STUDY 7

TOPIC 34— THE SECOND BEAST—THE BEAST OUT of the EARTH

The Second Beast—The Beast Out of the Earth

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it 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, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 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 13:11-18

John sees a second beast. “Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.” REVELATION 13:11  When we say the word “another,” we usually mean one just like the other one. This beast is a beast just like the other one—satanic; but there are some differences. This beast rises out of the earth—and earth often represents people—Israel. For that reason some commentators believe it will be a Jew that is the false prophet; for a Jew might more easily convince other Jews of the authenticity of the Antichrist; but I could not find supporting scripture for this possibility.

It has just two horns. Horns mean power and authority; but they are like a lamb’s—not a ram. This is the false prophet in sheep’s clothing Jesus warned us about. MATTHEW 7:15  He will be the ultimate false prophet! And when he opens his mouth to speak, his true self is revealed—for he has the voice of a dragon—the devil, and he deceives the people!

He will be an individual; but in the presence of the Antichrist he exercises all the authority of the first beast. He makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast—The Antichrist, whose mortal wound was healed. REVELATION 13:12 “It [the second beast] performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people.” REVELATION 13:13 Just as the two witnesses will do. Some of these signs may be genuine. Remember, Pharaoh’s magicians could turn staffs into serpents, water into blood, and make frogs come up on the land; EXODUS 7:10-11 & 7:20-22 & 8:6-7 But others will be done by deception. It may be hard for those left on earth to tell the difference because this beast is a master deceiver and through the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth. REVELATION 13:14 He shall make deceit prosper. DANIEL 8:25

Some believe this deceiver could be papal Rome—the false prophet. Rome has been a deceiver for centuries! They have always sought to bring the whole world under their influence. Some of the Protestant reformers believe that the Antichrist is the papacy—one office—many men. This may be; but this is one man—a deceiver—that arises in the end-time. The Catholic Church may also be deceived by the Antichrist; for they love signs! But remember Jesus reproved the Pharisees because they asked for a sign. MATTHEW 16:1-4

Great Signs

The Catholic Church loves “miracles, signs and apparitions.” They have recorded many over the years; and before sainthood is bestowed on anyone, a miracle by that person has to be proven. Although the apostate church will be destroyed around the time the false prophets rises, these signs and “miracles” are what men seek. Remember, Jesus was often asked for signs! I am personally aware of some Catholic’s appetence for Apparitions.

Nancy Fowler a woman who lived just outside of Conyers Georgia, where we lived in the early 1990s, began having visions of the Virgin Mary—the mother of Jesus—in 1989.  Since that time, her home in Conyers has become one of the largest and longest lived Marian apparition sites in the United States. At its height, 80,000 people gathered on the 13th of every month to hear her relate a message for the United States from the Virgin Mary. The people who attended these gatherings took water from a well Mary was supposed to have blessed, now holy water. They left petitions and prayers in a basket in the apparition room. They took pictures of the sun, looking for signs from Mary. These are just some of the mementos they took home with them. All of these objects they took home became holy objects to them. One Emory graduate student’s dissertation was on the Conyers’ apparition. I will not judge whether this was real or deception. I just want to emphasize the extent Catholics seek and look for signs and miracles!

In 1858, a young peasant girl in Lourdes France experienced a series of Marian apparitions in the grotto of Massabielle. Those apparitions at Lourdes are believed by Catholics to be a divine message and testament to the Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Since then Lourdes has become renowned for miraculous healings that have taken place in what they consider to be sacred grounds. Several popes have affirmed the importance of Lourdes as a place of spiritual significance and pilgrimage for Catholics.

On average, around six million people make the pilgrimage to Lourdes. About eighty-thousand of those  visitors are sick or disabled persons from all over the world seeking a miracle. The water of Lourdes has become popular because fifty “official” miracles have been linked to the use of the water—no matter if it had been used for a bath or if it had been drunk. Many ceremonies and rituals occur throughout the year at Lourdes where people claim healings for souls and bodies. Again, I will not judge the actions of all these pilgrims. I, too, believe in healings and miracles—just not sure that God requires us to make a pilgrimage to a foreign land. One last account of an apparition. [1]

People from all over the world come as pilgrims to visit a small village in Ireland—Knock Ireland. More than 1.5 million people a year come to this really small village of less than twelve hundred people. Astonishing attendance can be traced back to 1879 when fifteen locals claimed to have seen an apparition of the Virgin Mary on the wall of the parish church. Priest Monsignor James Horan, often referred to as the builder of Knock, put on Knock officials to built an airport to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims. The first flight to Knock was in 1985. He was also instrumental in building Knock’s Basilica in 1976 to accommodate the number of pilgrims visiting the village. The site was transformed into a Holy Shrine. The new church was built in anticipation of the centenary of the apparition. It was expected that 1979 would bring an even greater presence of pilgrims and the arrival of the pope.  Pope John Paul II did visit in 1979. He granted the church its Basilica status. [2]

Again, I do not wish to be judgmental; but since these pilgrimages are so commercialized and since so much rhetoric is placed on apparitions, signs and holy water, then it may be that the false prophet is increasing in his deception. One thing is for certain, none of the pilgrimages that I read about even mentioned the name of Jesus. So to point to signs which do not point us to Jesus, is to place focus in the wrong place.

Now to the false prophet of the end-time. Making fire come down from heaven is a mimic of the two witnesses who will have just been killed. This beast will do all of his signs “in front of people.” Deceit will be his intention!  Everything he will do is for the first beast, The Antichrist; for they will be united in power—they both will have the same authority; REVELATION 13:12 and they will be united in destruction: Both will be thrown into the lake of fire together! REVELATION 19:20

False Prophet—Factotum of The Antichrist

Again, this will be the ultimate false prophet. He will be the factotum of The Antichrist. Although he will exercise all of the authority of the first beast, he can only use this authority in the presence of the first beast. REVELATION 13:12 & 13:14 Everything that he will do is for the first beast! He is declared to be the false prophet in scripture. REVELATION 16:13 “And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two [individuals] were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.” REVELATION 19:20 Scripture confirms that the first beast and the false prophet are still in the lake of fire when the devil is later thrown into the lake of fire. REVELATION 20:10

The Image of The Beast

and by the signs that it [the false prophet] is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed [by God] to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, REVELATION 13:14-16

This second beast will tell those he has deceived to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. REVELATION 13:14 Although verse fourteen says “make an image for the beast,” verse fifteen tells us it is an image of the beast. Since those deceived will make the image, it has something in common with all images. It will be made by human hands. Some believe it could be a statute like the one Nebuchadnezzar set up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. At its dedication all were instructed to fall down and worship the image when they heard the sound of every kind of music. If they did not, they would immediately be thrown into a fiery furnace. DANIELl 3:1-6 The Pagan world is full of statutes; and they are worshipped in many places. Whatever this image is, it will be embraced by those left on earth and it will be worshipped.

Many will worship the image; but those that worship the image “…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.” REVELATION 14:10 The first bowl of God’s wrath is poured out on those who worship the image of the beast. REVELATION 16:2 Some believe this image will be set up in Rome; but it will be set up in or near the Temple in Jerusalem. I could not find definitive scripture; but we believe the abomination of desolation will take place in the rebuilt temple. DANIEL 9:27 & MATTHEW 24:15 This abomination of desolation could be when the image is set up in or near the temple when the Antichrist seats himself in the temple and declares himself to be God. II THESSALONIANS 2:4

The Image Given Breath—Life

And it [the false prophet] was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. REVELATION 13:15

There is a lot in this verse we need to understand. First, the false prophet “was allowed” by God, not the first beast, to give breath to the image. Giving “breath” to the image means giving it “life” so that it “lives.” Since God allowed the image to have “breath,” the image is alive; but not in the way God gives the breath of life to us. God will never give the ability to give life to any other or give life to a demonic idol! Rather, the false prophet will breathe a demonic spirit into the image, mocking God given life! The image will now speak and cause those who would not worship it to be slain.

The phrases “might even speak” and “might cause” say to me that although the image could speak and cause people to be put to death, someone else, the false prophet, or something else, the devil, is still in control of this image. Remember the image is breathing the breath of the false prophet. He does not have a God given ability to think for itself! He may be able to think if God allows Artificial Intelligence to advance to that point. Because many will worship this image, this image’s ability to perform will far exceed the technology that man has achieved to date. The deception will be even greater when they see the image come to life and speak from what seems to be its own intellect. If it is Artificial Intelligence, it will be a step far above what is available now and will be demonic its deceit!

Again, this scripture is saying that the image of the beast has the ability to cause those who do not worship the image to be slain. The image commands—worship the image or the image will have you killed, beheaded!  REVELATION 13:15 This is a regression to the Old Testament policies of kings like Nebuchadnezzar who said worship the image when I command or be killed; but in this case it will be the image that does the commanding—not a king. But still controlled by the same devil!

This image will definitely be different from the images of the Old Testament. Although it will be made by human hands it will have breath and a mouth that speaks—unlike the images and idols of the Old Testament that had neither breath nor speech. PSALM 135:15-17 & HABAKKUK 2:19

TOPIC 35—THE THIRD MESSENGER ANGEL WARNS AGAINST THE MARK

The Third Messenger Angel

And another angel, a third, followed them, 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.” REVELATION 14:9-11

The Third Messenger Angel will also cover every spot on earth; but he will neither proclaim the gospel nor announce the doom of the apostate church; but he will have a message of doom! “…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…” REVELATION 14:9-11 Just as Esau “…found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears,” HEBREWS 12:17 neither will there be a chance of repentance for those who worship the beast or his image. “…and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” REVELATION 14:11

The Mark of the Beast

Also it [the false prophet] 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, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 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 13:16-18

No where in Revelation will you find the word “Antichrist.” John was familiar with the word. He may have been the one who “coined” the word Antichrist. In chapter thirteen of Revelation the beast rising out of the sea is always referred to as a beast while the beast rising out of the earth is referred to as the false prophet, implying that he is a man. All evil beasts are the devil or his incarnate; but this beast rising out of the sea was given the dragon’s authority. REVELATION 13:2 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound and that wound was healed REVELATION 13:3 and given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words. REVELATION 13:5 So this beast, rising out of a sea of people, became the devil incarnate after he had rose above the sea of people.

Teachings of Daniel in chapters nine and eleven, Jesus’ reference to them in Matthew chapter twenty-four and Paul’s explanation in II Thessalonians chapter two are the basis for declaring the actions of the beast as those of the Antichrist! “…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 13:18 Beast and man will have the number of a man!

There are three other things we can know about the mark of the beast. (1) Satan never has an original thought. After Jesus marks his saints and the 144,000, the devil will decide he needs to mark his people. (2) The mark will be conformity to, acceptance of, and membership in an evil empire. (3) You will be doomed if you take the mark and doomed if you do not take it; but you are doomed only to first death if you refuse the mark!  The false prophet will control the “mark.” REVELATION 13:16 He will use it to control buying and selling. REVELATION 13:17 After all of the judgments of God and his wrath there will probably be very little left to buy or sell; so his control will be monstrous and with greater consequence!

The greatest mystery in these verses is “…the name of the beast or the number of its name.”  “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 13:18 There have been endless calculations performed and many formulas developed to determine the name that is 666. There have been even more guesses; but still we do not know the name of the beast.  Many languages allow for number names! Even those countries do not yet have a name for the number 666.

Gematria, the practice of assigning a numerical value to a word or a name, is most common in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages. For centuries, and in every ingenious kind of way, men have tried to put a name to 666. Some have decided it is the pope; but it will be a charismatic leader that will arise in the end-time to become The Antichrist.

Recently, an author came to my attention that has gained fame claiming he has determined the identity of the Antichrist. He has named Charles Prince of Wales as the Antichrist. He says now he is King Charles III does not change his Antichrist identity. I will not judge the man or his motives; for to judge the writings and actions of a man is to judge him; but after a brief look at his book and viewing a few minutes of an interview with him, I did not hear any Scriptural support for his suppositions. Rather he relied heavily on the symbolism in King Charles III’s coat of arms. His “book of evidence” is now a collector’s item; for people are looking for knowledge about the future. It may be possible once the true Antichrist is revealed to go back and look at what were signs of his identity; but they cannot be use as a body of evidence to identify him now without scripture witness. [1] The Antichrist could be living today; but only a revelation of God’s word could identify him now! This we know, he will be revealed at the time scripture says he will be revealed—when the restrainer is taken away—the Holy Spirit that indwells the Church is that restrainer—then he will be revealed!

Scripture tells us 666 is “… the number of a man…” REVELATION 13:18 and that this “… calls for wisdom and understanding.” Wisdom comes from God. In God’s design of things, he gives wisdom, then understanding and finally knowledge. The name of the Antichrist will be determined using this order of learning!

In the secular realm it is the opposite. First, we pursue knowledge. Then we reach understanding. Finally, using our knowledge and understanding for a time, we obtain wisdom. The secular route seems to be the way most approach this mystery; but true to the precepts of God, we need wisdom first before we can solve what 666 means. No one thus far has the wisdom and understanding to put the correct name to 666. As we get nearer the end of times the name that fits the number 666 will, perhaps, become known; but it will take wisdom from God first, then understanding to calculate the beast’s name! Finally, then we will have knowledge of what his name is!

Whatever that name is, the false prophet will make sure you have it tattooed or implanted in your forehead or hand before you can buy or sell. No one will be exempt! Those who refuse the mark become martyrs.

• An interesting side note: The Bible only mentions 666 in one other place in the Bible and that is the number of talents of gold that came to Solomon in one year! I KINGS 10:14

TOPIC 36— THE HARVEST JUDGMENT—THE GRAPES of WRATH

The Harvest Judgment—The Grapes of Wrath

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, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia. REVELATION 14:17-20

The judgments of God being will be poured out on the earth, and its people the first three and one-half years of Tribulation. The Judgments of God differ from His Wrath in that Judgments are meant to draw us to Him, to draw us to repentance. His Wrath that will be poured out in the Great Tribulation is a separation from God, a death sentence.

Some believe the second half of the Tribulation will be divided into two parts—two and one-half years of Great Tribulation and one “year of the Lord,”  the year of the Lord being a time that God’s wrath is being poured out without measure, undiluted and unmixed—full strength on the earth—the Seven Bowls of God’s wrath! Regardless, all three and one-half years will be terrible.

The seven bowls of God’s wrath will be poured out soon after the abomination of desolation. His wrath will not end until the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. The blood of the clusters of grapes that are harvested from the earth will flow from the winepress of the wrath of God. REVELATION 14:19 God will tread the winepress of his wrath for it is “… full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great.” JOEL 3:13  He treads the grapes of wrath until His robe appears to be dipped in blood; REVELATION 19:13 but his followers are all in white!  “… And the armies of heaven, [are] arrayed in fine linen, white and pure…” REVELATION 19:14 He has no help with treading his winepress of wrath. No one else has any “blood” on their clothes. Now God is pouring out his wrath!

Harvest of the VINE—The Harvest of the Grapes of God’s Wrath

“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…” REVELATION 14:17-18 The angel with the sharp sickle will harvest the grapes of God’s wrath; but he is waiting for the angel from the altar who has authority over the fire to give the word “… Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe;” REVELATION 14:18 for God is ready to judge and avenge the blood of those souls under the altar on those who dwell on the earth. REVELATION 6:9-10 “… 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.” REVELATION 14:18-19

The “blood” from these grapes of wrath is God’s wrath that is poured out in the last months of Tribulation, The Great Tribulation, full strength, not mixed nor diluted. Further, Jesus is the one who tramples this winepress. The blood of the grapes of his wrath flows from the winepress as high as a horse’s bridle. REVELATION 14:20 The depth of this “blood” of the grapes of His wrath shows that the extent of his wrath is great. This is not literal blood of those armies that are slain at Armageddon. People, armies and Armageddon are not even mentioned in chapter fourteen of Revelation.

“Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?  “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel.  For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come. I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me.  I trampled down the peoples in my anger; I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.” ISAIAH 63:1-6

“From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations… He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” REVELATION 19:15 From these verses we see it is Jesus Christ who will tread the grapes in the winepress of God’s wrath; and that his garments were bloodied by the grapes of wrath. “He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.”  REVELATION 19:13  No one helped him for the garment of those who were following are still white and pure.

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey's colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. GENESIS 49:10-11

He will slay those assembled for battle by the sword in his mouth—by His Word. If the Word sword in his mouth slays the army at Armageddon like a steel sword, then men’s blood flows deep at Armageddon; but it is God’s wrath that is as deep as a horse’s bridle; for his anger is great!

• It probably should have been mentioned sooner; but now is better than never! Much of the prophecy in the Old Testament that has historically been fulfilled is still of significance for the future; for much of the end-time events are repeats of past events. So the prophecy still stands. One very significant difference is that this time things are going to end—the end will come!

TOPIC 37—THE SEVEN ANGELS with the SEVEN PLAGUES

The Seven Angels with 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. REVELATION 15:1

And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, 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! 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.” REVELATION 15:2-4

With all of the things John has already seen, he says this sign in heaven of the seven angels with seven plagues is “great and amazing.” They are the last. When they are finished, God’s wrath is finished. Seven is the number of completion! Seven seals and seven trumpets have been completed and now seven bowls of wrath are to be poured out! Verses two through four takes place after the beast, The Antichrist, and its image and the number of its name has been conquered. Heaven is tuning up to rejoice!

Without expounding on the dynamics of the Tabernacle, these are taken to be the most common meanings: Tent of Witness and Tabernacle are the same thing—they contain the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. While sanctuary has other meanings, sanctuary—as the dwelling place of God—most often means the Most Holy Place. Where scripture is quoted, no words have been changed!

“And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.” EXODUS 25:8, 22 God resides in the sanctuary in heaven just as he did in the tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple on earth.

This tent of witness [the tabernacle] in heaven is the one Moses saw on Mount Sinai; and was told to make it, [the tabernacle in the wilderness] according to the pattern that he had seen. EXODUS 25:40  The New Testament says, “They serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, "See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” HEBREWS 8:5

This sanctuary in heaven is where Jesus, our high priest, performed His duties. “…he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.” HEBREWS 7:25-27

Sanctuary of The Tent of Witness Opened

After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent 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 until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished. REVELATION 15:5-8

After John saw the seven angels with the seven plagues REVELATION 15:1 he “…looked, and the sanctuary of the tent 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.” REVELATION 15:5-6 I could find no scripture witness for the meaning of seven angels coming out of the sanctuary. In the earthly sanctuary, The Most Holy Place, only the high priest would ever be coming out of that sanctuary. We have a “…high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.” HEBREWS 8:1-2 These seven angels may represent the seven spirits of God; for they seem to be coming from His presence. They are dressed ‘like’ the one who holds the keys to Death and Hades! REVELATION 1:13 Regardless, these seven angels are coming out of the sanctuary.

“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.” REVELATION 15:7 Since the four living creatures surround the throne, I believe the living creature received the bowls from Him that was seated on the throne; REVELATION 4:2, 6 and I believe the wine of God's wrath was poured full strength into the cup of his anger. REVELATION 14:10 And into the bowls to be poured out. “And the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished,” REVELATION 15:8 Just as Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle because the glory of the Lord had filled it. EXODUS 40:34-35 “… the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God” [Solomon’s Temple]. II CHRONICLES 5:14 The smoke displays his glory and power; but these bowls of wrath that are about to be poured out display his anger and his power!

Written by Mallard E. Guy Jr.

Over a Period of Two + Years

Finished October 28, 2023

Edited November 9, 2023

Last Edited February 19, 2025