crossroads and got together as many as they found, both bad and good, so [the room in which] the wedding feast [was held] was filled with guests. Matthew 22:10

Heaven is filled with guests of Christ and the Bride of Christ. The Bride is seated in the Throne with our Husband, Jesus, ruling along with Him for all of eternity, Revelation 20:4. The guests are before the Throne. The Blood of Jesus has allowed us all to be there, in whatever capacity. This is the glory of what Jesus accomplished for our Father: all men are saved and all men have the knowledge of the Truth. Heaven would not be rejoicing if untold billions of people were being thrown into Hell to suffer for all of eternity. What joy would there be in that? What type of beings would we all be if we rejoiced at such suffering. No that is not why we rejoice, all Heaven rejoices because even those who were in the Great Tribulation are able to come out of it through the Blood of Christ. Where sin abounded our Father’s Grace much more abounded, Romans 5:20. These people may have to go though the fire, or Hades, to get there, but amen they will be there. 

But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15

Revelation 7:11-12

11 And all the angels were standing round the throne and round the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] and the four living creatures, and they fell prostrate before the throne and worshiped God. 

 12 Amen! (So be it!) they cried. Blessing and glory and majesty and splendor and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and might [be ascribed] to our God to the ages and ages (forever and ever, throughout the eternities of the eternities)! Amen! (So be it!) 

The leadership of Heaven and all of the angels agree with what is happening on the earth. Our Father, Jesus, the twenty-four Elders, the four living creatures that see everything, and the angels, are all in full agreement. Our Father had it written that out of the mouth of two or three to let everything be confirmed and all of Heaven is agreement. All of the beings of Heaven are also rejoicing because there is revival among the Jews.

Now Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never changes. When Jesus was here as a man, He forgave those who murdered Him. He forgave those who rejected Him. He forgave adultery. He forgave unbelief. Jesus forgave all sin because He is Grace. He came and did away with all religious Laws and heralded in the new way of Grace, Colossians 2:14. What is happening on earth during these times must still include Grace, because all things exist by Jesus and for Jesus, Colossians 1:16. He never changes and He is Grace. So the Great Tribulation has to be working discipline that will bring in Grace. Jesus disciplines all that He loves and He loves all. These tribulations are not just our Father getting even, He is not that insecure. These events are our Father working discipline that will bring people to understand and know the Truth that will set them free. Many will even have to go through the punishment of Hades after these events. But they will eventually bow their knees and confess with their mouths that Jesus is Lord. 

For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise]. Romans 14:11

Who wishes all men to be saved and [increasingly] to perceive and recognize and discern and know precisely and correctly the [divine] Truth. 1 Timothy 2:4

And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day. Matthew 6:39

[Just as] You have granted Him power and authority over all flesh (all humankind), [now glorify Him] so that He may give eternal life to all whom You have given Him. John 17:2

Jesus has been given all flesh. Our Father wishes all men will be saved. Every knee will bow and confess that Jesus is Lord. Jesus will not lose any of us. The Great Tribulation is part of the process that allows our Father to get His way! All people may not be the Bride of Christ, some will be our guests. But Jesus was very successful on the Cross and His Grace far exceeds any sin that we may commit. The Great Tribulation is a time that brings disobedient children to their senses. 

Revelation 7:10

10 In loud voice they cried, saying, [Our] salvation is due to our God, Who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb [to Them we owe our deliverance]! 

Our salvation is due to Jesus and our Father intense love for us. Here is a great place to study exactly what the benefits of Salvation are according to the Strong’s Concordance, 4991, the Greek word Soteria: 

+Deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation. 

+Deliverance from the molestation of enemies. 

+In an ethical sense, that which concludes to the souls safety or salvation. 

+Salvation as the present possession of all true Christians. 

+Future salvation, the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God. 

+Fourfold salvation: saved from the penalty, power, presence and most importantly the pleasure of sin.

Salvation is a gift from our Father, so all of these benefits of salvation are a gift from Him as well. We have seen the Truth that our Father never takes His gifts back, Romans 11:29, so all of these benefits of salvation are in full effect even during the Great Tribulation.

The 144,000 Jewish witnesses give Jesus credit for having salvation. They have exactly what we have in Christ right now. Some people have tried and tell me that these 144,000 have something different then our salvation, that somehow they are better then us, they don’t and they aren’t. These are just chosen Jewish witnesses that are called to preach the Truth during the Great Tribulation. They have no more and no less salvation than any true believer has. Our Father is no respecter of persons, Acts 10:34.

Keep in mind that Jesus has shown us twice so far in Revelation, that we have been sealed before any harm can come on the world. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit and that allows us to be saved from all of the instruments of our Father’s wrath that are being poured out by the Four Winds. We will be delivered, preserved, and safe from all of our Father’s wrath while we are on this earth. We do not have to be in Heaven to be safe. The Truth that we are still around and that there hasn’t been a pre-tribulation rapture will become clearer and clearer as we study on. 

The Truth will set us free. And peace will come from the Truth of how exactly our Father will use those of us who are around during this time. It will actually be an honor and a privilege to be used in the power of our Father’s Spirit, when the world needs the chosen ones of God the most! Love does not want to run from those who are in need. Love wants to stay and help. Love wants to preach the Truth and offer grace when sin is abounding and we have now been made to be perfect in our Father’s Love. 

Revelation 7:4-9

4 And [then] I heard how many were sealed (marked) out of every tribe of the sons of Israel: there were 144,000. 

5 Twelve thousand were sealed (marked) out of the tribe of Judah, 12,000 of the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 of the tribe of Gad, 

6 Twelve thousand of the tribe of Asher, 12,000 of the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 of the tribe of Manasseh, 

7 Twelve thousand of the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 of the tribe of Levi, 12,000 of the tribe of Issachar, 

8 Twelve thousand of the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 of the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 of the tribe of Benjamin. 

When each one of these children of Israel, the twelve sons of Jacob, were born, their mothers, inspired by the Holy Spirit, spoke out a saying about them. It’s really powerful when we put together all of those sayings that were spoken for these twelve children, in the order in which they are listed here by Jesus. Here is what those sayings all put together proclaim:

Praise God, He has seen my affliction, and His good fortune has come. I am happy blessed and to be envied, for God has seen my struggle and He has caused me to forget all of it. I was despised, but now the Lord (Jesus) is my husband and companion. God has given me my hire and my marriage gift, by taken away my reproach. And now I am seated as a son at His right hand!

How awesome is that? I don’t know if Jesus meant for that to be tied together here, but it sure is awesome stuff! These 144,000 anointed Jewish preachers bring these sayings to completion for Israel. 

9 After this I looked and a vast host appeared which no one could count, [gathered out] of every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. These stood before the throne and before the Lamb; they were attired in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. 

The Bible teaches us that right now the saved have been raised up together and made to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:6. The Truth for us is that salvation is for everyone right now, all nations, all tribes, and all peoples, so all that are saved are raised up and sitting with Jesus in Heavenly places right now. What John sees here in verse 9 does not mean that our physical bodies have to be in Heaven during this event. And actually they can’t be, because Jesus told us that our bodies would not be raised up until the last day, and He has shown us that many of our brethren still have to be killed during the Great Tribulation. Remember also that John was shown that the souls of those who are killed for the testimony of Jesus are under the Throne of our Father, waiting for the redemption of their physical bodies. So this vision of John has to be symbolic, showing that even though we may be dead, or alive in the world, we who are chosen, are all kings and priests right now. And regardless of where our bodies are physically, we are all considered by our Father to now be raised up together and one with our Lord and Savior!   

There is a certain number of God’s elect that have to come into being before the Great Tribulation and the Wrath of our Father can begin. Also take notice here that John sees that these people are before the Throne, they are not seated in the Throne with Jesus. This ties in with the symbolism of the verse. 

Revelation 7:2-3

2 Then I saw a second angel coming up from the east (the rising of the sun) and carrying the seal of the living God. And with a loud voice he called out to the four angels who had been given authority and power to injure earth and sea, 

Our Father gave these four angels the authority and power to harm the earth, He did not give this destructive power to satan. These four angels will only do what our Father directs and permits them to do. Our Father is always in charge, this is His wrath, or in other words His disciplining, being poured out on His disobedient children. The Great Tribulation it’s not satan’s vengeance on humanity. Satan is never given the free will to be in control of anything, he can only do what our Father allows him to! If satan were allowed to do as he pleased, the earth would have been destroyed years ago. Actually the Great Tribulation is a tribulation for satan as well. Because everything that he attempts to set up is destroyed and persecuted and he knows his end is near. Satan is definitely being tormented along with his followers during this time of Tribulation.

3 Saying, Harm neither the earth nor the sea nor the trees, until we have sealed the bond servants of our God upon their foreheads. 

Prophesy in the Bible often times uses the word “earth,” to represent the rural or sparsely populated region of the world. The word “seas,” is used in prophesy to represent the metropolitan areas of the world, and the word “trees,” is used to represent the nations. The Four Winds are not permitted by our Father to harm the rural or metropolitan regions of the world, or the nations of the world, until His chosen ones are sealed and protected. The Truth is that no chosen one of God will be harmed by the instruments of our Father’s wrath. Our Father seals us and protects us from them before He ever releases them. As children of God we are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of our redemption. Our Father may allow us to be persecuted and even martyred for our testimony of Christ. But if He chooses us for such a noble purpose, He will anoint us to handle it in His full power and glory! 

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God's own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin). Ephesians 4:30  

The term forehead is used a lot in the Book of Revelation. In prophesy, “forehead,” is used to show our innermost thoughts, our minds, our beings; at least that is what I have always been taught by those who study such things. But when I think of a forehead, I think of how they are plain to see, they are right out there in front of everyone. So it will be plain to see who is of God and who is not of Him during the final three and a half years of this world. Who and what we are, will be so plain to see, because it is the Holy Spirit within us, He is the Fire in our belly’s, He is what clearly shows us to be God’s children. Right now, it’s not so plain to see who is of God and who isn’t. Now we have to test the spirits, just as 1 John 4:1 teaches us to. But during the Great Tribulation, it will be plain to see who is the Bride and who isn’t! The luke warm will be cast out from our Father, there will only be hot and cold at this time in history! 

Remember that the Four Horsemen are only given power over a fourth part of the earth. But here we see that the four winds are for all of the earth, the natural disasters associated with them directly effect the entire world. So we once again see that they are told not to begin until all of the chosen ones are sealed. 

We are a body, with one heart, one mind, and one accord. There are not several bodies, there is only one body of Christ! Notice that the angel does not proclaim that we must be raptured or rescued, but sealed. Our Father’s wrath does not extend into the inhabitants of Heaven, so why would we need sealed if we were there? However we would absolutely need sealed if we are still on the earth. Also, for those who believe that the Holy Spirit is removed from the earth during the great Tribulation, I would like to ask this, who is doing the sealing? Ephesians 4:30  

Revelation 7:1

1 AFTER THIS I saw four angels stationed at the four corners of the earth, firmly holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind should blow on the earth or sea or upon any tree.

The events that we are shown in Revelation are not always presented to us in a straight chronological order. Jesus keeps taking John back and then He builds on what He has already showed him. The Revelation builds on itself, the Truth is further exposed in greater detail as John sees more and more of the Revelation. First, John was shown the Four Horsemen being empowered by our Father and he was shown exactly what they were empowered to do. Next, John was shown the Truth that the Horsemen cannot do what they are called to do, until our Father permits them to do it. The Seven Seals that we have studied, the Seven Trumpets that we will study, and the Seven Plagues that we also will study, are all happening pretty much at the same time. Jesus will show us later that all of these events take place in a short 3 1/2 year period. The Four Horsemen, are carrying out our Father’s wrath, on a fourth part of the earth, at the same time that the Seven Seals are being opened. The Seven Trumpets are being sounded, and the Seven Plagues are being released at the same time as well. These Four Winds in verse 1 are all part of our Father’s plan. This is why it is called the great Tribulation, because there is just so much hitting the world all at once. 

Something really strikes me about this first verse of chapter seven, and it is this, the Four Winds who have been given charge to harm the earth have to be held back. There is an eager desire by the beings of Heaven for our Father’s Kingdom to come into its full power. There is an intense desire in Heaven for the wickedness of the earth to be destroyed and for Jesus to begin His Millennial Reign, which will ultimately bring in the New Jerusalem and the New Earth. Yet none of the events of the great Tribulation can happen, not one little bit of it can take place, until our Father allows it to! This is why these winds have to be held back by the four angels.

Satan is not in charge of the Great Tribulation, neither is the anti-christ. Our Father will correct His disobeying children. Our Father will do what is needed to bring all to a place where they can accept the Truth that will ultimately set them free. Even if that means sending people to Hades for a season. Never forget that every knee is going to bow and every tongue is going to confess that Jesus is Lord and that confession is what will allow everyone to escape being thrown into the Lake of Fire. Not everyone will be the Bride of Christ for eternity, some will be guests, but our Father will get His way and have all men saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth, 1 Timothy 2:4.

Revelation 6:17

17 For the great day of His wrath (vengeance, retribution, indignation) has come, and who is able to stand before it?

After our Father allows a fourth part of the earth to be controlled and devastated by the powers of the Four Horseman, we see an increase, our Father actually adds to His wrath. Men see that the destruction is far greater than just war and the agonies of war; they now see natural disasters happening as well. Our Father will allow asteroids to hit the earth, He will unleash great earthquakes, the sky will roll back, and the sun will be darkened and moon will look like blood. These events now begin to affect a third of the earth. We will see that the effects of our Father’s wrath increases over the entire world in Revelation 8 with the description of the wrath of the Seven Trumpet’s.  Our best science today shows us that a very small asteroid hitting the earth, or a major earthquake or a volcano, will affect great expanses of the earth. 

Think of what the people of the earth will have been seeing during this time of tribulation with a fourth of the earth in a war. They will have seen people being killed by the millions and now they will see these massive natural disasters and know that more misery is coming. Inflation will be out of control, money will be useless. People will be starving and diseases will be decimating millions of people. The anti-christ will be furious and he will rage even more war. Babylon, the term that our Father gives to the worlds system of government and business, will completely collapse. No one will be able to repay their debt and banks will fail completely. The air will be filled with dust. Air travel and communications will be severely disrupted. 

This all comes on the world extremely fast too, in a single hour. There is going to be one devastation after another. It will all begin and end in just 3 1/2 years. Jesus also tells us that right before all of this Great Tribulation begins, that the world will be saying that all is peaceful and safe, 1 Thessalonians 5:3. When the wicked begin to say this, sudden destruction will overtake them. Remember though, we are not of this world, even though we are in this world, John 15:19. Our peace is that we are kept by our Father from all evil, John 17:15. 

I am asked all of the time if we are in the end times? I do not believe that we are yet. I believe that it is close though, but no one is saying that things are peaceful and safe right now. I also believe that the Body of Christ is not fully mature yet. When we are, the power that our Father will show through us will allow the wicked to say that things are safe and peaceful. When we are fully mature the wicked will take credit for our Father’s actions through us. Then the end times will begin. 

The world will suffer tremendously during the great Tribulation, but we will be used to serve those in need in this great time of trouble, Matthew 24:45-46. We will give food without buying it. We will give water, when there is none available. We will do the works that Jesus did and even greater works, John 14:12, because we will be a perfect church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish, Ephesians 5:27! 

Revelation 6:12-16

12 When He [the Lamb] broke open the sixth seal, I looked, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun grew black as sackcloth of hair, [the full disc of] the moon became like blood. 

13 And the stars of the sky dropped to the earth like a fig tree shedding its unripe fruit out of season when shaken by a strong wind.

Physical Stars are millions of times larger than the earth, so if they would fall to the earth, we would be destroyed, there would be nothing left. Actually we would be completely destroyed by them long before they ever arrived. So what was John seeing here? Remember in Revelation 1 that Jesus was holding the seven stars, or seven messengers, in His right hand. Stars in prophesy often represent spiritual beings. Demons are called the princes of the air in Ephesians 2:2. What John is seeing here is all of the demonic powers being thrust to the earth to be bound and destroyed. This happens right before Jesus returns as the threshing floor is being cleaned, Matthew 3:12.

14 And the sky rolled up like a scroll and vanished, and every mountain and island was dislodged from its place. 

These verses go right along with what we will read in Revelation 16. Right before Jesus returns there is going to be a series of major natural and spiritual disasters. There are going to be earthquakes and thunderings like the earth has never seen. The heavens will be opened and the glory of our Lord is going to be revealed and it will scare the daylights out of the wicked who are in the world. This is a very important Truth to to remember: our Father will still have Grace. Think of a child that is caught by their father doing something wrong. They are petrified to see their dad. The dad doesn’t stop loving them and his discipline is for correction not revenge. 

15 Then the kings of the earth and their noblemen and their magnates and their military chiefs and the wealthy and the strong and [everyone, whether] slave or free hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 

16 And they called to the mountains and the rocks, Fall on (before) us and hide us from the face of Him Who sits on the throne and from the deep-seated indignation and wrath of the Lamb.

You know what I find funny? I have always heard that if Christians are here during the Great Tribulation, that we will be the ones hiding in caves and in the wilderness. But here John sees that this is where the rich and mighty are hiding. According to Jesus we won’t be in caves and in hiding, we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to give out food and provisions to those in need when Jesus returns. 

Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time? Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is that servant whom, when his master comes, he will find so doing. Matthew 24:45-46

The Truth is that we will be where the masses are, right in the fight, not in a cave. Think about it, where do they take the President at the first signs of trouble? Right to a hidden cave! When Stephen looked up and saw the Heavens opened He shinned right along with it. We will do the same. Jesus will be presenting us to Himself a glorious Church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish, Ephesians 5:27. 

Revelation 6:10-11

10 They cried in a loud voice, O [Sovereign] Lord, holy and true, how long now before You will sit in judgment and avenge our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?

11 Then they were each given a long and flowing and festive white robe and told to rest and wait patiently a little while longer, until the number should be complete of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed as they themselves had been. 

These chosen ones did not die from disease, pestilence, or drinking the bitter water; they died by being allowed to be murdered for the Kingdom of Heaven. They were killed for being used by the Holy Spirit to testify of Jesus and our Father’s Kingdom. Look at Stephen, John, Peter, and Paul when they were beaten and killed, and you will see the grace and power that they had while suffering. The Truth is that if our Father allows us to be sacrificed for our testimony of Jesus, He will anoint us with power to glory during it. So do not have to fear the idea of being martyred. If you are counted worthy to go through it, our Father’s yoke is still easy and His burden is still light, and He is still greater within us, than anything or any persecution that is in this world!

The white robes in verse 11 represent that these people are pure and that they were victorious. Also the Truth is that these souls are active, they are not sleeping. This shows us that when we die, we just don’t sleep until we are raised up at the last day. Our glory is that to be absent from the body is to be present with Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:8. These saints must still be souls, because they are told that they must wait until the rest of their brothers and sisters who are to be martyred have been killed. The dead have to be raised first and we are told that there are still more chosen ones of our Father to die.

Also notice that these witnesses are crying out for vengeance. We never see this with Jesus. When Jesus was killed, He cried out for the forgiveness of those who crucified Him. Stephen cried out for the forgiveness of those who stoned him. Peter and Paul witnessed to those who had beaten them and tortured them. But these saints, and since it is the souls of all who were killed, includes Stephen, Peter, and Paul, now cry out for vengeance, why? Well, look at what is happening during this time. Our Father has moved into pouring out His wrath. For thousands of years, He has let the earth go on, but now the full number of those who would be called and chosen to be the Bride of Christ is near. In the final days of this world, it is a time of our Father’s wrath to be poured out. He does this to purify everything. Our Father is in wrath mode during the end times and we will be as well! 

But the glorious Truth is that it is not wrath without love. It is wrath from love. It is just as with a child that needs corrected. I can become very angry with my kids, yet I always love them. I may discipline them for their actions, but the discipline is for their betterment. Grace is not absent during the end times. Anyone who has children knows what our Father is doing. The Truth is that everyone is God’s child, and He loves all of His kids. 


The revelation of people being guests for eternity allows us understand this Truth. People’s flesh is not who they are, it is our spirit’s that make us who we are. We have flesh, but it is our spirits that are eternal. Our Father may deal very harshly with our flesh, but it is for our sprits sake that He does it. Whatever our Father allows to happen to us in the flesh will benefit our spirits every time. All things, even our Father’s wrath, works out for our good. 

Our Father’s wrath during the end times is only for the wicked, not for His chosen ones. Remember that we are not appointed to wrath. We were chosen by our Father before the world was even created to enjoy His righteousness. We will be used to preach the Truth of the Gospel during this time, because there are still millions of chosen ones to be saved during the Great Tribulation. They may be killers, Paul was. They may be evil government workers, so was Matthew. But they have been chosen by our Father, they just need born again. So we will preach the Kingdom to every nation, tribe, and tongue! 

These are also a great verses to show that when our flesh dies, our spirits and souls still care about and intercede for our brothers and sisters in Christ. When we die we don’t just sleep, we loose the cares of the flesh and become closer to our Father and more powerful for the Kingdom. To die just means that we move into the next phase of life. We actually grow. This is why there is no fear in death. 

Revelation 6:9

9 When the Lamb broke open the fifth seal, I saw at the foot of the altar the souls of those whose lives had been sacrificed for [adhering to] the Word of God and for the testimony they had borne. 

The fifth seal is broken, and John sees the souls of everyone who has ever been martyred for Jesus’ sake; John sees their souls, he does not see their bodies. This is important now.

For this we declare to you by the Lord's [own] word, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede [into His presence] or have any advantage at all over those who have previously fallen asleep [in Him in death]. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first. Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord! 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 

How can John only see the souls of the dead here and not their bodies, if there has been a pre-tribulation rapture? If John only saw the souls of the martyred and there had been a rapture, wouldn’t this mean that these people’s bodies and souls were separate? The Holy Spirit tells us plainly that the dead will be raised first and then those of us who are alive in Christ will be raised. The theory of a pre-tribulation rapture can be debunked with just a couple of scriptures, these in 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15:52, John 6:39, and Revelation 11:15.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:52

And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day. John 6:39

The seventh angel then blew [his] trumpet, and there were mighty voices in heaven, shouting, The dominion (kingdom, sovereignty, rule) of the world has now come into the possession and become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (the Messiah), and He shall reign forever and ever (for the eternities of the eternities)! Revelation 11:15

There is no way that there can be a pre-tribulation rapture and these six verses still be true. The dead in Christ must rise first, and the dead in Christ do not rise until the Last Trumpet is blown on the last day.  Look at what Jesus Himself spoke in John.

He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has (possesses now) eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day. John 6:54

Jesus said it very clearly, the dead who are in Him, shall not be raised until the last day! The rapture theory says that there are seven years left for this earth to go on as it is after we are gone. The Truth is that we who are alive in Christ cannot be raised before those who have died in Christ. There is no pre-tribulation rapture, and for those who our Father chooses to be here during the great Tribulation it will be a glorious thing! Because those who are here on the earth in Christ, shall be used in power and demonstration of the Spirit as never before! This is why John only sees the souls of the martyred, because their bodies have not yet been raised up and transformed to be like Jesus.

Revelation 6:7-8

7 When the Lamb broke open the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature call out, Come! 

8 So I looked, and behold, an ashy pale horse [black and blue as if made so by bruising], and its rider's name was Death, and Hades (the realm of the dead) followed him closely. And they were given authority and power over a fourth part of the earth to kill with the sword and with famine and with plague (pestilence, disease) and with wild beasts of the earth.

In Revelation 7 we will study that the Four Winds are held back until our Father has called and chosen, or sealed, all of His children.

Notice what Jesus tells us here in these verses, that death and hades, the things that only He holds the keys to, Revelation 1:18, were allowed to only harm a fourth of the earth! These four horsemen are empowered to hurt men and nations, to take peace, to influence men to slaughter one another, to create great inflation, but yet they were only given power over a fourth part of the earth to kill and destroy. They were not given power over all of the earth, only a fourth part of the earth. And none of these things can happen until every chosen one of our Father is sealed.

AFTER THIS I saw four angels stationed at the four corners of the earth, firmly holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind should blow on the earth or sea or upon any tree. Then I saw a second angel coming up from the east (the rising of the sun) and carrying the seal of the living God. And with a loud voice he called out to the four angels who had been given authority and power to injure earth and sea, Saying, Harm neither the earth nor the sea nor the trees, until we have sealed the bond servants of our God upon their foreheads. Revelation 7:1-3

  

Remember in Revelation 1, that John refers to Himself as a bondservant. Here we see that no wrath can come until the bondservants of Jesus are sealed. So let me ask you this, if we are raptured before the Great Tribulation, why would we need sealed, is our Father’s wrath going to extend into Heaven? The only reason that we would need sealed, is if we were still here on the earth.  

Revelation 6:5-6

5 When He broke open the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, Come and look!  And I saw, and behold, a black horse, and in his hand the rider had a pair of scales (a balance). 

6 And I heard what seemed to be a voice from the midst of the four living creatures, saying, A quart of wheat for a denarius [a whole day's wages], and three quarts of barley for a denarius; but do not harm the oil and the wine! [II Kings 6:25.] 

Why are we told that the oil and the wine are not allowed to be harmed during the Great Tribulation? We are told that a small measure of wheat or barley will cost a whole day’s wages, but the oil and the wine will be unharmed? We will read in future chapters of Revelation that a 1/4th of all mankind will be killed by the actions of these four horsemen. We will read that a 1/3rd of the earth’s water will be unusable during the Great Tribulation, that a 1/3rd of all the creatures in the oceans will die, that a 1/3rd of the sun will be darkened, and yet the oil and the wine won’t be harmed. What good is oil if you can’t buy wheat, bread, rice, or pasta to use it with? What good is wine, if people really can’t afford food? Why would our Father have these two things spared from His wrath? 

These two things are spared by our Father because the oil is the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the wine is the Blood of Jesus, and they are in the truly called and chosen ones of God. How could Jesus, the first Horseman harm Himself? So even though all of this destruction is going on, the children of God, who have the Holy Spirit within them, and the Blood ever living to protect them, are unharmed! The wrath of our Father is not for His own children. And Jesus is showing John this Truth. 

And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful steward, the wise man whom his master will set over those in his household service to supply them their allowance of food at the appointed time? Blessed (happy and to be envied) is that servant whom his master finds so doing when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will set him in charge over all his possessions. Luke 12:42-44

The power of the Holy Spirit and the protection of our Lord’s eternal Blood will allow us to be used by our Father during this time of Great Tribulation to give food and supplies. Even when the world will tell us that we cannot buy or sell and even though much of the world’s food and water will be destroyed, we will still be empowered by the Holy Spirit to give these supplies. The power of our Father will be unharmed as it flows through us. If we were raptured before this time, why would Jesus tell us that we would be blessed when He returns, if we were being used to supply to those in need? Are we doing it from Heaven?

Revelation 6:3-4

3 And when He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, Come! 

4 And another horse came out, flaming red. And its rider was empowered to take the peace from the earth, so that men slaughtered one another; and he was given a huge sword.  

Notice here that this rider is first called to come out from Heaven. We have seen, and will see throughout all of the Book of Revelation, that our Father is in total control of the events that John is seeing regarding the end times. It is our Father acting and He is acting on His Own timetable, not on satan’s or man’s. 

This rider has no crown, he is not a ruler, his power is only to influence men to kill one another, and he is given his power by our Father to have great influence in doing so. We can see this because this rider was given a huge sword. Since there is no crown mentioned with this rider, I believe that he is spiritual. He may be a man, but there is a reason that Jesus clearly showed John that only one rider had a crown. Jesus also showed John that the first Rider would conquer with a bow, or conquer from far away, so this power would be angelic, coming first from Heaven. The horse that this horseman rides is red, red represents fierce anger and sin. This is where we get the phrase, “His eyes flashed red with fire?” 

Jesus will send forces from Heaven that will influence wicked men to kill each other. Jesus taught us that whatsoever thing that we sow, that shall we reap. So it shouldn’t cause anyone any grief to accept that our Father will cause wicked people, who have harmed one another, to now have the desire to kill one another. In the last days the wicked will kill one another with a vengeance! But they will only be killing the flesh, which is carnal, flesh is not eternal. Our Father will not allow His disobedient children’s souls to perish or be lost. He is a better Father than that. God does not have a dysfunctional family. We may act up, but He is always our Father and He is always with us, regardless of what we have to say about it. 

Revelation 6:1-2

1 THEN I saw as the Lamb broke open one of the seven seals, and as if in a voice of thunder I heard one of the four living creatures call out, Come! 

2 And I looked, and saw there a white horse whose rider carried a bow. And a crown was given him, and he rode forth conquering and to conquer.

In the Bible a horse is often used by our Father in prophesy to show power and great strength for battle. Job 39:19, Psalm 137:10. Jesus shows John here that this rider has been given great power by our Father; power to conquer. Jesus also shows John that he has been given a bow to do it with. A bow is a weapon that is used to wage war from a distance, and as we will study, all of the plagues, wars, and catastrophes in the Book of Revelation are first ordered and released from Heaven. Not until Jesus returns to the earth do we see that our Father has Him use a sword, the weapon of close range warfare, Revelation 19:5. 

A crown is used in prophesy to represent a ruler or kingship. Now I want you to take notice that this horseman is the only one of the four Apocalyptic Horsemen in the Book of Revelation that has been given a crown. We will study about three other Riders, but we are never told that the other three are given crowns. This Rider is given his power from our Father in Heaven to conquer and He has been given a crown. Our Father allows this ruler to successfully conquer nations from afar. His authority to rule is solely given by our Father and his power to conquer is solely given to him by our Father. He was given all of this power and ability to carry out our Father’s wrath on His disobedient children. Ask yourself this, does a loving father seek revenge and destruction or does he seek the correction of his children?  

I find it really powerful that the color of the horse that this Rider is given is white. White in prophesy represents purity. We don’t often think of conquerors as being pure, but this Rider’s horse, or his power to wage war, is pure. This shows us that our Father is in total control of the conquering and His judgments are righteous and they are true! Are you seeing anything developing here with the definition of this Rider? Who is now the King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s, 1 Timothy 6:15? Who is now more than a conqueror, Romans 8:37? (This verse tells us that we are more than conquerors, but we are, only because Jesus is!) Who has now had all things placed under His feet, Ephesians 1:22? Who now holds the keys of death and Hades, Revelation 1:18? And Who rides on a white horse in Revelation 19:11? The answer to all of the questions is Jesus and only Jesus! 

Who better than Jesus to go and rage righteous and pure warfare on the disobedient? Who has our Father placed in charge of His judgments? Jesus is the One Who has been raised up to sit in complete power in Heavenly places. 

And in Your majesty ride on triumphantly for the cause of truth, humility, and righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God); and let Your right hand guide You to tremendous things. Your arrows are sharp; the peoples fall under You; Your darts pierce the hearts of the King's enemies. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness, uprightness, and right standing with God and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.  Psalm 45:4-7

The First Horseman has a crown, because the first Horseman is Jesus! Jesus begins to pour out our Father’s wrath from Heaven, or in other word’s our Father’s correction. He has not returned to the earth when He begins to pour out our Father’s wrath. We know this because the seventh Trumpet, the final trumpet, has not yet sounded. 

The great peace for us in knowing this Truth, is that our Father is in total control of His wrath and He is pouring it out through our Lord and our Friend, Jesus, John 15:15. So why would we need raptured from the wrath of our Father, when the Rider of the White Horse, is our Lord and Savior, Who is also our Groom? Jesus’ Blood has been applied to our lives and just as it was with the Israelites in Egypt, the wrath of our Father will pass us by! We are now being shown the Great Tribulation, finally after 5 chapters and the first thing that we are shown about the end times is that Jesus is in control of everything happening! 

But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot. 1 Peter 1:19