THE FIRST TRUMPET (Revelation 8:2-7)
A.D. 33 to A.D. 270

Revelation 8:2-7
2. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth; and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
6. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

The sounding of the trumpets of the Revelation symbolizes what John saw taking place while the gospel was being preached by the ministry of each trumpet age. The ministry sounds the trumpets. When Israel marched around Jericho, the priests sounded the trumpets. They went around once each day for six days, then on the seventh day, they went around the city seven times, once for each day they had gone before. This is a beautiful type of the seven ages of the gospel day as symbolized in the Revelation. In the last period, or age (in which we are now living) all of the past six ages will come to light clearly and will sound out ‘together the truth of the past. Many errors of the past are being uncovered now, because of more light and truth, shining forth in this evening of time. That which was real truth in the past, is still truth and that which was only understood in part is clearing up, and the perfect understanding according to the scriptures is now being given to us. Truth that was truth still stands, but error is cast aside.

Then a study of Ezekiel, the 33rd chapter will help us to get a meaning of the trumpets. The watchman is sounding the trumpets of warning to the people. The prophet says: “If the people of the land set a man as their watchman and he see the sword (which is the Word of God) come against the people and he sound the trumpet of warning and “the people refuse to take heed, they are then guilty of their own blood.”

In the sounding of the first trumpet we have blood mentioned and this explains in part the blood referred to in the Revelation. The blood of Christ is included in this trumpet.

John, at this time saw seven angels standing before God, which is a symbol of the ministry for the seven trumpet ages of the gospel dispensation. And he saw another angel standing at the altar with a golden censer. There was given him much incense that he should offer it on the altar with the prayers of the saints, AND THE SMOKE OF THE INCENSE, THAT CAME WITH THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS ASCENDED UP BEFORE GOD. Smoke is a symbol of prayers ascending up, and will be used in this manner further along in this study.

This is a fulfillment of what Christ said when he mentioned that, “I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter.” Michael, according to Jude 9, is called an Archangel, and Michael is Christ. See Daniel 12:1. No one can deliver His people other than Christ, Himself. And He is the angel recorded here, casting fire into the earth off the altar from before the throne. “And there were voices.” Surely this was so on the day of Pentecost, when a great preparation was made to carry the gospel of Christ up through the entire Holy Spirit dispensation, to all people.

“And there was thunderings,”—a symbol of happenings of the past. The prophecies of the past, were quoted by the Apostle Peter, as he spoke relative to Joel 2:28, when he prophesied of the “pouring out of the spirit upon all flesh and their sons and their daughters would prophesy.”

“And there was lightnings”—a symbol of the Holy Ghost fire falling from heaven. “And an earthquake,” which is a symbol of a spiritual awakening. In Acts 4, when the saints were gathered together and praying, the place where they were was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. This also happened on the day of 25

Pentecost. We have three earthquakes recorded in the Revelation. The next one is when the sixth seal is opened, then the other one happening now—in our day, in the seventh seal age. In each of these three earthquakes there comes an outpouring of the Holy Ghost and a religious awakening, and also a falling down. This first one which extends throughout the first trumpet age for 270 years, brought about the falling down of the Roman government. In the other earthquakes to follow there will also be more falling down of the false, as the result of Gospel truth.

In the sounding of this first trumpet there was hail and fire mingled with blood. Hail would symbolize truth poured down from heaven. A prophecy of this is found in Isaiah 28:17: “Judgment will I also lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail will sweep away a refuge of lies and the water will overflow their hiding places.” Hail comes from above, and so does the truth, which will sweep away, or erase the flimsy false interpretations of the scriptures, with all error and deception included. Falsity and error can not stand the continual pounding of God’s eternal truth, backed up by the Holy Ghost from heaven. There will be additional explanation along this line later.

In Revelation 17:15, water is used as a symbol of people, and in the prophecy of Isaiah, the people of God will overflow the hiding places of the false. God’s people will certainly uncover the false by standing for the truth and living consistent Christian lives.

Blood is a symbol of the people who refuse to hear the truth when it is given, and by rejecting it, they become guilty of their own blood, and also of the blood of Christ (Ezekiel 33). The blood of Christ is offered in cleansing, along with the hail and fire.

And one third of the trees were burned up at the sounding of the first trumpet also. Notice Prophecy in Isaiah 61:3, “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called ‘trees’ of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” This prophecy makes it very clear that TREES ARE USED AS A SYMBOL OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD.

During the martyrdom of Christians in this age according to the Revelation, one-third of those accepting Christ, when the tests and trials came, gave up salvation and recanted. And when they did, truth turned against them, burning them up spiritually. Not only that, but all the green grass was burned up. The same prophet, Isaiah 40:6-7 says, “The voice said, Cry, and he said what shall I cry? All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is the flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth because the spirit of the Lord, bloweth upon it. Surely the people is grass.”

1 Peter 1:24. “For all flesh is grass.” The people of the entire Roman government rejected Christ and judgment was against them. People who are saved are recorded as trees, who do not live after the flesh. The unsaved are as grass of which were the Romans after the flesh. (See Romans 8:9). This is what John saw in the first trumpet age while the gospel was being preached for the 270 year period.

THE FIRST CANDLESTICK (Revelation 2:1-7)
A.D. 33 to A.D. 270

Revelation 2:1-7:
1. Unto the angel of the church at Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:
2. I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
3. And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works: or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent.
6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
7. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. This letter to the church at Ephesus is used to symbolize the spiritual standing or conditions of this 270 year period of the first and second seal age. It is not used to symbolize the church. The seven candlesticks symbolize the church in the seven ages of the dispensation. It would be out of reason, and neither would it harmonize, to double symbolize in any point or part of the Revelation.

In this letter, the church is complimented for their devout faithfulness in the beginning of this age, starting with the day of Pentecost. They labored in the work of God, and had much patience, and they could not bear those who were evil, and tried those who claimed to be apostles and were not; but found them liars.

During this period of 270 years many scriptures teach us that truth began to slip into the background, and this happened even in the days of the apostles. Heresy and error were working in many ways and as the older saints passed on and the church moved up through time, many truths were left off, compromising began, and the apostasy in the church continued until the church generally had lost its first love. It is well always to keep in mind the Revelation is dealing with the church in a universal sense and generally speaking at this time, nearing the end of the 270 year period, the church had lost her first love and had fallen. They surely had the truth and genuine love; otherwise it could not have been said they lost it, and were fallen. This is true in a general sense, and by history, we will prove this in the beginning of the next chapter. They had something to do. That was to repent, and do the first works. The first works are repentance, believe the gospel and be baptized. If they refuse to obey this command, the candlestick was to be removed and another candlestick brought in. And this is the very thing that occurred. This church age passes, and in the next age people were saved, according to the light and knowledge that they had the privilege of knowing during that particular time. Then the church at Ephesus was told that there were those who advocated the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes among (them, which was abomination to the Lord and He hated them. Nicolas was one of the seven deacons who were appointed to serve tables in the days of the apostles (Acts 6). He was a proselyte of Antioch, converted to Christianity, and later fell to a deception and began to teach it among the saints, which some permitted.

The overcomers in this 270 year period were promised that they would have right to the tree of life in the midst the paradise of God. And to overcome in this age of persecution was to seal their testimony with their life’s blood in martyrdom and be carried away to be with Christ, the tree of life in the paradise of God.

The seven letters are all addressed to the angels of the seven churches, each letter to each specific church. As we have already mentioned, the angels are ministering spirits used to symbolize the ministry of the seven different ages. The letters are first addressed to the ministry or angel of the church, and then at the last of each letter we have the admonition, “He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” The message comes through the angel, or the pastors.

CHAPTER FOUR
THE RISE OF PAPAL ROME
A.D. 270 to A.D. 530—260 Years

Before using scriptures to explain this chapter it is necessary to inform ourselves from history that we might have a starting point of time. A.D. 270 is the date of the beginning of this chapter, and this date will correspond with time symbols found in the Revelation, which will be explained in proper time in connection with the following paragraphs of history.

Wickersham’s 1900 Year Church History, page 104: “Another great event which marks the close of this period of time (A.D. 270) is in the division and the decline of the Roman Empire. At this time almost half of the inhabitants of the Roman Empire professed faith in Christ. Christianity was being generally accepted among the people and instead of the church following the word with Christ as head, and endeavoring to preserve unity, the phase of things was changed and the bishops, who were to be ex-amples to the flock, were aspired to a higher degree of authority and power than they had formerly possessed and assumed in many places a princely authority, particularly those who had the greatest number of churches under inspection, and presided over the most wealthy congregations. They assumed the authority of a temporal magistrate and dazzled the eyes of the multitude by wearing sumptuous clothing. They neglected the more sacred duties of the spiritual phase of the work and to feed the flock spiritually and instead they boldly usurped their rights and privileges and the effects of a corrupt and official body spread through every rank of the church. (WARNING—HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF).

“Paul, of Samonsata, acting as bishop at Antioch, prepared himself an exclusive seat where he decided cases as a magistrate and attained to excessive wealth by the means derived thereby and to extort from the brethren money for his services, depressing the injured and poor, promising them aid in their troubles for a reward received of them.”

This surely marks the beginning of Popery coming to light at this time. Later Constantine, Emperor in Rome about the year A.D. 323, favored Christianity and opposed Pagan worship, thus developing further Popery.

We quote from Daniel Webster Kurtz’s Church History, page 48: “The heresies within the church forced the Christians to a rule of authority. (SO THEY THOUGHT). At first, religion was an inner experience, of Christ in the heart being personal, or the theology of a good shepherd. As the church entered the Greek and Roman territory and prevailed in conflict with heathenism, religion became more and more a matter of creeds.

“During the apostolic age elders and bishops were of equal rank, and near the same in person, and there were some of these in each local church congregation. But now the bishop is one that exercises authority over all others. This change was ordered by the Roman government which they thought was a model to all Gentile converts. This generally accepted developed the pope.” We can readily see according to history that A.D. 270 dates the beginning of popery rule, even though the apostasy began to develop back in the days of the apostles.

THE THIRD SEAL (Revelation 6:5-6; Revelation 13:1-10)
A.D. 270 to A.D. 530—260 Years

Revelation 6:5-6:
5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

Revelation 13:1.10:
1.And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?
5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9. If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity : he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The above scriptures in connection must be explained together. The first passage, referring to the black horse power, is a continuation of warfare as in the first and second seal ages. And in the second passage of scriptures, we have the bringing up or the rise of a spiritual and political power, symbolized in the coming up of the spotted beast.

In this seal age, the dragon, or the Devil, seeing his kingdom crumble and the pagan powers losing ground, acknowledges Christ and takes on a form or cloak of religion and begins to exalt himself up in the form of Papal Rome following Pagan Rome. BUT IT IS STILL ROME WITH NO MORE SALVATION IN THE TEACHINGS OF PAPALISM THAN IN PAGANISM. So the legs of iron of the image of the second chapter of Daniel , extended on out in time. The spirit of the fourth beast of Daniel is also carried up into Papalism. The coming out of the black horse is a symbol of a warfare extending up in time; black is a symbol of spiritual darkness, coming upon the nations through the power of the thirteenth chapter beast. And dealing out literal food at the price mentioned (Revelation 6:6) would symbolize the cheapness of the religion now offered as the true religion of the Bible. To accept this cheap form of religion one only has to join the Roman Catholic church, and take a vow to be loyal to the creeds of that church, confess to the priest, and then go out and sin again and return and confess, and so on. There is no deliverance, no salvation in adhering to the teachings of the Roman Catholic church. While in this age of Bibles where all have access to the Word, the Bible is being read by honest people, in spite of past traditions; and when read and obeyed to the extent of repenting and believing, it will search out honest souls from among those of the Catholic teaching and cause them to see what is required of them.

This period of 260 years is known in history as the age of the Apostasy. That is when the church of the morning age was in a general sense developing into compromise with the forces and powers of Papalism. The phrase “See thou hurt not the oil and the wine” would symbolize the Word and the Spirit; as oil was used under the old covenant to anoint kings, typical of the anointing of the Holy Spirit in this age. Since the wine is literally the fruit of the vine, it would symbolize the Word, or the food for the soul, through the spiritual vine which is Christ. Jesus said, “I am the true vine.” One of the four beasts spoke with reference to the oil and wine, and these four beasts will be explained later on in the study. John saw them in chapter four before the throne.

The church of Rome tried to destroy the true Bible and substitute their own creed instead. But this voice from the throne of God said, “See thou hurt not the oil and the wine,” or the Word and the Spirit. The true Bible has been handed down to us, and has not been destroyed.

The thirteenth chapter beast came up from the sea. In Revelation 17:15, water is termed people. When Daniel saw four beasts coming up from the sea, Daniel 7, in reality, he saw four political kingdoms coming up from the people. When John saw this beast coming up from the sea, he saw a political and spiritual power combined into one, coming up from the people. We have then the sea as the symbol of the people of Papalism, or the Roman Catholic church. The rivers and fountains of water in the Revelation all symbolize people. The beast is the spirit. This beast was spotted and deceptive as the third beast of Daniel 7th chapter. It had feet as a bear, like the second beast of Daniel 7. And a mouth as the mouth of a lion like the first beast of Daniel 7. When the devil was defeated in overthrowing the morning church through Pagan Rome, he gave his seat and power to the Papal beast. The power of the dragon was invested in his horn and the papal beast now comes up with ten horns. One of the heads of this beast was wounded to death. (Verse 3) and the deadly wound was healed. In chapter 17 of the Revelation John said, the seven heads were seven mountains on which the woman sat. Then in Isaiah 4:1, we have this prophecy, “In that day (meaning this Gospel day) seven women shall take hold of one man, saying we will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach.”

We have seven ages and this woman is placed in each one of the seven ages on the seven mountains of the earthly, in opposition to the true woman which is the true church, the bride of Christ, in the seven ages of the heavenly. In Daniel, the seventh chapter, there are seven heads and the spirit of Daniel 7 is carried up into the 13th chapter beast and the seven heads are placed, one in each age of the gospel dispensation. Since Christ, according to the scriptures, is the head of the body, the church (Colossians 1:18) in the heavenly, surely the Dragon, the devil, is the head of the false in the earthly. The heads of Daniel 7 will each be carried over in their proper place later in the study. The dragon has seven heads and crowns upon them and he will continue in the seven ages of the earthly as head in opposition to the heavenly. But in the end, the 17th chapter beast loses the crowns from his heads and also the horns. This head being wounded unto death and its deadly wound healed, is sure to be the head for the Pagan age in the fall of Pagan Rome. Since it was healed, it is symbolized by what the dragon lost in the Pagan conflict he regained in the papal age, and brought the nations under his control by acknowledging Christ and taking on a form of religion.

As we explained in the foreword outline of this book relative to the ten horns on the pagan beast as kings and the up-rooting of three of those horns, then there appeared instead a little horn out of the fourth. We have already stated that this little horn was a symbol of the power of Papal Rome following Pagan Rome. The little horn had the eyes of a man and a mouth that spake very great things. On the Lamb of chapter 5, we had seven horns and seven eyes. We placed a horn in each one of the seven church ages and an eye in each age; using the horn for the power of salvation, as in Luke 1:69, and the eye for the light of Christ to the body, the church. He is the head. Now we have in this little horn the eyes of a man, or the light of the earthly through man carried out through the little horn into the six left over on the beast of Daniel 7. These six horns, together with the little horn, will be explained further on in the book.

The time of the little horn’s existence was the time when the horns were changed from political to spiritual. The horns on the dragon will be explained later.

“And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast.” “DEVIL WORSHIP.” Keep this in mind. And to continue for a period of 42 months will be better explained in connection with other time symbols later. He blasphemed the true church, or God’s tabernacle. It was given him to make war with the saints and overcome them and rule all nations and all that dwell upon the earth that do not have their names written in the Book of Life. All must worship him. This is partly future, though he did succeed to be the ruling religion of the earth in the fourth seal age for 1,000 years.

Leading into captivity is nothing else but deceiving people with the Word and the Spirit, killing them spiritually speaking. The Word will cut them off in the end and they will go into captivity.

We want to consider a few thoughts in connection with the beast of Daniel 7. Referring to the fourth beast, he made it definitely clear that it was diverse, or different from the other beasts before it (Daniel 7:7). He spoke of it as being dreadful, terrible and strong. It certainly was that, since it subdued the three previous beasts. Then its power was handed up into the papal beast and later on out into the Protestant beast, through the power of the dragon and then it extends on into the 17th chapter (Revelation) beasts. This beast was diverse or different from the rest because when it passed from under the law age into the gospel dispensation, it takes on a form or cloak of Christianity and deceives the nations spiritually to the end.

THE SECOND TRUMPET (Revelation 8:8-9)
A.D. 270 to A.D. 530—260 Years
Revelation 8:8-9:
8. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood.
9. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

In the time of the sounding of second trumpet, or the gospel being preached by the ministry for this period of 260 years, John saw, as it were, a great mountain burning with fire, cast into the sea. The church, termed Mount Zion, is seen at this time, generally speaking, going into compromise with papal Rome. We have already explained the sea to symbolize the people of the Catholic Church. Water is a symbol of people. (Revelation 17:15). And the beast of chapter 13 coming up from the sea would symbolize the spirit of Rome. In this age of compromise, according to Bible history, the church did go into compromise with Papalism BUT NOT AS A WHOLE as we shall see in future ex-planations. One-third part of the sea turning to blood would symbolize a people who were guilty of their own blood and the blood of Christ. They turned from the truth and’ died spiritually in the sea of Papal Rome. When anyone lowers the standard of Gospel truth and goes into compromise with false and deceptive religious movements, though he may be saved, when he does he will eventually lose his experience and die a spiritual death. Many have and are still doing so in this modern day of deception.

One-third part of the ships being destroyed would mean message bearers. Just as ships are used in the waters to transfer merchandise, so is the ministry of the church to transport or deliver the gospel. The gospel being transported, seen as ships transport the goods for gain, were destroyed in the sea of papalism, and now the third part of the sea, or papal Rome, is made up of people that turned from the truth and are guilty of their own blood. This brings us down to the second candlestick age, or the church in spirit as Smyrna.

THE SECOND CANDLESTICK (Revelation 2:8-11)
A.D. 270 to A.D. 530—260 Years

Revelation 2:8-11:
8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive.
9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
10. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. In this age the church, (the few that stood true) was in much tribulation and poverty, but they were rich in grace and the treasures of gospel living. It meant much at this time to stand against error and for the truth: but according to church history THERE WERE A FEW THAT REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE PAPAL ROME AS BEING THE TRUE CHURCH OF THE BIBLE. It meant FAR MORE at this time to stand firm than it did in the morning church age, in the first and second seal age conflict. Then the nations denied Christ, but now many profess and would have a form of religion without possessing a real experience.

Knowing the blasphemy of them claiming to be Jews, or Christians, and found them to be of the synagogues of Satan is nothing other than professions of papalism. We read in chapter 13 that they worshipped the dragon, or recognized devil worship. NOW THE SYNAGOGUES OF SATAN.

The few at this age that constituted the church were counted rich, and they surely were, since it required grace from God to withstand people who were compromising the truth. They were to fear nothing for the devil was to cast some of them in prison. Some would fall, even those who were left in this church age, and go into the prison house of sin. (Daniel 11:35). “Some of the understanding will fall to try them;” not to try those that fall, but those who were standing true. When one falls who has been instrumental in the hands of the Lord among the righteous people, it certainly is a trial to the people of God.

The tribulation for ten days is a time symbol and will be used as such in the fourth seal just ahead. This is a time symbol pointing out into the future. The crown is at the end of the way as promised to those who endure and are faithful. The second death means a separation. When Adam sinned, his sins separated him from Eden and from God. The second death is an eternal separation from God. If we hold out faithful we will never be separated from God.

THE FOURTH SEAL (Revelation 6:7-8)
A.D. 530 to A.D. 1530—1000 Years Revelation 6:7-8:
7. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Before giving explanation of the scripture of this seal age, we refer to some vital historical paragraphs relative to the date of bringing in of this seal age. At this time papal-ism was fully developed and exalted as the true church of the Bible, with the true church generally cast down. Also we note that this date marks the ending of Pagan Rome also.

In Fisher’s Church history page 98, we have the following paragraph. “It was around 200 years after Constantine, the first supposed Christian emperor of the Roman Empire, that Paganism had vanished.” Constantine’s reign was around A.D. 323 to 330. With the adding of 200 years brings us up to A.D. 530. Then in the same history, page 138, we have this reference. “In A.D. 530 the decisions of the many synods was approved by the Roman Bishop Boniface, the Second,” and. also on page 139 and 140 the history states, “The day of critical inquirers and discussions was passing by and a settling down to the catholic orthodox doctrines was being generally accepted.”

Some of the teachings from the Roman Catholic catechisms will help us see to what they were settling down to, and the cheapness of their religion. We quote from their Catechism No. 4, chapter 16.

Question. Who is the supreme pastor of the church?
Answer. Our Holy Father, the Pope.

Ques. What is the Pope?
Ans. The Pope is the vicar of Christ, the successor of St. Peter and the visible head of the church.

Ques. Why is the Pope called the vicar of Christ?
Ans. He holds Christ’s place and represents him upon the earth.

Ques. (Chapter 17) Who in the church has the power to forgive sins?
Ans. This power belongs to the Pope, the successor of St. Peter, to the bishops, the successors of the apostles, and to the priests approved by the bishops.

Ques. How far does the power of the church to forgive sins extend?
Ans. It has no limits. It is an absolute and universal power.

Ques. In whom does the infallibility of the church reside.
Ans. It resides in the pope, speaking either alone, or in union with bishop of the church.

We can readily see by their own teaching that it cost very little to become a member of the Catholic church, while on the other hand to become a member of THE CHURCH OF GOD, it required giving up all and sometimes even meant death at the hands of the enemy. Papalism is cheap religion, compared with the truth. In the opening of this seal, we noticed a pale horse going out which is a continuation of spiritual warfare. The horse is used as a symbol of warfare, drawn from the civil and military life of the Romans. Pale is a symbol of death and destruction, spiritually. Death reigns supremely throughout this fourth seal age. Notice the rider upon this horse was death. In the diagram chart, death is illustrated by a skeleton upon the pale horse, representing spiritual death. The papal powers ruling with their church and state combined made the laws prohibiting the gospel from being preached during this seal age, other than promoting the doctrine and teachings of Papalism which was generally a state religion, and as the result of such false teaching and deception hell followed with him. In Isaiah 5:13-14 we have a prophecy of this very time. “Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honorable men are famished and their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.”

In the age of the apostasy under the third seal we gave a scripture in the letter to the Smyrna church that it was the SYNAGOGUES OF SATAN and in bringing up the beast of chapter 13, it was the dragon, or the DEVIL AND SATAN. NOW HELL FOLLOWS WITH PAPALISM. Christ said that the gates of hell would not prevail against his church. The church continues on up through time as will be proved farther on. Power was given this pale horse rider over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword and with hunger and death and the beasts of the earth. (This is spiritual. Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 is writing to them, I comforting and consoling their minds with the fact that the day of the coming of Christ would not come at that time; for he said, that there would come a falling away first and the man of sin be revealed. And he would oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God, so that he as God would sit in the temple of God. Paul surely understood prophecy. In Amos 8:9, 11, we have a prophecy of this very time. “And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon and I will darken the earth in a clear day. Behold the days cometh saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, NOT A FAMINE OF BREAD, OR A THIRST FOR WATER, BUT OF HEARING OF THE WORD OF THE LORD.” This is truly the age spoken or and this explains the killing with the sword, deceiving, and destroying the true Bible and substituting their own interpretations. Thus, killing with hunger, in that no spiritual food was given to them, and they died spiritually. The sun of righteousness went down in the midst of the gospel day of grace. We do not have a trumpet sounding in this fourth seal period, since there was no minister allowed to come out in the open and preach his convictions and the pure gospel of Christ.

We have some time symbols of the Revelation at this point to explain that will enlighten us and will bring us up in time from A.D. 270 to A.D. 1530. The first is found in Revelation 13:5:
5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. This beast which is to continue for 42 months is recorded here as a time symbol, and, since there are 30 days to the month, it would total up to 1260 days, a symbol cover-ing a period of time, a thousand and two hundred and sixty days. And using one day for a year as in the prophecy of Ezek. 4:6, this would figure 1260 years. Adding this number of years to the 270 years of the church of the morning would bring us up to A.D. 1530. At this time Papalism lost her power as a state ruling religion and the Bible began to be released to nations. This will be made clearer later on at the opening of the fifth seal.

The next time symbol is mentioned in Revelation 12:6:
6. And the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand and two hundred and threescore days.

In this scripture we have another time symbol of 1260 days, the same number of days as the beast of chapter 13, bringing the woman, or the church, with Christ as the head of the church, from A.D. 270 to A.D. 1530. Some would have us believe that the church as a whole was subdued into the Catholic church, but according to John’s writings here, the church existed during the age of Papal Roman rule, where she had a place prepared of God. We have history which tells us, (Gibbon’s History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume 6, page 229) “that there were a few Christians during this age that denied Papal Rome being the true church of the Bible,” and the letter to the Pergamos church for this period of time makes it clear that God had a church in this age, separate from Papalism. According to history, this little band of Christians that worshipped in caves and hide cuts, where the woman, or the church was preserved, were known as the Waldenses. We will give some history of these people in the opening of the fifth seal. God had a church separate, though they were few in number, in this age of darkness. However they no doubt suffered martyrdom when found by their enemies. The woman who fled into the wilderness was fed, John said, and this preserved life. The question might arise, how was she fed? This will be explained from the following scripture. Revelation 11:3-4:
3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy, a thousand, two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

The two witnesses mentioned here symbolize the Word and the Spirit. John 5:39, says “Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testify of me.” Matthew 4:4, “This gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness, then cometh the end.” By two or three witnesses shall every word be established. These two scriptures prove the word as a witness and the time symbol of 1260 days, using one day for a year up through time, or 1260 years denote the period of time when they were clothed in sackcloth, or they were obscured from sight. Hebrews 10:15. “The Spirit is also a witness” and in Romans 8:16, the “Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit.”

The Word and the Spirit fed the woman and preserved her life spiritually for the 1260 year period that she was in the wilderness.
Verse 4 of the above scripture, referring to the two olive tress and the two candlesticks makes IT VERY CLEAR THAT UNLESS WE PLACE A CANDLESTICK IN EACH CHURCH AGE WE COULD NOT EXPLAIN THESE TWO CANDLESTICKS. They are to be symbolized.

We have a candlestick here for the two ages of Papalism, the age of the apostasy under the third seal, and the dark age under the fourth seal. Now by quoting from Zechariah the 4th chapter, we get the truth relative to the olive trees. The prophet saw a candlestick with seven lamps and two olive trees, one on the right side and the other on the left side. Each had golden pipes from the tree to the candlesticks. He tells in the 6th verse that this is the “Word” and not by might but by my “Spirit” saith the Lord. By this scripture we know that the two olive trees were typical of the Word and the Spirit. And in verse 14 he said, “These are the two anointed ones.” So the two witnesses are the anointed ones. The oil piped from the olive tree into the candlestick and the candle gave the light. The Word and the Spirit during these two church ages, fed the woman, the church, or candlestick and the spiritual life of the woman is preserved. This is a wonderful picture in symbols of the true church and the Word and Spirit carried up through time.

Now we have had three time symbols of 1260 days, or 1260 years, and our next time symbol scripture is found in Revelation 11:1-2:
1. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: Rand the angel stood saying, Rise, and measure the |temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not, for it is given unto the Gentiles: land the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. In this passage of the scriptures we have the measuring the temple with a reed as a rod, symbolizing the church and the Word. The temple as the church and the rod for word. In this measuring, the courts were left out for it given into the hands of the Gentiles and the holy city would they tread under foot forty and two months, the pie period of time as in the other three time symbols of 1260 years. Before Christ the worship of the courts of the temple typical of justification in the gospel dispensation. Measuring the temple would symbolize the church. God had a true church in this age. But justification, as far as being actually preached, was generally in the hands of the unsaved or the Catholics for no justification was preached in the open to the nations. The Gentiles were the unsaved people and so is papalism.

In these four time symbols it surely proves time through from A.D. 270 to A.D. 1530, a period of 1260 years of the papal age from the time popery came into existence until they ceased to be the ruling religion in the earth. This is proved by history.

If we did not use the time symbols in proving the rise an fall of popery, history would prove it anyway. However the given time symbols already mentioned certainly are intended to be applied in this manner.

THE THIRD CANDLESTICK (Revelation 2:12-17)
A.D. 530 to A.D. 1530—1000 Years
Revelation 2:12-17:
12. And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou boldest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
16. Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

In this foregoing scripture of the Spirit of the Pergamos church age, the first symbol to be considered is the church in this age dwelling where Satan’s seat is. In Revelation 13:2 “The Dragon gave Papalism his power and his seat, and great authority.” Surely this beast in spirit exalted up her in the earth into the heavenly place of the church would find the people of God also dwelling in the heavenly, where Satan’s seat is. Not in Satan’s seat, but where the false church is also exalted up in the earth.

The true church at this time HAS NOT DENIED THE TRUE NAME FOR GOD’S PEOPLE. They have not been guilty of taking an earthly name, as the Roman Catholic church did but they are holding firmly, according to John, TO THE BIBLICAL NAME of whom the whole family in earth and heaven is named.’ And that is THE CHURCH OF GOD. They also were holding steadfastly to the profession of their faith without wavering, the faith of Christ for forgiveness of sins and not looking to man, as those of Papalism did, but they fixed their eyes on the “author and the finisher of their faith” with confidence even though it meant many times to sacrifice their lives unto death. He makes mention here of Antipas, as his faithful martyr, which is a symbol of those who were faithful and martyred for the Gospel and for the Word of God which they held. Many were martyred through the dark ages of Papal rule. The church was advocating among them some that were holding the doctrine of Balaam, causing the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. In Numbers 31:8, Balaam, the son of Boer, who was hired to curse the Israelites by Balac of old, and who offered him riches and honor to do so, finally consented to go, however the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Afterwards a battle resulted be-tween the Israelites and the Midianites and Balaam was slain by the sword of the people whom he had endeavored to curse. This is typical of some coming in among the people of God to insert a stumbling block of idolatry in the path of spiritual Israel in an attempt to commit spiritual fornication with the true Church of God. Peter declares that such are “wells without water, wandering stars, etc.” and will evidently come to a sad and abrupt end, in spiritual death by the sword of Biblical truth. Peter further states that they “were natural brute beasts, which have forsaken the right way and gone astray following the way of Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness but was rebuked for his iniquity; the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbade the madness of the prophet.” (2 Peter 2:14-16).

The hidden manna is a symbol of the word or bread of life that is hid from the nations in this age. But the over-comers during this time looking out into the next seal age, will have access to the word that has been hid from the nations in this fourth seal age. The Bible will be released to the people, as we will see later on in the study.

The new name written in a white stone is also a symbol. If you recall under the old covenant the commandments were written on tables of stone; but under the new covenant it is written on the tables of our hearts. Christ is the white stone. He is the chief corner stone. Paul the apostle said that He was the spiritual rock, (1 Corinthians 10:4). Every one that has received this white stone knows it. It salvation from sin. Salvation is preached out to the nations in the seal to come. Our next phase of this study will be the bringing up of the first part of the twentieth chapter of the Revelation that deals with the one thousand years of the fourth seal age, and will be explained in the following chapter.

CHAPTER FIVE
THE ONE THOUSAND YEARS (Revelation 20:1-6)
A.D. 530 to A.D. 1530
Revelation 20:1-6:
1. And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2. And he laid hold on the dragon that old serpent, WHICH IS THE DEVIL, AND SATAN, and bound him a thousand years,
3. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be ful-filled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands: and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The twentieth chapter of the Revelation extends through from the advent of Christ to the world, to His second coming. The binding and the loosing of the dragon cover A period of just one thousand years, extending in time from A.D. 530 to A.D. 1530, or during the fourth seal age.

Many interpretations are being placed on this chapter of the Revelation. Of all the many passages of scripture in the Bible that have been misapplied, this is one. The enemy of souls is surely using many erroneous interpretations of these Scriptures to deceive and sidetrack the nations from seeing the real truth, relative to the signs of the times, the nearness of the end of time, and the destruction of the wicked and the final judgment.

We hope to be able in this chapter, by the proper use of the scripture and reasoning, to bring to the understanding of honest people the truth of the symbols of the first six verses of this chapter, and the rest of the chapter will be explained later in connection with time for its fulfillment.

Many commentators are placing the entire chapter in the evening of the gospel day, when Christ will come back and set up a literal kingdom here in the earth and reign for this one thousand years, others are making it a long period of time with no certainty when it will begin or end. In this there is an uncertain sound. And who can prepare for battle under such an application?

There are so many false interpretations that it certainly has developed into a babel of spiritual confusion, even to the extent that many are now believing that no one will ever be able to understand this mysterious book of symbols. But in the first verse of the first chapter of the Revelation, John makes it clear that is “the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave un him, to show unto his servants.” And in the sounding the seventh trumpet, the apostle John records that “THE MYSTERY OF GOD WILL BE FINISHED” or will come to light, regardless of infidels, unbelievers or critics. God’s word is true and faithful and His scriptures harmonize.

In Revelation 2:10, referring to the letter to the Smyrna church, they were told that they were going to have tribulations for ten days. This is referring or pointing out to fourth seal age, or this one thousand years. This “TEN DAYS” is surely placed here in the Smyrna letter for a time symbol, as they faced this one thousand year period of time, known in history and the Bible as the dark age of the rule of Papal Rome. Using one day for one hundred years as we will use other time symbols later, this one thousand years or time will coincide with church history. We have already given history for the starting point of this one thousand years, but history alone is not sufficient to convince the critic, so we will also bring Biblical proof.

To be able to read symbols, it is necessary to understand the nature of the symbols. They are always drawn from objects chosen, other than the objects to be symbolized. Then, when John said, one thousand years, he meant just one thousand years. WE COULD NOT USE YEARS TO SYMBOLIZE YEARS. Any time symbol, less than a year can be used as a symbol, but when years are mentioned, it means that many actual years and no more. This logic and reasoning will harmonize with history and with other scriptures of the Revelation, and even Old Testament prophecy. But if we attempt to stretch this one thousand years out into time, as a symbol meaning a long, long period of ages, it will not, and cannot harmonize with other scriptures. This we shall see in this chapter. The angel John saw come down from heaven with a key and a great chain is the first symbol to consider in this chapter. The angel herein mentioned is a symbol of Christ coming into the world. In Jude 9, Michael is called an Archangel, and Michael is Christ, as we have already stated. Christ gave us His word, which is the key to heaven, or hell. It is also a chain of gospel truth and will bind people when they reject it. To reject and fail to walk in light one goes into darkness spiritually. The word has a binding power. Whatever God has said in His word will stand. He is faithful that promised. His words cannot lie. And when people fail to obey His word they are bound. Christ gave Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and gave him power to bind or release here in the world. (See Matthew 16:19). When people rejected the gospel that was preached by Peter, they were bound; if they accepted the gospel, they were released from the bondage of sin. Jesus said, “Whom the son maketh free is free indeed.”

In Revelation 1:18, “I am he that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

When the nations turned from Christ during the 260 years of the apostasy to the worship of the dragon power; through Papalism, the Lord set the fourth seal age of one thousand years on the dragon that he would deceive the nations “NO MORE” until the thousand years be finished (Revelation 20:3). The twentieth chapter of Revelation begins with the coming of Christ to the world and reaches up through time to where the nations generally rejected Christ and the word, and were suffered by Christ to emerge into darkness with no righteous nations in earth. REMEMBER, THAT THE REVELATION IS DEALING WITH THE NATIONS AND THE CHURCH IN A UNIVERSAL SENSE. At this time we have no righteous nations in the earth. The devil has succeeded in deceiving the whole nations generally and this accomplishment occurred during the 260 year period of the apostasy.

And now for the one thousand years he will not be able to deceive ANY MORE NATIONS, or even deceive the nations ANY MORE. Notice the wording, “NO MORE.” This does not say, nor does it mean that the nations were not deceived already, for they were; but they would be deceived NO MORE, OR IN NO OTHER WAY UNTIL THE END OF THE ONE THOUSAND YEARS. Then we will have nations rise up and take their stand against the popery rule and for the cause of Christ and the truth. Germany and England were the nations who protested against the false deception of the popish degradation. But more about this later.

The bottomless pit is to be considered in a spiritual way, even the binding is spiritual and in fact the entire scripture is referring to spiritual conditions and not to a literal reference. You would not, and could not bind the spirit forces of evil, namely the devil, as some suppose, with a literal chain and key.

When Christ came to the world, the worship of the Roman government was paganistic, which was idolatry and image worship, prompted by the dragon, which is the Devil and Satan, (Revelation 20:2). IN THIS SCRIPTURE WE SEE RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE REVELATION WHEN CHRIST CAME TO THE WORD, HE CALLS THE DRAGON DEVIL AND SATAN. In Revelation 12:9, John spoke of the dragon as being called the Devil and Satan and surely he was. Christ recognized this in the beginning. (Revelation 20:2). So we will not try to change his name and call him Paganism.

We understand paganism means heathenism or idolatry, but at the bottom of all this deception we find the devil and Satan. To change the name of the Devil to Paganism or heathen worship would only be doing away with the devil as a spirit. Webster calls him an evil spirit. We have mentioned that Christ works through human instrumentality. The same is true with the devil. If we say that paganism was bound and then later it was to be released, we certainly would get into a mix-up, for pagan or image worship was handed up into Papalism, from paganism, then later on out into Protestantism. Papalism is image worship and the Protestants made an image to Papalism. So paganism has not been bound. It was the devil who was bound, that he might deceive the nations NO MORE, OR IN NO OTHER WAY UNTIL THE ONE THOUSAND YEARS WERE EXPIRED.

Since the bottomless pit is spiritual, let us consider what it is; not a literal dungeon without a bottom, but this has reference to the lowest possible depths of heathenism with no foundation of truth, and this will be proved in connection with this type of worship in another chapter.

Next we notice that John saw thrones and they sat upon them. Some try to use this as the time when Christ will come back to earth and be the head of a literal kingdom and will appoint kings and priests under Him, and reign here in this world for this one thousand year period. But we read in Revelation 5:10 that “he hast made us kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth.”

Notice John said “hast,” or already has made them kings and priests. The phrase in the scripture “they sat upon them” would mean that the saved at that time in this world were reigning through Christ over sin, flesh and the world, with complete victory in their souls over all the powers of the enemy. Paul said that “they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17). Just as a king has power to reign, we too have power, given us by Christ, to reign victorious over sin in this life. The reign extended up through the ages from the days of Christ until the nations went into darkness. Then there were no righteous nations in the earth AND NEXT JOHN SAW THE NATIONS OF SOULS THAT HAD BEEN SLAIN, or martyred by the hands of paganism, from the days of Christ up to the beginning of the one thousand years, AND THEY REIGNED WITH CHRIST IN THE PARADISE OF GOD. They had had part in the first resurrection; that is, they had been resurrected from the dead state of sin and were the ones that John had reference to in Revelation 20:6. After being martyred and leaving this world they would reign with Christ in the paradise above and John said he saw their souls in that state above. (See Revelation 20:4). He saw them first reigning over sin in this life, then, after they had passed over He saw their souls reigning with Christ.

In the letter to the Ephesus church of the 270 year conflict of the morning, the overcomers were promised that they should have the right to the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God. These were in the number that reigned with Christ. At this time of 1000 years there were no righteous nations in the earth.

The “rest of the dead” who lived not again until the thousand years were finished is also spiritual (Chapter 20:5.) The first resurrection is spiritual. The rest of the dead in trespasses and sin, as nations, lived not again until the end of the thousand years; then we will have two nations raised up for Christ and the truth, namely Germany and England. People who have part in the first resurrection are made holy. A literal resurrection would not make people holy. A number of scriptures teach a spiritual resurrection. Ephesians 2:1. “And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Again Paul mentions in Colossians 2:13. “And you being dead in the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

In John 5:26, we have Christ’s words, “Verily, verily I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.” These scriptures refer to a spiritual resurrection, from death in sin, to life in Christ.

Then in John 5:28-29, Christ speaks of a final literal resurrection. He said for them not to marvel at what He had to say as in verse 25, because He said, “the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.” Here all are coming forth out of the graves in the same hour, both the good and the evil. All the millennialists teach two resurrections, one of the righteous at the beginning of the one thousand years and one of the wicked at the end. For instance, let us suppose this is the case. All the righteous are to come forth first, if they would, they would put on immortality when they are resurrected and the righteous living also will be changed and put on immortality, then all are caught up together and raptured away. Then the wicked are destroyed from the earth, and Christ comes back to earth to reign with the righteous a thousand years. Now we understand after the resurrection there is neither marrying or giving in marriage, and by this we understand that there would be no more people born into the world. Then at the end of the one thousand years comes the resurrection of the wicked, and they are resurrected a spiritual body or put on immortality. Now where are the nations that will number as the sands of the seas that the devil is to deceive at the end of the thousand years when he is released for a little season? All have put on immortality. This little season will be explained later on in the study.

The literal resurrection is at the last day. And there can be no time after the last day. In John 6:39, 40, 44 and 54, we have four different statements made by Christ that the righteous will be raised up at the last day. We are living in time, and time ends in eternity. Time will not be known in eternity. It is generally believed by millennialists that Christ will rapture the righteous away during some secret time that will be unknown to the wicked. But Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, that when Christ returns He is coming in flaming fire to take vengeance on the wicked, “who will be punished with everlasting destruction, WHEN HE COMES TO BE GLORIFIED IN HIS SAINTS.” Then again, in 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul tells the Thessalonian church that when Christ comes He is coming WITH THE VOICE OF AN ARCHANGEL AND THE TRUMPET OF GOD and the dead in the graves, who are saved will come forth first before the righteous living are caught up and then we will be caught up together with Him and ever be with the Lord. There is nothing said here about the wicked. He is only consoling and comforting the minds of the church in this passage. Christ has gone to prepare a place for His people and He promised that He would come again and where He is there we shall be also. (John 14). Reading in the first of Acts we find where He ascended, and we know He will come back for the righteous some day as He promised. But when He comes He is coming with the voice of an Archangel and the trumpet of God. John said “EVERY EYE WOULD SEE HIM, AND EVEN THOSE THAT PIERCED HIM.” (Revelation 1:7). All are to come out of the graves at the same hour, both the just and the unjust, according to John 5:28-29.

There are some prophecies relative to Christ’s first coming to the world, that are often used to endeavor to prove and establish the idea concerning a literal kingdom here in the earth. One is in Isaiah 65:21, “And they shall build houses and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them.” And in verse 25, “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock.” The planting of the vineyard and eating the fruit, and the building of houses refer to things spiritual and not literal. We find in Isaiah 5:7, what the vineyard is, He says, “The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.” In other words it is the Church of God. Christ said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” The house of God is the Church of God, (1 Timothy 3:15). Christ also said, “I am the vine.” The planting of the vineyard is in the Lord spiritually and the building of houses is building in the Lord.

The beasts being tamed, refers to nothing else but the beastly nature destroyed out of the hearts of the people through the blood of Christ. Isaiah, speaking of the coming of the gospel day said that “no lion, or ravenous bear would go upon the highway of holiness.” This lion-like nature is destroyed when Christ comes into the heart. There is nothing whatever said in the twentieth chapter of the Revelation relative to Christ’s kingdom. It is not mentioned in this passage.

We have prophecy relative to the kingdom in 2 Samuel 7:8. “Now, therefore, so shalt thou say unto my servant, David, Thus saith the Lord of host, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel.” In verse 12, we read, “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up they seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.” And in verse 13, “He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” Then in Daniel 2:44, we read that it was to be in the days of the four kingdoms that God of heaven would set up His kingdom that would stand or last forever. And it was in the time of the Roman Empire, or the fourth kingdom that John the Baptist came preaching the kingdom of heaven was at hand. He was followed by Christ, preaching the same doctrine, which is a fulfillment of Isaiah 9:6-7, when Christ was born and would reign on the throne of David as king. David, under the law reigning on the throne literally was typical of Christ reigning in the hearts of His people spiritually, and the building of His spiritual house or His church as was prophesied in 2 Samuel 7:12-13. In Luke 17:20-21, the writer said, “When he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation (or that which is to be seen outwardly) neither shall they say lo here, or lo there; for behold the kingdom is within you,” (the Greek translation says “among you”) meaning that the kingdom was not in the earth literally. In Romans 14:17 we find what the kingdom of God is. “The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

John, in Revelation 1:9, said, “I am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom, and patience of Jesus Christ.” Then Paul said writing to the Colossian church, (Colossians 1:13) “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son.” The word “hath” is past tense. He had already been placed in the kingdom in his day. In Matthew 16:28, Christ said, “Verily, I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, until they see the Son of man come in his kingdom.” Mark tells us about the same thing (Mark 9:1) “And he said, unto them, Verily I say unto you, that there be some that stand here, which shall not taste of death till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.” This was referring to the Day of Pentecost when Christ would come in power, as He promised when He went away; then He would send the Holy Ghost. Christ said in John 18:36, “If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, but now is my kingdom not from hence.” In Luke 3:14, when the soldiers inquired of John what was required of them, they were told to do violence to no man. Salvation from sin will put an end to wars and fighting. A fulfillment of prophecy in Micah 4, that in this gospel day or in the last days, it would be so, and the last days according to Hebrews 1, are the days from the time of Christ coming to earth to the end of the world, spoken of in Old Testament prophecy as the last days. The prophet said that “swords would be made into plow shares, and spears into pruning hooks.” This is true with righteous nations and Revelation 21:21, speaks of the Heavenly Jerusalem, that the nations of the saved would walk in the city. Salvation of Jesus Christ in the hearts of people causes fighting to cease.

In 1 Corinthians 15:20-25 we have Paul’s writing regarding the time when Christ comes back to this world, that He is coming not to set up a literal kingdom but He said He would deliver it up, even unto the Father. This scripture alone should be sufficient to prove there will be no literal kingdom here in the earth. And to teach a future literal kingdom is an Antichrist spirit, and those under the influence of such a spirit and teaching, when light is given them can no longer be saved, if they reject the truth. It is possible that one can be saved and believe this until light is brought to them, then when understanding comes, they are required to walk in the light of truth in order to retain their experience with God.

The Jews rejected Christ because He did not set up a literal kingdom in the earth. If Christ would have come into the world as king literally speaking, every Jew would have accepted Him. The Jews were God’s Israel. Now in the gospel dispensation, it is those who are born again from above, that constitute spiritual Israel. This deception is being taught the world over, that Christ is coming back to set up His literal kingdom in Jerusalem and the devil will be bound, while Christ is to reign here a thousand years. This is a deception, an erroneous doctrine. History is repeating itself. In the end many, spiritually speaking, will be left out or lose out, just as the Jews were. There is no time future for a literal reign and literal kingdom by Christ, and there is no place for it, since the earth will be burned up and the things therein.

In the latter part of the third verse of the twentieth chapter of the Revelation, the little season referred to there, which comes at the end of the one thousand year period, or in A.D. 1530, will be explained in the following chapter.

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