No longer do I want you to be afraid of Revelation as I was but rather embrace the inevitable future that God has planned for us. This book is a passport to the future of humanity and will explain the end-times in simple ways, for the most part, based on Biblical interpretation and not on widely accepted views or mine. Most of the prevalent views on Revelation that you have learnt or learning are incorrect. Not knowing the future with respect to God's plan could jeopardize the timing of your salvation which could put one in the receiving end of God's plagues.

REVELATION and the MARK OF THE BEAST

By Z. Richard Sawan

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2011 Z. Richard Sawan
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4567-1449-9

Contents

Preface................................................................................ixChapter 1: Who Is the Author of Revelation?............................................1Chapter 2: The Revelation of Christ....................................................3Chapter 3: The Present Time of John....................................................7Chapter 4: The Future..................................................................11Chapter 5: Seals 1-6...................................................................13Chapter 6: The Four Horsemen of the First Four Seals...................................15Chapter 7: Seal # 5....................................................................17Chapter 8: Seal # 6....................................................................19Chapter 9: Explaining the First Four Seals.............................................21Chapter 10: Seal # 6 Explained.........................................................25Chapter 11: The Great Tribulation and the Day of Our Lord..............................31Chapter 12: After Seal # 6.............................................................33Chapter 13: Revelation 7: 9-1713:......................................................35Chapter 14: Seal # 7 (Rev 8:1).........................................................39Chapter 15: Seal # 7: Trumpet # 1 (Rev 8:7)............................................43Chapter 16: Seal # 7, Trumpet # 2 (Rev 8:8)............................................47Chapter 17: Seal # 7, Trumpet # 3 (Rev 8:10)...........................................51Chapter 18: Seal # 7, Trumpet # 4 (Rev 8:12)...........................................59Chapter 19: Seal # 7, Trumpet # 5 (Rev 9:1)............................................61Chapter 20: A Quick Summary of the Beasts of Daniel and Revelation.....................63Chapter 21: The Locusts................................................................65Chapter 22: Who Will Make Our Lives Miserable, God or Satan?...........................77Chapter 23: Seal # 7, Trumpet # 6 (Rev 9:13)...........................................79Chapter 24: The Two Witnesses..........................................................85Chapter 25: The Restoration of the Temple..............................................87Chapter 26: Seal # 7, Trumpet # 7 (Rev 11:15)..........................................89Chapter 27: Chapters 12 and 13: Out of Place...........................................95Chapter 28: Beasts and Dragons.........................................................97Chapter 29: 12 of Revelation Continued.................................................99Chapter 30: The Woman of Revelation 12.................................................101Chapter 31: 13 of Revelation...........................................................105Chapter 32: The Four Beasts of Daniel..................................................107Chapter 33: Back to Beast # 5 of Revelation 13.........................................111Chapter 34: The Beastly Empires 1-3 Finally Revealed...................................117Chapter 35: Beast # 5 and the Statue of Nebuchadnezzar's Dream.........................123Chapter 36: What Are the Empires Represented by Beasts # 4 and 5?......................127Chapter 37: The Ram and the Goat of Danie..............................................131Chapter 38: The Two Little Horns of Danie..............................................133Chapter 39: Daniel Out of Sequence.....................................................135Chapter 40: The End Time Little Horn of Daniel.........................................137Chapter 41: Beast # 4 and the Little Horn..............................................139Chapter 42: Who Is This Little Horn?...................................................141Chapter 43: The Final Four Horsemen....................................................143Chapter 44: Back to 13.................................................................145Chapter 45: Revelation 13 Continued....................................................147Chapter 46: Beast # 6 of Revelation 13.................................................151Chapter 47: Back to Beast # 7 of Revelation 17.........................................155Chapter 48: The Harlot Riding the Beast in Revelation 17...............................159Chapter 49: The Mark and Number of the Beast...........................................171Chapter 50: The 144,000 of Revelation 14...............................................179Chapter 51: The Seal of God............................................................181Chapter 52: Babylon the Great Has Fallen...............................................183Chapter 53: The Harvest of the Earth...................................................185Chapter 54: The Bride of Christ........................................................187Chapter 55: The Seven Plagues..........................................................191Chapter 56: The Fall of Babylon the Great..............................................195Chapter 57: The Large Crowd of Revelation..............................................197Chapter 58: The Second Coming of Christ................................................199Chapter 59: Back to Revelation.........................................................203Chapter 60: The Final Resurrections....................................................205Chapter 61: Understanding the Second Coming of Christ..................................209Chapter 62: The 1000 Year Reign........................................................217Chapter 63: After the 1000 Year Reign..................................................221Bibliography...........................................................................223

Chapter One

WHO IS THE AUTHOR OF REVELATION?

The author of Revelation identifies himself only as John. We know that he was exiled to the island of Patmos by the Roman Empire, and though it may initially have been a curse to him, he was about to receive visions of the future, in particular the end time. This end time spans from the ascension of Christ to heaven when He received His crown to include the post 1000 year reign when judgment will be finally rendered.

There is much debate and anonymity regarding who John might be. Does the Bible give us any clue to his identity? Well we don't have much to go on but since most people write in a characteristic style, then that would be our best bet in trying to identify who the John of Revelation really was. After all, John was a very common name in Israel at the time and even now.

The first John that comes to mind is John who wrote the gospel that bears his name. Are there any similar characteristics in the writing style between the gospel writer John and the other John who wrote Revelation? One thing stands out in both books. The writer of the Gospel John begins by talking about Christ as the Word and next talks about JOHN the Baptist. The author of Revelation, John, also talks about Christ in the beginning of the book and then mentions himself, JOHN the disciple. The style in both books is the same.

The other hint to the identity of the writer of Revelation can be found in Rev.19:10. Here some heavenly spirit being was talking to John after which John proceeded to kneel before him in order to worship him. The spirit told him not to do so because he (the spirit) was John's fellow slave and of his brothers, having the testimony of Jesus. This could only mean one thing: the spirit being is one of the 12 apostles of which John was part of, all of whom lived with Christ while He was alive on earth and thus were eye witnesses to the direct testimony of Christ.

I believe that John, the author of Revelation, who was given such an important task by Christ, was none other than the apostle John who wrote the Gospel after his name. There are many that will argue this conclusion but it really is not that important. Don't let the debate of the author of Revelation distract you from the true purpose of this book.

Chapter Two

THE REVELATION OF CHRIST

Let us now begin an amazing faith inspiring but frightening journey, to say the least, into the future, the destiny of mankind as revealed TO John BY Christ. The purpose of the Book of Revelation as the first verse of the first chapter tells us, is the prophecy of things to come. It was revealed to John by an angel sent by Jesus Christ. It is important to note that this revelation was REVEALED TO Christ FROM God (Rev 1:1) obviously AFTER He had resurrected to heaven and sitting at His rightful place on the right hand of the Father. This implies that Christ did not have knowledge of some of these future events at one time or another, not only while seated at the right side of God the Father, but also as the Word and as the human, Jesus Christ. The angel sent to John testified to the word of God and the witness of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1 and 2). Notice the two distinctions: the WORD of God and the WITNESS of Jesus. The word is coming from God, and Jesus testifies as a witness that these words are from God the Father and that they are true.

An angel was used as an intermediary between Christ and John. All John did was to receive the messages and write them down on paper. In fact, when Jesus stated in Mark 13:32 that only the Father knows the hour of His second coming, He meant this in the memory He had as a man and spiritual being, since He referenced to His life as a spirit(showing memory of those events) in the past many times of which He had detailed knowledge.

Now you know the true source of the Book of Revelation. John did not make it up nor did he have a psychotic hallucination from lack of food and water, or some source of gas seeping out of the ground on the island of Patmos. He was definitely not crazy or schizophrenic. Since it is the word of God, then this book has to be consistent with all the other inspired works of the Bible. It is not to be taken lightly. If you brush it off because you cannot understand it, then after you have read this book you would have no such excuse. This book is going to explain Revelation to you as you have never experienced before, and its format is simplified the best way I can making it easy to follow. It is forever going to alter your interpretation of Revelation and the Bible. The Book of Revelation is finally going to be revealed to you to help you choose your destiny.

The Godly figure that appears in Revelation chapter 1 is none other than Jesus Christ. He is not God the Father. Notice in verses 4 and 5 of that chapter how Jesus Christ is referred to as the one WHO IS, and WHO WAS, and WHO IS TO COME. In verse 5, Jesus is also referred to as the faithful witness and first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. John reiterates that what he is about to reveal came with greetings from God, the Son and the seven angels before His throne. Those are three different entities. The message originates from God the Father which was then revealed to Christ to prophesy to John through an angel. Further down in verse 8 Jesus Christ is also referred to as the ALPHA and the OMEGA, the beginning and the ending.

What's sometimes confusing is that both God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ are both referred to as Lord in the Old Testament, but the reference to Lord here is referring to Christ. Christ is coming (verse 8), but so is God the Father and His kingdom. As a reminder we pray for the coming of His kingdom, the Kingdom of God the Father, in the Lord's Prayer which Jesus taught us. The kingdom does not belong to Christ yet. Basically, the kingdom belongs to God the Father but will be given to Jesus at the end of all things.

Christ, through an angel, told John to write the things he saw in a book (Rev 1:11), and John turned around to see who was talking to him. He did not initially recognize who was talking to him but turned around to see a figure speaking to him who identified himself as ALPHA AND OMEGA, the FIRST AND THE LAST (Rev 1:11-18). This obviously is Christ, as the rest of the chapter confirms.

The fundamental concept discussed above is that God the Father and Jesus Christ are not one and the same being. There is no trinity as most would have you believe, and the Holy Spirit is nowhere to be found in heaven. He doesn't even have a seat on the throne. God the Father and Christ are two different beings with the Father being superior to Jesus. God the Father has knowledge that Christ doesn't even have thus proving that not only are they different spiritual heavenly beings, but that the former is more superior. There is, therefore, no mystery as to who God the Father and Christ are. Take my word for it. These will be discussed in detail in another book.

In Rev 1:13-18 we catch a glimpse of Christ in all His glory. He was standing in the midst of seven candlesticks wearing a garment down to His foot with a golden girdle at the breasts. His head and hair were white like wool (it doesn't say whether it was straight or curly, long or short), as white as snow, and His eyes were as a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass and His voice had a sound like many waters. In His right hand He carried seven stars, and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. His face was shining as powerful as the sun. He then proceeded to identify Himself clearly to John as Jesus Christ since John probably had a difficult time just looking at Him because of the brightness of His face, like looking at the sun. Jesus also told John that He had the keys to Hades (hell) and the keys of death.

We are told that the Book of Revelation is one that will discuss events which were occurring not only AT THE TIME OF John, but mostly the things WHICH ARE TO COME. God, through Christ and then an angel, is about to discuss and reveal to John both the PRESENT and the FUTURE (Rev 1:19). We need to distinguish the present time of John from future prophesy which were given to us in that order.

Chapter Three

THE PRESENT TIME OF JOHN

Rev. 2 and 3

The only issues discussed occurring in the present day of John are the relationships of Jesus with the seven churches. The seven churches are addressed in the present tense, but the message also has a time element in the future as you will see. Therefore, the messages to these seven churches pertain to the present of John as well as the future. John was told to write down what he saw and SEND the book to the churches in the seven cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea (Rev. 1:11) which were in existence at the time.

These were literal churches at the time of John and named after literal cities in which they were located or founded. All those cities were located in the western part of modern-day Turkey. Today, the above cities after which the churches are named are called Ephesus, Izmir, Bergama, Akhisar, Sardis, Alasehir and Laodicea respectively, according to the Lands of the Bible Today Map.

Many believe that the message of Christ given to John in reference to the seven churches of Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey, refers to the "seven stages of development" of the church of Christ from the time of John or its conception till the Second Coming of Christ. What seven stages are they talking about, their imaginary ones? This is preposterous and the Bible does not lead us to that conclusion whatsoever. The messages SENT to the seven churches were messages in regards to what were happening NOW, Rev. 1:19, at the time John was alive, which had to do with the physical and spiritual states of those specific churches at that time. Later on in each letter is also the FUTURE in relation to that specific church. The future reference to the word church refers to people of the end time and not to an institution or location.

Angels were used by God to relay messages, and in this case, there is basically no difference in which the letters were addressed to the angels of those specific churches. What is FUTURE, Rev 1:19, with respect to the churches, are not the imaginary stages of development the church would be in the future, but the rewards that will be reaped by individuals at the Second Coming of Christ as discussed at the end of the letters to those churches. The beginnings of the letters are specific for the churches being addressed at the time of John. However, the end of the letters refer to the spiritual rewards of the people in ALL the "churches" at the future end-time, and not just that particular church or some man-made stage of the church in either ancient or modern day Turkey, since none of the churches are even physically in existence today.

Let's discuss for example, the letter TO THE ANGEL of the church of Laodicea, to help clarify the meaning of the seven churches. Here Christ calls Himself the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the head of the creation of God. There is no mistaking that this refers to Jesus Christ. The ANCIENT Laodiceans are referred to as lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, with respect to the devotion and faith towards Christ and His ministry.

Many people TODAY have the same qualities of the ancient Laodiceans, and Christ is very clear as to how He is going to deal with those individuals at His FUTURE Second Coming. In Rev 3:16, He says that He is going to spit them out of His mouth. Verse 17, 18 and 19 give us the ancient Laodiceans' frame of mind, so that even though they dwell on riches and are wealthy, they were also miserable even as some of us, modern-day Laodiceans, are today. The Laodiceans are advised to change their ways and cover up their shame and nakedness, probably referring to Adam and Eve who did so to cover up their "sins." Those who win the victory of having Christ enter his house to eat, so to speak, will have the RIGHT to sit next to Christ on the throne, a future event. Verse 22 declares that this is what the Spirit says to the churches, and the word, churches, represents the plural word of church and not just the singular.

What was so special about these churches considering that they were many other churches in the whole region? Those churches were located in Asia Minor, present-day Turkey, and were undergoing trials that are still pertinent to modern-day Christians. That ancient area was the central hub, as it were, for the Roman Empire, and where its leaders were building temples and monuments to themselves and their gods. However, there is more to it than that. The seven churches represent the seven lamp stands in the presence of Christ which, with respect to the people of God, translates into seven different rewards that all the faithful in Christ will receive. Different trials would be rewarded differently according to Paul (1 Corinthians 3:8), and which lamp stand you receive and carry would depend on your actions in this earthly existence.

Most of those original cities are not in existence today, and it is therefore safe to assume that those literal churches are long gone. Therefore, the future message to the seven churches is basically spiritual. Because the message and warnings to these churches pertains to the future, it is logical to assume that they can, and do apply to us today, since the behavior and beliefs of human nature has not changed over the past two millennia or history.

Chapter Four

THE FUTURE

the main future prophetic part of Revelation that has to do with the end time begins in Revelation chapter 4. The chapter begins when John is possessed by the Holy Spirit or some force like an angel, and is given a view of the throne of God in heaven. It goes on to describe the throne and the four creatures that are in front of and behind the throne. In addition, twenty-four thrones encircle the throne of God and are occupied by twenty-four elders. I will help you identify some of these twenty-four elders in the chapter on the twelve apostles in an upcoming book. Here they were all seen worshiping and singing to the one sitting on that throne. Out of the throne proceeded lightening, thundering and voices, and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which represent the seven spirits of God. Before the throne was a sea of glass that looked like a crystal.

At this point, we are not totally clear as to who is sitting on that throne. However, the description of the one sitting on the throne is DIFFERENT from the description of Jesus Christ in Rev 1:13-16. To look at the one sitting on the throne was likened to looking at a jasper stone and a sardine stone. There was a rainbow around the throne that looked like an emerald. Most probably, the one sitting on the throne was God the Father Himself. The Holy Spirit and his throne are no where to be found.

In Chapter 5 of Revelation, John sees the one sitting on that same throne holding a scroll in His right hand. The scroll was covered in writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. No one was found worthy, not obviously referring to God the Father who is probably sitting on the throne, to open the seals, except the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the great descendent of David. This descendent is seen to take the form of a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes, and it appeared that it had been killed. This Lamb obviously refers to Jesus Christ. Since Jesus took the scroll from the one sitting on the throne, then that would definitely confirm that the one sitting on the throne is God the Father.

There was great rejoicing both in heaven and on earth. Heaven and earth were waiting for the completion of Jesus' mission on earth because ONLY Jesus was able to open the seals. To emphasize, only Jesus was found worthy in the entire universe to open the seals. Jesus had done something that no other physical or spiritual being HAD DONE or could do. That obviously does not include God the Father. Hadn't Jesus died for us the future would have been very different indeed. That eliminates the suggestions by many authors in many books that Christ did not die but moved to France and even had children, doesn't it. Don't let these people trick you to even think about possibilities and mysteries that are not true.

The opening of the seals not only spelled the beginning of the end for Satan, but also everlasting life for all those loyal to Jesus and God the Father, as well as complete order in Heaven and the coming of the Kingdom of God the Father. It's time to open the seals.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from REVELATION and the MARK OF THE BEASTby Z. Richard Sawan Copyright © 2011 by Z. Richard Sawan. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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