History and Future of All Mankind

An Exploration of Biblical Prophecies of the Apocalypse

and Coming Kingdom of God

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain:

let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh,
for it is nigh at hand Joel 2:1

Introduction

This is Faith

The book of Jeremiah chapter 32 records that the prophet Jeremiah had redemption rights
to a large parcel of land. In modern terms it would be said he owned a purchase option. The land
was near Jerusalem during the captivity of Judah. With the whole population taken to Babylon,
the land was vacant and worthless.

Jeremiah remembered the prophecy that Judah would soon be returned from captivity to
Jerusalem and exercised his right to purchase the land. Though no one believed it at the time,
Judah did return to the land and the land which Jeremiah was able to purchase for a pittance
because others did not believe did indeed soon become very valuable and desirable for
farming, housing and commerce.

Jeremiah truly believed. Many claim to believe but in fact lie to themselves and to God.
In modern times, as the age of reason has become more and more ingrained in mans
culture, mankind has come to take an attitude of dismissal toward all things of God. In most
peoples eyes, whether they realize it or not, the Bible has become little more than legend,
prophecy has become fairy tale. It is with great irony that we witness the fulfillment of Amos
8:11:

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a
famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

While the Word of God is readily available to us all, there remains a famine of the
hearing of those words. But there will come a spiritual revival in the time of the end. It is a
common misconception that the society at the time of the end will be characterized by gross
immorality; instead John 16:2 implies it will be characterized by intense religious belief to the
point that people will kill in the service of God (though that belief will not be true Christianity).
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will
think that he doeth God service. (John 16:2)
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The prophecies examined in the following pages are real. In fact they contain accurate
descriptions of events that modern man can foresee but that were literally unimaginable at the
time they were written. Understanding the Word of God and believing it is important; for with
that great spiritual revival in the time of the end, there will come a choice between the true God
and Babylons perverted version of Him.

The Word of God is a seamless whole.

The following pages are a compilation of all the scriptures weve found that speak on the
different elements of the end times. These scriptures are assembled together by subject so that
the reader can view the scriptures themselves to find the sense they impart.
Along with the scriptures we, the authors, pass the interpretation weve been given.
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The Character of the Beast

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.
Revelation 13:1

In any story or narrative, the key to comprehension resides in understanding the identity
and motivations of the characters involved. Perhaps one of the most pondered stories of all time
is the Apocalypse revealed to us in the book of Revelation. The primary character of which, and
the key to understanding, is a vision referred to as the Beast.

Who is this Beast? Many different identities have been assigned throughout the ages,
most having a lot more to do with the personal animosities of the writers than with the
description of scripture. But scripture describes this creature in three unique ways which taken
together render a clear picture and dispel common myths about its final incarnation.

The first description to examine is found in Daniel 7:3-7 and is echoed in Revelation 13.
Daniel 7 reads:

3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

4
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings:
5
And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had
three ribs in the mouth of it
6
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a
fowl; the beast had also four heads; ...
7
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong
exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue
with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

The most common identification of these four beasts is correct. They are Babylon, Medo-
Persia, Greece, and Rome. These identities are found easily enough. Babylon is the name used
frequently throughout Revelation in conjunction with the Beast. Babylon was the first empire to
rise in history that dominated the world of Gods people. In confirmation its symbol, still found
today on remnants of the Ishtar Gate, was that of a winged lion as mentioned in verse three.
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The second beast is the Persian empire which conquered and incorporated the Babylonian
empire. It became the next dominant superpower ruling the bulk of the world known to Gods
people. This succession was accomplished through the defeat of the three part alliance of
Babylon, Egypt, and Lydia the three ribs in the second beasts mouth.

The third beast is Greece, the he-goat of Daniel 8, which again conquers and
amalgamates the prior empire of Persia into a new power, dominant over the known world. This
empire is short lived before it breaks up into four separate nations the four heads - upon the
death of Alexander.

The final beast is Rome which did not conquer Greece, so much as absorbed it, yet again
becoming the ruling power over the known world of its time.

Confirmation of these identities is found in the second description of the beast written in
Daniel 2:31-35.

31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was
excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

32
This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of
brass,
33
His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
34
Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet
that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
35
Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and
became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no
place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and
filled the whole earth.
36
This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37
Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and
strength, and glory.
38
And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven
hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39
And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass,
which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and
subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
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41
And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom
shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the
iron mixed with miry clay.
42
And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly
strong, and partly broken.
43
And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the
seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45
Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it
brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made
known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the
interpretation thereof sure.

While Nebuchadnezzars vision is of a statue, the fact that it is destroyed by Gods eternal
kingdom makes it clear it is the same beast referred to in Revelation. The first king,
Nebuchadnezzar was of Babylon and the vision shows a succession of four kingdoms rising one
after the other bearing rule over all the earth.

The third description of the beast is where confusion begins in common interpretations.
Revelation 13:1-2:

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.

From the repetition of the description of the likenesses to a lion, bear, and leopard, it is
clear Revelation 13 is talking about the same beast described earlier in Daniel. But instead of
four beasts, there are said to be seven heads. Just like the four beasts, these seven heads are also
referenced as kingdoms by Revelation 7:9-10:
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9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the
woman sitteth.

10
And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when
he cometh, he must continue a short space.

The four kingdoms and the seven kingdoms are both describing the same beast. At this
point many interpretations begin to look for alternate fulfillments of the seven heads, but the key
to the harmony of these two descriptions is found in verse 10. There are seven kings: five are
fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come. The one that is, at the time of Johns writing,
was clearly Rome. With five gone before, Rome was the sixth head; but it also was the fourth
beast.

How could this be? Each of these kingdoms had distinctive histories. Babylon had two
distinct periods of time in which it ruled the world: the Babylonian empire and the Neo-
Babylonian empire. In between these it fell away as a dominant kingdom and into subservience
to the lessor kingdom of Assyria before it rose again.

Persia also had two distinct incarnations: one under the rule of the Persians, and the
second when the Medes became the dominant political force. It is even commonly referred to in
histories as the Medo-Persian empire for this reason. It was the same nation, same people, same
land, same government the entire time, but it went through two distinct phases

Greece flared into a world empire, but only for a short time. Though Greece as a nation
existed for a long period, there was only one Greek empire which ruled over all the earth.

And then there was Rome. It did vacillate between republic and emperor, but even the
emperors were appointed by the Senate of the republic. The period of Roman rule remained
fairly consistent throughout its long reign.
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So when Revelation 17:10 tells us that five had already fallen it was referring to 2
Babylonian kingdoms, 2 Persian kingdoms, and 1 Greek kingdom. The one that is was the
Roman Empire. Together with the one that was not yet come there are seven kingdoms, or
seven heads. This is critical to understand because both the four beasts and the seven heads
describe the same beast. Interpreting the seven heads as something apart from the same
kingdoms of the four beasts causes a misinterpretation of the seventh head, the one that was yet
to come. And it is exactly this seventh head which is the main character of the end times.

The Bible gives us several keys to recognize the identity of this final incarnation of the
beast. First, it tells us where it comes from. Secondly, it lists several defining traits. And thirdly,
understanding the commonality of the seven heads with the four beasts allows us to identify its
forebear.

While the succession of the four beasts continued without a break from Babylon which
was conquered and absorbed by Persia, which in turn was conquered by Greece, which finally
was absorbed by Rome; the final passing off of the baton of world rulership to the seventh head
is more complicated. Rome was not conquered by another empire. But Daniel 7:7 tells us the
fourth beast had ten horns:

7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong
exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue
with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

These horns are likewise kingdoms, just as the other symbols are, according to
Revelation 17:12. But where the seven heads are heads of the beast, the ten horns are only horns
of one kingdom of the beast, the fourth. Rome was not conquered; instead it disintegrated into
ten independent kingdoms. These kingdoms are fairly commonly recognized in interpretation
and, according to a study by Sir Isaac Newton, were:

1 Britannia
2 Roman Franks under king Theudomir
(counter-intuitively Germainia prima, modern day Germany)
3 Visigoths (France)
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4 Burgundians, on the northern side of the Rhine

5 Suevians under king Ermeric
6 Vandals (Spain)
7 Gallia (later, further broke apart into Luxembourg, Belgium and Switzerland)
8 Lombards (modern day Sweden and other northern European nations)
9 Hunns (Eastern European)

10 Italia Ravenna itself, which finally ceased to be called Rome and became known as Italy

These ten kingdoms, of which modern Europe is descended, are not the seventh head;
instead we are told there will arise from among the ten, a little horn (Dan. 7:8):

8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before
whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were
eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

This little horn will speak great blasphemies, make war with the saints, and continue
for a time, times and the dividing of times until Jesus Christ destroys it (Dan. 7:21-25):

20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom
three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look
was more stout than his fellows.

21
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the
time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse
from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in
pieces.
24
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after
them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most
High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and
times and the dividing of time.
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This is the same description given to the final head of the Beast in Revelation 13:3-7:

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.

This little horn of Daniel is the seventh head of the Beast of Revelation. So the little horn,
or seventh head, will be a nation that rose out of the ten horns, or what became known as the
nations of Europe.

The Bible also defines three important traits which help in identifying who the final head
is. Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome were four disparate empires; but each was the successive
descendent of the prior empire and shared several common traits. The Babylonian empire was
most likely originally founded by Cain or a near descendent under the name Sargon. Each of the
four nation beasts succeeded its predecessor from this early beginning. But the succession of
each of these empires was not just over land. They also shared several key principles.

The Bible identifies the four most important of these. Revelations 18:10-18 reveals in
great detail how Babylon was and is built on a foundation of trade.

10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that
mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

11
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their
merchandise any more:
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12
The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and
purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner
vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13
And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour,
and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty
and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
15
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of
her torment, weeping and wailing,
16
And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and
decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17
For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company
in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18
And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great
city!

Its merchants are its heart and the pursuit of wealth is its lifeblood. And most certainly
history shows us each of these empires in turn was centered on trade as a primary objective,
which vaulted each of them into the position of the wealthy dominant power of their day.

The power that accompanies that trade and consequent wealth is the third common trait.
Revelation 13:4 asks the rhetorical question, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make
war with him? And Daniel 2:39 reminds us these nations each, in turn, bear rule over all the
earth.

The fourth defining trait is referenced in Revelation 17:4-5 in which Babylon is said to be
the mother of harlots and filled with fornications. Understanding this reference requires
understanding what God considers harlotry and fornication. Gods holy people, Israel, is
repeatedly called a harlot because of her service to gods other than the true God. Esau is called a
fornicator, not because of promiscuous relationships, but because of his marriages to the people
of the land rather than within the people of God. Further confirmation of this lies in early
Babylon and the account of the Tower of Babel. Genesis 11:6-9 tells us God was displeased
when all the people were brought together and made one.
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Beyond wealth and power, there is another consequence to a foundation of trade. In

pursuit of wealth, merchants are prone to view the world solely as customers. They tend to gloss
over difference and highlight commonality. Each of these trade based empires did exactly that.
From the very first, according to historians, when Sargon founded Babylon it was the first multi-
ethnic, centrally ruled empire in human history. Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome were all both
polytheistic and multi-cultural. Though these traits were very uncommon throughout history,
each of the four nations of the beast allowed the worship of whatever god people chose and
welcomed the integration of all manner of cultures and peoples into their nations. The worship of
other gods was considered whoring after other gods (Exodus 34:14-16):

14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

15
Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their
gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
16
And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their
gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

In like manner, the polytheism of these nations makes them harlots in Gods eyes. And
the mingling of cultures and peoples in these nations is reviled by God in the same way that Ezra
saw the practice (Ezra 9:1-3).

1Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and
the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing
according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites,
the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

2
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed
have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers
hath been chief in this trespass.
3
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my
head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.

Regardless of modern attitudes which hold these customs in high regard, the Bible refers
to them in the foregoing manner. And this mingling of peoples is concretely confirmed as an
identifying trait specifically of the latter part of the fourth iron beast in Daniel 2:43.
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43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the
seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

The iron and miry clay is shown mixed in the feet and toes of Nebuchadnezzars statue
which is the latter part of the iron portion. It is also the feet which are struck by the stone and
destroyed by Gods returning kingdom. This is the final image of the beast. While all of the beast
nations subscribed to multi-culturalism, it is only the advent of modern transportation which has
allowed true integration on a mass scale. This mingling of the people of God with the seed of
men is written of as a prominent identifying feature of the seventh head.

So the seventh head of the Beast is a nation which is trade based, wealthy, the dominant
superpower in the world, polytheistic, multicultural, embraces the mixing of its various ethnic
populations (though they do not cleave together in harmony), arose out of the nations of Europe,
and is a second incarnation of the fourth beast, namely: Rome. This description fits only one
nation: the United States.

Many interpreters attempt to place the Catholic Church as the seventh head; but while
this might satisfy personal animosities, it fails to fit the description of the identifying traits. The
Catholic Church is not a trade based empire like the Babylon which is described in Revelation 18
clearly is. It is not the dominant world superpower. And it is not the second incarnation of Rome.

The United States, in amazing parallels, represents a latter day Rome. The U.S.
government is founded on the pattern of the Roman Republic, which in itself is quite significant.
Daniel 7:7 says the fourth beast would be diverse from all kingdoms, and indeed, Rome was the
first republic in the history of man. Daniel 7:24 says the little horn would be diverse from the ten
horns; and again, the United States was founded as a republic while Europe at the time was
governed as monarchies.

The similarities extend deeply between the two cultures as well. As mentioned before, the
Roman Republic was polytheistic, allowing all religious practices, just as the United States is
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polytheistic, allowing all religious practises. Rome was multicultural and multi-ethnic. The
United States is multi-cultural and multi-ethnic.

Rome allowed abortion (except against the objection of the father). The United States
allows abortion. Rome accepted homosexuality, though a limited amount of joking and disdain
was reserved for the effeminate side of the relationship. Their acceptance even extended to the
point of socially accepting same-sex marriage though not directly recognizing it in law. The
United States holds homosexuality in precisely the same light. It holds up homosexual
relationships as equal, though the culture pokes fun at the effeminacy of the practitioners. And
same sex marriage is now widely accepted in the U.S. though struggling to find legal acceptance.

Roman families, by the end of the republican period, fell into a state of disarray. Many
avoided marrying altogether and divorce became very common. This became so prevalent that
Romans feared for the future of the nation. The second emperor actually passed a set of laws
punishing divorce for the first time and encouraging childbirth. The state of marriage in the
modern day United States is not just an echo, but rather a clear replay. The modern birth rate has
dropped to dangerously low levels, significant portions of the population avoid marriage, and
marriages dissolve in divorce at alarming rates. And this has caused movements to attempt to
legislate stronger marriages.

Religion in Rome was given superficial respect, with public prayers and religious
festivals sanctioned by the state; but the leadership and centers of higher learning treated
religious belief with contempt and as something of little to no value. In the United States respect
is rendered to religion on the surface, e.g. prayers before the opening of Congress, at
inaugurations, and political campaigns. But in actual practice colleges and universities as well as
government treat religion as inconsequential at best and with contempt at worst.

The cultural similarities between Rome and the United States show the United States to
be a clear latter day reincarnation of the fourth beast, the iron kingdom, the Roman Republic.
The United States is the seventh head of the Beast of Revelation.

Timeline of the Tribulation

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Armageddon is the word that immediately comes to mind when the book of Revelation is
mentioned. Armageddon is such a singularly momentous event that its name has become
synonymous with the end of the world in the minds of most of humanity. This is for good reason.
This event, the prophetic battle between the gathered might of man and the returning army of
Jesus Christ, is the final judgment of God on a fallen world. Most of history is filled with mans
interaction with his environment and his fellow man, with the hand of God acting only in the
background invisible to those with a will to deny Him. But in Armageddon, man comes face to
face with the direct judgment of the Almighty. Whether they serve Him or hate Him, men will no
longer be able to deny Him. It is this direct judgment of God which is described throughout the
books of the prophets. But the book of Revelation contains more than another recounting of this
singular triumph of God. In the visions of the apostle John, God gives both background and the
events surrounding this time of the end.

While the overall purpose of the Word of God is to chronicle His plan to restore His
children and His Kingdom, the purpose of individual prophecies is two-fold: first to warn and
prepare those people who are the subject of the prophecy, and secondly to bolster the faith of
those who witness the fulfillment. Such is the case with the prophecies of Revelation which set
out a timeline of occurrences preceding, during, and even after the Day of the Lord. Three of
these prophetic visions consist of three series of events named the seven seals, the seven
trumpets, and the seven vials.

The seven seals describe broad periods of time from the time of their writing (things
which must shortly come to pass - Rev. 1:1) until the day of the Lord. The seals serve in the
same manner as Jesus warning of the signs of His coming, though the seals are broader in
nature. Their purpose is to allow the reader a basic knowledge of what season he is in.

It should also be noted as well that prophecy is purposefully veiled until the time of its
fulfillment. This is because prophecy can impede its own completion. If prophecy had said, A
man named Adolph would be born in 1898 and lead the world to destruction, no mother would
have named her son Adolph in 1898. As the time of a prophecys completion nears, the veil is
removed and the meaning becomes clear and begins to fit the actual events of the day.
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First and Second Seal: (Revelation 6:1-4)

6 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of
thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given
unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
3
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4
And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to
take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a
great sword.

The first two seals tend to cause confusion in many peoples minds. The first speaks of
conquering, while the second writes of war (taking peace from the earth). This appears at
first glance to be speaking of the same thing: there will be war and then there will be war; but
there is a subtle yet important distinction between conquering and simply war. Conquering
means a specific kind of war which results in the victor incorporating the loser into themselves.

Conquering has not taken place in modern times. After the recent war in Iraq was fought
with the American coalition victorious; Iraq emerged as a sovereign nation, not a new part of the
United States. This was simply a war, not conquering. And the same can be said of almost all
wars fought since about the times of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. But prior to this
current period this was not the case. Rome conquered. The nations that rose from Romes ashes
conquered. When William the Conqueror invaded Britain he did so to conquer it. Almost all wars
were fought to conquer.

The first seal refers to the period of conquering in which the people of God, those
contained within the peoples of the ten horns, fought and won their way to their various final
incarnations.

But that time ended. The second seal refers to the current period we are in: the time of
wars which are fought not for land but for ideas. This period began in the religious wars of the
reformation and continues to today.
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Third Seal: (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.

A measure of wheat is the amount of wheat required to bake one loaf of bread. A penny
comes from the Greek word denarion which was a Roman silver coin which most scholars agree
represented roughly a days wages. This is exactly the use in Matthew 20:1-2 where Jesus speaks
of a householder agreeing with laborers for one penny for a days labor.

This is a description of hyperinflation, specifically of commodity prices rising. While

weather, or crop disease could potentially play a role, the most likely cause is monetary in nature.
Inflation brought about by money printing has in the past been shown to be capable of rapid and
extreme valuation distortions. The current state of world economic affairs, as well as the current
universally favored money printing response of all of the worlds central banks, brings this
prophetic seal into focus. What was unimaginable prior to world trade, fiat currency, and
unsupportable public debt; is now actually predicted by some respected economists (though not
in this extreme).

The world is approaching the fulfillment of the third seal at the present time.

Fourth Seal: (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.

The fourth seal will follow closely on the heels of the third. History has shown financial
stress to be the seedbed for war. The strains of the third seal will plunge the world into global
war. The mention of the beasts of the earth gives us further insight into the nature of this war. To
modern eyes the word beast denotes wild animals, but this seal is not telling us lions and bears
will run rampant. In the Bible the term beast is also used at times to refer to peoples outside of
Gods people (e.g. Jonah 3:8 refers to beasts clothed in sackcloth crying unto God and turning
from their evil ways.) The wars fought during this time will be between the western Christian
world and the non-Christian third world. The third world will rightfully blame the developed,
largely Christian world for the financial calamity of the third seal. The dividing lines will be
religious, financial, and racial. Even within the developed world, in the chaos of the times,
 17

beasts without a Christian conscience will result in significant violence. War, chaos and
starvation will kill one fourth of the worlds population.

Fifth Seal: (Revelation 6: 9-11)

9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain
for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

10
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge
and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11
And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they
should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be
killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

The fifth seal tells us a persecution of the saints will begin after the wars of the fourth
seal. After each of the prior world wars, the world has sought to end forever the possibility of
future conflict by founding organizations designed to bring different nations together and
eliminate differences. The League of Nations, the United Nations, and the European Union were
all established specifically for this purpose. After a period of war which kills one quarter of
mankind ten times as devastating as WWII which killed 2.5% of the worlds population a
global authority will be established, which will seek to eliminate those religious views which are
not inclusive and are seen as potential roots of division. True Christianity which is exclusive will
be persecuted just as it was in religiously tolerant Rome.

This global authority is the foundation for what we truly envision when we imagine the
final global government, the eighth Beast of Revelation 17:11. But at this time it will still be
merely an extension of the seventh head. It will be organized by the seventh head/little horn, the
United States, and will draw its power from both its founder and the ten horns, the European
powers who will give their power and strength to it (Revelation 17:13).

This persecution will rise to the level of death, out of the deep emotional scars left by the
extreme severity of the fourth seals wars. It should be noted that while many common
interpretations envision protection for the saints of God, e.g. rapture, the fact of this persecution
which is described as the beast making war with the saints and overcoming them in
Revelation 13:7 implies at least the bulk of the saints are not protected, but instead are tried in
the fire of persecution.
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Sixth Seal and Seventh Seal: (Revelation 6:12-17)

12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the
sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

13
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when
she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island
were moved out of their places.
15
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the
mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the
rocks of the mountains;
16
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on
the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

(Revelation 8:1-2)

8 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half
an hour.

2
And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

The seventh seal is broken down into seven trumpets. Together, the sixth seal and the first
four trumpets of the seventh seal describe either a singular, or series of meteor impacts.

At some point during these two seals, the 144,000 saints are sealed (Revelation 7). The
144,000 are protected from the events of the meteor impacts.

First Fourth Trumpets: (Revelation 8:7-12)

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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 trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

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.
10
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp,
and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11
And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became
wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
12
And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of
the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day
shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

The first trumpet is the aftermath of the meteor strikes of the sixth seal. The second
trumpet is the large impact. This will probably be in the Atlantic because of its proximity to the
Christian world and the propensity for God to judge His own first. A large meteor impact would
kill almost all life in the Atlantic Ocean or alternately in the Pacific Ocean or Indian Ocean,
which would be about one third of the total sea life in the world.

The third trumpet names the meteor and describes the resulting acid rain which modern
science tells us would result from a significant meteor hitting the ocean and the effects of its
impact on the ocean floor which will make surface water undrinkable and literally bitter across
the globe.

The fourth trumpet describes the effect of the dust blown into the upper atmosphere
which will darken the sky for months afterward.

It is this catastrophe which will destroy Babylon as described in Revelation 18 which

speaks of a stone like a great millstone being cast into the sea and violently destroying
Babylon and its shipping. It should be noted the term city does not mean a single city, but
rather refers to Babylon as a whole just as Revelation 21:2 uses the term city of New
Jerusalem to refer to Gods people Israel who are adorned as a bride for her husband.

This destruction is near total and is what Revelation 13 means when it repeatedly talks of
one of the heads of the Beast having a wound unto death. But that wound will be healed. The
global government will be restored, but this time it will no longer be under the control of the
western powers. Daniel 12:7 tells us the power of the holy people will be scattered. This
scattering will consummate at this time. The restored United Nations will be under control of
non-Christian nations. This final Beast will last forty two months and will increase the
persecution of the saints by imposing the mark.
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It is this restored Beast which is the subject of Revelation 13. The time after the
cataclysmic meteor impact is a time of miracles. II Thessalonians 2:2-12 tells us a man of sin
or as Revelation 16:13 calls him the false prophet will lead this final Beast government. He
will be able to do miracles and II Thessalonians 2:4 tells us he will stand in the temple of God
proclaiming himself to be God. This may be the abomination that maketh desolate of which
Matthew 24:15 warns. If this is the case then this figure will come to prominence just prior to the
cataclysm because Matthew 25:21 references this time as a time of tribulation such as was not
since the beginning of this world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. This refers to the
cataclysmic impact.

The fifth, sixth and seventh trumpets are also called the three woes.

Fifth trumpet: (Revelation 9:1-12)

9 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was
given the key of the bottomless pit.

2
And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a
great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the
scorpions of the earth have power.
4
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green
thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five
months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6
And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death
shall flee from them.
7
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads
were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8
And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9
And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as
the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was
to hurt men five months.
11
And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the
Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
12
One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

The interpretation of the fifth trumpet is not yet clear. This is the first woe (Revelation
9:12).

Sixth trumpet: (Revelation 9:14-19)

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14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the
great river Euphrates.

15
And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and
a year, for to slay the third part of men.
16
And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard
the number of them.
17
And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire,
and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of
their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18
By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the
brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
19
For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and
had heads, and with them they do hurt.

The sixth trumpet is also unclear, though speculation is the army mentioned might
reference the army that restores the final Beast government and subdues the earth under its
control. One third of men die at this time. The number 200 million may seem extreme, but World
War II saw more than 90 million men under arms and during that time the world will have only
recently been on a war footing during the wars of the fourth seal so armies will still be
mobilized. Also with the difficulties of the impact, men will flock to whatever organization that
is able to offer survival. Raising this army will not be difficult.

The second woe is the coming of the two witnesses who bring judgment, including
drought and plagues on a disobedient world (Rev. 11:14). They are the counterbalance to the
false prophet and the final Beast and arrive at this same time shortly after the cataclysm. The two
witnesses and final Beast government exist concurrently. We know this because Revelation 11:14
tells us the third woe follows quickly after the death of the two witnesses. The third woe is the
seventh trumpet (Rev. 8:13) and the seventh trumpet is the return of Christ and His Kingdom
which implies the third woe refers to Armageddon. So the two witnesses are killed just prior to
Armageddon.

Revelation 11:3 tells us the witnesses prophecy for 1260 days which is a few days short
of the 42 months which the gentiles tread the sanctuary under foot. These gentiles are the non-
Christian peoples who control the final Beast and this is why Revelation 13:5 also says the final
Beast will continue for 42 months. These are referring to the same thing and the same time
period. This final Beast is the same that raises an army and fights in Armageddon, so both the
witnesses and the final Beast exist for roughly three and one half years just prior to Armageddon.

It should also be noted that there are repeated attempts to kill the witnesses (Revelation
11:5). These attempts along with the droughts and plagues meted out by the witnesses imply the
witnesses will exist in a world hostile to them and not under their control. Again this is evidence
of coexistence.

The world will see the witnesses as terrorists and religious zealots dangerous to the
restored peace. And it will view with horror the witnesses calls for a return of the King, an
 22

elimination of non-Christian religions, and a return to rule of Gods people. To the world this will
appear to be a call for a return to some sort of medieval bigoted, colonial monarchy; instead of
the democratic, tolerant, multi-culturalism of modern times. In this light it is easy to understand
how the world can be enlisted to fight the approach of the allies of the witnesses.

First Vial: (Revelation 16:2)

2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and
grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped
his image.

The vials appear to be the very last plagues immediately before the return of Christ. Some
possibly brought by the witnesses. This first vial tells us all those who receive the mark will be
stricken with an ailment. It is unclear what the mark precisely is, though it obviously serves the
function of declaring allegiance to the Beast and acknowledging its supremacy even over the
persons religious beliefs just as Rome required the acknowledgment of Romes laws holding the
highest authority in its citizens lives.

The sores of the first vial do bring up one conjecture about the mark. After the cataclysm,
mankind will be truly struggling to survive as a species. Zechariah 13:8 informs us that fully two
out of three people will have died. Currently genetic science is on the verge of developing the
ability to end aging. This treatment would be through a retro-virus which could easily be applied
in the form of an oil, spread on the skin of the forehead or hand. If this were rushed into service,
it could easily have side effects such as a severe reaction. This is purely conjecture.

Second Vial: (Revelation 16:3)

3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead
man: and every living soul died in the sea.

Toward the end of the 42 months of the final Beast, the damage to the ecosystem of the
ocean caused by the death of one third of its life will spread, killing what life remains.

Third, Fourth and Fifth Vials: (Revelation 16:4, 8-9, 10)

4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they
became blood.

8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to
scorch men with fire.

9
And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power
over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
 23

10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of
darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,

The interpretation of these vials is unclear.

Sixth and Seventh Vials: (Revelation 16:12-21)

12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof
was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

13
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the
mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth
and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15
Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk
naked, and they see his shame.
16
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
17
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the
temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
18
And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as
was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
19
And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great
Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness
of his wrath.
20
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent:
and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding
great.

The sixth vial is Armageddon and the deception spread by the false prophet and his
unclean spirits. The seventh is the return of Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom.

One further issue to be noted: Most interpretations of apocalyptic prophecy offer safety to
the elect. The rapture doctrine says Christians will be entirely removed from the tribulation,
while most other interpretations say Christians will be taken to a place of safety. Revelation 13:7
tells us the Beast shall make war with the saints, and to overcome them. The only promised
protection is to the 144,000 sealed. This is a special group, which does not include all Christians.
The passage in Revelation 12:6 in which a place is prepared in the wilderness for the woman
does not necessarily refer to the very last times. Revelation 12 is an overview of history in which
the birth of Christ is referenced. This is not specifically talking about the final 42 months. The
idea that Christianity would be the easy, comfortable choice that protection would make it, is
contrary to the fundamental purpose of our lives here. Our choice of Christ will be difficult.