THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Exploring Revelation Chapter 12-14 Part 2

The 12^th chapter is vital for understanding correctly the Book of Revelation. For the correct interpretation, the entire Bible must be drawn from. Critical may be a working knowledge of the Feasts of God and how they have a view to God’s end-time salvation plan.

Whatever the interpretation of the 12th chapter, it is sure that it is one that is consistent with the entire Book if it is going to be considered true. That is to say, any interpretation must deal with the figures of speech. Especially the Woman and two members of Her Family. In that one is taken to heavens before the Anti-Christ is manifest, while the other is left upon the earth to be persecuted by him.

It is in the lack of truth and consistent interpretation HERE THAT THE ERRORS OF OUR DAY ARE CONTINUING TO BE PROMOTED ON SEVERAL FRONTS: One being that ALL Christians are represented in the Man-child and are TAKEN. Thus declaring the Rapture, contrary to the Word, a right of regeneration, regardless of moral state, as opposed to the prize/reward for faithful living. [Revelation 3:10, Luke 21:34-36, 1cor9:24-27 Phil3:8-14] Some also then wrongly place the First Resurrection at that taking up. *But this would be before the 7^th Trump sounding which is contrary to the Scriptures. [1Thessalonians 4:15-17, 1Corinthians 15:52] By this they then additionally are declaring all left  as being only Jewish. And that clearly is not the case as seen in the 14^th chapter where Christians are exhorted to not take the mark of Beast, but to patiently endure.

Another erroneous teaching is the insisting that ALL Christians must remain till the end of that Tribulation period. Thereby excluding or ignoring the promise of Christ to the faithful living of keeping (out from or removal) from the Great Temptation coming then upon the entire earth. (Revelation 3:10) Along with the secretive taking and left behind warnings of Matthew 24. Neither interpretation’s scenarios deal with this 12^th chapter’s prophetic and revealing figures of speech as it relates to ALL MEMBERS of God’s Church in their different courses of deliverance. The who, why and when, which is the very crux of the matter.

We speak of the 2 constituents/parts left behind that are also represented in the “WOMAN”. These are those TWO to whom the Lord referred in Matthew 24. First: Christians who had ignored the exhortation of the Lord, who were not watching nor praying and were not caught up and out of this World. [Matthew 24:40-42] Second: The other group being the Jewish contingent also represented in the “Woman” who had been instructed by our Lord to flee in that day into the Wilderness. [Matthew 24:15-22]

Chapter 14 is complementary and greatly helps to rightly discern the happenings of chapter 12. In its explanation given in agricultural example of First-Fruits offering, Harvest and Vintage… which we will explore in more depth when we arrive there.

*(As Revelation 10:7 is “…when he (the 7^th Angel) is about to sound…”)

CHAPTER 12 …..The cleansing of the 2^nd heaven constitutes the cleansing of the holy place….now the outer court.

CHAPTER 13

Here we have the discovery of the Anti-Christ and the false prophet, the two Beasts. Let it be understood the Lamb / the Lion is a Man. And so too are the two Beasts. There should be little doubt that they are men. VERSE 3 reveals the Beast as being slain, and that violently. Verses 17,18 tell us that his name and his number are that of a MAN. That they are resuscitated/resurrected, having once lived and died, explains their being cast directly into the 2^nd Death. [Revelation 19:20]

The first Beast, the Anti-Christ ,answers to Daniel’s visions…

We have already seen the Antichrist fully in action before. In Revelation chapter 11, in the City of Jerusalem, having killed the two Witnesses. And we will see him further described in chapter 17 where we will explore him in more depth. In chapter 12, and here in chapter 13, John interposes and more fully describes events that preceded and led up to the Two Witnesses being killed. Such as the source of power by which he slew the Two Witnesses. Also, the second and subordinate Beast is revealed here for the first time in VERSE 11.

It might be helpful to some to correctly determine who these two Beasts are, that several truths lost to Christendom be again mentioned as Scriptural.

1) That Hades/the intermediate place of the dead, is a real place God has created, located in the interior of the earth. And that people who pass from this earth go there. [Acts 2:27,31; Luke 23:43; Luke 16:19-31; 2Corinthians 12:4; Matthew 10:28]

2) Having a working knowledge of that literal place, it can be further understood who the two supernaturally empowered Prophets and Witnesses of God in Revelation 11 are and from whence did they come. That they are Enoch and Elijah, and that they having been caught away alive supernaturally, now appear in the time appointed. (Malachi 4:5) As true witnesses of God, and for 3 ½ yrs testify until satan obtains the keys and releases this First Beast who ascends out of the Bottomless Pit seen in Revelation 9:1,2 (that location in Hades) and kills the 2 Witnesses (Revelation 11:7), empowered by satan. REVELATION 13:VERSES 1-3.

It should be further understood that the Anti-Christ (having derived his freedom and power from satan) did not undertake to do what satan himself could not have done. That namely to kill the two mortal Witnesses of God.