SON OF PERDITION ANOINTED TO DESTROY

With man's face and hair of a woman and teeth as teeth of lions, verse 9 declares them to have breastplates as it were breastplates of iron and the sound of their wings were as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. Here they take on a military characteristic. Verse 10 says their tails were like scorpions and there were stings in their tails and their power was to hurt men five months. In verse 11 we learn these creatures had a king over them who is the angel of the bottomless pit and that captain and king is the devil whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon but in the Greek is Apollyon. Notice carefully what this name signifies. It brings out the fact of what Satan will be doing in the windup or showdown. This name signifies the devil who is both Lucifer and Satan actually is a "destroyer" or "destroying angel" showing destruction and you associate that word perdition with the son of perdition meaning one ordained to lead to destruction such as was Judas Iscariot who betrayed Christ. Therefore when Satan entered Judas Iscariot, Satan anointed him for the purpose to destroy Jesus, thus causing Judas in scripture to be referred to as the son of perdition. However in this particular setting of the middle of the week when Satan fully enters or anoints the man of sin (as he did Judas) we see that man of sin now take on his role as the son of perdition which means one ordained to lead to destruction. True, mankind had desired this very hour (or rule) nevertheless it was still Satan's plot, through his man of sin, the son of perdition to now take mankind down the pathway of destruction. God, now disgusted with mankind allows Satan to lead mankind, who he had already rejected, right off into destruction. Satan's plan is carried out through his agent, now called the son of perdition, because the anti-Christ is not only Satan's mouthpiece but after the middle of the week has become the very incarnation of this spirit itself. Bear in mind, this son of perdition role does not apply to the anti-Christ until the world reaches the middle of that final prophetic week when he breaks that covenant of Dan. 9:27 and Dan. 12:11 and becomes specially anointed for the kill. It is only then God says I will give the world the most horrible experience mankind has ever endured, I will literally turn hell loose upon the earth, giving them all hell has to offer. Here the devil is allowed to incarnate himself in his agent because in that hour Satan has already set his trap and as far as God is concerned it is already over and finished seeing he won't lift his hand in behalf of any intervention following the death of his two prophets. The objective is now to take mankind straight to destruction and while leading them down that road to destruction Satan and his demon hosts will have the privilege of slowly tormenting mankind, making life miserable for him because at the end of this last 3 ½ years God intends to destroy all of them during the hour of Armageddon anyway. Thus with the anti-Christ's broken covenant in the middle of week, we see the first WOE released as hell is turned loose. May I say all three of these woes are sounded and administered directly as the result of what the anti-Christ does in the middle of that week.

WOE 2 & 3 WHEN AND HOW EXPRESSED

Rev. 9: 12 declared, one WOE is past, behold there comes two WOES more hereafter. But the question is in relationship to the final week, where are the other two WOES placed? For years I searched the scriptures trying to see in the light of the scripture relating to this final week, just where, when and how these Woes were to be expressed. Were they to be divided out over the entire final 3 ½ year period of time or just how were they to be expressed. In other words where in the week were they to fall. Was I to understand that one Woe was to be expressed now and then sometime later in the prophetic week another Woe would be released, etc., or did they possibly overlap one another. How the other two woes were expressed still remained to be the question.

6^TH TRUMPET CARRIED NO WOE

I took note while reading the sixth trumpet angel it was odd that you did not find the second Woe mentioned anywhere in that trumpet. When God gave the answer I saw these three Woes were all connected into that same time period used to express the fifth trumpet blast there in the middle of the week. Three things were accomplished in the middle of that week and these things constitute the three Woes! These Woes were to be released consecutively, one after the other, falling precisely in the middle of the week. Woe number one is hell being turned loose as the anti-Christ moved into the temple area and those apostate Jews accepted him as God. Two more Woes are to follow. Beloved, as hell is turned loose on earth, your second and third Woes are set in motion.

WOE NUMBER TWO - DEATH OF PROPHETS

What is the second Woe? It is none other than the killing of the two prophets by the anti-Christ which silences the intervention of God for the people in the middle of the week according to Rev. 11:14 and the third Woe is that bloodbath against Israel for 3 ½ years. Therefore, reading the sixth trumpet angel's judgment, we see no where is the second Woe mentioned. Because remember the effects of the sixth angel will not climax until Armageddon at the end of the 70^th week. For the second Woe we pick up Rev. 11:7 where Israel's two Jewish prophets have just completed their ministry during the first half of the prophetic week, ministering and plaguing the Middle East for a period of 3 ½ years. Did the political apostate Jew repent? They did not. But thank God that 144,000 men received the revelation of who Jesus Christ is. There were some spiritual Jews who received some very important information which will benefit them during the last half of the week, which shall be discussed more thoroughly under the third woe. Now let us establish the second Woe. Time wise, as Rev. 11:7 begins they are at the middle of the week. And when they (the two prophets) shall have finished or shall have completed their testimony (note that is past tense), the beast that ascended up out of the bottomless pit killed them. Here is the Apostle John's method of describing the spirit of that beast which comes up out of the pit because it is only the spirit of the beast which could come up out of the pit, the body of the beast cannot, only a spirit can do that.

SPIRIT OF BEAST

Therefore it is the spirit of the beast of that old resurrected Roman Empire, which comes up out of hell and embodies or entwines itself around that European beast system of 10 nations as well as the man of sin who is the head of the government of that beast system. This simply becomes Satan's way of embodying himself or characterizing himself to act out his diabolical purpose primarily against Israel. Thus John says, that beast (spirit) that ascended out of the bottomless pit makes war against them (the two prophets) and shall overcome them and kill them. When, during the first part of the week? Absolutely not!! Because Rev. 11:5 declared during the days of their prophesy (3 ½ years) no one can hurt them seeing if anyone tried the fire (of judgment) proceeded out of their mouth to destroy them. That fire naturally is not a literal fire but is the fire of judgment of the spoken word such as was spoken by Elijah when fire fell and burned up 100 soldiers (2 Kings 1:9-15) in the days of Israel's apostasy. However, note after their 3 ½ years, once their ministry is completely finished, they can be killed. This shows as long as the anti-Christ is only in the preliminary stage of that week, working out his final plan of take over, God is giving those Jews a revival in Israel during which time nothing can harm these prophets. However, once the revival has accomplished its purpose and God is finished with his two prophets, we see the means and way God has of allowing their ministry to be fulfilled. See, it is time for the fulfillment of Dan. 9:27 and to allow the devil to do all his diabolical work in deceiving the world, presenting himself as God in the middle of the week and soon to lead his followers to destruction. The devil there in the middle of that week, working through his agent the anti-Christ, reaches over, breaks the covenant with the Jew, denying their right to sacrifice, kills the two prophets in the same time period as we see God has now released two of the three WOES announced under the fourth trumpet. Trumpet number five released Woe number one. The anti-Christ, having now become the beast man, reaches out and kills those two prophets, not in some great prison yard but out in the streets of Jerusalem.

SPIRIT OF JERUSALEM

However note, there has such a spirit taken over in Jerusalem by the middle of the week that God does not even refer to this great city by its rightful name Jerusalem, instead gives it two other names which reveal the spiritual setting as it prefigures what the city will be like in that hour. Verse 8 says, and their dead bodies shall lay in the streets of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified. What does Sodom and Egypt mean in relation to Jerusalem in the middle of the week. Sodom you remember was a wicked city destroyed long ago and Jesus most certainly was not crucified in Egypt. Therefore these two names (Sodom and Egypt) reveal the spiritual setting showing the moral situation of the people of the city themselves by the middle of the week. As the world reaches the middle of that week, although they have had a great revival in Jerusalem and 144,000 men have been sealed in, nevertheless in a moral sense those Jews who rejected that message but accepted the anti-Christ as God, are possessed with all those idolatrous Sodomite spirits which have been released and running loose. There is in that hour such a spirit of idolatry which affects these blinded political apostate Jews in the fact he worships the anti-Christ as God in their own temple, the political Jew having rejected the two prophets' message and accepted the anti-Christ as God is now living (as far as God is concerned) in a far worse spiritual and moral condition in their makeup or image before God than the sinful people he destroyed in Sodom. Therefore because of the idolatrous presence of the anti-Christ having moved in makes Jerusalem the filthiest city, both morally and spiritually, as she becomes the cross road of world travel. In that hour in the middle of the week in Jerusalem, you have two conditions simultaneously because as the anti-Christ breaks his covenant he places Jerusalem under his strict Gentile control to fulfill Rev. 11:3. For 42 months Jerusalem will be in bondage and because the two prophets were killed the voice of God will be silenced from any further intervention for the next 3 ½ years. Jerusalem now truly becomes a city of international travel.

WATCHING THE DEAD

Vs. 9,-- and they of the people and kindred and tongues and nation shall see (no doubt by satellite television) their dead bodies lie in the street 3 ½ days and shall refuse to allow their dead bodies to be placed in graves for 3 ½ days the world stares upon these dead bodies. Much is heard today concerning communication satellites, that is where pictures and words bounce off a satellite and is seen and heard instantly in all parts of the world. The world will be able to see by television as well as hear by radio these facts without delay. The dead bodies lay in the street and the whole (prophetic) world sends gifts one to the other because they are glad to see these two men dead, because of the plagues which had been placed on them. However, they will only lay there for 3 ½ days, long enough for their bodies to bloat because since the world is making such a big to do over this, God intends to get glory from the very same thing. The world who has been rejoicing over the death of these two men is soon going to have their rejoicing shattered, God is going to speak from heaven and these two men will stand on their feet. No doubt TV cameras will be trained on this sight when it happens. Wonder what the evening newscasters of the news media will say that night concerning their raising from the dead leaving the earth and ascending to heaven? The Bible declares in verse 13 and the same hour (in the middle of the week) there will be a great earthquake. Where? In Jerusalem and Israel. It seems that whenever a resurrection takes place in the land of Israel, the earth just has to rejoice (remember the resurrection of Christ and the great earthquake that followed.) In this earthquake 7000 men are slain and a tenth of the city falls, and the remnant gave glory to God. Although that is true it does mean that they repented and got right with God. Many people today when they see a phenomena occur will acknowledge it had to be God, but it does not make them serve him. What else could they say, it happened there before their very eyes. Now watch closely, verse 14 declares the second Woe is (now) past and behold the Third Woe comes quickly. What is the second Woe? It is when the anti-Christ kills those two prophets in the middle of the week. It is God's way of saying, you killed my prophets so now you will see my hand no more until 3 ½ years later because now the world will literally have hell on earth. That is what these Three Woes are relating to. All Three Woes relate to the action of the anti-Christ in the middle of that 70^th week. No, the earth will certainly not be a joyful place in which to live.

WOE NUMBER THREE - BLOODBATH

We approach the third Woe, and remember it is not some condition developing which happens way out toward the end of the week. It expresses itself right along with Woes number one and two. However, note the third Woe is not mentioned in the same manner the other two are mentioned, nevertheless, it is the last time the word Woe ever appears in Revelation. Our third and final Woe also released in the middle of the week, is seen in Rev. 12. John, looking in the heavens, saw something. There appeared a great wonder (or symbol) in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet. What is John looking at? True, he saw the profile of a woman but what he actually sees is the woman's silhouette as she is so precisely standing in the sun or the glory of the sun is actually what shrouds her, becoming her outer garment. Looking under her feet John saw the moon. John is looking upon the nation of Israel which one day will truly be clothed in the sun when she appears in all her millennium glory. But the moon under her feet shows the nation had passed through 1400 years of the law age which was a foreshadow of better things to come, although it was the gentiles (not Israel) who would receive that better things to come, meaning the grace age.) That same law which testified of the grace age being given to the gentiles spoke also in Hosea, Amos and other prophets of the millennium when all Israel would be saved and shine as a nation in that age. Moreover the fact John saw the woman clothed in the sun did not signify Israel was clothed in the grace age. No, she is only clothed with the glory of Christ when he sits in the millennium, therefore every verse throughout Chapter12 must be interpreted in its proper perspective. Israel, having passed through over 1400 years of the law, prefigured in type by the moon under her feet, that same law tells us that the devil will try to destroy Israel in the middle of the 70^th week, but God will save her. He is going to preserve her whereby she will sit in the millennium as a glorified shining nation, fulfilling all of God's prophecies which he promised her by all his prophets, pertaining to the kingdom age. Christ, her Messiah, will not sit in New York City, he will sit in Jerusalem on Mt. Zion, on the ancient throne of David in order to fulfill Ezek. 21:27 where Zedekiah, the last king of the royal seed line of David, was taken and along with his royal seed was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. God said he would overturn and overturn and overturn, meaning the kingdom of Israel would simply consistently be done in this manner until he would come whose right it was to rule. God would give him the royal diadem which would no longer be signified by two broken tribes of Israel and Judah but under the kingdom of Christ these two sticks (or diadem) would become one and Christ would rule and reign for a thousand years.

WOMAN WITH CHILD

Staring at the woman, John noticed she was with child, crying in travail and pain to be delivered. How could anyone think this pregnant woman could possibly be the church when the church was always spoken of as a virgin. There is no place in scripture which says the church is with child. The church isn't even married yet. She won't be married until Rev. 19, but this woman was heavy with child. In fact she was crying to be delivered. It is none other than the nation Israel which after 1400 years of the law age had already conceived by the mouth of her prophets who dropped off the seed of the word of God, those prophetic promises of God such as out of Zion shall come forth a ruler who will rule my people. He will come forth out of Bethlehem (for that is where he will be born). He will be called a Nazarite, etc. Out of Egypt he will call his Son to name only a few prophecies Israel was pregnant with. It is these many prophecies which is the seed word of God which produces this manchild. In the hour of Christ's birth Israel was under that last beast power to ever rule the world. Furthermore, this resurrected Roman rule will also be the last beast system seen in the middle of the week who tromp, tromp, tromp over her land. Since 606 B.C. until the period of the Romans, it had been some 600 years that Israel was first out of the land then back in, scourged, overrun, slaughtered, etc, and now Israel was desperately wanting her Messiah. The time had arrived when the woman must give birth to the child. Note, under Roman rule the manchild was born. All prophecies concerning this event had come to pass.

RED DRAGON AND ROMAN EMPIRE

Verse 3 picks up with still another aspect of the story. There appeared another wonder in heaven and behold a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon its heads. It's tail drew out a third part of the stars from heaven and did cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered for to devour her child as soon as it was born. Brief review: In the heavens stood this pregnant woman, in pain and ready to be delivered of child. In another place stood this great red dragon, all this is none other than a heavenly reflection of the old earthly Roman system down here on earth in which Satan had embodied himself. If the woman is a symbol and a reflection of a nation of people, then so is the red dragon. The dragon is a symbol and a reflection of earthly forces in earthly systems in which Satan has embodied himself for the sole purpose of getting at God, in order to seek to hinder the fulfillment of God's word. Remember when God's word is fulfilled it will be fulfilled through people. Likewise, Satan who opposes it, must therefore oppose the word through people. The fact John saw this dragon having seven heads and ten horns certainly wasn't the picture of Rome in 96 A.D. nor at the time of Christ's birth but it is the picture of the Roman Empire in its entire complete embodiment and characteristics as it will be in the last days. What John is looking at is none other than a reflection of all this as it is seen in heaven, because all this is definitely the plan of Satan. John is reviewing the overall profile or picture of what will be going on down here on earth, however, only time itself would literally fulfill and characterize it as it would all be displayed on earth.

RULES NATIONS

Verse 5 - and she brought forth a manchild who (later on) was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. Rev. 19 depicts that scene of the second coming of Christ taking place after the close of the great 3 ½ year tribulation period, (falling in the last half of the 70^th week), saying, out of his mouth goeth a sharp two-edged sword with which he smites the nations and begins to rule (the smitten nations) with a rod of iron. Thus Rev. 12:5 shows the approach to the first advent of Christ and the nation Israel pregnant with the prophecies of the first advent. In a little town called Bethlehem, some 6 miles from Jerusalem, a baby was born king, who would literally rule the nations. Potentially and basically during the advent of Christ, God gave Israel accessability to their Messiah and King, however, note when Christ came riding into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, 33 A.D., a dramatic event which according to the prophet of this age, completed the 69^thweek of Daniel's prophecy) Christ was not announced as Saviour of the world, instead the prophecy of the event said (Zech. 9:9) behold your King cometh unto you riding on a donkey. No, he wasn't announced as Saviour of the world and when he was crucified the inscription placed over His head did not read, saviour of the world, but JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS! Therefore during His first advent He was given to Israel but Israel crucified their King. This lets me know the devil (the old dragon) used that old ruling body of apostate political Jew during his hour to deny and refuse Christ. Israel was under the Roman rule and authority when the apostate Jews compelled the Romans to crucify Him. It was non other than the devil working through that old political system of Jews, that set up His trial, laid the plot and handed Christ, their King and Messiah, over to the Romans who in turn crucified Him. Naturally the devil thought he had Him. The dragon thought through this act, they had destroyed God's Word wherein He could not fulfill His promise of kingship. But what saith the scripture? And she brought forth a manchild who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up unto God and to His throne. Recall, on the third day Christ rose from the dead. God, knowing Israel as a nation would reject Christ on the basis of His kingship, instructed His prophets, Hosea, Isaiah and even David in the Psalms to prophesy concerning how Israel would reject Christ at His first appearing. And because of that God would take the kingship away from Israel and in order to fulfill His role as Saviour to the world would now give His salvation to the Gentiles who for 1900 years has enjoyed salvation through God's grace. Nevertheless we too have become guilty of playing with the Gospel story as Israel became guilty of playing with the writings of her prophets. Israel with her schools of various interpretation of theological ideas was so preoccupied arguing over these theories, they simply did not know when Christ came the first time. However, had they been paying close attention to Daniel's prophecy concerning the 70 weeks they should have known their Messiah King was on earth. That's why God gave them Daniel's 70 weeks or that period of time that they might know and understand when time for the Messiah had arrived.

CHURCH AGE BETWEEN VERSES 5-6

In Rev. 12:5 what does his being caught up into heaven speak of? It speaks of Christ's resurrection and 40 days later ascending up on high which now completed His first advent. This statement closed out verse 5 and please note here God has stopped or cut off the nation from his program because between verse 5-6 lays the duration of over 1900 years of seven gentiles church ages. In 70 A.D. Israel was removed from the land and scattered into the four corners of the earth where she would remain for the duration of the grace age, Israel, God's timepiece, was now cut off or stopped from all other prophecies pertaining to the messiahship and the king for this duration. God simply stopped his time clock concerning her. God, giving to the gentiles the salvation He had offered Israel, fulfills Paul's revelation in Rom. 11:25 where Paul declared, brethren, I would not have you ignorant that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be brought in.

MIDDLE OF WEEK

Here we must point out Rev. 12:6 picks back up the story of Israel over 1900 years later. This time the story is picked up in the middle of her 70^th week. The reason is because of what was accomplished by the ministry of the two prophets in Israel during the first half of the prophetic week. Bear in mind we live in the generation which saw the political rebirth of Israel as a nation in 1948. No, that was not the spiritual rebirth of the nation at all, only the political rebirth. Because the nation had to first be politically reborn whereby a portion of the scattered people could be brought back into the land before this final 70^th week of time could begin.

WOMAN FLEES

Verse 6, and the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared by God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred three score days. At what point of this final week did the woman Israel flee? Watch it because this tears down many carnal ideas concerning this week. Verse 6 picks up the story right in the middle of the week, still allowing 3 ½ years to be fulfilled. Note verse 6 describes one aspect of this woman fleeing into the wilderness. Watch how the scripture now goes back and brings out to build up the picture, because from now on it will be dealing strictly with the final half of that 70^th prophetic week. The woman fled for a period of a thousand two hundred three score days.

MICHAEL STANDING UP

Verse 7 carries us back briefly to the beginning of that week when the two prophets appeared on earth. This fulfills Daniel 12:1-2. Daniel, in Babylonian captivity, was greatly disturbed over the future of his people (the Jew) and was asking the angel concerning the outcome of it all. The angel instructed Daniel (Dan. 12:1) that at that time shall Michael stand up, the prince of thy people (Israel) and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was before (Matt. 24:21). The angel continued, nevertheless, even though there will be a time of severe trouble as has never been before, everyone whose name is written in the book will be delivered (into that desert place). Well we know the 144,000 of Rev. 7 will be sealed away during the early ministry of those two prophets in the first half of the week. True, the spiritual core of the nation (not political) is awakened, revelated and made ready for this time of trouble which comes in the latter half of the week. God simply will not revive the political element of the nation because they continued right on in their merrymaking way and accepted the anti-Christ as messiah when he moved into the temple and declared himself to be God. It was because of these political apostate Jews that caused God to pronounce these three Woes on the inhabitants of the earth in the beginning of the last half of the week.

WAR IN HEAVEN

Looking again at this woman, John says in verse 7, there was a war in heaven. John watches a heavenly scene taking place in glory as the final week opens down on earth. Therefore, you may place both Dan. 12 as well as Rev. 11:7 right over the beginning of that 70^th week. Now watch something, there was war in heaven. Michael(who stood up for Israel) and his angels fought against the dragon (Satan). Satan we all know is the prince of the power of the air. No, he does not rule God's abode (heaven) but he does fill the atmosphere around this planet. Paul declared Eph. 6, we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness. Our atmosphere is not only charged with righteous angels, it is also filled with demonic power. Therefore, as the final week begins on earth in the Middle East and things start taking shape in the heavenly atmosphere, remember, once the anti-Christ signs that covenant with Israel that officially begins or opens that 70^th week and you only have seven years of time left. At this time Michael the archangel, Dan. 12:1-2 stands up for Israel. Michael's assignment is to watch over Israel and guide the nation through her darkest hour of history. As Michael stands up I can see him draw his sword as he meets the devil, his adversary and a great conflict begins in the heavens. While on earth during the first part of that week things between the anti-Christ and the world system are shaping up. In the heavens a constant warfare goes on. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon fought with his angels and prevailed not. Neither was their place found anymore in heaven. What does that mean? It is simply God's way of saying Michael, time has come to clean house, go drive the devil out of the atmosphere. On earth there is seven more years left of time. Therefore let us start cleaning house up here. Thus Michael began cleaning house, that is basically driving out every devil which has its mind centered on Israel because once that week begins it is Satan's plot to choke Israel to death and destroy her whereby she cannot fulfill the scriptures that will bring Christ unto his rule and reign for the millennium. On earth as the first thousand two hundred three score days progressed forward in the prophetic week, a war is going on in heaven. On earth two prophets are prophesying, smiting the earth with plagues and bringing judgment against the political side of the Jew and the nation. The middle of the week has finally arrived and Michael has gained the victory as Satan loses the battle of the atmosphere.

DEVIL CAST OUT

Although Satan lost the battle in heaven God allows him 3 ½ years holiday on earth. Since Satan is the king of all fallen spirits, he is the captain of every creature mentioned in Rev. 9 coming up out of the bottomless pit. The nations of the earth by the middle of the week have aligned themselves with this political genius, the anti-Christ, when time arrives for him to break his covenant with Israel causing God to release his three Woes on earth. Verse 9, (In the middle of the week), the great dragon was cast out, the old serpent called the devil and Satan who deceived the whole world. He was cast out into the earth along with his angels, verse 10, and I heard a loud voice saying in heaven (in the middle of that weeks) now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down who accuses them before our God day and night.

OVERCOMERS

Beloved, time on earth has come during the middle of the week to see who has the goods. Bear in mind this cannot apply to the bride church, the bride of Christ is gone, therefore this verse cannot apply to the bride of Christ to see if they have the goods. She is at the wedding with the groom. Why is it stated in this manner? The reference refers to earth, it refers to the foolish virgins and those Jewish saints as well who were awakened during the hour of the two prophets. In other words, in the middle of the week when Satan is cast down and all hell is turned loose for the expression of that first Woe and God is no longer on the scene to actually show mercy and intervention through his two prophets seeing they had been killed (Woe No. 2), it has now reached the time that whoever has the goods in this hour must now prove it. You see, those would be the ones who had the salvation for that hour yet, bear in mind, salvation in that hour is not a salvational grace message as you and I know today. Some people think the only individuals going to be saved for the millennium is the bride of Christ and the 144,000. God have mercy on such a foolish way of looking at the scripture. Speaking of that darkest hour, verse 10 says, now is come salvation. No, it does not mean down here on earth during the last 3 ½ years they will have a great revival and people be saved as they were in the grace age before the bride left, they will not. The hour on earth has arrived which is going to prove who is right because we were told in verse 11 and they (who was referred to in verse 10) overcame the devil by two means, first by the blood of the Lamb and second by the word of their testimony. These two terms or expressions indicate that only two separate classes of people on earth can fit in this category in verse 10. They are the Gentile foolish virgins of Matt. 25 who in that dark hour will overcome the devilish beast system (by the blood of the lamb) once the anti-Christ takes over in the middle of the week, declaring himself to be God and sets out to annihilate every God fearing believer left on the face of the earth who missed the rapture of the church. Beloved, there will be a blood bath hit this world that will make the blood bath in the Dark Ages look small. Now what about those who overcame by the word of their testimony? Who are they? These are Jews. Recall when the prophet to this age interpreted the fifth seal and showed the unidentified souls under the altar were not Gentile saints but instead were Jews who were slaughtered between 1939-45 in Hitler's hour of purge. Naturally not all of the six million Jews slaughtered by Hitler was seen under the altar, of course not, but those slaughtered who had been true to their God were there. Every soul under that altar was given a white robe (after he got there) not on the basis of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God having cleansed them for sin, No, they were blinded unto this salvation until the fullness of the Gentiles come in according to Paul's revelation in Rom. 11:25, 27 God blinded Israel in order to bring in the Gentiles. But they were there under the altar of God because of the word of their testimony (they were devout Jews and because of that God said their testimony merited them white robes). Those martyred Jews of Europe, killed in Hitler's purge were heard pleading under God's altar, how long, O Lord, will thou not avenge our blood? Not all killed in that purge went under God's altar, by any means, but those who did are heard crying out unto God for revenge. In their hearts, they knew Jehovah should do something about the situation.

REST A LITTLE SEASON

Recall they were given white robes and told to rest just a little season until their brethren should be killed as they were. When it said, yet a little season, that did not mean 100 years later. Yet a little season until your brethren shall be killed in the same manner you were, lets me know from the closing of World War II until the reign of the anti-Christ over the Jew would not be a long period of time, only a short season. Thus the little season in Rev. 6 under the fifth seal connects right here in the middle of that 70^th week when they (the Jews) will overcome that anti-Christ by the word of their testimony and by the blood of the Lamb (gentile foolish virgins). And note many will die because it says they loved not their lives unto the death.

THIRD WOE, WHAT IS IT?

Verse 12, Therefore, rejoice ye heavens and ye that dwell in them. Oh, I want to catch this word, WOE, because here is your third woe put into action in the middle of that week. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth. This third Woe is non other than that horrible blood bath brought about beginning the middle of the week. The third Woe is that persecution against Israel set forth immediately by the anti-Christ in the beginning of the last half of that week to literally destroy Israel as a nation of people. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea, for the devil (who lost the battle in the atmosphere with Michael) has come down unto you having great wrath because he knows he hath but a short time (3 ½ years). Now with that third Woe pronounced in the middle of the week, let us back up temporarily. Whatever the devil now hopes to fulfill in the last 3 ½ years on earth, he must do it through his agent the anti-Christ who is the head of that world beast system described in Rev. 13 as the beast coming up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns. And get this, a body like a leopard, feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion. This latter description shows this beast has now incorporated the Middle East nations which once had been the territories of the ancient Babylonian Empire, Media-Persia, Grecian as well as Roman Empire which had its revival in the last days and was shown to be the head of this beast. But did you know none of these four empires ever ruled the Far East where dwelt the Oriental people? Rev. 13 shows the picture of the revival of the old resurrected Roman Empire, through which Satan will work, mainly against Israel to close out God's prophetic picture. The minute that anti-Christ, the devil's agent on earth, breaks that covenant with Israel, he is turned loose on earth and the two prophets are killed. Seeing the battle in heaven has already been won, Satan is kicked out of heaven into earth in the middle of that week. Imagine Satan and all his imps from hell being turned loose on earth and not a prophet around anywhere to pray for the people. Thus for 3 ½ years the world will have nothing but hell loosed on earth with no intervention from God. With the death of his two prophets, his voice for 3 ½ years is silenced and there will be a time of trouble such as never has been before. Now kicked out of heaven for 3 ½ years Satan now possessing his agent, the anti-Christ, sits in Jerusalem with his huge army to do his every command. The earth will not only be bathed with the blood of the Jewish martyrs as in Hitler's purge, but the devil, through his agent will also cut off every Gentile foolish virgin. Because in that hour, if you don't bow to the system you already know the penalty. Therefore I hope you see the three Woes are definitely now something dragged out over the final 3 ½ years, instead they are simply the formula by which God unfolds the unleashing of Satan's power for 3 ½ years. God having now cleared the atmosphere of the dragon, not what Satan does.

PERSECUTING THE WOMAN

Verse 13, And when the dragon saw he was cast on to the earth he persecuted the woman (Israel) who brought forth the manchild. Beloved, this is why it is stated Woe to the inhabitants of the earth. Why persecute Israel and no other nations? Simply because Satan does not want certain scriptures to be fulfilled. He does not want God to set up his Messiah kingship and the millennium reign to begin. Remember at this hour that reign is only 3 ½ years away, therefore Satan feels Israel must not survive; every Jew must be annihilated. Immediately following the tribulation of those days, Matt. 24:29, Rev. 6:12-15 Jesus declared, the sun shall be darkened and the moon withdraw its light. The powers of the heaven shall be shaken, the stars shall fall as a fig tree cast her untimely figs and every mountain and island shall flee away. Beloved, when that 3 ½ years closes out, completing the 70 weeks of Daniel. God will have counted off the days for the reign of the anti-Christ seeing he only allows Satan to rule in this manner for 42 months and not one day more. Persecuting the woman who (past tense) brought forth the manchild, lets me know it was Israel back in Verse 2, giving birth by prophecy to the messiah, the king of Israel during his first advent. And to the woman was given two wings of a great eagle. When was this done? Right in the middle of the final prophetic week. These two wings of an eagle, what do they represent? All of us know an eagle means a prophet, right? Therefore, these wings of an eagle are symbolic meaning the message of these two prophets which she had already received in the first part of the week. No this part does not refer to the whole nation of Judaism, but only that element of Jews who were awakened by the message of those two prophets. The wings of an eagle were given to the woman in order she might fly into the wilderness for safety. No sooner was the devil cast onto earth then he persecuted the woman who fled.

WOMAN FLEES TO DESERT PLACE

Some feel the place in the wilderness to which she fled is none other than the old ancient city of Petra, located in a boxed in canyon down in Arabia, the old ancient place of the Edomites. Why beloved, every Arab knows where that place is. No, they will not flee into some boxed in canyon, that would be the worse place they could go. The anti-Christ would for sure bottle up that hole and cut them off for good, but God has a place prepared in this earth for that true spiritual Israelite who was revelated during the first half of the week. When that anti-Christ broke his covenant and killed those two prophets, those spiritual Jews already had the revelation where and when to go. When they saw this they knew it was time to leave Israel. The fact the two wings of an eagle was given to the woman shows it was given to the spiritual revelated seed of the woman only and not unto the whole house of Israel in the sense of every Jew. Because, don't forget you have the largest number of Jews (5 ½ million) living in America alone. It is to that true predestinated seed of God who were given those two wings of an eagle that she might fly into the wilderness into her place. Just as certain as God, but his word, had already prophesied that out of Zion in Jerusalem would come forth one who would rule his people by his same word he had already predetermined and planned a place of refuge and safety for that spiritual revelated Jew. Those two prophets knew where it was to be and told the spiritual element where to go to be nourished for time, times and a half time. That terminology beloved carries you right back to Daniel. For a time, times and a half of time is Daniel's language describing the dreadful hour to come upon Israel ( 3 ½ years) Dan. 7:25.

EXCESSIVE HATRED

The minute the devil's power is cast into the earth and all hell is loosed on earth and God is no more on the scene to intervene through his two prophets that anti-Christ is ready to choke out the very existence of Israel but those spiritual Jews already know where to go. By the dozens they leave Israel as the anti-Christ cannot stop them. After they are gone watch what verse 15 says the devil does - And the serpent cast out of his mouth water like a flood. This terminology portrays a flood of wrath released by the man of sin. It fulfills Dan. 9:27 when the beast prince breaks the covenant with Israel and causes the overspreading of abomination that maketh desolate. Abomination in Dan. 9:27 means excessive hatred and desolate means to render void. Such a scene of excessive hatred against Jerusalem and the Jew is characterized by Antiochus Epiphanes, the Assyrian 168 B.C. when he offered a sow on the altar, followed by extreme persecution, and further typed by Titus in 70 A.D. in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem and is culminated when the anti-Christ literally fulfills it hoping to totally exterminate the Jew. Verse 16 says, referring to the fleeing spiritual Jew, and the earth helped the woman. Naturally as John watched all this, seeing it only as a figure, no doubt there was some kind of hole or something in the earth which did open up and swallow the water whereby it could not get to the woman. But how in reality will it be fulfilled? Such a scene lets me know somewhere on this earth there is a nation which will open up its doors to these spiritual Jews.

PROPHETIC WORLD

Someone may ask, won't the entire world be going under this Roman beast system? I do not mean to shock you with this answer, but the answer is NO! But doesn't the Bible say the whole world did? Yes, but you must remember it is the whole prophetic world, not the entire literal world because the entire world would take in also all the Far East nations of the world. None of these four world beast powers (Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece or Rome) spoken of in Daniel ordained to rule the world, not one ever ruled the nations of the Far East, the orientals. However, every one of them did rule and fulfill their role in the prophetic world, mainly Europe and the Middle East. Always remember they had absolutely nothing to do with the kings of the East or your oriental people who meet the anti-Christ's army at Armageddon. Your oriental people was never any part of any one of the four world beast systems nor will they ever be. These oriental people never once enter the picture until Rev. 16 and that is strictly for Armageddon where God is pictured as placing them all (both armies, 200 million men) into his winepress of wrath and getting into the press himself walking up and down on the grapes, squishing juice from the grapes as a result human blood flows to the horse's bridle in the valley of Jezreel in Armageddon. Back to Rev. 12:16, The earth has opened up its mouth and swallowed the flood. (A nation has opened up and taken in these fleeing spiritual Jews.) And verse 17 says the dragon was angry with the woman, hating her because he knows he has but a short time. If only he could succeed in killing off those spiritual Jews everywhere who believe in Jehovah and who believe in God's plan he could then be successful in annulling the fulfillment of the Messiah and his kingdom reign. This you recall was Satan's purpose in the crucifixion when he truly thought he had Christ where he wanted him. But Christ rose from the dead thus once again Satan will make a desperate attempt to get rid of those millennium scriptures through destroying Israel. He is so angry with the woman he goes forth to make war with the remnant of her seed who kept the commandments of God.

PERSECUTING WOMAN'S SEED

That beloved is none other than the Jews in dispersion outside the nation Israel who are still living in Gentile nations for recall, many of these Jews never return to Israel, seeing the largest amount of 5 ½ million remained in America. Yet you have enough to return to Israel to fulfill Rev. 7, where the 144,000 received a revelation and became stimulated with the wine of the Spirit under these two prophets, although it was not until Rev. 14 that you see the same 144,000 Israelites revelated in the first part of the week, going forth now in the second half to do something for God. The minute the covenant is broken in the middle of the week is a signal to that revelated 144,000 to quickly get out of Israel. Those 144,000 Jews, described in Rev. 7 as having received the seal of God which is the Holy Ghost (Eph. 4:30) while those four angels remained holding back war and strife in the Middle East (Rev. 7:1) until these were sealed, are none other than virgins.

VIRGINS AND LAST MESSAGE

(They have not been defiled with woman.) That does not mean these 144,000 men have never been married. It simply means they are Jews who have never been proselyted to any of these Gentile Babylonian daughters (Rev. 17:4-5) missionary programs. They were revelated and sealed strictly by the ministry of two prophets. These 144,000 are servants of God. Rev. 14 reveals them in that hour as standing on Mt. Zion following the Lamb withersoever he goeth. This shows that number has the Lamb's spirit, the Holy Ghost in their lives and they follow the leadership of the Holy Ghost. It simply means that in that dark hour, their hour of being used has arrived and they have a message for the rest of the millions of Jews in dispersion as they will be going to the Jews in dispersion telling their brethren all about this diabolical system, and to stay away from it. Recall how the Jewish apostles sought out the Jews in the first century offering them the gospel of grace. Likewise the 144,000 go to these millions of Jews still in Gentile dispersion, because soon the anti-Christ will be coming after them. Again we repeat, they do not go with a message of salvation. That anti-Christ is going to do everything he can in every nation over which he has power and authority to carry out his diabolical plot. He will literally seek to destroy that Jew for verse 17 declares, he went to make war with the remnant of her seed who kept the commandments of God, Note: and also those who have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Who in that hour has the testimony of Jesus Christ? None other than those Gentile foolish virgins who were left behind, who simply were not ready when the rapture took place. What do these 144,000 Jews tell the other scattered Jews? Remember their message is not one of salvation such as we saw in the grace age. They won't be telling the people like Paul and Peter did repent and be baptized, etc. Their urgent message to the Jewish brethren in dispersion will be, do not accept any part of this beast system. They are telling mortal man, whatever you do, do not accept or worship this beast system, you worship God. I don't care what the anti-Christ tells you to do, threatens you or even kills you, don't you align yourself with it. The revelation of these Jews in that hour will be to tell mortal man how to be preserved in order to live under the glorious reign of Christ when he returns. Remember when Christ and his bride returns, revealed from heaven riding white horses, Christ destroys every many and woman who identifies themselves with that beast system. These millions of Jews in dispersion will be no exception if they worship this beast (man) who declared himself God there in the middle of the week. Thus these Jews going to their brethren in dispersion carry the last message this world will ever receive. It is not that God is on the scene doing signs, miracles, etc. No during that last 3 ½ years the world will see no more of the display of God, they saw his last operation through his two prophets who were cut off in the middle of the week but through this message delivered by the 144,000 will be God's way of preserving a few mortal men whereby when Jesus does sit in his kingdom there will be a living fleshly remnant of each nation who never bowed their knee to the anti-Christ system. These, God will preserve as a seed or for the new age to rule and reign over while the rest is cut down. For does not Rev. 19 plainly declare when Christ comes, out of his mouth goes a sharp two-edged sword with which he should smite the nations. Smiting the nations signifies that Christ at the close of the 3 ½ year tribulation period pours out his vials of wrath (Rev. 16) on the beast and on his kingdom by bringing together the kings of the Far East against the beast of Western Europe and her allied territories (Middle East) along with every apostate thing into Armageddon. Armageddon as shown in Rev. 19 is simply God's way of allowing mankind, as far as his military might has advanced, with it destroys one another.

PART 3 EVENTS OF FINAL 3 ½ YEARS

THE 6^TH TRUMPET RELEASES FOUR ANGELS

GEOGRAPHICAL BARRIER

The River Euphrates where these creatures were pictured as bound (or not being allowed to operate) has always served as a geographical barrier between your Far East nations (oriental race) and your Middle East nations. Recall also around this Euphrates area is where mankind's original history as well as the prophetic picture and the plan of salvation all got its start. The fact that these four angels are pictured bound in the Euphrates River does not imply they have been bound and struggling for centuries trying to free themselves. Certainly Not! This is a symbolic picture, but remember according to Rev. 7:1-2 something had to first happen in Israel before these angels could be released to prepare the war of Armageddon. Perhaps, Rev. 7:1 can throw some light on this setting under the sixth trumpet as it also pictures practically the same setting only in a little different manner. In Rev. 7:1-2 we saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth (winds represent war and strife) on the earth or the sea or any tree until something happened. That was until the sealing of the 144,000 with the seal of God in their forehead could first take place, which remember took place in the first half of the prophetic week. Next came an angel bearing that seal the 144,000 are to be sealed with, which is none other than the Holy Ghost, Eph. 4:30. The sealing took place in the first part of the week, before the four angels were released under the sixth trumpet in the middle of the week although the effects of that trumpet is not fully realized unto the end of the week.

FAMOUS BATTLEGROUND

Time has arrived for the preparation of that final war in the Middle East called Armageddon. Why the Middle East? The valley of Armageddon or plains of Jezreel, Josh. 17:16, Israel's largest and most fertile valley, was in the B.C. period the most famous battleground in the world. Laying in a triangle shape approximately 15 mi. x 15 mi. x 20 mi. the valley of Jezreel and the plain of Eschelon at the foot of Mt. Megiddo was the scene of wars with the Egyptians, Hitties, Israel, Philistines, Assyrians, Syria, Persia, Greeks, Roman Crusaders, Turks, Yes, and even the British under Gen. Allenby (1918) have marched and fought on these plains. The ancient town of Megiddo guarding the pass which formed the easier caravan route between the plain of Sharon and the Valley of Jezreel was first a royal Canaanite city. No less than 20 cities have been built on this 13 acre hilly site. In Solomon's day the city was a fortress. The importance of the city is whoever controls it, controls the valley. This area has witnessed many international conflicts of nations. The battle of Armageddon will be the final land war ever to be fought in this strategic passage. How strange mankind would at the end of civilization return to his original area where great international struggles of nations in the past were fought. When civilization started moving from east to west, especially after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., we also see wars involving nations moving westward also. For centuries mankind's wars were fought on the continent of Europe because as mankind moved slowly westward, so did his wars. World War I and World War II on the 20^th Century were fought primarily on European soil although World War II extended into the Far East with Japan where the U.S.A. remained in a struggle in the Far East through Vietnam and Korea for better than 30 years. Wars continually in the Far East now show mankind has swung westward as far as he could go and is slowly returning the area of the Middle East where his origin was and his B.C. wars were all fought. The youngest of all the western nations of the world has recently closed a shameful, embarrassing chapter of her American history, the defeat of the Vietnam War, a 30 year war is finally over in the Far East. A war which divided and bankrupted the greatest, youngest western nation on earth. Europe who colonized the Far East was run out years ago. The U.S. who had no colonization interest to protect in the Far East as did France, Belgium, etc., was nevertheless, the last of all the western nations to leave. Since the 50's America who has drained herself in two Far East wars trying unsuccessfully to block the advancement of Communism is also being pushed completely out of the Far East picture, giving way to the very thing she fought, while Communism like a creeping cancer slowly soaks up the Far East. The next major war involving nations will be none other than in the Middle East.

MANKIND'S CIRCLE

Thus when the sixth trumpet sounded in the beginning of that final 3 ½ years, four angels are immediately released from the Euphrates River to go forth and prepare nations for that final land war. Where? Right back in the Middle East, the area of man's beginning. Mankind, made his circle continually pushing westward until finally he circles back to the Middle East for his final struggle of existence. These spirits released in the last half of that week began to set in motion political conditions between the western European world and that of the eastern oriental world (namely the Far East nations who will soon all be under Communism) by preparing strife and conflict between these two different elements of Godless governments. On one hand will be the Godless European beast system consisting of western nations who by the end of the week has ditched Catholicism for some form of Communistic theology all of their own. On the other hand, from the Far East comes the kings of the East, another communistic camp. All that part of the oriental world is pictured in Rev. 16 preparing themselves for the dreaded conflict of the Middle East where 200 million men are slaughtered in the Valley of Jezreel in the Battle of Armageddon. The European western world of the beast system for the first 3 ½ years of the week rode triumphantly while in the Far East your oriental race also had been rising rapidly higher and higher, embracing their own special brand of communism and seeking to make a name for themselves. The day is coming when they definitely make a name for themselves. For centuries they desired to and under Genghis Khan the oriental race tried desperately to make a great name, planting their influence upon the western world and almost succeeded. Had it not been for that German Emperor, Charlemagne, who turned the tide, driving him out of Europe, you would have had a far greater mixture of the oriental blood and influence mixed into your western world than what you have today. Nevertheless, since Charlemagne turned the tide and ran Genghis Khan and his oriental armies out of Europe, the yellow race has never been able to stamp their influence on the western world at all. Yet for centuries in the Far East that yellow race has constantly fought among themselves for preeminence. Scriptures refers to the yellow race as the kings of the East who come against that western arm under the man of sin at Armageddon. The far eastern world battling against the western European world for supremacy. Loosing the four angels bound in the Euphrates River is God's way in the last half of that week of eliminating that ancient geographical barrier dividing the Far East from the Middle East.

John described that scene of slaughter at Armageddon from God's viewpoint in this manner (Rev. 14:14-20) there sat one in the clouds likened unto the Son of God with a sharp sickle in his hand. And an angel was heard flying though the heavens saying, thrust in thy sharp sickle and reap the clusters of the earth (in the closing of the 70^th week) for the harvest of the earth has come, and he thrust in his sharp sickle and reaped the clusters of the earth and cast them into the winepress of the wrath of God. Beloved the winepress of God is none other than Armageddon. It is God's way and he knows how to bring them all to Armageddon, doesn't he. Two forms or camps of communism, each desiring to conquer the other. Therefore beloved, when that European beast consisting of those ten Western European nations rises up and destroys the woman (Catholicism) which rode her back, Rev. 17:1-18, these nations themselves, disgusted with Catholicism in Europe somewhere in the final half of that week accept their own form or brand of socialism or communism. Recently a U.S. Senator declared if things continued as they are going, Europe would be under communism in less than ten years. Even today we are seeing communism pressuring the many governments of Europe for social change. Portugal recently swung to the Vatican, the government is better than 33 percent communistic. Recently a poll was taken in England which showed only 26-28 percent of their population even believed in God. Many nations (over a third of the world) have already fallen to the communistic ideology of life. Remember both sides came to Armageddon with a motive but God came with an objective and that objective requires 200 million men to be slaughtered and the blood to run to the bridle of the horses.

Where will so many men come from? The world in April, 1975 topped the four billion population mark. Presently there are over 800 million people in China alone and close to 700 million in India. That is a good start. Before everything closes out in that entire Far East, they will all be under the communistic hammer and sickle. The Far East will be under one great communistic camp. Therefore may I say, while both the anti-Christ and God (through his fifth trumpet) is giving mankind hell on earth in the second half of the week, once that sixth trumpet is sounded those spiritual forces are released going into the earth stirring up strife and preparing the two communistic camps for Armageddon. When that final 3 ½ years of Daniel's 70^th prophetic week reaches its climax, it will be time for the anti-Christ's road to have reached an end and God will bring, from the effects of that sixth trumpet angel blast 200 million men to Armageddon for slaughter. In actuality the sixth trumpet shows the effects of the Euphrates River the same as does the sixth vial. No sooner does the anti-Christ break his own covenant then immediately the sixth trumpet angel sounded and those four angels were loosed whereby throughout the last portion of the week they might prepare the great host of armies who are eventually brought to Armageddon and fought in the very end of the week. As Armageddon is in progress at the close of the week, God speaks to the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field saying, come and east flesh of dead captains of the mighty, the rich, the bond, the free, etc. Eat the flesh till you be full and drink blood until you are drunk. Joel's prophecy shows this also Armageddon is God's cleaning up process. The Bible declares the rest who are not slain through this process were slain by the sword which proceeded out of his mouth at his coming. That is unleashed wrath. Though death he destroys them.

7^TH TRUMPET