May 29, 2015 by jdansmall

The Finale — Day 14

May 14, Thursday

ACT EIGHT – All Things New

Suddenly before me was a brand new heaven and a brand new earth. The first heaven and earth as well as the seas had all disappeared.

Then, what looked like a city, a New Jerusalem, came floating down from God out of Heaven. It somehow looked like a bride coming down the aisle to meet her beloved.

Next, a voice from the throne announced: “Look, everyone! God now lives among His people — the Home He has always wanted. Now God will be your companion and will wipe every tear from your eyes. Never again death! No more pain! No more sorrow or sadness! Gone forever are your troubles!”

The One seated upon the throne added, “Yes! Everything is new! Count on it! Trust Me! I am setting everything right.” Then He turned to me and said, “My plan is complete! I am Alpha and Omega; I began it all and I will wrap it up just as I planned:

All who are thirsty can drink from My fountain of life at no cost.
All this is for the overcomers. I will be their God, and they will be My sons.
The cowards, perverts, unbelieving, idolatrous, murderers, and liars get what’s coming to them, too: an inheritance of eternal death, the second death, in the lake which burns with fire and sulphur.”

He then carried me away in spirit to the top of a tall mountain. He pointed toward that city I had seen descending from Heaven, radiant with the glory of God, the holy Jerusalem:

She sparkled like a precious jewel, crystal clear, made of the purest gold.
A massive wall surrounded the city with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels:
- The wall itself was built of translucent stone.
- There were three gateways on each side of the city: each gate was made of a single pearl.
- The wall was set on twelve massive foundation stones:
  - On each stone was engraved the name of one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
  - Each was fashioned out of precious stone: jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, cornelian, goldstone, beryl, topaz, green goldstone, zircon, and amethyst.

I watched as He measured the city with a golden measuring rod:

It formed a perfect cube whose length, width, and height were each 1400 miles in length.
The walls around the city were 216 feet thick.

Inside the city I saw even greater splendor:

There was no Temple or place of worship in the city because the Lord, Almighty God, and the Lamb are the Temple.
I saw no external light sources, sun or moon. God’s glory illuminates everything and the Lamb is the light.
The nations of the earth will operate in the light coming from the city, and they will bring their treasures and tributes into it.
The city’s gates will always be open since there is never night in the city.
Nothing unclean, no one dealing in dishonesty, nor any kind of evil can enter at any time.
Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life are allowed in.
I saw the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal as it flowed from the Throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed right through the middle of the city.
Planted along the banks of the river was the Tree of Life:
- It bore twelve different fruits, a different kind each month.
- Its leaves provided healing for all peoples.

No longer was there any evidence of the curse. As noted earlier, the throne of God and of the Lamb are within the City. God’s servants will gaze on His face, His Name engraved on their foreheads; and they will worship Him. There will be no more night and no need for artificial or external light because the Lord God will shed His light upon them, and they will reign together for timeless ages.

Then an angel said to me, “Know that everything you have seen and heard is utterly true! The Lord God, who inspired the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what is about to happen. You can rely on it!”

“Watch! I am coming soon!
Those who pay close attention to the words written here will be blessed.”

As I, John, wrote these things down, I was again overwhelmed and fell at the feet of the angel who was explaining it all to me. “No!” he said to me, “I am just your servant and the messenger to your brothers, to the prophets, and to all who take hold of the words of this book. Worship God! And see that you do not hide this book,” he added. “Everything written here will come to pass soon. Those who are bent on wickedness can carry on in it; those devoted to doing what is right should steadfastly carry on living good lives.”

“See, I come quickly!
I am bringing My reward with Me.
Everyone will be rewarded
according to what he has done.
I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Those who wash their robes are the truly blessed,
for they have the right to the tree of life
and freedom to come and go through the gates of the city.
Shut out from the city shall be the depraved,
the sorcerers, the impure,
the murderers, and the idolaters,
and everyone who loves and practices a lie!

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to you with this Message for the churches. I am the One who created David, and I have now inherited his throne. I am the bright Morning Star!”

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!”

Let everyone who hears this also say, “Come!”

Let the thirsty ones and all who desire the water of life come and receive it as a gift.

In closing, let me solemnly warn the reader and all who hear the words of this book:

If anyone adds to these words, God will add to him the disasters described in this book.
If anyone takes away from the words written here, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city which are described in this book.

He who is behind all of this says, “Yes, I am coming very quickly!”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all His people.

May 28, 2015 by jdansmall

The Finale — Day 13

May 13, Wednesday

ACT SEVEN – The Final Showdown

SCENE 1 – Confrontation

Then the heavens opened like a stage curtain and a magnificent white horse stood before me. The One who sat upon the horse was breathtaking:

He is called Faithful and True — His every act of judgment is flawless; every act of war, justified.
His eyes are flames of fire.
His head is covered in jeweled crowns.
There is a Name written on Him which only He knows.
His robe is dipped in blood.
He is called the Word of God.
Out of His mouth extends a sharp sword to strike the nations. As it is written, “He will rule them with a rod of iron.”
Singlehandedly He will tread the winepress of the furious wrath of God Almighty.
Emblazoned across His robe and on His thigh is the title King of kings and Lord of lords.
The armies of Heaven follow Him, riding on white horses and dressed in spotless, white linen.

I saw another angel standing right in the blazing light of the sun. He called out to all the vultures, saying, “Come! Gather together at God’s great feast! Enjoy a banquet of rich meat as you feast on the flesh of kings and generals, warriors, horses and their riders, slaves and free, small and great!”

Meanwhile, on earth, I could see the beast along with the kings of the earth and their armies all converging in the valley of Armageddon. The next thing I knew, the beast and his false prophet, who, by his miracles, had deceived the world into taking the mark and worshipping the statue, were captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with sulphur. The remaining armies of the earth were wiped out by the sword that came from the mouth of the Rider on the white horse. The birds of prey had the feast of their lives!

Next, I noticed an angel descending from Heaven, carrying a key and a huge chain. He grabbed the dragon, the serpent of ancient days who is also called the devil and Satan, and bound him with the chain. Then he hurled the devil into the pit and locked it shut for one thousand years so that he could have no access to the nations until the thousand years were over. Only then would he be temporarily released.

SCENE 2 – The First Resurrection

After that, thrones were set up; and all the saints who had been martyred for proclaiming God’s Message and the story of Jesus (these were the ones who had refused to worship the statue and had not accepted its mark on their foreheads or hands) were resurrected and set on the thrones to reign with Christ for one thousand years. Uniquely blessed are those who get in on the first resurrection. They can never be touched by the second death. Instead, they get to serve God and Christ personally and reign alongside Christ for the thousand years. The rest of the dead won’t come to life until after the thousand years.

SCENE 3 – The Last Battle

At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be given one last chance to deceive the nations. He will gather them, numerous as the sand of the seashore, from all corners of the earth and rally them to surround the Beloved City. But fire will come down from the sky and consume them completely. Then the devil who deceived them will himself be thrown into the lake of fire and burning sulphur to join the beast and the false prophet. There they will face never-ending torture with no possibility of escape.

SCENE 4 – The Great White Throne

Then I saw a great white throne. The One seated upon it was so terrifyingly glorious it made you want to run and hide, but there was nowhere to go from His presence. The sea gave up its dead. Death and the grave released the dead who were in them. A sea of humanity, great and small, stood before the throne.

Books were opened. Most were books containing the life history of each person. People were judged according to all that they had done. Also the Book of Life was opened.

Death itself was the first to be thrown into the lake of fire. No more death! Any whose names were not found written in the Book of Life were thrown into the lake of fire.

May 26, 2015 by jdansmall

The Finale — Day 12

May 12, Tuesday

SCENE 2 – Perspectives on Babylon’s Demise

A majestic, powerful angel came down from Heaven; his radiance illuminated the whole earth, and he announced in a mighty shout,

“Babylon the great has fallen!
Once the pride of kings and merchants
who made themselves rich with her extravagant luxury
and wasted themselves on her sensual pleasures,
she lies in ruins,
a cauldron of demons and evil spirits,
a haunt of jackals and wild beasts,
and a roosting place for buzzards and vultures.”

Then another voice came from Heaven, saying, “Come away, My people! Escape lest you succumb to her enticements and share in her punishment. Behold, her sins have piled to the heavens and God has taken note of all her wickedness:

Pay her in kind for what she has done. Yes, give her twice the misery she has caused. Mix up a double-strength cup of judgment.
To the degree that she flaunted her luxury and pleasure, reward her with torment and suffering.
In that she boasted of being ‘on top of the world, queen of all, never to lack a lover,’ let the plagues, pestilence, mourning, famine, and fire fall upon her in a single day.
Let her know that the Lord God who judges her is powerful.

“The day of her downfall will bring rejoicing in Heaven, but on earth:

The kings who indulged in her will stand back in horror at the sight as the smoke rises from her. They will cry out, ‘How dreadful! Babylon the Great, to think that your judgment could happen in a single hour!’
The merchants from around the world will lift up a wailing cry as their marketplace goes up in flames. All their commodities will suddenly be worth nothing — gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; fine woods, vessels of ivory, bronze, iron, and marble; spices, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine, oil, fine flour, and corn; cattle, sheep, and horses; chariots, slaves, and even the souls of men.
The consumers and retailers who enjoyed all the riches will stand back and lament the devastation, ‘Alas, our glorious city, so prosperous and abundant — how could all that wealth be gone in a single hour?’
The captains and sailors aboard the mighty freighters, all whose business is on the ocean, will see the smoke of her burning from far off and cry out, ‘Was there ever a city as great as that city?’
Expressing their utter despair, they will throw dust on their heads and repeat, ‘What has happened to our great city where all who had ships grew prosperous because of her? How could this possibly all be gone in a single hour?’

“But let all heaven rejoice! All God’s holy ones, apostles and prophets, shout for joy! God has taken up your cause and pronounced final judgment against her!”

An angel, a very strong one, took up a stone the size of a millstone (nearly a thousand pounds) and threw it into the ocean. “That is Babylon the Great,” the angel said, “thrown down never to be seen or heard from again!

Gone are all your entertainments — harpists, singers, flute-players, and trumpeters — never again to be heard.
All your fine craftsmen along with their handiwork are gone.
There is no sign of life whatsoever.
Gone forever is the joyous sound of wedding bells.
You sold your souls to the sorcery of material wealth and to those who enticed you with temporal prosperity.
You filled your streets with the blood of prophets, of God’s holy ones, indeed with all the innocent blood of all time.”

SCENE 3 – Celebration in Heaven

Then I heard the sound of a huge crowd, a mighty roar, as they exclaimed, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God! He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth and spilled the blood of His servants! His judgments are true and right!”

This was followed by an echoing, “Alleluia! The smoke of her destruction rises forever and ever!”

The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures bowed low and worshipped God Who is seated upon the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia! It is done!”

Then a commanding voice from the throne said, “Give praise to our God, all you who serve Him, small and great!”

The vast crowd erupted in praise. The heavens shook as with rolling thunder and with the deafening roar of a great waterfall as they declared:

“Alleluia! For the Lord our God,
the All-powerful One, reigns Supreme!
Let us celebrate with wholehearted joy and exalt Him;
for the wedding day of the Lamb has finally arrived,
and His bride has made herself ready.”

To His bride was given a gown of spotless, glistening fine linen,
all her God-birthed acts woven into a glorious garment.

The angel instructed me to write this pronouncement as the very oracle from God:

“Blessed are those invited to share in the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

Overwhelmed by the majesty and glory of the moment, I fell at the feet of the angel to worship him; but he stopped me, saying, “No, do not worship me. Worship God alone! I am but a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers whose testimony is all about Jesus. Yes, the unfolding of all prophecy points ultimately to Jesus.

May 24, 2015 by jdansmall

The Finale — Day 11

May 11, Monday

ACT SIX – The Destruction of Babylon

SCENE 1 – The Major Players

One of the seven angels carrying the bowls of judgment called to me, “Come here and I will show you what happens to the great prostitute. She is seated upon many waters; the kings of the earth are in bed with her; indeed, everyone on earth got drunk on her sensual delights.”

Then the angel carried me away in spirit into the desert where I saw the woman:

She was riding a scarlet creature with seven heads and ten horns that was tattooed all over with blasphemous words.
She was dressed in purple and scarlet and decked out with all kinds of jewelry, gold, and precious gems.
She was carrying a cup full of all the perversions of the earth, along with her own foul passions.
She had a name emblazoned on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, mother of all prostitutes and perversions.”
I could see that she was drunk — drunk on the blood of God’s people and those martyred for Jesus.

The angel could tell that I was mystified by what I was seeing. “Why are you amazed by this?” he asked. “Let me explain the mystery of the woman and the animal with seven heads and ten horns on which she was riding:

The animal she was riding lived long ago and is no more, but it will rise up out of the bottomless pit before going to its final destruction.
Everyone living on earth whose names are not included in the Book of Life (written down before the world began) will be stunned and impressed by the reappearance of the beast.

“Now understand the meaning of all this:

The seven heads represent seven mountains on which the woman sits.
The seven heads also signify seven kings:
- Five of these kingdoms are history.
- One of the seven is reigning now.
- The seventh has not yet appeared; but when it does, it will be short-lived.
The beast mentioned before is actually an eighth king. He was one of the seven who passed off the scene but returns at the end only to face final destruction.
The ten horns are ten more kings who have not yet begun their reign:
- They will receive authority to be kings along with the beast, albeit very briefly.
- They will go to war against the Lamb.
The Lamb, together with His called, chosen, and faithful followers, will overcome them all. He is the Lord of lords and King of kings.
The woman we have described is the great city which dominates the kings of the earth.
The waters on which she sits are the vast multitudes, people of every tribe and language.
The ten horns and the beast despise her, ravage and strip her naked, and finally burn her with fire. These ten kings unite in bringing down Babylon because God has put it in their hearts to do so, thus accomplishing His purposes and fulfilling His word.”

May 23, 2015May 23, 2015 by jdansmall

The Finale — Day 10

May 10, Sunday

SCENE 4 – Bowls of God’s Wrath

After that I saw the Temple in Heaven thrown open wide. Seven angels came out dressed in dazzling linen with gleaming golden sashes:

One of the four living creatures gave a bowl to each of the seven angels, seven bowls filled with the wrath of the Everlasting God.
The Temple was filled with smoke from the power and glory of God so that no one could enter the Temple until the seven angels had finished pouring out the seven bowls on the earth.

Then I heard a loud voice from the Temple commanding the angels, “Go! Pour out over the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God!”

When the first angel poured out his bowl, everyone on earth who had the mark of the beast and worshipped the statue broke out in painful, malignant sores.

The second angel poured his bowl into the sea, which turned the water into a deadly fluid like the blood of a corpse. Everything in the water died.

The third angel emptied his bowl into the rivers and springs, and they all turned to blood.

Then I heard the angel of the waters say, “You are right and just in this, O Lord, Who is and Who was and Who is to come. They have shed the innocent blood of saints and prophets, so You have given them blood to drink. They are reaping what is due them.”

The altar called out in agreement, “Amen, Lord God Almighty, Your judgments are true and right!”

When the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, it became intensely hot so that men were burned by its heat. They cursed God for bringing this on them, but they would not repent or give Him respect.

Then the fifth angel emptied his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its entire kingdom was plunged into darkness. The people gnawed their tongues because of all the pain they were going through, and they cursed the God of Heaven but refused to repent of all they had done against Him.

The sixth angel poured out his bowl into the great Euphrates River. It instantly dried up and became a highway for the kings of the east.

Next, I saw three demon-spirits appearing as frogs, coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. They were able to do supernatural feats and convince the kings of the world to join together against God Almighty in the great battle. They gathered in the place called Armageddon.

Interlude: Warning

“Watch! Be ready!
I will come as unexpectedly as a thief.
Happy are those who stay awake
and have their robes ready
so they won’t be caught naked
and ashamed.”

SCENE 4 – Bowls of God’s Wrath Resumes

When the seventh angel poured his bowl into the air, a loud voice came out of the Temple from the Throne, saying, “The end has come!”

Chaos broke out:

There were flashes of lightning.
There was deafening thunder.
The most intense earthquake ever experienced shook the earth.
The great city split into three sections.
The cities of all the nations fell in ruins.
God forced Babylon to drink the cup of the wine of His furious wrath.
Every island and mountain disappeared.
Seventy-five pound hailstones fell from the sky with deadly force, causing men to blaspheme God.

May 22, 2015May 22, 2015 by jdansmall

The Finale — Day 9

May 9, Saturday

ACT 5 – Angel Warriors and Bowls of Judgment

SCENE 1 – Declarations

Now an angel came flying through the skies. He was carrying the Message of Good News for all the inhabitants of the earth. He called out loud and clear to every nation and tribe and language and people, “Fear God! Honor Him alone! The hour of judgment has come. Worship Him Who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

A second angel came behind the first, declaring, “At last! Babylon the Great has finally fallen! She made the nations drunk with her sensual pleasures.”

Then a third angel followed, crying out, “Whoever has worshipped the beast and the statue, whoever has its mark on his forehead or hand, that person must drink the cup of God’s angry judgment, the full extent of His wrath! In the presence of My holy angels and the Lamb, they will be tortured by fire and burning sulfur for endless ages. They will not escape! This is the fate of all who worship the beast and its statue and all who bear the mark of its name.”

Through all of this, God’s holy followers, those who follow His instructions and trust in Jesus, will stand strong to the end.

A voice called to me from Heaven, saying, “Write this: ‘How blessed and happy will they be who die in the Lord!’”

“Yes,” the Spirit echoed, “they are truly happy, for they rest from all their difficult struggles and their good deeds go with them.”

SCENE 2 – The Harvest of God’s Judgment

A remarkable scene unfolded before my eyes:

There in front of me, sitting on a white cloud, was One who looked like the “Son of Man”; He had a sharp sickle in His hand.
An angel came out of the Temple and called to the One sitting on the cloud, “The harvest is ripe! Swing your sickle. The time of reaping has come!”
The One sitting on the cloud swung His sickle and began to reap the harvest.
Another angel bearing a sickle came out of the Temple.
Yet another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out of the altar and called to the angel with the sickle, “Go into the harvest! The grapes are fully ripe. Harvest the clusters from the vineyard of the earth.”
The angel swung his sickle upon the earth and brought in a vast harvest of grapes. The grapes were thrown into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
As the grapes were crushed outside the city, a river of blood five feet deep flowed for two hundred miles.

Then, as if that weren’t enough, I saw seven angels holding seven bowls, the last plagues, the final outpouring of God’s wrath. Words cannot describe the awe I felt.

SCENE 3 – Interlude

Right in front of me was a crystal clear sea of glass mixed with fire. People were standing on it:

They were the ones who had overcome the battle with the beast and had not worshipped the statue or taken its number.
In their hands they were holding harps which God had given to them.
They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and of the Lamb:

“Great and mighty are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the nations!
Who will not fear You and honor Your Name,
O Lord? For You alone are holy.
Let all the nations bow in worship before You,
for Your righteous actions have been revealed.”

May 10, 2015May 10, 2015 by jdansmall

The Finale – Day 8

May 8, Friday

SCENE 4 – More Trouble on Earth

As soon as the dragon was cast out of Heaven, he began to chase down the woman who had given birth to the male Child. She was able to escape, however, with eagle’s wings to the desert where she remained for three and a half years, safe from the devil’s vengeance.

The serpent spewed out a river of water from his mouth, attempting to drown the woman; but the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the water. Unable to overcome the woman, the devil made war with the rest of her children — all who walk in God’s ways and openly confess their allegiance to Jesus.

As the dragon stood on the shore, I saw a strange beast come out of the water:

It had seven heads and ten horns.
There was a crown on each of the ten horns.
Blasphemous names were tattooed on its heads.
It looked like a leopard.
Its feet were like those of a bear.
Its mouth was that of a lion.

Then the dragon gave his throne, his authority, and his power to the beast:

One of its seven heads appeared mortally wounded but then supernaturally healed.
Everyone on earth was in awe of the creature and worshipped the dragon for giving him his powers.
People everywhere called the beast “the Greatest ever” and dared any to stand up against his vast powers.
The beast’s blasphemies and wonders went on for three and a half years.
He blasphemed God, God’s Name, God’s Dwelling Place, and all who live in Heaven.
He was able to defeat the saints in battle.
His rule extended over every tribe and people and language and nation.
Everyone on earth worshipped it. Everyone, that is, whose name was not written in the Book of Life before the world was made, which belongs to the Lamb who was slain.

Pay close attention, reader, because everyone who has imprisoned others will himself go into captivity. All who kill with the sword must themselves be killed with the sword. Through all of this, the steadfast faith of the saints is revealed.

Next, I saw another creature rising not out of the sea but out of the earth.

It had two horns like a lamb.
Its voice was like that of a dragon.
It acts with the authority of the first beast.
It forces everyone on earth to worship the first beast, the one with the mortal wound which had been healed.
It performs signs and wonders to deceive the people.
It commands the people to erect a statue in honor of the beast who had been killed by the sword and then revived.
It was given authority to give breath to the statue, enabling it to speak and condemn to death all who refuse to worship the statue.
It commands every person on earth — rich, poor, small, great, free, or slave — to receive a mark on their right hands or foreheads in order to buy or sell in the market. The number branded is the number of man: six hundred sixty-six.

SCENE 5 – The Lamb and The 144,000

Then I looked and saw that the Lamb was standing on Mt. Zion, accompanied by the 144,000:

They have His Name and the Name of His Father written on their foreheads.
They were singing before the throne and in the presence of the four living creatures and the elders.
The song they were singing was a new song which no one could learn except for the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
They are all celibate, never having married and having kept themselves pure.
They follow the Lamb everywhere He goes.
They were the first of many to be redeemed.
They are men of integrity, above reproach in every way.

I heard a voice thundering out of Heaven. It sounded like a huge waterfall or loud thunder at first and then like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.

May 10, 2015May 10, 2015 by jdansmall

The Finale – Day 7

May 7, Thursday

ACT FOUR – The Plot Thickens

SCENE 1 – The March to Final Victory

The seventh angel blew his trumpet and I heard loud voices declaring: “The kingdoms of the world have become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He will reign forever and ever.”

Then the twenty-four elders who are seated on thrones in God’s presence fell on their faces and worshipped God with these words:

“Thank you, Lord God Almighty,
Who is, Who was, and Who is to come!
You have exerted Your authority and power
and established Your reign.
The nations shook their fists at You in anger
but Your wrath overcame them.
The time has come to judge the dead.
Now You will reward your servants,
the prophets and the saints,
yes, all who fear Your Name, great or small.
The time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

Suddenly the innermost Temple of God in Heaven was thrown open so that the Ark of the Covenant was clearly visible. There were flashes of lightning, loud blasts, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a violent hailstorm.

SCENE 2 – Action Moves Continuously Between Stages

The image of a woman appeared in the sky:

She was clothed with the sun.
The moon was under her feet.
She wore a crown with twelve stars on her head.
She was pregnant and could be heard crying out in the labor pains of delivering her child.

Then another image appeared in the sky, a huge, red dragon:

It had seven heads and ten horns.
A crown was on each of his heads.
With his tail he knocked one-third of the stars down from the heavens to the earth.
He crouched in front of the woman, ready to devour the child as soon as it was born.

The moment the woman gave birth, her Son, Who is to “shepherd the nations with a rod of iron,” was snatched up to God and to His throne. Then the woman escaped to the wilderness where a hiding place had been prepared at God’s command. She remained there, secluded for three and one half years.

SCENE 3 – Freeze Action on Earth/War in Heaven

These events prompted a war in Heaven as Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and his angels could not overpower Michael’s hosts and were expelled from Heaven and thrown to the earth. I’m speaking of the same dragon, the serpent of ancient times, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He and his angels were hurled to the earth.
A victory shout erupted in Heaven:

“Finally, the salvation and power and Kingdom of our God
and the reign of His Messiah have come!
The accuser of our brethren, who stood before God accusing them
day and night, has been thrown down.
They conquered him through the blood of the Lamb
and the word of their testimony.
They did not love and grasp onto their own lives
even in the face of death!
Rejoice, O Heavens, and all who live in the heavens!
But woe to you, earth and sea, for the devil has come down
to you in a furious rage, knowing his time is short.”

May 6, 2015 by jdansmall

The Finale – Day 6

May 6, Wednesday

SCENE 2 – Freeze Action on Earth

Before the seventh angel could blow his trumpet, I saw another powerful Angel coming down out of Heaven. This is what I saw:

He was robed in clouds.
A rainbow formed a halo over His head.
His face was radiant like the glow of the sun.
His legs flamed like pillars of fire.
He had a little book lying open in His right hand.
His right foot rested on the ocean and His left foot on the land.
He shouted and His voice boomed like the roar of a great lion.
When He shouted, seven thunders answered Him.

I picked up my pen to write down what the thunders had said but was interrupted by a voice from Heaven, saying, “You must not record what the thunders said. It is to remain a secret.”

Then the angel I just described raised His right hand to Heaven and declared an oath:

“Thus says the Living One Who lives forever, He Who created the heavens, the earth, the seas, and all that is in them: ‘No more delay! At the blast of the trumpet of the seventh angel, the mysterious plan of God will be completed precisely as He told His servants, the prophets of old.’”

Then the same voice that stopped me from writing commanded me to approach the mighty Angel and take the little book from His hand. I obeyed; and when I asked Him to give me the book, He said, “Take it; eat the whole thing. It will taste like honey in your mouth but will become bitter in your stomach.”

I took the book and ate it. Just as the Angel had said, it tasted like honey at first but turned sour in my stomach. Then a voice said, “You must prophesy about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”

After this I was given a measuring stick and instructed to measure the Temple of God and to count the worshippers. “Don’t measure the outer courtyard, though,” I was told. “It has been turned over to the nations who will trample the holy city for three and one-half years.”

SCENE 3 – Slow Motion / Time-lapse Film of Events on Earth

“During that period I will empower two witnesses who will proclaim My message:

They will be clothed in sackcloth.
They are like the two olive trees and two lampstands that stand in the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
If anyone tries to hurt them, fire will come out of their mouths and consume them.
Yes, all who attempt to do them harm will meet certain death during those days.
They will have the authority to
stop it from raining,
turn waters into blood,
strike the earth with any plague as often as they wish.

“At the end of 1,260 days, the Beast will emerge from the Pit and war against them. It will overcome and kill them and their bodies will be left to lie on the streets of the great city, Jerusalem. Yes, the very city in which their Lord was crucified, the city which has become ‘Sodom’ and ‘Egypt’ to all who perceive with spiritual understanding.

“For the next three and a half days, people around the entire earth will be able to live-stream the scene. It will be party time for the world. They will even exchange gifts to celebrate the end of the two witnesses who tormented them for over three years.

“After three and a half days God will breathe life into the corpses, and they will stand up in full view of all. Everyone watching will be terrified. And a booming voice from Heaven will command, “Come up here!” Then, as the stunned viewers watch, they will rise up through the clouds and out of sight.”

Immediately there was a great earthquake which destroyed a tenth of the city and killed seven thousand people. Everyone who didn’t die was terrified and acknowledged the God of Heaven.

The second disaster is over and the third is about to begin.

May 5, 2015May 5, 2015 by jdansmall

The Finale – Day 5

May 5, Tuesday

ACT THREE – The Battle Intensifies

SCENE 1 – Seven Trumpets

The seven angels who stand in the presence of God were each given a trumpet. Yet another angel approached the altar, carrying a smoking censer filled with much incense to offer up with the prayers of all the saints. As this was poured onto the altar, the smoke rose up before God together with the prayers.

Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it down onto the earth. What an explosion that caused: thunderous noises, flashes of lightning, and a great earthquake. The seven angels raised their trumpets, ready to blow.

When the first angel blew his trumpet, hail and fire mingled with blood were hurled at the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up, including one-third of all the trees. Every bit of grass was scorched and withered.
The second angel blew his trumpet, and what looked like a huge mountain of fire was thrown into the ocean. A third of the waters turned to blood, a third of all sea creatures died, and a third of the world’s shipping industry was destroyed.
Next, I watched as the third angel blew his trumpet. A star fell out of the sky, like a flaming meteor. It fell into a third of the rivers and fresh springs. The name of the star was Wormwood. A third of all fresh waters became poisonous; many people died after drinking it.
At the sound of the fourth trumpet, one-third of the sun, moon, and stars went dark, resulting in a third less light on the earth both day and night.

A great eagle appeared, flying through the heavens. “TERROR! TERROR! TERROR!” he cried out. “Woe to all who live on earth because of the judgments yet to come in the final three trumpets!”

The fifth trumpet sounded. Another star fell to the earth. This star had a key to the bottomless Pit; and when he opened it, smoke billowed out as from an enormous furnace. The smoke filled the sky, blocking out the light of the sun.

Gruesome locusts streamed out of the smoke:

They could sting like scorpions.
They were ordered not to bother plants or trees but only to afflict any humans who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
They couldn’t kill but could torture.
They oppressed the earth for five months.
Men wanted to die because of the horrendous pain, but they could not.
These locusts were unlike any creature I had ever seen before:
They looked like horses ready for battle.
Their faces looked human.
They had long hair like women.
On their heads were what appeared to be gold crowns.
Their teeth were long and sharp like lion’s teeth.
Their chests looked like they were steel plates.
As they flew, their wings made the sound of a vast army of chariots and horses charging into battle.
Poisonous venom was in their tails like scorpions.
This army of locusts was led by the king of the Pit whose name is The Destroyer. (In Hebrew his name is Abaddon; in Greek, Apollyon.)

The first terror is over but two more remain.

The sixth angel blew his trumpet, and a voice spoke from the midst of the altar which stands in the presence of God. The voice commanded the sixth angel to “release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!”

These four angels had been held back until just this moment. At this trumpet blast, they were released to kill one-third of all mankind. What I saw was an army of horsemen:

There were two hundred million of them!
The riders wore armor that gleamed fiery red, sky blue, and pulsing yellow like brimstone.
The horses heads looked more like lions.
Their mouths spewed out fire, smoke, and sulphur so that a third of all mankind died from just that.
Their powerful tails also caused harm and were like serpents with heads.

Believe it or not, after all this devastation, those who remained alive on earth still refused to repent of their self-worship, their idolatry, their murders, their sorceries, their sexual sins, and their many thefts.