🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 4) 🔥

Mike Balloun teaches today. 12/02/23

🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 4) 🔥
THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER (Chapters 4-22)

VERSES: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Daniel 9:24-27,12:1; Exodus 32:1,26

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Link to today's illustration:
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AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION PART 4

THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER (Chapters 4-22)

1) Chapters 4 & 5 The Sealed Scroll of the Last Days’ Judgement, now in the hand of the Father, fulfills His Word… “Sit thou on my right hand until I make thou foes thy footstool.” And answers to God the Father’s timing in fulfilling His ‘Salvation Plan in the Restoration of all things’. (Note that we are in the End-Times, but the “Last Days” refers to the last 7 years before Christ Returns to set up His Millennial Kingdom. Though we may experience birth pangs, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, pestilences, and famines, “the end is not yet”. The Last Days or last 7 years are triggered by the signing of a 7-year covenant with Israel.)

Adam had governmental authority and he and his bride were the God-appointed rulers over the world. At their fall, satan became the ruling king/god of this World, but God has always maintained overruling power over the satanic forces. He suffers/allows them to rule in this World with regulated authority since Adam’s betrayal of governing trust. And that limiting regulation, through direction and instruction, was given to His powerful administrative Angels in this Realm. See the following verses which show that all that happens has to be allowed by God first and that He uses His Angels to accomplish His purposes. Joshua 5:13-14… “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay (neither); but as captain of the host of the Lord (captain of the Angels of the Lord) am I now come (meaning He is on neither side and is only doing the will of God who sent him). And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?”…… Daniel 10:13… “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia (a reference to satan) withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes (Archangels), came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” (Here we see satan and Michael as adversaries, but the victory being God’s)….. Daniel 12:1“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” ….. Psalm 24:1-4… “The earth is the Lord’s (He is Ruler with all Authority), and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” …. Hebrews 1:13-14… “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they (Angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”) 1st Corinthians 10:13… “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” While satan does not have access to the Holy Mountain of God anymore, he does go to some kind of Judicial setting (probably in the 1st heaven) where he accuses us day and night. But there are rules of engagement wherein satan can only do what God allows, so he can’t tempt you beyond what you are able to withstand, which is something that God assesses and allows for His purposes. He can’t sift us without permssion as seen in satan needing to ask permission to sift Peter.

When the God-appointed “things which are” have run their course, the time of Christ’s formal Investiture as the King and restoration of this lost Kingdom will be reached. Jesus’ investiture (ceremonial installing of a new monarch/ the act of clothing someone in the insignia of an office) is after the order of Melchisedek, who held the office of both king and priest. Christ’s investiture signals the soon coming end of satan ruling. Note that since Jesus’ Resurrection, satan is an already defeated incumbant ruler, but when Jesus takes His investiture, satan will be on the verge of being replaced.

At His investiture in the 1st heavens, Jesus then takes the Scroll with the Father’s 7 Seals of Judgements, Trumpets, and Bowls that symbolize the length and nature of the determined Just (reflective of His Justice) events of the End-Times restitution unto restoration. The opening of the 7 Seals fulfills the “consummation” of Daniel 9:24-27 “…to finish (put an end to) the transgression (Israel’s disobedience, rebellion, apostasy), and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity (in that restitution has to be made before there can be restoration), and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”

The Scroll which the Father hands to Jesus has seven Seals. It is the Scroll of the New Covenant with Israel. (Note that Christians are under the New Testament, but the New Covenant was exclusively made with the House of Israel, as clearly stated in Jeremiah 31:31-34.) When all has been fulfilled in the Scroll, then Israel will come into the New Covenant, and the Holy Spirit will come upon them, and they will rule and reign as God’s representatives over the Earth. But it is no longer the age of Grace and Mercy when the Jews are grafted back in. It is now the Law of Justice under a new modified Mosaic covenant which will come into effect until the passing away of it when the earth and its heavens pass away. As we are not under that Mosaic law in eternity.)

The Just fulfillment of the Last Days’ prophetic events bringing Jesus the Christ into His Kingdom. All its just judgements encompass and recompense both allies and enemies, humans and spirits, living and dead. (The last 7-year period brings all these things into play.) These proceedings of Chapter 4 & 5 now begin as the Age of grace and mercy is closing and the Last Days’ Age of Justice commences in the breaking of the Judgement Seals. The corporate Church has been long since corrupted and ineffective in their appointed place of living and teaching in testimony of God’s Grace and Mercy. They have failed in regards to overcoming the flesh, world, and satan after their redemption from satan’s kingdom and have failed unto attaining the prize of the heavenly kingdom inheritance with Christ. They are broken off, as Israel before, because of unbelief. (Corporate Christianity is broken off because they did not fulfill their mission in the earth to give testimony unto Him, just as Israel was also broken off for unbelief. Unbelief being ‘not doing what God has shown you to do’.) The Age of God’s Justice is commencing, and the People of the Millennial earthly Kingdom (Israel) with the ancient testimony of God’s Justice are again to be recognized and grafted back in.

Now the prophet in Daniel 7:9-14, then on to the end of the Chapter, also describes this ‘Last Days’ commencing scene of the investiture of the Son of Man. This great unseen holy assembly at the Tribunal Throne is set up in the lower heavens above the Earth, which precedes the opening of the Seals, Trumpets, and Vials judgements, which climaxes with the King and His saints of the most high places taking dominion in the first heaven and the restored people of the saints of the most high places (Israel) being granted dominion in the Earth. It is the beginning of the end of the Anti-Christ’s rule and Gentile rule. (Daniel 7:15-28) This investiture is what the prophet John echoes in Revelation 4 & 5. Then it is followed by Revelation 6:1-20:6 which gives greater revealing detail of Daniel 7:15-18.

Those progressive End-Times judgements beginning in Revelation 6 with the opening of Seals on the Scroll proceeding onward to the last judgement vials (Revelation 15 & 16) of God’s concluding Vintage winepress of Wrath upon His enemies and Israel’s enemies. And then comes the end of the Great Tribulation/Jacob’s Trouble and we have Israel’s great restoration, as seen in Joel 3, Zechariah 14, and Acts 15:15-17, as He now will rebuild “the tabernacle of David.”

Typically (in type and shadow), what is seen in Revelation Chapters 4 & 5, in the “things which must be hereafter”, was seen before by Daniel in Daniel 7:9-14. John and Daniel both see “…a throne (of Justice being) set in heaven (associated with this Earth), and one sat on the throne.” That ‘one’ being “the Ancient of days” and it speaks of when the Father, in the things which must be hereafter, will comes down to this lower heaven (typically that can be seen as ‘Mount Zion or Mount Sinai’) and sit in glory upon the administrative Tribunal Throne of Justice and Judgement. Being surrounded by the Elder Angels of renown and Cherubim, there before Him are the torches of fire and the sea of glass, typed in Moses’ tabernacle by the Menorah and the laver of brass full of water. The scene is similarly pictured for us in God’s like purposeful descending upon Mount Sinai. (Exodus 19:12&16) Daniel 7:9-14 and Exodus 19:12 & 16 being descriptive examples of what was seen by Ezekiel in Chapter 1:26… “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.” These visions are of the same movable administrative Judgement throne, encircled by a rainbow with the One Who had the likeness of God in the form of a Man sitting upon the Throne surrounded by 4 living Creatures. It represents to us the Creator’s future momentous and also foreboding descension again in the near future unto this lower unseen heaven related to judgements associated with this Realm, its Earth, and its heaven. So, God, having typically previously descended to Mount Sinai and called Moses up before Him, is portrayed in type by Christ in the scene of the last days. (Exodus 19:20)

The theme of Revelation 4 & 5 is seen in the types before us in Exodus. Mount Sinai figuratively answers to the descending of the administrative Judgement Throne to these the unseen lower heavens. In the type, mercy and grace had ruled in Israel up until Mount Sinai, when the Law was given. (Exodus 15:13) Now, with mercy and grace having been exhausted by Israel’s persistent stubbornness, the new principle of the law of justice descends upon the ‘Mount’. The anti-type is that Christendom has failed, and has exhausted God’s Grace and Mercy (Hebrews 4:16), and they are cut off from being God’s witnesses in the Earth as that principle of Justice returns to this Realm. And that happens as the Seals are broken off the Scroll… which also answers to the ratifying of the New Covenant with Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-34) and re-grafting in of Israel (Romans 11:15,23) as God’s returning witnesses in the Earth. They will be witnesses to the Gentiles in the Millennial Age of Justice and Righteousness (under the New and modified Mosaic Covenant {Ezekiel 40-48} which remains in effect on the Earth until it passes away in the passing away of the Earth. Matthew 5:17-18)

Now having descended to the ‘Mount’ as before in Israel, God determines to separate the faithful from the unfaithful, and the World at large. Exodus 32:1… “And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.” See also Verse 26… “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.”
This types those who are set-apart by Redemption Blood who then choose to be set-apart (sanctified) and stay on the Lord’s side faithfully unto the attainment of the ‘Promised Land’… as opposed to those who grow impatient for Christ’s Return and resorted to worshiping the golden calf of worldly things. And like the pattern of the type, those Christians who did not separate themselves from the world and looked to worldly idols will be left behind to have to “drink of the cup” of their own making, just as those in Israel who participated in the golden calf were made to drink of the ashes of it.

Typically (in type), Revelation Chapters 4&5, from another point of view, looks back typically to Exodus 3 & 4. “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” But Revelation 4 & 5 shows a greater intermediary than Moses before the “burning bush” of God. The differences are clearly seen in that Christ’s feet may remain shod as He approaches the Throne, for He is worthy to stand on holy ground. He is the victorious Passover Lamb, slain and risen as the great Atonement propitiation. He is the only One found worthy to unseal the New and better Covenant, and has no need to baulk at the appointment and proclaim His unworthiness. Nor need He intercede for more knowledge, wisdom, or power, for He is already the fully Anointed One Who has the Holy Spirit without measure. He now receives the King’s supreme authority and right of holy judgement in this/His Realm.

The 4 Creatures and “elders” who are gathered before Him, having fallen down before Him in worship, are keen to do His bidding. (“Elder” being the term for Angels with long administrative tenure in this Realm of Earth and its heavens. There being 24 elder angels out of the original 36; 1/3 having rebelled alongside Lucifer.) They are then in no need of explanation to His intent of restoration, particularly that of the laying down of their crowns and thrones, and to be set aside in the Son of Man’s investiture. In that, they understand that it was God’s original intent to have Man (Adam and his bride) rule in this realm, but they failed and so now it is Second Adam (Son of Man/Son of God) that rules together with His Bride in this Realm.

His Last Days’ investiture then answers, from this point of view, to Moses’ calling at the Flaming Bush; but Christ’s mission is far greater as it is to deliver His two saintly peoples from a worldwide and greater tyrant in greater plagues and eternal retributive punishment, and bring them into their respective Promised Land’s inheritance (one being an earthly inheritance, and the other being heavenly).

So it is in the “…things which must be hereafter” that there is the return to equity, that which is just and righteous. Strict sowing and reaping recompense is the theme in the Last Days before the Second Coming. Equity meaning that which is in harmony with His ancient Covenant’s Laws revealed in His Word is now to be fully executed and established. (That, in the first place, being the principle of blood for blood/life for life.)

2) Chapters 6-9 The Seals and Trumpet Judgments bring wars, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, and incredible natural and unnatural phenomenon occurring with wholesale destruction and death on the planet. Billions of people will die while a remnant of Jews will be supernaturally protected on the Earth during the 3 ½ years of Great Tribulation. Chapter 7 documents the two different groups of first-born that the Lamb is delivering in the Last Days of this Age, and what will transpire with the two groups of God. The earthly group (the Jews) is seen as yet-to-be-dealt-with in order to receive their inheritance. (Verses 1-8) The Lord is about to completely sever between the ‘Egyptians’ and His people, the Jews… but the seal is upon the forehead, not the mark on the doorposts. That being towards the last of the campaign of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah after the 6th Seal is opened, when the earth and heaven are shaken and all mankind is terrified, and His Kingdom is now imminent.

Whereas in the last of Chapter 7 (Verses 9-17), we are given a glimpse of the heavenly group who are pictured as having passed through the Tribulation, one way or another, and have reached their inheritance. They are the ripened First Fruits living caught up to the throne and Lamb before the last 3 ½ years, the Christian martyrs that died during the Great Tribulation, and the remnant of living Christians that will have been patiently and faithfully enduring in that Great Tribulation. This last group being caught up alive at the Harvest of the dead and living. (1st Thessalonians 4:16-17) That being just prior to the pouring out of the last of the Vials when they are caught up in the “air” into the unseen first heaven to join the First Fruits with the Lamb before the throne of God. (Revelation 7:9-17)

Chapter 8 The silence in the first heaven answers to the effect of the opening of the 6th seal’s great trauma upon the beholders. In that it equates to God’s appeal to the Nations as His Words to Egypt before… “let my people go.” The result is the same… refusal due to inordinate hardness of heart. And so it is, the final Judgments proceed unto the End. The prayers of the Saints that come up to the Throne of Justice are for God’s Vengeance upon His and their enemies. Thus, the Angel casts down his fiery censor. The 7 Trumpets begin to sound in their judgements; the first 4 very similar to the plagues of Egypt, the last 3 of Chapter 9 are exponential in severity to Egypt. The Bottomless Pit of Hades is opened and demonic forces are unleashed upon the Earth to torment men as all the Nations are in view (not just Egypt). 1/3 of mankind are slain and many more tortured… but “the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not…” (Revelation 9:20) Two of three woes has occurred.

Typically: It is Moses’ having received his investiture at the Burning Bush that now answers to the murderous spirit oppressing his people and thus he goes and confronts the Pharaoh and his Nation. Now in the anti-type, it becomes the Greater Deliverer confronting the murderous Anti-Christ (Pharaoh of the whole World) and all the Nations of the Earth. (Exodus 2:24) And again from that point of view mentioned before… after having interceded on His peoples’ behalf on high, it is Moses descending from the Mount and confronting the redeemed idolatrous transgressors and making them drink of the calf’s ashes, as he sets about to separate those who are for God from those who are not. (Exodus 32:26)

We will continue in two weeks and begin in Revelation Chapter 9.

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SUMMARY OF REVELATION 1-22

At the beginning of the video for this lesson, there is a chart. The following is a summary of the events on that chart, Chapter by Chapter.

In Revelation Chapter 1, we have the introduction of Jesus, the glorified Son of Man. In Revelation Chapters 2-3, we have Jesus’ exhortative words relative to the 7 churches. He also makes promises to believers, (to “he who overcomes”) to rule with Him in the Millennial Kingdom and beyond. In Revelation Chapters 4-5, we have the scene of Christ’s Investiture which takes place in the 1st heavens/the unseen heavens related to this Earth. Revelation 6 is Jesus opening the Seals that are on the Scroll of the New Covenant with Israel. For when all the things that must come to pass concerning “Jacob’s Trouble” (synonymous with the last seven years) are fulfilled, God will enact the New Covenant with Israel and place His Laws on their hearts. In Revelation 7, we have the scene of the 144,000. This is 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel on the earth. The second part of that Chapter focuses on a different group, referred to as “a great multitude, which no man could number of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues”. These had been caught up and “stood before the throne, and before the Lamb (in the first heaven), clothed with white robes.” In Revelation 8-9, we have this seventh *Seal being opened, and then Trumpets 1-4 are blown. Then Trumpets 5 & 6 are blown (the 1st and 2nd Woes), and in Revelation 10, the seven thunders utter their voices, but John was told to not write it down and to seal up and keep secret the things that were said. There is a reference to the 7th Trumpet which is about to begin to be blown (3rd Woe). Trumpets 5-7 are the same thing as the three Woes. Trumpet 5 = 1st Woe/Trumpet 6 = 2nd Woe/Trumpet 7= 3rd and final Woe (Note that Trumpet #7 is a series of short trumpet sounds that end with one long trumpet blast. This great trumpet blast is called the “Tekiah Gedolah”.) This 7th Trumpet blast begins to sound in Revelation 11 and sounds continually until the Coming of the Lord in Revelation 19. In Revelation 11, the Two Witnesses, who were here for the first three and a half years of the Last Days, are killed by the Anti-Christ. Revelation 11 flashes back and also projects forward to the Millennial Kingdom celebration of all the mysteries of God being completed. It is very important to note that Revelation 11:15-19 and all of Revelation Chapters 12, 13, and 14 are parenthetically inserted. This means that they are interposed/interjected between two points of reference (Revelation 11:14 and Revelation 15:1). So in other words, if you want to read the events in chronological order, you would skip Revelation 11:15-19 and Chapters 12-14, and start reading again at Revelation 15:1 which picks up with the 3rd Woe of the seven Angels pouring out the seven vials. (Revelation 11:1-14 being where we had the 2 Woes.) The parenthetically inserted verses of Revelation 11:15 through the last verse of Revelation 14 give detailed clarification of the events that transpire during the Tribulation. In Chapter 12, we see those of the First fruits (those of the qualified Bride of Christ, who are watching and ready and faithful and fruitful) being caught up to the heavens with Christ as seen in the symbolism of the “manchild” being taken up to heaven. (See Revelation 12:5) Note that His Bride also rules with Him with a rod of iron as seen in Revelation 2:26-27 where Jesus says, “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he (the one who overcomes) shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.”) In Revelation Chapter 13, the Anti-Christ (who is described as being brought up out of the pit/Abyss from Hades), then persecutes the remaining seed of the Woman described in Revelation Chapter 12. The Woman is emblematic of the entire Church of God (or “the household of God” - Ephesians 2:19). She had “brought forth the manchild” and now the rest of her seed (the Jews and the remaining Christians) are whom the Anti-Christ persecutes. In Chapter 14, we see those “firstfruits unto God” standing on Mount Zion and we see Babylon (religious Mystery Babylon) destroyed as the Anti-Christ becomes the supreme ruler of the Earth. Mankind is commanded to worship the image of the Beast. Here, a ‘Gospel of fear’ is proclaimed by Angels, who tell those who dwell on the Earth to… “Fear God, and give glory to Him for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters”… as opposed to fearing man and taking the mark of the Beast. “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture (without mercy) into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:7, 9-11) Later in Chapter 14, we have the Harvest, which is the great catching up of those remaining on the earth who endured and were faithful to Christ. They are caught up along with the faithful dead (those Christians who were overcomers in life) and those who were martyred for Christ unto the first heaven to join those of the First fruits Rapture. (1st Thessalonians 4:16-17… “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”) Then the Vintage is described where Jesus pours out the vengeance and wrath of God upon all of God’s enemies. Revelation 15-16 picks back up after the catching up of God’s remaining faithful, and we have the 3rd Woe/vials 1-6 being poured out and the three unclean spirits like frogs coming forth to gather all of the nations to Armageddon to defeat Christ. Jesus comes as a thief to those who are alive and remain and catches up those who have faithfully endured to remove them before He pours out God‘s wrath which will not be mixed with mercy. In Chapter 17, Mystery Babylon is destroyed. In Revelation 18, the literal restored city of Babylon (headquarters of the Anti-Christ) is destroyed. In Revelation 19, we have the Marriage Supper of the Lamb between the 6th and 7th vial. The King of kings descends with His armies, the Beast is destroyed, and he and the false prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire. In Revelation 20, satan is chained and cast into the pit/Abyss and the Millennial Kingdom begins. He is loosed for a short time towards the end of the Millennium and then is cast into the Lake of Fire. Then we have the Great White Throne Judgement where the living and all the dead are raised and judged. In Revelation 21, we have the New heavens and New Earth (Earth and the heavens related to it). And in Revelation 22, we have the glories of the Bride and the New Jerusalem that comes down from the third Heaven.

The key to understanding the Book of Revelation is properly interpreting the things that are emblematic/symbolic by using the Bible itself to interpret the Bible, and by seeing that parts of the Book are parenthetically inserted in order to expound on the details of some of the events.

The 7th Seal is the beginning of the 7 trumpets, and then likewise, the 7th trumpet signals the 7 vials to be poured out.