The battle of
Armageddon is coming...
00:00:09.17\00:00:11.47
Who are the good guys
and who are the bad guys?
00:00:11.51\00:00:14.28
What does the Bible really say?
00:00:14.34\00:00:15.78
That's our topic
on His Voice Today.
00:00:15.81\00:00:18.61
Welcome to
another His Voice Today
00:00:20.55\00:00:23.35
with Steve Wohlberg.
00:00:23.39\00:00:25.15
Welcome to the grand finale
00:00:29.42\00:00:31.09
of a series of
meetings that we've been doing,
00:00:31.13\00:00:33.29
on Israel Issues.
00:00:33.33\00:00:35.03
The first program...
00:00:35.06\00:00:36.56
four programs ago
00:00:36.63\00:00:38.07
we talked about:
All Eyes on Israel
00:00:38.10\00:00:39.43
and then in the second
program, we talked about:
00:00:39.47\00:00:41.84
Israel and Jesus Christ
00:00:41.87\00:00:43.20
and then in the
last presentation
00:00:43.24\00:00:46.17
we focused on: Titanic
Truths about the Temple
00:00:46.21\00:00:49.41
and this is it...
the grand finale...
00:00:49.44\00:00:52.38
it's called: Israel,
Babylon and Armageddon.
00:00:52.41\00:00:56.22
We are going to
take a close look
00:00:56.25\00:00:57.95
at the book of Revelation
and see what it really says.
00:00:57.99\00:01:02.46
Who are the good guys,
00:01:02.49\00:01:03.83
who are the bad guys
that Revelation reveals,
00:01:03.86\00:01:06.39
who will be experiencing
the final showdown at earth's
00:01:06.43\00:01:12.27
final battle called Armageddon.
00:01:12.30\00:01:14.67
Let's start with the beginning
of Revelation chapter 1 verse 1,
00:01:14.70\00:01:19.24
and the first line says,
00:01:19.27\00:01:20.61
"This book is the
Revelation of Jesus Christ. "
00:01:20.64\00:01:23.85
In other words, the
book comes from Jesus
00:01:23.88\00:01:26.18
it is revealed by Jesus
and it is centered in Jesus.
00:01:26.21\00:01:31.49
In verse 10...
John who wrote the book
00:01:31.52\00:01:35.12
said, "I was in the Spirit"
00:01:35.16\00:01:37.59
I was in the Holy Spirit
when I got the book from Jesus.
00:01:37.63\00:01:41.33
So, obviously, his
spiritual faculties were in tune
00:01:41.36\00:01:45.57
and the Holy Spirit
was inside his heart.
00:01:45.60\00:01:48.40
Going on... in verse 11,
John then heard a voice...
00:01:48.44\00:01:52.87
the voice of Jesus
and he turned around
00:01:52.91\00:01:55.98
to see who had spoken
to him, verse 12 says,
00:01:56.04\00:01:59.35
"... I turned to see
the voice that spoke to me.
00:01:59.41\00:02:02.68
And being turned, I saw
seven golden candlesticks... "
00:02:02.72\00:02:07.56
Now, candlesticks... this
is basically Jewish imagery
00:02:07.59\00:02:12.43
it goes back to
the earthly temple
00:02:12.46\00:02:14.83
where there was a
Seven-branched Candlestick
00:02:14.86\00:02:17.13
inside the Holy Place,
00:02:17.17\00:02:19.23
there was also a Table of Bread,
00:02:19.27\00:02:20.90
there was also
an Alter of Incense,
00:02:20.94\00:02:23.27
and then inside
the Most Holy Place,
00:02:23.30\00:02:25.57
there was an Ark
called The Ark of the Covenant
00:02:25.61\00:02:29.54
inside of which were
The Ten Commandments.
00:02:29.61\00:02:33.01
And so, Revelation
begins with Temple imagery
00:02:33.05\00:02:36.35
and John sees Jesus
walking in the midst,
00:02:36.38\00:02:39.92
He's a great High Priest
00:02:39.95\00:02:41.29
and He's walking in the midst of
the Seven Golden Candlesticks.
00:02:41.32\00:02:45.13
Now, what do these Seven
Golden Candlesticks represent?
00:02:45.16\00:02:48.16
As Jesus then begins to explain
to John... what's going on...
00:02:48.20\00:02:52.47
in verse 20, Jesus says,
00:02:52.53\00:02:54.90
"I will explain to you
the mystery of the seven stars
00:02:54.94\00:02:58.94
which were in His right hand,
00:02:58.97\00:03:00.58
and of the seven
golden candlesticks. "
00:03:00.61\00:03:02.91
He said the seven stars are the
angels of the seven churches,
00:03:02.94\00:03:07.12
and the seven candlesticks,
00:03:07.15\00:03:08.85
Jesus said, "which you
saw are the seven churches. "
00:03:08.88\00:03:13.86
So at the
beginning of Revelation,
00:03:13.89\00:03:16.52
Jesus takes the seven
candlesticks... which...
00:03:16.56\00:03:19.53
these have to do
with Jewish imagery
00:03:19.59\00:03:23.47
and then He says,
00:03:23.50\00:03:24.83
"the mystery of
these candlesticks
00:03:24.90\00:03:27.00
is that they
represent the seven churches. "
00:03:27.04\00:03:30.31
So at the beginning of the book,
00:03:30.34\00:03:32.47
Jesus takes the
things of Israel,
00:03:32.51\00:03:34.54
Jewish imagery and He clearly
applies it to His church.
00:03:34.58\00:03:40.28
That's what Jesus does
00:03:40.32\00:03:41.75
at the beginning of
the last book of the Bible.
00:03:41.78\00:03:44.42
Going on to chapter 2,
00:03:44.45\00:03:48.42
Jesus then
begins to give messages
00:03:48.46\00:03:51.16
to these seven churches.
00:03:51.19\00:03:52.69
The first church was
Ephesus then there was Smyrna,
00:03:52.73\00:03:56.56
then Pergamos, then Thyatira,
and the list goes on...
00:03:56.60\00:03:59.67
all the way to Laodicea
which is the last church.
00:03:59.73\00:04:02.80
Jesus has
messages for each church.
00:04:02.84\00:04:04.61
And in verse 18 of chapter 2,
"... the angel of the church...
00:04:04.67\00:04:10.05
to the angel of the
church in Thyatira write... "
00:04:10.08\00:04:13.48
and then Jesus gives a message
to this church and in verse 19
00:04:13.52\00:04:19.82
He talks about the good
things that they were doing,
00:04:19.85\00:04:22.29
but then in verse 20 He says,
00:04:22.32\00:04:23.93
"Notwithstanding I have
a few things against you,
00:04:23.96\00:04:25.96
because you suffer
that woman Jezebel,
00:04:25.99\00:04:30.97
which calls
herself a prophetess,
00:04:31.03\00:04:34.04
to teach and to
seduce my servants... "
00:04:34.07\00:04:36.64
So, to the church in Thyatira,
Jesus says, "You got a problem,
00:04:36.67\00:04:42.31
the problem is, that
you've allowed that woman
00:04:42.34\00:04:45.71
Jezebel to come
right into the church
00:04:45.75\00:04:49.22
and to teach her deceptions. "
00:04:49.25\00:04:50.95
Now, what's this talking about?
00:04:50.99\00:04:52.62
Does Jesus mean that
the ancient woman Jezebel...
00:04:52.65\00:04:57.33
the literal woman who came
into Israel... who married Ahab
00:04:57.36\00:05:01.33
and brought all kinds of
false idolatry into Israel,
00:05:01.36\00:05:05.13
did Jesus mean that
she had been resurrected,
00:05:05.17\00:05:07.60
did He mean that she
has been reincarnated
00:05:07.64\00:05:10.64
and then she... you
know... this literal lady
00:05:10.67\00:05:13.61
walked right in to one
of the churches in Thyatira,
00:05:13.64\00:05:17.85
and that the Christians
were falling for her deceptions,
00:05:17.88\00:05:21.75
is that what
Jesus meant by this?
00:05:21.78\00:05:24.75
No, we need spiritual
eyesight to understand
00:05:24.79\00:05:29.96
what Jesus is doing, is...
00:05:29.99\00:05:31.33
He's using the
history of Jezebel and Ahab,
00:05:31.36\00:05:35.06
He's using the woman...
that woman... to represent
00:05:35.13\00:05:39.77
a false form of Christianity
00:05:39.80\00:05:43.14
that just like
Jezebel came into Israel,
00:05:43.17\00:05:46.14
a false form of Christianity
was coming in to His church
00:05:46.17\00:05:51.08
and was bringing
in its deceptions,
00:05:51.11\00:05:54.55
and so, once again,
00:05:54.58\00:05:56.45
just like the
seven-branched candlestick
00:05:56.48\00:05:59.15
Jesus applied to
the seven churches,
00:05:59.19\00:06:01.76
Jewish imagery
applied to the church,
00:06:01.79\00:06:04.33
so, he takes Jezebel,
00:06:04.36\00:06:07.00
whose history had to
do with ancient Israel,
00:06:07.03\00:06:09.70
she came into Israel,
00:06:09.73\00:06:11.40
and then He
applied this to deceptions
00:06:11.43\00:06:13.74
that were coming
in to the church.
00:06:13.80\00:06:16.07
There's consistency
00:06:16.10\00:06:17.87
in the teaching of
Jesus Christ in Revelation.
00:06:17.91\00:06:20.78
In Chapter 3...
00:06:20.81\00:06:22.24
Revelation 3 verse 12,
00:06:22.28\00:06:25.48
He talks about
the need to overcome,
00:06:25.51\00:06:28.78
this is His counsel
to the Philippian church.
00:06:28.82\00:06:32.25
and here Jesus is
talking about God's temple,
00:06:40.70\00:06:43.57
and the temple obviously
again, is Old Testament imagery.
00:06:43.60\00:06:48.00
There was a
temple... a tabernacle
00:06:48.07\00:06:50.04
in the wilderness
in the days of Moses,
00:06:50.11\00:06:52.54
it became permanent
in the days of Solomon,
00:06:52.57\00:06:54.98
it was destroyed
by the Babylonians,
00:06:55.04\00:06:57.91
it was rebuilt in the
days of Ezra and Nehemiah,
00:06:57.98\00:07:01.35
and then it was... later on...
00:07:01.38\00:07:03.35
there during the
time of Jesus Christ
00:07:03.39\00:07:05.85
but it was destroyed
in 70 A.D. by the Romans
00:07:05.92\00:07:08.72
and that Temple... to this day
00:07:08.76\00:07:11.29
has never been
rebuilt over in Israel.
00:07:11.33\00:07:13.50
So, Jesus is here
talking about a temple...
00:07:13.56\00:07:16.00
but what temple
is he talking about?
00:07:16.03\00:07:18.60
He's using the imagery of Israel
00:07:18.63\00:07:21.00
but He's applying
this to His church.
00:07:21.04\00:07:27.18
Jesus says that Christians
who overcome will become pillars
00:07:27.21\00:07:32.08
in the temple of my
God... God's temple...
00:07:32.11\00:07:36.85
so here in verse 12,
Jesus now uses Jerusalem itself,
00:07:49.20\00:07:57.77
He talked about
the candlesticks,
00:07:57.81\00:07:59.94
He talked about Jezebel,
He talked about the temple,
00:07:59.97\00:08:02.98
and now, He's talking
about Jerusalem itself
00:08:03.01\00:08:07.45
and He is
applying the Temple of God
00:08:07.48\00:08:11.75
and Jerusalem to a New Jerusalem
00:08:11.79\00:08:15.96
and Jesus calls this,
"... the city of my God
00:08:15.99\00:08:19.73
which is the new Jerusalem,
which is going to come down
00:08:19.76\00:08:22.93
out of heaven from my God:
00:08:22.96\00:08:25.93
and I will write
upon him my new name. "
00:08:25.97\00:08:28.60
Verse 13, Jesus said,
00:08:28.64\00:08:29.97
So the Holy Spirit
speaks through these Scriptures
00:08:34.94\00:08:38.18
and again, Jesus is using
00:08:38.21\00:08:40.32
Jewish imagery and He is
applying it to His church,
00:08:40.35\00:08:44.59
and also to a New
Jerusalem in heaven.
00:08:44.62\00:08:47.62
Let me just back up a
little bit before I continue on
00:08:47.66\00:08:50.73
and look at Babylon.
00:08:50.76\00:08:52.23
As we see from
Revelation so far...
00:08:52.26\00:08:56.00
and we'll continue to see this,
00:08:56.06\00:08:57.40
it's very clear that when
you read the book of Revelation,
00:08:57.43\00:09:00.37
the last book of the
Bible, that Revelation uses
00:09:00.40\00:09:03.57
the geography
00:09:03.61\00:09:04.94
and the terminology
00:09:04.97\00:09:06.31
of the Middle
East in its prophecies.
00:09:06.34\00:09:07.68
There's no question about this.
00:09:07.71\00:09:09.24
If you look at
the whole picture,
00:09:09.28\00:09:11.51
Revelation talks about a
00:09:11.55\00:09:13.62
from all the tribes of
the children of Israel.
00:09:13.65\00:09:16.15
It talks about Mount
Zion, Jerusalem, the temple,
00:09:16.18\00:09:19.05
it also talks about Sodom,
Egypt, Babylon, Euphrates,
00:09:19.09\00:09:21.92
Euphrates drying up
00:09:21.96\00:09:23.29
because the kings of the
east are coming from the east,
00:09:23.32\00:09:26.19
and then it
talks about Armageddon.
00:09:26.23\00:09:27.93
And what's happening
today is modern scholars
00:09:27.96\00:09:30.40
are taking these
Middle East terms
00:09:30.47\00:09:32.37
and they are applying
them to the literal places.
00:09:32.40\00:09:35.57
They often apply this to a
144,000 Jews along the West Bank
00:09:35.60\00:09:40.48
when the Bible talks
about Euphrates drying up
00:09:40.51\00:09:43.35
in Revelation, they
apply this often to Turkey
00:09:43.38\00:09:46.11
building a dam to stop the
flow of the River Euphrates.
00:09:46.15\00:09:49.62
When it talks about
Babylon in Revelation 17 and 18,
00:09:49.68\00:09:53.12
this is often
applied to the sands of Iraq
00:09:53.15\00:09:56.66
when Saddam Hussein,
00:09:56.69\00:09:58.03
during the
first Gulf War in 1991
00:09:58.06\00:09:59.66
was rumored to have
been trying to rebuild
00:09:59.69\00:10:02.36
or starting to rebuild
the ancient city of Babylon
00:10:02.40\00:10:04.63
not too far from Baghdad,
prophecy books came pouring off
00:10:04.67\00:10:08.37
off of the presses saying that
this is fulfilling prophecy.
00:10:08.40\00:10:11.57
There it is... the ancient
city of Babylon is coming back.
00:10:11.61\00:10:14.74
So they applied it to
that literal ancient city.
00:10:14.78\00:10:19.21
Temple texts are applied to a
rebuilt Jewish temple in Israel,
00:10:19.25\00:10:23.05
and Armageddon is
applied to a final battle
00:10:23.08\00:10:25.65
North of
Jerusalem, in a valley...
00:10:25.69\00:10:27.46
a small valley called Megiddo
00:10:27.49\00:10:28.82
between
00:10:28.86\00:10:30.19
sometimes it's
China, sometimes... Russia,
00:10:30.23\00:10:32.73
sometimes Iran, Hezbollah,
all these different forces
00:10:32.76\00:10:35.40
that will gather
together to fight against Jews.
00:10:35.43\00:10:38.93
And this is the way the
landscape and terminology
00:10:38.97\00:10:42.44
of Revelation is
interpreted today.
00:10:42.47\00:10:45.51
But as we've already seen,
00:10:45.54\00:10:48.21
Revelation points us
in a different direction.
00:10:48.24\00:10:53.65
In chapter 1, when Jesus
takes the temple imagery...
00:10:53.68\00:10:57.85
the seven-branched candlesticks
and applies it to the church,
00:10:57.92\00:11:01.29
when He takes the imagery
of Jezebel who came into Israel
00:11:01.32\00:11:04.66
and applies that to deceptions
coming into the church,
00:11:04.69\00:11:07.53
when He takes the
temple imagery and says that
00:11:07.56\00:11:11.07
Christians can become pillars
inside of that temple forever,
00:11:11.10\00:11:15.10
when He takes
the word Jerusalem,
00:11:15.14\00:11:17.57
He applies it to the New
Jerusalem which Jesus calls
00:11:17.61\00:11:21.51
The City of God which
will come down from heaven
00:11:21.54\00:11:25.91
and we will then live
inside that city forever.
00:11:25.95\00:11:30.22
So, so far, we see Revelation
using Middle East terminology
00:11:30.29\00:11:38.49
but it is applying it
to things very different
00:11:38.53\00:11:42.46
from those
literal actual places.
00:11:42.50\00:11:44.83
Now, let's keep going
and let's look at Revelation
00:11:44.87\00:11:49.30
chapter 17 and then
let's talk about Babylon.
00:11:49.37\00:11:53.64
Actually let's do a little
bit more before we get to that.
00:11:53.68\00:11:56.24
I'm looking at my notes here
00:11:56.28\00:11:58.08
and I don't want to
leave out some things.
00:11:58.11\00:11:59.61
Revelation chapter 21...
00:11:59.68\00:12:03.85
chapter 21 verse 10,
00:12:03.89\00:12:07.99
the Bible says, John wrote,
00:12:08.02\00:12:10.73
"... He carried me
away in the spirit"
00:12:10.76\00:12:12.09
so the Holy Spirit
was again leading John
00:12:12.16\00:12:15.40
to understand these truths
to a great and high mountain,
00:12:15.43\00:12:20.20
and that
mountain was Mount Zion,
00:12:20.24\00:12:23.41
a heavenly Mount Zion,
a great and high mountain,
00:12:23.44\00:12:27.64
and he shewed
me that great city,
00:12:27.68\00:12:30.71
the holy Jerusalem,
00:12:30.75\00:12:33.31
descending out of
heaven from God. "
00:12:33.38\00:12:36.08
And so the Holy
City, the New Jerusalem,
00:12:36.12\00:12:38.75
God's city came down and
00:12:38.79\00:12:41.12
rested upon that
great and high mountain.
00:12:41.16\00:12:46.46
Revelation 11 verse
19 talks about the temple
00:12:46.49\00:12:51.77
that is inside of
the New Jerusalem,
00:12:51.80\00:12:54.37
verse 19 says,
"... the temple of God"
00:12:54.40\00:12:56.91
so the New Jerusalem
is called the City of God,
00:12:56.94\00:13:00.01
and this temple is
called the Temple of God
00:13:00.04\00:13:03.08
which was opened in heaven...
00:13:03.11\00:13:05.91
So, John... in heavenly vision
00:13:14.82\00:13:17.36
sees the temple of God up there,
he goes into the Holy of Holies
00:13:17.39\00:13:21.46
he sees the Ark
and inside the Ark,
00:13:21.50\00:13:25.40
when you study the Old Testament
and the book of Hebrews,
00:13:25.43\00:13:27.90
inside the Ark were
the Tables of the Testimony
00:13:27.94\00:13:31.01
which were the Ten Commandments.
00:13:31.04\00:13:32.97
So, the temple
described here is up there
00:13:33.01\00:13:36.78
and the ark is up there,
and the focus is up there,
00:13:36.81\00:13:41.85
not down here on earth.
00:13:41.88\00:13:43.82
Continuing on in chapter
15, I'm sorry, chapter 14...
00:13:43.89\00:13:51.43
chapter 14 verse 12,
John describes a people
00:13:51.46\00:13:54.93
called the saints.
00:13:54.96\00:13:56.40
So these commandments are
called the commandments of God.
00:14:04.11\00:14:06.21
So the New Jerusalem
is called the City of God,
00:14:06.24\00:14:08.51
the heavenly temple is
called the temple of God,
00:14:08.54\00:14:10.78
inside is the Ark
00:14:10.85\00:14:12.35
and inside that Ark
are the Ten Commandments,
00:14:12.38\00:14:15.02
and now we have a
group of people here
00:14:15.05\00:14:16.79
followers of Jesus Christ,
who keep the Commandments of God
00:14:16.82\00:14:20.92
and the faith of Jesus,
00:14:20.96\00:14:22.29
they're followers of
Jesus but they're keeping
00:14:22.32\00:14:24.96
God's Commandments,
which are inside that Ark
00:14:24.99\00:14:27.56
up in that heavenly temple
up inside the New Jerusalem
00:14:27.60\00:14:31.47
where Jesus Christ is
our great High Priest.
00:14:31.50\00:14:34.17
In Galatians chapter 6 verse 16,
00:14:34.20\00:14:38.37
Paul talks about Israel,
00:14:38.41\00:14:40.64
and we've talked about
this in previous programs,
00:14:40.68\00:14:44.21
Galatians 6:16,
00:14:44.25\00:14:46.51
verse 15 says:
00:14:46.58\00:14:49.22
neither circumcision"
00:14:49.25\00:14:50.59
which applies to
the Jewish people,
00:14:50.62\00:14:52.25
"avails any thing,
nor uncircumcision,"
00:14:52.29\00:14:53.99
which applies to Gentiles,
00:14:54.02\00:14:55.36
"but a new
creature" that's what counts,
00:14:55.39\00:14:57.63
Now, in Revelation we've
got the City of God up there,
00:15:07.34\00:15:10.81
we've got the
temple of God up there,
00:15:10.84\00:15:12.47
we've got people
keeping the Commandments of God
00:15:12.51\00:15:14.74
which are up there,
as they're awaiting for
00:15:14.81\00:15:17.71
the Son of God to come down,
00:15:17.75\00:15:19.35
and when Revelation talks
about Israel, in chapter 7,
00:15:19.38\00:15:23.65
and the enemy being
Babylon, in chapter 17,
00:15:23.69\00:15:28.12
is the Israel...
the Israel of God?
00:15:28.16\00:15:32.53
or some other Israel?
00:15:32.56\00:15:34.16
And is Babylon a rebuilt
city over in the sands of Iraq,
00:15:34.20\00:15:38.47
or is it another Babylon?
00:15:38.50\00:15:39.97
Well, let's find out.
00:15:40.04\00:15:41.44
Let's find out the
answers, it's very clear.
00:15:41.47\00:15:43.44
Going back to
Revelation chapter 17...
00:15:43.51\00:15:48.18
John, in the
Spirit, sees a mystery woman
00:15:48.24\00:15:52.91
that is Babylon,
chapter 17 verse 3,
00:15:52.95\00:15:57.95
John wrote:
00:15:57.99\00:16:03.56
so, again, here's the Spirit,
00:16:03.59\00:16:05.46
in Revelation 1:10,
John was in the Spirit,
00:16:05.49\00:16:07.63
at the end of every
message to the seven churches
00:16:07.66\00:16:10.13
Jesus said, "He who has an ear,
00:16:10.17\00:16:12.27
let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches"
00:16:12.30\00:16:14.67
and here in
Revelation 17 verse 3,
00:16:14.70\00:16:18.21
John is again,
carried away in the Spirit,
00:16:18.24\00:16:22.11
and he sees an amazing sight.
00:16:22.14\00:16:27.18
and then he describes
the woman, and in verse 5,
00:16:40.30\00:16:44.63
John saw that upon her
forehead was a name written,
00:16:44.67\00:16:48.80
Mystery, Babylon the
Great, The Mother of Harlots
00:16:48.84\00:16:52.94
and abominations of the Earth. "
00:16:52.97\00:16:55.88
So the word
Babylon, as it is here,
00:16:55.91\00:16:58.75
Babylon was an ancient city
in Israel in Old Testament days,
00:16:58.78\00:17:02.52
just like there was a Jerusalem,
so there was a Babylon
00:17:02.55\00:17:06.25
and there was a temple
00:17:06.29\00:17:07.82
and all the things
that we've read about,
00:17:07.86\00:17:10.23
there was a Jezebel that
came into ancient Israel,
00:17:10.29\00:17:13.09
so there was a Babylon
that came and attacked Israel
00:17:13.13\00:17:15.63
and destroyed the
temple, destroyed the city
00:17:15.66\00:17:17.80
and took the Jews
captives for 70 years.
00:17:17.83\00:17:20.34
Now, here in
Revelation he uses that term
00:17:20.37\00:17:22.80
but is John through
the Spirit... being taught
00:17:22.84\00:17:27.64
that this term
applies to a rebuilt city
00:17:27.71\00:17:32.45
over in the sands of Iraq
about 50 miles south of Baghdad.
00:17:32.48\00:17:36.35
No... we know that...
00:17:36.38\00:17:38.99
that he's talking about
something much different
00:17:39.02\00:17:41.22
when he describes
this mystery Babylon...
00:17:41.26\00:17:45.63
this mother of Harlots
and abominations of the earth.
00:17:45.66\00:17:48.80
She is sitting upon many
waters, it says in verse 1,
00:17:48.83\00:17:51.93
the woman is
sitting upon many waters,
00:17:51.97\00:17:53.57
in Old Testament
times, ancient Babylon,
00:17:53.60\00:17:56.37
this literal city, sat
upon the River Euphrates
00:17:56.40\00:17:59.17
on the waters of Euphrates,
00:17:59.21\00:18:00.94
and in Revelation,
John sees another Babylon
00:18:00.98\00:18:03.14
and she's sitting upon
the water... many waters...
00:18:03.21\00:18:06.01
but what does
this water represent?
00:18:06.05\00:18:08.65
If we look down at
verse 15, the angel explains,
00:18:08.68\00:18:13.02
the angel said to
me, Revelation 17:15,
00:18:13.05\00:18:16.93
So the water isn't literal
water the water applies to
00:18:26.87\00:18:31.64
all the people around the world
00:18:31.67\00:18:33.44
that support this mystery
Babylon and her deceptions.
00:18:33.48\00:18:40.02
Now, when we go to chapter 16,
we read about the final battle
00:18:40.05\00:18:49.56
and Babylon is
involved in this battle
00:18:49.59\00:18:51.59
and actually, let me read
another text that I forgot.
00:18:51.63\00:18:54.36
In chapter 18 verse 4,
00:18:54.40\00:18:56.40
the Bible says:
00:18:56.43\00:18:58.33
So, God has people in Babylon,
in ancient Old Testament history
00:19:08.21\00:19:13.45
literal Israel was
taken to literal Babylon
00:19:13.48\00:19:18.02
and they had to
literally come out
00:19:18.05\00:19:19.95
and go back
to... literal Jerusalem
00:19:19.99\00:19:21.82
and rebuild their
city and their temple.
00:19:21.86\00:19:24.36
In Revelation, we
have a mystery Babylon
00:19:24.39\00:19:26.90
who sits upon the waters
00:19:26.93\00:19:29.06
of the people around
the world that support her
00:19:29.10\00:19:32.60
and then God calls His
people to come out of her
00:19:32.63\00:19:36.14
just like He
called ancient Israel
00:19:36.17\00:19:37.61
to come out of literal Babylon,
00:19:37.64\00:19:39.01
He calls His modern Israel,
to come out of mystery Babylon
00:19:39.04\00:19:43.81
so they don't share in her sins.
00:19:43.85\00:19:46.41
Revelation 16
describes the final battle.
00:19:46.45\00:19:51.09
Chapter 16 says, "...
He gathered them together
00:19:51.12\00:19:54.36
into a place called, in
the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon
00:19:54.39\00:19:57.26
Now what is Armageddon about?
00:19:57.29\00:19:58.99
Is Armageddon going to
be a bloody Middle East war
00:19:59.03\00:20:02.40
against Jews?
00:20:02.46\00:20:03.93
Would that be a correct
interpretation of this text?
00:20:03.97\00:20:07.87
I don't believe
so, and the reason is
00:20:07.90\00:20:11.07
because that
interpretation would go against
00:20:11.11\00:20:13.74
the entire theme of Revelation
00:20:13.78\00:20:16.88
in taking the
landscape and the terminology
00:20:16.91\00:20:21.18
of ancient
Israel, but it applies it,
00:20:21.22\00:20:24.25
like the seven candlesticks
were applied to the church,
00:20:24.29\00:20:26.92
Jezebel was applied to
00:20:26.96\00:20:28.29
deceptions
coming into the church.
00:20:28.32\00:20:30.06
The temple was
applied to God's people
00:20:30.09\00:20:31.79
and the temple up in heaven.
00:20:31.83\00:20:33.16
Jerusalem is applied to
the New Jerusalem up in heaven.
00:20:33.19\00:20:36.73
Keeping the Commandments of
God is applied to the saints
00:20:36.77\00:20:39.93
who followed Jesus Christ.
00:20:40.00\00:20:41.64
Babylon is applied to a mystery
woman that deceives the world,
00:20:41.67\00:20:45.97
she's sitting upon
the waters which represent
00:20:46.01\00:20:48.98
people,
multitudes, nations and tongues
00:20:49.01\00:20:50.75
and so if we
interpret Armageddon
00:20:50.81\00:20:53.18
as a bloody, Middle
East Battle against Jews,
00:20:53.21\00:20:57.09
in a little valley
north of Jerusalem,
00:20:57.15\00:21:00.46
that interpretation which takes
the Middle East terminology
00:21:00.49\00:21:05.26
literally... is contrary to
the trend of the entire book
00:21:05.29\00:21:10.07
of the entire book...
00:21:10.10\00:21:11.43
Now, let's just
back up a little bit.
00:21:11.47\00:21:12.80
The theory is
that all the nations
00:21:12.83\00:21:14.17
are going to gather
into this little valley...
00:21:14.20\00:21:15.54
this little valley north of
00:21:15.57\00:21:16.91
Jerusalem, the
valley of Megiddo...
00:21:16.94\00:21:18.27
and the Bible
doesn't actually use the word
00:21:18.31\00:21:21.01
in Revelation...
Megiddo... it says, "Armageddon"
00:21:21.04\00:21:24.05
"har" in Armageddon...
"har" means mountain
00:21:24.08\00:21:27.95
and Megiddo
literally means slaughter.
00:21:27.98\00:21:30.09
So this is a
mountain of slaughter
00:21:30.12\00:21:32.92
that someone's
being gathered to.
00:21:32.95\00:21:35.69
Now, who is being gathered
into this Mountain of Slaughter?
00:21:35.72\00:21:39.06
Chapter 14 and 15
gives us the answer.
00:21:39.09\00:21:41.80
Going down to verse 13,
00:21:41.83\00:21:44.47
verse 13 says, "I saw
three unclean spirits like frogs
00:21:44.50\00:21:48.44
coming out of the
mouth of the dragon,
00:21:48.47\00:21:49.94
out of the mouth of the beast
00:21:49.97\00:21:51.51
and out of the mouth
of the false prophet. "
00:21:51.54\00:21:53.54
As we'll see... these are
the three parts of Babylon.
00:21:53.58\00:21:55.54
Verse 14 says:
00:21:55.58\00:21:58.58
So who is being gathered?
00:22:08.49\00:22:09.82
And then verse 16
says, "he gathered them
00:22:09.86\00:22:12.36
to the place called, in the
Hebrew tongue, Armageddon. "
00:22:12.39\00:22:14.43
Who is being gathered?
00:22:14.46\00:22:15.80
According to
verse 14, 13 and 14...
00:22:15.83\00:22:18.23
it is the dragon, the
beast and the false prophet
00:22:18.27\00:22:21.70
gathering together
the kings of the earth
00:22:21.74\00:22:24.37
and the whole world
00:22:24.41\00:22:26.07
for a final battle against God.
00:22:26.11\00:22:29.81
That's the context, and
then when you keep reading
00:22:29.84\00:22:34.45
verse 17 says:
00:22:34.48\00:22:39.89
When they're gathered...
00:22:54.90\00:22:56.44
when the whole world all
the kings of the earth...
00:22:56.47\00:22:58.77
and all the forces of evil are
gathered at this mystical place
00:22:58.81\00:23:03.04
called Armageddon...
Mountain of Slaughter,
00:23:03.08\00:23:06.75
then the voice of
God booms from the sky,
00:23:06.78\00:23:10.39
from the heavenly
temple, says, "It is done. "
00:23:10.42\00:23:13.29
The earth quakes...
00:23:13.32\00:23:15.06
a huge
earthquake hits this planet,
00:23:15.09\00:23:17.53
verse 19 says
that the great city,
00:23:17.56\00:23:19.93
which is the city of Babylon
was divided into three parts,
00:23:19.96\00:23:22.93
and those are the three parts
of the forces of the dragon,
00:23:22.96\00:23:25.83
the beast and the false prophet
00:23:25.90\00:23:27.24
and the cities
of the nations fall,
00:23:27.27\00:23:29.97
cities all around the
world... they collapse,
00:23:30.01\00:23:32.41
Tokyo, Los
Angeles, London, Paris,
00:23:32.44\00:23:37.48
Moscow... cities all
over the world crumble
00:23:37.51\00:23:41.18
and it says, "and great Babylon
came in remembrance before God,"
00:23:41.22\00:23:44.75
great Babylon is
the enemy in Revelation
00:23:44.79\00:23:48.22
and Armageddon...
she comes crashing down
00:23:48.26\00:23:51.63
with her
worldwide global forces,
00:23:51.66\00:23:54.00
she comes in
remembrance before God,
00:23:54.03\00:23:56.23
to give to her
the cup of the wine
00:23:56.26\00:23:58.43
of the fierceness of his wrath
00:23:58.47\00:23:59.93
and every Island fled away
00:23:59.97\00:24:01.34
and the
mountains were not found.
00:24:01.37\00:24:04.17
So what's happening here is
the global forces of Babylon
00:24:04.21\00:24:08.01
come crashing
down in Armageddon.
00:24:08.04\00:24:10.95
I want to make three points,
00:24:10.98\00:24:12.31
three points from this
section from the context,
00:24:12.35\00:24:16.89
the context is very clear
that Armageddon is global,
00:24:16.95\00:24:20.56
there are the kings of the earth
00:24:20.59\00:24:22.06
and the whole world gathered,
00:24:22.09\00:24:23.66
the focus is the heavenly
temple not an earthly temple
00:24:23.69\00:24:27.00
and the context is the
00:24:27.03\00:24:29.40
destruction of the
global forces of Babylon
00:24:29.43\00:24:32.03
that come crashing down,
00:24:32.07\00:24:33.84
great Babylon the Great,
00:24:33.87\00:24:35.54
and obviously, Jesus
is going to have a people
00:24:35.60\00:24:37.97
who don't go down with Babylon,
they are his special people,
00:24:38.01\00:24:41.71
His Israel... His Israel of God
00:24:41.74\00:24:44.71
who are on His side.
00:24:44.75\00:24:47.85
Revelation 16 verse 15,
right before Armageddon...
00:24:47.88\00:24:51.02
Jesus says,
"Behold, I come as a thief.
00:24:51.05\00:24:53.76
Blessed is he who watches,"
who watches out for deception
00:24:53.79\00:24:59.13
" and who keeps his garments,"
00:24:59.16\00:25:00.96
and the garments
refer to the white robes
00:25:01.00\00:25:02.80
of His righteousness,
00:25:02.83\00:25:04.40
"lest he walk naked,
and they see his shame. "
00:25:04.43\00:25:08.00
"And he gathered them together
00:25:08.04\00:25:09.90
into the place called, in
the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon.
00:25:09.94\00:25:12.47
In verse 15
Jesus warns His church,
00:25:12.51\00:25:15.94
his people whose home is the
New Jerusalem the City of God
00:25:15.98\00:25:21.85
who are trusting Jesus
Christ as their High Priest
00:25:21.88\00:25:24.55
who is ministering
in the temple of God,
00:25:24.59\00:25:27.02
who are keeping
the Commandments of God
00:25:27.06\00:25:29.42
which is inside the
Ark, by the grace of God,
00:25:29.46\00:25:32.23
because they love Jesus
and they want to follow Him,
00:25:32.26\00:25:34.53
these people are
keeping their garments
00:25:34.56\00:25:36.70
which are the garments
of the righteousness of God,
00:25:36.77\00:25:39.47
the righteousness of
Christ that clothes them
00:25:39.50\00:25:42.64
and that
prepares them for the end
00:25:42.67\00:25:45.77
and these are the people
who are ready for Armageddon.
00:25:45.84\00:25:49.64
Babylon... Israel,
00:25:49.68\00:25:52.71
the world forces of
evil... God's people,
00:25:52.75\00:25:56.38
a final battle in Revelation...
and the return of Jesus Christ
00:25:56.42\00:26:00.69
to deliver His
people and to put an end
00:26:00.72\00:26:03.29
to the deceptive, horrific,
evil work of the enemy...
00:26:03.32\00:26:10.90
of the devil and of
the forces of Babylon.
00:26:10.93\00:26:13.94
Those are the signs...
00:26:13.97\00:26:15.57
Babylon and Israel
centered in Jesus Christ.
00:26:15.60\00:26:21.04
And as we've looked at this...
and looked at these verses,
00:26:21.08\00:26:25.11
I just want to appeal
to you to study Revelation,
00:26:25.15\00:26:27.95
to give your heart to Jesus,
00:26:27.98\00:26:29.45
to be on the
side of God's people
00:26:29.48\00:26:31.35
who are prepared...
00:26:31.39\00:26:33.29
clothed in the white
robe of His righteousness,
00:26:33.32\00:26:35.56
for the second coming of Christ,
and for the end of the world.
00:26:35.59\00:26:39.86
We hope you've
enjoyed this timely message
00:26:39.89\00:26:43.00
from Pastor Steve Wohlberg
00:26:43.03\00:26:44.43
and we want you to know
00:26:44.47\00:26:45.80
that White Horse
Media is deeply committed
00:26:45.83\00:26:48.34
to bringing you
many more simple messages
00:26:48.37\00:26:50.67
straight from the Bible
designed to educate the mind,
00:26:50.71\00:26:53.74
inspire the heart and
help bring our Viewers
00:26:53.78\00:26:56.14
and their
families closer to God.
00:26:56.21\00:26:58.15
To learn more
about White Horse Media
00:26:58.18\00:27:00.48
or to watch more of
00:27:00.52\00:27:01.85
Pastor Steve's
television programs online,
00:27:01.88\00:27:03.95
including his
powerful new series
00:27:03.99\00:27:05.95
of two-minute talks,
visit hisvoicetoday. com
00:27:05.99\00:27:09.56
Will Christians soon disappear
00:27:09.59\00:27:11.49
raptured before
seven years of tribulation
00:27:11.56\00:27:13.66
when the Antichrist
makes war against the Jews?
00:27:13.70\00:27:16.10
Jesus Christ gave this special
warning about the last days.
00:27:16.16\00:27:19.50
"Take heed that no one
deceives you. Matthew 24:4.
00:27:19.53\00:27:22.80
Find out the truths
about these end-time prophecies
00:27:22.84\00:27:26.04
by ordering
Steve's popular book,
00:27:26.07\00:27:28.08
"End Time
Delusions" for only $13.95.
00:27:28.11\00:27:30.05
To order, call 1-800-78-BIBLE
00:27:30.08\00:27:32.81
or write to White Horse Media,
P.O. Box 1139, Newport, WA 99156
00:27:32.85\00:27:38.75
If you've been
blessed by today's program
00:27:38.82\00:27:41.39
and would like to
help White Horse Media
00:27:41.42\00:27:43.93
with your financial support,
00:27:43.96\00:27:45.29
you can call our toll-free
number listed on the screen
00:27:45.33\00:27:47.96
or donate online at
whitehorsemedia. com
00:27:48.00\00:27:50.83
We solicit your
prayers for our ministry
00:27:50.87\00:27:54.17
and we thank you for
any gift large or small
00:27:54.20\00:27:56.77
to help us reach
people with the gospel.
00:27:56.81\00:27:59.34