Well, yesterday, we got neck deep in the great tribulation, the 2nd half, known as the time of Jacob’s trouble, and how the tribulation saints wound up under the altar, in paradise, reopened for the tribulation. The man of sin, son of perdition, the Antichrist, the Beast, makes a 7 year peace treaty / covenant with Israel, allowing the nation to reestablish the sacrifices of the Law of Moses. He ceases the oblation / sacrifices 1,290 days before the end of the tribulation, and reveals the abomination of desolation 1,260 days before the end. The believing Jews flee into the wilderness of Judaea, protected by God for those last 3 1/2 years. Daniel 9:23-27, 12:11; Matthew 24:13-21
The false peace is broken, and he turns on Israel, and seeks to destroy all Jews and Gentiles who help the Jews. The red horse, pale horse, and black horse of seals 2-4 are now unleashed. Full scale war and destruction come upon everyone who does not worship the beast. All who are killed for their testimony for Christ, are transported to paradise, under the altar, to await the time of the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-9). The altar is the altar in the temple on earth, where the High Priest poured the blood of the daily sacrifice upon. When the Antichrist ceased the daily sacrifice, it was the blood of the saints that was now being sacrificed.
Revelation 13:5-8: And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Revelation 6:9-11: And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
The 6th seal opens the final days of the tribulation. The war in the heavens occurs, and Satan and all his angels are defeated by Michael and the angelic army of heaven, and are cast down to the earth. This is pictured in Revelation 6:12-17 with the stars being cast to the earth. Revelation 12:4; Job 38:1-7
Revelation 12:6-9: And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Revelation 6:12-17: And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Matthew 24:29-31: Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The overview of the tribulation in the first 6 seals, found in Revelation 6, gives us the rise of the Antichrist, the war declared on Israel, the death of an untold number of saints, the war in the heavens, and the 2nd Advent. It covers all the major points of the seven years. We will continue our look into the gleanings harvest next Sunday!