REVELATION 1   ("The Apocalypse" with notes) ...

   "THE REVELATION ("revealing") of Jesus Christ    (Yeshua Ha'Mashiach in Hebrew),

     which God gave Him to show to His bondservants      (a "bondservant" willingly becomes a servant)

     the things that must soon take place.

     He made it known by sending His angel to His bondservant John,

     who bore witness to the Word of God

     and to the testimony of Jesus Christ (Messiah),

     even to all that he saw.

Note:  This is the ONLY  book which promises a BLESSING to those who teach and hear that which is written.

   "BLESSED is the one who teaches (reads aloud) the words of this prophecy,

     and BLESSED are those who HEAR (or read),

     and who keep what is written in it,      ("Keep" by believing and obeying all that is written in it)

     for the time is near.

     John to the seven churches that are in Asia:    (Modern day Turkey)

     Grace to you and Peace (shalom) from Him

     who is and who was and who is to come,       (The "I Am" of the Burning Bush)

     and from the seven Spirits

     who are before His Throne,       (God the Holy Spirit ... 7 is the number of "completeness")

     and from Jesus Christ (Yeshua Ha'Mashiach in Hebrew)

     the faithful witness,       (God the Son ... see Psalm 2)

     the Firstborn of the dead,

     and the Ruler of kings on Earth.

     To Him who LOVES us      ("us" is ALL who will draw near to Him in faith, love, trust, and obedience)

     and has FREED us from our sins by HIS Blood       (We are told His blood "washes away" all our sins)

     and made us a Kingdom,     (a Heavenly Kingdom ...)

     priests to His God and Father, 

     to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.       (Eternal ... everlasting)

     BEHOLD,

     He is coming with the clouds,      

     and every eye will see Him,

     even those who pierced Him,

     and all tribes of the Earth will wail (or mourn) on account of Him.

     Even so. Amen.

   “I AM the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God,

   “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

     I, John, your brother

     and partner in the tribulation    (There will be "troubles" and "suffering" to "test" all who believe)

     and the Kingdom and the patient endurance

     that are in Jesus (Yeshua),       ("patient endurance"... we will need it)

     was on the island called Patmos     (John was sentenced to a Roman "Alcatraz" or "Devil's Island" type prison)

     on account of the Word of God

     and the testimony of Jesus (Yeshua).   

     I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day,

     and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying,

   “Write what you see in a book

     and send it to the seven churches,       ("7" is the number of "completeness"... it is to all churches)

     to Ephesus and to Smyrna

     and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis

     and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

     Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me,

     and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,

     and in the midst of the lampstands one like a Son of Man,       (Also see Daniel 7:13)

     clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.

     The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow.

     His eyes were like a flame of fire,

     His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace,

     and His voice was like the roar of many waters.

     In His right hand he held seven stars,

     from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword,

     and His face was like the sun shining in full strength.

     When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead.

     But He laid His right hand on me, saying,

   “Fear not,

     I AM the first and the last, and the living One.

     I died, and behold I am alive forevermore,

     and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

     Write therefore the things that you have seen,

     those that are and those that are to take place after this.

     As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands,

     the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches,

     and the seven lampstands are the seven churches."  (For a prophetic foreshadowing or "model" see Numbers 8:1)

REVELATION 2 (with notes) ...

Through the Apostle John, Jesus Christ (Yeshua Ha'Mashiach in Hebrew) wrote these letters to 7 churches (which represent warnings and commendations to those churches ... and to ALL churches ... and to ALL Christians ("he who has an ear, let him hear.")

To the Church in Ephesus

   “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

    ‘The words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand,

     who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

     I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance,

     and how you cannot bear with those who are evil,

     but have tested those who call themselves apostles ("sent ones") and are not,

     and found them to be false.

     I know you are enduring patiently

     and bearing up for My Name's sake,

     and you have NOT grown weary.

     But I have this against you,

     that you have abandoned

     the love you had at first.  

     (For the Word of God [John 1:1] ... for Others ... for being saved from our Sins)

     Remember therefore from where you have fallen;    

     REPENT, and do the works you did at first.   (Stop those sins for which He suffered and died for you)

     If not,

     I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

     Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans,

     which I also hate.

     (Nikos-Laity (Gk.) may refer to churches/leaders corrupting their power over the common people)

     He who has an ear, let him hear    (This is to ALL "Christians")

     what the Spirit says to the churches.    (This is to ALL churches)

     To the one who overcomes     (those who still cling to their love and faith in Christ to the end of this life)

     I will grant to eat of the Tree of Life,

     which is in the Paradise of God."       (This will be described to us in awesome detail later in the book)

To the Church in Smyrna

   “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

    ‘The words of the First and the Last, who died and came to life.    (Messiah's Resurrection was prophesied by David in Psalm 16:10)

   “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich)

     and the slander (blasphemes) of those

     who say that they are Jews and are not,  

     but are a synagogue of Satan.  (May include those churches who say they "replaced" Israel)

     Do not fear what you are about to suffer.      (God warns all believing Christians will endure some suffering)

     Behold, the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison,

     that you may be tested,    (God will test our faith to see if we are sincere in our love, faith, trust, and obedience)

     and for ten days you will have tribulation.

     Be faithful unto death,

     and I will give you the crown of life (in Heaven).

     He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

     The one who overcomes   (see 1 John 5:4-5)

     will NOT be hurt by the SECOND death (Hell)."    

To the Church in Pergamum

   “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

    ‘The words of Him who has the sharp two-edged sword (the Word of God).

   “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is.

     Yet you hold fast My Name,     (They are not "ashamed of" or "deny" His Name ...)

     and you did not deny My faith (or your faith in Me)        (Even unto imprisonment and painful death ...)

     even in the days of Antipas My faithful witness,

     who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

     But I have a few things against you:

     you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam,

     who taught Balak to put a stumbling block

     before the sons of Israel,     (These will deny Israel's right to Her land)

     so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

     So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.      (Possibly an oppressive "priestly" order)

     Therefore repent.    (Many churches today are teaching people don't need to turn away (repent) of their sins)

     If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of My mouth.

     He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

     To the one who overcomes  (see 1 John 5:4-5)

     I will give some of the hidden manna,

     and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone

     that no one knows except the one who receives it."    

To the Church in Thyatira

   “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

    ‘The words of the Son of God,

     who has eyes like a flame of fire,

     and whose feet are like burnished bronze.     (Study the Prophets ... several were given glimpses of Him)

   “‘I know your works,

     your love

     and faith

     and service

     and patient endurance,

     and that your latter works exceed the first.

     But I have this against you,

     that you tolerate that woman Jezebel,

     who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing My servants 

     to practice sexual immorality

     and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

     I gave her time to repent,

     but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.

     Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed,

     and those who commit adultery with her

     I will throw into Great Tribulation,      (These churches and "Christians" will go into the "Apocalypse"...)

     UNLESS they repent of her works,      

     and I will strike her children dead.

     And all the churches will know

     that I Am He who searches mind and heart,

     and I will give to each of you according to your works.

     But to the rest of you in Thyatira,

     who do NOT hold this teaching,      (Teaching that God's "love" approves of ANY sin.)

     who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan,

     to you I say,

     I do not lay on you any other burden.

     Only hold fast what you have until I come.       (Cling to your love and faith in God's Word until He comes ...)

     The one who overcomes   (see 1 John 5:4-5)

     and who keeps My works until the end,

     to him I will give authority over the nations,

     and he will rule them with a rod of iron,     

     as when earthen pots are broken in pieces,

     even as I Myself have received authority from My Father.

     And I will give him the morning star.     

     He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

REVELATION 3 (with notes) ...

To the Church in Sardis

   “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write:   (Protestant Denominations need to take heed ...)

    ‘The words of Him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

   “‘I know your works.

     You have the reputation of being alive,  

     but you are dead.

     Wake up,

     and strengthen what remains and is about to die,

     for I have not found your works complete in the sight of My God.

     Remember, then, what you received and heard.

     Keep it, and repent.    (Turn away from sin, including homosexuality, which many churches now support)

     If you will not wake up,

     I will come like a thief,

     and you will not know at what hour

     I will come against you.   (Against those who teach and believe they don't need to repent of their sin)

     Yet you have still a few names in Sardis,

     people who have not soiled their garments,

     and they will walk with me in white,

     for they are worthy.    (Through their faith in God's Word, and in HIS worthiness ...)

     The one who overcomes  (see 1 John 5:4-5)

     will be clothed thus in white garments,

     and I will NEVER blot his name out of the Book of Life.       (More details on this later in the book ...)

     I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.    

     He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

To the Church in Philadelphia

(Note:  These Christian believers WILL escape the coming "Apocalypse") ... 

   “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

    ‘The words of the Holy One, the True One,

     who has the Key of David,

     who opens and no one will shut,

     who shuts and no one opens.

   “‘I know your works.

     Behold,

     I have set before you an open door,

     which no one is able to shut.

     I know that you have but little power,    (These churches and believers hold very little power in the world)

     and yet you have kept My Word

     and have not denied My Name.  (These are not ashamed of Jesus Christ, and believe all God's Word IS true.)

     Behold,

     I will make those of the synagogue of Satan

     who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie --

     behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet

     and they will learn that I have loved you.

     Because you have kept My Word

     about patient endurance,     (These patiently endure the tests and trials in this life ... in faith and hope.)

     I will keep you from the hour of trial      

     that is coming on the whole world,

     to try those who dwell on the Earth.     

     I Am coming soon.

     Hold fast what you have,    (Cling to your faith in God's Word)

     so that no one may seize your crown.

     The one who overcomes,  (see 1 John 5:4-5)

     I will make him a pillar in the Temple of My God.

     Never shall he go out of it,

     and I will write on him the Name of My God,

     and the Name of the City of My God,       (This will be described to us in awesome detail later in the book)

     the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of Heaven,     

     and My own new Name.

     He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

To the Church in Laodicea 

(Note:  "Laodicea" is built of a compound Greek name "lao" and "dikeaomai", meaning "people's opinions."  These people and churches base their beliefs on "opinions" and not on God's Word as found in Scripture.)

   “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

    ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's Creation.

   “‘I know your works:

     you are neither cold nor hot.

     Would that you were either cold or hot!

     So, BECAUSE you are lukewarm,      (In your love for Jesus Christ ... and God's Word)

     and neither hot nor cold,

     I will vomit you out of My mouth.      (Out of Heaven ... and into Hell)

     For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,

     not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

     I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich,

     and white garments so that you may clothe yourself

     and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen,

     and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

     Those whom I love,

     I reprove and discipline,     (God will not let those He loves get away with sinning in this life ...)

     so be zealous and repent.    (We must realize He suffered for our sins ... any sin is a foul stench to God)

     Behold,

     I stand at the door and knock.   (The Word of God ... Jesus Christ our Savior ... is removed and left outside)

     If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,    (This offer is for those individuals who will hear His voice ...)

     I will come in to him and eat with him,

     and he with Me.     (ALL who will repent and lovingly trust in Him alone to save them from their sins and Hell)

     The one who overcomes, (see 1 John 5:4-5)

     I will grant him to sit with me on My Throne,

     as I also conquered and sat down with My Father on His Throne.

     He who has an ear,      (this is for everybody!)

     let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”    

REVELATION 4   (with notes) ...

(In Revelation 4 we find a prophecy of the Rapture ... after the "churches" (the Church age, the Age of Grace) ... and before the Great Tribulation which is appointed for all the unbelievers on Earth who are in rebellion against God's Word.  The "church" is never mentioned again after Chapter 3 in the book of Revelation, for it has been moved into Heaven (all who have been "counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass"... see Luke 21:36). The churches discussed in Chapters 2-3 provide details of commendations and condemnations of those specific churches, as well as ALL churches ("he who has an ear let him hear") ... and the churches of Revelation 2-3 also outlined the future of the Church on Earth in an order of prophetic stages from the time Christ died and was Resurrected (to save Mankind from their sins and from Hell) until the time He will return to rule over all the Earth.)

Revelation 4

   "AFTER this      (After the prophecies concerning the "Church" represented by  7 churches in Chapters 2 - 3)

     I looked, and behold,

     a door standing open in Heaven!  (Compare to the letter to the Church in Philadelphia)

     And the first voice, which I had heard

     speaking to me like a trumpet, said,

        “Come up here,

          and I will show you what must take place      (on Earth and in Heaven)

          AFTER this.”       (After the "church" is safely "caught up"... see 1Thessalonians 4-17-18 ... the "Rapture")

     At once       ("in a moment, the the twinkling of an eye"... see 1Corinthians 15:51-52)

     I was in the Spirit,      

     and BEHOLD,

     a Throne stood in Heaven,

     with One seated on the Throne.

     And He who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian,

     and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.

     Around the Throne were twenty-four thrones,

     and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments,  

     with golden crowns on their heads.    (These represent the faithful believers in Messiah ... Jew and Gentile)

     From the Throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings (voices, sounds) and peals of thunder,

     and before the Throne were burning seven torches of fire,

     which are the seven spirits of God,       (The Holy Spirit ... 7 is the number of "completion" and "perfection")

     and before the Throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

     And around the Throne, on each side of the throne,

     are four living creatures,       (Other Prophets in the Bible also described this)

     full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion,

     the second living creature like an ox,

     the third living creature with the face of a man,

     and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.

     And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings,

     are full of eyes all around and within,

     and day and night they never cease to say,

      "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
       who was and is and is to come!”   (From eternity past, present, and future ... the "I Am" of the Burning Bush )

     And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks

     to Him who is seated on the Throne,

     who lives forever and ever,       ("From of old, from everlasting"... see Micah 5:2 ... a prophecy of Messiah)

     the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who is seated on the Throne

     and worship Him who lives forever and ever.

     They cast their crowns before the Throne, saying,

      "Worthy are You, our Lord and God,    (See John 20:28 ... "And Thomas said to Jesus, my Lord and my God")
        to receive glory and honor and power,
        for You created all things,
        and by YOUR Will they existed

REVELATION 5   (with notes) ...

(Awesome ... The Throne of God ... The Lion of the Tribe of Judah ...  The Lamb of God ... The Scroll and Seals)

   "Then I saw in the right hand of Him who was seated on the Throne (in Heaven)

     a Scroll written within and on the back,

     sealed with seven seals.     (This may be the "Title Deed" for Earth ... Satan's rule on Earth will end.)

     And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice,

   “Who is worthy to open the Scroll and break its seals?”

     And no one in Heaven or on Earth or under the Earth

     was able to open the scroll OR to look into it,

     and I (John) began to weep loudly

     because NO one was found worthy to open the Scroll OR to look into it.

     And one of the elders said to me,

   “Weep no more;

     Behold,

     the Lion of the tribe of Judah,    (Messiah ... Jesus Christ ... Son of God (see Psalm 2) ... LION and the LAMB)

     the Root of David, has conquered,    (Through His suffering and Death on the Cross ... and His Resurrection)

     so that HE can open the Scroll and its Seven Seals.”

     And between the Throne and the four living creatures and among the elders

     I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain,  

     (Note: See John 1:29 where we find Jesus is "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World")

     with seven horns and with seven eyes,   (7 means perfect or complete ... Horns = power ... Eyes = knowledge)

     which are the seven spirits of God (the Holy Spirit) sent out into all the Earth.

     And HE went and took the Scroll 

     from the right hand of Him who was seated on the Throne.

     And when He had taken the Scroll,

     the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders

     fell down before the Lamb,

     each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense,

     which are the prayers of the saints.

     And they sang a new song, saying,

        “Worthy are You to take the Scroll
          and to open its seals,
          for You were slain,

          and by Your Blood You ransomed people for God       ("Ransomed" means "redeemed")
          from every tribe and language and people and nation,
          and You have made them a Kingdom and priests to our God,
          and they shall reign on the Earth.”

     Then I looked,

     and I heard around the Throne and the living creatures and the elders

     the voice of many angels,

     numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,   (billions and millions)

     saying with a loud voice,

        “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

           to receive power and wealth and wisdom

          and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

     And I heard EVERY creature in Heaven and on Earth

     and under the Earth and in the Sea,

     and all that is in them, saying,

        “To Him who sits on the Throne and to the Lamb

          be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

     And the four living creatures said, “Amen!”

     and the elders fell down and worshiped."

REVELATION 6   (with notes) ...

     (Revelation 6:1-17)

REVELATION 7   (with notes) ...

144,000 of the Children of ISRAEL

Will Be Safely "Sealed" During The Coming "Apocalypse" ...

   "AFTER this       (After the first wave of War and Destruction sweeps across the Earth ... see Revelation 6)

     I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the Earth,

     holding back the four winds of the Earth,

     that no wind might blow

     on earth or sea or against any tree.    (There will be a period of time when NO wind will blow on Earth)

     Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the Sun,

     with the Seal of the living God,

     and he called with a loud voice

     to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying,

   “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees,

     UNTIL we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”

     And I heard the number of the sealed,

     144,000, sealed     (These will carry the Word of Jesus Christ ... into ALL Nations)

     FROM every tribe of the sons of ISRAEL:    (The 144,000 are from the children of ISRAEL ... they are Jewish!)

     12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed,     (144,000 will go into the Tribulation ... and 144,000 will come out)
     12,000 from the tribe of Reuben,
     12,000 from the tribe of Gad,
     12,000 from the tribe of Asher,
     12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali,
     12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,
     12,000 from the tribe of Simeon,
     12,000 from the tribe of Levi,
     12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,
     12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun,
     12,000 from the tribe of Joseph,
     12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed      (Ask a Jehovah Witness which Tribe of Israel they are from)

     After this I looked       (After the 144,000 Jews have embarked on their mission around the world ...)

     and BEHOLD,

     a great multitude that no one could number,     (Millions will be saved ... and martyred ... during this time)

     from EVERY nation,

     from ALL tribes and peoples and languages,  

     standing before the Throne and before the Lamb,

     clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

     and crying out with a loud voice,

   “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the Throne, and to the Lamb!”

     And all the angels were standing around the Throne

     and around the elders and the four living creatures,

     and they fell on their faces before the Throne and worshiped God, saying,

   “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might

     be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

     Then one of the elders addressed me, saying,

   “WHO are these, clothed in white robes,

     and from WHERE have they come?”

     I said to him, “Sir, YOU know.”     

     And he said to me,

   “These are the ones coming OUT of the Great Tribulation.     (AFTER "the church" has been "Raptured")

     They have washed their robes

     and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.     (We are told His Blood "washes us" clean from ALL sins)

     Therefore they are before the Throne of God,
     and serve Him day and night in His Temple;
     and He who sits on the Throne will shelter them with His presence.
 

     They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
     the Sun shall not strike them,
     nor any scorching heat.
     For the Lamb in the midst of the Throne will be their Shepherd,
     and He will guide them to springs of living water,
     and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”       (Also see Isaiah 25:8)

The Trumpet Judgments Continue ...

   "And the fifth angel blew his trumpet,

     and I saw a star fallen from Heaven to Earth,

     and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit (abyss). 

     He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit,

     and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace,

     and the Sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.

     Then from the smoke came locusts on the Earth,      (These are demonic "locusts"...)

     and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the Earth.

     They were told not to harm the grass of the Earth or any green plant or any tree,

     but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

     They were allowed to torment them for five months,

     but not to kill them,

     and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone.

     And in those days people will seek death and will not find it.

     They will long to die,

     but death will flee from them.

     In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle:

     on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold;

     their faces were like human faces,

     their hair like women's hair,

     and their teeth like lions' teeth;

     they had breastplates like breastplates of iron,

     and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle.

     They have tails and stings like scorpions,

     and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails.

     They have as king over them

     the angel of the bottomless pit.

     His name in Hebrew is Abaddon,  (Destruction)

     and in Greek he is called Apollyon (Destroyer).     

     The first woe has passed;

     behold, two woes are still to come.

     Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet,

     and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God,

     saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet,

   “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

     So the four angels,

     who had been prepared

     for the hour, the day, the month, and the year,    (The time is set ... our future is already history)

     were released to kill a THIRD of Mankind.  

     The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand;  (200,000,000!)  

     I heard their number.   (It appears China and its allies will quickly kill one-third of the world's population.)

     And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them:

     they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur,

     and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads,

     and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths.     (This may be a massive nuclear missile strike ...)

REVELATION 10   (with notes) ...

Before The 7th Trumpet (Judgment) Sounds ...

   "Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from Heaven,

     wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head,

     and his face was like the Sun,

     and his legs like pillars of fire.

     He had a little scroll open in his hand.

     And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land,

     and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring.

     When he called out,

     the seven thunders sounded.

     And when the seven thunders had sounded,

     I was ABOUT to write,

     BUT I heard a voice from Heaven saying,

   “Seal up what the seven thunders have said,

     and do NOT write it down.”  (Many wonder what the "7 Thunders" said, but no one will ever know in this life.)

     And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land

     raised his right hand to Heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever,

     who created Heaven and what is in it,

     the Earth and what is in it,

     and the Sea and what is in it,      (Throughout the Bible we are reminded that GOD is the Creator)

     that there would be no more delay,

     but that in the days of the trumpet call

     to be sounded by the seventh angel,      (For the 7th trumpet has not yet sounded)

     the mystery of God would be fulfilled,

     just as He announced

     to His servants the Prophets.      (ALL the Prophets warned of this "Day" which is to come upon the World)

     And I was told,

   “You must again prophesy

     about many peoples

     and nations and languages

     and kings.”    (There will be a global hurricane of fire and death ... this did not happen in 70 AD!!)

REVELATION 11   (with notes) ...

A new Temple will be built in Jerusalem around the time of Armageddon  ...

   "Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told,

   “Rise and measure the Temple of God

     and the altar and those who worship there,

     but do not measure the court outside the Temple;

     leave that out,      (This is in the area where the Islamic "Dome of the Rock" is today ...)

     for it is given over to the nations (Gentiles),     

     and they will trample the Holy City for forty-two months.      (Exactly 3.5 years ... 1260 days)

God will send Two Witnesses       (Many think these two could be Moses and either Elijah or Enoch)

     And I will grant authority to MY Two Witnesses,

     and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,

     clothed in sackcloth.”

     These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands       (See Zechariah 4-6)

     that stand before the Lord of the Earth.

     And if anyone would harm them,

     fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes.

     If anyone would harm them,

     this is how he is doomed to be killed.     (Many believe one of the Witnesses will be Elijah the prophet)

     They have the power to shut the sky,

     that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying,

     and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood

     and to strike the Earth with every kind of plague,

     as often as they desire.

     And when they have finished their testimony,

     the Beast that rises from the bottomless pit (the Abyss)

     will make war on them and conquer them and kill them,

     and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city

     that symbolically (spiritually) is called Sodom and Egypt,

     where their Lord was Crucified.    (Jerusalem)

     For three and a half days

     some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations

     will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb,

     and those who dwell on the Earth will rejoice over them

     and make merry and exchange presents,     (This is the only mention of any 'rejoicing' during the Apocalypse)

     BECAUSE these Two Prophets had been a torment

     to those who dwell on the Earth.

     But after the three and a half days

     a breath of life from God entered them,

     and they stood up on their feet,

     and great fear fell on those who saw them.    (This whole event may be televised worldwide ...)

     Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!”

     And they went up to Heaven in a cloud,

     and their enemies watched them.

     And at that hour there was a great earthquake,

     and a tenth of the city fell.

     Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake,

     and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of Heaven.

     The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.

The Seventh Trumpet ...

     Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet,

     and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

   “The kingdom of the World

     has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (Messiah),

     and He shall reign forever and ever.”

     And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God

     fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying,

  "We give thanks to You, Lord God Almighty,
     who is and who was,       (notice the "and is to come" is not included here ... for it has now been fulfilled)
     for You have taken Your great power
     and begun to reign.

     The nations raged,       (See Psalm 2 ...)
     but Your Wrath came,
     and the time for the dead to be judged,      (This will be described in awesome detail later in the book)
     and for rewarding Your servants,

     the prophets and saints,     (The judgment for believers is for rewards ... Romans 10:14 and 2 Corinthians 5:10)

     and those who fear Your Name, both small and great,
     and for destroying the destroyers of the Earth.”

     Then God's Temple in Heaven was opened,

     and the Ark of His Covenant was seen within His Temple.

     There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder,

     an earthquake, and heavy hail."     

REVELATION 12   (with notes) ...

THIS CHAPTER EXPLAINS "WHY" ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD WILL TRY TO DESTROY ISRAEL ... AND ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL..

(This chapter also gives us a glimpse into the invisible powers and forces at work around us  ...)

The Woman (Israel) and the Dragon (Satan) ...

   "And a great sign appeared in Heaven:

     a Woman clothed with the Sun,

     with the Moon under her feet,

     and on her head

     a crown of Twelve Stars.    (See Genesis 37:9 - The Woman is ISRAEL and the 12 Stars are the 12 Tribes)

     She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.

     And another sign appeared in Heaven:

     BEHOLD,

     a Great Red Dragon,      

     with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.       (See prophecies of the Antichrist)

     His tail swept down a third of the stars of Heaven

     and cast them to the Earth.     (One-third of all angels in Heaven have rebelled under Satan's command)

     And the Dragon stood before the Woman who was about to give birth,

     so that when she bore her Child      (This Child was FIRST prophesied in Genesis 3:15 ... "HER Seed")

     he (Satan) might devour it.  

     She gave birth

     to a male Child,      (Messiah ... Christ in English ... who God said would destroy Satan in Genesis 3:15)

     One who is to rule ALL the nations with a rod of iron,

     but her Child was caught up

     to God and to His Throne,    (This was when Jesus ascended into Heaven ... see Acts 1:9)

     and the Woman fled

     into the wilderness,     (During the "Great Tribulation" ..."The Time of Jacob's (Israel's) Trouble")

     where she has a place prepared by God,     

     in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.      (Exactly 3 1/2 years ... prophetic 360 day years)

War in Heaven ... Satan Thrown Down to Earth

   "Now war arose in Heaven,

     Michael and his angels

     fighting against the Dragon.      (Michael is the powerful Archangel assigned to protect Israel)

     And the Dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated,

     and there was no longer any place for them in Heaven.

     And the Great Dragon was thrown down,

     that ancient Serpent,     (The "Serpent" in the Garden ... see Genesis 3)

     who is called the Devil and Satan,    (God clearly explains "WHO" the Great Red Dragon is ...)

     the deceiver of the whole World --

     he was thrown down to the Earth,

     and his angels were thrown down with him.

     And I heard a loud voice in Heaven, saying,

   “Now the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God

     and the authority of His Christ (Messiah) have come,

     for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down,

     who accuses them day and night before our God.

     And they (the brethren in Christ) have conquered him (Satan)

     BY the Blood of the Lamb

     and by the Word of their testimony,

     for they loved not their lives

     even unto death.     (Millions who turn to the Lord in faith will be killed for their faith ...)

     Therefore, rejoice, O heavens

     and you who dwell in them!     (Consider this ... Mankind was confined to Earth ... angels weren't)

     But woe to you, O Earth and Sea,

     for the Devil has come DOWN to you in great wrath,

     because he KNOWS that his time is short!”     (The Earth and Mankind will be made "desolate" at this time)

     And when the Dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the Earth,

     he pursued the Woman  (Israel)    

     who had given birth to the male Child.     (Satan may believe he can win and survive IF he destroys Israel ...)

     But the Woman was given the two wings of the great eagle

     so that she might fly from the Serpent into the wilderness,

     to the place where she is to be nourished

     for a time, and times, and half a time.    (Exactly 3 1/2 years ... 1260 days ... the last half of the Great Tribulation)

     The Serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman,

     to sweep her away with a flood.

     But the Earth came to the help of the Woman,

     and the Earth opened its mouth

     and swallowed the river      (We don't yet know what this description represents ...)

     that the Dragon had poured from his mouth.    (This is still future ... yet, those on Earth WILL understand)

     Then the Dragon became furious with the Woman

     and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring,

     on those who keep the Commandments of God

     and hold to the testimony of Jesus (Yeshua).    

     And he stood on the sand of the sea."

REVELATION 13   (with notes) ...

The FIRST Beast  (The coming Antichrist)

   "And I saw a Beast rising out of the Sea,    (The final "empire"... Satan's Antichrist ... a counterfeit "Messiah")

     with ten horns and seven heads,    (He will first rise over 10 nations from the ancient Roman Empire)

     with ten diadems on its horns      (Study the "Beasts" in Daniel 7 which prophesied 4 Empires and Antichrist)

     and blasphemous names on its heads.      (See Revelation 12 ... Satan is the power controlling this Leader)

     And the Beast that I saw was like a leopard;      (In Daniel the "leopard" represented the Greek empire)

     its feet were like a bear's,       (In Daniel the "bear" represented the Medo-Persian empire)

     and its mouth was like a lion's mouth.      (In Daniel the "lion" represented the Babylonian empire)

     And to it the Dragon (Satan) gave his power    (See Revelation 12 where we find the "Dragon" is "Satan")

     and his throne and great authority.

     One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound,    (The Antichrist will rise over this revived Roman Empire)

     but its mortal wound was healed,      (The Antichrist may appear to be "resurrected" from a mortal wound)

     and the whole Earth marveled as they followed the Beast.

     And they worshiped the Dragon,

     for he had given his authority to the Beast,     (This Beast is the Antichrist ...)

     and they worshiped the Beast, saying,

   “Who is like the Beast, and who can fight against it?”

     And the Beast was given a mouth      (Other prophecies also mention he will have a very loud and busy mouth ...)

     uttering haughty (arrogant) and blasphemous words,

     and it was allowed to exercise authority

     for forty-two months.    (Exactly '1260 days' ... '3 ½ years')

     It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God,

     blaspheming His Name and His Dwelling,   

     that is, those who dwell in Heaven.    (This may refer to those "Raptured" who were indwelt by God's Spirit)

     Also it was allowed to make war on the saints

     and to conquer them.     (We are told of blessings in Heaven for the millions who will be killed by the Beast)

     And authority was given it

     over EVERY tribe and people and language and nation,      (He will lead a "One-World Government")

     and ALL who dwell on Earth will worship it,   

     everyone whose name has NOT been written before the foundation of the World

     in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain.    

     If anyone has an ear, let him hear:   (These words are for everyone ... and they are important.)

     'If anyone is to be taken captive,
     to captivity he goes;    (This coming world leader will imprison and execute millions of new Christians)
     if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
     with the sword must he be slain.'    

     Here (this verse) is a call

     for the endurance and faith of the saints."     

The SECOND Beast  

(The Antichrist will have a Religious Partner ... a deadly "One-World Religious System" is coming)

   "Then I saw ANOTHER Beast rising out of the Earth.

     It had two horns like a lamb      (He will rise with "Christian" credentials or title ... will embrace all religions)

     and it spoke like a dragon.      (He will be empowered and controlled by "Satan"... great lies and deception)

     It exercises ALL the authority of the first Beast (Antichrist)

     in its presence (or on its behalf),

     and makes the Earth and its inhabitants worship the first Beast,

     whose mortal wound was healed.    (Another hint the Antichrist may revive after an assassination attempt)

     It (the "Religious" Beast) performs great signs,    (These Political and Religious Leaders will perform miracles)

     even making fire come down

     from Heaven to Earth in front of people,   (Mimicking the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11)

     and by the signs that it is allowed to work

     in the presence of the Beast      (These "Leaders" will be very, very, popular)

     it DECEIVES those who dwell on Earth,      (He will deceive the World into thinking they are "Godly" men ...)

     telling them to make an image for the Beast

     that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.      (Another hint the Antichrist may rise after a mortal attack)

     And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the Beast,

     so that the image of the Beast might even speak   (Miraculous? ... Virtual Reality? ... Disney Animatronics?)

     and might cause those who would NOT worship the image of the Beast

     to be SLAIN.     (God promises blessings and Eternal Life for ALL who will die for their faith in Messiah.)

A Coming "One-World Economy" AND "Global Monetary System". . .

     ALSO,

     it (the coming Antichrist) causes ALL,

     both small and great,

     both rich and poor,

     both free and slave, 

     to be MARKED

     on the right hand or the forehead,

     so that NO ONE can buy or sell

     UNLESS he has the mark,      (Tattoo? ... Micro-chip? ... We don't know right now.)

     that is, the name of the Beast      (This "mark" identifies the wearer with Satan and his Antichrist)

     or the number of its name.    (Warning:  ALL who take this mark will be CURSED ... FOREVER!)

An Enigma ...

     This calls for wisdom:

     let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the Beast,

     for it is the number of a man,

     and his number is 666."    

     (Revelation 13:1-18)

(Note:  This prophecy is very crucial for those who have not accepted Jesus Christ (Yeshua Ha'Mashiach in Hebrew) as their Lord and will be alive when this coming world leader (the Antichrist) rises to power and this law is enacted and enforced.  This "mark" may be some kind of tattoo, or implanted microchip with all of your credit card and banking information, we really don’t know right now.  It will not be easy to refuse this mark, whatever it is, for many of you will have families and children that will need to be fed.  But, please be warned . . . by taking this mark, you will have sealed your eternal fate in Hell.  In God’s eyes it identifies you with the Antichrist ... and Satan.  There will be no turning back for any who take the "mark, the name of the Beast, or the number of his name."  The utter darkness, loneliness, and torments of Hell will be their fate and their eternal destiny) ...   

REVELATION 14   (with notes) ...

The Lamb and the 144,000    (See Revelation 7 ... the 144,000 are chosen from the 12 Tribes of Israel)

   "Then I looked, and behold,

     on Mount Zion stood the Lamb,

     and with Him 144,000

     who had His Name and His Father's Name written on their foreheads.

     And I heard a voice from Heaven like the roar of many waters

     and like the sound of loud thunder.

     The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps,

     and they were singing a new song before the throne

     and before the four living creatures

     and before the elders.

     No one could learn that song except the 144,000

     who had been redeemed from the Earth.

     It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins.

     It is these who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

     These have been redeemed from Mankind

     as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,

     and in their mouth no lie was found,

     for they are blameless.

The Messages of the Three Angels

   "Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead,

     with an eternal Gospel      (Some say this may reflect a satellite broadcast ... we don't know.)

     to proclaim to those

     who dwell on Earth,    (The Two Witnesses, the 144,000 Jews, and this angel will all be sent by God)

     to EVERY nation and tribe

     and language and people.    (Millions will be saved into Heaven through placing their faith in Jesus Christ)

     And he said with a loud voice,

   “Fear God and give Him glory,    ("The fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom")

     because the hour of His Judgment has come,

     and worship Him who made Heaven and Earth,

     the Sea and the springs of water.”     ("In the Beginning God created"... it is by faith we believe this)

     Another angel, a second, followed, saying,

   “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great,

     she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion (or wrath)

     of her sexual immorality.”

A terrible CURSE for ALL who will take the "mark" of the Beast ...

     And another angel, a third, followed them,      (The world "angel" literally means "messenger"...)

     saying with a loud voice,

   “If anyone worships the Beast and its image

     and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,

     he also will drink the wine of God's wrath,

     poured full strength into the cup of his anger,

     and he WILL be tormented with fire and sulfur

     in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

     And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever,

     and they have NO rest, day or night,

     these worshipers of the Beast and its image,

     and WHOEVER receives the mark of its name.”

A word of hope and encouragement for all who REFUSE to take the "mark" through their faith in Jesus  ...

   "Here is a call for the endurance of the saints,      ('Saints' is from 'sanctified' which means 'set apart' by God)

     those who keep the commandments of God

     AND their faith in Jesus.    (ALL who love God and place their love and faith in Jesus are called "saints")

     And I heard a voice from Heaven saying,

   “Write this: 

     BLESSED are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

   “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit,

   “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

The "Harvest" of those on Earth who turn to God and Jesus (Yeshua) in love, faith, trust, and obedience ...

   "Then I looked,

     and behold,

     a white cloud,

     and seated on the cloud one like a son of man,

     with a golden crown on his head,

     and a sharp sickle in his hand.

     And another angel came out of the Temple,

     calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud,

   “Put in your sickle, and reap,

     for the hour to reap has come,

     for the harvest of the Earth is fully ripe.”

     So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the Earth,

     and the Earth was reaped.     (We are told millions will be 'beheaded' at this time for their faith in Jesus Christ)

The "Harvest of Wrath" of those who have hardened their hearts against God and rebel against His Word  ...

   "Then another angel came out of the Temple in Heaven,

     and he too had a sharp sickle.

     And another angel came out from the altar,

     the angel who has authority over the fire,

     and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle,

   “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the Earth,

     for its grapes are ripe.”

     So the angel swung his sickle across the Earth

     and gathered the grape harvest of the Earth

     and threw it into the great winepress of the Wrath of God.

     And the winepress was trodden outside the City (Jerusalem),

     and blood flowed from the winepress,

     as high as a horse's bridle,

REVELATION 15   (with notes) ...

Preparing The Seven Angels with Seven Bowls filled with the WRATH of God ... the LAST Seven Plagues

   "Then I saw another sign in Heaven, great and amazing,

     seven angels with seven plagues,

     which are the last,

     for with them THE WRATH OF GOD IS FINISHED.      (The nations are made 'desolate' ... then Jesus returns)

     AND I saw what appeared to be a Sea of Glass mingled with fire --

     and also those who had conquered the Beast    (the Antichrist)

     and its image and the number of its name,    (Those who are killed for their faith during the 'Great Tribulation')

     standing beside the Sea of Glass with harps of God in their hands.

     And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God,

     and the song of the Lamb, saying,

        “Great and amazing are Your deeds,
          O Lord God the Almighty!
          Just and true are Your ways,
          O King of the Nations!       ("King of kings and Lord of lords")
          Who will not fear, O Lord,
          and glorify Your Name?
          For You alone are Holy.
          ALL nations will come
          and worship You,
          for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”      

The Seven Bowls with Seven Plagues are prepared ... The WRATH of God.

     After this I looked,

     and the Sanctuary of the Tent (Tabernacle) of Witness in Heaven was opened,

     and out of the Sanctuary

     came the seven angels with the seven plagues,    

     clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests.

     And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels

     seven golden bowls full of the WRATH of God who lives forever and ever,

     and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power,

     and no one could enter the Sanctuary    

The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath

   "Then I heard a loud voice from the Temple

     telling the seven angels,

   “Go and pour out on the Earth

     the seven bowls of the Wrath of God.”

Harmful and painful sores will come upon ALL who will bear the mark of the Beast and worship its image ...

   "So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the Earth,

     and harmful and painful sores came upon the people

     who bore the mark of the Beast and worshiped its image."

The Sea will be turned into the blood of a corpse ... every living thing that is in the Sea will die

   "The second angel poured out his bowl into the Sea,

     and it became like the blood of a corpse,

     and every living thing died that was in the sea."

The rivers and the springs of water will also become blood,

BECAUSE they have shed the blood of the saints and prophets ...

   "The third angel poured out his bowl

     into the rivers and the springs of water,

     and they became blood.

     And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,

   “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
     for you brought these judgments.
     For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
     and you have given them blood to drink.
     It is what they deserve!”

     And I heard the altar saying,

   “Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
     true and just are your judgments!”

The Sun will "scorch" people on Earth with fire and fierce heat ...

   "The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the Sun,

     and it was allowed to scorch people with fire.

     They were scorched by the fierce heat,

     and they cursed (blasphemed) the Name of God

     who had power over these plagues.

     They did not repent and give Him glory."

Great darkness ... people will gnaw their tongues in anguish

   "The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the Beast,

     and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.

     People gnawed their tongues in anguish

     and cursed the God of Heaven for their pain and sores.

     They did not repent of their deeds."

ARMAGEDDON:      

God will gather the armies of the whole world together in Israel ... "to the place called Armageddon" ...

   "The sixth angel poured out his bowl

     on the great river Euphrates,

     and its water was dried up,

     to prepare the way for the kings from the East.   

     And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the Dragon

     and out of the mouth of the Beast

     and out of the mouth of the False Prophet,

     three unclean spirits like frogs.

     For they are demonic spirits, performing signs,

     who go abroad to the kings of the whole world,

     to assemble them for battle on the Great Day of God the Almighty.

     (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake,

     keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”)

     And they assembled them at the place

     that in Hebrew is called ARMAGEDDON.     (Armageddon is in Israel ... Many prophets describe this war)

The Final Judgment:  The Seventh Bowl is poured out into the air ...

   "The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air,

     and a loud voice came out of the Temple,

     from the Throne, saying,

     “It is done!”

A great Earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the Earth ...

   "And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder,

     and a great Earthquake

     such as there had never been since man was on the Earth,

     so great was that Earthquake.

     The great city (Jerusalem) was split into three parts,

     and the cities of the nations fell,

     and God remembered Babylon the great,

     to make her drain the cup

     of the wine of the fury of His Wrath.

Every island and mountain on Earth will disappear ...

   "And every island fled away,

     and no mountains were to be found."  (Earth's landscape will dramatically change ...)

Great hailstones about 100 pounds each will fall upon people ...

   "And great hailstones,

     about one hundred pounds each,

     fell from Heaven on people;

     and they cursed God for the plague of the hail,      (Also see Job 38:22-23)

REVELATION 17   (with notes) ...

"The Great Prostitute" and the "Beast" ...

  "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls

   came and said to me, “Come, I will show you

   the judgment of the Great Prostitute   

   (A One-World "Church" who will encompass all religions)

   who is seated on many waters,     

   (She is spread all across the Earth among many nations)

   with whom the kings of the Earth

   have committed sexual immorality (false religion),

   (This church prides herself in directing many world leaders)

   and with the wine of whose sexual immorality

   the dwellers on Earth have become drunk.”

   And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness,

   And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet Beast

   (The world ruled by TWO Leaders: Religious and Political)

   that was full of blasphemous names,

   and it had seven heads and ten horns. 

   (A global One-World Kingdom … see the earlier prophecies)

   The Woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet,

   (Roman Church ‘princes’ are all arrayed in purple/scarlet)

   and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls,  

   (This woman/church will be known by its regal appearance)

   holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations

   and the impurities of her sexual immorality.

   And on her forehead was written a name of mystery:

 “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes (false religion)

   and of Earth's abominations.”

   And I saw the Woman, drunk with the blood of the saints,

   the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.  

   (This religious system has/will kill many believing Christians)

   When I saw her, I marveled greatly.

   But the angel said to me,

 “Why do you marvel?

   I will tell you the mystery of the woman,

   and of the Beast with seven heads and ten horns

   that carries her.

   The Beast that you saw was, and is not,

   and is about to rise

   from the bottomless pit  (See earlier descriptions of Satan)

   and go to destruction.  

   (Later we will see Antichrist cast into the Lake of Fire/Hell.)

   And the dwellers on Earth

   whose names have NOT been written in the Book of Life

   from the foundation of the World  

   (Those who reject God’s Word are called "earth dwellers")

   will marvel to see the Beast, 

   because it was and is not and is to come.    

   (The choice is either Jesus and Heaven ... or Satan and Hell)

   This calls for a mind with wisdom:

   The seven heads are seven mountains

   on which the Woman is seated; 

   (An allusion to "Rome"... the "City of 7 hills")

   they are ALSO seven kings,  (TWO fulfillments here)

   five of whom have fallen, 

   (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece)

   one IS (Rome),   

   (Rome was still ruling when this was written in 95 AD)

   the other has not yet come, 

   (the Seventh is “Rome #2” … a revived Roman Empire)

   and when he (the coming Antichrist) does come

   he must remain only a little while. 

   (The Antichrist will be a very popular world leader)

   As for the Beast (Antichrist)

   that was and is not, it is an eighth

   but it belongs to the seven, (He will encompass them all)

   and it goes to destruction.

   And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings (leaders)

   who have not yet received royal power,

   but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour,

   together with the Beast. 

   (He will rise over 10 nations or 10 global economic regions)

   These are of one mind,

   and they hand over their power and authority to the Beast.

   They will make war on the Lamb, 

   (Jesus Christ ... Yeshua Ha'Mashiach in Hebrew)

   and the Lamb will CONQUER them,

   for He is Lord of lords and King of kings,

   and those WITH Him are called and chosen and faithful.”

   And the angel said to me,

 “The waters that you saw,

   where the prostitute is seated,

   are peoples and multitudes

   and nations and languages.

   And the ten horns that you saw, 

   (Leaders of 10 nations rising out of the Roman Empire)

   they and the Beast will hate the prostitute. 

   (They will one day turn against this religious system)

   They will make her desolate and naked,

   and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire,

   for God has put it into their hearts

   to carry out His purpose by being of one mind

   and handing over their royal power to the Beast,

   until the Words of God are fulfilled.

   And the woman that you saw is the great city 

   that has dominion over the kings of the Earth.”

   (Revelation 17:1-18)

REVELATION 18   (with notes) ...

The Fall of Babylon ...

AFTER Noah, Mankind's rebellion against God and the worship of false gods, pleasure, and money began in Babylon and then spread into all nations/religions across the Earth.

  "After this I saw another angel

   coming down from Heaven, having great authority,

   and the Earth was made bright with his glory.

   And he called out with a mighty voice,

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!

   She has become a dwelling place for demons,

   a haunt for every unclean spirit,

   a haunt for every unclean bird,

   a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.

   For ALL nations have drunk 

   (Her ‘Babylonianism’ has spread into all of the "World")

   The wine of the passion

   of her sexual immorality,   

   And the kings of the Earth

   have committed immorality with her,

   and the merchants of the Earth have grown rich

   from the power of her luxurious living.”

As with Babylon, God warns the sins of this World are "The lusts of the Eyes, lusts of the Flesh, and self-Pride of life”

(1 John 2:16)

  “Then I heard another voice from Heaven saying,

  “Come OUT of her, My people,  (He warns ALL Mankind ...)

   lest you take part in her sins,  (to FLEE this false religion that "looks" Biblical!!)

   lest YOU share in her plagues; 

   for her sins are heaped high as Heaven,

   and God has remembered her iniquities.

   Pay her back as she herself has paid back others,

   and repay her double for her deeds;

   mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.

   As she glorified herself

   and lived in luxury,

   so give her a like measure of torment and mourning,

   since in her heart she says,

  ‘I sit as a queen,  

   (On her gilded throne in Rome … placing herself “as God”)

   I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.’  

   (Remember, Satan's fall came from "pride"... saying "I will be like the Most High" ... as the Vicar of Christ)

    For this reason her plagues will come in a single day,

   death and mourning and famine,

   and she will be burned up with fire;

   For MIGHTY is the Lord God who has judged her.”

   And the kings of the Earth,    (The world’s power-brokers)

   who committed sexual immorality

   and lived in luxury with her,

   will weep and wail over her

   when they see the smoke of her burning.

   They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

  “Alas! Alas! You great city,

   you mighty city, Babylon!

   For in a single hour your judgment has come.”    

   (This is all still future ... it will happen suddenly)

   And the merchants of the Earth

   weep and mourn for her,

   since no one buys their cargo anymore,

   cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth,

   silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood,

   all kinds of articles of ivory,

   all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble,

   cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense,

   wine, oil, fine flour, wheat,

   cattle and sheep, horses and chariots,

   and slaves, that is, human souls.

        “The fruit for which your soul longed
          has gone from you,
          and all your delicacies and your splendors
          are lost to you,
          never to be found again!”

     The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her,    

     will stand far off, in fear of her torment,

     weeping and mourning aloud,

        “Alas, alas, for the great city
          that was clothed in fine linen,
          in purple and scarlet,
          adorned with gold,
          with jewels, and with pearls!
          For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.”

     And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors     

     and all whose trade is on the Sea,    

     stood far off and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,

        “What city was like the great city?”    

     And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,

        “Alas, alas, for the great city
          where all who had ships at sea
          grew rich by her wealth!
          For in a SINGLE HOUR she has been laid waste.
          Rejoice over her, O Heaven,     (There will be rejoicing in Heaven ...)
          and you saints and apostles and prophets,
          for God has given judgment for you against her!”

     Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone

     and threw it into the Sea, saying,

REVELATION 19   (with notes) ...

Rejoicing in Heaven

   "After this I heard what seemed to be

     the loud voice of a great multitude in Heaven, crying out,

   “Hallelujah!   (Means "Joyfully praise God" or "God be praised" or "Praise to God")
     Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
     for His judgments are true and just;
     for He has judged the great prostitute    (See Revelation 18)
     who corrupted the Earth with her immorality,
     and has avenged on her the blood of His servants.”

     Once more they cried out,

     “Hallelujah!
       The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”

     And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures

     fell down and worshiped God

     who was seated on the Throne, saying,

     “Amen. Hallelujah!” 

       And from the Throne came a voice saying,

        “Praise our God,
          all you His servants,    
          you who fear (and love) Him,
          small and great.” 

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb    (There will be peace, beauty, and great joy in Heaven ... forever!!!)

     Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude,

     like the roar of many waters

     and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

     “Hallelujah!
       For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.    (God will reign on Earth ...)
       Let us rejoice and exult
       and give HIM the glory,
       for the Marriage of the Lamb has come,
       and His Bride has made herself ready;     (The "Bride" is ALL who place their love and faith in Christ)

       it was granted her to clothe herself
       with fine linen, bright and pure” --    (Clothed in His perfect Righteousness)

     for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.    (Saints are ALL who place their love and faith in Christ)

     And the angel said to me,

     “WRITE this:

       BLESSED are those

       who are invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.” 

     And he said to me,

     “These are the true Words of God.”

     Then I fell down at his feet

     to worship him,    (He tried to worship the angel ... we are NEVER to worship angels!)

     but he (the angel) said to me,

     “You must NOT do that!

       I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers

       who hold to the testimony of Jesus.

       Worship GOD.” 

     For the testimony of Jesus (Yeshua) is the spirit of prophecy.

Heaven Opened ... The Rider on a White Horse ... The TRUE Messiah!!!

     Then I saw Heaven opened,

     and BEHOLD,

     a white horse!      (The true Messiah ... not the "counterfeit" Antichrist ... see Revelation 6)

     The One sitting on it is called Faithful and True,

     and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 

     His eyes are like a flame of fire,

     and on His head are many diadems (crowns),

     and He has a Name written that no one knows but Himself. 

     He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood,

     and the Name by which He is called is The Word of God.    (He IS the "Word of God"... see John 1)

     And the Armies of Heaven,

     arrayed in fine linen, white and pure,

     were following Him on white horses.     (All who placed their faith in Him will return with Him ...)

     From His mouth comes a sharp sword

     with which to strike down the nations,

     and He will rule them with a rod of iron.

     He will tread the winepress of the fury

     of the Wrath of God the Almighty.     

     On His robe and on His thigh

     He has a Name written,

     King of kings and Lord of lords.       

The Great Supper of God ... (we are "saved" FROM this gruesome "supper" ... the aftermath of Armageddon)

     Then I saw an angel standing in the Sun,

     and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead,

     “Come, gather for the great supper of God,

       to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains,

       the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders,

       and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 

     And I saw the Beast (Antichrist) and the kings of the Earth

     with their armies gathered to make war against Him       (Jesus Christ ... Yeshua Ha'Mashiach in Hebrew)

     who was sitting on the horse and against His Army.

     And the Beast (Antichrist) was captured,

     and with it the False Prophet who in its presence (or on its behalf)

     had done the signs by which he deceived those

     who had received the mark of the Beast

     and those who worshiped its image.  (The Antichrist will perform "miracles" to deceive)

     These two were thrown ALIVE

     into the Lake of Fire that burns with sulfur (Hell).

     And the rest were slain by the sword

     that came from the mouth of Him who was sitting on the horse,

REVELATION 20   (with notes) ...

The Coming "Millennium" ... The 1000 Year Reign

   "Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven,

     holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit (abyss) and a great chain.

     And he seized the Dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan,

     and bound him for a thousand years,

     and threw him into the Pit (Abyss),

     and shut it and sealed it over him,

     so that he might not deceive the nations any longer,

     UNTIL the thousand years were ended.

     After that he must be released for a little while.       (When God will test Mankind's faith one last time ...)

     Then I saw thrones,

     and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed.

     Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded     

     for the testimony of Jesus     (Millions will be "beheaded" during the coming "Apocalypse")

     and for the Word of God,     (Special blessings are promised for all who cling to their faith even unto death)

     and those who had not worshiped the Beast (Antichrist) or its image 

     and had not received its mark

     on their foreheads or their hands.     (NEVER take this Mark ... torments will follow)

     They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand (1000) years.

     The rest of the dead did not come to life

     UNTIL the thousand years were ended.

     This is the FIRST Resurrection (of the dead).     (For all who will place their faith and love in Jesus Christ)

     Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the First Resurrection!

     Over such the Second Death (HELL) has no power,    

     but they will be priests of God and of Christ,

     and they will reign with him for a THOUSAND years.    (This is the "Millennial" Kingdom on EARTH )

AFTER the 1000 Years ... The Final Test For Mankind ... Satan Cast Out Into "the Lake of Fire" FOREVER.

     And when the thousand years are ENDED,

     Satan will be released from his prison

     and will come out to deceive the nations

     that are at the four corners of the Earth, Gog and Magog,

     to gather them for battle;

     their number is like the sand of the Sea.     (Those who survived the "Apocalypse" will multiply and rebel)

     And they marched up

     over the broad plain of the Earth       (The mountains have disappeared ... see Revelation 17)

     and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city (Jerusalem),

     but fire came down from Heaven and consumed them,      (This last rebellion against God won't last long ...)

     and the Devil who had deceived them      (He is called the "father of ALL lies"... and 'the Deceiver")

     was thrown into the Lake of Fire and sulfur

     where the Beast and the False Prophet were (HELL ... also called "The Outer Darkness"),

     and they will be tormented day and night FOREVER and EVER.  (Eternal)

THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT ...

(For all who have NOT placed their faith, trust, and love in Messiah ... Jesus Christ)

     Then,      (After this final test and rebellion of Mankind on Earth after the 1000 years)

     I saw a Great White Throne

     and Him who was seated on it.

     From His presence Earth and sky fled away,

     and no place was found for them.

     And I saw the dead, great and small,

     standing before the Throne,     (You do NOT want to be among those standing before the Great White Throne)

     and books were opened.

     Then another book was opened,

     which is the Book of Life. (ALL who place their faith and love in Jesus Christ ARE written in the Book of Life)

     And the dead were judged by what was written in the books,   

     according to what they had done.     

     And the Sea gave up the dead who were in it,

     Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them,

     and they were judged,

     each one of them,    (They rejected or ignored the Blood of the Lamb to "wash away" all their sins)

     according to what they had done.     (God warns we either die "in Sin" (GUILTY) ... or "in Christ" (FREE!!!)

     Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire.

     This is the SECOND Death,     (The Second Death ... HELL ... is the death ALL MANKIND should fear)

     the Lake of Fire.    (Also called "the Outer Darkness" ... "where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth")

     And IF anyone's name was NOT found written in the Book of Life,

     he was THROWN into the Lake of Fire (HELL)."    

REVELATION 21   (with notes) ...

A NEW Heaven and a NEW Earth is coming ...

   "Then I saw a NEW Heaven

     and a NEW Earth,

     for the first Heaven and the first Earth had passed away,       (Also see Isaiah 65:17 ...  and Isaiah 66:22)

     and the Sea was no more.

     And I saw the Holy City, NEW Jerusalem,

     coming down OUT of Heaven from God,

     prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

     And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

     “Behold,

       the dwelling place of God is with Man.

       He will dwell with them,

       and they will be His people,

       and God Himself will be with them as their God.

       He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,   

       and Death shall be no more,       (See Isaiah 25:8)

       neither shall there be mourning,

       nor crying,

       nor pain anymore,      (Amen!)

       for the former things have passed away.”

     And He who was seated on the Throne said,

     “Behold, I am making ALL things new.”

     Also He said,

     “Write this down,

       for these words are trustworthy and true.”

     And He said to me,

     “It is done!

       I am the Alpha and the Omega,     

       the Beginning and the End.      (A title of Jesus Christ ... Yeshua Ha'Mashiach in Hebrew ... See Revelation 1)

       To the thirsty

       I will give from the spring of the Water of Life without payment.     (See John 4)

       The one who overcomes will have this heritage,

       and I will be his God

       and he will be My son.       (We are "born again" and become children of God through faith in Jesus)

       But as for

       the cowardly,    (Afraid of what other people think if they place their faith and love in Jesus Christ)

       the faithless,      (Those who have not placed all their love, faith, and trust in Jesus Christ to save them)

       the abominable,      (The Bible mentions many abominations including homosexuality and abortion)

       as for murderers,      (Jesus warns even those who are "angry with his brother without a cause"... Matthew 5)

       the sexually immoral,      (Any sex outside of marriage ... including pornography)

       sorcerers,      ("pharmakeus"... addictive drugs ... and also such things as astrology, fortune tellers, etc.)

       idolaters,      (An 'idol' is anything we place or "love" above God ... money, sports, work, celebrities, tv, etc.)

       and all liars,     

       their portion will be in the Lake that burns with fire and sulfur,  (HELL!!)

       which is the SECOND Death.”      (We are ALL sinners who desperately need a Savior)

The New Jerusalem

     Then      (AFTER the Earth has been "cleansed" and restored ... and the "curse" of Genesis 3 has been lifted.)

     came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues

     and spoke to me, saying,

     “Come, I will show you the Bride,

        the wife of the Lamb.”     (The Cross is a love story ... written in His blood)

     And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain,

     and showed me the Holy City Jerusalem   (Heaven!)

     coming down OUT of Heaven from God,     (Awesome!!!)

     having the glory of God,

     its radiance like a most rare jewel,

     like a jasper, clear as crystal.

     It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates,

     and at the gates twelve angels,

     and on the gates

     the names of the twelve Tribes

     of the sons of Israel were inscribed --     (God will fulfill all of His promises to the children of Israel ...)

     on the East three gates,

     on the North three gates,

     on the South three gates,

     and on the West three gates.

     And the wall of the city had twelve foundations,

     and on them

     were the twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

     And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold

     to measure the city and its gates and walls.

     The City lies foursquare, its length the same as its width.

     And he measured the City with his rod, 12,000 stadia.     (About 1380 miles ... or 2/3 diameter of the Moon)

     Its length and width and height are equal.

     He also measured its wall,

     144 cubits by human measurement,

     which is also an angel's measurement.       (Consider this statement for a moment ... )

     The wall was built of jasper,

     while the City was pure gold, clear as glass.

     The foundations of the wall of the City were adorned with every kind of jewel.

     The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate,

     the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian,

     the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz,

     the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

     And the twelve gates were twelve pearls,

     each of the gates made of a single pearl,

     and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

     And I saw no Temple in the City,

     for its Temple IS the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

     And the City has no need of Sun or Moon to shine on it,

     for the glory of God gives it light,

     and its lamp is the Lamb.       (See Zechariah 14:6-9)

     By its light will the nations walk,

     and the kings of the Earth will bring their glory into it,

     and its gates will never be shut by day --

     and there will be no night there.

     They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.

     But nothing unclean will ever enter it,

     nor anyone who does what is detestable or false,

     but ONLY those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life."     (See Revelation 20)

REVELATION 22   (with notes) ...

The Curse of Genesis 3 is lifted ... and the fruit of the "Tree of Life" will be freely granted and offered

   "Then he (the angel) showed me the River of the Water of Life, bright as crystal,

     flowing from the Throne of God and of the Lamb

     through the middle of the street of the City;

     ALSO,

     in the middle of its street, and on either side of the river,

     the TREE OF LIFE

     with its twelve kinds of fruit,    (It is no longer guarded by the mighty Cherubim ... see Genesis 3:24)

     yielding its fruit each month.

     The leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the nations.

     No longer will there be anything accursed,

     but the Throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it,

     and His servants will worship Him.

     They will see His face,

     and His Name will be on their foreheads.

     And night will be no more.

     They will need no light of lamp or sun,

     for the Lord God will be their light,

     and they will reign forever and ever.

     And he said to me,

     “These words are trustworthy and true.

       And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets,

       has sent His angel to show His servants

       what must soon take place.”

Messiah ... Jesus Christ in English ... Yeshua Ha'Mashiach in Hebrew ... is returning soon

   “And BEHOLD,

     I am coming soon.  (He has waited for the 'good news' to spread to the ends of the Earth.)

     Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

     I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things.

     And when I heard and saw them,

     I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me,

     but he (the angel) said to me,

     “You must NOT do that!      (John again tried to worship an angel ... the Bible warns NEVER worship angels!)

       I am a fellow servant with you

       and your brothers the prophets,

       and with those who keep the words of this book.

       Worship GOD.”

     AND he said to me,

     “Do NOT seal up the words of the prophecy of this book,

       for the time is near.  (The prophet Daniel was told to 'seal' his book "UNTIL the time of the End" ... Daniel 12)

       Let the evildoer still do evil,

       and the filthy still be filthy,

       and the righteous still do right,

       and the holy still be holy.”     (One day these two groups will be "separated" by God ... Heaven or Hell)

   “BEHOLD,

     I am coming soon,

     bringing My recompense with Me,

     to repay everyone for what he has done.

     I am the Alpha and the Omega,

     the first and the last,

     the beginning and the end.”

     Blessed are those who wash their robes,      (With the 'blood of the Lamb' which washes away ALL our sins)

     so that they may have the right to the Tree of Life

     and that they may enter the City by the gates.

     Outside are the dogs and sorcerers

     and the sexually immoral

     and murderers

     and idolaters,

     and everyone who loves and practices a lie.       

   “I, Jesus (Yeshua), have sent My angel to testify to you

     about these things for the churches.

     I am the root and the descendant of David,      

     the Bright Morning Star.”    

     The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”

     And let the one who hears say, “Come.”

     And let the one who is thirsty come;

     let the one who desires take the Water of Life without price.    

A terrible warning to ALL who will add or take away from God's completed Word ...

   "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book:

     If anyone ADDS to them,

     God will add to him the plagues described in this book,

     and if anyone TAKES AWAY from the words of the book of this prophecy,

     God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city,

     which are described in this book.

     He who testifies to these things says,

     “Surely,

       I AM coming soon.”     ("In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" ...)

     Amen.

     Come, Lord Jesus!!!