In this section, I have placed events in the book that appear to occur before the great tribulation begins. An example would be Revelation 17, which describes the 10 kings, Mystery Babylon and their affiliation with Apollyon, the Beast who comes out of the bottomless pit. Since these events are a summary of their activity throughout the tribulation and difficult to break into sections, I have placed them here as John's summary of who they are and what they do.
THE MIGHTY ANGEL WITH FEET ON THE LAND AND THE SEA
Unger = an actual angel symbolizing Christ, Reflects His glory and bears the rainbow (1:15,16; 4:3); Christ Himself.
Rev 1:16 (KJV) And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the SUN shineth in his strength.
Rev 4:3 (KJV) And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a RAINBOW round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
This Lion has His feet on the sea and the earth, showing He has control over when the two beasts can come forth and that the time of the seventh trumpet cannot be reached unless He allows these beasts to come forth by removing His feet from the land and the sea. Lastly, the book of Daniel ends with this very scene or one similar to it, and it would be reasonable to have it placed early in the Book of Revelation as a connecting link to the opening of the Book of Daniel in the end times to reveal all that Daniel had seen:
In Revelation 10:3, the angel with the little book gave a loud shout like a lion, another symbol of Christ, the Lion of Judah, who has prevailed to open the scroll. Another support that the angel is a symbol of Christ in this verse is that no man anywhere could open or even look on the book:
The roar of a lion from the symbolic angel is appropriate because the time of the end in Daniel concerns God's people, Israel. Having come as the Lamb to fulfill OT types, Christ is now to them the Lion of Judah who comes to deal with their enemies and set up His rule on earth. Daniel asked the question, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?" (12:6), and the reply was this:
Similar images are put forth here in Revelation 10.
THE SEVEN THUNDERS: The Shortening Of "Those Days"?
The seven thunders are nowhere listed in Scripture and it is possible that they and the time alotted for them may never occur. It's as though God cancelled them, possibly indicating what Jesus meant in Matthew 24 when He said,
The shortening of the days refers to those within the tribulation period, that if they were not shortened, no one would survive for the Lord to come back to gather to Himself. Thus in the words of the angel with the little book, the words, "that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished" (Rev. 10:6-7), we may see Him declaring when the time of persecution runs out and He returns for His church so that there is a remnant to be rescued. In other words, the shortening of the days by "cancelling" the Seven Thunders means some flesh will be saved, at the seventh trumpet when the Mystery of God will be finished. The "shortened days" have apparently already been figured in the days of the tribulation so that it lasts 3 and half years, the proper amount of time we can expect it to last.
JOHN MEASURES THE REBUILT TEMPLE FILLED WITH WORSHIPERS
I believe John's measuring the temple would point to the temple as it will exist before midweek as it is still being used for worship. At midweek, the beast walks into the temple and declares himself to supposedly be God and the worship will then cease.
I placed these verses here because it is reasonable that the Jews will be using their temple in the first half of the 70th week, meaning the rebuilt temple that surrounds the altar of incense. (That does not mean that God condones the use of the Old Testament temple and all that was associated with it.)
This altar, the bronze altar where sacrfices were made, was vitally connected to the altar of incense withint the Holy Place. Coals from the bronze altar were carried inside the Holy Place and placed on the altar of incense in order to cause the incense to burn as a continual offering to the Lord before the Holy of Holies. All of this was part of the daily sacrifice that would be taken away at the mid-week in Daniel. It is apparent that the Gentiles will have some control over the outer court of the new temple until anti-Christ enters the temple at mid-week, desecrates the sanctuary and halts the daily sacrifice.
The measuring line seems tied to restoring something that once was, such as the temple of the Jews, but also a marking off boundaries that establish a place of protection from evil of God's people. This could possibly indicate the rebuilding of the temple for the tribulation period. Examples of the measuring line or rod in Scripture are as follows:
Ezekiel 40:3 And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.
Ezekiel 42:15 Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about.
Zec 2:1 I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.
Rev 21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
Paraphrasing Gundry, p. 26 = During the trib the Mosaic system will be reinstituted in Israel. Matt. 24:15,20; 2 Thess. 2:4. But the Mosaic system in Israel during the trib will not enjoy divine sanction. General unbelief will characterize Israel. God will not approve of Judaistic practices then anymore than He approved of them during the period of the crucifixtion to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. Worship will receive its sanction, not from God, but from Antichrist, who will "make a firm covenant" with the Jews only to break it by putting a stop to the sacrifices and grain offering (Dan. 9:27). This will happen at the end of the first 3-1/2 years of the trib.
Paraphrasing Gundry = With the Church as the sole body of redeemed during the trib, and with the conversion of the Jews "at His coming," there results neither weakening nor blurring of the distinctive features of the present economy or of the Jewish features of Daniel's 70th week.
JOHN PROPHESIES OF THE TEN KINGS AND
I placed the description of the whore, the antichrist and the ten nations here because of their activity leading up to chapter 18 at the end of this chronology. These verses describe what transpires of these three from the beginning to the end when the whore is destroyed along with the punishments of the antichrist and the ten kings.
Verses 12,13,16,17 = 10 kings, raised up simultaneously, serving the beast to destroy the Harlot. Ps. 83:4-8 unfulfilled; Nassar stated the same destruction of Israel: "Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more" (stated by Nassar).
With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you the tents of:
Edom (southern Jordan) and the Ismaelites (northern and western Saudi Arabia), of Moab (central Jordan) and the descendents of Hagar (northern Jordan and the descendents of Hagar, Abraham's Egyptian maid), Gebal (Byblos in northern Lebanon), Ammon (northern Jordan) and Amalek (northern Sinai), Philistia (Palestine, Gaza Strip), with the people of Tyre (southern Lebanon). Even Assyria (includes present day Syria) has joined them to lend strength to the descendents of Lot.
Ryrie = Antichrist will subdue 3 of the 10 nations, will blaspheme God, and in some way try to change the times and laws in order to promote his anti-christian program and the program to deceive the Jews.
Verses 12-14 = Beast is unique. Rules over 10 kingdom confederacies (vs.
12,13) which was unknown to imperial Rome. He makes war against the Lamb (16:14; 19:19) in the gigantic conflict for sovereignty over the earth (19:16; cf. 1 Tim. 6:15).
With the marriage of Jerusalem and Mystery Babylon at the beginning of the 70th week, and the Lion with the opened little book of Daniel most likely describing the siege of Jerusalem, John is shown these things. What these verses from Revelation describe are the 10 kings giving their power to the beast who comes out of the pit. I placed these verses here because John tells of the whore from the opening of the tribulation and all of this will be played out in the Daniel's 70th week, with her being burned with fire at the end by antichrist's confederation. These verses describe what the situation will be like at the beginning of the tribulation period. These verses also tell us that it is Apollyon, or also known as Abaddon, who is the one who was, and is not and will come out of the pit. This is the spirit of anti-Christ, and whether it is Satan or one of his strongest spirits is yet to be settled. I believe Apollyon is the same beast that comes out of the sea in Revelation 13 and not Satan. The definitions for "bottomless pit" complement that idea (See Apollyon/Abaddon: The Beast From The Bottomless Pit):
"Bottomless" = 1037. buthos, boo-thos'; a var. of G899; depth, i.e. (by impl.) the sea:--deep.
Rev 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Rev 10:2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
Rev 10:3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
Rev 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.Rev 1:15 (KJV) And his FEET LIKE UNTO FINE BRASS, AS IF THEY BURNED IN A FURNACE; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Daniel 12:5 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.
6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.Rev 5:3,5 (KJV) And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Dan 12:7 (KJV) And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
4 And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall show thee; for to the intent that I might show them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.
5 And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.
16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
17 He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
18 He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed.
19 He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
20 He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.
2 Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.
3 And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,
4 And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:
5 For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
THE WOMAN WHO RIDES APOLLYON
Rev 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Rev 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Rev 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
Rev 17:10 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.
Rev 17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.Rev 17:13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Rev 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Rev 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Rev 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
Rev 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
"Bottomless" = 12. abussos, ab'-us-sos; from G1 (as a neg. particle) and a var. of G1037; depthless, i.e. (spec.) (infernal) "abyss":--deep, (bottomless) pit.
