TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Part
I
An Ignominious End
"The Name of Blasphemy"
The Dragon Gave Him Power
|
Part
II
"Wounded to Death"
"Blasphemy Against God"
"Let Him Hear" |
Part
III
"If Any Man Worship the Beast"
"Seat of the Beast"
"Euphrates"
"Desperate Times"
Armageddon, Israel's View
Armageddon, Christendom's View
City Divided in Three Parts
"Plague of Hail"
|
Part
IV
Fate of the "Beast" and
"False Prophet"
The Final Conflict
The Supper of the Great God
"The Beast Was Taken"
What Happened to the Image? |
Part III
"If Any Man Worship the
Beast"
"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man
worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out
without mixture into the cup of his indignation." Revelation 14:9, 10
The story of the leopard "beast" is picked up briefly
here, and God speaks His mind about any who may be willing to "worship the beast and
his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand."
The Lord makes it clear that such would share in the judgments and
"plagues" coming upon Babylon. This message is not given at the moment the
pressure is mounting for the Lord’s people to "worship the beast" or
anything associated with it. Rather this message was given long before the Lord’s
people were put upon to cooperate in any sense with papal or Protestant movements.
This message by our Lord was preached early in the
Harvest and then
clearly addressed in THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON. The author of
this book not only addressed this matter in the book itself, but in both the 1912 and 1916 Forewords. It is
very much a part of the Harvest message. The warnings were and are generously posted.
Some may conclude that because these things have not happened yet,
the danger is past. Others may mistakenly believe and teach that all these things have
vaguely happened already, and that, therefore, the danger is past. It is almost certain
that neither of these viewpoints is correct.
Getting the victory over the leopard beast and its image is something
very big, bigger than the victory of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Remember how they
refused to bow before Nebuchadnezzar’s image?
Nebuchadnezzar's Image
on the Plain of Dura |
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace |
Not only were these three heroes of faith delivered, but also the
God whom they worshipped became exalted in the eyes of both Nebuchadnezzar and the people.
It became clear to all the people that these three Hebrews were servants of the living
God.
This is important to the story, because at some point those who are the
servants of the living God will become known for this special relationship. This will not
happen until the saints distinguish themselves for not worshipping the beast and its
image.
Yes, the saints will get the "victory over the beast, and over his
image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name." (Revelation 15:2) This is
a very big and significant victory.
Not all who know the Divine Plan will be victorious over the beast
and its image. Victory will belong only to the "overcomers" among the
Lord’s people. The test will not only involve certain knowledge and understanding,
but, more importantly, the courage and strength to stand for principle in the face of
enormous pressure to compromise.
Only those who have lived daily and hourly near to the Lord may hope to
be victorious. Our lives are built around the idea of yielding to others in many ways
where no principle is involved. Suddenly, the Lord’s people will be entreated to
yield to the beast and its image to show not an agreement in doctrine, but rather that we
stand for law and order.
We certainly do not wish to be on the side of anarchists. But then,
neither did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego wish to anger the king. He had been good to
them. He had given them many privileges and a good life. They did not wish to seem
disloyal either.
However, they could not worship the image set up on the plains of Dura.
(Daniel 3:1-30) They were in a "shotgun" arrangement. Either yield to the
king’s will, or die. They were victorious. They did not bow, and they did not burn,
and they were not demoted. They became known as servants of their own "God."
The Fifth "Vial" Poured
Out
on the "Seat of the Beast"
"And the fifth angel poured out his vial [bowl] upon the seat of the
beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
"And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and
repented not of their deeds." Revelation 16:10, 11
This papal beast is still parading around as the vicegerent of
Christ with the largest following of professed Christians. How could something so big, so
influential, so prosperous, held in such high esteem by the great people of earth,
suddenly have its lights go out? It does not seem possible, but the word of the Lord tells
us its "kingdom was full of darkness." The fifth plague accomplishes God’s
purpose.
Papacy's Kingdom
Was Full of Darkness
|
The Sixth "Vial" Poured
Out
upon the "Euphrates"
"And the sixth angel poured out his vial
[bowl] upon the great river
Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east [kings
from the sunrising] might be prepared." Revelation 16:12
Not only is the papal kingdom filled with darkness, but the
"river Euphrates" composed of "peoples, nations and tongues" is
diverted from "Babylon." The support of the people that gave her strength and
wealth and prominence is suddenly dried up.
Literal Babylon did not fall over a long period of time. It fell in one
night. While there has been a steady drain of Babylon’s credibility, at no point in
the past has her support dried up. She presently claims a greater following than in any
time of history. This does not secure it.
When it was asked "Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make
war with him?" they never thought that Christ would take up this challenge.
(Revelation 13:4) Christ heard this boast in heaven, and when his appointed time comes he
will make a short work of this beast.
City of Babylon
|
Babylon is symbolic of a city or a government. Likewise, the papal
beast shows the influence of the Catholic Church as a government in the earth. It is
necessary to view the Catholic Church from two standpoints.
It is first a body of professed followers of Christ with an earthly
head. It has become the greatest world religion, probably because it provides religion as
many like it. It must be viewed for its great political power and strength because of the
massive following. No one with such a power block of people behind it can be ignored. It
has used the governments of earth throughout its long reign.
At times kings trembled before the papal power. It could pit one
government against another. It led crusades to take the Holy Land. Without a large army of
its own, it exercised more power than many kings upon their thrones did. Its success as a
government came about through the god of this world, the prince of darkness. Its demise
will result because of the waning power of the devil to hold together his kingdom of
darkness. The collapse of the papal powers will signal the complete binding of Satan.
Desperate Times
Require Desperate Measures
"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the
dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
"For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the
kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day
of God Almighty. …
"And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue
Armageddon." Revelation 16:13-16
Suddenly the papal beast, along with the dragon [Rome under the
devil] and the false prophet [the Church of England and Ireland and possibly what is left
of the image of the beast], find themselves in desperate circumstances, which call for
desperate measures. They decide to place their fortunes on a plan to settle the
Middle-East situation which will have become a "trembling cup" to the nations.
When a gambler "bets the house," it means that it is all or
nothing. So these three desperate powers, the dragon, the beast and the false prophet,
make their supreme bid to gain back their power and influence. Disaster awaits them. The
Lord of glory is laughing in the "heavens" as they make their last stand as did
"Custer."
"Armageddon" from
Israel’s Vantage Point
Great battles were fought on the plains of Megiddo in Israel. It is
fitting that the final battle of the age should begin there. There the enemies of God and
also of natural Israel will enter into a baited trap.
Plains of Megiddo
in Israel
Where Many Decisive Battles
Were Fought
|
Two accounts of this final battle are given. The first account is
given in Ezekiel 38, telling the story from the standpoint of natural Israel. We are told
that "Gog" and "Magog" come against the land of Israel with a large
and overwhelming force.
When the cause of Israel seems all but lost, God intervenes, mightily
destroying this invading host. This will send shock waves back into the Christian world.
When they suggested a solution for Israel’s problems, little did they realize their
plans would utterly fail and cause the wrath of nations and people to be vented upon
them—Christendom.
"Armageddon" from the
Vantage Point
of Christendom
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial [bowl] into the air; and
there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is
done." Revelation 16:17
The timing of this verse is very important. Just as the forces of
the world descend upon natural Israel to the "Armageddon" battle, the last
"plague" is poured out on the "air." This will expose the papal
beast and the false prophet as tools of Satan.
Their claim to represent God will collapse when the forces they blessed
fail in Israel. This last "plague" message leaves them without any cover
or subterfuge under which to hide. This unholy coalition of beast—false prophet—dragon
will collapse not only because of the defeat suffered in Israel, but also because they are
seen to be in league with the devil and his angels.
The expression "It is done" is very similar to Jesus’
words on the cross, "It is finished." It is the same "great voice out of
the temple" that speaks in Revelation 16:1 that is engaged here. Yes, the same voice
that directed the "seven last plagues" to go forth from the "temple"
here proclaims, "It is done."
Elijah pictures
the "Little Flock."
Elisha pictures
the "Great Company." |
This will "finish" the "plagues." It will also witness the remaining
saints being taken as Elijah was by the "whirlwind."
The "little flock" will be completed and taken to
glory. The New Creation will be complete or "done."
Only the Great Company will remain. Joseph’s "silver
cup" will have been planted in their care.
This means they will understand the truth about natural Israel’s
place in the Holy Land.
They will have spoken out against this doomed invasion to deaf ears.
|
As
the world sees the churches to be in league with Satan, the Great
Company will find themselves standing for Christ while the Christian
community has fallen into disrepute. As howling masses turn upon
Christendom, the Great Company will have to stand for Christ when
everything is falling around them. It is here as a company that they
shall wash their "robes, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:14)
"The Great City Was
Divided into Three Parts"
"And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great
earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so
great.
"And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations
fell; and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the
wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
"And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found." Revelation
16:18-20
The world will realize how it had been exploited by these false
systems. There will be angry voices from many sources, and thunder and lightning, symbolic
of the outrage and flashes of anger causing the masses to turn upon Babylon.
The "great earthquake" here is probably closely paralleled by
the "great shaking in the land of Israel." (Ezekiel 38:19) It is not likely that
there are two such great earthquakes. Rather, Ezekiel presents this shaking with the
invasion of "Gog and Magog," whereas Revelation 16:18 refers to the same event
from Christendom’s vantage point. This "earthquake" will involve the whole
world. This will be the "Armageddon" crash that the Lord’s people have been
looking for.
As the earth trembles from this massive quake, the great city
is "divided into three parts." The coalition of the beast—false prophet—dragon
collapses. Their cover has been blown, and they stand no longer as God’s servants,
but as objects of hatred and scorn.
We notice that all seven plagues are said to contain the "wrath of
God upon the earth." Yet it is not until this last plague is delivered and the great
"earthquake" begins that we read: "Babylon came in remembrance before God,
to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath." It is Babylon
that is singled out to receive the "fierceness of his wrath."
We are not told here of what ultimately befalls the beast and the
false prophet. That remains to be told in Revelation 19. However, it is quite evident that
the collapse of these systems does occur here, and all that remains is to consume the
substance of these systems of deception.
The reader must realize that God waited very long and very patiently
before matters came to this terrible state described in Revelation 16. When "every
island [republic]" flees away and the "mountains" (kingdoms) collapse, that
certainly brings us to the dreaded period of anarchy on a world scale.
"Every island [republic] fled away, and the
mountains [kingdoms] were not found [collapsed]."
Revelation 16:20
|
The "Plague of Hail"
"And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight
of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague
thereof was exceeding great." Revelation 16:21
Those who basked in power and privilege as civil or religious
leaders are finally called into account before a world which has lost all respect for
these misguided leaders. The French Revolution was a miniature of this great and final
"earthquake." It is not during this falling of the large "hail" of
hardened truths that the world is brought to repentance.
"The plague of the hail
[hardened truths]...was exceeding great."
Revelation 16:21
|
The loss of law and order, the loss of respect by
mankind in general, will see men filled with anger while they blaspheme God because of the
"hail." There is a lot of sin and wickedness not limited to civil rulers and
religious leaders.
All who have practiced iniquity will find themselves being exposed and
scorned. The Lord intervenes to say, "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be
exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalms 46:10). Then the
nations and peoples will come to their senses. At last the world will listen to the
"still small voice" (1 Kings 19:12) of the Lord speaking.
