Revelation 12:13-14

13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he went in pursuit of the woman who had given birth to the male Child. 

After Jesus’ resurrection the Church has always been persecuted, yet for the true chosen ones, our Father has always been victorious through us, Romans 8:37! Satan has always failed and he always will. Our Father is always in control and that is our peace that passes all understanding, Philippians 4:7. Remember too that God is constantly telling the demons what they can and cannot do, satan is no different, and he can only do what our Father first allows him to do.

Satan wages war on the Church, the woman, because that is who salvation has come to. Salvation has not come to Israel, they rejected Jesus. Salvation will come to Israel during the Great Tribulation, but not until then. And here we see that as soon as satan was cast down to the earth that he pursued the woman. This is the Church, we are the only ones that were here from the beginning.  

And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 2 Corinthians 3:13-15.  

14 But the woman was supplied with the two wings of a giant eagle, so that she might fly from the presence of the serpent into the desert (wilderness), to the retreat where she is to be kept safe and fed for a time, and times, and half a time (three and one-half years, or 1,260 days).

Isn’t it wonderful to think of how Christianity has flourished in the wildernesses of the world? Our Father clearly spoke that when the devil would begin his attack, the church would flee into the wilderness. Today there is America, which began as a vast wilderness. Christianity flourishes in the USA and our Father has used America from its very beginning as a nation to be an instrument of His righteousness. I find it interesting too that America is known as the Eagle and before it ever was, God was speaking of the wings of an eagle to be there for His church. But there were wildernesses for the saved before America and even today in the wildernesses of Africa, Asia, and South America, Christianity is protected and flourishes, even while being greatly persecuted. John was given this vision almost two thousand years ago and we can see that our Father knew what He was talking about. The Church will always be provided for and protected in the wilderness and in persecution. The end times will not change this Truth.

Revelation 12:12

12 Therefore be glad (exult), O heavens and you that dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in fierce anger (fury), because he knows that he has [only] a short time [left]!

The woman, which is the Church, is not harmed; our Father has always prepared a place of safety for us. We are His body, His flesh, His Temple and there is no weapon that can harm God and we are one with Him. Our bodies may still be on the earth, but we have been raised up together and made to sit together in Heaven with Jesus, Ephesians 2:6. These verses show us that even if we are to be killed for our testimony, that there is not a woe for us. God’s power will flow through us even if we are killed for being used to testify of the Truth. It will be a glorious and wonderful time, as we are empowered with the Holy Spirit to serve the Kingdom and our Father during the Great Tribulation. Also remember this: the angel proclaimed that it would be a speedy victory for us as well. The time will pass quickly for the chosen of God because we will be used in power and demonstration as we never have before. 

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24

Revelation 12:7-11

7 Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels went forth to battle with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought.

8 But they were defeated, and there was no room found for them in heaven any longer. 

9 And the huge dragon was cast down and out--that age-old serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, he who is the seducer (deceiver) of all humanity the world over; he was forced out and down to the earth, and his angels were flung out along with him.

10 Then I heard a strong (loud) voice in heaven, saying, Now it has come--the salvation and the power and the kingdom (the dominion, the reign) of our God, and the power (the sovereignty, the authority) of His Christ (the Messiah); for the accuser of our brethren, he who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and night, has been cast out!

Look at the events that we are shown here. Jesus was first born, then He was caught up to Heaven, and when He was caught up, this is the time that satan and the fallen angels were cast out of Heaven. Jesus shows John here that satan was cast out of Heaven after He was crucified and raised from the dead, not before He was. Think of it, satan was accusing Job in Heaven before Jesus came to the earth wasn’t he, Job 1? The churches power, or the woman’s power, is salvation and our Kingdom is from Christ, and this all came to us after Jesus was raised from the dead. After Jesus’ crucifixion is when He bruised satan’s head with His heel, and after He was crucified is when Jesus took the keys of death and hell from satan, Revelation 1:18. 

11 And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing]. 

Jesus is the woman’s power, the Churches power, and His Blood keeps us clean from sin, 1 John 1:9. There is nothing left for satan to accuse us with, so there is no longer any room for him in Heaven. We are no longer saved by works; we are now saved by grace and faith, Ephesians 2:8. No man can truly accept Jesus as Lord unless the Holy Spirit empowers him to, 1 Corinthians 12:3. And our faith is now authored and finished by Jesus, Hebrews 12:2. So everything we are is of our Father, and satan has no grounds to accuse us and he has no place to accuse us, Jesus won and it is finished! Until Jesus did all of this for us satan was allowed to stay in Heaven. But as soon as Jesus was raised up from the dead, satan was thrown out of Heaven. 

The Word Became Flesh: Judgment Day

And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. John 1:14

Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages). Hebrews 3:18

Jesus is and was and will be the Word of our Father. Heaven and earth will pass away, but our Father’s Word, or Jesus, will remain and He will remain the same, Mark 13:31.

That all being said, if we want to see how the Word will Judge on Judgment Day, we can simply look at how He Judged when He was here on the earth 2,000 years ago.

And when Jesus saw their faith [their confidence in God through Him], He said to the paralyzed man, Son, your sins are forgiven [you] and put away [that is, the penalty is remitted, the sense of guilt removed, and you are made upright and in right standing with God]. Mark 2:5

The powerful Truth with this first example is that the sick man did not show the faith in Him, but his friends who had brought him did. The other Truth is that the sick man did not ask to be forgiven, yet Jesus forgave him.

And He said to her, Your sins are forgiven! Luke 7:48

This was an especially wicked woman who came and worshipped Jesus before He died. She did not specifically ask for forgiveness, yet Jesus forgave her. 

When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you? She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more. John 8:10-11

This woman was caught in adultery, the law said to kill her. She did not seek out Jesus, she was just brought to Him by a bunch of religious leaders who were all hypocrites. Jesus forgave her sins and she never asked to be forgiven. 

And Jesus prayed, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they divided His garments and distributed them by casting lots for them. Luke 23:54

These people had denied that Jesus was Lord. They had blasphemed Him. They had lied about Him. They had tortured Him and they were killing Him. These people did not ask for forgiveness, they did not believe that Jesus could forgive them, and they did not believe that they had received it, yet Jesus forgave them and they were forgiven.

If there is a religious person around you that wants to talk about Jesus seeing justice on Judgment Day, or vengeance, or wrath, just remember how the Word Judged and you will see how He will Judge. Our Lord does not judge for man’s justice, He judges for Grace’s justice and grace is all unearned and it is all undeserved. Judgment Day will be easier for most people then what religion wants us to know. Our Lord will be the same on that day as He was 2,000 years ago! 

Revelation 12:6

6 And the woman [herself] fled into the desert (wilderness), where she has a retreat prepared [for her] by God, in which she is to be fed and kept safe for 1,260 days (42 months; three and one-half years). 

For 3 ½ years we are shown that the Church is protected and fed during the Great Tribulation. Jesus Shepherds His Bride to food and water during this time. He protects us from the scorching sun and He wipes away all of our tears. He uses us to provide to those in need, even when the world tells us that we can’t buy or sell, Matthew 24:45-46. The demonic attacks of the creatures of the Abyss never come nigh us. Our yoke is easy and our burden is light and greater is our Lord Who is in us, than anything that is in the world.

Notice here that the Revelation of Jesus never shows us that the woman would reject her child, as Israel rejected Jesus. I believe that is a huge point to not mention if the woman was actually Israel, as so many believe and preach. 

Also, Israel never fled into the wilderness, the Jewish people fled into Europe and Russia, heavily populated areas of the world, not the wilderness. But the true Church has always been on the outside looking in. Not the false Christian churches, they have been accepted for centuries and found favor with men. Governments have been able to manipulate them from the beginning to carry out their evil purposes. But the real church, those truly called and chosen by our Father to be the Bride of Christ have always been rejected. Many are called but few are chosen.


What I find so amazing when reading Revelation is the power and grace that will be exhibited through us. People ask me all of the time are we in the end times. I do not believe that we are yet. I believe that when you see the power and love of Christ freely flowing through us to where things are happening that man cannot do, that is when the end is near.  

Revelation 12:5

5 And she brought forth a male Child, One Who is destined to shepherd (rule) all the nations with an iron staff (scepter), and her Child was caught up to God and to His throne.

Jesus was resurrected from the dead, glorified to His former state of being, and raised up to Heaven. Satan thought that he had destroyed Jesus by crucifying Him, and yet Jesus was raised from the dead. Just as satan will think that he has destroyed the two witnesses and will fail. The glorious Truth that sets us free is that death is never an ending for the chosen ones of God! 

Satan is given too much credit for acting alone in religion today. He is just a tool of our Father and he repeatedly shows his ignorance of this Truth throughout history. Look how our Father has used him throughout the years and you will see this. Satan is a deceiver, that is how our Father made him, and he constantly is trying to convince people that he is in charge. Ego, pride, and jealousy always act this way. What satan sows, he reaps. He sows deception, so he is always being deceived. Our Father knows the beginning and the end. Our Father knew what satan would do because He made him that way! Our Father created the good and the evil and they all work together for His good.

Think for a minute about John seeing this. Up to this time, John was shown all that was wrong with the seven churches, and then he was shown all of the destruction of the wicked. John was shown the pain, the grief, and the absolute destruction of the world. He had taken the scroll that had made him sick, but now He sees the victory of Jesus. John knows Jesus, he knows Who He is and what He is, this is a refreshing time during the vision for John. He has just seen that the rule of the world has been handed over to Jesus. He has seen Heaven and earth rejoice, and now he sees Jesus being protected by our Father. It is easy to preach on just the hardships of the unsealed during a study of Revelation, but the glorious power of our Father working through His chosen ones is what brings us joy and hope. 

Revelation 12:3-4

3 Then another ominous sign (wonder) was seen in heaven: Behold, a huge, fiery-red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven kingly crowns (diadems) upon his heads.

The dragon is satan. The heads and crowns represent the earthly rulers that he is permitted to use by our Father to persecute the Church. And as always, remember our Father is in total control of every event in this vision. The rulers that satan uses have been chosen by our Father to be used. Satan is only allowed to do what our Father permits him to. Nothing is happening without first being ordained by our Father.


Many people speculate on who these kings are. To me that is not as important as the Truth that there are these kings. We are not of this world. We are of our Father's Kingdom. I really feel that all kingdoms are evil and attempt to cause us to have faith in them and not our Father. I live in America and this country has been good to me, but the government of America is corrupt. I marvel that anyone places any faith in it whatsoever. These countries may be Europe, they may not be. The Truth that is important is that our Father's Kingdom is the only Kingdom that matters. Our Father is the only King that matters and His will is good. 

4 His tail swept [across the sky] and dragged down a third of the stars and flung them to the earth. And the dragon stationed himself in front of the woman who was about to be delivered, so that he might devour her child as soon as she brought it forth.

Satan deceived a third of the angels and they were cast out of Heaven with him. Satan tried to destroy Jesus as soon as he was born and as always, he failed miserably. Yet the glorious Truth is that he succeeded, because he did exactly what our Father ordained him to do, which is fail. Our Father was in control, He knew what satan was going to do before satan even did, and He permitted and empowered him to do it. Our Father warned Joseph in a dream what was going to happen, so Joseph took Mary and Jesus, and fled to Egypt. Satan failed and our Father was glorified, satan brought praise to our Father just as he was created to do. 

This is a great Truth for us, nothing takes our Father by surprise. Anything that happens to us has been first ordained by our Father, it has been allowed to happen and it is for our good and the Kingdom’s good!

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. Romans 8:28

Revelation 12:1-2

1 AND A great sign (wonder)--[warning of future events of ominous significance] appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and with a crown like garland (tiara) of twelve stars on her head. 

Remember that the Book of Revelation is not written just in chronological order. This chapter is simply Jesus showing John something further to clarify the vision of the end times.

The woman that John is shown here is the Church, 2 Corinthians 11:2 and Ephesians 5:23-27. The woman is not a depiction of Israel. Israel is Jacob, a man, masculine, the church though is often referred to as a woman in the Bible, the Bride of Christ. The Church’s power is Christ, which is the anointing of God and Jesus is the Sun. The moon is the Old Testament; the church came out of the Old Testament and the Old Covenant has been done away with, this is why John sees the moon under the woman’s feet. Then the Crown of stars represents the church’s authority, 12 Apostles, 12 Patriarchs. So the woman that is shown here is the Church, it is not Israel or Jesus, as was so often preached to me as a child. 

2 She was pregnant and she cried out in her birth pangs, in the anguish of her delivery. 

The church birthed Jesus. Jesus was the first begotten of many brethren, Revelation 1:5. Israel did not birth Jesus, the Holy Spirit birthed Him. Israel had sin, but since Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit, He was without any fault or sin. The strength of the Church is the Holy Spirit. Jesus was birthed in tribulation; He was hated and persecuted from the beginning of His life. The Church has been persecuted and hated from the very beginning as well. The Church is people who are born of the Holy Spirit and of a woman and Jesus was the first One of us born this way.  

Revelation 11:15-19

15 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)!

We are shown that Jesus has returned and taken control of the earth here. The Truth is that He has always had control of it, He just returns to be here physically to control it, Colossians 1:16. The nations under the anti-christ and false prophet who have taken the mark of the beast have been gathered together to try and defeat Jesus. But they fail miserably because with His Word, Jesus consumes them as with fire! And as the angel proclaimed, it happens quickly!  

16 Then the twenty-four elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin], who sit on their thrones before God, prostrated themselves before Him and worshiped, 

17 Exclaiming, To You we give thanks, Lord God Omnipotent, [the One] Who is and [ever] was, for assuming the high sovereignty and the great power that are Yours and for beginning to reign. 

18 And the heathen (the nations) raged, but Your wrath (retribution, indignation) came, the time when the dead will be judged and Your servants the prophets and saints rewarded--and those who revere (fear) Your name, both low and high and small and great--and [the time] for destroying the corrupters of the earth.

The last trumpet has blown, and when it does immediately the two witnesses are raised up from the dead along with all who have died and all who are alive in Christ. We may not know the exact moment of Jesus’ return now, but when we see the two witnesses killed, the earth only has 3 1/2 days left. 

After the last trumpet, the seventh trumpet, blows our Father rewards His children. If there had been a time of reward for us before this time, a pre-tribulation rapture, when some teach is the time of the Marriage Supper of Lamb, then this verse would be absolutely false. This is the time of the Marriage Supper, after the last Trumpet, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. This is the time of our reward, not before. Think of it, why would people be rewarded when the race had not yet been finished? The final woe came and passed quickly, and now the Bride is joined with the Groom and we rule and reign with Jesus for all of eternity. 

19 Then the sanctuary of God in heaven was thrown open, and the ark of His covenant was seen standing inside in His sanctuary; and there were flashes of lightning, loud rumblings (blasts, mutterings), peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a terrific hailstorm. [I Kings 8:1-6.]

These events are showing us the end of times. The Truth of our Father is seen and experienced by all. Remember that as the lost saw all of this happening, they glorified God. The lost do not glorify our Father before the end of times. This is when every knee has bowed and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord. The saved and the unsaved, both at one time, proclaim the Truth that Jesus is Lord!

Revelation 11:11-14

11 But after three and a half days, by God's gift the breath of life again entered into them, and they rose up on their feet, and great dread and terror fell on those who watched them. 

For those who believe that the two witnesses are symbolic, and that they represent the Word of God, let me ask you this question, our Father has to breathe life back into His eternal Word? And as soon as our Father revives His eternal Word, He lifts it up to Heaven? Also, would people really be aware and celebrate the death of the Word after just 3 1/2 days of it not being around. Think of what is going on here at this time: death, war, diseases, inflation, and complete misery. Would the wicked be able to see or even recognize the Word was resurrected to fear?

But if these two are men, men who had spoken about the misery and it came to pass, and the world had seen them actually die and celebrated their death, think of how they will fear when these two are raised up. I just can not believe that our Father’s Word can ever be dead.

12 Then [the two witnesses] heard a strong voice from heaven calling to them, Come up here! And before the very eyes of their enemies they ascended into heaven in a cloud. [II Kings 2:11.] 

People will use this as a verse in an attempt to confirm that there are many raptures during the Great Tribulation. But this represents the only rapture, because as we are going to read in verse 15, right when these two are raised, the rule of the earth will be given to Jesus. This is when all of the dead in Christ will be raised up with all of those who are alive in Him. Both groups of saints will be caught up with the two witnesses to be transformed to be like Jesus. These two are raised up from the dead right along with everyone else who has ever died and who was saved. 

13 And at that [very] hour there was a tremendous earthquake and one tenth of the city was destroyed (fell); seven thousand people perished in the earthquake, and those who remained were filled with dread and terror and were awe-struck, and they glorified the God of heaven. 

Jerusalem is rocked by a great earthquake right before Jesus returns, just as it was when Jesus was crucified. The people left on the earth have seen these two witnesses lying dead for 3 1/2 days; they celebrated their killing and now they see them raised up. They also see the graves busting open and they see the alive in Christ being raised up to their glorified state. And when they see this, they see Jesus coming in the Sky. As Jesus left, He is returning, and all men see Him. Of course they will glorify God! They will glorify our Father with their amazement and wonder. They will have to confess that Jesus is right there and look at all of the people with Him. 

14 The second woe (calamity) has passed; now the third woe is speedily to come. 

Remember that the angel, who proclaimed that the three woes were coming, stated that the woes will effect the entire earth. The first woe was the Abyss being opened and allowing men to be tormented and vexed for five months. We were shown that the unsealed would seek death, but they would not find it. The second woe was the four angels being released from their holding place along the Euphrates River to kill a third of all of mankind. And the third woe is Jesus returning to the earth and the great battle of Armageddon, a battle that will kill off millions of people who are gathered together by our Father at Jerusalem to rage war against Him. The Blood of the dead will flow as high as a horses bridle at Armageddon, and for hundreds of square miles. It will be the final battle and it will happen with lightning speed!

Revelation 11:7-10

7 But when they have finished their testimony and their evidence is all in, the beast (monster) that comes up out of the Abyss (bottomless pit) will wage war on them, and conquer them and kill them.

Jesus shows us that when the witnesses message is finished they are permitted to be killed. Our Father’s message will be proclaimed to the world and nothing is permitted to stop it, or those who are chosen to proclaim it, until our Father decides. Only Jesus holds the keys to death, Revelation 1:18. 

8 And their dead bodies [will lie exposed] in the open street (a public square) of the great city which is in a spiritual sense called [by the mystical and allegorical names of] Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

9 For three and a half days men from the races and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and will not allow them to be put in a tomb. 

10 And those who dwell on the earth will gloat and exult over them and rejoice exceedingly, taking their ease and sending presents [in congratulation] to one another, because these two prophets had been such a vexation and trouble and torment to all the dwellers on the earth. 

Think of how the anti-christ and the false prophet will have been preaching against the two witnesses of our Father. They have cursed these two witnesses for 3 1/2 years. Through the news and spin doctors the anti-christ and false prophet have tried to preach to people that their false religion is right, not what the two witnesses have been preaching. The anti-christ and false prophet will have been telling people to pray to graven images, and those images are probably those of Bible figures: Mary, John, Peter, Paul, and others. They have been preaching that the works that the witnesses do is of the devil, just like the Pharisees and Sadducees did to Jesus. So of course when they are killed the wicked will rejoice, thinking their false doctrine of man was right and that they are the ones who are truly are of God. 

Satan is a deceiver and so are the anti-christ and false prophet. Their followers will actually believe they are doing God’s work. Many will be celebrating what they believe is the defeat of the devil when they see these two witnesses killed. They will look at what God had done through these two: plagues, droughts, and famine. The wicked will believe that God would never do works like these. To the lost these works of wrath will definitely seem like the works of satan. Think of how things are now portrayed by the church. If things are good, they are of God. If things are bad, they are of satan. This doctrine is not at all true. Our Father can very well use what the world calls a bad thing as a tool of righteousness. That is exactly what we have been shown here in Jesus’ Revelation of the end times. 

Revelation 11:6

6 These [two witnesses] have power to shut up the sky, so that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying (their prediction of events relating to Christ's kingdom and its speedy triumph); and they also have power to turn the waters into blood and to smite and scourge the earth with all manner of plagues as often as they choose. 

We have seen the Four Horseman be empowered to kill off a fourth of the earth. We have seen that natural disasters are affecting a third of the earth. We have seen that a spiritual war will kill off a third of all mankind, and now we see that plagues are being spoken out by God’s two witnesses. These two first speak and the things that we have read about happen. They clearly tell the world that the wars are coming and they do. They tell the world that the natural disasters are coming and they do. Can you imagine how these two will be hated by the world for being used in this way? And we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to agree with them, so imagine how we will be hated as well! The anti-christ and false prophet will be trying to grab all of the worlds power during this time. At every turn these two witnesses will be used by the Holy Spirit to proclaim an event of wrath is coming from our Father and what they are used to proclaim will happen and it will hinder every effort of the anti-christ. These two will proclaim it, we will agree with it, and the world will hate us for it. 

The thing to remember here is that our Father released the Four Horseman. God released the seals, the Angel of the Abyss, the Four Angels at the Euphrates River, and now we are shown that our Father is controlling, through the Holy Spirit, these two witnesses. This is our Father’s wrath and He is in control and His wrath is not against His own body. We are fed by Jesus, covered by Jesus, and find clean water by Jesus. Our sins, sicknesses, and diseases are borne now by our Lord and Savior, and they will be borne during the Great Tribulation by Him as well. Even during the Great Tribulation, Jesus is greater within us then he that is in the world! Also remember that John was told of the speedy victory of Jesus. For the wicked this will be a long 3 1/2 years, but for the Body of Christ it is speedy!

Revelation 11:3-4

3 And I will grant the power of prophecy to My two witnesses for 1,260 (42 months; three and one-half years), dressed in sackcloth. 

Once again this is a sweet thing! John is shown our Father empowering His two witnesses for the same 3 ½ years. John sees the power and glory of Jesus flowing, even during these turbulent times. The message of the witnesses is great, yet these two are extremely humble with what they have been empowered by our Father to do. This is why we are shown that they are dressed in sackcloth. 

4 These [witnesses] are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth.

The two olive trees are Zerubbabel and Joshua, Zechariah 4:14. These two men led the captives out of Babylon, Zechariah 4:7 and the two olive trees continuously provide oil, which is the Word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, not by physical might, Zechariah 4:6.

These are literally two witnesses who will be used by our Father to deliver many people out of Babylon. We will see later in Revelation that Babylon is the worlds system of government and economics. So for 3 ½ years we will see the power of our Father flowing miraculously through these two witnesses. Didn’t Jesus preach for 3 ½ years as well? Some teach that these two witnesses are only symbolic and that they represent the Word of our Father. But we will study later that these two witnesses are killed and allowed to lay dead in the streets. Can the Word of our Father be killed by man? Can the Word of God lay dead or inactive? Absolutely not, the Word is alive, it is quick, and it is sharper than any two edged sword! So these two have to be real men and not a symbolic representation of the Word.  

5 And if anyone attempts to injure them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their enemies; if anyone should attempt to harm them, thus he is doomed to be slain. [II Kings 1:10; Jer. 5:14.] 

Just like with Jesus, these two have a time to serve and a time to die. Our Father is in control and they do not die until their time is finished, or pre-planned by our Father. And just as with Jesus, they use the Word of God as their sword. This means that Grace will abound as well through them, just as it did with Jesus. Jesus healed those who hated Him. He fed those who would later call for His death. He forgave sinners and He even served the Gentiles, Who He was not called to serve. Our Father is Love and His love will always be shown, even during His wrath. 

Revelation 11:1-2

1 A REED [as a measuring rod] was then given to me, [shaped] like a staff, and I was told: Rise up and measure the sanctuary of God and the altar [of incense], and [number] those who worship there. 

Chapter 11 begins John’s new prophesy. John is shown just how great the number of the Church will be. John is shown how we measure up, the measuring reed is shaped like a staff and we measure up because Jesus is our Shepherd. Jesus is our Head, our Lord, Our Vine, our Groom, and our Master. We are only because He is. He is greater within us then anything that is in this world. We are strong in the power of His might. This has to be sweet to John; Jesus shows His beloved just how many will be saved throughout the ages. John has been shown so much devastation in this vision of the end times and now he is shown how great the number of the saved will be. He is shown how the Bride of Christ will be used by our Father to proclaim the Truth. John sees the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit working through us. It has to be marvelous and refreshing after all of the devastation that he has been shown. 

2 But leave out of your measuring the court outside the sanctuary of God; omit that, for it is given over to the Gentiles (the nations), and they will trample the holy city underfoot for 42 months (three and one-half years).

Notice here that John is to only measure the Temple, the saved, and not Jerusalem, the Holy City, which is given to the Gentiles, the unsaved. Now the prophecy becomes bitter for John, because Jerusalem will be trampled under foot for 3 ½ years and John is shown the lost and how wicked and tormented they will be during the Great Tribulation. 

Revelation 10:8-11

8 Then the voice that I heard from heaven spoke again to me, saying, Go and take the little book (scroll) which is open on the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land. 

9 So I went up to the angel and asked him to give me the little book. And he said to me, Take it and eat it. It will embitter your stomach, though in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.

10 So I took the little book from the angel's hand and ate and swallowed it; it was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but once I had swallowed it, my stomach was embittered. 

11 Then they said to me, You are to make a fresh prophecy concerning many peoples and races and nations and languages and kings.

The scroll is a fresh prophecy that the Holy Spirit is going to have John preach, we will read about it in Revelation 11. The Word of our Father is sweet in John’s mouth, yet His stomach is sickened by it. How many times have you read the Word and when you read it is refreshing and sweet, and you love it? But then the reality of what it means to the guests sinks in and it makes you sick to think of what is going to happen to those whose hearts are not right. We see that our sins, sicknesses, and diseases have been born by Jesus and how sweet that Truth is, yet we see people who reject it and whose hearts are wrong with our Father, and we see them sick and dying and it makes us upset.

This is how I see this chapter regarding John receiving a new prophecy, because it will involve his beloved Jerusalem. Ezekiel was given a scroll, a prophesy, about Israel and told to eat it, and it made his stomach bitter as well, even though it was sweet as honey at first, Ezekiel 3:1-3. The scroll given to Ezekiel was filled with woes, lamentations, and mourning for Israel. This is also why the Book is small. The Great Message covers the whole earth, it is huge and powerful. But the Book is small, because it only deals with Jerusalem.   

Yet what I love about Chapter 10 is just how powerful the message of the Kingdom will be during this time in history. Our Father is going to anoint us with power like we never have had before. Miracles will abound during this time. We will have no fear, our faith will be as our Father’s is, absolute and eternal. We will be glorious, without spot, wrinkle, or blemish and our service to the Kingdom and the world will show this plainly and openly. Our Father will use us to do the works that He did through Jesus and He will use us to do even greater works. The entire world will see this power at one time. For those who have been called and chosen to be the Bride, it will be glorious and for those who have not been chosen to be the Bride, it will be clouded over. The guests will see, yet they will not believe. They will hear and yet they will deny. 

Revelation 10:5-7

5 Then the [mighty] angel whom I had seen stationed on sea and land raised his right hand to heaven (the sky),

6 And swore in the name of (by) Him Who lives forever and ever, Who created the heavens (sky) and all they contain, and the earth and all that it contains, and the sea and all that it contains. [He swore] that no more time should intervene and there should be no more waiting or delay, 

   

7 But that when the days come when the trumpet call of the seventh angel is about to be sounded, then God's mystery (His secret design, His hidden purpose), as He had announced the glad tidings to His servants the prophets, should be fulfilled (accomplished, completed).

We see here that the angel is shouting out that the end is near. We know this because the angel proclaims that this is the days when the seventh trumpet is about to be sounded, not the day when it is sounded. We were just shown that the message of the Seven Thunders, or our Father's voice, was hidden, so it goes right along with His message could easily be the specifics of the timing of all of this. But once again, I am only speculating here, I am not adding to or taking away from the Revelation of our Lord. The only thing we know is that the message of the Seven Thunders is hidden from us.
 

We are shown here though, just how powerful the message of the Gospel will be during the end times. I was always taught that as Christians we want to be out of here, or raptured, from all of this. But the Truth is that it is the time in this earth’s history when the body of Christ will be used the greatest by our Father. 

Have you ever asked our Father why there is so little power in the body today? Most of my life I was told that we don’t possess great power because we weren’t doing something right. But the Truth is our sanctification is up to Jesus and not us, Hebrews 2:11. The body can only do what the Head empowers and directs it to do. So the reason that there is so little power in the body of Christ is because there is an appointed time for such great power and that time is for the last three and a half years of this earth, right before Jesus personally returns to rule it. This is why it will be such a great sin to follow the anti-christ and not Christ, because it will be so plain to see. The end time message is glorious and powerful and it covers the entire world. 

Revelation 10:3-4

3 And he shouted with a loud voice like the roaring of a lion; and when he had shouted, the seven thunders gave voice and uttered their message in distinct words. 

4 And when the seven thunders had spoken (sounded), I was going to write [it down], but I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up what the seven thunders have said! Do not write it down! 

So far Jesus in Revelation has shown John just how terrible it will be for the unsaved during this time of our Father’s wrath, or all of the unsealed. Jesus has shown John that millions upon millions of people will have been killed. He has shown John that much of the world’s water will be useless and even deadly to drink. He has shown John that the Abyss has been opened. And He has shown John, and us, that the world will suffer extreme natural disasters that will block out a third of all of the earths light. So I really don’t think that these seven thunders are telling John anything worse than what he has already been shown.

In prophesy the word "thunder" is used to describe our Father's voice. Remember this is another angel, or another message of the end times. The Seven Thunders are our Father's perfect voice. The Bride of Christ will hear our Father as we never have before. The Thunder sounds like a Lion to John, Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. We are shown that Jesus will be using us as never before. Jesus is returning for a glorious Church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish, Ephesians 5. So we will have to be hearing our Father just as Jesus hears Him.

I think that these seven thunders showed John the specific time that these things were going to occur, because no man can now the exact time of the return of Jesus, Matthew 24:36. We are permitted to know the seasons, but not the exact time. We will hear our Father's voice and we will not be overtaken as a thief by the end times. These thunders could also reveal the specifics of the anti-christ and the false prophet. I could be wrong here, but after what we have seen in Revelation, what really could be worse that would have to be hidden from us. This is just me speculating on the specifics that John heard and it is just that.

What we do know about these Seven Thunders is that the message of our Father will be loud and clear. There will be no doubt that what our Father is saying will be released. The message will be distinct and our Father's words will be clear. This gives me great hope. Personally I long for clarity and to experience the full power of our salvation. I believe that the fulness of our salvation will not be shown through us by our Father until the end of this world. Jesus said that we would be used to do greater works then He was used for, John 14:12. So there is an appointed time for this power to be shown through us and in Ephesians 5:27 we are told that Jesus is returning for a glorious and spotless church. During the end times, when we can’t trust in a job, or the government, or the weather, or money, and definetly not in ourselves. We will trust only in the power of our Father and that will make us glorious and more powerful then ever before. When we are at our weakest, our Father will be at His strongest through us, 2 Corinthians 12:10. 

Revelation 10:1-2

1 THEN I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, robed in a cloud, with a [halo like a] rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and his feet (legs) were like columns of fire. 

2 He had a little book (scroll) open in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 

John is taken back here to the beginning of the prophecy, the beginning of the end times. Remember that the Book of Revelation is not written chronologically. John is shown the events of the end times in their entirety and so he is repeatedly taken back to be shown another aspect of the events of the last three and a half years of this earth’s history. Once again John is shown by Jesus that this angel, or powerful message, comes from Heaven. John is repeatedly shown that every aspect of the Great Tribulation is being orchestrated by our Father. This Truth should bring us great peace, because we are not appointed to our Father’s wrath, but to His righteousness, 1 Thessalonians 5:9. We have been sealed and empowered for this time with all of the faith, hope, love, wisdom, and power of our Lord, Jesus Christ! Notice here too, that the angel has a halo, which appears to be like a rainbow over his head. This is a sign that is understood by the Bride of Christ, that we are not under any condemnation from our Father. The rainbow is also over the message, it is not clouded, it is plain to see. Romans 8:1 is eternal, there is now therefore no condemnation and there never will be any condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus. So there is no condemnation for us during the Great Tribulation. Just as the rainbow was a sign to the world after the flood, this is a sign to the Bride of Christ who will be here during this time in History. 

It also shows us that the Great Message of the end times is full of Grace. Sin will be abounding, but where sin abounds, Grace much more abounds, Romans 5:20. Our Father will be disciplining our disobedient brothers and sisters. Think of children and how they react when one of them is punished, they bond together with their siblings and it strengthens them as a family. We will intercede for the lost as we never have before. We will love them regardless of what they are saying or doing. Even if they kill us, our love will abound for them as we intercede for them in the full power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. 

The scroll, or the great and powerful message, that the angel has effects the entire earth, this is why his right foot is on the sea, the populated regions of the world, and his left foot is on the land, the wildernesses of the world. The angel is clothed in a cloud, because His message is glorious, it is from our Father and the world has no ability to see the glory of our Father. They have not yet been empowered to understand that the Blood of Jesus has been applied to their lives, so they are unable to understand or see the Truth that will set them free! Just as a cloud would cover the glory of our Father in the Old Testament, it covers Him now from the guests. The message that the scroll contains is also powerful, it’s filled with the power of our Father. This is why the angels face shines like the sun, just as Stephen’s face shined as the Sun’s. The angels leg’s are like a column of fire, the power of the Holy Spirit is what this angel stands on. 

This message is glorious and it is powerful and it will fill the entire earth. Jesus told the disciples that the one sign of His return was going to be that the Gospel of the Kingdom was going to be preached to every nation, tongue, and tribe, Matthew 24:14. John is being shown this Truth here in his vision, the message is powerful and full of glory and it covers the entire world. This part of John’s vision ties right in with Revelation 8:2-4, when the angel of our Father pours fire, which is the power of the Holy Spirit, out upon the believers in the world. Repeatedly John is shown how powerfully the body of Christ will be used by our Father to preach the Gospel during these three and a half years.   

The Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached during this time with power and demonstration of the Spirit and our Father will preach it through His children as it has never been preached before. The entire world will hear and see the power of our Father flowing through His chosen ones. There will be no denying that the glory and power is from the Holy Spirit operating in the children of God. 

And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Matthew 12:31 People will be doing horrendous things during these times, but their evil will be forgiven them. Our Father’s Grace and our Lord’s sacrifice will far exceed the evil of the world. Our Father would that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth and through Christ they will! 

Remember this wonderful Truth: Jesus forgave those who cried out for Him to be killed. They did not ask for forgiveness, they did not believe that it was needed, and they did not accept it. Yet they still benefited from it. This is the Great Message, surrounded by a cloud, standing on the Holy Spirit, and crowned with the rainbow!