As we continue our study of Revelation or what I have called Revelation Revisited, we are in a section of the book where John is filling in some of the details of the Tribulation Period for us. So with that said, let’s pick up our study in Revelation chapter 11 this evening.

            As we move on in this chapter we see two witnesses raised up, whom I believe will lead the 144,000 Jewish evangelists to the Lord. Who are these two men?  I believe they are Moses and Elijah. I do realize that some may argue that point, but we do know for sure that one of them is Elijah, for in Malachi 4:5-6 we are told, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

            And as I have said, I believe that the other witness is Moses. In Luke 9:28-36 we are told, “Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’ — not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!’ When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.”

            You see, Moses represented the Law and Elijah the prophets and God will use these men to spread the Gospel message. Then, when their work is done, not a moment too soon, when they have finished their testimony, at the end of that first 3½ years of the Tribulation Period, the beast kills them! And the people are rejoicing that these troublemakers are dead, they are throwing a big party, probably sending Hallmark cards, “Happy Dead Witnesses Day!” How sad!

            But then, at the end of 3½ days, as their bodies lay in the street, God raises them up and takes them into Heaven! Can you imagine CNN as they are reporting this or whatever propaganda news organization that will be around at that time, what their faces will look like?  And yet, they still refuse to repent!

As we conclude this chapter we come to the third woe or the seventh trumpet judgment and it speaks of the Lord coming back to set up His kingdom on this earth. Why is that a woe? It is a woe to those who have rejected Him but it truly is a joyous time for those who love Him and will be with Him in the Kingdom Age. And so as this seventh trumpet sounds it introduces to us and includes the seven bowl judgments of the wrath of God that will be revealed to us in Revelation chapter 16. There is one more point I would like to make and I feel it is an important one for us to understand.  That phrase “have become” is in the aorist active indicative tense in the Greek.  What does that mean? It is describing a future event, making it so certain that it can be spoken of as if it already has taken place! God’s kingdom will be established, not might!  It is that certain.  Zechariah 14:9 puts it this way, “And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be — ‘The LORD is one,’ And His name one.”  Once again, we long for that day when righteousness will fill this land! 

            Here in Revelation chapter 12 we remain in this parenthetical section of the book and these first six verses deal with a woman who brings forth a child and is persecuted by the Devil. To keep this simple, the woman is a picture of the nation of Israel, the Jewish people who brought forth a male child, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. And ever since the Garden of Eden and the fall, the Devil has tried to prevent the Messiah from coming and that is what we see here as he persecutes the Jewish people. And, in his rebellion against God, Lucifer or Satan took 1/3 of the angelic hosts with him. We call them demons!

            In verses 7-12 we see a war break out in Heaven and Satan is cast to the earth by Michael and his angels. You see, Satan still has access to Heaven and he is the accuser of the brethren but in the middle of the 7-year Tribulation Period he will be cast out and he knows his time is short. Thus, all hell breaks out on the earth you might say. It is a period of time known as the Great Tribulation as he indwells the Antichrist now!

            And it is then, as we are told in Revelation 12:13-17, after the Antichrist goes into the rebuilt temple and demands to be worshiped as God, (Matthew 24), that the Jews recognize he is not their Messiah and they flee into the wilderness. I believe they flee to Petra.  Now, why would the Jews look to a man to be their Messiah? Because that is what they believe, the Messiah will be a man like Moses. That is interesting to me because Jesus tells us in John 5:43, “I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.”  You see, they rejected Jesus and they will receive a man, the Antichrist!

This area known as Petra is about 120 miles southeast of Jerusalem and it was at one time, during the time of Solomon, a huge commercial center.  This city was built on the sandstone cliffs with a narrow opening some 10 to12 feet wide and it zigzags back and forth making it very difficult to attack. If you saw Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, they show this now ghost town and they show the narrow opening from which you enter and leave this city.  And folks, this is not a small area, it can hold some 1.5 million people!  Gladstone took some 7,000 copies of the New Testament and his book “When Jesus Returns” and placed them in protective cases throughout the area for those Jews who will take residence there in the Tribulation Period. Are they still there, we don’t know, but one day the Jews will flee there for safety!  And God will protect them for those 3½ years till He returns and the first place he goes to is Bozrah or Petra!

The focus of Revelation chapter 13 is two characters. One is known as the Antichrist or the beast and the other is the False Prophet. And the world will embrace both these men. I know, why would anyone even want some kind of world leader, why would they surrender their lives to him? Several years ago, Belgium’s Premier, P. H. Spock made a statement in the newspaper that said, “The truth is that the method of international committees has failed. What we need is a person, someone of the highest order of great energy. Let him come and let him come quickly. Either a civilian or a military man, no matter what his nationality, who will cut all the red tape, shove out of the way all the committees, wake up all the people and galvanize all governments into action.  Let him come quickly. This man we need and for whom we wait will take charge of the defense of the west. Once more I say, it is not too late, but it is high time.” 

He will emerge on the scene on the heels of world disaster, whatever it may be and the world will unite behind him!

Of this beast in Revelation 13:1-10 it says that he has 7 heads, not literally, but symbolically.  And I feel that this is speaking of world empires.  In Revelation 17:9-10 we are told, “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.  There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.”

            Mountains speak of human government. Thus, five world empires have come and gone when John was writing this. The Egyptian, the Assyrian, the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, and the Grecian empires have all risen to the zenith of power and then crumbled and fell.

Now it is the Roman Empire that was the one that was in existence during the time that John was writing this book.  Thus, the one that is to come is the last gentile world empire before Jesus Christ comes to set-up His kingdom here on the earth.

What does this last gentile world kingdom look like? Daniel tells us that this last gentile world kingdom will be a federation of 10 nations that come out of the old Roman Empire.  It won’t be as strong as the Roman Empire for it will be a mixture of 10 nations, but it will still be powerful.  (See Daniel 2:31-45).

We are seeing this empire coming together today. The Club of Rome, who had its beginnings in April of 1968, as leaders from ten countries gathered together in Rome.  This organization claims to have the solutions for world peace and prosperity, which are linked to a one-world government.  On September 17, 1973 the Club of Rome released a report entitled “Regionalized and Adaptive Model of the Global World System.” This document shows that the Club of Rome has divided the world into ten political/economic regions, which they refer to as, interestingly enough, “kingdoms.”  We already have a written world constitution that has been developed by the World Constitution and Parliament Association.

Way back on February 17, 1950, James Warburg, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, (CFR was founded on July 29, 1921), said this before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, “We shall have world government whether or not you like it - by conquest or consent.”  Today, 58 years later, we see these pieces of the puzzle for a one-world government coming together before our eyes.

This is what the Antichrist will rule over, a confederacy of 10 nations which encompasses the world. Thus, these 10 horns come out of the old Roman Empire, which never was defeated, but kind of spread throughout the world.  Many have tried to revive this empire, but they have failed.  But there is coming a day when it will be established.

You see, that explains the 10 horns and 10 crowns we see here in Revelation 13:1. The horns represent the 10 nations and the crowns are the crowns of kings or leaders of these nations!  The Blasphemous names are against the true and living God, for which sinful man opposes.  Daniel also speaks of the unbridled tongue of this man, the Antichrist, when he says in Daniel 7:25a, “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High . . .”

            In Revelation 13:11-15 we see the rise of the False Prophet who will help draw the people to follow after and worship this man, the beast! The first beast, the Antichrist came out of the sea of humanity while this second beast, this False Prophet came out of the earth or what we might call a man-made religious system! And there is no doubt that this second beast is the False Prophet as we are told in Revelation 19:20, “Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.” 

And folks, today we see the coming together of this false one-world religion and at the forefront of this, but not alone, is the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope paving the way for this to take place and the Protestant Church is jumping on this bandwagon of false religion!  It is happening right before our eyes, the beginning of this false religious system that will unite the world to worship the Antichrist!

Paul warns us in II Thessalonians 2:3-4, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”  This falling away or this apostasy will begin before the 7-year Tribulation Period starts and the Antichrist, the man of sin is revealed! I believe the apostasy has begun and this is not speaking of atheists, but of the church moving away from the truths of God found in the Word of God!

Way back in 1985 Dave Hunt and T. A. McMahon wrote a book called “The Seduction of Christianity” which dealt with spiritual deception in the last days.  Listen to what they said back then and now some 23 years later see how far we have come.  They said:

            . . . The church needs to recognize that cults are only part of a much larger and more seductive deception known as the New Age movement. This is a broad coalition of networking groups all working for world unity based upon religious experiences and beliefs that have their roots in Eastern mysticism.  Yet many Christian leaders have expressed the same reluctance about becoming “overly negative” toward the New Age movement as they once did about the cults.

            In the following pages, whenever we use the term “New Age” we are referring to the “great delusion” that the Bible warns will sweep the world in the “last days” and cause humanity to worship the Antichrist.  We are also warned in Scripture that many people who call themselves Christians will succumb to this deception and that a great apostasy will occur prior to the return of Jesus Christ; the delusion will sweep through the professing church as well as secular society. So it should be no surprise to find increasing controversy within the church concerning the New Age movement.

            This has already begun, and the reason is fairly obvious: Christians are quite comfortable in discussing cults existing outside the traditional church, such as the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Science, or Hare Krishnas. The New Age movement, however, involves things that are firmly entrenched within the church, such as psychotherapy, visualization, meditation, biofeedback, Positive Confession, Positive or Possibility Thinking, hypnosis, Holistic medicine, and a whole spectrum of self-improvement and success/motivation techniques.  To criticize any of these supposedly “scientific” methodologies is to offend large numbers of Christians, including many church leaders who sincerely practice and promote these techniques.

            It is a tragedy of our time that the average Christian is either too easily persuaded or cannot be persuaded at all.  Too few seem willing to take the time to think the issues through and check the Scriptures for themselves.  Those who would escape the growing seduction must get back to the Bible and know what they believe and why, rather than succumbing to the temptation of accepting facile [superficial] answers provided by “experts.”  During the prophesied apostasy, even church leaders will be led astray (Matthew 7:22,23), and those who follow their teachings will suffer the same tragedy.

             - Dave Hunt, T. A. McMahon, The Seduction of Christianity, pp. 7-8

Today, the New Age philosophies are engrained in many churches. Roger Oakland in his book, Faith Undone tells us:

In a book by Oppenheimer and Sandy Sampson titled Idolatry in Their Hearts, they show how widespread this new missiology has become. Listen to some of the comments made by a few new missiology proponents:

New light embodiment means to be “in connection” and “information” with other faiths. . . . One can be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ without denying the flickers of the sacred in followers of Yahweh, or Kali, or Krishna.” – Leonard Sweet.

I happen to know people who are followers of Christ in other religions. – Rick Warren.

I see no contradiction between Buddhism and Christianity. . . . I intend to become as good a Buddhist as I can. – Thomas Merton.

Allah is not another God . . . we worship the same God. . . . The same God! The very same god we worship in Christ is the God the Jews – and the Muslims – worship. – Peter Kreeft.

- Roger Oakland, Faith Undone, pp. 178-179

They are telling us that Jesus is not the only way by which one might be saved. It seems that they are postulating a broader gate and a broader path to heaven, a sort of “all roads lead to heaven.”  That good people by every religious persuasion may be received into heaven.  I feel and I know that this teaching of all roads lead to Heaven goes against the plain teaching of the Scriptures and negates the need of the cross for the expiation of our sins.  Paul wrote of those men in his letter to the Philippians and called them enemies of the cross of Christ.

And as I have said, Jesus told us, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man can come to the Father but by Me.” This is not relative truth, but absolute truth.

What I see happening with this apostate church is that they will teach and many will believe that we are gods, it is the New Age teaching that has been going on for years.  And I believe it is “the lie” that the Bible speaks of is related to the idea that we are gods.  And this is not just a New Age idea, it started with the fall of Lucifer and was then introduced to Eve in the Garden of Eden by Lucifer, the Serpent and it is now permeating the world!

And I believe we see this spoken of in Matthew 24:5, in the Olivet Discourse as Jesus tells us, “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.”  The Greek word for “many” is POLUS and it speaks of a very great number, as in millions and millions of people, not just a select few and they will claim to be god! If you still doubt that, look at Luke 21:7-8, where we are told of this same teaching, this Olivet Discourse, “So they asked Him, saying, ‘Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?’ And He said: ‘Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, “I am He,” and, “The time has drawn near.” Therefore do not go after them.’”  In verse 8 the word “He” or “Christ” is italicized, it shouldn’t be there but was put there by the translators to make it clearer, but it truly doesn’t. It should read, “Many shall come saying, ‘I AM.’” Isn’t that interesting because that is what the New Age movement is saying and it is what the church is beginning to say!

How can this be? One source tells us one of the reasons for this and it is a big one.  They write:

“While religion is highly popular in America, it is to a large extent superficial; it does not change people’s lives to the degree one would expect from their level of professed faith. Related to this is a ‘knowledge gap’ between Americans’ stated faith and the lack of the most basic knowledge about that faith.”

“In the spring of 1991, New York University released a nationwide study which showed 86 percent of all Americans identified with Christianity. Yet, another study showed that only nineteen percent of Americans knew that being a Christian was having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.”

Where are we today?

Richard E. Geis comments in his personal journal that:

“The mainstream Christians are lip-service religions in the main, convenience religions, social religions, and they are the ones most subject to erosion and defections and infiltration and subversion. A large and successful effort seems to have been made by the occultists’ New Age planners to dilute and alter the message of the mainstream Christian religions.”

This is made evident by a quote which appeared in a newspaper interview with the owner of a New Age bookstore. She reveals:

“A lot of people come in who are very Christian.  They are looking, by whatever means, to move closer to God on an individual basis.”

Is this really happening in the church today?  I am very sad to say it is and I am going to start out by looking at a few Word of Faith teachers who have been promoting this doctrine that we are god for years, and again, few are concerned about it, even though it is contrary to what the Scriptures tell us. It is a doctrine of demons; it is “the lie” that the Bible is speaking of.

Kenneth Copeland has this to say about us being god. He writes:

“Being in Christ Jesus make you a new creature, or a new creation. The literal Greek text says ‘A new species of being which never existed before.’ When you become a new creature, your sprit is completely recreated.  Old things are passed away, all things become new and all things are of God. You need to realize that you are not a spiritual schizophrenic-half-God and half-Satan-you are all-God.”

Elsewhere, Copeland is more explicit:

“Every man who has been born again is an incarnation and Christianity is a miracle. The believer is as much an incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth.” (Word of Faith, 1980, KCP Publications, p. 14).

“I say this and repeat it so it don’t upset you too bad. When I read the Bible where (Jesus) says, ‘I am,” I say, ‘Yes, I Am, too (July 19, 1987 crusade).

“God’s reason for creating Adam was His desire to reproduce Himself. . . . He was not a little like God. He was not almost like God. He was not subordinate to God even.” (Following the faith of Abraham, tape).

Kenneth Hagin tells us, “Man . . . was created on terms of equality with God, and he could stand in God’s presence without any consciousness of inferiority. . . . God has made us as much like Himself as possible. . . . He made us the same class of being that He is Himself. . . . Man lived in the realm of God. He lived on terms equal with God. . . . [T]he believer is called Christ. . . . That’s who we are; we’re Christ!”  (Zoe: The God-Kind of Life, pp 35-36, 41).

Morris Cerullo makes this bold claim: “Did you know that from the beginning of time the whole purpose of God was to reproduce Himself? . . . Who are you? Come on, who are you?  Come on, say it: ‘Sons of God!’ Come on, say it! And what does work inside us, brother, is that manifestation of the expression of all that God is and all that God has. And when we stand up here, brother, you’re not looking at Morris Cerullo; you’re looking at God. You’re looking at Jesus.”  (The Endtime Manifestation of the Sons of God, tape).

M. Scott Peck, a psychologist, wrote a book, The Road Less Traveled, which has been read by many Christians and New Age followers, and yet his words are not of God and that leaves only one other place they came from!  He wrote, “God wants us to become Himself (or Herself or Itself). We are growing toward godhood. God is the goal of evolution.”  (The Road Less Traveled, p. 270).  How sad that Christians have read this book and yet see nothing wrong with his teachings!  I have seen this book in Christian bookstores, in Christian book Distribution Company’s, being promoted by Christians!  It is not at all Christian and yet, Christians are reading it and thus, do they believe we are god?

On the TBN program, Praise The Lord back on July 7, 1986, Paul Crouch made this comment: “Do you know what else has settled in tonight?  This hue and cry and controversy that has been spawned by the devil to try to bring dissension within the body of Christ that we are not gods. I have His name. I am one with Him. I’m in covenant relation. I am a little god. Critics be gone.“

Copeland goes on to say, “You don’t have a God in you. You are one!” (The Force of Love, tape).

Now if you don’t believe this is moving into mainstream evangelical churches, you are not paying attention to what is going on.  Listen to this quote by emerging church author Leonard Sweet who spoke at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, attended by thousands of evangelical leaders from across the nation. We are told:

“The first of these five untheorized observations is that New Light embodiment means to be “in connection” and ‘in-formation’ with other Christians. Deeper feeling and higher relating go together. The church is fundamentally one being, one person, a communion whose cells are connected to one another within the information network called the Christ consciousness. New Lights offer up themselves as the cosmions of a mind-of-Christ consciousness. As a cosmion incarnating the cells of a new body, New Lights will function as transitional vessels through which transforming energy can renew the divine image in the world, moving postmodern from one state of embodiment to another.”

At the recent re-think conference, back on January 17-19, 2008 at the Crystal Cathedral in California, we see this garbage being passed on to other leaders and lay people alike. This event was co-hosted by Erwin McManus and Robert Schuller, and the idea behind this event is to show that there is a paradigm shift underway. These speakers insisted that Christianity must be re-thought and re-invented if the name of Jesus Christ is going to survive here on planet earth now that we have entered the twenty-first century. I have news for them, it does not need to be re-invented, we need to get back to the basics of Christianity, get back to the Bible!

Roger Oakland, who was at the conference, tells us:

“The conference opened with an on-stage dialogue between Schuller and McManus. Schuller gave a brief overview of his accomplishments through his many years of ministry. He explained how pleased he was to be able to look back at the tremendous leaders he has mentored over the years, which include Willow Creek’s seeker-friendly pioneer pastor Bill Hybels, the six million member Church of God in Christ’s Bishop Charles Blake, and Rick Warren who has pioneered the purpose driven church and the purpose driven life.”

And what are these church leaders telling us? What are they promoting? Folks, it is nothing more than New Age doctrine with a veneer of Christianity, which is being striped away. Listen carefully to what they are saying:

"With practice, you can develop the habit of praying silent 'breath prayers'"
Rick Warren, from his book (p. 299)

"[U]se 'breath prayers' throughout the day, as many Christians have done for centuries. You choose a brief sentence or a simple phrase that can be repeated to Jesus in one breath."—Rick Warren, Purpose-Driven Life, p. 89.

"Does Buddha have anything to offer non-Buddhists in the workplace? My answer is a wholehearted, 'Yes.'— Ken Blanchard, co-author of the One Minute Manager, from the foreword and front cover of What Would Buddha Do in the Workplace?

Bruce Wilkinson tells us, "We have promoted an unbiblical message that becoming born-again is the answer to everything. It's not. It changes your eternity, but it doesn't change your sexual behaviour, for instance. The gospel does not always have the answer for modern-day dilemmas"

From Youth Specialties, we are told:

"I built myself a prayer room—a tiny sanctuary in a basement closet filled with books on spiritual disciplines, contemplative prayer, and Christian mysticism. In that space I lit candles, burned incense, hung rosaries, and listened to tapes of Benedictine monks. I meditated for hours on words, images, and sounds. I reached the point of being able to achieve alpha brain patterns..."— Mike Perschon, Youth Specialties Magazine,
December 2004

"Choose a sacred word or phrase. Consistently use the same word throughout the prayer. Begin silently to repeat your sacred word or phrase” Mark Yaconelli, Youth Specialties National Pastor's Convention.

"Spiritual ecstasy. The third phase of contemplative prayer ... a supernatural trance state ..." Charisma magazine, Oct. 2004

"Contemplative prayer is nothing other than coming into consciousness of what is already there." Brennan Manning, Signature of Jesus

"Brennan (Manning) is my friend, walking ahead of me on the path toward home. As I watch him from behind, I am drawn to more closely follow on the path..." Larry Crabb, endorsement of Abba's Child.

"I began practicing meditation, specifically breath prayer, once again. I integrated the use of Tai Chi and yoga" John Michael Talbot, Interview with Christianity Today 10/22/2001.

"Its [visualization] effect is to dissolve our internal barriers to natural harmony and self realization" Shakti Gawain, Creative Visualization.

Matthew Fox tells us that, “We need to become aware of the Cosmic Christ, which means recognizing that every being has within it the light of Christ.” “Everyone is born a mystic and a lover who experiences the unity of things and all are called to keep this mystic or love of life alive.”

M. Basil Pennington wrote, “When we go to the center of our being and pass through that center into the very center of God we get in immediate touch with this divine creating energy . . . that the divine energy may have the freedom to forward the evolution of consciousness in us and through us, as a part of the whole, in the whole of the creation.”

“[T]he God who dwells in our inner sanctuary is the same as the one who dwells in the inner sanctuary of each human being.” (Here and Now by Henri Nouwen, p. 22).

“Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center.” (Streams of Living Water by Richard Foster, 1998, beginning of chapter 2 – a quote by Thomas Kelly).

“[Even people] who have yet to turn their lives over to Jesus Christ – can and should practice them. [spiritual disciplines].” (Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster, p. 2). 

“[I]f I find Christ, I will find my true self and if I find my true self, I will find Christ.” (Abba’s Child by Brennan Manning, p. 125).

This is where the church is heading, the apostate church of the last days and we need to be aware; we need to contend for the faith that has been entrusted to us.  And I know, you may be thinking, “How can this happen?”  Listen carefully to the words of New Ager Wayne Dyer. I think he is right:

When enough of us align in a certain way, reaching a critical mass, then the rest of us will begin to be affected and align that way also. (Interview from Science of Mind magazine, 01/93)

            And Perhaps the words of Alice Bailey, (who personified the New Age Movement) were right also when she said that the Age of enlightenment, (when everyone realizes they are one with each other and God), will come, not around the Christian church but rather through it!  That should be a warning to us folks, it is happening!

            The Bible warns us that in the last days, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”  II Timothy 4:3-4.  That is what we see happening before our eyes today.  Now I don’t want to discourage you but I do want you to understand that we are in a battle for the truth.

Jude warns us, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Jude 3-4.

            We must earnestly contend for the faith that has been entrusted to us, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but how?  Paul told Timothy and he is telling us, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

II Timothy 4:1-2.  You see, get back to the basics, back to the Word of God and you will not be lead astray!

            Now, in Revelation 13:15 we are told, “He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”  Now I can’t tell you that I completely understand what that means. But it is possible that this image of the beast is some kind of hologram or robot. We do have the technology, but it is not perfected yet!

As we move into Revelation 13:16-18 we see a marking system that will be implemented, at first voluntary and then mandatory and without it you can’t buy or sell anything! The idea here is not evil, in fact it would be great to have but man’s heart is evil and this will be used for evil.

Here is the problem. There was a man who lived under Bulgaria’s communist regime and this is what he had to say, “You cannot understand and you cannot know that the most terrible instrument of persecution ever devised is an innocent ration card.  You cannot buy and you cannot sell except according to that little, innocent card. If they please, you can be starved to death, and if they please, you can be dispossessed of everything you have; for you cannot trade, and you cannot buy and you cannot sell, without permission.” (Cited in W. A. Criswell, Expository Sermons on Revelation, 4:120-21).

            Folks, this tracking system is already here. Animals have been tagged so that they can be monitored.  Even some people have received a chip under their skin with medical information; some can open doors in your home and-so-on.  From the RFID (radio frequency identification) chip that is being used in some shoes so you can be tracked, to Digital Angel and others, we are moving quickly towards a cashless society and giving the government the ability to track our movements!  And for those that receive this mark during the Tribulation Period, their fate is sealed for this is a rebellion against God, it is standing against God and they will be judged for it!

            In Revelation 14:1-5 we see the 144,000 Jewish evangelists who were sealed by God back in Revelation chapter 7, now standing with the Lord on Mount Zion at the end of the Tribulation Period.

            In the remainder of this chapter we see an angel proclaiming the everlasting Gospel, giving people a chance to come to Christ and then the coming harvest judgment as verses 19 and 20 tells us, “So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.”  Can you imagine, blood flowing for some 200 miles and splattering some 5 feet into the air in the valley of Megiddo!  And folks, the earth is ripe for God’s judgment!

            This chapter is a prelude to the bowl judgments. And once these bowl judgments begin, they will be fired like a gatling gun, in rapid-fire succession. Thus, these bowl judgments will be poured out towards the end of the Tribulation Period!

            In Revelation 16:2 we see the first bowl judgment as a running sore on all those who have received the mark of the beast.  This could be some kind of allergic reaction to it, but whatever it is, it is a judgment from God upon them!

            In the second bowl judgment in Revelation 16:3 we see the sea and everything in it destroyed!

            In the third bowl judgment in Revelation 16:4-7 we see that the entire fresh water supply is destroyed and thus, this must take place at the end of the Tribulation Period. Of this judgment, Clarke wrote, “They thirsted after blood and massacred the saints of God; and now they have got blood to drink!”

            In the forth bowl judgment in Revelation 16:8-9 we see men scorched by the sun, with great heat and I believe this judgment is only upon the unsaved. The reason I say that is because of their response in verse 9, “And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.” How sad!

            In the fifth bowl judgment in Revelation 16:10-11 we see darkness come on the land and I believe that this is a prelude to what the Lake of Fire will be like. You see, apart from God there is darkness and yet, even in all this they refuse to repent!

            In the sixth bowl judgment in Revelation 16:12-16 we see the preparation for the Battle of Armageddon as these demonic spirits gather the armies of the world together in the valley of Megiddo!

This Valley of Megiddo is about 20 miles long and some 14 miles wide.  And this area forms what Napoleon called, “The most natural battle field of the whole earth.”  Also, Napoleon, in his disastrous excursion into Egypt, passed through this Valley and said, “If there is a place on earth where the last war must be fought, it is here.”  He is right, and it will take place in this area, just as we are told here in Revelation. 

This battle will overflow those 20 miles or so that the Valley of Megiddo covers, and it will stretch from Bozrah, in Edom, northward to Megiddo at the foot of Mount Carmel, some 184 miles.  It is this area that we will see the blood flow some 4 to 5 feet or splash upon the horses bridle some 4 to 5 feet!

The Valley of Megiddo is located in the Plain of Esdraelon, which has been the site of many great battles.  It was the place where Gideon and his 300 men defeated the Midianites.  It is the place where Samson took on the Philistines. It is the place where Deborah and Barak defeated Sisera.  Also, this is the place where Josiah was killed by Pharaoh-Necho, king of Egypt. And there is one more great battle still to come, the final battle!

This place, Armageddon in the Hebrew and Harmageddon in the Greek, can be broken down like this.  HAR means mount, and MEGIDDO means rendezvous, so it is the mount of rendezvous where the armies of the world will gather together. It will be a massive army!

            In the seventh bowl judgment in Revelation 16:17-21 we see a judgment upon the air, the place of Satan’s domain as he is called the prince of the power of the air, but not any longer!  Here we see 100 pound hail coming down, earthquakes and in the end, it is done, God’s judgment upon a Christ rejecting world is completed and He will set up His kingdom on this earth. But, before we get to that, John is going to fill in some more details for us regarding this period of time prior to the Kingdom Age being established.

            Here in Revelation chapter 17 we see this false religious system, this harlot that once rode the beast or the Antichrist, now devoured by him. Why is that? Because he alone wants to be worshiped and dictators will use religion to help them come to power but will then crush them as we see here.  It does not mean that the False Prophet is destroyed, but now the worship is only upon this man, the beast and to do that, this false religious system is destroyed!

            Here in Revelation chapter 18 we see the destruction of commercial Babylon or this economic empire.  And it is crushed, destroyed in just one hour! Where is this place located? I don’t believe it is New York City, or Europe but it can be speaking of literal Babylon being the commercial center of the world!

Here’s the thing, Babylon was never destroyed, not the way God said it would be destroyed. In Isaiah 13:19-22 we are told, “And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It will never be inhabited, Nor will it be settled from generation to generation; Nor will the Arabian pitch tents there, Nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there.  But wild beasts of the desert will lie there, And their houses will be full of owls; Ostriches will dwell there, And wild goats will caper there.  The hyenas will howl in their citadels, And jackals in their pleasant palaces. Her time is near to come, And her days will not be prolonged.” 

            How was Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed? With fire and brimstone. The Medo-Persian army did not destroy Babylon like this, nor did the Grecian army, so this must be speaking of a future rebuilt Babylon that will be destroyed!

            You all remember the late Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq or what was known as Babylon. Back in 1985 he began to restore the ancient city of Babylon, spending over 500 million dollars to reconstruct the city and build a modern residence on the ruins of Nebuchadnezzar’s palace. Now, despite Saddam’s removal from power and his subsequent execution, the work of rebuilding Babylon continues.

            You see, today the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is pumping in millions of dollars into Babylon and several other historical sites in Iraq. The UN, with the help of private donors, is hoping to turn Babylon into a thriving center of tourism and commerce. If their plans go well, Babylon will be a cultural center complete with shopping malls, hotels, and maybe even a theme park.  Is this just the beginning to make Babylon the commercial empire of the world? I believe it is, only time will tell!

            Henry Morris makes this interesting point regarding Babylon. He wrote, “The site of modern Babylon is strategically located at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa and is not far from the Persian Gulf. It is also near the world’s richest oil fields and has a virtually unlimited water supply from the Euphrates. Those considerations led the famed historian Arnold Toynbee to proclaim that Babylon would be an ideal site for an important political and cultural center.” (Morris, Revelation Record, p. 349).

            And notice what the people of the world do and the things this commercial center was trafficking! “And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’ They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’” Revelation 18:11-19. As the earth dwellers are mourning over the destruction of this Babylon, this commercial empire, all Heaven is rejoicing as the Lord is preparing to set up His kingdom!

            As Revelation chapter 19 opens up it is filled with praise unto God for His righteous judgment upon the false religious system, upon this false commercial system. And we also see the marriage supper of the Lamb taking place in Heaven as the Bride, the Church, prepares to return with the Lord to the earth!

            Now we call this final battle the Battle of Armageddon but the reality is, it is not really a battle for with the sword that proceeds out of the Lord’s mouth, His Words, He will judge the people, they will be destroyed!  Also, the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be cast into the Lake of Fire waiting for the rest of the people to be judged at the Great White Throne judgment at the end of the Millennial Reign!

            As the Kingdom Age is established, the 1,000-year reign of Christ on the earth, Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit. Then, at the end of that 1,000-year reign Satan will be loosed for a season and many will join with him and turn away from the Lord!

            Why does Jesus even allow this?  To give those who were born in the Kingdom Age a choice, to follow Him or the Devil, and this rebellion will not last long.  Satan’s rebellion will be crushed quickly along with those who have joined him.  And now the Devil will be cast into the Lake of Fire where the Antichrist and the False Prophet have been and they will be tormented for eternity!

            Then comes the Great White Throne judgment for those who have rejected Jesus throughout history and their works will judge them.  You see, they were sent to Hell for their rejection of Jesus and now the degree of punishment in the Lake of Fire will be determined by what they have done or have not done in their life.  Either way, it is not good, eternal torment apart from Christ where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

            Here we see God create a New Heaven and a New Earth with a New Jerusalem and God the Father and the Lamb will be in the temple, this is the eternal state for us with the Lord. And I like what Revelation 21:4 says, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” All the past pains, sorrows, hurts, sufferings will be gone as we live with the Lord!

Here in this eternal state we see the tree of life that was once closed to man after Adam sinned, now opened up to us once again. And this tree of life bears fruit and leaves, but why do we need these leaves for healing of the nations if there is no more death, no more illness in the eternal state?  First of all the Greek word for “healing” is THERAPEIA and from it we get our English word “therapeutic” from. I believe the idea here is “health-giving” or it is good for you to take in and folks, anything the Lord makes is going to be great!  And, just as the river of life speaks of eternal life or perpetual life, I believe that these leaves from the tree of life speak of the same thing, eternal life!

As I begin to rap this study up this evening, listen to what we are told in Revelation 22:6-10, “Then he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.’ And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. ‘Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.’ Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.’  And he said to me, ‘Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.’”

Here is our challenge folk’s; The Lord’s return is getting close. These words from God are faithful, they will come to pass, they are true, it is going to happen!  Thus, may we share these truths, these truths that are not to be sealed but opened for all to see, the truth of God and His coming judgment and of His great love for sinful man that is found in Jesus!

Also, in Revelation 22:14-15 we are told, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.”  Does that mean there will be immoral people in the eternal state with us? Absolutely not, they are outside, they are in the Lake of Fire and we are with the Lord!

And in Revelation 22:17 we are told, “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”  It is the last invitation in the Word of God to come and partake of Him, for if you don’t, it will be too late!  Can you say as John did, “MARANATHA!”? Or “Come Lord Jesus!”? Are you ready for Him? He has given you an open invitation; don’t pass it up, for in death, it is too late! And for those of you who do know Him, pass it on!  MARANATHA!