The Rise and Fall of the Old Roman Empire

The Bible calls her Babylon, however, the text is actually about the rise and fall of the Old Roman Empire (Revelation 17, 18). That’s right! You will see a renewal of the old empire that ruled the known world at that time.

When the rise of the Old Roman Empire begins, it will have 7 years before it will fall again. The concept of an emperor from one of the Old Roman countries seems far fetched; however, the Bible predicts the events.

The anti-christ comes on the scene at the beginning of the tribulation period. He comes from one of a federated nation of 10 nations in the Old Roman Empire. Revelation 6:1, 2 gives you the beginning of this emperor’s reign. He rides into history on a white horse looking like one of the good guys.

In his hand you find a bow, and he has a crown. He goes forth “conquering, and to conquer.” However, he doesn’t have an arrow for his bow. Therefore, this king will use non-conventional warfare, which most likely will be through economic reforms. Could the countries of the world use economic reforms today?

However, this king conquers three (3) of the Old Roman Empire nations (Daniel 7:24-26). At the end three-and-one-half (31/2) years, he turns his attention to the whole world and conquers it. At this time the new king of the world will turn against the Jewish people and Christians (Matthew 24:16-22). He will have them killed unless they worship him (Revelation 14:9-12).

Yet then in Chapters 17 and 18 of Revelation, you read about the destruction of “Babylon,” an economy, a religious system and a representation of the Old Roman Empire. When she has outlived her usefulness, she crumbles. The powerful world emperor can not hold her together.

Many more details for this exists, and you may find them in an article in Ezine Articles by Howard Coffey.

If you have questions or comments, please leave them and we will respond to them.

The Life Is in the Vine

In John 15:1, 2b Jesus says, “I am the vine and My Father is the vinedresser. . .and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”

Although Jesus could have used any plant He so chose as an example, He chose a grapevine to illustrate His point. An interesting thing about a grapevine, the life of the plant is in the vine.

You can take a cutting from a branch of a grapevine, and it will not grow. Once you detach the branch from the vine, there’s no life in it.

No life can exist for a grapevine except in the vine itself. Also, the vine doesn’t bear fruit. Only the branches grow grapes. The vine gives life so the branches can bear, but the vine has no fruit on it.

One other thing about a grapevine is that fruit is only born on new branches. New growth yields the fruit. That is why grapevines are pruned so drastically. When the branches are cut back, new growth appears. From the new growth, you get fruit.

God’s plan from the beginning of creation was to have Jesus supply the life, and He planned for the branches, you and me, to provide the fruit for the Kingdom. Sometimes the pruning feels a great deal like tribulation.

The Revelation Church Type of Ephesus

The church at Ephesus in the first few chapters of Revelation is one of seven church types that John discuses in his book. Characteristics of this church type can be seen in our churches today.

Ephesus as a church type had several things that were good. The members of this church type work hard, they persevere under great strain and they do not tolerate evil men. However, they have one major weakness, they, “. . .have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4b).

Leaving your first love is like Jesus’ teachings on the “true vine” in John 15.        In John 15:1, 2 b, Jesus says, “I am the true vine and My father is the vinedresser. . .and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”

There are a couple great points here. One being that the life is in the vine. Although the branches have life, they have no life of their own. Their life comes from the vine.

You can take a grape branch and try to make a cutting from it, and it can’t live. It can only live when attached to the vine.

However, the vine can’t bear fruit. Only the branch bears grapes. The vine gives life to the branch so it can bear fruit.

In order to bear fruit, the grape branch must be trimmed or pruned way back. The reason is because fruit only grows on new wood. If the branch isn’t new, it won’t bear fruit.

Therefore, sometimes what you think of as persecution in your life could simply be God pruning you so that you can bear more fruit. Don’t confuse God’s pruning with Satan’s persecution.

Isaiah 5:2, “He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines;

            he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it;

            and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.” (ESV).

All God received for His efforts were stinking or sour grapes. These are possible translations for “wild grapes” from this verse.

You learn that “what more” from Isaiah 5:4 that there are no more excuses for them to bear stinking or sour grapes. If the Jews had no excuse for bearing bad fruit, how much less excuse do we have for bearing no fruit or bad fruit?

Leave your questions or comments. We will get back with you.

2 Signs of the Coming Tribulation Period, End Times and Revelation

There are 2 signs that we live near the end times, the coming tribulation period and Revelation. We believe this to be in the very near future. Of course no one is able to predict when any of this can or will happen. There is no way to know when Jesus will come to “catch up” His bride.

However, there are two signs about end times, the coming tribulation period and Revelation that Jesus gave us. Several signs that Jesus prophesied have come true; therefore, you can expect that the following two will happen as well. So let’s look at the two signs that talk about His coming back for the church. Although the two signs are not given to predict His coming, they are indicators that we do live in the end times.

The first sign you can find about the end times comes from Matthew 24:6, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. . .” Before the end comes, there will be a world war. It took two world wars to get the Jews into their homeland, Israel. The end times can’t come if the Jews are not living in Israel.

When WWII ended, the United States convinced England to give Israel to the Jews. It was with pressure from the U.S. and other countries that England gave the Jews their homeland where they live today. This transaction happened in 1948, and it was a complete miracle from God. Until this time the Jews hadn’t been in complete control of their land since 586 B.C. when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and burned the city and the temple.

What does the Jews being in Israel have anything to do with end times, the tribulation period or Revelation? Daniel writes that the anti-christ will make a peace pact with the Jews at the outset of the tribulation period (Daniel 9:27). However, in the middle of the seven year covenant of peace, the anti-christ moves his headquarters to Jerusalem.

When there in the Jews’ principal city of worship, the beast will enter into the temple and desecrate it. Since the anti-christ comes to power through diplomacy and by solving the economic woes of a global economy, his complete take over by the middle of the tribulation period brings us to our second sign.

The second sign Jesus mentions in Israel concerns the anti-christ’s cabinet members erecting a statute of him in the temple, and he will declare an all-out war against the Jews. By now anti-christ is in complete control of the countries of the whole world. The reason this sign is so important is because a one world government looms closer and closer every day.

Jesus tells the Jews in Matthew 24:15, when you see the abomination of desolation mentioned by the prophet Daniel standing in the temple—the erecting of the statue to the beast—flee from Jerusalem. Get as far away as you possibly can. Tribulation is coming on you such as has never been experienced in history.

These are only 2 signs of the coming tribulation period, end times and Revelation that would indicate that the times spoken of here are very close, even at the door. There are so many more signs in prophesy and Revelation that you will not wish to miss. We’ve provided a book about all this, Why Revelation? Why Now?. We want you to have a copy of it. So get your copy today.

You can order a free copy of my book, Revelation from this blog. Please leave questions or comments. We will respond to them.

The Reflection of God’s Word Expresses His Glory

How does the reflection of God’s word express His glory? God’s glory, the sh’khinah Glory of God, visited Moses in the “burning bush” of Exodus 3. From that point on, God’s glory lived with the Children of Israel, and He exhibited His glory to the people as “fire and a cloud.”

From the reflection of God’s word we find that His glory expresses itself. When the tabernacle was set up in the wilderness, God’s glory took up residence over the Cherubim that sat on the mercy seat, Exodus 25:22. From this place of residence, God spoke with His children.

Then in 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar burned Solomon’s Temple. God’s glory left and returned to heaven until Jesus came in Luke 2. The shepherds saw the glory of God for the first time in over 500 years, and “. . .they were terribly frightened.”

The Bible teaches that Jesus was the exact radiance of God’s glory (Hebrews 1:3). Although Jesus didn’t glow or have a cloud follow Him, the words that Jesus spoke showed you the sh’khinah Glory of God.

Therefore, whenever you reflect on God’s word, the word gets in you. You then begin to behave according to the words that have been revealed to you. Your life changes to match the essence of the glory of God from His word.

So the reflection of God’s word expresses His glory through your using His word as a marker for your life. God’s sh’khinah Glory is revealed every time you show Jesus to the world. His word reflecting from you could indeed guide another to reflect on God’s marvelous glory!

What If He's Right!

What if the old preacher is right about the rapture occurring in October? Would this make a difference in your life?

Would you awaken on that day and see that some strange things have taken place? However, the news anchor on one of the major networks explains that a shifting in the solar system has caused major catastrophes everywhere.

Could you explain what took place? Do you realize that if this happens, your whole way of life is about to change drastically, and you may not get a chance to accept Jesus as your Lord, ever again?

If you don’t believe all this stuff about the Rapture and the Tribulation period, get our free literature on Revelation. In it you will find out for yourself why you need to make some important decisions right now.

If you have questions or comments, leave them here and we will answer.

Can An Individual Predict Judgment Day?

Recently, an old reverend decided he had figured out when the rapture of the church would occur. With all due respects to the old gentlemen, time proved him to be wrong.

Why was he wrong? The answer is quite simple, no one can predict when God will send Jesus back to get His church.

In Matthew 24:36 Jesus tells you, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” To me this message is pretty plain. no one but God knows when Jesus will return to rapture or “catch up” His body, the church.

Through out history many have claimed to know when the rapture will occur. There is one religion who claims that the rapture has already occurred. However, all these claims are unfounded. The rapture is the next thing on God’s agenda regarding mankind.

After the rapture, you can know when Jesus will return to earth for the second time. He will touch down in Bozra (modern day Turkey), and He will come to save God’s chosen people, the Jews.

The timeframe for this coming will be, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days. . . the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. . .” (Matthew 24:29, 30). As soon as the tribulation ends, the seven years of Jacob’s trouble prophesied by Daniel, 9:24, the earth will see Jesus coming for His second appearance on earth.

If someone tells you that the rapture will occur at such and such a time, don't believe them. Only God knows for sure. The main thing is that you know for sure that if someone happens to guess it right that you are ready to meet Jesus in the air!

Please ask your questions and leave your comments here. We will get back with You.

The Reflection of God’s Word Expresses His Glory

How does the reflection of God’s word express His glory? God’s glory, the sh’khinah Glory of God, visited Moses in the “burning bush” of Exodus 3. From that point on, God’s glory lived with the Children of Israel, and He exhibited His glory to the people as “fire and a cloud.”

From the reflection of God’s word we find that His glory expresses itself. When the tabernacle was set up in the wilderness, God’s glory took up residence over the Cherubim that sat on the mercy seat, Exodus 25:22. From this place of residence, God spoke with His children.

Then in 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar burned Solomon’s Temple. God’s glory left and returned to heaven until Jesus came in Luke 2. The shepherds saw the glory of God for the first time in over 500 years, and “. . .they were terribly frightened.”

The Bible teaches that Jesus was the exact radiance of God’s glory (Hebrews 1:3). Although Jesus didn’t glow or have a cloud follow Him, the words that Jesus spoke showed you the sh’khinah Glory of God.

Therefore, whenever you reflect on God’s word, the word gets in you. You then begin to behave according to the words that have been revealed to you. Your life changes to match the essence of the glory of God from His word.

So the reflection of God’s word expresses His glory through your using His word as a marker for your life. God’s sh’khinah Glory is revealed every time you show Jesus to the world. His word reflecting from you could indeed guide another to reflect on God’s marvelous glory!

Please leave your questions or comments. We will respond.

Symbolism the Bible and Jewish History

When you compare the wild olive to believers, you see that a born-again-believer must first be broken as the servants did the wild olive. A believer has to confess his/her need for a savior, and have Christ take out the sin nature that is at our very core.

After this heart surgery by the Master Physician, you are then ready to shine your light with the oil of the Holy Spirit. As the oil from the wild olive burned clean and bright after the olive had been smashed and the inside of it removed, you too will shine brightly for those around you to see.

Paul writes in Romans 11 that you are a wild olive shoot grafted in. He didn’t use a cultivated olive shoot or a sycamore. He used a symbol, “wild olive shoot” with which his readers could associate.

Please leave your questions or comments. We will respond.

More Symbolism from the Bible and the Jews

 

            As far as symbols go, the olive tree is a symbol for Jews. The tree represents the nation Israel. Since the oil made from the olives that come from the tree is used for the Menorah, the tree is symbolic with light, too.  The light symbolizes Jesus, the church and believers as well.

            Olive trees lived for hundreds of years. The wood is very durable, and the trees will grow in either wet or dry soil.

            The olive tree is an evergreen tree. Whenever old leaves fall from the trees, new ones begin to grow. The symbolism here is eternal life.

            The oil from the wild olive trees burns purer and clearer. However, to get oil, “beaten oil,” for the Menorah from wild olives required a seven day process.

            The olive skin from the wild olive tree is thicker than the skin of olives from cultivated olive trees. Therefore, the harvester would take the wild olive, smash it with a rock and take out the pit.

            The smashed olive would be placed in a container, and after seven days the pulp would sink to the bottom of the container leaving the oil from the wild olive on top. This is the oil used in lamps and in the Menorah.

If you have questions or comments, please leave them here. We will get back with you.

To Increase Your Knowledge of Revelation Expand Your Vocabulary

If you expand your vocabulary can it increase your knowledge of Revelation? There are a few Greek words in Revelation that your knowing them can greatly increase your knowledge base of this wonderful book.

Revelation isn’t hard to understand even if you do not increase your vocabulary or expand your knowledge base. However, some knowledge of a few words can increase your understanding tremendously.

For instance, look at the word “sorcery” or “witchcraft” in 9:21. Whenever the words sorcery or witchcraft is used elsewhere in the Bible it means an enchantment of spell cast by magic.

We see the word sorcery throughout the Old Testament. Always it has the same meaning. No surprises or shifts in meaning anywhere. However, in the ninth chapter of Revelation, you need to know the vocabulary for the word in order to have knowledge of its usage.

In 9:21 the Greek word which has been interpreted “sorcerer” is pharmakeus, a druggist or someone who uses poison. We get our word “pharmacy” from this Greek word. Therefore, the implication is that a sorcerer is one who sells, makes, supplies or uses drugs.

Other forms of the word is pharmakos and pharmakeia. We only find the forms of this Greek word the last five times that sorcerer, sorceries or witchcraft is used in our Bible: Galatians 5:19; Revelation 9:21, 18:23; 21:8 and 22:15. This would indicate that in the end times, drugs—illegal or legal—will increase greatly. I think we are seeing this take place today. There is a major increase in the use of legal drugs!

Over 80% of the inmates in jails and prisons where I visit are there because of drugs. The increase in inmate population over the last several years has prompted the commonwealth of Kentucky to reconsider using incarceration as a means to combat the drug problems.

Laws are changing so that drug abusers and users will get help in clinics or programs designed to provide a cure rather than in prisons and jails.

Yes, you can expand your knowledge of Revelation when you increase your vocabulary. This is only one place in our study of Revelation where understanding vocabulary can indeed help you understand this fantastic book.

Please leave your questions or comments. We will get back with you.

The Holy City Revelation and End Times

The Holy City Revelation and End Times

When times end in Revelation, the Holy City comes down. John sees this phenomenon in chapter 21 of his book. As john describes the city, its beauty is absolutely magnificent. The colors radiating from the street, the walls, the gates and foundations capture ones imagination.

As the Holy City comes down and time on earth ends, John’s revelation is nearly complete. Although there’s another chapter left in his book, that chapter deals primarily with God’s final judgment.

The Holy City is presented as a bride, pure, holy, undefiled. The glory of God lights up the world because the sun, moon and stars have disappeared. Here, God presents all new things.

The construction of the city, its dimensions, is such that it can easily house billions of people. Although Jesus says in the Gospels, “Many are called but few are chosen.” The many represents the myriads of peoples who have inhabited the earth since the beginning of time. Therefore, compared to the billions of people called, the numbers who have accepted His call are few, indeed.

In addition to the brilliance of God’s glory shinning on the Holy City, the walls of clear jasper and the city’s street of Gold along with the varied colors of the foundation stones, reflect the glorious light everywhere. Not only is light reflected by all the brilliant colors, the translucent stones refract or bend the rays of light creating, if possible, ever greater beauty as well.

Revelation can be understood literally. More and more of the events of John's book are being made clearer as the planet earth spins ever closer and closer to the end times. Some of the items John describes that seemed figurative a few years back are suddenly being revealed by modern science. Events from his book that could never happen are possible today because of modern warfare.

Yes, John gives you a glimpse of the Holy City as times end in Revelation. What an awe inspiring sight. Can this be real? Is John merely hallucinating? Or is John actually given his vision from God? I believe all this to be real not fabricated. I believe that I will be there to witness this fantastic beauty when it finally occurs.

Revelation and The Two Riders on White Horses

There are two riders on white horses in Revelation and at the end times. The riders are discussed in Chapters 6 and 19; however, the two riders are diametrically opposed to each other.

The first of the two riders on white horses of end times and Revelation looks like one of the good guys. He will be seen as the darling of the world. He comes to conquer and make war. However, he will take control of the world through diplomatic processes and by improving the economy of the world.

The rider on this white horse will be able to do signs and wonders—miracles—even to the point of coming back to life after being killed in an early battle. He is none other than the anti-christ, and he will confuse and take in nearly the whole world by his miracles, his diplomacy and by war.

Then the second rider on a white horse in Chapter 19:11 of Revelation is revealed. The rider on this horse is called “faithful and true.” He will make war, but he will do so in righteousness. He will only attack the followers of evil who are so closely attached to the first white horse rider.

The second rider of Chapter 19 comes for one purpose, to save His people, the Jews. He brings salvation to them, Romans 11. Jesus completes his mission of destroying the works of the anti-christ, the rider on the first white horse. The anti-christ will oppose the Jews and Christian believers. Jesus comes to save them from destruction at the hands of the anti-christ.

Don’t be fooled! You can know the rider of the second white horse now. By knowing Him you do not need to worry about the rider of the other horse!

If you have questions or comments, please leave them. We will open a dialog about your questions or comments real soon.

The Glorious End Times of Revelation

John writes in Revelation 22:20b, “. . .even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly.”

We have been adding things about Revelation and end times to our blog. Some entries make terrible descriptions of our world; while other entries are more to the positive side. Therefore, we wanted to add something real positive about Revelation.

Although John has seen visions of the destruction that man will inflict on the earth, i.e. the four horse riders of Chapter 6, here at the end of his book he encourages Jesus to let it all begin. He has seen the glories of heaven as well as the destruction of God’s creation.

With all the horrors of world destruction in mind, John wants to be with Jesus in a world that knows no pain, no suffering, no fear, no worries, only eternal bliss and beauty with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. He says, “I am ready for you to make all things new and right.”

The positive elements for you and me are that we will experience all this magnificence, glory and perfect peace when Jesus does return. Your prayer and mine should be, “Even so come quickly Lord Jesus.

At the time of which John writes of Jesus’ return, the world will be perfect because God has brought a new heaven and a new earth. He created the world perfect in the beginning, but the man, Adam, whom God created, gave God’s perfect creation to an imperfect caretaker, Satan.

Satan destroyed God’s perfect plan for a perfect creation. All this imperfection continued until Jesus died on the cross. He made a way for natural man to become a spiritual being for imperfection to become perfect (1 Corinthians 15:42-46).

When our Lord returns, you and I will see Him clearly because, “. . .we will be like Him” (1 John 3:2b). The day our imperfect vision is opened to perfection, we will see Jesus as He is and be like Him.

Our prayer is that you take comfort in this entry. We pray that you become like Him now while you have time, accept Jesus as Lord of your life, and be ready for Him when He does return.

Please leave your questions and comments and we will respond.

The Mystery of the Pale Horse Rider in Revelation and End Times

There are four riders on four different color horses in Revelation 6. All of them play an important role in the history of the end times.

As the color of each horse is significant as to the role of the rider, pale or ashen horse has the name of death and hell attributed to it. The role of this rider was to destroy one-fourth of the earth’s population with war, famine, various kinds of illnesses and wild beasts.

Therefore, the color of this horse must represent something devastating if the rider will destroy nearly six (6) billion people in a very short period of time. Therefore, let’s look closely at the color of this horse.

Accordingly, the color pale or ashen in Greek is “chlorous.” We get our English word, chlorine from this Greek word. Do you begin to see how the rider is able to carry out his task?

Chlorine gas is a very deadly gas capable of mass destruction. Exposure to 430 ppm in the air for 30 minutes will cause death. Voluntary exposure to 1 ppm by humans showed various results of the symptoms listed below.

Several pathological conditions can result from exposure to chlorine gas. Severe pulmonary edema, a condition where excessive fluid buildup occurs between tissue cells, is one condition. Pneumonia is yet another. Multiple pulmonary thromboses, blood clots in the lungs, can occur as well. Along with the above, ulcerative tracheobronchitis can happen, too.

It’s easy to see with huge population exposure to chlorine gas how the rider on the ashen horse can destroy with “various kinds of pestilences and wild beasts.” Many people won’t die right away, but will die of the conditions experienced because of the exposure and by being unable to defend themselves against wild beasts or any attackers.

Therefore, by exposing a densely populated area to the chemical, the pale horse rider can indeed accomplish his goal, i.e. destroy nearly six (6) billion people.

Now, what does color have to do with this rider? Chlorous is green! In Mark 9:39 Jesus told the people to sit on the “green grass.” And in Revelation 9:4 they are told not to destroy any green thing. In both places the word chlorous is used and translated green.

Unless you have the mind of a child, you wouldn’t believe a green horse could come riding out. Most would say, “See there! I told you the Bible can not be real. Whoever heard of a green horse?”

However, the words that modern day translators of the Bible use, “pale or ashen,” connote sickly or deathly. This rider certainly is both of these! The destruction he leaves behind will be horrific.

If you have questions or comments, please leave them, and we will get back!

Can I Understand Revelation Literally

For a long time many felt there were no examples in Revelation you could understand literally. It contained apocalyptical literature that no one can understand.

However, there are many examples whereby you can understand Revelation literally. As the world draws closer to a one world government, Revelation becomes more and more literal in its interpretation and understanding.

For example when I was a boy, the idea of being able to see the two witnesses of Revelation 11 lying in the streets of Jerusalem, was totally far fetched. However, today with the advent of satellite television, the whole world will be able to see them. I can only imagine Fox News carrying the story of their death.

The Bible tells you that you will be able to see these two witnesses when they come back to life, too. Being from eastern Kentucky, I couldn’t imagine just how I would see them in Jerusalem. I didn’t know where Jerusalem was, then. So this event mentioned in Revelation couldn’t be real; therefore, Revelation could not be understood from a literal standpoint.

However, from your vantage point over 2000 years after the book was written, you can begin to see how events in Revelation can be interpreted literally. Another place you might have struggles with earlier is the destruction of one-fourth of the population at one time. That is until the advent of modern warfare. With the invention of atomic, gaseous and bacteriological warfare, you can begin to see literally the possibilities of the anti-christ destroying that many people. Therefore today, the ability to destroy over 1.5 billion people in only a few days can happen easily.

So if a few examples of Revelation can be interpreted literally, you can begin to see that the majority of the book can have a literal translation.

Please ask questions and make comments here or email them to us.

Revelation, End Times and Today’s Global Society

With the global economic dilemma as such, Revelation and end times begin to mirror our society. The judgments of Revelation can not happen until there is a one-world government. Because of the indebtedness of most countries today, the prospects for a one-world government looms large on the horizon.

Revelation 6:1, 2, gives a vivid picture of this world leader. He comes onto the scene looking like Jesus. He rides a white horse, has a crown on his head and he carries a bow with which to conquer.

In Revelation 19:11-16, another rider on a white horse rides out of open doors in heaven. There’s no comparison to the two. The first rider is a cheap imitation of our Lord who rides out of heaven in chapter 19. Satan always tries to duplicate God’s programs, but in the end it will be Jesus who wins.

However, in chapter 6, this rider comes onto the world scene and conquers the whole world. Primarily, he does so through diplomacy and the ability to solve the world’s economic woes.

One way he will repair the economic situation of the world is with drugs. Revelation 18:23 asks the question of the political and economic Babylon, “How were you able to deceive the whole world?” Then the writer answers, “. . .through your sorceries. . .”

The Greek word for “sorceries” is pharmakos, and we get our word pharmacy from this Greek word. Therefore, the anti-christ’s economic system worked through the buying and selling and using of drugs—illegal or legal ones.

There are so many answers to our world dilemma in our book, Why Revelation, Why Now? Get your copy today!

If you have questions or comments, please leave them here!