A Revelation of Jesus Christ
          A Study Guide with Wuest NT Text

  1:1. A revelation belonging to Jesus Christ, which God [the Father] 
gave to Him to make known to His bond-servants, things which must come 
to pass with swiftness: and communicated [them] through His messenger 
sent to His bond-servant John,
  1:2 Who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus 
Christ, everything that he saw.
  1:3. Happy is he who reads in the worship service and those who hear 
the words of this prophecy and pay attention to the things written in 
it, for the appointed time is near.
  1:4. John to the seven assemblies that are in Asia, from Him who is 
and who was and who is to come [the Father]; and from the seven 
Spirits who are before His throne; (cf. 3:1, 4:5; the word seven indicating 
the ministries belonging to God, the Holy Spirit, and third person of 
the tri-unity)
  1:5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn out 
from among the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him
who loved us and freed us from our sins by His blood, (describing 
things related to His humanity)
  1:6 and who made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him 
[be] the glory and the power into the ages of the ages. Amen.
  1:7 Consider this. He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will 
observe Him [with understanding], even those who pierced Him [i.e. 
Israel]; and all the people of the earth [Gentiles] will mourn because 
of Him. Yes, indeed. Amen.
  1:8 "[As for myself,] I AM the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord 
God [the Son], the One who is, who was and who is coming, the 
Omnipotent One [describing things related to His deity].
  1:9. I, John, the one who is your brother and fellow-participant in 
the suffering and the kingdom and patient endurance [which are in] 
Jesus [Christ,] was on the island called Patmos because of the word of 
God and the testimony concerning Jesus [to which I bore witness].
  1:10 I was in the spirit [rational mind] on the Lord's day [Sunday, 
resurrection day], and I heard behind me a great voice like a trumpet,
  1:11 saying, "What you see, write in a book, and send [it] to the 
seven [local] assemblies: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamos 
and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."
  1:12. And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And
having turned around I saw seven golden lampstands;
  1:13 and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man 
[i.e., human], wearing a long robe and wrapped around the breast with 
a gold belt.
  1:14 and His head and His hair were white like wool, white like 
snow; and His eyes like a flame of fire;
  1:15 and His feet were like polished brass refined in a furnace; and 
His voice like a voice of many waters.
  1:16 Also He has in His right hand seven stars; and out of His mouth 
comes a sword, double-edged, sharp; and His face is shining like the 
sun in its strength.
  1:17 and when I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man, and He 
placed His right hand upon me, saying, "Stop fearing. [As for 
myself], I am the first and the last,
  1:18 and the living One; and I became dead, and consider this, I am
alive into the ages of the ages. And I have the keys of death and of 
Hades [the unseen].
  1:19 "Write [at once] therefore the things which you have seen, and 
the things which are, and the things which are destined to take place 
after these [aforementioned] things.
  1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw upon my right 
hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the 
messengers [pastors] of the seven assemblies, and the seven lampstands 
are the seven [local] assemblies.


          Letters to the Seven Assemblies

          1.  Addressed specificly to the Pastor
          2.  Broadens out from the pastor to anyone who can hear
          3.  Church probably reflects pastor

     Ephesus: Apostolic, Penticost to 100 A.D.
     1.  plurality of pastors Acts 20:17-38 
     2.  I and II Timothy, Revelation indicate one

  2:1. "To the messenger/pastor of the assembly at Ephesus write [at 
once]: These things says He who is holding the seven stars [1:16,20] 
in His right hand, He who is walking about in the midst of the seven 
golden lampstands [1:12,13,20]. (Pastor didn't realize he was 
answerable to Christ; also, Christ is to be manifested by the 
assembly]
  2:2 I know with absolute clearness [omniscience] your [the pastor]
works and labor and steadfast endurance [under trials], and that you 
[singular] are not able to tolerate [men] lacking character, and have 
put to the test those calling themselves apostles and they are not, 
and you [s] found them to be liars. [John last apostle; false failed 
test pastor gave; cf. 2 Corinthians 12:12, 3 kinds of miracles]
  2:3 And you [s] have steadfastly endured and tolerated [persecution] 
on account of my name, and you [s] have not become weary [discouraged 
in mind].
  2:4 But I have [this] against you [s], that your [s] first love [for 
me] you [s] left behind [forsook, neglected]. cf. 1 John 4:19-21; John 
13:34,35; 1 John 2:15-17; 3:16-18
  2:5 Be remembering, therefore, from where you [s] have fallen, and 
[at once] repent [have a change of mind], and do the first works, and 
if not, I am coming to you [s] quickly and will remove your lampstand 
out of its place if you [s]  don't repent [change your mind/way of 
thinking].
  2:6 Yet this you [s] do have, that you  [s] hate the works of the 
Nicolaitans which I also hate. [nikao, conquer; laos, people; 
people-conquerors, elevated clergy]
  2:7 He who has ears, let him hear [at once] what the Spirit is 
saying to the assemblies. To the one overcoming, I will give to him to 
eat from the tree of the life which is in the paradise of God. 
[paradise, cf. 2 Corinthians 12:2-4; cp. 5:1-5 intermediate bodies;
until rapture, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; glorified body; 1 Corinthians 
15:50-54; see also 1 John 3:2-3]. [overcomer, see 1 John 5:4,5]

     Smyrna: Myrrh, Persecution, 100-300 A.D.
     Myrrh must be crushed to give fragrance.

  2:8 "And to the messenger/pastor of the assembly in Smyrna write [at
once]: These things says the First and the Last [not given first place 
in thinking], He who became dead and lived again [cf. 1:17,18; failed 
to emphasize His resurrected state], 
  2:9 I know [omniscience] your [s] tribulation and poverty 
[materially]. But you [s] are rich [spiritually]. And I know the 
slander/blasphemy that emanates from those who say they are Jews 
[say they are under Law] and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
[All heresy puts one under Law, would make you a Jew in some way.
cf. Romans 11 for our attitude toward Jews.]
  2:10 Stop fearing [Satanic attack] the things which you [s] are 
about to be suffering. Consider this. The devil is about to be casting 
some of you [pl] into prison, in order that you [pl] may be tested 
[for the purpose of determining what good or evil may be in you. cf. 
2 Cor. 5:10]. And you [pl] will have tribulation ten days [periods of 
time; literal, not letteral]. Be becoming [increasingly] faithful 
[through these testings] to the extent of [suffering a martyr's] 
death, and I will give you [s] the crown [victor's] of the life 
[eternal; not a martyr's crown but for overcoming temptation and being 
faithful. cf. James 1:12] 
  Other crowns: incorruptable 1 cor 9:25; rejoicing php 2:19; 
righteousness 2 tim 4:8; glory 1 pet 5:4
  2:11 He who has ears, let him hear [at once] what the Spirit is 
saying to the assemblies. He who overcomes shall in no way be hurt by 
the second death [spiritual death, separation from God's presence, 
eternally in the lake of fire].

     Pergamos: Thoroughly Married -- to the world -- 300-500 A.D.
     316 -- Constantine declares Christianity state church -- ENTER -- 

     Worldly standards of judgment vs. Biblical standards of judgment

  2:12 "And to the messenger/pastor of the assembly in Pergamos write
[at once]: These things says He who has the sharp, two-edged sword, 
[Word] cp. 19:13, Jn 5:24, 12:48; [failing to exercise judgment; 
hypocrites the ones not to judge; we must exercise discernment based 
on the Word; bad doctrine begets bad doctrine! Sword, long, broad, 
heavy, two-edged, romfaia; cf. 1:16 2:12, 2:16, 6:8, 19:15, 21; 
symbolic of judgment; makaira, short, Roman, two-edged; 6:4, 13:10 
2x, 14.]
  The "word" separates believers from condemnation and conformity! cf.
Rom. 12:2, 8:1; 1 Pet. 1:23; Heb. 4:12
  Pergamos: wealthy, center for idolatrous worship; Zeus, Athena, 
Dionysus, Asclepius -- built first temple for worship of divine 
Emperor [Augustus] 29 BC; Magian cult came there from Babylon, (source 
of mother-child cult; cf. Gen. 10, Nimrod [cf. Sumerimus]), high 
priest called chief bridge-builder (pontifex maximus [Julius Caesar 
elected to position])
  2:13 "I know with absolute clearness your [s] works, and where you
[s] settled down and have your [s] dwelling place [katoikeis], where 
the throne of Satan is located. Yet you [s] are holding fast My name 
and did not deny your [s] faith in Me even in the days of Antipas, My
witness, My faithful one, who was murdered among you [pl], where Satan 
settled down and has his dwelling place (could imply Emperor worship;
Domitian made it the touch stone of civic loyalty there).
  Romans 12:1 I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of 
God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to 
God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be 
conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your 
mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good 
and acceptable and perfect.
  [paroikos -- stranger, so-journer; 1pet. 1:17, 2:11; Heb. 11:9]
  We are to be pilgrims and strangers: cf. Php 3:20 "For our 
citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a 
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our 
humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the 
exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to 
Himself. 
  Col 1:11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious 
might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the 
inheritance of the saints in Light.
  [cf. Abraham Heb. 11:8-10; Lot Gen. 13:9-13) See also parepidhmos:
  Heb. 11:13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, 
but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and 
having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
  1 Pet. 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain 
from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
  2:14 But I have a few things against you [s], because you [s] have 
in that place men clinging to the teaching of Balaam [moral 
compromise] who taught Balak to place a stumbling-block [an 
enticement to sin] before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed 
to idols and to commit fornication [probably spiritual; cf. James 4:4.
Abuse of Christian liberty; cf. 1 cor 8-10; rom 14-15; gal 5:13]. cp.
  2 Pet 2:15 [covetousness] forsaking the right way, they have gone 
astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the [son] of Beor, who 
loved the wages of unrighteousness.]
  2:15 Even so you[s] have some that cling in the same way to the 
teaching of the Nicolaitans. [people conquerors]
  2:16 Therefore, have a change of mind, at once. And if you [s] do 
not, I am coming to you [s] suddenly and will war against Them with 
the sword [word] of My mouth. [seen in history and prophetic; cf. 
Rev 19:15, 21; some "representatives" of church during tribulation.]
  2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to 
the assemblies. To the one who gains the victory [overcomer], I will 
give to him of the Hidden Manna [Christ; cf. Jn 6:32, 54, 57; literal 
not letteral, but mental absorption], and I will give him a white 
stone [of personal endearment]; and--written upon the stone and known 
only to him who receives it-- a new name.


     THYATIRA: Compromising, Tolerant, Continual Sacrifice/institution 
               of the mass and papacy; 500 A.D. - Tribulation
               Pergamos historically swallowed by Thyatira spiritually

  Thyatira, commercial center; many special craft guilds, potters,
tanners, dyers, bronze workers; each having their own idol to worship
[Lydia cf Acts 16:14]

  2:18 And to the messenger/pastor of the assembly in Thyatira write
[at once]: These things says the Son of God (DEITY, cf 1:13 humanity), 
He who has eyes like a flame of fire [omniscient], and whose feet are 
like polished brass [omnipotent].
  2:19 "I know with absolute clearness your [s] works and love and 
faith and ministration/service and patient endurance, and your [s] 
works which last ones are more than the first. (cp 2:4, love)
  2:20 "But I have this against you [s]. (cp 2:2b test) You [s] are
tolerating the woman Jezebel who is calling herself a prophetess who 
teaches and leads astray My bondservants to commit fornication and to 
eat things sacrificed to idols. (eat, sacrifice/spiritual fornication)
(Christian liberty is not license! cf 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, 8:1-13)
  2:21 "And I gave her a temporary reprieve in order that she might 
have a change of mind. And she does not want to change her mind about 
her fornication. (porneia: adultery, normal ilicit sex; fornication, 
any kind)
  2:22 "Consider this. I am casting her into a bed, and those who 
commit adultery with her, into great tribulation, if they do not have 
a change of mind, coming out of her deeds. 
  2:23 "Also I will kill her children with [physical] death (already 
spiritually dead). And all the assemblies shall come to know 
experientially that, as for Myself, I am He who searches the minds 
and hearts. And I will give to you [pl] according to your [pl] 
deeds/works. (cp 20:12, great white throne judgment of unsaved)
  2:24. "But to you [pl] I am saying, the rest who are in 
thyatira, all who are not holding this teaching, who have not known 
experientially the deep things of Satan, as they call them; I am not 
casting on you [pl] another burden/[the tribulation].
  2:25 "nevertheless, what you already have, cling to until that time 
whenever I may come. (faithful awaiting rapture; first church to 
receive rapture promise)
     Promises given only to this church  before call to hear.
  2:26 "And he who gains the victory [overcomes by faith] and 
safeguards/keeps My works until the end [when I come], I will give to
him authority over the nations [millennial reign],
  2:27 "And he shall shepherd them with an iron scepter; as vessels 
made of clay they are shattered, as I also have received from My
Father. (Psalm 2:9) (He shares with us His authority)
  2:28 "And I will give him the morning star. (Bridegroom with bride)
  2:29 "He who has ears, let him hear [at once] what the Spirit is 
saying to the assemblies.


     SARDIS: The sleeping church -- Deadness in the Church -- 
             1500 A.D. - -Tribulation -- City almost impregnable,
             not watchful; mother godess Cybele, worshippers to wear 
             clean, white robes, practiced vile orgies;
             Gifts: Holy Spirit, Word: Jn 14:16; Ep 3:16-19; 1Th 2:13
             Heb 4:12,13

  rev 3:1. And to the messenger/pastor of the assembly in Sardis write 
[at once]: These things says He who has the seven Spirits [= Holy 
Spirit] of God and the seven stars/pastors. I know with absolute 
clearness your [s] works, that you [s] have a reputation that you [s] 
are alive. And yet you [s] are dead. (probably carnal, rather than an 
unbeliever; cp 2 Tim. 3:5; see also, Romans 8:5-9)
  REV 3:2 Be becoming watchful and alert, and stabilize at once the
remaining things which were about to die, for I have found no works of
yours [s] that have been brought to a state of completeness in the 
sight of My God. (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thess. 5:19; cf Ephesians 5:14-18)
  (judgment of believer's works cf 1Co. 3:12-15; 2Co 5:10) 
     FURTHER RESPONSIBILITY
(pastor and the Word, Jn 21:15; Assembly and the Word Rom 16:25-26)
  REV 3:3 Be remembering, therefore, in what way you [s] have received 
[the Spirit as a permanent deposit] and in what way you [s] heard 
[the truth], and be safeguarding [it, true doctrine], and have a 
change of mind [at once]. If then you [s] do not watch, I will come 
like a thief [cf 1 Thess. 5:2], and you [s] will by no means know what 
kind of an hour I will come upon you [s]. (The need to live the 
spirit-controlled life in light of the imminent return of Christ for 
the Church / rapture. "Unsaved church" LEFT BEHIND in Tribulation.)
  rev 3:4. But you [s] have a few names in Sardis who did not defile 
their garments. And they shall walk [in fellowship] with me in white
[garments] because they are worthy. (cp Rev. 4:4; 19:14; 3:18)
  REV 3:5 He who gains the victory shall in that manner be arrayed in
white garments. And I will positively not erase his name from the scroll
of the life (cf Jn 10:28,29; Rom 8:38,39). And I will openly confess 
his name before my Father and before His angels (cf Hebrews 2:	11-13; 
1 Thessalonians 3:13).
  REV 3:6 He who has ears, let him hear at once what the Spirit is
saying to the assemblies.

     Philadelphia: Church of Brotherly Affection:  1750 A.D. - Rapture
                   Missionary Church

  rev 3:7. And to the messenger/pastor of the assembly in 
Philadelphia write [at once]: These things says the Holy/separated 
One, He who is genuine/true, He who has the key of David (Isa 22:22),
He who opens and no one shall shut, and who shuts and no one opens.
  REV 3:8 I know with absolute clearness your works. Consider this. I
have given [you] as a permanent possession a door which has been
permanently opened, which no one is able to close; because you have but
a small amount of power, and you safeguarded my word by carefully
observing it, and you did not deny my Name.
  REV 3:9 Consider this. I give [to you] certain ones of the synagogue
of Satan, certain ones of those who profess to be Jews and are not, but
are lying. (cf John 8:41-47) Consider this. I will make them that they 
shall come and prostrate themselves at your feet and offer you their 
homage and humble respect. And they shall come to know experientially that, as for myself,
I loved you. (cf Philippians 2:10,11; perhaps the great white throne)

  rev 3:10. Because you safeguarded [terew] the Word by observing it, 
which to observe requires the endurance which is mine, as for myself, 
I also will safeguard [terew] you from the hour of the trial which is 
destined to be coming upon the entire inhabited earth to put to the 
test those who dwell upon the earth.

  rev 3:11. I am coming suddenly. Be holding fast [clinging to] that 
which you have in order that no one takes your victor's crown.

  REV 3:12 The one who gains the victory, I will make him a pillar in
the inner sanctuary of my God. And he shall by no means go out any more.
And I will write upon him the Name of my God and the name of the city of
my God, the Jerusalem new in quality which comes down out of heaven from
my God, also my Name, the one new in quality.

  REV 3:13 He who has ears, let him hear at once what the Spirit is
saying to the assemblies.

     LAODECIA:  = The Rights of the People or Judgment of the People:
                Democratic:  The Lukewarm Church - 1850 - Tribulation
                
     Description of Christ
  rev 3:14. And to the messenger/pastor of the assembly in Laodicea 
write [at once]: These things says the Amen [truth], the witness who 
is trustworthy and dependable, the originating source of the creation 
of God. (The Beginner of, not the beginning/first of, creation)
     Condemnation
  REV 3:15 I know with absolute clearness your works, that you are
neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot. (carnal? Lost?)

  REV 3:16 Thus, because you are lukewarm [indifferent] and neither 
hot nor cold, I am about to vomit you out of my mouth. (Greek emeoo,
from which we get the word emetic)

  rev 3:17. Because you are saying, I am wealthy [in this world's 
goods] and have gotten [spiritual] riches and have need of not even 
one thing, and because you do not have a clear and absolute knowledge 
of the fact that, as for you, you are the wretched one: also an object 
of pity, and are poverty-stricken and blind and naked, (condition of the lost)

  rev 3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold [cf 1:13] refined in the 
fire in order that you may be wealthy, and white garments [cf 3:4,5] 
in order that you may clothe yourself and in order that your shameful 
nakedness may not be made manifest, and eye-salve to rub on your eyes 
in order that you may 'be seeing'--[Work of Spirit; John 16:8-11]. 
(cf Isaiah 55:1; Acts 16:31; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; solution for lost)
     Dealing With Those of Whom He Is Fond
  rev 3:19. As for myself, as many as I am fond of, I reprove so as to
bring out conviction and confession, and I discipline, correct, and
guide [cf Hebrews 12:4-10]. Be constantly zealous, therefore, and have 
a change of mind at once. (see also 2 Timothy 2:11-13)

  REV 3:20 Consider this. [Now speaking to the believer.] I have taken 
my stand at the door and am politely knocking. If anyone hears my 
voice and opens the door, I will
come in to him, and I will dine with him and he himself will dine with
me. [Not salvation, cf John 16:8; believer in "liberal" church can 
open the door to personal fellowship with Christ; see 1 John 1:5-2:1; 
Ephesians 3:16-19)

  REV 3:21 The one who gains the victory, I will give to him [the
privilege and honor] of sitting with me on my [millennial] throne, as 
I gained the victory and sat down with my Father on His throne. [we 
are also seated there "in Christ"]

  REV 3:22 He who has ears, let him hear at once what the Spirit is
saying to the assemblies.

  we should take special note of all seven messages to these churches 
and ask ourselves the following:

  ARE YOU IN DANGER OF

  1) losing your "first love" (2:4), 
  2) caving into pressure (2:10), 
  3) defecting doctrinally (2:14-15), 
  4) developing moral problems (2:20), 
  5) becoming temporally dead in a spiritual sense (3:1-2), 
  6) in danger of losing your crown (3:11), 
  7) or growing cold spiritually (3:15-16)?

     After These Things:

  rev 4:1. 'After these things' (cf 1:19b = 2:1-3:22) I saw, and 
consider this, a door in heaven that had been opened and now stood 
open, and the voice, the first one that I heard (cf 1:11; 
Christ), which was like a trumpet, breaking silence and engaging me in 
conversation, saying, Come up here at once, and I will show you things 
which must of the necessity in the nature of the case take place 
'after these things'. [1:19b, "and the things which are," speaking of
the churches and prophetically  the "church age". Those things 
described hereafter are: 1) the Church/saints in heaven, 4:2-5:14--;
2) The tribulation, 6:1-18:24; 3) Christ's return and millennial 
reign, 19:1-20:6; 4) Satan's release and Great White Throne, 20:7-15;
5) Glimpses of the eternal state from the millennium, 21-22]

  rev 4:2 Immediately I found myself to be in [the absolute control of
the Spirit [a continuation of the experience into which John was brought
in 1:10]. And consider this. A throne was there in heaven. And there was
One seated on the throne.
  rev 4:3 And He who was seated was in appearance like a jasper stone
and a carnelian. And encircling the throne there was a ring of light
which was like an emerald in appearance.

  rev 4:4. And encircling the throne there were twenty-four thrones, and
upon the twenty-four thrones, elders sitting, clothed in white garments,
and upon their heads golden crowns of victory. [Elders, representative
of the Church; not spirit beings; not including OT saints; cp First 
Thessalonians 4:13-17; Daniel 12; crowns promised to those in Christ]

  rev 4:5 And out from the throne there are proceeding lightnings and
voices and thunders. And seven blazing torches are burning before the
throne which are the seven Spirits of God. [Seven often indicates the
perfection of God (here the Holy Spirit; cf 1:4, 3:1, 5:6), also may 
indicate seven ministries of the Spirit to the Church: restraining, 
reproving, regeneration, indwelling, sealing, baptizing, filling]

  rev 4:6. And before the throne there was as it were a glassy sea like
crystal. And in the midst of the throne and encircling the throne there
were four living beings full of eyes in front and in back.
  REV 4:7 And the first living being was like a lion, and the second
living being like a calf, and the third living being has the face like
that of a man, and the fourth living being was like an eagle when it is
flying.
  REV 4:8 And the four living beings have, each one of them, six wings
apiece, and are full of eyes round about and within. And rest they do
not have day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the
Omnipotent, He who was and He who is, and He who is coming.

  rev 4:9. And whenever the living beings give glory and honor and
thanksgiving to the One who is seated on the throne, to Him who lives
forever and forever,
  REV 4:10 the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the
throne and worship Him who lives forever and forever. And they place their
crowns of victory before the throne saying,
  REV 4:11 Worthy are you, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory
and the honor and the power, because, as for you, you created all things,
and because you willed it, they existed and were created.

     THE SCROLL WITH SEVEN SEALS AND THE LION WHO IS A LAMB

  rev 5:1. And I saw upon the right hand of the One seated on the throne
a scroll which was inscribed on both sides and sealed shut with seven
seals. (a change of identity in the One seated on the throne; cp 1:18 
and 4:2-3, 8b-9 with 5:1,7,13)
  REV 5:2 And I saw an angel, a strong one (Gabriel, cp Daniel 8:16 & 
9:21), proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the 
scroll and to break its seals? (angel doesn't know; elder does, cf v5)
  REV 5:3 And no one was able [dunamai] in heaven nor even upon earth 
nor even under the earth to open the scroll nor so much as to be 
looking upon it. (John sobs!)
  REV 5:4 And I kept on weeping audibly and profusely because no one was
found worthy to open the scroll and to be looking upon it. (The 
recognition of the unworthiness of sinful man or any created thing.)

  REV 5:5. And one of the elders says to me, Stop weeping. Consider
this. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Scion of David, gained the
victory [and thus is able] to open the scroll and its seven seals.

     ENTER THE GLORIFIED LAMB! (cf 1 Pet 1:18-21) HE GAINED THE RIGHT
     Blood Evidence, Eternal In Heaven (Hebrews 9:11,12, 24; 12:23)

  rev 5:6 And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living
beings and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, [in appearance]
like a lamb that has been slain [bearing the wounds of the Cross in His
glorified body], having seven horns and seven eyes which [eyes] are the
seven Spirits of God [HS] that have been sent forth [by Him] on a 
commission into all the earth. 

  rev 5:7. And He came [the Son], and He has taken the scroll out of 
the right hand of Him [the Father] who is seated on the throne.
  rev 5:8 And when He took the scroll, the four living beings and the
twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one [elder] holding 
a harp and golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the 
[tribulation] saints.
  rev 5:9 And they sing a song new in quality, saying, You are worthy to
take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain and you
redeemed to God through your blood [men] [us!] out of every tribe and 
language and people and nation, (GK MS textual problem 'us' or 'them')
  rev 5:10 and constituted [them] [us!] to our God a kingdom and 
priests (cp 1:6; 20:6), and they [we] shall reign as kings on [over] 
the earth. (reign with Christ over the earth 20:6)

  rev 5:11. And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels who encircled
the throne and a voice of the living beings and of the elders--and their
number was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands--
  rev 5:12 saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb who has been
slain to receive power and riches and wisdom* and might and honor and
glory and eulogy/blessing. (*in His humanity continues to learn, etc.)
  rev 5:13 And every created thing which is in the heaven and upon the
earth and under the earth and upon the sea and all the things that are
in them, I heard saying, To Him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb
be the eulogy and the honor and the glory and the power forever and
forever. (not letteral, interpretive, prophetic, literal)
  rev 5:14 And the four living beings kept on saying, Amen. And the
elders fell down and worshipped [the one living forever and ever].

     Opening of The Seven Seals Describing Earthly Conditions 6:1-8:1.

  rev 6:1. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals. And 
I heard one of the four living beings saying in a voice like [the 
sound of] thunder, Be coming. (white horse pictures 'false' peace)
  rev 6:2 And I saw, and consider this, a white horse. And he who is
seated upon it has a bow [but NO arrows]. And there was given to him a
victor's crown. And he came forth conquering and in order to conquer.
(short time of peace at beginning of Trib allows Man of Lawlessness to
set up and solve world problems: cf 1 Thessalonians 5:3; Daniel 9:26f)

  rev 6:3 And when he opened the second seal I heard the second living
being saying, Be coming. (red horse pictures blood: peace ends, = war)
  rev 6:4 And there came forth another horse, flame-colored, blood-
red. And to the one seated upon it there was granted [permission] to 
take the peace from the earth, and that they shall slaughter one 
another. And there was given to him a great sword. (gets power from
ecclersiastical [harlot] and political [10 kings] cf Daniel 2:41-43; 
7:24; Revelation 17:12f [war because royalty & common/Roman don't mix)

  rev 6:5. And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living
being saying, Be coming. And I saw, and consider this, a black horse.
And the one seated on it had a pair of scales in his hand. (the black 
horse and scales represent famine)
  rev 6:6 And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four 
living beings, saying, A choenix/quart of wheat for a denarius, and 
three of barley for a denarius. And do not begin to damage the olive 
oil and the wine. (a little excess for the rich! - denarius, days pay)

  rev 6:7 And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the
fourth living being, saying, Be coming. (pale horse represents death
including second death, permanent)
  rev 6:8 And I saw, and consider this, a pallid horse, greenish-
yellow in color. And the one who is seated upon it was named The 
Death. And the Unseen/Hades kept on following with him. And there was 
given to them authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the 
sword and with famine and with pestilence and by means of the wild 
beasts of the earth. 

     Gentile Martyrs During First Half of Tribulation
  rev 6:9. And when he opened the fifth seal I saw under the altar the
souls of those who were slain because of the word of God and because 
of the testimony which they were maintaining. Killed by World System 
Church; cf 17:6, not Beast. First outside of Church to go to heaven.
Souls, spirits, intermediate bodies, given robes, resting under altar 
not in paradise. Not slain for refusing the Mark, but for testimony.
Abusive exercise of power by unified, Satanic World System Church.
  rev 6:10 And they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O
Master, the holy One and the dependable One, are you not judging and
exacting vengeance  for our blood from those who dwell upon the earth?
  rev 6:11 And there was given to each one of them a white robe. And 
it was told them that they should rest yet for a little time until 
there shall also be fulfilled [the martyrdom] of their fellow 
bondslaves and their brethren who were destined to be killed as they 
themselves also were killed.


  rev 6:12. And I saw when he opened the sixth seal. And there occurred
an earthquake, a great one. And the sun became black as sackcloth made
of hair. And the entire moon became as blood.
  rev 6:13 And the meteors of the heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree
casts its unripe figs when it is being shaken by a strong wind.
  rev 6:14 And the heaven was removed like a scroll when it is rolled
up. And every mountain and island were moved out of their places. (cf
Ezekiel 38-39; Joel 2:30; Malachi 4:5; dealing with destruction of
Magog [Russia] and Israel just before mid Trib; nuclear judgment on 
Magog by Western Alliance and Beast?)

  rev 6:15. And the kings of the earth and the princes and the
chiliarchs and the rich men and the strong men and every slave and
freeman hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
  rev 6:16 and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us at
once, and hide us quickly from the presence of Him who is seated upon
the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb,
  rev 6:17 because the day, the great day of their wrath has come, and
who is able to stand? (The events of chapter 6 take place during the 
first half of the Tribulation: cf Matthew 24:3-8, "the beginning of 
sorrows". 24:9-14 = mid Trib to sign of the coming of the end of the 
age; includes gospelizing of the world; 24:15 goes back to v9f to 
deal with Israel alone; wrath now increases in intensity)

  A PARENTHESIS IN THE CHRONOLOGY (Physical Sealing happens Here)

  rev 7:1. After this I saw four angels standing on the four corners of
the earth, firmly holding the four winds of the earth lest the wind keep
on blowing upon the land or upon the sea or upon any tree.
  rev 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun,
having a seal of the living God. And he cried with a great voice to the
four angels to whom there was given [authority] to injure the land and
the sea, (spirit beings and angels can control elements)
  rev 7:3 saying, Do not begin to injure the land nor the sea nor the
trees until we shall have sealed the bondslaves of our God upon their
foreheads. (protection of physical life through remainder of Trib -- 
Our Sealing until we receive what we have in Christ)

  rev 7:4. And I heard the number of those who were sealed; one hundred
forty-four thousand were sealed out of every tribe of the sons of
Israel.
  rev 7:5 From the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand, from the
tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,
  rev 7:6 from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of
Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,
(Manasseh replaces Dan, who was  linked to idolatry cf Judges 18:30)
  rev 7:7 from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of
Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,
  rev 7:8 from the tribe of Zebulon twelve thousand, from the tribe of
Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin there was sealed
twelve thousand. (these 144,000 will servive the Tribulation)

     Future Surviving Saints From the tribulation With Palm Branches
  rev 7:9. After these things I saw, and consider this, a great
multitude which no one was able to count, out of every nation and tribe
and people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, and [having] palm branches in their hands.
  rev 7:10 And they cry out with a great voice, saying, The salvation
[is to be ascribed] to our God who is seated upon the throne and to the
Lamb. (cf Matthew 25, earthly throne. Verse 11 returns to heavenly throne.)
  rev 7:11 And all the angels were standing in a circle around the
throne and the elders and the four living beings. And they fell down
before the throne upon their faces and worshipped God,
  rev 7:12 saying, Amen. The eulogy and the glory and the wisdom and the
thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the might be to our God
forever and forever. Amen.

  rev 7:13. And one of the elders answered, saying to me, These who are
clothed in the white robes, who are they and from where did they come?
  rev 7:14 And I said to him, My lord, as for you, you know. And he said
to me, These are they who come out of the tribulation, the great one,
and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the
Lamb. (survivers of the Tribulation by God's grace. cp 1 Co. 6:11)
  rev 7:15 Because of this are they before the throne of God and render
sacred service to Him day and night in His inner sanctuary. And He who
is seated upon the throne shall spread a tent over them [to shelter
them]. (describing millennial kingdom)
  rev 7:16 They shall no longer hunger nor even shall they thirst any
longer, nor shall the sun nor any scorching heat strike upon them,
positively not, (cf Isaiah 49:8-10)
  rev 7:17 because the Lamb in the midst of the throne shall shepherd
them and shall lead them to springs of water of life. And God shall wipe
away every tear out of their eyes.

  rev 8:1. And when he opened the seventh seal there came a silence in
heaven for about one half hour.

     THE SEVENTH SEAL AND THE SEVEN TRUMPETS - Revelation 8:1-11:20
     Silence In Heaven And The First Four Trumpets - 8:1-13

  rev 8:1. And when he opened the seventh seal there came a silence in
heaven for about one half hour. (cf 12:7-9, mental war of the wills,
not swords; mid trib. Now torments increase and persecutions cf 13:15)

  rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels who had taken a stand before God
and who were standing there. And there was given to them seven 
trumpets.
  rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood over the altar, holding a
golden censer. And there was given to him much incense in order that 
he might add it to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar
which is before the throne. (angel/Jesus intercedes for trib saints)
  rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense went up together with the 
prayers of the saints out of the hand of the angel before God. 
  rev 8:5 And the angel has taken the censer. And he filled it with 
[the burning coals] out of the fire on the altar, and he threw them 
[the burning contents of the censer] into the earth. And there 
followed thunders and voices and lightnings and an earthquake. (cf v4)
  rev 8:6 And the seven angels who have the seven trumpets prepared
themselves for the purpose of sounding their trumpets. 

     Trumpet Judgments Local to Mediterranean Area In And Near Israel 
  rev 8:7. And the first sounded his trumpet, and there followed hail 
and fire mixed together in [a shower of] blood, and they were thrown 
into the earth. And the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the 
third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt 
up. (making the protected land of Israel less attractive to invasion. 
cf Ezekiel 38-39, Russia just before mid trib. See chapter 16 for 
"parallel" worldwide vials: 16:2 first vial; cp also Isaiah 24:18-20)
  rev 8:8. And the second angel sounded his trumpet. And [a mass] as
large as a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. 
And the third part of the sea became blood. (probably meteor)
  rev 8:9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea
died, the ones having life. And the third part of the ships was
destroyed. (cp 16:3 second vial)
  rev 8:10. And the third angel sounded his trumpet. And there fell 
out of the heaven a great meteor blazing like a torch. And it fell 
upon the third part of the rivers and upon the springs of the waters. 
(apparently a meteor that broke apart and scattered)
  rev 8:11 And the name of the meteor is The Wormwood. And the third
part of the waters became wormwood. And many of the men died by reason
of the waters because they had become bitter. (cp 16:4 third vial)

     Fourth Vial Precedes Fourth Trumpet (cf 16:8-9)
  rev 8:12. And the fourth angel sounded his trumpet. And the third 
part of the sun was dealt a blow, also the third part of the moon, 
also the third part of the stars, in order that the third part of 
these might be darkened, and to the end that the day might not be 
illuminated for a third part of its duration, and in like manner the 
night. (the sun blows up in 16:8 and causes the earth to be scorched, 
affects its rotation, speeds it up, shortens days and nights by 1/3)

  rev 8:13. And I saw, and I heard an eagle flying in mid-heaven, saying
with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe to those who are dwelling on the earth
because of the remaining voices of the trumpet of the three angels who
are about to be sounding their trumpets.

     The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets, and Vials - First Two Woes - 9:1-21

  rev 9:1. And the fifth angel sounded his trumpet. And I saw a meteor
[star] of the heaven which had fallen into the earth. And to him there 
was given the key of the shaft leading down to the bottomless place.
(this meteor/star is a person fallen or cast out from heaven; cf 12:9)
(humans do not go to the abyss, only fallen spirit beings)
  rev 9:2 And he opened the shaft of the bottomless place. And there
arose smoke out of the shaft like smoke of a great furnace. And the 
sun and the lower atmosphere were darkened by reason of the smoke of 
the shaft. (near end of trib; note comparatives and similes vss 2-9)
  rev 9:3 And out of the smoke there came grasshoppers into the earth.
And there was given to them power like the power which the scorpions 
of the earth possess. (demons, so many it looks like smoke)
  rev 9:4 And it was told them that they should not injure the grass 
of the earth nor any green [vegetation] nor any tree, only such men as 
do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. (but those with 666,
the mark of the beast)

  rev 9:5. And to them there was given [a charge] that they should not
kill them but that they should be tortured five months. And their
torture is like the torture of a scorpion when it strikes a man.

  rev 9:6 And in those days the men shall seek death and shall by no
means find it. And they shall long to die, and death flees from them.
(undertakers will be out of a job. can't even kill themselves. the 
wrath of God, the wrath of Satan, the torcher of demons upon them for
five months leading up to Armageddon)

  rev 9:7. And the resemblances of the grasshoppers were similar to
those of horses which have been prepared for war. And upon their heads
were as it were victor's crowns which resembled gold. And their faces
were like the faces possessed by men. (only place stephanos awarded to 
any other than humans;  this by Satan)

  rev 9:8 And they were having hair like the hair of women. And their
teeth were like those of lions. (probably they will take on the form 
of humans. Angels do not have wings, they take this form. simile is 
not identity.)

  rev 9:9 And they were having a breastplate like a breastplate of 
iron. And the sound of their wings was like the sound of moving 
chariots, of many horses running into battle.

  rev 9:10. And they have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. 
And in their tails there resides the power to injure the men five 
months.

   rev 9:11 They have over them as king the angel of the bottomless
place. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon [the destroyer], and in Greek he
has a name, Apollyon [the destroyer]. (Satan called angel this once.
rewards them before they do anything. Satan their king; Christ not 
ours. Israel protected, as men are concerned with their own problems.)

  rev 9:12 The one woe has past. Consider this. There comes yet a 
second woe after these things. (also the fifth vial takes place at 
this time; cf 16:10-11)

     The Sixth Vial Preceeds and Represents The Same Event (cp 16:12)
  rev 9:13. And the sixth angel sounded his trumpet. And I heard a 
voice out of the four horns of the golden altar which is before God
  rev 9:14 saying to the sixth angel who has the trumpet, Set free at
once the four angels/[demons] who have been bound at the river, the 
great river, the Euphrates. (leading up to Armageddon; angels able to
control elements/water; armies already gathered; influenced by demons;
God sovereignly allows demons to accomplish His purposes; cp 1 Kings 
22:19-34; angels direct and deflect swords and arrows; "good" protect
cp Ezekiel 9:2f; also Hebrews 1:14)
  rev 9:15 And the four angels were set free who had been kept in
readiness for the hour and day and month and year in order that they
should kill the third part of the men. (evil angels/demons working 
behind armies)
  rev 9:16 And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred
million. I heard the number of them.

  rev 9:17. And after this manner I saw the horses in my vision, and
those seated upon them having breastplates of fire and of jacinth and of
brimstone. And the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions. And
out of their mouths there proceeds fire and smoke and brimstone. 
(probably not horses because vegetation scarce; rather eat horse meat)
  rev 9:18 By these three plagues there was killed the third part of the
men, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceed out of
their mouths. (describing means of warfare)
  rev 9:19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their
tails. For their tails were like snakes, having heads. And by means of
them they cause injury. (not tail gunners, don't kill)

  rev 9:20. And the rest of the men, those who were not killed by these
plagues, did not have a change of mind which would cause them to abandon
the work of their hands with the result that they would not worship the
demons and the idols of gold and silver and brass and stone and wood
which are not able to be seeing nor to be hearing nor to be walking.
(wrath never leads to salvation; cf romans 2:4. we will not go through 
wrath; cf Romans 5:9; 1 Thess. 1:10, 5:9)

  rev 9:21 Neither did they have a change of mind regarding their
murders nor their magical arts nor their fornications nor their thefts
which would cause them to abandon them.

     THE SEVEN THUNDERS AND THE LITTLE BOOK - 10:1-11

  rev 10:1. And I saw another angel, a powerful one, descending out of
the [3rd] heaven, clothed with a cloud [shekinah]. And the colored 
halo/rainbow, shining with a radiance, was over his head (cf 4:3). 
And his face was like the sun (1:16). And his feet were like pillars 
of fire (1:15). (this angel is Christ; cf rainbow Gen 9:9-18; -- the 
next time with fire!)

  rev 10:2 And he has in his hand a little scroll which was unrolled.
And he placed his foot, the right one, upon the sea, and the left one
upon the land. (the scroll is probably the same as that of 5:1,8)
  rev 10:3 And he cried with a great voice just as a lion roars. And
when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their own voices. (judgment)
  rev 10:4 And when the seven thunders uttered [their voices] I was
about to begin to be writing. And I heard a voice out of the heaven
saying, Place a seal at once upon the things which the seven thunders
said, and do not begin to write them. (God knows more than He reveals)

  rev 10:5. And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land
raised his right hand to heaven and placed himself under oath,
  rev 10:6 swearing by the One who lives forever and forever, who
created the heaven and the things in it and the earth and the things in
it and the sea and the things in it, that there should be no longer any
delay or respite, [--that time shall not be yet,--Young's Litertal 
Translation] (looking forward to the end of the millinnium or Great
White Throne)
  rev 10:7 but [in the meantime] in the days of the voice of the 
seventh angel when he is about to begin to be sounding his trumpet, 
then the mystery of God has been fulfilled, even as He proclaimed 
[this mystery] as good news to His own bondslaves, the prophets.

  rev 10:8. And the voice which I heard out of the heaven I heard again
speaking with me and saying, Be going and take at once the scroll, the
one that has been opened, which is in the hand of the angel who is
standing on the sea and on the land.
  rev 10:9 And I went off to the angel, saying to him that he should
give me at once the little scroll. And he says to me, Take it at once
and eat it up, and it shall make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth
it shall be sweet as honey.
  rev 10:10 And I took the little scroll out of the hand of the angel
and ate it up. And it was in my mouth like honey, sweet. And when I ate
it, my stomach was made bitter. (sweetness relates to the prayers in 
the mouths of the saints being answered; bitterness in the stomach to 
the realization of the terribleness of the judgments when delivered)

  rev 10:11 And they say to me, It is a necessity in the nature of the
case for you again to prophesy concerning peoples and nations and
languages and many kings.

     The Temple, The Two Witnesses And The Seventh Trumpet - 11:1-19

  rev 11:1. And there was given to me a reed like a stick, and one 
said, Be arising and measure at once the inner sanctuary of God [the 
Holy Place and the Holy of Holies], and the altar, and those who are
worshiping in it. (think of this as a measurement of time, 42 months
and nations/Gentiles)
  rev 11:2 But the court which is outside of the inner sanctuary leave
out [of your calculations] and do not begin to measure it, because it
was given to the nations. And the city, the city set apart for the
worship and service of God, they shall trample in contempt and disdain
forty-two months. (cf Matthew 24:15-21, the abomination of desolation;
temple built by Jewish unbelievers; taken over by man of lawlessness)

     Two Witnesses: Oppose Wild Beast and False Prophet; Probably 
     Last to Testify in Jerusalem; Mid Trib Many Jews Flee  12:6,13-17
  rev 11:3. And I will give [authority] to my two witnesses, and they
shall prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in
sackcloth. (appear just before mid trib; Elijah Malachi 4:5 & probably 
some well-known contemporary Jew; some think Enoch & Moses, doubtful)
  rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands who 
have taken their stand before the Lord of the earth. (two olive trees 
cf Zechariah 4:3,11,14; lamp stands cf Zechariah 4:2,11;)
  rev 11:5 And if, as is the case, anyone desires to injure them, fire
proceeds out of their mouth and consumes their enemies. And if, as is
the case, anyone shall desire to injure them, in this manner it is a
necessity in the nature of the case for him to be killed. 
(given supernatural power to kill; supernatural authority over nature)
  rev 11:6 These have authority to shut the heaven to the end that no
rain may be falling during the days of their prophecy. And they 
possess authority over the waters to be transforming them to blood and 
to strike the land with every plague as often as they shall desire. (similarity of Moses' miracles not 
identity)

     Death of The Two Witnesses and Its Affect
  rev 11:7. And whenever they finish their testimony, the Wild Beast,
the one who ascends out of the bottomless place/abyss, shall make war 
with them and gain the victory over them and shall kill them. (men do 
not go to the abyss; probably demon who possessed the Beast, returned
from abyss; Satan can create life, cf Exodus 7:12, 8:7, snakes, frogs)

  rev 11:8 And their dead bodies [shall lie] upon the street of the
city, the great one, which is of such a character that it is called
allegorically Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
(Sodom speaks of perversion; Egypt speaks of persecution; Jerusalem ,
the Jews, not only experienced but practiced both throughout time)

  rev 11:9 And they of the people and tribes and languages and nations
keep looking at their dead bodies three days and one-half. And they do
not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. (satellite TV)
  rev 11:10 And those who dwell on the earth rejoice over them and 
make merry. And gifts they shall send to one another, because these 
two prophets tormented those who live upon the earth. (response of 
lost men inspite of their troubled circumstance; like Christmas)

     Resurrection and Response
  rev 11:11 And after three and one half days the breath of life from
God entered them, and they stood on their feet. And a fear, a great
one, fell upon those who were observing them with interest and 
purpose.
  rev 11:12 And they heard a voice, a great one, out of heaven, saying
to them, Come up here at once. And they ascended to heaven in the 
cloud. And their enemies viewed them with interest and purpose. 
(unlike the ascension of Christ, unsaved men saw this)

  rev 11:13. And at the same hour there occurred an earthquake, a 
great one. And the tenth part of the city fell. And there were killed 
in the earthquake seven thousand persons. And the rest became 
terror-stricken and gave glory to the God of heaven. (perhaps some 
believed)
  rev 11:14 The second woe is past. Consider this. The third woe is
coming shortly.

     Looking Forward to The End of The Tribulation, Millennium -- Time
  rev 11:15. And the seventh angel sounded his trumpet. And it came to
pass that there were voices, great ones, in the heaven, saying, The
kingdom of the world has come into the possession of our Lord and His
Christ. And He shall reign as king forever and forever. (2nd coming)
  rev 11:16 And the twenty-four elders who are before God, seated on their
thrones, fell upon their faces and worshipped God,
  rev 11:17 saying, We give thanks to you, O Lord God, the Omnipotent
One, the One who is and who was, because you assumed your great power
and reigned as King. (millennial)
  rev 11:18 And the nations became angry, and your wrath has come,*1 
[tribulation] and the time of the dead to be judged [great white 
throne], and to give reward*2 to your bondslaves the prophets and to 
the saints and to those who fear your Name, to the small and to the 
great, and to destroy*3 those who are destroying the earth. (*1 Church 
rewarded at rapture, cf 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, 2 Corinthians 5:10;
*2 Tribulation Saints, survivers cf Matthew 25:31; killed Trib Saints 
given white robes, Revelation 6:11, resurrected to reign 1,000 years 
with [meta] Christ, cf 20:4; Unsaved of Tribulation go to Hades; the
first cast into Lake of Fire Beast & False Prophet, 19:20, perhaps the
unsaved during Millennium; *3 Satan judged with Gog & Magog, 20:10; 
the remaining unsaved dead in Hades works judged at GWT, 20:11-15)

     Looking Back to the End of the Tribulation
  rev 11:19 And the inner sanctuary of God, the one in heaven, was
opened, and the ark of His testament was seen in His inner sanctuary,
and there came lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and
a hailstorm, a great one.

     The Woman, The Dragon, The War, The Results - 11:19-13:1a

  rev 11:19 And the inner sanctuary of God, the one in heaven, was
opened, and the ark of His testament was seen in His inner sanctuary,
and there came lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake 
and a hailstorm, a great one. (looking back from future to Trib)

  rev 12:1. And there became visible a miraculous portent, a great one
in the heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun. And the moon [was] under
her feet, and upon her head [was] a victor's crown of twelve stars.
(she is Israel; 12 stars, 12 tribes; not Mary; not the Church)
  rev 12:2 And she was with child. And she cried out, suffering birth
pangs, in pain to give birth. (Child speaks of Christ; John has to 
look even farther back, 2,000 years; Satan behind Herod, etc.)

  rev 12:3. And there became visible another miraculous portent in the
heaven; and consider this, a Dragon, a red one, a great one, having
seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven royal crowns.
(dragon/serpent, cf V.9 & Gen. 3; also behind revived Roman Empire)
  rev 12:4 And his tail sweeps away the third of the stars of the
heaven, dragging them away by force. And he threw them into the earth.
(they were cast out by God because they were under Satan's control)
And the Dragon took his stand before the woman about to give birth in
order that whenever she would give birth he might destroy her child.
(looking back to Christ's first advent; cf Lk 2:11 He shall be Savior)

  rev 12:5. And she gave birth to a son, a male child [i.e., with the
peculiar qualities of masculinity-power and vigor], who is destined to
be shepherding all the nations with a scepter of iron. (He WILL reign;
however, you can put the Dispensation of Grace, Church age, here; the
Church formed by Holy Spirit, sent after Christ's ascension)
  rev 12:6 And her child was snatched up to God and to His throne. And
the woman fled into the uninhabited region where she has there a place
which is in a state of readiness, having been so prepared by God, in
order that there they might be providing her with food one thousand 
two hundred and sixty days. (cf V.14; Israel protected last half of 
Trib in Petra/Edom/wilderness region southeast of Dead Sea; cp also
Matthew 24:15)

     Cherub Lucifer Defeated by Lesser Spirit Being, Michael - cf 8:1
  rev 12:7. And there arose a war in the heaven. Michael and his angels
went forth to do battle with the Dragon. And the Dragon fought, and his
angels. (silent war of mind and will; God provides the victory)
  rev 12:8 Yet they did not have the power to win out. Neither was there
found any longer place for them in the heaven. (loses his helpers; 
mid Trib)
  rev 12:9 And the Dragon, the great one, was thrown down once for all,
the snake, the ancient snake, the one called the Devil [slanderer] and
the Satan [the adversary], he who deceives the entire inhabited earth.
He was thrown into the earth, and his angels were thrown down with 
him. (Satan's wrath now added to God's wrath)

  rev 12:10. And I heard a voice, a great one, in the heaven, saying,
Now there has come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom
of our God and the authority of His Christ, because he who accuses our
brethren has been thrown down once for all, he who accuses them before
our God day and night. (acuser of Trib saints, cf 6:9-11 & 17:6; 
cp Job 1,2; & us too)
  rev 12:11 And they themselves gained the victory over him through 
the blood of the Lamb and through the word of their testimony. And 
they did not consider their lives precious, and thus come to love 
them, to the extent of death [they were willing to die a martyr's 
death]. 

  rev 12:12. Because of this, be rejoicing, O heavens, and those who
are dwelling in them. Woe to the land and the sea, because the Devil 
went down to you having wrath, a great wrath, knowing that he has 
[but] a little time. (Satan realizes he has lost; becomes even more 
violent)

  rev 12:13. And when the Dragon saw that he was thrown into the 
earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
  rev 12:14 And there was given to the woman the two wings of the 
great eagle, in order that she might be flying into the uninhabited 
region into her place, where she is being provided with food there a
time and times and one half a time, [safe] from the presence of the 
snake. (all Israel but for the Two Witnesses and the 144,000)
  rev 12:15 And the snake threw water like a river out of his mouth
after the woman in order that he might sweep her away with the river.
  rev 12:16 And the earth went to the help of the woman, and the earth
opened its mouth and swallowed up the      river which the Dragon 
threw out of his mouth.
  rev 12:17 And the Dragon was angry with the woman and went off to 
wage war with the rest of her children, those who keep the 
commandments/[Mosaic Law] of God and have the testimony of 
[concerning] Jesus [Christ].

   rev 13:1a And I/he stood upon the sand of the sea. ([he] variant)


     The Two Beasts
     The Man of Lawlessness and The False Prophet , - 13:1-18

     The Man of Lawlessness, The First Beast, First Half of Trib
   rev 13:1a And I/he stood upon the sand of the sea. ([he] variant)
  rev 13:1b. And I saw a Wild Beast coming up out of the sea, having 
ten horns and seven heads, and upon his horns ten royal crowns and 
upon his heads names, the essence of which is impious and reproachful 
speech injurious to the divine majesty of deity. (this is a man, cf 
13:18; a name that says something he is not; seven heads = seven 
empires -- 1. Babylon 2. Medo-Persia 3. Greece 4,5. Rome [2 forms, 
consolidated & split, cf Daniel's image, Daniel 2:31-33] 6. ten kings 
rule briefly between rapture and trib, give kingdom to beast 7. beast 
& ten kings; already crowned here; cf daniel 7:19-27, 9:24-27, 11:36f)
  rev 13:2 And the Wild Beast whom I saw resembled a leopard. And his
feet were like those of a bear. And his mouth resembled a lion's 
mouth. And the Dragon gave him his [the Dragon's] miraculous power and 
his throne and great 
authority. (leopard, bear & lion are some characteristics of Greece, Medo-Persia & Babylon; gets his authority 
from Satan, also ten kings)

  rev 13:3. And one of his heads appeared to have been mortally 
wounded, the throat having been slashed. And his death-stroke was 
healed. And the whole earth followed after the Wild Beast in 
amazement. (first half of Trib; perhaps killed in war of Ezekiel 
38-39; he dies and is healed; cf 17:8, given life by a demon [out of 
the abyss])
  rev 13:4 And they worshipped the Dragon because he gave the 
authority to the Wild Beast. And they worshipped the Wild Beast, 
saying, Who is like the Wild Beast, and who is able to go to war with 
him? (they worship Satan because he is behind the beast; "who is able 
to go to war with him?" implies killed in war and revived, mid Trib)

     Last half Tribulation
  rev 13:5. And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things 
and things injurious and reproachful to the divine majesty of deity. 
And there was given him authority to operate forty-two months. 
(formerly ruler over ten kings, now world dictator)
  rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in a slanderous attack against God,
to His face, to defame His Name and His dwelling place, [and] those* 
who dwell in heaven. (*martyred saints of first half of Trib by 
harlot, cf 17:6)

  rev 13:7. And there was given to him [permission] to make war with 
the saints and to gain the victory over them. And there was given to 
him authority over every tribe and people and language and nation.
  rev 13:8 And they shall worship him, all who dwell upon the earth,
[everyone] whose name does not stand written in the scroll of the life
[the scroll] belonging to the Lamb who has been slain [in the mind and
purpose of God] since the time when the foundations of the universe 
were laid, and who is looked upon [by God] as the slain Lamb at 
present. (Lamb's Book of Life/Scroll, book of names for Tribulation 
Saints)

     Warning to The Afflicters, Patience/Endurance of The Afflicted
  rev 13:9. If, as is the case, anyone has ears, let him hear at once.
  rev 13:10 If, as is the case, anyone leads [others] into captivity, 
he goes into captivity. If, as is the case, anyone kills with a sword, 
it is a necessity in the nature of the case for him to be put to death 
by a sword. Here is the endurance[/patience] and fidelity/[faith] of 
the saints.

     Second Beast/False Prophet, Probably Jewish, First Half Trib
  rev 13:11. And I saw another wild beast of the same character coming
up out of the earth. And he was having two horns like a lamb, but he 
was hissing like a dragon. (ruler, religious leader; earth/land = 
Israel)
  rev 13:12 And the authority of the first Wild Beast, all of it, he
exercises in his sight. And he causes the earth and those who dwell on
it to worship the Wild Beast, the first one, whose death-stroke was
healed. (cf v.3; exercising the same authority from Satan differently; 
this beast more like Christ; however, Anti-christ not future--present;
cf 1 John 2:18, 22; 2 John 7; 1 John 4:3; cp Matthew 24:24; neither 
beast called anti-christ in Revelation; )
  rev 13:13 And he performs great miracles the purpose of which is to
attest the divine source of the words uttered by the one performing 
the miracle, even to the extent that he causes fire to be descending 
out of the heaven into the earth in the sight of the men. (only 
specific miracle described)
  rev 13:14 And he deceives those dwelling on the earth by means of 
the miracles which it was given him to perform in the sight of the 
Wild Beast, saying to those who are dwelling on the earth that they 
should make an image of the Wild Beast derived from his likeness, [the 
Wild Beast] who has [scars of] the death-stroke made by the sword and 
[yet] who came to life [note--he was actually dead].

     Last Half of Trib
  rev 13:15. And there was given to him [the ability] to give 
animation to the image of the Wild Beast, to the end that also the 
image of the Wild Beast should utter words, and that it should cause 
as many as do not worship the image of the Wild Beast to be put to 
death.
  rev 13:16 And he causes all, those who are lowly in station and 
those who are great, and those who are wealthy and those who are
poverty-stricken, and those who are freemen and those who are slaves, 
to be given a mark of identification upon their hand, the right one, 
or upon their forehead,
  rev 13:17 to the end that no one should be able to buy or sell 
except he who has the mark of identification consisting of the name of 
the Wild Beast or the number which stands for his name.

  rev 13:18. Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him 
calculate at once the number of the Wild Beast, for the number is that 
of man [the human race]. And his number is six hundred sixty-six.


     The 144,000, Angelic messengers, The reapers - 14:1-20
     Parenthetical Chapter: Scenes on Earth and in Heaven

  rev 14:1. And I saw, and consider this, the Lamb standing on the 
hill of Zion, and with Him one hundred forty-four thousand having His 
Name and the Name of His Father permanently inscribed on their 
foreheads. (apparently post Trib--Millennial, standing on the earthly 
Mount Zion; no longer sealed; cp. Hebrews 12:22, the heavenly Mount)
  REV 14:2 And I heard a voice out of the heaven like a sound of many
waters and like a sound of great thunder. And the sound which I heard
was like that of harpists playing upon their harps. (God's voice)
  REV 14:3 And they are singing a song new in quality before the 
throne and before the four living beings and the elders. And no one 
was able to learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, 
those who had been redeemed out from the earth. (the heavenly Mount
Zion; 'enopion'/before throne elders and four living beings; cf. 5:9)
  REV 14:4 These are they who were not defiled with women [in any
illicit way],* for they are chaste individuals. These are they who 
follow with the Lamb wherever He may be going. These were redeemed 
from among men, first fruits to God and the Lamb. (those sealed in 
chapter 7 who come through the Tribulation; see also Jeremiah 3 for
*idolatry = fornication)
  REV 14:5 And in their mouth was not found a lie. They are without
blemish. (having lived through the Trib they enter the Millennium)

     The First Three Good Angels - Approaching End of Trib
  rev 14:6. And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having a
message of good news eternal* in its character to proclaim as glad
tidings to those who live upon the earth, and to every nation and 
tribe and language and people, (good news for the persecuted, not for 
those doing the persecuting; *God is eternal, outside of time)
   rev 14:7 saying with a great voice, Fear God at once and at once 
give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come, and worship 
Him at once who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of 
waters. (not our gospel, cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; multiple gospels)
  rev 14:8 And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, It has
fallen, it has fallen, Babylon the Great, which has caused all the
nations to drink of the wine of her fornication and the wrath [of God
which accompanies it as its retribution]. (the future seventh vial, 
cf. 16:17-19, 18:10)

  rev 14:9. And another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with 
a great voice, If, as is the case, anyone worships the Wild Beast and 
his image, and receives a mark of identification upon his forehead or 
upon his hand,
  rev 14:10 he shall also himself drink of the wine of the wrath of 
God which has been poured out unmixed in the cup of His anger. And he 
shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of holy 
angels and in the presence of the Lamb. (after last vial, no more 
wrath; Beast and False Prophet first to be thrown into the lake of 
eternal fire cf. 19:20; then goats cf. Matthew 25:31-46)
     The Saints Are Able To Endure Knowing The End of Their Tormenters
  rev 14:11 And the smoke of [connected with] their torment ascends
forever and forever. And they do not have rest day and night, those 
who worship the Wild Beast and his image, also, as is the case, if 
anyone receives the mark of identification which consists of his name.
       re 14:12 Here is the endurance of the saints, [namely] those who 
keep the commandments of God and the faith [which they have] in Jesus.
(the wicked will get it worse)
  rev 14:13 And I heard a voice out of the heaven saying, Write at 
once, Spiritually prosperous*1 are the dead who die in [by] the Lord 
from this time*2 forth; Yes, says the Spirit, to the end that they 
may rest from their labors, for their works accompany them. (*1 happy, 
cp. 6:9-10; *2 mid Trib)

  rev 14:14. And I saw, and consider this, a cloud, a white one, and
upon the cloud one sitting, in appearance like a son of man [i.e., 
human in appearance], having upon His head a crown of victory, a 
golden one, and in His hand a sickle, a sharp one. (previews Armagedon;
Son of Man cf. 1:18 and Hebrews 2:7-9)

     Angel Reapers cf. Mat. 13:39-40,49-50; Part Christ, Part Angels
  rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the inner sanctuary, crying
with a great voice to Him who is seated on the cloud, Thrust in your
sickle at once and reap quickly, because the hour to reap has come, 
for the reason that the harvest of the earth has become dry and thus
perfectly ripe. 
  rev 14:16 And He who is seated on the cloud thrust His sickle upon 
the earth, and the earth was 
reaped.

  rev 14:17. And another angel came out of the inner sanctuary, the
sanctuary in heaven, having also himself a sickle, a sharp one.
  rev 14:18 And another angel came out of the altar who has authority
over the fire. And he cried with a great voice to the one who has the
sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in your sharp sickle at once and gather 
at once the bunches of grapes of the vine of the earth, for its 
bunches of grapes have become ripe. (cf. 19:14, armies, angelic, not 
the Bride)
  rev 14:19 And the angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and he
gathered the vintage of the earth and threw it into the wine press of
the wrath of God, the great wine press. (cf. Isaiah 63:1-6)
  rev 14:20 And the wine press was trodden outside of the city. And
there came out of the wine press blood as far as to the bridles of the
horses, to a distance of one thousand six hundred stades [176 miles].
(Christ and good angels at battle of Armagedon)

     Seven Angels and the Seven Last Plagues, Scenes In Heaven--15:1-8

     Back to Mid Tribulation, Vials More or Less Parallel Trumpets
  REV 15:1. And I saw another supernatural portent, an attesting
miracle, in the heaven, a great and marvelous one; seven angels having
seven plagues, the final ones, final, because in them has been brought
to its intended end the wrath of God. (vials/bowls only go on those 
with the mark of the beast)
  rev 15:2 And I saw something resembling a glassy sea mingled with
fire, and those who have come off triumphantly out of the [meshes] of
the Wild Beast and his image and the number which signifies his name,
standing on the glassy sea, having harps of God. (fire speaks of 
judgment; cp. 4:6; 'last plagues', apparently more than seven)

  REV 15:3. And they are singing the song of Moses, the bondslave of God
and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are your works, O
Lord God, Omnipotent. just and dependable are your ways, O King of the
nations. (cf. Psalm 2:6-9; King of nations, not of saints as in KJV; 
Jews and Gentiles killed here; their enablement 'hope of victory',
not as we are 'by the Holy Spirit')
  rev 15:4 Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify your Name? because
you only are holy, for all the nations shall come and worship before you,
for your judicial acts characterized by righteousness have been shown
openly. (looking to the future, Millennium)

  REV 15:5. And after these things I saw, and there was opened the inner
sanctuary of the tent of the testimony in heaven. (temple and tabernacle patterned after each other)
  rev 15:6 And there came out of the inner sanctuary the seven angels,
the ones having the seven plagues, arrayed in linen, clean, shining, and
girded around the breasts with golden girdles. (God's wrath ends with 
seventh vial or the plague)
  rev 15:7 And one of the four living beings gave to the seven angels
seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and
forever. (God now enters the inner sanctuary and no one else is able;
this appears to be mid Trib and lasting 'til the end) 
  rev 15:8 And the inner sanctuary was filled with the smoke [arising]
from the glory of God and from His might. And no one was able to enter
the inner sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels should
be brought to an end.


     The Seven Angels Pour Out The Vials of God's Wrath - 16:1-21

  REV 16:1. And I heard a great voice out of the inner sanctuary saying
to the seven angels, Be going on your ways and be pouring out the seven
bowls of the wrath of God into the earth.
  rev 16:2 And the first went off and poured out his bowl into the
earth. And there came a foul and pernicious suppurated sore upon the men
who have the mark of identification of the Wild Beast and who worship
his image. (1. last half Trib; discriminatory judgment on those with 
mark of beast; continuous malignant sores. 2. some refuse mark, yet
fail to do the will of God; cf. Matthew 7:21f)
  rev 16:3 And the second poured out his bowl into the sea. And it
became blood like that of a corpse. And every living creature died, the
things in the sea.
  rev 16:4 And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs
of the waters. And they became blood. (worldwide in scope)
  rev 16:5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, You are just,
[you who are] the One who is and who was, the Holy One, because you
administered justice in the case of these things,
  rev 16:6 for they poured out saints' and prophets' blood, and blood to
them you have given to drink. They are those who deserve this.
  rev 16:7 And I heard the altar saying, Yes, O Lord God, Omnipotent,
dependable and just are your judgments. (each vial after a trumpet, cf 
8:6-11; 4th vial 'burning' precedes 4th trumpet 'darkness' cf 8:12)

  rev 16:8. And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun.
And there was given to him [the power] to burn the men with fire. (sun
blows up and burns out by end of trib; cf Isaiah 30:26 will speed up
rotation of earth; cp Isaiah 24:18; days shortened else no survivers)
  rev 16:9 And the men were burned with a great scorching heat. And they
reviled the Name of the God who has the power over these plagues,
reviling Him with impious and reproachful speech injurious to His divine
majesty. And they did not have a change of mind with the result that
they would give Him glory. (wrath does not evoke repentance, Rom. 2:4)
  rev 16:10 And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the
Wild Beast. And it came to pass that his kingdom was darkened, and they
chewed their tongues because of the pain. (5th vial follows 5th 
trumpet cf. 9:1-12; like darkness in Egypt, perhaps psychologically 
caused pain)

  rev 16:11 And they reviled the God of heaven because of their pains
and because of their sores with impious and reproachful speech injurious
to His divine majesty, and did not have a change of mind with reference
to their works which would cause them to abandon them. (refused to 
change their mind! give glory to God! cf vv.9,11. Believers today
after salvation, cf 2 Corinthians 7:10 & Hebrews 6; a carnal believer 
can reach a point where he can't repent cp 1 Corinthians 11:29,30)

  rev 16:12 And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the river, the great
Euphrates. And its water was dried up in order that the road of the
kings from the sunrising might be prepared. (6th vial poured out 
before 6th trumpet sounds, but it seems first event of 6th trumpet 
parallels vial,9:14-15, almost simultaneously? cf. 9:13-21; the 
rest follows; river dried up; way prepared for armies at Armageddon)

  rev 16:13. And I saw [come] out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of
the mouth of the Wild Beast and out of the mouth of the False Prophet,
spirits [free moral intelligences without a physical body], three of
them, unclean, [in appearance] like frogs,
  rev 16:14 for they are spirits of demons performing attesting
miracles, which [spirits] go out to the kings of the whole inhabited
earth for the purpose of gathering them together for the war of the
great day of God, the Omnipotent. (Satan speaking and issuing commands 
through the beast, false prophet, and other demonic emissaries)
  rev 16:15 Consider this. I come like a thief. Spiritually prosperous
is he who is on the alert and who keeps his garments lest he be walking
about unclad and they be observing his shame. naked, faithless; ("as a 
thief" never refers to rapture but end of Tribulation cf 3:3, Matt. 
25:31 no works--cup of water & bread shows faith; 1 Thess. 5:2, day 
of the Lord; "we wait" for rapture 1 Thess. 1:10, 4:13-17;)
  rev 16:16 And they gathered them together to the place which is called
in Hebrew, Armageddon. (the last campaign, armies gathered by demonic 
influence; Christ comes and brings things to an end)

  rev 16:17. And the seventh poured his bowl upon the lower atmosphere.
And there came out a great voice out of the inner sanctuary from the
throne saying, It has come to pass and is now an accomplished fact.
  rev 16:18 And there came lightnings and voices and thunders, and there
came an earthquake, a great one of such a nature that an earthquake of
that kind has not occurred since the time man came to be upon the earth,
so mighty an earthquake, so great. (mountains will be leveled, islands 
disappear, earth's typography will be changed)

  rev 16:19. And the city, the great one, [Jerusalem] was divided into 
three parts. And the cities of the nations fell. And Babylon the Great 
[Rome] was remembered before God for the purpose of giving her the cup 
of the wine of the fury of His wrath. (also Mt. of Olives splits when 
Christ returns to it, Zechariah 14:4)
  rev 16:20 And every island vanished. And mountains were not found.
  rev 16:21 And a hail, a great one, [each hailstone] having the weight
of a talent descends out of heaven upon the men. And the men reviled God
with impious and reproachful speech injurious to the divine majesty of
deity because of the plague of the hail, for the blow [it inflicted] is
great, very great. (cf 16:2, men still revile God inspite of all their 
suffering; last plague, sun goes out, Christ returns, cf Matthew 
24:29-30, they see New Jerusalem descending, cf. rev. 1:7)


               The Great Babylon (Rome) - 17:1-18:24
           The Great Whore And The Scarlet Beast - 17:1-18

     Retrospective Not Chronological -- Ancient Babylon Not Revived --
     Not Political/Religious But Religious/Political -- Not Roman 
     Catholicism -- Mystery Babylon Worldwide Ecclesiastical System

  rev 17:1. And there came one of the seven angels who have the seven
bowls. And he spoke with me, saying, Come here. I will show you the
condemnation and punishment of the prostitute, the great one, who is
sitting on many waters [cf v15; 18:7], (prostitute/harlot, spiritual 
harlot; including all religions not just apostate Christendom)
  rev 17:2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication; and
those who dwell on the earth were made drunken by the wine of her
fornication. (she is already over them; king's fornication speaks of 
vile misuse of relationship; people partake of the wine)
  rev 17:3 And he carried me away into an uninhabited place in [my]
spirit. And I saw a woman sitting on a Wild Beast, a scarlet one, 
filled with names reproachful and injurious to the divine majesty of 
deity, having seven heads and ten horns. (woman already in control, 
introduces the first beast who is religious who then quickly becomes 
political, getting power from the ten kings)
  rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and was
adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls, having a golden cup in
her hand filled with abominations and the unclean things of her
fornication. (purple speaks of commerce)
  rev 17:5 And on her forehead a name has been written in a permanent
inscription, Mystery[,] Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes 
and of the Abominations of the Earth. (remove "comma"after mystery -- 
not revealed in OT; ancient Babylon political/religious, this one is
religious/political)

  rev 17:6. And I saw the woman intoxicated, the source of her
intoxication being the blood of the saints and the blood of the 
martyrs of Jesus. And I wondered, seeing the woman, with a great 
wonder. (the woman is responsible for martyrdom during first half of 
Trib, cf 6:9f)
  rev 17:7 And the angel said to me, Why did you wonder? As for 
myself, I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the Wild Beast 
who is carrying her who [the Wild Beast] has the seven heads and the 
ten horns.
  rev 17:8 The Wild Beast whom you saw was, and is not, and is 
destined to be ascending out of the bottomless place, and he goes off 
into perdition. And those who dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose 
names have not been permanently inscribed upon the scroll of the life 
from the time of the foundation of the universe, when they see the 
Wild Beast, how that he was and is not and shall come. (woman will 
probably introduce second beast about this time)

  rev 17:9. Here is the intelligence that has wisdom. The seven heads
are seven hills. The woman is seated upon them. (probably Rome)
  rev 17:10 And there are seven kings. The five fell. The one is. The
other one has not yet come. And whenever he comes it is a necessity in
the nature of the case for him to continue for a brief time. (the 
history of the ancient Roman empire and its future revival)

  rev 17:11. And the Wild Beast who was and is not is himself also an
eighth [king], and is out of the seven as a source. And into perdition
he goes off.
  rev 17:12 And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings of the kind
which did not yet receive royal power, but they will receive authority
as kings one hour with the Wild Beast.
  rev 17:13 These have one purpose and they give their power and
authority to the Wild Beast. (Satan unites political & religious 
authorities against the Christ)
  rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall 
gain the victory over them because He is Lord of lords and King of 
kings, and they shall also gain the victory who are with Him, the 
called and the chosen and the faithful. (the faith & expectation of 
the tribulation saints)

  rev 17:15. And he says to me, The waters which you saw, where the
prostitute is sitting, are peoples and multitudes and nations and
languages.
  rev 17:16 And the ten horns which you saw and the Wild Beast, these
shall hate the prostitute and shall make her a ruin and reduce her to
nakedness. And her flesh they shall eat. And they shall consume her 
with fire, (the beast proclaims himself god and turns on the woman)
  rev 17:17 for God did put it into their hearts to do that which was 
in His mind, and to come to one mind and to give their [royal] power 
to the Wild Beast until the words of God should be accomplished. 
(God allows evil men to accomplish His purposes)
  rev 17:18 And the woman whom you saw is the city, the great one, 
which possesses [imperial] power over the kings of the earth. 

  She is the worldwide ecumenical religious system that will be in 
power at the beginning of the Tribulation and destroyed by God and 
men. Satan would have such a worldwide organization now if God would 
allow it. However, 2 Thessalonians 2 explains that the Holy Spirit is
acting as a restrainer for the present time. (cf 2 Thess. 2:7, 8)
After the rapture of the Church, these events will rapidly begin to 
take place.

               The Great Babylon (Rome) - 17:1-18:24
     Fall of (Rome), Response of Merchants Profiting by Her - 18:1-24

     Ancient Babylon was a commercial city and did much of her trade 
     by ship on the Tigras and Euphrates. Mystery Babylon, Rome, also
     has a large shipping port and commercial activity.
 
  rev 18:1. After these things I saw another angel coming down out of
heaven having great authority. And the earth was illuminated by his
glory.
  rev 18:2 And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, It has fallen, it
has fallen, Babylon the Great, and it has become a dwelling place of
demons and a haunt of every unclean spirit and a haunt of every 
unclean bird, and the object of detestation,
  rev 18:3 because as a result of the wine of the wrath [that fell 
upon her], because of her fornication all the nations have fallen. And 
the kings of the earth committed fornication with her. And the 
merchants of the earth as a result of her power and luxury became 
wealthy. (not only is the religious worldwide ecumenical system to be 
judged but also the commercial. It would appear that the beast 
eventually turns on both the religious harlot and the Roman system of 
commerce. cp. 17:16 for the ten kings; also 18;18)

  rev 18:4. And I heard another voice out of the heaven, saying, Come
out of her at once, my people, in order that you may not be a
joint-participant with her in her sins, and in order that you may not
receive of her plagues, (warning for trib saints)
  rev 18:5 for her sins have piled up in a coherent mass so that they
touch the heaven [i.e., the sky]. And God remembered her crimes.
  rev 18:6 Render to her at once as she herself also rendered [to
others], and pay back double according to her works.
In the cup in which she mixed, mix for her at once a double [allotment].
  rev 18:7 In the measure in which she glorified herself and lived in
luxury, in that measure render to her torment and sorrow, because in her
heart she is saying, I am enthroned as a queen, and am not a widow, and
sorrow I shall positively not see. (this describes the arrogance of 
men in their unbelief and self aggrandizement)
  rev 18:8 Because of this in one day shall her plagues come, death and
sorrow and famine, and in fire she shall be completely consumed, for
mighty is the Lord God who has handed her over for judicial 
punishment. (cf. 17:16)

     Merchants Grieve Over Their Loss of Commerce
  rev 18:9. And they shall weep audibly and beat their breasts in grief
over her, the kings of the earth who with her committed fornication and
lived in luxury, when they are looking upon the smoke of her burning,
  rev 18:10 standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment,
saying, Woe, woe, the city, the great city, Babylon, the city which is
mighty, because in one hour your judicial punishment has come.
  rev 18:11 And the merchants of the earth weep audibly and are grieved
over her, because their cargo no one any longer buys in the market,
  rev 18:12 a cargo of gold and silver and precious stone and pearls and
fine linen and purple cloth and silk and scarlet cloth and every kind of
citron wood and every kind of an article made of ivory and every kind of
an article made of most costly wood and of brass and of iron and of
marble;
  rev 18:13 and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and
frankincense and wine and olive oil and the finest grade of wheat flour
and grain and cattle and sheep and horses and four-wheeled carriages and
persons of individuals and souls of men.

  rev 18:14. And the fruit which your soul longed after has departed
from you. And all the luxurious things and the brightly shining things
have perished from you, and no longer will you see them at all.
  rev 18:15 The merchants who dealt in these things, those who became
wealthy by her, shall stand at a distance because of the fear of her
torment, weeping audibly and grieving,
  rev 18:16 saying, Woe, woe, the city, the great city, the city arrayed
in fine linen and purple and scarlet garments, adorned with gold and
precious stone and pearl,
  rev 18:17 because in one hour such great wealth has been ruined.
And every sailing-master and everyone who sails to a place and mariners
and as many as earn their living by the sea, stood at a distance
  rev 18:18 and kept on crying out, seeing the smoke of her burning,
saying, What city is like the city, the great city?
  rev 18:19 And they threw dust upon their heads and kept on crying out,
weeping audibly and grieving, saying, Woe, woe, the city, the great one,
in which all those who have ships on the sea were made wealthy by reason
of her abundance of costly things, because in one hour she was ruined.

     The Response of The Saints, Etc.
  rev 18:20. Be rejoicing over her, O heaven, and you saints and
apostles and prophets, because God pronounced judgment for you against
her.
  rev 18:21 And one angel, a mighty one, took up a stone like a great
millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying, In this manner, with a
violent rush, shall Babylon, the great city, be thrown down and shall
never again be found.

  rev 18:22. And a sound of harpers and musicians and flute players and
of trumpet players shall never again be heard in you. And every
craftsman of every craft shall never again be found in you. And the
sound of a millstone shall never again be heard in you.
  rev 18:23 And the light of a lamp shall never again shine in you. And
a voice of a bridegroom and a bride shall never again be heard in you;
because your merchants were the great men of the earth, because with
your magical arts all the nations were led astray.
  rev 18:24 And in her there was found blood of prophets and saints and
of all those who have been slain on the earth.


     The Bride Made Ready, The Conquering King, His Armies, The
     First Two to Enter The Lake of Fire  - 19:1-21

  rev 19:1. After these things I heard a great sound like that of a
great multitude* in heaven, saying, Hallelujah [Praise the Lord]. The
salvation and the glory and the power belong to our God, (*the Church)
  rev 19:2 because dependable and righteous are His judgments, for He
administered justice upon the prostitute, the great one, who is of 
such a character that she corrupted the earth with her fornication, 
and He has exacted a penalty from her because of the blood of His 
bondslaves.
  rev 19:3 And a second time they said, Hallelujah. And her smoke
ascends forever and forever.

  rev 19:4. And the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell
down and worshipped God who is seated upon the throne, saying, Amen.
Hallelujah. (24 elders now seen with Church)
  rev 19:5 And there came out a voice* from the throne, saying, 
Be giving praise to our God, all those who are His bondslaves, those 
who fear Him, those who are of a lowly station in life and those who 
are great. (*voice, the Son, or Spirit, concerning the Father, or Son)
  rev 19:6 And I heard a sound like the voice of a great multitude and
like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunders,
saying, Hallelujah, because the Lord our God, the Omnipotent, has
assumed His royal authority.
  rev 19:7 Let us be rejoicing and let us be glad. And let us give the
glory to Him at once, because the wedding of the Lamb has come, and 
His bride has made herself ready.
  rev 19:8 And it was given to her that she should array herself in 
fine linen, shining, bright, clean, for the fine linen is the 
righteous acts of the saints. (washed - cf. 1 Corinthians 6:11; 
cp. bema seat - Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; basis motives - 
1 Corinthians 4:5)
  rev 19:9 And he says to me, Write at once. Spiritually prosperous 
and fortunate are those who have been invited to the banquet of the 
wedding of the Lamb. And he says to me, These are the dependable words 
of God. (begins after judgments, Matthew 25:1-46; cf. Matthew 22:1-14,
esp. v11-13, invitation from heaven - feast on earth)
  rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he says to me,
See to it that you do not do so. I am a fellow bondslave of yours and 
of your brethren who hold the testimony of [concerning] Jesus. Worship 
God. For the testimony of [concerning] Jesus is the spirit [the 
disposition or characteristic] of prophecy [the forth-telling of God's 
word]. (the angel of 17:1 a fellow or "brother" prophet/forth teller) 

  rev 19:11. And I saw the opened heaven. And consider this. A horse, 
a white one, and He who is seated upon it who is called Faithful and
Dependable. And in righteousness He administers justice and makes war.
(The white horse is symbolic of a conqueror in oriental culture)
  rev 19:12 And His eyes were a flame of fire. And upon His head there
were royal crowns,* many of them. He has a name which has been written
which no one knows except He himself. (*diadem, speaking of deity; 
not Stephanos, victor's, cf. Hebrews 2:9)
  rev 19:13 And He is clothed with a garment which has been stained 
with blood.* And His name has been called, and the name is on record, 
The Word of God. (*His blood)

  rev 19:14. And the armies which are in heaven kept on following Him
[in a steady procession, rank after rank] upon white horses, clothed in
fine linen, shining, bright, clean. (armies are angels in  bright 
linen, cp. 15:6; Bride also clothed in white garments, cf. 3:4,5)
  rev 19:15 And out of His mouth there proceeds a sword, a sharp one, 
in order that with it He should strike down the nations. And He 
himself shall shepherd them with an iron scepter. And He himself 
treads the wine press of the wine of the wrath of the anger of God, 
the Omnipotent.
  rev 19:16 And He has upon His garment and upon His thigh a name 
which has been written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

     Just Before the Final Battle - cp. Matthew 24:29
  rev 19:17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun. And he cried out
with a great voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven,
Come. Be gathered together to the banquet, the great one of God,
  rev 19:18 in order that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh
of chiliarchs and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and 
of those who sit on them, and the flesh of freemen and also of slaves 
and of small and great.

  rev 19:19. And I saw the Wild Beast and the kings of the earth and
their troops gathered together for the purpose of engaging in battle
with Him who is seated on the horse and with His army. (came to war 
initially against each other but join together against Christ)
  rev 19:20 And the Wild Beast was seized and with him the False 
Prophet who performed the attesting miracles before him by which he 
deceived those who received the mark of identification of the Wild 
Beast and those who worship his image. The two were thrown alive into 
the lake of fire burning with brimstone. (the first cast into the Lake 
of Fire; millennial rebels also to be cast there along with 
unbelieving survivers of the tribulation)
  rev 19:21 And the rest were killed with the sword of Him who is 
seated upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of His mouth. And all 
the birds gorged themselves with their flesh.

     Satan Bound and Loosed; The Judgments - Post-tribulational and 
     Great White Throne Judgment 20:1-15; And Eternal State 21:1

  rev 20:1. And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven having the 
key of the bottomless place and a great chain upon his hand. (abyss, 
does  have a bottom; chain? something that will bind spirit beings)
  rev 20:2 And he seized the Dragon in one fell swoop, the snake, the
ancient snake who is the Devil and the Satan, and bound him for one
thousand years.
  rev 20:3 And he threw him into the bottomless place and locked and
sealed it over him in order that he should not deceive the nations any
longer until the thousand -years have been brought to an end. After
these things it is a necessity in the nature of the case for him to be
set free for a brief period. (doubtless, he will be enraged!)

  rev 20:4. And I saw thrones, and they* sat upon them, and authority 
to administer justice was given them. And I saw the souls of those who 
had been beheaded because of the testimony [they bore to] of Jesus 
and because of the word of God. And I saw those who were such that 
they did not worship the Wild Beast nor his image and did not receive 
his mark of identification upon their forehead and hand. And they 
lived and reigned* as kings with the Christ one thousand years. 
(*they, the Church/Bride, cf. 1 Corinthians 6:2,3; cp. Matthew 25:10; 
*reigned, martyred tribulation saints)
  rev 20:5 The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years
were brought to a close. (the dead here are unbelievers prior to 
the millennium)
  rev 20:6 This is the resurrection, the first* one. Spiritually
prosperous and holy is he who has a share in the first resurrection.
Over these the second death does not have authority. But they shall be
priests of God and of the Christ. And they shall reign as kings with Him
one thousand years. (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:23, first resurrection in 
stages; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Daniel 12:12,13, tribulation saints also 
resurrected during the last 75 days of Daniel 12:12-13)

  rev 20:7. And whenever the thousand years are finished the Satan shall
be set free from his prison
  rev 20:8 and shall go forth to deceive the nations which are in the
four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for
the war, their number being as the sand of the sea. (All believing 
survivers of the tribulation will still produce unsaved offspring)
  rev 20:9 And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and encircled
the camp of the saints and the city, the beloved one. And fire came down
out of the heaven and consumed them.
  rev 20:10 And the Devil, the one who deceives them, was thrown into
the lake of fire and brimstone where both the Wild Beast and the False
Prophet [are]. And they shall be tormented day and night forever and
forever.

     Judgment of The Wicked Dead
  rev 20:11. And I saw a throne, a great white one, and Him who is
seated on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled. And place
was not found for them. (disolution of the corrupted old universe)
  rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before
the throne. And the scrolls were opened. And another scroll was opened
which is the scroll of the life. And the dead were judged on the basis
of the things that stand written in the scrolls according to their
works. (as in every judgment, those being judged are rewarded or
punished in degree according to their works--not for salvation; works
are reflective of their saved or lost condition; these are lost!)
  rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it. And death and
the Unseen gave up the dead who were in them. And each one was judged
according to their works. (second resurrection--the unsaved prior to 
the millennium who are in Hades)
  rev 20:14 And death and the Unseen were thrown into the lake of fire.
This is the second death, the lake of fire. (death means separation,
not annihilation)
  rev 20:15 And whoever was not found recorded in the book of the life
was cast into the lake of fire. (none were found in the book)


     The Revelation of Christ and The New Jerusalem - 21:1-22:5

     A Glimpse of Eternity
  rev 21:1. And I saw a heaven new in quality and an earth new in
quality, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away. And the
sea does not exist any longer. (cf. Isa. 65:17 & 2 Pet. 3, esp. v13)
  rev 21:2 And the city, the holy city, Jerusalem, the one new in
quality, I saw coming down out of heaven from God, having been 
prepared as a bride who has been adorned for her groom.

  rev 21:3. And I heard a voice, a great one, out of the heaven,* 
saying, Consider this. The tent* of God is with men. And He shall live 
in a tent *[?] with them*. And they themselves shall be His people, 
and God himself shall be with them, (*heaven, TP, not throne; *tent, 
New Jerusalem in eternity; *?[the glorified body of the Lord Jesus in 
which He lives]; God the Father tents/camps in the NJ in eternity with
*them, saints from Adam to Abraham; Jews and Gentiles tribulation / 
millennial saints inherit earth; Church / now Bride with! Christ!)
  rev 21:4 and shall wipe out every tear* from their eyes. And death
shall be no more. Neither shall there be any longer mourning nor crying
nor pain, for the former things passed away. (no tears in the eternal
state, memories purged, cf Isa 65:17; bodies changed between [?] and 
21:1; identities maintained, cf Isa 66:22 & 1 Cor 10:32; Church was 
changed 1007 years earlier)

     Throne Goes Back to Rev. 20:11 & Looks Forward
  rev 21:5. And He who is seated upon the throne said, Consider this. 
I make all things new in quality. And He says, Write at once, because
these words are trustworthy and dependable.

      Back to the Millennial Period
  rev 21:6 And He said to me, They have come to pass and stand
accomplished. As for myself, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
originating cause and the One who brings things to their consummation.
As for myself, I will give to him who is thirsty out of the spring of
the water of the life as an undeserved gift.

     The Overcomers -- That's Us, Victors
  rev 21:7 He who gains the victory shall inherit these things. And I
will be his God and he himself will be my son.

     Unbelieving Survivers of the Tribulation
  rev 21:8 But the cowardly and the unbelievers and those defiled with
that which is abominable and murderers and prostitutes and those who
practice magical arts and idolaters and all liars shall have
their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is 
the second death. 

     John Sees New Jerusalem Coming Just Before End of Tribulation

     Five Reasons This Is The millennial State
     1. At A different time
     2. At a different place
     3. If eternal state not only Father and Son but Holy Spirit there
     4. The tree of Life is present in the city then
     5. People will be excluded from the city--eternal state not so

  rev 21:9. And there came one of the seven angels* who have the seven
bowls filled with the seven plagues, the final ones, and spoke with me,
saying, Come. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. (angel, 
cf 15:1; Nothing more said here about the Bride)

     John Sees and Describes the Great City Holy Jerusalem
  rev 21:10 And he carried me off in [my] spirit to a mountain, great
and lofty, and showed me the great* city, holy Jerusalem, coming down 
out of heaven from God, (*great, Wuest followed the minority texts,
omitting 'great', he wrote: "the holy city, Jerusalem"; cf v2; also
no mountains on new earth)
  rev 21:11 having the glory of God. Its splendor and radiance as a
luminary, a light-giving body, was like a stone which is most precious,
like a stone of crystal-clear jasper, (reflecting the glory of God;
God is the light of the city and the city lightens the earth)
  rev 21:12 having a wall, great and high, having twelve large gates,
and at the gates twelve angels, and names written upon them which are
the names of the twelve sons of Israel;
  rev 21:13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the
south three gates, and on the west three gates.
  rev 21:14 And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and upon
them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (12 apostles of 
the Church)

     The Size of This Satellite City
  rev 21:15. And he who is speaking with me was having as a measuring
instrument a golden reed, in order that he might measure the city and
its gates and its wall.
  rev 21:16 And the city is laid out in the form of a square, and its
length is equal to the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed,
fifteen hundred miles [on each side]. Its length and breadth and height
are equal. (not a cube but a pyramid)
  rev 21:17 And he measured its wall, two hundred and sixteen feet [in
height], using the measuring system of mankind, which was that used by
the angel.
  rev 21:18 And the material of which its wall was composed was jasper.
And the city was pure gold like clear crystal.

  rev 21:19. The foundations of the wall of the city have been adorned
with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the
second sapphire, the third a chalcedony, the fourth an emerald,
  rev 21:20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh 
chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth a topaz, the tenth a
chrysoprasus, the eleventh a jacinth, the twelfth an amethyst.
  rev 21:21 And the twelve gates* were twelve pearls. Each one of the
several gates was one pearl. And the broad avenue of the city was pure
gold like transparent glass. (*gates wide enough to let in a Jew and a
believing Gentile, cf Zechariah 8:20-23)
  rev 21:22 And an inner sanctuary* I did not see in it, for the Lord
God, the Omnipotent, is its inner sanctuary, and the Lamb. 
(*sanctuary, no buildings there; Persons, the Father and the Son are 
the buildings; today we are the buildings of God)

  rev 21:23. And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to
illuminate it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the
Lamb. (His glory is the light, reflected)
  rev 21:24 And the nations* shall walk by means of its light. And the
kings of the earth bring their glory into it. (*nations 'of them which 
are saved' in KJV has poor textual support)
  rev 21:25 And its gates shall by no means be locked during the day,
for night shall not be there.
  rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations
into it.
  rev 21:27 And there shall positively not enter it anything unclean and
he who makes an abomination and a lie, except those written in the
scroll of the life of the Lamb. (unrighteous during millennium will 
not enter it, cf 22:14,15)

  rev 22:1. And he showed me a river of water of life, sparkling like
crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (not 
salvation, but only saved will drink of it, something like baptism)
  rev 22:2 In the midst of its [the city's] broad avenue and on this
side and on that side of the river was a tree of life bearing twelve
fruits, yielding its fruit each month. And the leaves of the tree were
for the health of the nations. (tree of life provided physical healing 
for those living during the millennium)

  rev 22:3. And every curse shall exist no longer. And the throne of God
and of the Lamb shall be in it. And His bondslaves shall render Him
sacred service. (curse lifted during millennium, not in eternity; 
bond-slaves, the Bride, will reign into the ages of the ages, cf 2:26)
  rev 22:4 And they shall see His face. And His Name shall be on their
foreheads.
  rev 22:5 And there shall be night no longer. And they do not have need
of the light of a lamp nor of the sun because the Lord God shall shed
light upon them. And they shall reign as kings forever and forever.
(cf 11:15, Christ shall _reign into the ages of the ages)


   Epilogue: Reliability of The Book; The Rapture Imminent - 22:6-21

     Messenger Or Angel Sent By Jesus - 1:1
  rev 22:6 And he said to me, These words are trustworthy and
dependable. And the Lord God of the spirits [their human spirits as
informed by the Holy Spirit] of the prophets sent His messenger on a
commission to show to His bondslaves/us things which of necessity must 
come to pass shortly. (cf 1:1,2)
  rev 22:7 And consider this. I am coming soon/*suddenly. Spiritually 
prosperous* is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this scroll. 
(*suddenly, imminency of return, Rapture; *spiritually prosperous, 
blessed, 7 beattitudes, cf 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14)

  rev 22:8. And I, John, am he who is hearing and seeing these things.
And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of 
the angel who was showing me these things. (John overwhelmed and 
rebuked)
  rev 22:9 And he says to me, See to it that you do not do so. I am a
fellow bondslave of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of 
those who* are keeping the words of this scroll. Worship* God. 
(*who/us, cf 1:3; *worship: gives back to the object its full weight.  
{Mormons worship an angel})

  rev 22:10. And he says to me, Do not begin to seal up the words of 
the prophecy of this scroll, for the strategic, epochal time is 
imminent. (unlike Daniel, told the book is sealed, 12:9; Christ's 
return for the Church could happen anytime! we need to be ready!)

     Tribulation Survivers At Beginning Of Millennium -- Permanentized
  rev 22:11 He who is unrighteous, let him practice unrighteousness
still. And he who is [morally] polluted, let him pollute himself 
still. And he who is righteous, let him practice righteousness still. 
And he who is holy, let him be made holy still.
     Judged By Works, Whether They have Faith or not
  rev 22:12. Consider this. I am coming soon. And my reward* is with 
me, to render to each one according to his work. (cf Matthew 25, 
post-tribulational at beginning of millennium -- judgments)
  rev 22:13 As for myself, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First 
and the Last, the originating cause and the One who brings to 
completion.

     In Millennium: Those Who Can & Cannot Partake of The Tree of Life
  rev 22:14 Spiritually prosperous are those who wash their robes* in
order that theirs shall be the authority over the tree* of the life 
and in order that they may go through the gates into the city. 
(*wash their robes, TP; KJV do His commandments; *tree of life, only 
tribulation saints have right or access to it)
  rev 22:15 Outside are the dogs and those who practice magical arts,
and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone 
who is fond of and practices falsehood. (unrighteous during 
tribulation, will die; "There is not thence any more a suckling of 
days, And an aged man who doth not complete his days, For the youth a 
hundred years old dieth, And the sinner, a hundred years old, is 
lightly esteemed." Isaiah 65:20, Young's Literal Translation, 
describes those who are born and remain unrighteous in millennium)

  rev 22:16. I, Jesus, sent my messenger to testify these things to 
you in the [local] assemblies. As for myself, I am the root and the
offspring of David,* the star, the bright one, the morning* star. 
(*David, relates to Israel, cf 5:5; *bright and morning star, relates 
to church; what bridegrooms do for brides -- give Himself, cf 2:28)

     Millennial: Spirit On Earth -- Bride In New Jerusalem
  rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride are saying, Be coming.* And 
he who hears, let him say, Be coming. And he who is thirsty, let him 
be coming. He who is desirous, let him take at once the water of life 
gratis. (Spirit & Bride invite the millennial saints to come, drink)
     Plagues On False Prophets During Tribulation - CF Matt. 24:23-26
  rev 22:18 It is I who am testifying to everyone who hears the words 
of the prophecy of this scroll; if anyone adds to them, God shall add 
to him the plagues which stand written in this scroll.
  rev 22:19 And if anyone shall take away from the words of the scroll
of [containing] this prophecy, God shall take away his portion from the
tree of the life and from the holy city, from the things which stand
written in this scroll. (also, those in the millennium who fail to 
believe, etc., will not be allowed to access the tree of life, they 
will eventually die, cf Isaiah 65:20)

  rev 22:20. He who testifies these things says, Surely, I am coming
soon. Amen [So let it be]. Be coming, Lord Jesus. (expected at 
any time)

  rev 22:21. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.

  EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS,!