Hi John,
I just want to give you a very important key point in the book of revelation that will somehow give you another idea of the timeline for the book of Revelation. I came to you for I trust your in depth understanding of scriptures and your zeal in studying prophecy for so many years. I have been a prophecy student for only six years now and I hope this will not be a cause to ignore my different view on the timeline. I am just hoping that you would help me debunk my view and convince me that I am wrong, My intention is really to find the truth and have this truth shared to others especially during this deceptive end times.
First of, here is my understanding of the Tribulation period:
Jer. 30:3-7 does not say that the time of Jacob's trouble is 7 years.
The first 3.5 years was already fulfilled by Jesus Christ as described in Daniel 9:27. Through the death of Jesus, the sacrifice and offering was abolished. On the east wing of the temple, the abomination and desolation referred to here is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Daniel 11:31,32 is where the Antichrist will appear at the Temple to desecrate it by his armies, and to set up the abomination and desolation, and this is the one that Jesus warned us of on Matthew 24:15. Jesus confirms His Holy Covenant for 1 seven, the remaining half will be in the future. In the case of the Antichrist, he will forsake and vent his fury on the Holy Covenant for 3.5 years, Daniel 11:30, his version of Daniel 9:27. Remember that Satan will counterfeit all that is prophesied in the end times to make the antichrist appear as the messiah. The 7 years of tribulation view is being promoted by Satan maybe because there will be a 3.5 years fake tribulation and a dummy antichrist.
In order that I will not somehow offend others or create an uproar in case you will post this to Five Doves, here is biblical principle to guide us:
Matthew 16:15-17
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
Six verses after...
Matthew 16:23
Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."
The same mouth that glorified Jesus Christ is the same mouth that insulted Jesus Christ. Most of the time we put ourselves in Peter's shoes.
So you see, not all truths or revelation are given all to just one prophecy student. We are all vessels and channels of God's truth and revelation depending on the nature of our heart's desires. Let us help one another to put the puzzle pieces together as one Body of Christ.
If we are searching for truth to proved that we are right, there is a certain kind of spirit that guides our understanding of scriptures. But if we are searching for the truth to gain knowledge, wisdom, and freedom, for us and for others too, then that is another kind of spirit.
Now here is my take on the Half Hour Silence in Heaven which will make an entirely different view on the timeline of Revelation:
1. 1 John 2:18, Dear children, this is the LAST HOUR; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, EVEN NOW many antichrists have come. THIS IS HOW we know it is the LAST HOUR.
2. Revelation 8:1,When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about HALF AN HOUR.
We know that the writer of 1John and Revelation is John the Apostle. It is obvious that John holds the same understanding of what hour was to him both for the above scriptures that he revealed. So is it safe to assume that the LAST HOUR that he is telling us is 2,000 years in duration assuming that the antichrist will appear in our time? Does HALF AN Hour could mean then as 1,000 years? If so, then it could probably mean that the HALF AN HOUR silence in Heaven is the Millennium. What do you think?
So with this key point, definitely the timeline will be entirely different from the popular and prevailing ones. Please bear with me as I present to you my timeline:
Seals 1 to 4 begun at Ascencion/Pentecost and continuous on up to the end of Seal 6, which is the great tribulation (As Jesus described that wars, death from wild animals, economic woes, famines, pestilence, earthquakes will continue on before the end). the Bowl Judgement and Armageddon happening within it. Rev. 6:1-8,13-17
Seal 5 begun from death of Stephen up to the last Saint to be martyred in the Great Tribulation. Rev. 6:9-12
Seal 7 as i explained above, begins at the start of the millennium Rev. 8. The silence in Heaven is the millennium, a thousand year of peace. At the end of the millennium, Satan will be released from the Abyss (Rev. 20:7) to deceive the nations again.
Trumpets 1 to 4 happens at the end of the millennium, it is the destruction of a third of trees, grass, sea, waters, and a third of the celestial objects are struck.
Trumpet 5 is when Satan was released from the Abyss and Locust-Like Creatures torturing those who does not have the seal of God on their foreheads (entirely different from those with the mark of the beast on their foreheads which were described in the bowl judgement happening at the end of the great tribulation, while those who are sealed by God were present at the Great Tribulation and lived on through the Millennium).
Trumpet 6 is Gog and Magog to kill a third of mankind, led by Satan. Ezekiel 38.
The Angel and the Little Scroll Rev. 10, which is entirely different from the Scroll and the Lamb of Rev. 5, is about PROPHESYING AGAIN by the Two Witness at the end of the millennium. Probably Moses and Elijah could be them, their Spirit indwelt on the two prophet that will be anointed on that time. ( Like John the Baptist having the Spirit of Elijah)
SOULS under the ALTAR, because they are still on earth/grave Rev. 6:9 (Heaven is my throne and the Earth is my footstool), is different from the SAINTS on the GOLDEN ALTAR before the Throne, because they are already in the Millennium Rev. 8:3,4
The Saints will be the Royal Priesthood during the Millennium Rev. 20:6, Jesus Christ as their King. They were not judged yet but they were given authority to judge Rev. 20:4. The Saints will only then become kings over the nations after they received their crowns at the Great White Throne Judgement Rev. 21:24.
The Two Witness, I believe are the ones who will cause all the plagues of the Trumpets Judgement at the end of the Millennium. (Like during the time of Moses, and again this time the Remnant Israel will witness it again) Rev 11:4-6
Trumpet 7 is the Great White Throne Judgement, Rev.11:15-19, Rev. 20:11-14 , the second resurrection, where the dead will be judged(sheep and goat, based on Works written in the books that were opened and on the names that were written in the Book of Life), and the saints and prophets judged for their rewards (crowns will be given to them). Judgement Seat of Christ (termed by Paul) and The Great White Throne (termed by John) is the same. Throne and Seat is the same in meaning. (John and Paul, during their time, were not given the opportunity to collaborate on this, given their situations)
What makes Seven Bowls different from the Seven Trumpet that made it appear happening in two different timelines? Here are my keypoints.
Bowls happens at the Great Tribulation / Trumpets happens at the end of the Millennium
Bowls : Mark of the Beast
Trumpets: Those who does not have the Seal of God (No mention of mark of the beast)
Bowls : Beast and False Prophet
that come out from the Sea/Earth
Dragon hurled DOWN from Heaven
Rev. 12 & 13
Trumpets: Angel(Satan) of the Abyss / Beast (Satan) that come UP
from the Abyss (Rev. 20) Apollyon, Abaddon
Bowls : No mention of Abyss
Trumpets: Abyss mentioned Thrice.
Bowls : Gog and Magog in Armageddon Ez. 39
Seven Years of Burning Weapons and
Seven Months of Burying carried over
through the Millennium,God’s Holy Name made known to Israel
Corpse given to the Birds
Trumpets: Gog and Magog Ez.38, Unwalled City,
People living in Safety, Recovered from War,God’s Holy Name made known to the NationsNo Mention of Corpse given to Birds
Bowls : Before Armageddon, Dead in Christ/Saints came to life Rev. 16:15,the rest of the dead did not come to life Rev. 20:5
so they were not judged yet.
This is the First Resurrection
Trumpets: White Throne Judgement, Rev. 20:11
Time to judge the Dead and Reward the Saints and the Prophets, Rev. 11:18
This is the Second Resurrection
Bowls : Tremendous earthquake, cursed God Rev.16:17-20Trumpets: Severe Earthquake, gave Glory to God Rev. 11:13
I placed the Resurrection of the Dead in Christ and the Rapture of the Alive in Christ in between the Sixth Bowl and the Seventh Bowl. Here are the Key Verses:
Rev. 21:9 is about The New Jerusalem, the Bride, the Wife (Married already) of the Lamb (this is after the end of the Millennium, and start of the New Heaven and New Earth)
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
(I hope you don't have another bride in mind, like what pretribbers did to Matthew 24:29,30, making it the second rapture/resurrection, which they say is still an integral part of the first resurrection of Rev. 20. Jesus will get His Bride one time only, not several times)
Question:
Why does it have to be ONE OF THE SEVEN ANGELS WHO HAD THE SEVEN BOWLS, be the one appointed by Jesus to show to John the Bride? Why not one of the seven angels who had the trumpets?
Answer:
Checkout Rev. 16:12-15
12 THE SIXTH ANGEL POUR OUT HIS BOWL on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.
15 “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake (WISE VIRGINS? AND/OR THE WEDDING GUESTS?) and remains clothed (OIL/HOLY SPIRIT), so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” Matthew 22
Please study who is the Bride. Make a comparison on the description of the 144,000 as the Bride and as Virgins in its natural and spiritual sense, then the description of the New Jerusalem in its sense of 12's. Study also who are the Wedding Guests and who are the Nations that will be ruled by the kings (Saints?) in the New Heaven and New Earth.
The Book of Revelation is the story of God's plan of salvation, grace, and justice to humanity in the end times and through eternity. This is where we can truly see the big picture. Match it with Jesus Christ's Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24. Then the 10 Virgins (144,000/Tribulation Saints?), the Talents of the Servants (Wedding Guests/Dead in Christ?), The Sheep and the Goats (Risen Dead judged and saved in the White Throne Judgement/The Nations in New Heaven and New Earth?) in Matthew 25.
I hope this one makes sense to you, though this one is a new and radical view of eschatology, and I have not encountered of anything like this through my searches in so many prophecy websites I visited. I would appreciate your comment and more importantly, your loving correction of this view.
Your Brother In Christ,
Eaglet